Deck 1: Geography and History

Question 1

The political boundaries of the state

A)outline the only area of winter rain and summer drought in North America.
B)do not include a unique climatic region.
C)bear no important relation to physical geography.
D)outline the only area where winter rain almost exactly equals that of summer.

Answer 1

outline the only area of winter rain and summer drought in North America.

Question 2

California's climate could best be described as

A)diverse.
B)uniform.
C)"Mediterranean."
D)historically insignificant.

Answer 2

diverse.

Question 3

The Indians of California

A)made virtually no attempt to explain the origins of California.
B)developed a wide variety of creation stories.
C)produced a state-wide consensus on the origins of California.
D)failed to recognize the unlikelihood of agreement on matters as important as the origins of their world.

Answer 3

developed a wide variety of creation stories.

Question 4

Earth scientists today explain the origins of California

A)as a result of numerous massive earthquakes.
B)by theories of thermal volcanism.
C)by the theory of plate tectonics.
D)as occurring extremely early in the geologic history of the world.

Question 5

Most of the surface of California is covered by

A)deserts.
B)mountains.
C)lakes.
D)valleys.

Question 6

Most earth scientists have accepted the theory of plate tectonics to explain the origins of California.

Question 7

The Mediterranean climate zone of California

A)is much like that found in the Alps of Switzerland.
B)covers the area east of the Sierra Nevada.
C)has relatively warm,dry summers and mild winters.
D)keeps the state relatively immune to pollution.

Question 8

The San Andreas Fault follows almost exactly the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Question 9

The largest lowland area that fronts the ocean is the

A)Los Angeles basin.
B)San Francisco Bay area.
C)northern coastal zone near the Oregon border.
D)vast Santa Barbara Channel area.

Question 10

In Assembling California (1993),John McPhee argues that California was geologically formed very early in the history of the world.

Question 11

California has experienced major earthquakes only in the past few centuries.

Question 12

Accounts of devastating California earthquakes appear in

A)the stories of California Indians.
B)the earliest records of European settlers.
C)the memories of many contemporary Californians.
D)all of the above.

Question 13

The state tree of California is the

A)bristlecone pine.
B)California live oak.
C)coast redwood.
D)eucalyptus.

Question 14

The land surface of California is

A)larger than that of Alaska.
B)larger than that of Texas.
C)approximately 100 million acres.
D)all of the above.

Question 15

The movement of tectonic plates dramatically changed about 30 million years ago when the Pacific Plate began

A)sliding past the North American Plate in a lateral motion.
B)subducting beneath the North American Plate.
C)moving upward to dislodge the overburden of rock and soil.
D)sinking deeper into the Earth's molten core.

Question 16

The coastal region from Los Angeles to San Diego has a climate that can best be described as

A)Mediterranean.
B)semiarid or steppe.
C)desert.
D)subalpine.

Question 17

The most productive agricultural region of California is the

A)Great Central Valley.
B)Los Angeles basin.
C)San Francisco Bay region.
D)Owens Valley.

Question 18

In total land surface,California is the fifth largest of the states.

Question 19

Before the American period,agriculture in California was

A)widespread among the Indians of northern California.
B)the dominant activity of the Great Central Valley.
C)aided by extensive Indian irrigation projects.
D)exceedingly difficult.

Question 20

European and American settlement of California was significantly retarded by

A)the region's geographical remoteness.
B)the steep eastern face of the Sierra Nevada.
C)the vast southern deserts.
D)all of the above.

Question 21

Explain the plate tectonics theory of the origins of California.

Question 22

California's economic development has been significantly influenced by its rich natural resources.

Question 23

Explain the major varieties of California geography and climate.

Question 24

Rainfall in California tends to occur throughout the year in most of the state.

Question 25

The highest point in the United States outside of Alaska is found in California.

Question 26

The southeastern third of the state has a microthermal climate.

Question 27

Winters in the Mediterranean climate zone are generally severe.

Question 28

Granting that both climate and geography have considerably influence on human culture,which one of these two conditions do you consider to be the more important in California's development? Why?

Question 29

To what extent does the sobriquet "sunny California" describe the realities of California's climate?

Question 30

Assess the interaction of geography and culture in California history.

Question 31

The lowest point in the United States is found in California's Death Valley.

Question 32

Explain the myths and realities of California's climate.

Question 33

While California occupies a large geographical area,its climatic conditions are remarkably uniform.