Skills Worksheet
Directed Reading A
Section 1: Earth’s Oceans
1. What percentage of the Earth’s surface is covered with water?
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2. The global ocean is divided by the continents into
______________________main oceans.
DIVISIONS OF THE GLOBAL OCEAN
Match the correct definition with the correct term. Write the letter in the space
provided.
_____ 3. the largest ocean
a. Atlantic Ocean
_____ 4. the ocean that is about half the
volume of the Pacific Ocean
b. Arctic Ocean
_____ 5. the third-largest ocean
c. Indian Ocean
d. Southern Ocean
_____ 6. the ocean whose surface is partly
covered by ice
e. Pacific Ocean
_____ 7. the ocean that extends from the
coast of Antarctica to 60 south
latitude
HOW DID THE OCEANS FORM?
_____ 8. What happened to water vapor in the atmosphere when the early Earth
cooled?
a. Water vapor dried up.
b. Water vapor boiled.
c. Water vapor condensed.
d. There was no gravity to pull water vapor to Earth.
9. How did condensed water vapor form the oceans?
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Exploring the Oceans
Directed Reading A continued
10. Place the following statements in historical order by writing the correct
number (1, 2, 3, or 4) in the space provided.
_____ All oceans except the Pacific are expanding.
_____ The South Atlantic Ocean was much smaller than it is today.
_____ The Earth had one giant body of water, Panthalassa, and one giant
landmass, Pangaea.
_____ The Indian Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean began to form as Pangaea
broke apart.
CHARACTERISTICS OF OCEAN WATER
_____ 11. Which of the following statements about salt in the ocean is true?
a. It is sodium chloride.
b. It is poisonous.
c. It is saltier than the salt we eat.
d. It is less salty than the salt we eat.
_____ 12. The measure of the amount of dissolved salts in a given amount of
liquid is called
a. circulation.
c. salinity.
b. sodium chloride.
d. evaporation.
_____ 13. Which waters tend to be saltier?
a. coastal waters in cool, humid environments
b. river waters
c. coastal waters in hot, dry climates
d. coastal waters near river outlets
_____ 14. Which of the following happens when water evaporates?
a. Dissolved salts in the water also evaporate.
b. Table salt is harvested.
c. Dissolved salts rise to the surface of the water.
d. Dissolved salts in the water are left behind.
_____ 15. Which of the following does NOT affect ocean salinity?
a. climate
c. inflow of fresh water
b. sea animals
d. water movement
16. How do minerals on land make oceans salty?
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Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Science and Technology
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Exploring the Oceans
Directed Reading A continued
Match the correct definition with the correct term. Write the letter in the space
provided.
_____ 17. second, cooler layer of ocean water
a. surface zone
_____ 18. warm, top layer of ocean water
b. thermocline
c. deep zone
_____ 19. bottom, coolest layer of ocean water
20. In the ______________________, temperature drops with greater depth faster
than it does in the other two zones.
21. What two things affect surface-zone temperatures in most regions?
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THE OCEAN AND THE WATER CYCLE
_____ 22. What three components make up Earth’s surface?
a. earth, wind, and fire
b. mountains, rivers, and lakes
c. oceans, seas, and land
d. water, land, and clouds (air)
_____ 23. What is the water cycle?
a. the effect of the moon on Earth
b. the movement of water from rivers to oceans
c. the movement of water from the ocean to the atmosphere to the land
and back to the ocean
d. the movement of water from the ocean to the atmosphere and back
to the ocean
Match the correct description with the correct term. Write the letter in the space
provided.
_____ 24. Liquid water is heated by the sun and rises as
a gas into the atmosphere.
_____ 25. Water vapor cools and turns to liquid water
on dust particles.
a. precipitation
b. evaporation
c. condensation
_____ 26. Droplets fall back to the Earth’s surface.
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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Exploring the Oceans
Directed Reading A continued
A GLOBAL THERMOSTAT
_____ 27. What is the most important function of the ocean?
a. It is home to thousands of animal species.
b. It provides a safe place for recreational activities.
c. It absorbs and holds energy from sunlight.
d. It has strong currents.
28. The ocean absorbs and releases thermal energy much more slowly than dry
______________________ does.
29. Why are waters at the equator warmer than waters at higher latitudes?
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30. How does the circulation of warm ocean water affect the climate of some
coastal lands?
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Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Science and Technology
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Exploring the Oceans