The following questions are examples of the kinds of questions a 7th grade geography student will be expected to answer on a test. All of these questions have been taken directly from tests that I have actually given. In fact, students shouldn’t be surprised if they see many of of these questions, or something like them, on future tests. They are arranged by chapter from our current text book.
The purpose of these sample questions is to help students prepare for assessments, to see the kinds of questions I ask, and to have a chance to practice answering short answer questions. You will see that most of the questions here are short answer. Virtually all of my tests contain short answer questions and many tests contain nothing but short answer questions, so it is important to master the skills necessary for writing an excellent answer. (Don’t worry, I’ll teach you those in class).
Geography Chapter One Test: The Tools of Geography
The Five Themes of Geography
Directions: For each example below, indicate which of the Five Themes it best describes.
1. Kelly visited the Outer Banks in North Carolina this summer. She noticed the climate was warm and sunny, with pleasant ocean breezes. The sand was white and soft. Kelly also thought it was interesting that all of the houses were built on stilts in case of flooding caused by a hurricane. Of which theme is this an example?
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2. Austin, a super rich and powerful business man, decides to build a mall surrounded by luxury apartments and offices in a large field that was once a forest with a stream running through it. To build his mall Austin’s company has to cut down hundreds of trees, but he decides to leave a small park at the center of the mall, and to protect the stream from harm by building bridges over it for traffic and pedestrians. Of which theme is this an example?
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3. Alison takes a trip through the deep South. On her trip she notices that most people who live there speak with a Southern accent, like interesting foods that most people up North don’t eat, and everyone seems to call her a Yankee. Of which theme is this an example?
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4. Calvin is visiting his friend Bubba at his secret hideout which is hidden deep underground at 40°N 84°W. Of course, now that you know this, you must be eliminated. Of which theme is this an example?
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5. Maggie, who has become an internationally recognized expert in the area of chewing gum, flies all over the world sharing her knowledge with chewing gum manufacturers so that they might produce better chewing gum with longer lasting flavors. She often takes trains, planes, and hovercraft to get to her destinations. Of which theme is this an example?
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Geography Chapter 2 Test: Earth’s Physical Geography
Main Ideas: Answer the following questions in no more than two sentences each.
1. What two factors cause the Earth to have seasons?
2. Why is there a six month period at the North Pole when the sun never sets and it is always daytime?
3. What is the theory of plate tectonics?
4. What is the difference between weather and climate?
5. The Earth’s rotation causes us to have east-west winds. What two factors cause us to have north-south winds?
6. Why might a place near a large body of water have a milder climate than another place at the same latitude, but further inland?
7. What kinds of vegetation will a person find in a Continental climate?
Chapter 3 Test: The Earth’s Human Geography
Main Ideas: Please answer each of the following questions in no more than two complete sentences. Please try to pay attention to spelling and grammar.
1. What is the Push-Pull Theory?
2. Farmer Bob wants to migrate with his family from their current location. Based upon what we have learned, what kind of region would be most attractive to Bob and his family?
3. How have advances in medical care affected population growth in recent years?
4. What are some conditions that might push people to leave their country? Name at least two.
5. What are some conditions that might pull people to a new country or location? Name at least two.
6. The town of Littleville has a population of 2100 people. The town occupies an area of 50 square miles. What is the population density of Littleville?
7. The Death Star has a population of 12,000 people. It has a total area of 20 square miles. What is the population density of the Death Star? (If you don’t know what the Death Star is, then you need to watch all the Star Wars movies as soon as possible).
Geography Chapter 4 Test: Cultures of the World
Directions: Answer the following questions or complete the following statements in one or two complete sentences. Remember to make your answers as complete as possible and give examples to help explain your answers.
Cultures (These questions all apply to the Culture Standard)
1. What is culture?
2. In the Kingdom of Kersegonia there is a small, primitive tribe of people called the Watooties who live deep in the forests amongst the trees. In the Watootie language there are thirty-seven different words for tree bark. What does this tell us about the Watootie culture?
3. Bob and is family were hunter-gatherers, along with the rest of the tribe, until one day Bob and some friends figured out how to grow food and raise livestock. What did agriculture allow Bob and his tribe to do?
4. What are the four stages of cultural development that every culture has gone through?
5. Why is religion important to a culture?
6. What are three things that cause cultural change?
7. Pick one of the factors that you mentioned in question six above and explain how it can cause cultural change.
Economics (These questions all apply to the Economics Standard).
1. What are goods and services?
2. Give an example of a basic business or industry and explain why it is a basic business.
3. In the Kindgom of Gondor, many people grow food and sell or trade what they do not need for other goods and services. Some people are craftsmen or merchants, and sell their products or services to make a living. The government of Gondor provides the people with protection from orcs and goblins in exchange for some taxes, but does not interfere too much with how people conduct their business. What kind of economic system does Gondor have? How do you know?
4. In the land of Mordor, across the river from Gondor, Lord Sauron rules all. He controls what his orcs do, where they work, and how much they produce. His government decides how any money or wealth gets distributed throughout the land. What kind of economic system does Mordor have? How do you know?
Political Systems (These questions apply to the Government Standard).
1. Draw a picture or diagram that demonstrates how a representative democracy works. Start with the citizens and work your way to the government. Label your diagram appropriately.
2. In what situation does a direct democracy work best? Why?
3. How might a dictator stay in power, even though he’s mean or abusive?
Geography Chapter 5 Test: The Earth’s Natural Resources
Directions: Answer the following questions in one or two complete sentences unless otherwise noted. Please check your spelling and grammar.
1. Why are natural resources important? (III, VI)
2. Tell me what the three types of natural resources are and give two examples for each. (III, VI)
Renewable:
Examples:
Nonrenewable:
Examples:
Recyclable:
Examples:
3. What are some problems that face developing nations? (VI)
4. In what stage of resource development are most people in developing nations? In what stage of resource development are most people in highly developed nations? (VI)
5. Draw a diagram or flow chart that shows how fossil fuels, energy, and pollution are related. Be sure to label your diagram to help me understand it. (III)
6. Explain how air pollution can end up in our water supply. (III)
Geography Chapter 6: The Physical Geography of Europe and Russia
Directions: Be careful. This test is too exciting for some students to handle. Answer questions with care, and use one to three complete sentences. Always give examples when possible to make your answers less boring, and to get a better grade.
1. Why is the climate of northwestern Europe more mild than one might expect, especially along the coasts? (III)
2. Describe the natural vegetation of Russia. (III)
3. Western Europeans have done a great job of developing and using their natural resources. Why has Russia not done as well, even though they have far more resources than Western Europe? (III, VI)
Geography Chapter 7 Test: Europe and Russia Shaped by History
Directions: Answer the following questions in one to three complete sentences. Use examples and details from the reading and from class to support and explain your answers. Use your best spelling and grammar. (That means proofread).
1. Describe how democracy in Ancient Greece differed from democracy today.
2. What was the Pax Romana?
3. In Feudal times, what would serfs do in return for the protection of the Lords?
4. Describe what happened during the Renaissance in the areas of learning, the arts, and trade.
5. When the Industrial Revolution took hold in Europe, huge numbers of people moved from the country to the cities. In just 100 years the population of London grew from 831,000 to 4.5 million people, and Paris from 547,000 to 2.9 million. Why did people move to the cities during this period of time?
6. What are the three main themes of Russian history?
7. Why did Lenin think communism would appeal to the Russian people in 1917?
Geography Chapter 8 Test: Cultures of Europe and Russia
Directions: Answer the following questions in one to three complete sentences. As usual, spelling and grammar count. Use examples from the reading and from class to support your answers.
1. Why are cities the cultural centers in Western Europe (and in the rest of the world, for that matter)?
2. What were the two main causes of urbanization in Western Europe in the late 1700s and early 1800s?
3. Why is there ease of movement in Western Europe? (By “movement,” I mean the theme of movement).
4. Why can long-standing ethnic conflicts, such as those in Eastern Europe, or in Israel and Palestine, be so difficult to solve?
5. Under communism, why did almost all the production of art halt in the Soviet Union? (Hint: What did the communist government think art should be used for?)
