Transcript Physical Geography of Latin America

Physical Geography of Latin
America
Chapter 8 Test Review
The mountains located along the
western edge of South America are
the
a.
b.
c.
d.
Sierra Madre.
Andes.
Rocky Mountains.
Western Highlands.
Parallel mountain ranges are called
a.
b.
cordilleras.
altiplanos.
c.
d.
estuaries.
tierra caliente.
Latin America includes Middle
America, the Caribbean, and
a.
b.
c.
d.
Mexico.
Cuba.
El Salvador.
South America.
The five vertical climate zones in the
highlands of Latin America are
determined by
a. rainfall.
b. distance from the Equator.
c. Elevation.
d. longitude.
Shifting winds and the cold
Peru ocean current have
combined to create the
a.
b.
c.
d.
pampas.
Atacama Desert.
Andes.
llanos.
The pampas consist primarily of
a.
b.
c.
d.
grasslands.
deserts.
forests.
rain forests.
A(n) ____________________ is a
place where an ocean tide meets a
river current.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Escarpment
Estuary
coast
cordillera
The Mato Grosso Plateau spreads across
a.
b.
c.
d.
Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina.
Mexico.
Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru.
Colombia and Venezuela.
The area surrounding Lake Maracaibo in
Venezuela contains rich deposits of
a.
b.
gold.
silver.
c.
d.
tin.
oil.
The tropical climate of the Amazon Basin
results from its location on the Equator and
a.
b.
c.
d.
altitude.
the ocean tides.
rainfall.
prevailing wind patterns.
The plateau of Patagonia is
a.
b.
c.
d.
wet and lush.
temperate, green, and windy.
dry, barren, and windy.
hot and dry.
The __________ is the Western
Hemisphere’s longest river.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Rio Grande
Paraná River
Amazon River
Uruguay River
Steppe climate in Latin America has
a.
cold summers and rainy winters.
b. hot summers, cool winters, and light
rainfall.
c.
cool summers, cold winters, and heavy
rainfall.
d. hot summers, warm winters, and almost
no rainfall.
Mild climate, fertile soil, and adequate rainfall
have attracted people to the ________ for
thousands of years.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Mato Grosso Plateau
Mexican Plateau
Sierra Madre
Atacama Desert
Located in the Andes, Lake Titicaca is
a.
b.
c.
d.
the world's highest navigable lake.
Latin America's smallest lake.
South America's largest lake.
an inlet from the Caribbean Sea.
The Amazon Basin contains the
world’s largest
a.
b.
c.
d.
water supply.
mountain.
rain forest.
lake.
The Río de la Plata is a large
____________________ where
three rivers meet the Atlantic
Ocean.
a. dam
b. llano
c. estuary
d. highlands
The Rio Grande forms part of the border
between
a. Peru and Colombia.
b. Bolivia and Brazil.
c. Mexico and the United States.
d. Argentina and Uruguay.
Which of the following statements about
tropical dry regions in Latin America is TRUE?
a.
Soils are very fertile and suited for largescale agriculture.
b. Uruguay and Argentina are characterized
by a tropical dry climate.
c.
Tropical dry areas have mild temperatures
and little rainfall.
d. Grasslands flourish in many tropical dry
areas.
Which of the following statements about tropical
dry regions in Latin America is TRUE?
a.
Soils are very fertile and suited for largescale agriculture.
b. Uruguay and Argentina are characterized by
a tropical dry climate.
c.
Tropical dry areas have mild temperatures
and little rainfall.
d. Grasslands flourish in many tropical dry
areas.
Many Caribbean islands are actually
a.
b.
c.
d.
archipelagos.
volcanic peaks.
atolls.
lagoons.
What attracted settlers to the mountains
and plateaus of Latin America?
a. cooler climates and rich natural
resources
b. beautiful scenery and helpful
indigenous peoples
c. activities such as hunting and fishing
d.
peace and quiet
Major deposits of oil and natural gas are
located along the Gulf of Mexico and
the
a. Pacific Ocean.
b. Caribbean Sea.
c. Rio Grande.
d. Atlantic Ocean.
