World Geography Introduction Midterm exam

A nation's GDP per capita reveals how quickly it is consuming its natural resources.

False

Cool air holds much more moisture than warm air.

False

GDP per capita statistics take the informal economy and unpaid labor into account.

False

Geographers endeavor to be sensitive and tolerant of all cultural practices, no matter how cruel or inhumane they may seem.

False

In warm air, the gas molecules are relatively dense and are associated with high air pressure.

False

Language is not a significant delineator of cultural regions.

False

Most world regions are defined by the same set of indicators.

False

Prices of fair trade goods are usually lower than the prices of free trade goods.

False

Spatial analysis is the art and science of making maps.

False

The United Nations possesses the world's largest standing army.

False

The monsoon is an example of dry arctic air being blown by currents into otherwise moist regions.

False

The rate of natural increase measures the growth of a population including in-migration and out-migration figures.

False

The sharp boundaries shown on climate maps point to the sharp differences in climate as one moves gradually from west to east, or north to south.

False

The textbook draws fundamental distinctions between a cultural group and an ethnic group.

False

The volume of water that a person directly uses in a year is called virtual water.

False

A capitalist system is one based on the private ownership of capital and is driven by the profit motive in a competitive marketplace.

True

Although cultures may share some core beliefs, they may also disagree on a number of other values.

True

As a society shifts from extractive activities to industrial and service activities, material standards of living tend to rise.

True

As education rates for women increase, total fertility rates tend to decrease.

True

Better-educated people tend to want a stronger voice in how they are governed.

True

Cultural diversity provides a bank of possible strategies for responding to the challenges facing the human species.

True

Currently, the rate of population growth is slowing globally.

True

Data indicate that the twentieth century was the warmest century in 600 years.

True

Despite lacking biological justification, race has acquired enormous social and political significance over time.

True

During the past century, the English language has emerged as the most important language of international trade.

True

Geographers like to use region as a conceptual model because it offers a reasonable way to divide the world into manageable parts.

True

Human activity such as agriculture, forestry, and damming rivers can contribute to external landscape processes.

True

In 1700, fewer than 10 percent of the population lived in cities; today, more than 50 percent live in cities.

True

In general, people tend to live where resources such as food and water are available.

True

In general, the developing nations are more vulnerable to the effects of global warming than the developed nations.

True

In the textbook, the argument is made that the boundaries between regions are rarely, if ever, distinct and certain.

True

Lines of longitude (also called meridians) run from pole to pole; lines of latitude (also called parallels) run parallel to the equator.

True

Lines of longitude on a map run from pole to pole.

True

Low air pressure is associated with warm air temperatures.

True

Racism has often been used to justify enslavement of groups or the theft of land and resources.

True

Regions with slow population growth tend to be more affluent.

True

Religion has been used to wield power.

True

Sex refers to the biological category of male or female, while gender indicates how a particular social group defines the differences between the sexes.

True

Sustainable development is defined as the idea that improvements in present standards of living must not be made at the expense of future populations.

True

The moral codes of various world religions, such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, are part of culture.

True

The normal ratio worldwide is about 95 females born for every 100 males.

True

The so-called Cold War involving the United States and the Soviet Union provides an example of geopolitics.

True

The spread of a particular religion can often be seen along historical trade routes.

True

The work of geographers is similar to other scientists except that they tend to look at problems spatially.

True

When using the phrase scale of analysis, geographers are always referring to the relative size of an area.

True

What fraction of the world's population does NOT have access to clean water?

a. 1/8 b. 1/6 (Correct) c. 1/4 d. 1/3

How much water does the average human require daily to meet basic domestic needs?

a. 10-15 liters b. 20-50 liters (Correct) c. 50-75 liters d. 75-100 liters

Approximately how many languages are spoken on Earth today?

a. 1000-1500 b. 2000-2500 c. 2500-3500 (Correct) d. 4000-5000

Suppose that a country has a birth rate of 31 per 1000, and a death rate of 4 per 1000. This country's rate of natural increase is:

a. 12 percent. b. 27 percent. c. 7.75 percent. d. 2.7 percent. (Correct)

The center of Pangaea is thought to have been modern-day:

a. Africa. (Correct) b. North America. c. South America. d. Australia.

A city that is NOT home to the new middle class of educated urban residents is:

a. Cape Town, South Africa. b. Mumbai, India. c. Shanghai, China. d. Mexico City, Mexico. (Correct)

_____ refers to short-term changes in temperature and other factors, while _____ is a long-term balance of temperature and precipitation.

a. Climate; weather b. Weather; climate (Correct) c. Meteorology; weather d. Global warming; climate change

Which statement accords with the theory of global warming?

a. Deforestation reduces the release of carbon dioxide, causing more atmospheric combustion. b. The burning of fossil fuels decreases levels of carbon dioxide, preventing natural ionic cooling. c. The sun is burning hotter and has increased rates of evaporation, and thus has a reduced rate of global daily cooling. d. Levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are increasing and trapping the sun's heat. (Correct)

Which statement is TRUE regarding the Cold War and its effects?

a. During the Cold War, the United States and the USSR both promoted capitalism. b. The Cold War had little effect on the internal and external policies of countries other than the United States and the USSR. c. The Cold War became a race to attract the loyalties of unallied countries and to arm them. (Correct) d. Post-Cold War geopolitics allowed many southeastern European countries to resolve their political conflicts peacefully, embracing the diversity in their countries.

