1. Name the presidents of Germany and France.

2. Why did the German Foreign Minister summon the U.S. ambassador to a meeting this week?

3. What type of relationship does the U.S. government have with Germany?

4. How did the Obama administration respond to the German accusations?

5. USA Today reports:

Analysts said that while the allegations could do ongoing political damage to the Obama administration and its relationship with the EU, spying is a fact of modern life among allies. "I'm somewhat surprised that people are surprised nations spy upon each other," said Charles King Mallory IV, former head of the Aspen Institute in Germany. "This happens."

Moreover, Mallory said the German government had long been aware of U.S. attempts to access Merkel's communications, adding that a former chief of German intelligence told him about the spying a year and a half ago. "We were discussing the NSA, and he said, 'I happen to know for a fact that they're capable of penetrating the communications of our chancellery,'" said Mallory. "So, I think there is a certain amount of political Kabuki that is going on."

What does the AFP reporter give as the most likely reason for the public "summoning" of the U.S. ambassador?

6. Ask a grandparent if he/she is surprised that the U.S. ambassadors--first to France, then to Germany--were "summoned" to a meeting, rather than the representatives from these allies "requesting a meeting" and to explain why or why not.

7. What lesson should we (as well as government officials around the world) learn from the reports of President Merkel's cell phone being tapped (as well as those of French citizens and many others)?

CHALLENGE QUESTION: Before all of the technology available to us today, how was it possible to listen in on phone conversations in the early days of telephone?