World Geography - Virginia Standards of Learning Test Item Set - Released Spring 2014

Physical Geography

Temperature and precipitation are characteristics of climate.
High latitudes are best characterized by a subarctic climate.
The country at 15°S, 45°W is Brazil.
Calgary and Durban have opposite seasons.
Knowing the route from home to school, naming each street, is an example of mental mapping.
A map with varying shades represents elevation.
The compass rose symbol identifies the orientation of a map.
On a map, industrial activity is represented by symbols.
The weather phenomenon in the photograph is a hurricane.
The major river system shown on the map of Northeast Africa is the Nile.

Matryoshka dolls are a traditional cultural craft in Russia.
Mexico is linked more to Central and South America than to North America because of cultural regions.
Yugoslavia is a nation that has been divided into smaller countries, similar to the Soviet Union.
The Ob River flows northward into the Arctic Ocean.
Angkor Wat revealed important information about the religious history of Southeast Asia.
Western societies commonly refer to the Arabian Gulf as the Persian Gulf.
Section 4 of the map, the Sun Belt, represents climate regions.
The separation of Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland is an example of religion as a dividing force in a region.
Tiled roofs are most commonly used in the Mediterranean region.
Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographic region characterized by nomadic herding, considerable mineral wealth, and being a major exporter of raw materials.
The Kremlin is known primarily as a national seat of government.
The Eiffel Tower, Windmill, Colosseum, and Big Ben are cultural icons associated with Europe.
Toronto is a center of culture and trade located in Canada.
Conflicts between the Hutu and Tutsi have occurred in Rwanda.
Hinduism is practiced by the majority of India's population.

Agricultural terracing most directly affects mountains.
Educational opportunity pulls Asian students to the United States.
Factors that influence population distribution include warfare, climate, and technology.
Malnutrition is most likely to occur in Bolivia.
The introduction of the assembly line, increased automobile affordability, and highway construction led to the expansion of suburbs.
Japan is most likely to experience an earthquake.
The Israeli invention of an underground irrigation system that takes water straight to the roots of plants is an example of technology influencing agricultural production.
The graph projects that the number of Chinese people over the age of 65 will increase between 2000 and 2050.
Calypso, Merengue, Reggae, and Salsa in the United States represent examples of cultural diffusion.

A construction company would seek the assistance of geographers in order to locate suitable construction sites.
A characteristic of urbanization is increased air pollution.
An advantage of building a city at a confluence site is increased access to trade routes.
The graph indicates that people became more involved in recycling.
The division between China and Taiwan is explained by a dispute over national independence.
According to the map, China does not have a territorial claim to Antarctica.
A regional district would normally regulate public bus transportation routes.

Improved health care programs are most responsible for increasing life expectancy in many less industrialized nations.
A skilled workforce is a resource that allows nations to develop a high per-capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
A German car manufacturer opening a plant in Brazil is an example of the internationalization of product assembly.
An advantage of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is increased global influence.
Specialized production best completes the diagram comparing comparative advantages in international trade.
An advantage for a small, developing country in joining an economic union is greater access to international markets.
Environmental concerns tend to decrease the demand for coal.
Banking is a tertiary activity that best completes the table of economic activities in Australia.
One reason some companies choose to outsource is the opportunity to lower production costs.
Banking is an economic activity that requires less land.
Nations must trade because no nation has all necessary resources.