DCAS Preparation

Test Ready: Social Studies

Name: ______________ Date: ______ Period: _______

Test Ready: Objectives• Master an eight-level review program that

provides practice in test taking skills.• Review key concepts in: geography; culture;

citizenship and government; economics; history; reading maps, charts, diagrams, and time lines; and understanding political cartoons.

• Complete twelve selected-response questions and one extended-response activity.

• Learned how to organize, interpret, and write about social studies and geography topics.

Lesson 1: Geography

Question 1

• Patterns of precipitation in a region are part of its-

• (b) climate

a. Temperatureb. Climatec. Seasonsd. Cultural geography

Question 2

• As the elevation of land rises, the weather generally becomes -

• (a) Cooler

a. Coolerb. Warmerc. Wetterd. drier

Question 3

• Suppose that your starting point is the Gulf of Mexico. In which general direction would you travel to reach Canada?

• (a) North

a. Northb. Southc. Eastd. West

Question 4

• What geographic feature allowed certain locations in Europe to become centers of industry during the Industrial Revolution?

• (c) Fast-moving rivers

a. Semi-arid flatlandb. High mountainsc. Fast-moving riversd. Large lakes

Question 5

• Which of these best describes the location of the Great Plains?

• (d) East of the Rocky Mountains

a. North of the Gulf of Mexicob. West of the Cascade Rangec. South of the Great Lakesd. East of the Rocky Mountains

Question 6

• Which of the following is a landform?

• (c) Isthmus

a. Bayb. Straitc. Isthmusd. Channel

Question 7

• A major difference between urban and rural areas is that urban areas -

• (b) are more densely populated

a. Have better landb. Are more densely populatedc. Have navigable riversd. Suffer from pollution

Question 8

• What caused the Himalayas to form?

• (c ) Collision of continental plates

a. Volcanoesb. Oceanic ridgesc. Collision of continental platesd. Weathering and erosion

Question 9

• What kind of climate is generally found in the low latitudes?

• (a) Tropical

a. Tropicalb. Temperatec. Polard. Semiarid

Question 10

• What is the name of the line of longitude at 0°?

• (a) Prime meridian

a. Prime Meridianb. Equatorc. Arctic Circled. Earth axis

Question 11

• Suppose that you traveled to a point at 60°N, 160°W. In what country would you be?

• (a) United States

a. United Statesb. Canadac. Russiad. Japan

Question 12

• Which conclusion about the United States is supported by the map?

• (d) No part of the United States is east of 60°W.

a. No part of the United States falls within the Arctic Circleb. No part of the United States lies south of the Tropic of Cancerc. No part of the United States is west of 120’Wd. No part of the United States is east of 60’W

Part Two: Writing About Geography

• Suppose that you are planning a trip to a place at least 1,000 miles from your present location. Write the answers to these questions:

• Where are you going?• When will you go?• What kind of clothing will you need at that time of year?• What sources will you consult to plan your visit?

I am planning a trip to Washington, D.C., in May. I will need light outer clothing-a light jacket or sweater. To plan my visit, I will look at a travel agent, and an encyclopedia entry for “Washington, D.C.”

Lesson 2: Cultures

Question 1

• Suppose that a dance called the Hoppa is popular among a among a group of people in a region. Years later, the Hoppa is being danced by people in neighboring regions? Which of these is not a likely reason for the spread of the Hoppa?

• (a) Nationalism

Question 2

• A hogan, a tipi, and a pueblo are all examples of Native American -

• (b) Dwellings

Question 3

• How did the first people probably arrive in the Americas?

• (d) Crossing a land bridge from Asia that is now underwater

Question 4

• Which item belongs in this list?– Christianity Judaism Buddhism

• (a) Islam

Question 5

• Regardless of where in the world they live, all peoples have -

• ( c ) language

Question 6

• What is the main reason people leave rural areas and move to urban areas?

• (b) To find jobs

Question 7

• In some parts of the world today, as well as in the past, a household may include parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. What name is given to this kind of living arrangement?

• (d) Extended family

Question 8

• Below are several features associated with Japanese culture. Which characteristic differs most from Western culture?

• (d) The society has more importance than the individual.

Question 9

• Which of these is the strongest general conclusion to be drawn from the chart?

• (a) Languages are always changing.

Question 10

• Many modern English words can be traced to Old Norse. What is the likeliest explanation?

• (a) Speakers of Old Norse moved to England centuries ago. (William the Conquer)

Question 11

• Speakers of Afrikaans live in South Africa. Where did their ancestors come from?

• (c ) Holland

Question 12

• The speakers of the North, West, and East Germanic languages probably had a word for-

• ( c ) eyebrow

Part 2: Writing About cultures

• Many cities in the world are ethnically diverse. Write a few sentences to describe what you would expect to find in such a city.

• Various forms of:– Foods– Languages– Customs– Beliefs – Dress

In an ethnically diverse city, I would expect to find many restaurants serving foods from different parts of the world and hearing many different languages and sounds.

Lesson 10: Economics

Question 1

• Nations that are trading partners are most likely to have -

( A ) few tariffs

Question 2

• Ms. Cavanaugh remembers when a new automobile could be purchased for $2,000. Now a new automobile cost ten times that much! What is the main reason for the increase in price?

( c ) Inflation

Question 3

• Penny opens a stand selling a cup of lemonade for 10 cents. Then Benny opens a stand son the next corner with a sign that says, “Lemonade, 8 cents a cup.” What principle is in action in this situation.

• ( B ) Competition

Question 4

• In general, supply and demand means -

( B ) consumers pay less when goods are plentiful

Question 5

• If a nation produces more iron ore than it consumes, what is it most likely to do?

• ( D ) Export iron ore

Question 6

• A business organization that is owned by its members is called -

( D ) a cooperative

Question 7

• The earliest economic systems in North America depended on -

( D ) Self-sufficiency and sometimes trade

Question 8

Some nations are known as welfarestates. What would you not expect to find in a welfare state?

( ( B ) Poorly educated citizens

Question 9

• What is the relationship shown between money taken in and money spent for the four states in 2002?

( B ) three out of four states took in more than they spent.

Question 10

• What was California’s debt per person in 2002?

( B ) $1,802

Question 11

• If you compare Texas and Alaska’s per capita debt to the total debt of each state, what conclusion can you reach?

• Texas has a higher population base than Alaska.

Question 12

• If New York were to have the same revenues and expenditures as shown in the chart, about how many years would it take to pay off the state’s total debt?

( A ) 13. 8 years

Part Two: Writing About Economics

• Inventions have brought about enormous changes in the ways of life of various people at different

times. Choose one invention. List as many positives and negative effects of this invention you can think of.