Answer Close-Reading Questions
Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.
• What is the global supply chain? How has the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted it? (Domain-Specific Vocabulary)
The global supply chain is every step involved in the process of manufacturing goods and transporting them to the people who buy them. When Covid-19 began to spread widely in early 2020, many factories in places like China and Vietnam had to shut down or reduce production. Shipping companies cut their schedules back because they thought people wouldn’t buy as much stuff. However, people bought more stuff. Problems like traffic jams in ports and fewer dockworkers have created bottlenecks in the chain.
• How does the cartoon represent the impact of the shipping crisis? (Visual Literacy)
The cartoon represents the impact of the shipping crisis by showing a student giving a new excuse for not completing an assignment. Instead of the classic “dog ate my homework” excuse, the student is blaming a supply chain bottleneck for a shortage of pens.
• How are shortages affecting people? (Cause and Efffect)
Shortages are making some products hard to find. They are also making some goods more expensive. For instance, shortages caused the average price of a new car to increase by almost $6,000 from November 2020 to November 2021. The situation is an example of the concept of supply and demand.