Trivia Answers – May/June 2016

Apr 13, 2016

Cuba Embargo

1. President ______ sent his press secretary to buy 1,200 Cuban cigars the night before he signed the embargo in Feb. _____. a) Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961 b) John F. Kennedy, 1962 c) Ronald Reagan, 1988 2. Which of the following countries in the United Nations has not denounced the Cuban embargo? a) France b) Brazil c) Israel 3. Cuba is the most populated country in the Caribbean, with more than ____ residents. a) 11 million b) 20 million c) 40 million 4. Referred to as “the island nation,” Cuba is about the size of which state in the U.S.? a) California b) Rhode Island c) Pennsylvania

Fracking Regulations

1.The main ingredient in natural gas, ________is also a greenhouse gas that is harmful to the ozone. a) Carbon dioxide b) Methane c) Chlorofluorocarbon 2. Typically, _____ gallons of water are used to frack a well although some wells consume much more. a) 500,000 to 1 million b) 1 to 2 million c) 2 to 8 million 3. Over the last decade, Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, the Bush family and hedge fund manager Michael Burry (portrayed by Christian Bale in The Big Short) have all invested in what commodity, anticipating a future shortage? a) Water b) Oil c) Gas d) Coal

Ideas for Teachers/Critical-Thinking Questions – May/June 2016

Apr 13, 2016

LINKS

Cuba Embargo Amnesty International Statement on Cuba 2015/2016 Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015 Bill Human Rights Watch – Articles on Cuba USA Today Article White House – Remarks by President Obama and President Raul Castro in a Joint Press Conference Washington Post Article Press Release – Sen. Patrick Leahy – Announcement That President Obama Will Travel To Cuba Fracking Regulations Washington Post – How States Are Fracking in Maps S.785 – FRAC Act Bill S.828 – Fracturing Regulations Are Effective in State Hands Act Bill EPA – Hydraulic Fracturing Video – “Communities Divided Over Natural Gas Drilling” by Associated Press Pros and Cons List 1 (Green Garage Blog) Pros and Cons List 2 (Scientific Alliance) Pros and Cons List 3 (Yale Climate Connections)

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS

Cuba Embargo 1. How did the Cold War affect the United States’ relationship with Cuba in the past? 2. How does that legacy continue to affect relations today, even as they change? 3. What are some pros and cons of the U.S. “normalizing” its relationship with Cuba? 4. Why do you think the Cuban embargo is referred to as a “failed policy?” 5. Do you think “diplomatic engagement” strategy will be a better way to influence Cuba’s human rights practices than the embargo imposed on Cuba? Why or why not? Fracking Regulations 1. Do you think fracking should be regulated at the federal or state level? Why? 2. Would you be okay with fracking taking place in your community? Why or why not? 3. Is reducing our dependence on foreign oil more important than preventing a water shortage? 4. Is fracking safe? Why or why not? 5. Do you think fracking will ultimately hurt or help the environment?