Back-to-School World Skills

Continents

1. 100 What term describes one of Earth's large terrestrial geographical regions? Response: continent A continent is any of several large terrestrial geographical regions. Source: Wikipedia, “Continent”
2. 200 What is the highest commonly used count of continents? Response: seven Due to these varying definitions, the number of continents varies, up to seven or as few as four. Source: Wikipedia, “Continent”
3. 300 Which is the largest continent by area? Response: Asia In order from largest to smallest in area, these seven are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (or sometimes Oceania or Australasia). Source: Wikipedia, “Continent”
4. 400 Which is the smallest continent by area? Response: Australia In order from largest to smallest in area, these seven are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (or sometimes Oceania or Australasia). Source: Wikipedia, “Continent”
5. 500 What is the single landmass that Europe forms part of called? Response: Eurasia A continent could be a single large landmass, a landmass and nearby islands either on or beyond its continental shelf, or a part of a larger landmass, as in the case of Asia and Europe within Eurasia. Source: Wikipedia, “Continent”

Maps

1. 100 What two-dimensional representation shows the spatial layout of geographic features? Response: map In cartography, a map is a two-dimensional representation of the Earth's surface depicting the spatial layout of geographical features. Source: Wikipedia, “Map”
2. 200 Which field is devoted to designing and making maps? Response: cartography In cartography, a map is a two-dimensional representation of the Earth's surface depicting the spatial layout of geographical features. Source: Wikipedia, “Map”
3. 300 What map type portrays one specific kind of data such as rainfall? Response: thematic map The applications of cartography expanded in the late 17th century with the invention of thematic maps which portrayed a specific kind of data – such as rainfall or population density – in contrast to simply portraying major geographic features such as rivers, mountains, and cities. Source: Wikipedia, “Map”
4. 400 Which design choice relates distance on the map to distance in the world? Response: scale A cartographer must make many choices when designing a map, such as which data to include (or omit), coverage area, legend, orientation (which direction is north), scale, projection, coordinate system, symbols, shapes, colors, labels, and typography. Source: Wikipedia, “Map”
5. 500 Which part of a map explains its symbols and colors? Response: legend A cartographer must make many choices when designing a map, such as which data to include (or omit), coverage area, legend, orientation (which direction is north), scale, projection, coordinate system, symbols, shapes, colors, labels, and typography. Source: Wikipedia, “Map”

Latitude

1. 100 Which geographic coordinate specifies north-south position? Response: latitude In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Source: Wikipedia, “Latitude”
2. 200 Which line is assigned zero degrees latitude? Response: Equator Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pole, with 0° at the Equator. Source: Wikipedia, “Latitude”
3. 300 What magnitude of latitude is found at either pole? Response: 90 degrees Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pole, with 0° at the Equator. Source: Wikipedia, “Latitude”
4. 400 What are the east-west circles of equal latitude called? Response: parallels Lines of constant latitude, or parallels, run east-west as circles parallel to the equator. Source: Wikipedia, “Latitude”
5. 500 A navigator moves from 20 degrees north to 45 degrees north. Which positional coordinate has increased? Response: latitude In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Source: Wikipedia, “Latitude”

Longitude

1. 100 Which coordinate specifies a point's east-west position? Response: longitude Longitude (, AU and UK also ) is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the surface of the Earth, or another celestial body. Source: Wikipedia, “Longitude”
2. 200 Which meridian defines zero degrees longitude? Response: prime meridian The prime meridian defines 0° longitude; by convention the International Reference Meridian for the Earth passes near the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, south-east London on the island of Great Britain. Source: Wikipedia, “Longitude”
3. 300 Which Greek letter commonly denotes longitude? Response: lambda It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek letter lambda (λ). Source: Wikipedia, “Longitude”
4. 400 What are the pole-to-pole lines connecting points of equal longitude called? Response: meridians Meridians are imaginary semicircular lines running from pole to pole that connect points with the same longitude. Source: Wikipedia, “Longitude”
5. 500 Moving 15 degrees of longitude changes local time by how much? Response: one hour Scientifically precise local time varies with longitude: a difference of 15° longitude corresponds to a one-hour difference in local time, due to the differing position in relation to the Sun. Source: Wikipedia, “Longitude”

Democracy

1. 100 Which form of government vests political power in the people? Response: democracy Democracy is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Source: Wikipedia, “Democracy”
2. 200 In which form do people deliberate and decide legislation themselves? Response: direct democracy In a direct democracy, the people have the direct authority to deliberate and decide legislation. Source: Wikipedia, “Democracy”
3. 300 In which form do people choose governing officials through elections? Response: representative democracy In a representative democracy, the people choose governing officials through elections to do so. Source: Wikipedia, “Democracy”
4. 400 Which selection process connects citizens to governing officials in the representative form? Response: elections In a representative democracy, the people choose governing officials through elections to do so. Source: Wikipedia, “Democracy”
5. 500 Broad definitions of democracy include competitive elections, civil liberties and which other guarantee? Response: human rights Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitive elections while more expansive or maximalist definitions link democracy to guarantees of civil liberties and human rights in addition to competitive elections. Source: Wikipedia, “Democracy”

Final round: Map Coordinates

These east-west circles connect points that share the same latitude. Response: parallels Lines of constant latitude, or parallels, run east-west as circles parallel to the equator. Source: Wikipedia, “Latitude”