Which lake is the world's deepest and biggest fresh water lake? A) The Caspian Sea B) The Black Sea C) Lake Baykal
The annual number of thunderstorms is greatest in which of the following states: A) California B) Illinois C) Florida
What is the study and practice of making maps? A) topology B) graphicacy C) cartography
On average, how many tornadoes are reported in the United States each year? A) 500 B) 800 C) 1200 D) 1800
In order to make a hemisphere map look as if the Earth were being viewed from space, a cartographer uses: A) a stereographic projection B) a telephoto lens C) an orthographic projection
What is permafrost? A) a food preservation technique used by Siberian natives B) cold-resistant vegetation C) permanently frozen subsurface material D) a large uninhabitable region in Eastern Russia
Which of the following mountain ranges was uplifted when India collided with Asia? A) Ural Mountains B) Himalayan Mountains C) Andes Mountains
Competing retailers cluster together in malls and shopping centers to take advantage of: A) economies of distance B) agglomeration economies C) international trade
What Spanish term do meteorologists use to denote a widespread and long-lived windstorm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving thunderstorms? A) tornado B) derecho C) chubasco D) Chinook
Which of the following statements is true: A) all Arabs are Muslim B) all Muslims live in N Africa/SW Asia C) Turks, Persians, and Israelis are not Arab D) no Palestinians currently live in Israel
The Russian exclave between Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic Sea is A) Kaliningrad B) Kiev C) Vladivostok
Maps that show the shape and elevation of terrain are called – A) topographic maps B) cadastral maps C) planimetric maps
Global Climate Change is related to enhanced levels of: A) oxygen B) carbon dioxide C) stratospheric ozone
A climatic condition that might benefit Russia in the future is: A) continentality B) tundra C) greenhouse effect
The official datum for maps constructed in the United States is: A) North American Datum, 1927 B) North American Datum, 1983 C) World Geodetic System, 1984
In what year did the deadliest tornado occur in the United States, and what states did that tornado impact?
The _______________ was a 2-way continental interchange of plants, animals, technology and people. A) Treaty of Tordesillas B) Pristine myth C) Columbian exchange D) New World exchange
The Tropic of Cancer is an example of a – A) meridian B) line of latitude C) line of longitude
Altitudinal zonation describes how climate changes with: A) elevation B) latitude C) industrialization D) location relative to the Equator
The longest river in Europe is ____________. A) Volga B) Thames C) Rhine
In the mid-19th Century, the Great Plains gained a reputation as: A) The Empty Interior B) The Great American Desert C) The Corn Belt D) Canyon Country
Maquiladoras are: A) Undocumented Mexican workers B) Small, traditional houses in the Southwest C) A type of traditional meal made from corn and red beans D) Foreign-owned factories along the Mexican border
About 2/5 of this country is made up of polder or polder land which was once covered by the sea or lakes or by swaps. This country is: A) Italy B) New Zealand C) Netherlands
The Tri-State Tornado, which occurred on March 18, 1925 and killed nearly 700 people, started in what state? A) Missouri B) Illinois C) Arkansas
Who invented the thermometer?
The method of representing the surface of a sphere on a plane is called: A) map projection B) perspective C) deformation
Which of the following would NOT be part of a developing country’s informal economy? A) household work B) street vending C) family farming D) assembling components for automobiles
What do you call water that remains in the liquid state despite having a temperature of less than 32ºF? A) Sleet B) Supercooled water C) Graupel D) Wet snow
Where is the geographical origin of Islam? A) Mecca B) Tehran C) Jerusalem
Lake effect snows primilary occur on the east side of Lake Michigan because: A) temperatures are always colder on that side of the lake B) surface winds generally blow most frequently from west-to-east in the mid-latitudes C) Chicago's urban heat island provides the heat and water vapor to cause snow on the east side of the lake.
Most fatalities associated with tornadoes occur in: A) Permanent Houses B) Mobile Homes C) Vehicles
What is the term that describes an area where air temperature increases with height in the atmosphere? A) convection B) inversion C) advection
Latent heat is released into the atmosphere during which of the following processes? A) Sublimation B) Evaporation C) Condensation
Tobler’s First Law of Geography tells us that the closer things are: A) the more related or similar they are B) the more dissimilar they are C) the more likely they are to influence global processes
Which of the following states is the furthest south? A) Texas B) Florida C) Hawaii
What do meteorologists call a thunderstorm that a has deep, continuously-rotating updraft?
