Know your way around?You are a citizen of the world. How well do you know your way around it? Find out by taking this Geography Smart Quiz. Some of the questions call for general knowledge. Others relate to the maps given here. Ready to find your way "home"? Get going! OUR PLACE IN SPACE These are general-knowledge questions. Write the letter of the correct answer on the line before each. --1. The eight planets and other space bodies that circle our sun are collectively known as what? (A) Alpha Centauri Alpha Centauri (ăl`fə sĕntôr`ē), brightest star in the constellation Centaurus and 3d-brightest star in the sky; also known as Rigil Kent or Rigil Kentaurus; 1992 position R.A. 14h39.1m, Dec. ; (B) Kuiper belt Kuiper belt: see comet; Kuiper, Gerard Peter. Kuiper belt or Edgeworth-Kuiper belt Disk-shaped belt of billions of small icy bodies orbiting the Sun beyond the orbit of Neptune, mostly at distances 30–50 times Earth's distance ; (C) Milky Way galaxy Milky Way Galaxy Large spiral galaxy (roughly 150,000 light-years in diameter) that contains Earth's solar system. It includes the multitude of stars whose light is seen as the Milky Way, the irregular luminous band that encircles the sky defining the plane of the galactic ; (D) solar system solar system, the sun and the surrounding planets, natural satellites, dwarf planets, asteroids, meteoroids, and comets that are bound by its gravity. The sun is by far the most massive part of the solar system, containing almost 99.9% of the system's total mass. --2. Earth is one of eight planets that orbit our sun. Which of the following was considered a ninth planet until it was "demoted" last August? (A) Mercury; (B) Neptune; (C) Pluto; (D) Venus --3. The area of Earth's atmosphere “Air” redirects here. For other uses, see Air (disambiguation). Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earth's gravity. It contains roughly (by molar content/volume) 78% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0. that holds in the sun's warmth is called what? (A) magnetosphere magnetosphere: see Van Allen radiation belts. magnetosphere Region around a planet (such as Earth) or a natural satellite that possesses a magnetic field (see ; (B) ozone layer ozone layer or ozonosphere, region of the stratosphere containing relatively high concentrations of ozone, located at altitudes of 12–30 mi (19–48 km) above the earth's surface. ; (C) stratosphere; (D) Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Cancer, parallel of latitude at 23°30' north of the equator; it is the northern boundary of the tropics. This parallel marks the farthest point north at which the sun can be seen directly overhead at noon; north of the parallel the sun appears less than --4. How many planets lie between Earth and the sun? (A) one; (B) two; (C) three; (D) five --5. About 71 percent of Earth's surface Noun 1. Earth's surface - the outermost level of the land or sea; "earthquakes originate far below the surface"; "three quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water" surface consists of what? (A) atmosphere; (B) freshwater bodies; (C) land; (D) saltwater bodies LAND AND SEA Use Map A to answer these questions. Write your answers on the lines provided. 6. Write country #1's name on the map. It is part of which continent? -- 7. The body of water at #2 is now known as what? -- 8. Write #3's name on the map. How many continents border this body of water? -- 9. The country with the world's second-largest population is marked by which number? -- 10. What makes #6 different from all of Earth's other continents? NAVIGATING THE GRID Questions 11-12 are general-knowledge questions. Use Map A for 13-15. Write the letter of the correct answer on the line before each question. --11. What is another name for 0[degrees] longitude? (A) Arctic Circle Arctic Circle, imaginary circle on the surface of the earth at 66 1-2°N latitude, i.e., 23 1-2° south of the North Pole. It marks the northernmost point at which the sun can be seen at the winter solstice (about Dec. ; (B) equator; (C) prime meridian; (D) Tropic of Cancer 12. What is another name for lines of latitude? (A) degrees; (B) meridians; (C) parallels; (D) poles 13. If you were standing at 60[degrees]N, 120[degrees]E, where would you be? (A) Canada; (B) China; (C) Greenland; (D) Russia 14. At that point, you would be on which continent? (A) Africa; (B) Asia; (C) Europe; (D) North America 15. What divides the Northern and Southern Hemispheres? (A) equator; (B) the poles; (C) prime meridian; (D) Tropic of Cancer CLOSER TO HOME Use Map B to answer these questions. Write your answers on the lines provided and label them on the map. 16. How many states border the Great Lakes?-- 17. The Great Salt Lake is in which state?-- 18. Which state lies between South Carolina South Carolina, state of the SE United States. It is bordered by North Carolina (N), the Atlantic Ocean (SE), and Georgia (SW). Facts and Figures Area, 31,055 sq mi (80,432 sq km). Pop. (2000) 4,012,012, a 15. and Alabama?-- 19. Which state borders Nebraska to the north?-- 20. Which three states border the junction of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers?-- BONUS POINTS: On Map B, write in the names of all the remaining unlabeled states. ANSWER 1. D 2. C 3. B 4. B [Mercury and Venus] 5. D G. Mexico; North America 7. Southern Ocean 8. Indian Ocean; three: Africa, Asia, and Australia (or Oceania) 9. 4 (India; China, #5 has the largest) 10. It (Australia) is the only continent that is also a country. 11. C 12. C 13. D 14. B [Russia, which straddles Europe and Asia, is divided between the two at the Ural Mountains, approximately 60[degrees]E 15. A 16. eight: Minn., Wis., Mich. (in two parts), III., Ind., Ohio, Pa., and N.Y. 17. Utah 18. Georgia 19. South Dakota 20. Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky |
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