Chapter 9 Test: The Fascinating World of Western Europe
Answer the following questions in one to five complete sentences. Use details and examples to support your answer whenever possible.
1. What did the nobles force King John to sign in 1215 and what did this document do? (II, V)
2. Why did the East German government erect the Berlin Wall? (II)
3. What are two major influences on French culture? (I)
4. How was Germany divided at the end of World War II? (II)
5. Compare and contrast the ways of life in northern and southern Italy. (I)
6. What do you think will happen to the French culture in the future? Will it stay the same? Will it change? Why? (I)
7. What are some positive and negative effects of the many benefits that the Swedish government gives its people? (Give at least one positive and one negative effect). (V, VI)
8. How is the reunification of East and West Germany similar to the attempts by the Italian government to help Southern Italy? How is it different? (I, II, V, VI)
Geography Chapter 10 Test: The Wonder of Eastern Europe!
Directions: Answer the following questions in one to three complete sentences, unless directed otherwise. Use examples and details to support your answer whenever possible. And don’t even pretend that you’re not excited to take this test, because you know you are.
1. What is one example of how communism did not change the traditions of the Polish people? (I, V)
2. What three main ethnic groups were involved in the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, and why were they fighting? (I)
3. What happened to most Ukrainian farmers under Soviet rule in the late 1920s? (V)
4. What are some ways the Soviet government tried to change Siberia? (I, V)
5. Describe the economic challenges the countries of Eastern Europe (and Russia) faced after the fall of communism. (V, VI)
6. How is life in an Eastern European village different from life in the cities? Use specific examples to support your answer. (I, VI)
Chapter 11: Africa’s Physical Geography
Directions: Answer the questions below in complete sentences. Use examples and details to support your answer.
1. List the four (or five) major regions of Africa.
2. Why are many African nations trying to diversify their economies?
3. What is the difference between a subsistence farmer and a farmer who grows cash crops?
4. Describe precipitation in Africa. What are some problems caused by Africa’s precipitation patterns?
5. What is infrastructure? Why is it important? (This is not in the book. If this question were to be on a test, it would be announced ahead of time).
6. What are some problems with the major rivers in Africa, such as the Nile? How do these problems hurt Africa economically?
7. How does elevation affect different regions in Africa?
8. How is climate change hurting the people of Africa?
9. Why are possible solutions to economic problems in Africa so difficult to implement?
Chapter 12 : Africa: Shaped by History
Directions: Answer the following questions in 1-3 sentences. Use examples to support your answer.
1. Imagine you are a farmer in Western Botswana. You grow a little wheat, and use that to sell or trade at a nearby market to provide for your family. You’ve had problems recently with soil erosion, and this year a large portion of your crop was killed by a fungus. You are really in trouble, since this your only crop, and your family is running out of money fast. What are two things you can do for the next growing season to improve your farm?
2. What were the effects of slavery on West Africa?
3. What are some challenges faced by the governments of the new independent African nations today?
4. Describe the movement of Pan-Africanism.
Chapter 13 Test: The Cultures of Africa
Directions: Use one to three complete sentences for each question, and be sure to give examples to support your answers.
1. What are the Five Pillars of Islam, and what is the holy book of Islam? Why are many Muslims concerned about western influence?
2. Why is Islam important to the different people of North Africa?
3. Describe the culture(s) of West Africa.
4. What is the primary, or main, reason for the cultural diversity in East Africa?
5. Describe the origins of Swahili culture.
6. How has South Africa affected the region of Southern Africa economically?
Chapter 14 Test-Quiz Thing: Exploring North Africa
Directions: Choose and answer three of the following questions in 2-4 complete sentences. Use examples to support your answers.
1. What is Ramadan?
2. What is Sharia and how does it affect the laws of Egypt?
3. What is one issue facing women in Egypt today regarding the way they may dress?
4. What is one example of the importance of family to the Berbers?
5. What differences might have caused conflicts between Berbers and Arabs?
Geography Chapter 15 Test: Exploring West Africa
Answer the following questions in 2-4 complete sentences.
1. Why did Mali’s culture develop around trade and the raising of livestock?
2. How did Britain affect the development of Nigeria and Ghana?