All of these countries either now have or once had Communist governments, except: A) Vietnam B) North Korea C) China D) Cambodia E) Indonesia
This is the largest country in population in Africa. A) Nigeria B) Kenya C) South Africa
Air temperature generally __________ with height in the stratosphere. A) decreases B) remains constant C) increases
What percentage of the Canadian population lives within 95 miles of the country’s southern border? A) 25% B) 50% C) 75% D) 90%
The name of the West Bank refers to its location west to_________. A) Palestine B) Jordan River C) Dead Sea
Warm air can hold ________ water vapor compared to an equal amount of colder air. A) less B) the same amount of C) more
An eastern US river that is believed to be second oldest river in the world. A) The Susquehanna B) The New C) The Roanoke
Geodetic measurements from over the past 20 to 30 years reveal that the Earth is becoming: A) more spherical B) more elliptical C) more populous
Hurricanes do not form over the equator because of an absence in this force/effect: A) Pressure Gradient B) Centripetal C) Coriolis
If a parcel (pocket may be a better choice of words) of air is warmer than the surrounding air, this parcel (pocket) of air will: A) Rise B) Sink C) Remain Stable
What city benefited most from the Gold Rush? A) San Diego B) San Francisco C) Los Angeles D) Seattle
In 1983, President Reagan was almost killed by what weather phenomenon? A) tornado B) blizzard C) microburst D) hurricane
In which country did Buddhism originate? A) Japan B) China C) India
The rainbow trout has been transplanted to nearly every continent on the earth from where? A) Northern Europe B) Western North America C) New Zealand
The potato originated from which continent? A) South America B) Europe C) Africa
Corn ethanol and biodiesel fuel production plants are optimally located: A) near the consumer market, because these products are volatile and costly to ship B) near grain producing regions , because weight is lost in the production of these fuels C) along major highways, because that’s where the fuel is used
Coffee plant originated from________. A) Brazil B) Ethiopia Highlands C) Colombia
CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) is a measure of positive buoyancy of an air parcel accumulated from the ________________ to the Equilibrium Level. A) Level of Free Convection B) Lifted Condensation Level C) Surface
Mercator, Robinson, Orthographic, and Azimuthal are all samples of: A) map projections B) bathymetric charts C) nautical charts
To communicate a message effectively most maps need what features? A) a title, a legend, a scale bar, a direction arrow B) roads, drainage, source information, boat ramp locations C) parks, parking locations, border, locator
What is the apparent force associated with the rotation of the Earth and causes the air to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere? A) Coriolis Force B) Angular Momentum C) Pressure Gradient Force
The shape of the Earth is best described as: A) a sphere B) an oblate ellipsoid C) a geoid (or lumpy ellipsoid)
What's the longest distance a person has been picked up by a tornado and lived to tell about it?
Quinine is derived from the cinchona bark and was used to prevent malaria and allowed European expansion into the African continent. Where did the cinchona bark originate? A) Africa B) Southeast Asia C) South America
Coptic Christianity is located where? A) Middle East B) India C) Africa
During late afternoon, after a round of thunderstorms, you notice an increase in the winds speed along with an abrupt wind shift from southerly to westerly. What type of front just passed? A) Stationary B) Warm C) Cold
Most of the people in Oceania live in: A) Australia B) New Zealand C) Fiji D) Papua New Guinea E) Marshall Islands
DeKalb, Illinois is defined as having a ____________ according to the Koppen Climate Classification system: A) Hot Summer Continental climate B) Dry Summer Subtropical climate C) Maritime Temperate climate
__________ is the household registration system in China that restricts the movement of people from rural to urban areas. A) driver license registration B) Hukou C) SSN system
Which region of a jetstreak would result in upper level divergence, thus possible formation of extratropical cyclones? A) Left Entrance Region B) Left Exit Region C) Right Exit Region
Timekeeping device that enabled the calculation of longitude. A) The Pendulum B) The Chronometer C) The Sextant
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986: A) abolished the country-of-origins quota system of admission into the U.S. B) allowed illegal immigrants in the U.S. to legalize their status C) decreased the amount of immigration from the Latin America to the U.S. D) established a guest worker program for Mexican laborers
Which weather variable decreases from the surface of the earth to the top of the atmosphere? A) temperature B) pressure C) wind speed
This is the largest Muslim country in the world. A) Saudi Arabia B) Iran C) Indonesia
What is the average annual snowfall in Chicago? A) 28 inches B) 38 inches C) 48 inches D) 58 inches
Los Angeles is characterized by its: A) polynucleated urban area B) increasing smog and poor air quality problems C) extensive and heavily-used metro system D) dense urban population E) danger of falling into the ocean with the next major earthquake
How hot is lightning?