Which statement is NOT a positive ripple effect of developing countries investing more resources in the education of females?

a. Educated women are more likely to migrate to another country. (Correct) b. The children of educated women are more likely to finish secondary school. c. The children of educated women are healthier. d. Educated women have fewer children, which helps the family financially.

_____ refers to the biological category of male or female, while _____ refers to the differences between the sexes as defined by a particular social group.

a. Gender; sex b. Sex; gender ( Correct) c. Sex; discrimination d. Gender; sex roles

The globe is divided into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at the:

a. International Date Line. b. equator. (Correct) c. Tropic of Cancer. d. Tropic of Capricorn.

According to the textbook, which statement is TRUE about racial differences among humans?

a. Race has been used as a justification for exploitation in many different regions of the world. (Correct) b. Racial markings are significant in explaining the internal biological differences among humans. c. Racism originated in present-day England, and the ideas spread through colonization. d. Race determines the many different subspecies of the human race

Which statement describes one impact of colonization on the global pattern of languages?

a. The diversity of languages spoken in the Americas increased. b. European languages replaced many local languages. (Correct) c. Bilingual and multilingual speakers in Africa decreased. d. Asian languages replaced indigenous languages in parts of Europ

Suppose that a country's population pyramid is truly pyramid shaped, with a wide band at the bottom and a much narrower band at the top. What is the BEST description of the population of this country?

a. There are many more women than men in the country. b. There are many more very young people than very old people in the country. (Correct) c. The country's total fertility rate is probably about 1.5. d. The country is experiencing a low rate of migration.

Which statement is TRUE concerning multinational corporations?

a. They replace free trade blocs as the key institution in the development of the global economy. b. They design systems that utilize highly skilled, highly paid labor resources. c. They possess the ability to influence the political affairs in countries where they operate. (Correct) d. They expand trade among cities within country borders while blocking international trade across borders.

In which of the countries listed below is the amount highest of virtual water required to produce one ton of corn?

a. United States b. India (Correct) c. Mexico d. the Netherlands

Which statement BEST describes the grandmother hypothesis?

a. Women who give birth at a young age make better grandmothers than women who give birth later in life. b. Women who have grandmothers in the home are more successful at childrearing. c. Children raised by their grandmother are more likely to receive higher levels of education. d. Midlife menopause provides an evolutionary advantage by giving women no longer able to bear children the time and energy to help succeeding generations thrive. (Correct)

Which factor is NOT an example of a human resource?

a. a body of knowledge b. brainpower and analytical thinking c. skills such as building and design d. steel (Correct)

Which example illustrates a transaction taking place in the informal economy?

a. a company paying a payroll tax for each employee b. a government agency offering a contract to the lowest bidder c. a housekeeper who is paid in cash and does not report her income (Correct) d. a small U.S. company outsourcing tech support work to a company in India

The MOST common way for shantytown dwellers across the globe to get water is through

a. a household faucet. b. streams running on the outskirts of the city. c. a communal spigot. (True) d. purified water sent in by global relief agencies.

In nearly all societies, families prefer boys over girls. Reasons for which this phenomenon is true do NOT include that boys:

a. are easier to raise and considered more easy-going. (Correct) b. will have greater earning capacity as adults. c. will perpetuate the family name. d. will have more social power as adults.

Geography as a discipline links the _____ with the _____.

a. city; state b. physical sciences; social sciences (Correct) c. study of biology; study of sociology d. people; government

According to the theory of plate tectonics, continental drift is caused by:

a. climate change in the upper atmosphere. b. molten rock flowing from hot regions deep inside Earth to cooler surface regions and back. (Correct) c. the smashing together of oceanic plates. d. the collision of an oceanic plate with a continental plate.

The BEST term to describe life in a favela would be:

a. crowded (Correct) . b. affluent. c. peaceful. d. convenient.

Which activity does NOT contribute to increased levels of greenhouse gas emissions?

a. electricity generation b. photosynthesis (Correct) c. large-scale raising of pasture animals d. automotive vehicles

Which factor is NOT a result of fair trade policies?

a. elimination of profits for intermediaries/middlemen b. improved working conditions for laborers c. increased investor profits (Correct) d. living wages for workers

The mission of the World Trade Organization is to:

a. establish ground rules for international trade and lower trade barriers. (Correct) b. work with the United Nations to bring trade to developing nations. c. increase import quotas while lowering tariffs. d. develop a trading bloc to rival the European Union.

