Deck 1: Geography: an Exploration of Connections

Question 1

Which of the following refers to the relationship between the distances shown on the map and the actual distances on Earth's surface?

A) scale
B) spatial analysis
C) cartography
D) regional geography

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following terms refers to the study of how people,objects,or ideas are,or are not,related to one another across space?

A) regional geography
B) physical geography
C) cartography
D) spatial analysis

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT an aspect of geographical analysis?

A) spatial analysis
B) multiple scales of analysis
C) cartography
D) lithography

Answer 3

D

Question 4

All of the following describe GISc EXCEPT:

A) GISc is so highly specialized it's often criticized for having limited applicability to other disciplines.
B) GISc has been adopted as a tool by both corporations and government entities.
C) GISc refers to the body of science that supports spatial analysis technologies and tools such as GIS (geographic information systems).
D) use of GISc is now widespread and has changed the way information is analyzed and distributed.

Question 5

The theory that Earth's surface is composed of large plates that float on an underlying layer of molten rock is the theory of:

A) plate movement.
B) plate tectonics.
C) the Pangaea hypothesis.
D) the continental plate theorem.

Question 6

The prime meridian runs from the North Pole to the South Pole through:

A) New York City,USA.
B) Berlin,Germany.
C) London,England.
D) Greenwich,England.

Question 7

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

A) who;when
B) why;how
C) where;why
D) how many;when

Question 8

In defining a region,geographers might take into account all of the following factors EXCEPT:

A) political boundaries.
B) physical characteristics.
C) cultural characteristics.
D) literary history.

Question 9

Lines of longitude are also known as:

A) meridians.
B) parallels.
C) poles.
D) positional lines.

Question 10

To fit the spherical Earth onto a flat map,a Mercator projection:

A) flattens the Earth like an orange peel.
B) shows lines of longitude curving up toward the poles.
C) stretches out the poles,depicting them with lines equal to the length of the equator.
D) perfectly represents the shapes of landmasses.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an example of a geographic inquiry?

A) How did a group of people come to occupy a particular place?
B) How have people modified the physical aspects of a place to suit their needs?
C) How have people contributed to a particular environmental problem?
D) All of the above are examples of geographical inquiry.

Question 12

Which of the following terms refers to the making of maps?

A) scale
B) spatial analysis
C) cartography
D) regional geography

Question 13

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.
C) the smashing together of oceanic plates.
D) the collision of an oceanic plate with a continental plate.

Question 14

Geography as a discipline links the __________ with the __________.

A) city;state
B) physical sciences;social sciences
C) study of biology;study of sociology
D) people;government

Question 15

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.
D) Earth was originally covered with the Pangaea Ocean before the continents rose out of the water.

Question 16

Cartographers solve the problem of showing the spherical Earth on a flat piece of paper by using:

A) lines of latitude.
B) projections.
C) globes instead of flat maps.
D) degrees,minutes,and seconds.

Question 17

Which of the following terms refers to the unit of Earth's surface that contains distinct patterns of physical features or of human activities?

A) place
B) space
C) region
D) scale

Question 18

Most scientists believe that Earth's continents have been assembled into supercontinents:

A) once.
B) twice.
C) a number of times.
D) never.

Question 19

Through which ocean does the longitude line at 180° run?

A) Atlantic
B) Pacific
C) Indian
D) Arctic

Question 20

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

A) international date line.
B) equator.
C) Tropic of Cancer.
D) Tropic of Capricorn.

Question 21

As climate is defined in the textbook,which of the following 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

Question 22

When plates slip past each other,the result is a(n):

A) volcano eruption.
B) earthquake.
C) mountain.
D) lake.

Question 23

Suppose you are on the beach at night,and you experience a breeze blowing from the land out to the ocean.This breeze is caused by:

A) carbon dioxide being pushed out of human dwellings at night.
B) excess nitrogen in the air.
C) evaporated water seeking a place to condense back into liquid water.
D) air flowing from the cooling land onto the relatively warmer water.

Question 24

Which of the following events is NOT directly associated with plate tectonics?

A) earthquakes
B) fluvial deposition
C) volcanic eruptions
D) mountain building

Question 25

Mountain ranges are formed when:

A) volcanoes erupt.
B) an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate.
C) two continental plates collide.
D) limestone deposits gradually build up over millennia.

Question 26

What process does the term orographic rainfall describe?

A) when a condition of 100 percent humidity prevails over several days
B) precipitation that occurs when air is forced to rise over mountain ranges
C) precipitation that is created by chemicals introduced by human activities
D) a downpour that occurs seasonally due to rapid continental heating

Question 27

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

A) Africa.
B) North America.
C) South America.
D) Australia.

