MID TERM
Study Guide Envs 333 Updated 5/5/2014
The midterm will have two parts:
1. Multiple choice and or very short fill-ins (about 50 points worth)
2. Comparative Essay Question (about 50 points)
As you study for the exam you may want to write out your answers to practice for the test. Also I realize that essay questions are
bottomless pits, anyone could spend 2 or 3 times the allotted test time even with only a moderate improvement to their answer. So
pace yourself. Don't ignore easy points to add redundancy. Make a statement and provide examples/evidence then move on to another
point in your essay.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________
Below are study questions for many of the readings, lectures, and videos that we have utilized in the first half of the course. Questions on the
midterm will be very similar to these, but do not limit your understanding of the readings to only these specific questions. Try to critically integrate
materials. Also, realize that many of the questions raised here can be quite open ended, so do not necessarily limit your thoughts to a single book,
article, … in fashioning an answer. In fact the essay question will ask you to compare and contrast material from more than one source.
As an example of how you might want to answer a question consider the following example:
What are the general patterns of human habitation and activity in China and Japan. How has the physiography, climate, resources, other natural
and environmental factors effected the location of population across the landscape of China and Japan? Are there also historical factors that have
played a role? Today do all of these factors have an impact on the location of urban areas and industrial activities? On the base maps provided
sketch in some of the above patterns and then describe and discuss them. (interactive study maps available for use on-campus only in
Arntzen Hall labs -- J:\Saldata\ENVS-333\In-CLass-GIS\China and J:\Saldata\ENVS-333\In-CLass-GIS\Japan )
How one might answer this type of question:

One might first start with China and:
o Describe and map out the major population patterns across the country.
o Describe and map out the major physical geographic landforms, resources, and climatic conditions
o Discuss how these effect one another
o Add historical or social factors that also effect this location


Next do the same for Japan
Finally compare and contrast the two, how similar or different are they and why
Then in actually laying-out an answer simple titles like the following could be used:
Section 1: China
Paragraph subheadings



