World Geography A End of Semester Post Test

What is a functional region?

An area that is physically connected and operates as a single unit

Which landmass is most distorted in this map?

Antartica

The image shown is a cartogram displaying the projected population of the world in 2030. According to the cartogram, which continent is predicted to have the largest population?

Asia

Scientists consider which of the following locations to be the driest desert in the world?

Atacama

To what nation do the Galápagos Islands belong?

Ecuador

Which of the following describes the relationship between elements of an ecosystem?

Elements of ecosystems are mutually dependent on each other

Which language is the most common language for trade and business in the world?

English

Your friend from Europe would like to visit the United States in the winter but avoid any areas that are cold. Where should you recommend she go?

Florida

Soil degradation and erosion in a region where many people are subsistence farmers can lead to which of these problems?

Food scarcity

Aside from English, what other language is widely spoken in Canada?

French

Which formation moves sediment and erodes rock?

Glaciers

What natural resource of Latin America did the first European explorers most desire?

Gold

A country's gross domestic product is the total amount of _____ and _____ produced in a given year.

Goods;services

Which area lies directly east of the Rocky Mountains in the center of North America?

Great Plains

An anthropologist wants to learn about the Maya directly from their descendants. She wants to move to a country with the largest concentration of Mayan people. What country would be the best choice?

Guatemala

Which of the following geographical features most affects the dry climate of Chile?

Mountains

Where do long chains of volcanoes tend to be located?

Near plate boundaries

Which water source is least useful to humans for drinking purposes?

Oceans

Ronald wants to purchase land in South America and start a cattle ranch. Which location is best suited for this activity?

Pampas

Where would one most likely find a glacier-carved lake?

Patagonia

What is the main reason the Earth is warmer at the equator than at the North and South Poles?

Rays from the Sun hit the planet more directly at the equator

Which of the following mountain ranges extends from New Mexico to Alaska?

Rocky Mountains

Which map element helps determine the real distance between areas on a map?

Scale

What is occurring in the picture?

Subduction

How does one determine a country's natural increase?

Subtract the death rate from the birthrate

This picture of the Incan city of Machu Picchu shows an agricultural technique used by Incan farmers who adapted to their mountainous environment. Which of the following terms describes this agricultural technique?

Terracing

Which statement would be best justified by the information given in this population pyramid?

Women in Nigeria have more children today than they used to in the past

Cuba is one of the world's leading producers of sugarcane. Consequently, sugar is its main export. Why is this a potential problem?

A sudden drop in sugar prices or production caused by a natural disaster could cripple Cuba's economy

Cara got lost while hiking in the mountains. Fortunately for her, she had a GPS device and a satellite phone. When she reported her location, she indicated that it was 38°N, 105°W. This means Cara gave which type of location?

Absolute location

Which U.S.-originated sport is popular in Canada?

Baseball

Ryan lives in Texas. For vacation, he wants to drive to a foreign country that is warm and English-speaking. Which of the following vacation spots would be the best choice for Ryan?

Belize

Though dry regions may never be as densely populated as those near water, which of the following has led to increased populations in dry areas?

Better technology allows easier access to water supplies

What is the primary human cause of global warming?

Burning fossil fuels

How does the Chinese government attempt to keep its population under control?

By offering incentives for families to have only one child

Which country is the United States' largest trading partner?

Canada

Biomass fuels store energy from sunlight in which form?

Chemical energy

The burning of which of the following energy sources is most linked to global warming?

Coal

Which layer is the thinnest layer of Earth?

Crust

Which of the following products from Latin America cannot be traded in the United States?

Cuban sugar

Which city in the United States is the most well known for making automobiles?

Detroit

What is the name for the areas of calm winds near the equator?

Doldrums

Rough seas with dangerous icebergs describe which of the following locations?

Drake Passage

What enables U.S. citizens to consume a disproportionately large amount of products compared to the rest of the world?

High per capita income

Which area of geographical study involves examining different populations in the world, including their distribution and trade patterns?

Human geography

The Reyes family decides to install expensive solar panels to replace their current energy source that uses fossil fuel. Presently, this switch to solar energy comes at a major financial cost. Why might the Reyes' decision be considered a wise one in 40 years?

In the coming years, the Reyes family will save money because solar power requires little maintenance and the energy used is free.

This map shows Mexican climates. Some of the best farmland is found in the north, where there is little rainfall. Which of the following statements best explains how this is possible?

Irrigation efforts have transformed dry land into farm land

American consumption has had which of the following effects on the environment?

It depletes many natural resources

Gregorio is sad because he has not been able to go outside and play. It has rained every day for two weeks in his small village in coastal Ecuador. What is the most likely cause of the rainy weather?

It is El Nino year.

Which of the following best states the difference between how oceans and land absorb the Sun's energy?

Land reflects more of the Sun's energy, while oceans absorb it slowly and retain it longer

Which of the following locations is most likely to have cold weather patterns?

Land that is at high elevations

For years, Rita visited her friend's house near the ocean. She noticed that her own home, far from the beach, experiences much greater sways in temperature. What is the reason for this?

Large bodies of water, when compared to land, take longer to heat and cool

What do GPS devices do?

Locate exact coordinates on the Earth

What are Earth's plates currently drifting on?

Mantle currents

Which of the following climate zones would be the most hospitable to humans?

Marine west coast

The population changed relatively little between the years 1200 and 1400. Which of the following can be assumed about this time period?

The birthrate and the death rate were about equal.

Which of the following choices describes the greenhouse effect?

The heat trapped in the atmosphere, which causes an increase in the Earth's temperature

What have farmers in the Amazon River Basin found to be the cause of reductions in the soil's fertility?

The removal of native plants

Although the state of Alaska has more square mileage than any other U.S. state, it is one of the least populated in the country. Which is the most probable reason for this?

There is no water source near enough to Alaska to support a large human population.

Which statement is true regarding the layers of the Earth?

They all vary in size and temperature

Why do people who live on islands tend to develop very different customs from those who live in other parts of the world?

They tend to be more isolated from outside cultures.

Why do the countries belonging to OPEC not want to produce too much oil at one time?

This will cause the price of oil to go down, resulting in lower profits for these countries.

Which staple product used in Italian cuisine came from Latin America?

Tomatoes

On which industry do the economies of Caribbean Nations most heavily rely?

Tourism

Coastal areas that are near warm ocean currents are more likely to experience which of following effects?

Warm weather