Geography 1

The southern edge of the Sahara is expanding in
a process called

Geneticists are tracing the movements of people
in prehistoric Europe using our DNA as a time
machine. . . .
— Joe Palca, “Tracing Human Migration Through DNA,”
NPR Weekend Edition Saturday, August 11, 2007
1 This passage suggests that modern science can be
used to

• Use a variety of evidence
• Analyze primary documents
• Compare societies and regions
These actions help historians reconstruct a record
of a society by

* Keeping field notes from excavation sites
• Analyzing radiocarbon dating test results
• Examining and cataloging artifacts
Which social scientist directly engages in these
activities?

One similarity between the Nile River valley and
savanna lands in Africa is that they both

Which name identifies the region located
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers?

Which geographic factor has often made Korea a
key region for those seeking to control East Asia?

Which geographic feature has helped isolate
China?

The term monsoons can be defined as

Which river system is found in Mesopotamia?

Which geographic feature served as a barrier that
protected ancient China and was used as an
invasion route by the Aryans into ancient India?

Which geographic factor contributed to the
formation of independent city-states in ancient
Greece?

Which title best completes the partial outline below?
I. _________________________________
A. Located in a region of volcanoes and earthquakes
B. Has limited mineral resources
C. Concentration of population in coastal plains

What would a geographer conducting research be
most likely to do?

Which body of water is located between Southwest Asia and Southeast Asia?

Knowing the latitude of a location would be most
helpful in determining

A geographic similarity between Italy and India is
that both of these countries are located

The Indus and Huang He (Yellow) rivers are both
closely associated with

Base your answer to question 6 on the passage
below and on your knowledge of social studies.

…The girl and two other children were left on a
Mountain top to succumb [fall victim] to the cold
as offerings to the gods, according to the
archaeologists who found the mummified
remains in Argentina in 1999….
— “Frozen Inca Mummy Goes On Display,”
National Geographic News,
September 11, 2007

This passage best illustrates the role of
archaeologists in

What does a topographic map show?

The Thar Desert, Ganges River, and Deccan
Plateau are all geographic features of

• Analyzing the design of a Shang bronze pot
• Deciphering the writing on the Rosetta Stone
• Examining the fabric of a Japanese kimono
These actions are most often performed by

… Europe’s waterways were also a blessing. Its
rivers flowed gently into sheltered, navigable
bays. The Rhine is a wide, slow-moving river that
can be used as a highway for goods and people.
The Mediterranean is calm, almost a lake, with
many big ports. Compare this to Africa. Despite
being the second-largest continent, Africa has the
shortest coastline, much of which is too shallow to build major ports. Most of its big rivers—fastmoving, dramatic, vertiginous [dizzying]—are not
navigable. Add to that the tropical heat and
propensity [tendency] for disease and food
spoilage, and you have a compelling geographic
explanation for African underdevelopment—
surely not the only factor, but a significant
one.…
— Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World,
W. W. Norton & Company, 2008

Which conclusion about the geography of these
continents is best supported by this passage?

Why is Southeast Asia considered a crossroads?