Gaokao Exam Gaokao Geography: Physical and Human Geography 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On a topographic map, closely spaced contour lines indicate:
- A flat, gently sloping plateau
- A steep slope or cliff face (Correct answer)
- A valley floor with a river
- A coastal region near sea level
Correct answer: A steep slope or cliff face
Contour lines connect points of equal elevation; closely spaced contours indicate a rapid change in elevation over a short horizontal distance, signifying a steep slope.
Question 2: The monsoon climate of South and East Asia is primarily driven by:
- The ITCZ shifting location with the sun, creating seasonal wind reversals (Correct answer)
- Permanent high-pressure systems over the Tibetan Plateau year-round
- Ocean currents that reverse direction between summer and winter
- Volcanic activity that creates seasonal precipitation patterns
Correct answer: The ITCZ shifting location with the sun, creating seasonal wind reversals
Monsoons result from differential heating between the Asian landmass and the Indian Ocean, which shifts the ITCZ and creates seasonal pressure gradients that reverse wind direction and precipitation patterns.
Question 3: Which agricultural system is most common in densely populated parts of East and Southeast Asia?
- Extensive commercial grain farming
- Nomadic pastoralism
- Intensive subsistence wet rice cultivation (Correct answer)
- Plantation agriculture for export crops
Correct answer: Intensive subsistence wet rice cultivation
Intensive subsistence wet rice (paddy) cultivation dominates because rice yields high calories per unit area, supporting high population densities; it requires heavy labor input on small plots.
Question 4: The 'primate city' concept in urban geography refers to a city that:
- Has the oldest historical settlements in a country
- Is disproportionately large compared to the second-largest city in the country (Correct answer)
- Has the highest standard of living in the region
- Is located at the geographic center of the country
Correct answer: Is disproportionately large compared to the second-largest city in the country
A primate city dominates its urban hierarchy, often being 2–3 times larger than the second city; examples include Bangkok, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires, typical of less developed countries.
Question 5: Acid rain is primarily caused by atmospheric emissions of:
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄)
- Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) (Correct answer)
- Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and ozone
- Particulate matter and water vapor
Correct answer: Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ)
SO₂ and NOₓ from burning fossil fuels react with water in the atmosphere to form sulfuric and nitric acids, which fall as acid rain damaging ecosystems and buildings.
Question 6: The Humboldt Current off the west coast of South America affects regional climate by:
- Bringing warm, moist air that causes heavy rainfall along the coast
- Bringing cold, upwelling water that creates aridity and fog along the coast (Correct answer)
- Generating tropical cyclones that strike the Andes region
- Warming the coast, making it suitable for tropical crops
Correct answer: Bringing cold, upwelling water that creates aridity and fog along the coast
The cold Humboldt (Peru) Current causes coastal upwelling of nutrient-rich water but also stabilizes the atmosphere, suppressing convection and rainfall, creating the hyperarid Atacama Desert.
Question 7: The 'Von Thünen model' of agricultural land use predicts that land use is determined by:
- Soil fertility and annual rainfall patterns
- Distance from the market and transportation costs relative to land rent (Correct answer)
- Government agricultural policies and subsidies
- Population density and labor availability
Correct answer: Distance from the market and transportation costs relative to land rent
Von Thünen's model shows concentric rings of agricultural land use around a central market, where crops are grown based on the balance between transport costs and land rent (bid rent theory).
Gaokao Exam Gaokao Geography: Physical and Human Geography 2
On a topographic map, closely spaced contour lines indicate: