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Prereading Quiz: Where Did Your Headphones Come From?
Before you read “Where Did Your Headphones Come From?,” take this five-question quiz to find out how much you already know.
How much did Americans spend on products from other countries last year?
$33,000
$3.3 million
$3.3 trillion
In 2024, Americans bought $3.3 trillion worth of goods from other nations, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s the highest amount ever recorded.
What does import mean?
to bring products into a country to be purchased
to send products to other countries to sell there
to trade products with other countries
Import means “to bring goods and services into a country to be purchased.”
Why might the United States import products like clothing, appliances, and toys from other countries?
Those goods often cost more to produce in other countries.
Those goods often cost less to produce in other countries.
The U.S. doesn’t manufacture those types of goods.
It is generally less expensive to produce goods like clothing and appliances in other countries because materials and labor tend to cost less in those places than in the U.S.
Which country did the U.S. import the most from in 2023 and 2024?
Canada
China
Mexico
In 2023 and 2024, the U.S. imported more goods and services from Mexico than from any other country.
How does trade connect countries around the world?
Countries no longer need to manufacture goods.
Countries rely on each other for goods and services.
Countries give each other goods and services for free.
The movement of goods and services connects nations because countries depend on trade with each other to get the goods and services they need.