Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________________ Period: _____________
PROGRESS CHECK QUIZ #1: UNIT 1 – TEXAS GEOGRAPHY
PRE-AP KEY
Multiple Choice.
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. Write your letter choice in
the space provided next to the number. Not writing your letter choice in the space provided will result in the question
being counted wrong.
_B___ 1.
The era of Texas History that we are currently studying is
A. Age of Contact.
C. Spanish Colonial.
B. Natural Texas and its People.
D. Mexican National.
_A___ 2.
A.
B.
C.
D.
What geographical question refers to location?
Where is it?
What is it like?
How have people changed the environment?
How are these people liked with other people?
_C___ 3. Place refers to the ________________ and ________________ characteristics of a location.
A. primary; secondary
C. physical; human
B. natural; essential
D. latitude; longitude
_A___ 4.
All of the following are vegetation regions found in Texas EXCEPT
A. basins.
C. savannas.
B. forests.
D. grasslands.
_D___ 5.
The section of Texas known for massive wildflower displays and for having more streams and rivers than
any other part of the state is
A. the Piney Woods.
C. the Rolling Plains.
B. the Blackland Prairie.
D. the Hill Country.
_A___ 6.
Because the land is higher in the northwest, almost all rivers in Texas run the southeast. Therefore, they
are called
A. “wrong-way” rivers.
C. “northwestern” rivers.
B. “highway” rivers.
D. “southeastern” rivers.
_B___ 7.
Springs occur when underground water reservoirs, also known as ______________, meet the surface.
A. northers.
C. basins.
B. aquifers.
D. buttes.
_C___ 8.
Which is NOT one of the four Texas regions?
A. Mountains and Basins.
C. Eastern Woodlands.
B. High Plains.
D. Gulf Coastal Plains.
_A___ 9.
You should always use the acronym _____________ when completing a map at RMS.
A. TODALS
C. GPERSIA
B. OPTIC
D. SOAPStone
_C___ 10. The RMS Map Rules sheet states that you should always use ____________ lettering.
A. cursive
C. neat
B. large
D. colored
_D___ 11. All of the following must be included on maps EXCEPT
A. Title.
C. Compass Rose.
B. Key or Legend.
D. Colors.
_C___ 12. The ______________ Escarpment was the result of a giant earthquake millions of years ago.
A. Palo Duro
C. Balcones
B. Caprock
D. Guadalupe
_C___ 13. Which Texas aquifer cannot easily be refilled with water?
A. Permian Basin
C. Ogallala Aquifer
B. Edwards Aquifer
D. Caddo Lake
_A___ 14. What is the number one cash crop in Texas?
A. cotton
C. rice
B. wheat
D. corn
_B___ 15. All of the following are physical characteristics EXCEPT
A. climate.
C. plants.
B. architecture.
D. animals.
_D___ 16. The two most important mineral resources found in Texas are ______________ and _______________.
A. coal; sand
C. gold; quartz
B. salt; gravel
D. petroleum; natural gas
_C___ 17. Pollution, deforestation, farming, and hurricanes/tornadoes are all examples of
A. human systems.
C. human-environment interaction.
B. physical systems.
D. movement in Texas.
_B___ 18. The city of El Paso, Texas is closer to the ___________________ than to the city of Houston, Texas.
A. Atlantic Ocean
C. Gulf of Mexico
B. Pacific Ocean
D. Mississippi River
_A___ 19. Large-scale commercial farming is also known as
A. agribusiness.
C. agricultural zoning.
B. agricultural development.
D. maquiladores.
_C___ 20. A ____________ is a place united by common characteristics.
A. location
C. region
B. nation
D. state
Short Answer. Please answer the questions below in complete sentences.
21. Please give an example of how people use geography today.


People use GPS (Global Positioning System or Satellites) or GIS (Geographical Information Systems) for
directions on a map.
Governments use geography (GPS) to pinpoint targets for military strikes.
22. Name the author and speaker considered to be a “Naturalist” who traveled and documented the Texas landscape for
over 30 years.

Roy Bedichek is the “naturalist” who traveled and documented the Texas landscape for over 30 years.
23. Describe cultural diffusion and provide an example of it.

Cultural Diffusion takes place when new ideas brought by migrating people become widely accepted as part
of the current culture. An example of this would be that Mexicans have brought their food and music with
them. Therefore, a new “Tex-Mex” culture has resulted in many restaurants as well as “Tejano” music.
24 & 25. What is the difference between absolute and relative location?


Absolute location is the exact location of a place on the earth’s surface. The absolute location of a place is
given using latitude and longitude coordinates.
Relative location is the location of a place in relation to other places. Relative location uses landmarks to
determine a certain place.