Population patterns
Landforms, climate, and environment on patterns and processes
Impact of Physical Geography on Human concentrations
Section 2: Japan..... (ditto)
Section 3: Selected Comparisons between the two countries....
___________________________________________________________________________________________
China
The questions below were drawn mainly from China the PowerPoint slides (followed by more questions from the readings). Note that in
developing a good answer to these questions you should also be able to illustrate your points with simple maps when appropriate.
At the macro-scale where are the largest concentrations of population? Be able to identify these patterns if given a map. What patterns emerge
and what processes have helped to create these patterns?
In regards to climate and population density, what is the difference between the Red Basin and the other interior basins in China?
For climate what are the macro patterns and the micro level patterns in China and where do each dominate?
How would you describe the physiographic/topographic regions of China with the largest population densities? What factors in these regions has
allowed such large populations to occur?
What are the two major river basins in China and how do they differ in regards to agriculture and transportation? What are causes of these
differences? There is also a smaller southern River Basin, where is that? And what is it called? How does it differ from the above two?
Where are the Qinling Mountains and what important role do the play in China?
What is the Grand Canal, where is it, and why was it important to China? What is its current proposed use?
Describe and discuss in some detail the causes of aridity in North China.
Where is drought most likely in China and why? What degree of impact would drought have in this region? High or low and why.
During the year how does the precipitation pattern vary in China across space and time?
When comparing the east coast of the US to coastal China what important differences exist? Also, between these two countries which has more
habitable land? Why is this?
What are the major grain growing and cropping patterns in China?
What are the major precipitation patterns in China? How has this effected agriculture and population?
Historically and geographically where did "China proper" begin and in what directions did it move/expand? What were some causes of these
movements?
Barriers: By looking at the climatic and population patterns in China what barriers to population expansion and migration can you find on the
landscape? Be specific not general and give examples.
Where do micro-climates exist in China? What are they and how do they operate?
What natural barriers to invasion exist in China? Where are these barriers lacking? Historically, over time have these barriers become less
effective? Explain. Today how might this effect the Chinese outlook on the world?
Describe the geography of the major ethno-linguistic patterns of China. What does this tell us about the country and its people and even its
history?
What major minority regions exist in China? From a geographic view, why is China so concerned about them?
Besides major minority regions, can other smaller ones be identified? How might we geographically locate them that is what tools or techniques
might we use?
What is the rice/wheat divide and what natural barrier is it associated with?
Where is/was the Silk Road located? What was its role in Chinese history?
Why have Chinese capitals tended to be located in the North and inland from the coast? How has this effected food distribution networks?
What was the relationship between railway construction in late 19 th and early 20th century China and the fall of the last emperor?
Currently, what are some of the major considerations for railway construction in China?
How important is coal to the Chinese economy? Where is it concentrated? What about oil?
What are China's major energy sources?
What kind of spatial industrial patterns have evolved in China over the last 100 years?
What is the global environmental impact of wildfires in the coalfields of China? Provide some statistics to indicate the size and importance of these
fires.
Over the last two centuries there have been four patterns to industrial location and development in China. In a broad sense (era not exact year)
when were are these four periods and what are the patterns that they produced? Today, can we still find evidence on the landscape of any of the
older periods' geographic patterns of industrial location? If so, give some examples.
What is China's environmental policy for the next three decades? Do you find it much different then the official US government policy on green
house gases?
What is the pattern of rainfall variability in China and what does it seem to be associated with?
Discuss the factors leading to the aridity of Inner Mongolia.
Japan
The questions below were drawn mainly from Japan the PowerPoint slides and the reading. Note that in developing a good answer to
these questions you should also be able to illustrate your points with simple maps when appropriate.
General Questions
Japan a Cultural Atlas: The Geography of Japan & PowerPoint presentations
Why does Japan have so many earthquakes and volcanoes?
What impacts do the off-shore currents have on Japan?
How did the mountains in Japan effect the establishment of urban areas? Explain.
How has the ocean effected the climate of Japan?
Where are the heaviest snowfalls in Japan and why?
What are the population concentration patterns in Japan? Be able to identify these on a map.
Where are the lowest population densities and what might help explain this?
When did Japan start populating Hokkaido? Who were they displacing and who were preventing from coming into this territory?
Honshu's Kanto lowlands were historically among Japan's richest agricultural areas, what is it mainly used for today? What urban center is located
here?
Kyushu is divided into an industrial and agricultural region. Where is each?
Japan
When was the modern Japanese state started?
When faced by Imperialist countries in the 19th century forcing open Japan's borders, how did Japan respond? Did it eventually become a colonial
power? If so name some colonies?
What is the relative size and location of Japan and China in comparison to the US? (ignore Hobbes and Salter's improper reference to South
Carolina).
Of the four main islands of Japan which one refers to the origin of the country and which is the newest addition, when did this addition really take
place?
In considering the geography and history of Japan and China how has isolation, local communication and interaction, and fear of invasion effected
each? Begin by considering the relative location of each country versus outsiders and then internal features and reactions to these. Might this
assist us in understanding how each of these nations views the outside world even today?
When and how did Europeans first arrive in Japan? What about the second time after the country had been closed for about 250 years? Again,
what kind of impact might this have had on Japan, even today?
How has volcanism and tectonics effected the creation of the Japanese islands? Are these factors still important today? Explain.
How has the existence of mountain arcs and the low proportion of low lying areas effected the history of Japan, the current location of its major
cities, transportation routes, and industrial zone?
How do air masses effect Japan's climate? What are these air masses and what role does each play? A simple map will be helpful in explaining
this situation.
Besides air masses what other major climatic, physical or oceanic features effect Japan's climate and how? A simple map will be very useful in
illustrating these points.
How are the paths of typhoons effected in Japan? Drawing a simple map would be helpful here.
How does the mixing of warm and cold currents off the coast of Japan effect its fisheries?
Maps -- Think about these things as you are answering the essay question.
China
Be able to locate and draw the perimeter of the following on a base map (See Powerpoints and readings for maps to help you with
these tasks):






Tibetan Plateau (locate and draw perimeter)
Basins (locate and draw perimeter)
o Tarmim Basin
o Dzugarian Basin
o Red
Following Mountain Ranges (north to south) (locate and draw as thick lines)
o Altai Mountains
o Tian Shan, Qilian Shan, Qinling Shan
o Kunlun Shan
o Himalayan
Deserts (west to east) (locate and draw perimeter)
o Taklamakan
o Gobi
Rivers (locate from existing lines)
o Huang He (Yellow)
o Chang Jiang (Yangtze)
Cities (be able to locate on a map)

Beijing, Tianjin, Xian, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong
Japan
Be able to locate the following by building a map (also refer to the Cultural Atlas for information) See Powerpoints and
readings for maps to help you with these tasks
ISLANDS & REGIONS
1. The four major islands
2. The nine regions of Japan (see powerpoint slides)
CITIES
Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya, Sapporo
OCEANS AND SEAS
Pacific and Sea of Japan, East China Sea, and Sea of Okhost
TECTONIC PLATES
The three around Japan
PERCIPITATION
High precipitation areas for Summer Monsoon
High precipitation areas for Winter Monsoon
NINE REGIONS OF JAPAN
Be able to name and locate them
VOLCANIC ARCS
5 Major Arcs on 4 main islands