Final answer:
Rocks and minerals are the correct answer to the natural resources that countries trade. Technical support, phone repairs, and tourist services are not natural resources, but rather services provided by the labor sector. Natural resources, such as oil and natural gas, are pivotal in international trade and a country's economic standing.
Step-by-step explanation:
A natural resource is something provided by nature that supports life and can be traded between countries. Among the options provided, the correct answer to the question 'Which of these are natural resources that countries trade?' is A. Rocks and minerals. These include resources such as coal, copper, lead, and precious metals like gold and silver, which are inherent to the geology of various regions around the world.
Option B, technical support, C, phone repairs, and D, tourist services, while valuable, are not natural resources; they belong to the category of services provided by the workforce in a country. Countries do trade services, but this is different from trading tangible natural resources. Tourism, for instance, attracts foreign income but does not constitute a traded natural resource in itself.
It is important to note that some countries, like those in North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Turkestan, have harnessed their natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas, to gain wealth through international trade. These resources play a crucial role in determining each country's economic standing in the global market.