Question 28

What term describes rainfall that is 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

Question 29

As one moves away from the equator,average temperatures drop because:

A) the sunlight strikes Earth's surface at an angle and is therefore less intense.
B) greenhouse gases are concentrated at the equator and become less prevalent the farther one moves away from it.
C) the jet stream provides cooler air currents farther away from the equator.
D) the El Nino effect does not affect equatorial regions.

Question 30

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.

Question 31

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

Question 32

Massive,sometimes catastrophic,rainfalls are called:

A) orographies.
B) frontal precipitation.
C) monsoons.
D) rain-belt effects.

Question 33

Where rivers meet the sea,floodplains often fan out roughly in the shape of a triangle,creating a:

A) small hill.
B) valley.
C) delta.
D) mountain.

Question 34

Areas to the north and south of the equatorial rain belt receive some of the rain belt's moisture as a result of:

A) seasonally shifting winds.
B) mountain ranges.
C) El Niño.
D) the jet stream.

Question 35

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.
C) evaporation.
D) a cooler temperature on Earth.

Question 36

Through which of the following landscape processes is rock broken down into smaller pieces?

A) mass wasting
B) deposition
C) weathering
D) erosion

Question 37

__________ 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
C) Meteorology;weather
D) Global warming;climate change

Question 38

Wind is created by:

A) continental plates brushing alongside oceanic plates.
B) the changeover from high ocean tides to low ocean tides.
C) air moving from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure.
D) the evaporation of water from trees and plants.

Question 39

Which of the following premises best supports the theory of Physical Geography?

A) Earth's surface is made up of large plates that float on molten rock.
B) Large plates formed when meteors struck Earth 65 million years ago.
C) Present-day plates resulted from the erosion of the supercontinent Pangaea.
D) The land surface of Earth is rooted on large oceanic plates.

Question 40

The Kӧppen classification system divides the world into climate regions labeled:

A) A,B,C,D,E.
B) I,II,III,IV,V.
C) i,ii,iii,iv,v.
D) q,v,x,y,z.

Question 41

The rising levels of greenhouse gases (e.g. ,carbon dioxide)in the atmosphere are attributable to which of the following?

A) subsistence agricultural practices
B) increasing rate of sea water evaporation
C) large-scale burning of fossil fuels
D) global reforestation efforts

Question 42

Which of the following countries is NOT one of the top three greenhouse gas emitters?

A) Canada
B) China
C) India
D) United States

Question 43

The only developed country that did not sign the Kyoto Protocol was:

A) Japan.
B) China.
C) Russia.
D) the United States.

Question 44

Which of the following activities does NOT contribute to increased levels of greenhouse gas emissions?

A) electricity generation
B) photosynthesis
C) large-scale raising of pasture animals
D) automotive vehicles

Question 45

The observed higher temperatures of Earth's surface and climates in recent decades usually goes by the name of:

A) climate change.
B) global warming.
C) greenhouse gases.
D) ecological footprint.

Question 46

All of the following are possible results of global warming,EXCEPT:

A) multinational corporations abruptly pulling out of developing nations.
B) the disappearance of animal and plant species.
C) more chaotic and severe weather.
D) human populations displaced from coastal areas and low-lying islands.

Question 47

Which of the following does NOT impact a place's vulnerability to climate change?

A) size
B) resilience
C) sensitivity
D) exposure

Question 48

The largest producer of total greenhouse gas emissions is:

A) China.
B) Russia.
C) the United States.
D) Japan.

Question 49

The loss of trees and forest organisms to deforestation accounts for as much as __________ percent of the world's CO₂.

A) 10
B) 30
C) 50
D) 75

Question 50

About 70 percent of the carbon dioxide (CO₂)in the atmosphere comes from __________;the remainder comes from __________.

A) animal flatulence;the use of fossil fuels
B) photosynthesis;animal flatulence
C) the use of fossil fuels;the loss of trees and other forest organisms
D) evaporated water pollutants;agricultural fertilizers

Question 51

Greenhouse gases include all of the following,EXCEPT:

A) sodium chloride.
B) carbon dioxide.
C) water vapor.
D) methane.

Question 52

Which of the following 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.

Question 53

Which of the following statements about global climate change is INCORRECT?

A) Human activities that release carbon dioxide and methane contribute to global climate change.
B) We have made significant strides in reducing CO₂ emissions.
C) Glacial melting,sea level rise,and flooding are all associated with global climate change.
D) Global warming can increase droughts in certain regions.

