NewsTracker Answers for week of Feb. 04, 2019

Q: Britain complained last week about the European Union (EU) calling Gibraltar a “colony” in draft legislation about Britain leaving the political and economic union. Calling the 2.6-square-mile British territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula a colony could help Spain’s claim to the land. Where is Gibraltar on this map?

Circle the area on this map


Q: Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in a 1713 war treaty. Who else has controlled the territory?

A. Berbers

B. Neanderthals

C. Vandals

D. All of the above


D. There is evidence of Neanderthals inhabiting Gibraltar 50,000 years ago. Since then, it has been conquered by many different invaders from Europe, Africa and Asia. Spain has long claimed sovereignty over the territory and said it would exclude Gibraltar from any new deal over “Brexit”, Britain’s plans to leave the EU in March.


Q: Any Brexit deal must be approved by Britain and all the members of the EU. Excluding Britain, how many nations belong to the union?

A. 9

B. 18

C. 27

D. 36


C. Despite the dispute over Gibraltar, Spain went along with an EU Brexit agreement in November that was later rejected by the British Parliament. Spain could prevent any new agreement. Britain could face serious economic problems and even food shortages if it leaves the EU without a trade agreement with the 27 other nations in the union.


Q: The original members of what later became the European Union were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and which other country?

A. Britain

B. Germany

C. Ireland

D. Spain


B. West Germany was the sixth original member of what was often called the Common Market, which was formed by former World War II foes to "preserve peace and liberty and to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe" through economic and political cooperation.


Q: In 1975, 67% of British voters approved joining the Common Market. In 2016, the British voted to leave the EU in an . . .

A. Extremely close election

B. Overwhelmingly large majority


A. The referendum to leave the union passed with a 51.9% majority of all British voters. In Gibraltar, 97% voted to stay in the union. A majority of voters in Scotland and Northern Ireland also voted to remain, but they will all leave the EU if Britain leaves. Some have called for another vote on the issue.