The geographic center of North America (Canada, the United States & Mexico) is located: A) in north central Kansas B) in west central Illinois C) near Sioux City in western Iowa
Maps that show spatial features distorted in proportion to the value of an attribute are called: A) pictogram B) cartouche C) cartogram
The South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China is designed to divert water from the _________ to the north. A) Great Canal B) Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) C) Yellow River
Approximately 2.3 billion people (1/3) of the 6.9 billion living on earth today are infected with this disease producing organism. A) H1N1 (Swine Flu) B) TB (Tuberculosis) C) Plasmodium (Malaria)
In the Southern Hemisphere, surface winds circulate _______ around a surface low pressure system A) randomly B) clockwise C) counterclockwise
Weather occurs primarily in what layer of the atmosphere? A) Troposphere B) Stratosphere C) Mesosphere
Which statement below describes import substitution industrialization (ISI)? A) changing from one foreign supplier to another B) replacing locally produced goods with imports C) manufacturing goods that had been previously imported D) exporting and importing the same type of product
Which of the following states in the US has the least percentage of adult obesity? A) Colorado B) Minnesota C) California
According to mobile Doppler radar data of the May 3, 1999 Moore Oklahoma tornado, the highest tornado wind speeds may reach: A) 150 mph B) 200 mph C) 315 mph D) 760 mph
Which of the following of the following states is the furthest west? A) Alaska B) Hawaii C) Washington
Geography is called a visual science because: A) it has to be seen to be appreciated B) it uses and produces maps C) everything we talk about in geography can be seen in the world around us
Which of the following of the following states is the furthest east? A) Maine B) Florida C) Alaska
Cloudy skies can lead to ________ daytime temperatures and ________ nighttime temperatures. A) lower, lower B) higher, lower C) lower, higher
The average American produces __ pounds of household garbage per year. A) 50 B) 250 C) 800 D) 1600 E) 5000
Most of the electricity generated in Northern Illinois is from: A) nuclear B) wind C) coal D) natural gas
Approximately __ % of the global land area is designated as protected from human impact (national parks, wilderness areas, etc.)? A) 1 B) 5 C) 20 D) 45
The gas most responsible for climate change is: A) Ozone B) Carbon monoxide C) Sulfur dioxide D) CFC E) Carbon dioxide
Americans (who make up 4% of the world's population) use approximately __% of the worlds energy? A) 5 B) 25 C) 50 D) 75
In what part of the world does the tree-line extend the farthest north? A) Siberia B) Norwest Territory C) Alaska D) Norway
What causes a fjord? A) glacier B) river C) flooding D) water pollution
Which lake would be considered the headwater of the single drainage system formed by the Great Lakes? A) Erie B) Huron C) Superior D) Ontario E) Michigan
What is a meander? A) small hill B) pile of debris left by a glacier C) bend in a river or stream D) volcanic island
What is the correct name given to a broad flat-bottomed volcanic crater? A) cinder cone B) laccolith C) fumarole D) caldera
Along which country's coast is the world's second largest coral reef located? A) Belize B) Costa Rica C) Guatamala D) Honduras E) Bahamas
The formation of algal blooms in waterways is a result of agro-chemicals running off into natural stream and river systems. This process of algal bloom formation from chemical input in known as ________? A) algification B) phosphoresence C) bioaccumulation D) eutrophication
The majority of ozone depletion occurs in which layer of the atmosphere? A) troposphere B) stratosphere C) mesosphere D) ionosphere
The largest earthquake of the 20th century occurred on what continent? A) North America B) South America C) Asia D) Africa E) Australia
Large earthquakes are often followed by smaller earthquakes called: A) baby earthquakes B) foreshocks C) aftershocks D) mini-quakes
What natural disasters can earthquakes cause A) hurricanes B) tornadoes C) tsunamis D) blizzards E) landslides
The major earthquake fault closest to Illinois is the: A) New Madrid fault B) San Andreas fault C) Mid-Atlantic ridge D) Africa rift zone
What is the official state soil of Illinois? A) Tama silty clay loam B) Drummer silty clay loam C) Antigo silt loam D) Lester clay loam
What charts were developed in cooperation with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service guidelines for classifying colors of various soils? A) True soil color chart B) SCS color guide chart C) Munsell Soil Color Chart D) Solium chart
Which of the following countries do not use the Euro as its national currency. A) Luxembourg B) Germany C) Switzerland D) Ireland E) Malta E) France
What city has the largest ethnically Polish population outside of the Polish capital, Warsaw? A) New York City, US B) London, England C) Munich, Germany D) Chicago, US
About 63 percent of the world's production of uranium from mines is from which countries? A) United States, China and Japan B) Kazakhstan, Canada and Australia C) Russia, Uzbekistan and South Africa D) Pakistan, France and Germany
What state produces the most corn? A) Illinois B) Nebraska C) Minnesota D) Iowa
What was Americas first transcontinental highway called? A) Lincoln Highway B) Route 66 C) Oregon Trail D) Atlantic to Pacific Highway
Which of these food categories is most likely to be produced near major metropolitan areas? A) Grain B) Dairy C) Livestock
Which country had colonized the largest areas in North America by the late 1700's? A) England B) Spain C) France
A chart which demonstrates the age profile of a region is known as what? A) Population pyramid B) Demographic chart C) Age profile chart
The Earth achieved a population of 1 billion around 1830 C.E. When did the population reach 2 billion? A) 1890 B) 1930 C) 1960
The world's largest city in population is: A) Mumbai B) New York C) Tokyo
Bangladesh has a population of approximately 160 million living in an area about the size of . . .? A) Canada B) Iowa C) Texas
Chicago became a major livestock center largely because of its access to what? A) Banks B) Highways C) Railroads
What was responsible for the death of over a quarter of Europe's population between 1347 and 1351? A) Influenza B) Typhoid C) Black Death
In 2010, what percentage of the world's population lives in urban areas? A) 38% B) 51% C) 83%
In 2010, one African country was among the world's ten most populated countries. How many are expected to be in the Top Ten by 2050? A) One B) Three C) Seven
