NewsTracker Answers for week of July 13, 2015

Q: Visiting Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay last week, Pope Francis said the goods of the Earth are meant for everyone and must not be exploited by the wealthy few for short-term profit at the expense of the poor. Where is Ecuador, Bolivia or Paraguay?

Circle the area on this map

Q: In Ecuador, Francis emphasized the need to protect the environment from what he calls a profit-at-all cost mentality. Ecuador's economy is heavily dependent on which natural resource?

A. Diamonds

B. Coal

C. Gold

D. Oil

D. Petroleum resources account for more than half of the country's export earnings. The pope also called on Ecuador to protect its portion of the Amazon rain forest and its indigenous people. Ecuador's president had earlier endorsed drilling for oil in the Amazon.

Q: In Bolivia, Pope Francis focused on the plight of the poor, calling systemic “greed for money” a “subtle dictatorship” that “condemns and enslaves men and women.” Bolivia is the poorest nation in . . .

A. South America

B. Western Hemisphere

C. World

A. Bolivia is the poorest nation in South America on the basis of GDP per person. It is followed by Paraguay as the second poorest and Ecuador as the fourth poorest in South America. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Somalia and the Central African Republic are listed as the world' poorest nations.

Q: The pope's visit drew about a million people north to Paraguay from Francis' native country . . .

A. Argentina

B. Brazil

C. Chile

D. Peru

A. Paraguay is bordered to the north by Bolivia, to the east by Brazil and to the south and west by Argentina. Born in Argentina, Pope Francis is the first Latin American - and the first Jesuit - to lead the Roman Catholic Church.

Q: Before he became Pope Francis in 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio served as cardinal in Argentina's capital . . .

A. Asuncion

B. Buenos Aires

C. Quito

D. Santa Cruz

B. Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina. Pope Francis spoke in Paraguay's capital Asuncion, Ecuador's capital Quito and Bolivia's capital Santa Cruz during his travels last week.