Know your geography? Try a few questions from test

The 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress in geography challenged a national sample of students in grades four, eight and 12 to consider the connections between the natural environment and their societies. See how you would score on a sample of test questions:

Fourth grade

1. The world's largest ocean is the:

A) Atlantic

B) Arctic

C) Indian

D) Pacific

2. Which of the following best describes state capitals?

A) They are important business and manufacturing centers

B) They are the oldest cities in their states

C) They are where the state government is located

D) They are the biggest cities in their states

3. Which can help prevent soil erosion?

A) Burning underbrush

B) Grazing sheep

C) Building roads

D) Planting trees

Eighth grade

4. Consumer demand for manufactured goods and energy is often in conflict with:

A) A high standard of living

B) A clean environment

C) Technological development

D) World trade

5. Switzerland is located in the middle of which mountain range?

A) Alps

B) Andes

C) Urals

D) Pyrenees

Twelfth grade

6. Which statement is true about the economies of most developing countries?

A) Their exports are often limited to a few agricultural products or raw materials

B) They produce a wide variety of high-technology goods

C) Their imports are often limited to manufactured goods

D) Their manufacturing sectors are usually well developed

7. In East Africa, the process of desertification causes greater hardship for women than for men mostly because:

A) Women consume more water than do men

B) Women are primarily responsible for collecting the fuelwood and water for their families

C) In times of drought, family size usually increases

D) There are proportionately more women than men in this area

8. Failure to manage irrigation properly can, however, result in damage to the topsoil and a decrease in productivity. The damage to soil discussed in the passage above is:

A) Hydration, in which soil becomes waterlogged and impossible to farm

B) Mineralization, in which soil becomes rocky and hard to work

C) Salinization, in which salts accumulate in the upper levels of the soil

D) Deforestation, in which soil systems become unstable when deprived of the root systems of large trees

Answers: 1-D; 2-C; 3-D; 4-B; 5-A; 6-A; 7-B; 8-C