Take Home Test
Southwest Asia, Central Asia/ Russia, South Asia
Choose the letter of the best answer. Each worth .5 points
1. The Caucasus Mountains form the border between
A. Russia and Transcaucasia
B. Siberian Plain and Georgia
C. Caucasian Plain and Tian Shan
D. Siberian Plains and Yenisey River
2. Some geographers consider the dividing line between Europe and Asia to be
A. the Volga River
B. the Central Siberian Plain
C. the Ural Mountain
D. the Caucasus Mountains
3. The fertile soil found on the Northern European Plain is known as
A. tundra
B. permafrost
C. chernozem
D. plain
4. The mountain range that separates the Northern European and West Siberian plains is the
A. Transcaucasia Mountains
B. Caucasus Mountains
C. Siberian Mountains
D. Ural Mountains
5. The region that consists of the republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia is known as
A. Transcaucasia.
B. Siberia.
C. the Turan Plain
D. Eurasia.
6. A region known for frigid temperatures as well as its many natural resources is
A. Siberia
B. Georgia.
C. Russia
D. Uzbekistan
7. The longest river on the European continent is the
A. Syr Darya
B. Amu Darya
C. Volga River
D. Irytsh River
8. The oldest and deepest lake in the world is
A. Czar Lake
B. Lake Caspian
C. Aral Sea
D. Lake Baikal
9. The term that is used to describe the permanently frozen subsoil in Siberia is
A. frosted
B. frozen
C. permafrost
D. tundra frost
10. Which of the following events led to the beginning of ethnic and regional conflicts in Caucasus?
A. a problem with the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl
C. a peace conference in Paris
B. the breakup of the Soviet Union
D. the election of Edvard Shevardnadze
11. Southwest Asia is a land of __________________.
A. peninsulas and plateaus
B. peninsulas and mountains
C. plateaus and mountains
D. mountains and rivers
12. Which of the following is NOT a reason why Indian families continue to have large numbers of children?
A. Children are a source of income
B. Children represent security in one's old age.
C. Children are inexpensive to raise
D. The infant mortality rate is very high
13. Which of the following is described by the phrase "the Empty Quarter”?
A. Rub al-Khali
B. Negev
C. Golan Heights
D. Suez Canal
14. Which of the following is the purpose of a refinery?
A. to remove crude oil from the earth
B. to transport crude oil
C. to convert crude oil into useful products
D. to locate areas rich in crude oil
15. Which of the following is an important source of water for irrigation in the region known as Southwest
Asia?
A. Dead Sea
B. oasis
C. Jordan River
D. Red Sea
16. Which of the following names a hilly plateau overlooking the Jordan River and Sea of Galilee?
A. Golan Heights
B. Suez Canal
C. West Bank
D. Sinai Peninsula
17. How does the Mediterranean coast differ from other areas of Southwest Asia?
A. Its climate is suitable for growing citrus fruits, olives, and vegetables.
B. It is not suitable for growing crops.
C. Cotton and wheat are the only crops that can be grown there.
D. Few people can live in this area.
18. Which of the following is NOT accurate regarding the Euphrates?
A. It flows through parts of Turkey, Syria, and Iraq.
B. Its valleys are well suited to agriculture.
C. Ancient civilizations such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians lived along its banks.
D. It serves as a border between Israel and Jordan.
19. Which of the following accurately describes a salt flat desert?
A. almost uninhabited
B. windy and dry
C. extremely hot
D. all of the above
20. Which of the following is described by the phrase "place where no one comes out?"
A. Rub al-Khali
B. Golan Heights
C. Negev
D. Suez Canal
21. The transportation of crude oil provides which of the following risks?
A. oil tankers running aground
B. collisions between oil tankers
C. leaks in underground pipelines
D. all of the above
22. Which of the following are necessary for large-scale farming to take place in Southwest Asia?
A. use of fossil waters
B. desalinization and water treatment processes
C. dams and irrigation systems
D. water from an oasis
23. The city established by Peter the Great on the Baltic Sea is
A. Moscow
B. Kiev
C. St. Basil
D. St. Petersburg
24. The conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union was called the __________ because it never
grew into open warfare.