Which factor is NOT a direct or indirect component of the calculation of virtual water?

a. evaporation in growing fields b. agricultural and industrial technology c. water pollution that occurs in the production process d. water used in cooking and other domestic activities (correct)

The United Nations is composed of:

a. five free-trade blocs. b. seven continents. c. 193 member countries. (correct) d. all the nations of North America, South America, and Europe.

The leading cause of death among girls between the ages of 15 and 19 worldwide is:

a. food poisoning. b. lack of drinking water. c. pregnancy. (Correct) d. heart disease.

Which factor is NOT a characteristic of the green revolution?

a. genetically engineered seeds b. large, sophisticated farming machinery c. an emphasis on organic farming (Correct) d. large tracts of land

Warm, moist air rises and becomes less able to hold its moisture as it reaches higher altitudes. The result is:

a. global warming. b. precipitation. (Correct) c. evaporation. d. a cooler temperature on Earth.

In a country with traditional gender roles, men are more likely to serve as _____, while women serve as _____.

a. government leaders; farmers b. executives; homemakers (Correct) c. farmers; hunters d. caregivers; farmers

Which factor is NOT part of the United Nations' calculation of the Human Development Index (HDI)?

a. income adjusted to purchasing power parity b. life expectancy at birth c. percentage of GDP per capita spent on health care (Correct) d. educational attainment of the population

A problem with the concept of culture is that:

a. it is not a term commonly used by geographers. b. the United Nations has questioned its validity. c. it is applied to large groups that share only the most general of characteristics.(Correct) d. it is considered racially divisive and old-fashioned in an era of increased tolerance.

The development of food production has undergone a series of changes, starting with hunting and gathering; moving through labor-intensive, small-scale agriculture; and moving on to _____ and organic farming in the present day.

a. large-scale commercial agriculture (Correct) b. family farms c. a stronger emphasis on meat and animal husbandry d. crop rotation

Water is now the third most valuable commodity in the world, after:

a. oil and electricity. (Correct) b. diamonds and gold. c. corn and wheat. d. exchange rates and crop yields.

What term describes rainfall caused by the interaction of large air masses of different temperatures and densities?

a. orographic precipitation b. shadow precipitation c. convergence precipitation d. frontal precipitation (correct)

The highest average temperatures on Earth fall within a band 30° north and south of the:

a. prime meridian. b. Tropic of Capricorn. c. Tropic of Cancer. d. equator. (Correct)

The reasons for differences in behavior between cultures are complex but usually related to:

a. race. b. values. (Correct) c. intelligence. d. ancestry.

Between 1945 and 2015, Earth's population:

a. roughly doubled. b. roughly tripled. (correct) c. remained mostly constant. d. decreased dramatically.

The push/pull phenomenon of urbanization pushes people out of _____ and pulls them into _____.

a. rural areas; cities (Correct) b. farms; manufacturing c. singlehood; parenthood d. one country; a different country

Which factor does NOT impact a place's vulnerability to climate change?

a. size (Correct) b. resilience c. sensitivity d. exposure

The opposite of capitalism is:

a. socialism. b. communism. (Correct) c. democracy. d. monarchy.

Darker skin is an evolutionary adaptation found in regions located close to:

a. the North Pole. b. higher altitudes. c. the coast. d. the equator. (Correct)

What feature on the physical landscape CANNOT be explained by the theory of plate tectonics?

a. the Pacific Ring of Fire b. Mount Pinatubo (volcano) c. Pangaea d. the Mississippi River delta (Correct)

What is the key goal of multinational corporations?

a. the development of world trade b. environmental protection c. increased employment in host countries d. profit (Correct)

The Pangaea hypothesis proposes that:

a. the early indigenous Pangaea people of the North American continent once ruled the world. b. life originated on the moon (then called Pangaea) and was brought to Earth on particles during a meteor shower. c. all continents were once joined in a single content called Pangaea. (Correct) d. Earth was originally covered with the Pangaea Ocean before the continents rose out of the water.

Given the differential heating and cooling rates of land and water, which land area is more likely to experience the MOST extreme change in temperature and air pressure over a year?

a. the interior of a vast landmass (Correct) b. a small island c. a long, narrow peninsula d. a wide river delta

As climate is defined in the textbook, which factor reflects a climatic change?

a. the rise of the sun each morning b. the formation of a warm front c. the movement of a hurricane d. the melting of glaciers during the Ice Age (Correct)

Which factor BEST describes racism?

a. the scientific study of skin color and its effect on abilities b. a proselytizing religious tradition from South America c. the idea that all humans are the same despite visual variations in skin tone and face shape D:the idea that visually apparent genetic factors such as skin color are a primary determinant of cultural traits and abilities (Correct)

Central to the study of geography are the questions _____ and _____.

a. who; when b. why; how c. where; why (Correct) d. how many; when

Culture is NOT represented and communicated by:

a. wind patterns. (Correct) b. social arrangements. c. ideas. d. materials.

For most urban shantytown dwellers, coping with limited access to water and sanitation is a persistent challenge.

true