Fast countries, slow countries.

• Position: GRAPH: NATIONAL - Internet speeds - Brief article

You may think you have "high-speed Internet" at home, but speed is a relative thing. The U.S. ranks 24th in the world in average Internet-connection speed, so users in many countries can get on and off the information superhighway quicker. Why does this matter? Internet applications are becoming more complex and increasingly interactive, with sophisticated video, graphics, and other bells and whistles. Slower upload and download speeds put individual, users, companies--and entire economies--at a disadvantage.

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

ANALYZE THE GRAPH

(1) Portugal (not shown) is ranked 11th in the world and has an average connection speed of 16.6 mbps. How many countries on the graph have faster Internet service?

a 3

b 4

c 5

d 6

(2) About how many times faster is the Internet in South Korea, ranked first in the world, than in the U.S.?

a 4

b 7

c 10

d 14

(3) If it takes 30 seconds, on average, to download a photo in Japan, approximately how long would it take in the U.S.?

a 60 seconds

b 90 seconds

c 120 seconds

d 180 seconds

(4) The Czech Republic [not shown] has an average connection speed of 11 mbps, placing it between --and --on the graph.

a the U.S., France

b Japan, Sweden

c France, Hungary

d Germany, Iceland

(5) Delaware, with the fastest Internet speeds in the U.S., averaged about 13.4 mbps in 2010. Which country had similar speeds?

a Sweden

b Lithuania

c Hungary

d France

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

(1) Are you surprised that the U.S. has such a...