A. USSR Conflict
B. Cold War
C. Silent War
D. Cold Dispute
25. Although a plan to import, store, and treat nuclear waste could help to revive the economy of Russia , it
also
A. could bring about a war.
B. could encourage criminal activity.
C. could create significant environmental problems.
D. could make Russia a world leader once again.
26. The event that has caused the Caucasus region to become so troubled since the 1990s is
A. the weakening of the Soviet Union
B. the Russian Revolution
C. the launching of the Russian space station
D. the breakup of the Soviet Union
27. The type of desert that results when moisture from the soil evaporates and chemical salts remains is an
A. oasis
C. salt flat
B. peninsula
D. steppe
28. Israel's National Water Carrier project uses water from the_____.
A. Dead Sea
C. Euphrates River
B. Tigris River
D. Jordan River
29. Which of the following cities was designated as an international city after World War II?
A. Berlin
B. Jerusalem
C. Cairo
D. Tehran
30. During which of the following wars did Israelis take control of all of Jerusalem?
A. World War II
C. Arab-Israeli war of 1948
B. Six-Day War of 1967
D. Persian Gulf War
31. What abundant resource did Bangladesh use to construct the dam on the Feni River?
A. lumber
B. people
C. oil
D. hydroelectric power
32. According to Hindu beliefs, which of the following rivers brings life to its people?
A. Ganges
B. Brahmaputra
C. Indus
D. Feni
33. Which of the following is the religion of most people who live in India?
A. Catholicism
B. Hinduism
C. Islam
D. Judaism
34. Which of these is the definition of an estuary?
A. a dam
B. the narrow seaward end of a river
C. the broadened seaward end of a river
D. water held back by a dam
35. Which of the following is the best description of a storm surge?
A. a sudden downpour
B. heavy rains that cause flooding
C. a storm that begins in a mountainous region
D. high water that swamps low-lying areas
36. Which mountain is the tallest in South Asia?
A. K2
B. the Hindu Kush
C. Mt. Everest
D. Mt. Kilimanjaro
37. Which of the following is the founder of Buddhism?
A. Siddhartha Gautama
C. Rabindranath Tagore
B. Muhammad
D. Ramadan
38. Which of these is the focus of a famous competition in Bhutan?
A. mountaineering
C. cattle roping
B. flute playing
D. archery
40. Which of these names a typical mountain guide?
A. Mandela
B. Gautama
C. Sherpa
D. tourist
41. Which of these names a type of government in which a ruler's powers are limited by a constitution?
A. democracy
C. constitutional monarchy
B. theocracy
D. dictatorship
42. Which of these names a system of social classes?
A. Mandelas
B. Ramadan
C. caste system
D. yoga
43. Which of these is Gandhi NOT known for?
A. Helping end British colonialism
B. Assassinating the British governor of India
C. Nonviolent resistance
D. Trying to bring Muslims and Hindus together
44. Why is South Asia's population explosion considered a mixed blessing?
A. The population explosion gives the region a larger work force.
B. The large numbers of people will bolster the region's military forces in the event of a war.
C. It is difficult to ensure life's basic necessities for so many people.
D. The large numbers of people will demand the building of new schools.
45. Which of the following is a definition of illiteracy?
A. the inability to spell well
B. the ability to read
C. the inability to solve math problems
D. the inability to read or write
46. Which of the following is NOT a reason why Indian families continue to have large numbers of children?
A. Children are a source of income
B. Children are inexpensive to raise
C. Children represent security in one's old age
D. The infant mortality rate is very high
47. Which of these is NOT considered a basic necessity by India's government?
A. food
B. education
C. shelter
D. clothing
48. Which of the following is the key to controlling population and improving the quality of life in South Asia?
A. education
B. communication
C. industry
D. transportation
Select the letter of the term, name, or phrase that best completes the statement. Each worth .5 points