Question 54

The result of a warm front is likely to be:

A) rain or snow.
B) dry air.
C) evaporation.
D) a monsoon.

Question 55

A likely result of polar ice caps melting is:

A) increased wildlife at the North and South Poles.
B) increased lake and stream size on the continents.
C) increased marine life closer to the equator.
D) a higher sea level.

Question 56

The direct cause of global warming is:

A) the overuse of water in developing nations.
B) the increased amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
C) the inequitable distribution of wealth in the world.
D) the melting of the polar ice cap.

Question 57

The meeting attended by 190 countries in 2011,during which all attendees agreed to cut emissions significantly by 2020,was the:

A) Kyoto Protocol.
B) Copenhagen agreement.
C) Yale Environment 360.
D) UNFCCC.

Question 58

In 2007,the developing countries were responsible for about __________ percent of total greenhouse gases.

A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 50

Question 59

The highest level of greenhouse emissions per capita is produced by:

A) Bahrain.
B) Jamaica.
C) Paraguay.
D) the United Arab Republic.

Question 60

The agreement signed by 181 countries in 2009 to sharply limit CO₂ emissions was the:

A) Kyoto Protocol.
B) Copenhagen agreement.
C) Cap and Trade Act.
D) U.N.Resolution on Greenhouse Emissions.

Question 61

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

A) one-eighth
B) one-sixth
C) one-fourth
D) one-third

Question 62

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

A) oil and electricity.
B) diamonds and gold.
C) corn and wheat.
D) exchange rates and crop yields.

Question 63

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

A) United States
B) India
C) Mexico
D) the Netherlands

Question 64

Food security can be diminished by all of the following EXCEPT:

A) natural disasters.
B) biotechnology and food engineering.
C) economic disruptions.
D) overproduction in rich countries.

Question 65

The 2007 spike in world corn prices was brought about by:

A) a switch from corn production to wheat production.
B) the increase in global prices of oil.
C) speculation in alternative energy sources.
D) decreased demand for corn as a food staple.

Question 66

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
B) family farms
C) a stronger emphasis on meat and animal husbandry
D) crop rotation

Question 67

The number of people a given place can support sustainably is its:

A) carrying capacity.
B) sustainability index.
C) food security.
D) economic development index.

Question 68

In which of these countries is the amount lowest of virtual water required to produce one ton of corn?

A) United States
B) India
C) Mexico
D) the Netherlands

Question 69

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

A) 10-15 liters
B) 20-50 liters
C) 50-75 liters
D) 75-100 liters

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the green revolution?

A) genetically engineered seeds
B) large,sophisticated farming machinery
C) an emphasis on organic farming
D) large tracts of land

Question 71

At the global level,which statement best explains the fact that around one-fifth of the world's human population subsists on insufficient and inadequate diets?

A) Extra food is produced but often does not get to those who need it.
B) Rapid population growth has outstripped increases in world food production.
C) Environmental degradation has curtailed increases in world food production.
D) World food production is insufficient due to the inefficiencies of socialism.

Question 72

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.
D) purified water sent in by global relief agencies.

Question 73

Soil erosion is caused by all of the following factors,EXCEPT:

A) overgrazing.
B) genetic modification of seeds.
C) deforestation.
D) overuse of agricultural chemicals.

Question 74

What is the term for farming that meets human needs without degrading or depleting the environment?

A) industrial agriculture
B) plantation agriculture
C) corporate agriculture
D) sustainable agriculture

Question 75

What institution initiated the expansion of long-distance trade?

A) colonial system
B) transnational corporations
C) free trade blocs
D) investment banks

Question 76

Which statement does NOT express a concern regarding the use of GM crops?

A) GM crops could cause catastrophic crop failure.
B) GM seeds are much more expensive than traditional seed.
C) GM crops could cause unintended ecological damage.
D) GM seeds are widely used in Europe.

Question 77

Which of the following 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

Question 78

Common diseases caused by polluted water are:

A) malaria and tuberculosis.
B) tuberculosis and cancer.
C) cancer and cholera.
D) malaria and cholera.

Question 79

Water scarcity is the result of all of the following EXCEPT:

A) population growth.
B) increased per capita demand for water due to modernization.
C) inequitable allocation of water.
D) sustainable farming initiatives.

Question 80

Which of the following types of water resource degradation is NOT commonly linked to urbanization?

A) pollution from untreated sewage
B) pollution from flooding
C) fertilizer and pesticide runoff
D) mismanaged storm water