Hundreds of smaller rivers join the Amazon
River as it flows to the Pacific Ocean to form the
a.
b.
c.
d.
Río de la Plata.
Brazilian Highlands.
Amazon Basin.
Mato Grosso Plateau.
The eastern highlands of South
America plunge to the Atlantic
Ocean, forming a steep slope called
a(n)
a. altiplano.
b. plateau.
c. estuary.
d. escarpment.
The _________ in Mexico are a
continuation of the Rocky Mountains of
North America.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Sierra Madre
Andes
Central Highlands
Mexican Plateau
Latin America’s rugged landscape is
caused by
a. its location in the Tropics.
b. its location along the Ring of Fire.
c. continental drift.
d. weathering and erosion.
Which of the following statements about South
America’s rivers is TRUE?
a.
The rivers provide important commercial
water routes between cities in the region.
b. The Paraná, Paraguay. and Uruguay Rivers
form the largest river system in the world.
c.
The Paraná, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers
drain the northern half of South America.
d. The rivers of South America are small, while
the rivers of Middle America are gigantic.
Colombian mines have been producing
__________ for thousands of years.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Emeralds
sterling silver
Gold
bauxite
The Panama Canal allows ships to
travel between which two bodies of
water?
a. Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean
b. Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
c. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
d. Atlantic Ocean and Sea of Cortez
Latin America’s natural resources are
unevenly distributed due to
a. lack of capital for development.
b. social and political divisions.
c. geographic inaccessibility.
d. diverse landforms.
What is the second largest river
system in Latin America?
a. the Amazon
b. Paraná, Paraguay and Uruguay
Rivers
c. Lake Titicaca, Lake Maracaibo and
the Orinoco River
d. Paraná, Paraguay, and Amazon
Rivers
What mineral is found at the
foothills of the Orinoco River in
Venezuela?
a. copper c. silver
b. gold
d. emeralds
The _______ of South America are a
continuation of the Rocky Mountains
of North America.
a. Andes
b. Sierra Madre
c. Central Highlands
d. Brazilian Highlands
South America’s inland grassland
areas, the llanos and the pampas, are
a source of
a. freshwater for irrigation.
b. grazing for cattle.
c. shelter for small animals.
d. fertile soil for crops.
Which statement best describes why the
Brazilian Highlands are important to
farmers?
a. Open spaces are ideal for raising
livestock.
b. Tourists come regularly to vacation.
c. People have easy access to
transportation and industry.
d. Fertile soil is good for growing crops.
Which two vertical climate zones
are located above the tree line?
a. tierra fría and tierra helada
b. tierra fría and tierra templada
c. tierra helada and puna
d. puna and tierra fría
Which vertical climate zone is
the most densely populated?
a. tierra helada c. tierra
templada
b. tierra fría d. tierra
caliente
Humid subtropical climates in South America
have
a.
short winters with freezing temperatures
and long, hot, humid summers.
b. long winters with cool to mild
temperatures and long, hot, humid summers.
c.
long winters with freezing temperatures
and short, hot, wet summers.
d. short winters with cool to mild
temperatures and long, hot, humid summers.
Use the excerpt to answer the following question.
Here at this one site on the Equator, in about 1,500 acres, scientists have counted
3,000 species of plants, 530 species of birds, nearly 80 species of bats, and 11
species of primates. There are jaguars and other wild cats, tapir, deer, otters,
capybaras, and agoutis….
—Virginia Morell, “The Variety of Life,” National Geographic, February 1999
Much of Latin America lies between the Tropic of Cancer
and the Tropic of Capricorn. As a result, vast areas of the region
have some form of tropical climate with lush green vegetation.
a. Do you think that Morell would support legislation to protect
habitats in Latin America? Why or why not?
b. How is the tropical wet climate of the Amazon rain forest
affected by prevailing winds?
c. Briefly describe characteristics of a tropical wet climate.