A. taiga
D. Kyrzyl Kum
B. continentality
E. subtropical
C. Tundra
F. Subcontinent
____ 49. You will find only mosses, lichens, small herbs, and low shrubs in the ________.
____ 50. Distance from the moderating influence of the sea is known as ________.
____ 51. The largest forest on the earth is called the ________.
____ 52. A[n] ___________ is a landmass like a continent, only smaller.
____ 53. The two main deserts found in the western and central areas of Central Asia are Kara Kum and
________.
____ 54. Moist air arriving from the Mediterranean Sea gives Transcaucasia a ________ climate.
A. yurts
D. Silk Road
B. Central Asia
E. nomads
C. Great Game
F. Himalaya Mountains
____ 55. the region made up of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
____56. the term used to describe people who have no permanent home and move according to the season
in search of food, shelter, and grazing land
____ 57. The ____________ help form a barrier that separates South Asia from the rest of Asia.
____ 58. the name given to the competition between Great Britain and Czarist Russia for Central Asia.
____ 59. light portable tents consisting of several layers of felt stretched around a collapsible wooden frame
____ 60. the 4,000-mile trade route between China and the Mediterranean Sea
Continue on next page
Read each statement. If it is true, write "true" on the line. If it is false, write "false." Then correct the
statement. Each worth 1 point.
__________ 61. The Trans-Siberian Railway runs from Moscow to western Europe.
__________ 62. Rainfall that is not absorbed by the soil is called runoff.
__________ 63. The water supply in the Caspian Sea has been depleted as a result of water being diverted
to irrigate farmlands.
__________ 64. Though Siberia is known for its extremely cold winters, warmer weather also brings a
problem of mosquitoes and other insects.
__________ 65. The building of the Trans-Siberian Railway increased access to the mineral wealth of the
region surrounding it.
__________ 66. Christian and Muslim faiths came to Transcaucasia because it is close to Southwest Asia.
__________ 67. The Soviet military formed in the early 1920s was called the Czar's Army.
__________ 68. At a soviet, people gather to eat and give short speeches that show respect for their
traditions.
__________ 69. The success of many new businesses during the 1990s contributed to the crash of the
Russian economy.
__________ 70. High temperatures and light rainfall are characteristics of the highland zone.
__________ 71. The most extreme weather pattern in South Asia is the cyclone, a violent storm with fierce
winds and heavy rain.
__________ 72. Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring moist ocean air to South Asia for part of the year.
__________ 73. Decreased tax revenues are considered by many to be a sign of Russian economy
recovery.
__________ 74. Since water is needed for oil production, governments have built dams and dug deep wells.
__________ 74. The countries of Southwest Asia use oil profits to restrict agricultural, mineral, and water
resources.
__________ 75. Access to the Ganges River for drinking and irrigation water is critical to Pakistan.
__________ 76. Portions of Kashmir are currently held by India, Pakistan, and China.
__________ 77. Though both India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons in 1998, both countries have vowed
to find a political solution to their conflict.
__________ 78. Money that was spent on military troops, supplies and on nuclear testing had no effect on
funds that might have been used to address problems related to poverty and disease.
__________ 79. The conflicts over Kashmir began when the British government formally established its
colonial rule over the subcontinent.
__________ 80. A country's human resources refers to its ability to get people to work in oil production.
Short Answer: For each question please explain your answer in 3 to 4 sentences. Each worth 3 points
81. What prevents Russia and the Republics from taking advantage of their many natural resources?
82. Describe the elements of a command economy. What problems were caused by the command economy in
the Soviet Union?
83. In what ways has organized crime hurt the Russian economy?
84. Explain the five pillars of Islam.
85. How has the discovery of oil affected the position of Southwest Asia in the world?
Using the exhibit, answer the following questions. Each worth 1 point.
86. Which countries are exchanging forest land for farmland?
87. In which countries is overgrazing a cause of forest degradation?
88. What overall conclusion might you draw about the economies of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan
based on the information provided in this chart?
89. What do you know about the Maldives that might explain why there is a depletion of freshwater reserves
there?
90. What is the major cause of water pollution in Nepal?
Answer the following question(s) on a separate sheet of paper. Choose 3 out of the 4. Each worth 10 points.
Each essay should be at LEAST ¾ of a page and fully explain each concept. Use examples to back up your
evidence.
91. What harmful effects does the polluted water in the Ganges River have on people? Why do Hindus
continue to bathe there and drink the water?
92. What problems were caused by the use of water from the Aral Sea for irrigation?
Think about:
- water levels
- what is left when water levels drop
- chemicals and fertilizers used by farmers
- how would they be able to replenish the Aral Sea
93. In what ways has oil production changed life in Southwest Asia?
94. Explain the connectivity of Russia.
- Trans- Siberian Railroad
- Peter the Great
- Cold War
- Silk Road
- Distance Decay