NewsTracker Answers for week of May 10, 2021

Q: At least 24 people were killed and 77 injured when an elevated section of the Mexico City metro commuter railway collapsed last week. Where is Mexico?

Circle the area on this map


Q: The bridge reportedly was repaired after it was damaged in a 2017 earthquake. Mexico City often suffers earthquakes because it is ...

A. Built on a lakebed

B. On the Ring of Fire

C. Surrounded by volcanoes

D. All of the above


D. Mexico City primarily rests on the soft clay lakebed of what was Lake Texcoco. It also sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire - a region around the ocean where 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes occur. The region also has most of the world’s volcanoes, and Mexico City is built in a valley surrounded by volcanic mountains.


Q: The United Nations ranks Mexico City as the fifth most populous city in the world. Its metro commuter rail system ranks as the world’s eighth busiest. Which of these cities with busier metro systems also is more populous than Mexico City?

A. Moscow

B. New York

C. Shanghai

D. Seoul


C. Shanghai is ranked as the world’s third most populous city and its metro transports 7.8 million people every day compared with 4.4 million in Mexico City. Moscow, New York and Seoul are smaller than Mexico City, but their subways all serve more commuters. Tokyo is the world’s largest city and also transports the most commuters – 10 million a day.


Q: Every third U.S. bridge needs major repairs or to be replaced, road builders say. The United States’ transportation and utility infrastructure is ranked 13th. Which nation ranks first?

A. Singapore

B. Spain

C. Sweden

D. Switzerland


A. The southeast Asian city-state of Singapore has the best infrastructure of the world’s wealthy nations according to the World Economic Forum. The tiny nation is the world’s fifth richest ranked by gross domestic product per person.


Q: President Joe Biden wants to spend $2.3 trillion to fix U.S. infrastructure. Which nation is spending most on its infrastructure?

A. Australia

B. China

C. United Kingdom

D. United States


B. China spends 5.5% of its gross domestic product on its infrastructure compared with 0.52% spent by the United States. Australia ranks second in infrastructure at 1.69%, and the United Kingdom is third at 0.92%. The United States is far down the list.