1. The temperature field map below represents surface air temperatures within a park.

The location of a
lake within the park is also indicated.

Which graph best represents the temperature profile along a straight line from point A to point B?
A) B) C) D)
2. On each topographic map below, the straight-line
distance from point A to point B is 5 kilometers.
Which topographic map shows the steepest gradient
between A and B?
A) B)

C) D)

3. A stream has a source at an elevation of 1,000.

meters. It ends in a lake that has an elevation of 300.
meters. If the lake is 200. kilometers away from the
source, what is the average gradient of the stream?
A) 1.5 m/km B) 3.5 m/km
C) 10. m/km D) 15 m/km
4. A stream begins at an elevation of 2,000 meters and
ends in a lake at an elevation of 400 meters. The
lake is 320 kilometers from the stream's source.
What is the average gradient of the stream?
A) 1.6 m/km B) 2.0 m/km
C) 5.0 m/km D) 8.0 m/km
 Base your answers to questions 5 through 7 on the 9. A contour map is shown below. Elevations are shown
topographic map below, which represents elevation in feet.
contours measured in meters. Four straight lines, AB,
CD, EF, and GH, have been drawn for reference
purposes.

What is the contour interval of this map?

A) 10 ft B) 15 ft C) 20 ft D) 25 ft
10. Base your answer to the following question on the
5. What could be the elevation of point X? map below.

A) 819 m B) 826 m
C) 841 m D) 850 m
6. What is the general direction of flow of Mill Creek?
A) east to west B) west to east
C) north to south D) south to north
7. Which profile below most likely represents cross
section GH?
A) B)

C) D)

8. The diagram below is a contour map. Between

which two points is the slope of the hill steepest?

What is the approximate gradient, in meters per

kilometer, of Jennifer Brook between points A and B
?
A) A and B B) B and C
C) C and D D) A and D A) 20 m/km B) 40 m/km
C) 80 m/km D) 220 m/km
 Base your answers to questions 11through 13on the two topographic maps below. A grid system of
numbers and letters appears along the edge of each map to help locate features. Both maps show
elevations in fee above sea level.

11.Which direction is the stream mainly flowing within grid area H-l on map B?
A) northward B) southward C) eastward D) westward
12.Which cross section best represents the topographic profile along the straight line from point Y to
point Z on map B?
A) B)

C) D)

13.Which statement correctly describes one difference between these maps?

A) Map A has a greater relief (elevation change between high and low locations) than map B.
B) Map A represents a much larger surface area than map B.
C) Map A shows more contour lines than map B.
D) Map A generally shows gentler slopes than map B.
Base your answers to questions 14 and 15 on the topographic maps and block diagrams of two
landscape regions shown below. The block diagrams show a three-dimensional view of the
topographic maps directly above them. Elevations are measured in feet. Points A, B, C, and D are
locations on Earth’s surface.

14. Which contour interval is used on both topographic maps?

A) 10 ft B) 20 ft C) 30 ft D) 40 ft
15. A stream begins to flow downhill from point D toward the depression. After a period of time, the
depression fills with water. Overflowing water from the depression moves downhill toward point C.
Which topographic map shows the most likely resulting change in the contour lines?
A) B)

C) D)

16. Base your answer to the following question on the contour map below, which shows a hill formed by
glacial deposition near Rochester, New York. Letters A through E are reference points. Elevations are
in feet.

Which description best compares the gradients of this hill?

A) AE and EB have the same gradient. B) AE has a steeper gradient than EB.
C) CE has a steeper gradient than ED. D) CE and AE have the same gradient.
17. The diagram below represents contour lines on a 18. Point X is a location on the topographic map below.
topographic map with cross-section line AB. Elevations are measured in meters.

Which diagram best represents the topographic

profile along line AB?
A) B)
C) D)
What is a possible elevation, in meters, of point X?
A) 55 B) 57 C) 68 D) 70
Base your answers to questions 19 through 23 on the topographic map below. Points A and B
represent locations on the map. Elevations are shown in meters.
11. Which map would best represent this area if sea level were to rise 10 meters?
A) B)

C) D)

20. What is the approximate distance across Cub Inlet from Little Neck Point to Boulder Point?
A) 1.4 km B) 1.9 km C) 2.4 km D) 2.9 km
21. What could be the highest elevation on Little Deer Island?
A) 5 m B) 34 m C) 25 m D) 39 m
22. Which section of Big Bear Island has the steepest coastline?
A) northwest B) northeast C) southwest D) southeast
23. Which diagram best represents the topographic profile from location A to location B?
A) B) C) D)

24. Point A and point B are locations 0.24 mile apart on 25. A contour map shows two locations, X and Y, 5
a ski slope in northern New York. Point A has an kilometers apart. The elevation at location X is 800
elevation of 1,560 feet and point B has an elevation meters and the elevation at location Y is 600
of 1,800 feet. What is the gradient between these meters. What is the gradient between the two
points? locations?
A) 60 ft/mi B) 240 ft/mi A) 12 m/km B) 40 m/km
C) 500 ft/mi D) 1,000 ft/mi C) 120 m/km D) 160 m/km
 Base your answers to questions 26 through 29 on
the contour map below. Points A, B, C, D, X, and Y are locations on the map. Elevations are
expressed in feet. The maximum elevation of Basket Dome is indicated at point X.

26. The highest elevation of Basket Dome 40 years ago was measured at 7,600 feet. What is the rate of
change in elevation for this area?
A) 0.6 in/yr B) 1.7 in/yr C) 24 in/yr D) 40 in/yr
27. The highest elevation on the map is at point
A) X B) Y C) C D) D
28. In which general direction does Tenaya Stream flow?
A) southeast to northwest B) northwest to southeast
C) southwest to norheast D) northeast to southwest
29. Which graph best represents the profile along a line between point B and point A?
A) B)

C) D)

Base your answers to questions 30 through 34 on

the contour map of an island below. Points A through G represent locations on the island. Elevations
are in meters.

30. What is the contour interval for this map?

A) 10 m B) 15 m C) 20 m D) 25 m
31. In which direction does the Cinder River flow?
A) southeast B) southwest C) northeast D) northwest
32. Which point is located on the steepest slope?
A) F B) B C) C D) D
33. Which two points have the same elevation?
A) G and F B) B and D C) C and D D) G and C
34. Which diagram best represents the topographic profile from location C to location B?
A) B)

C) D)

35. The map below shows part of a stream drainage pattern.

Which topographic map best shows the contour lines for this stream drainage pattern?
A) B)

C) D)
36. The topographic map below shows a depression contour line on Earth's surface.

Points A, B, C, and D represent surface locations. Contour line elevations are in feet.

Which profile best shows the topography along line AD?

A) B)

C) D)

37. Measurements of a stream taken over 5 years

indicate that its velocity has decreased. The
stream’s decreased velocity was most likely caused
by
A) an increase in atmospheric transparency
B) an increase in atmospheric surface winds
C) a decrease in gradient
D) a decrease in transpiration
38. The contour map below shows elevations recorded A)
in meters. Line AB is a reference line on the map.

B)

C)

Which graph best represents the profile from point A

to point B? D)

39. What is the elevation of the highest contour line

shown on the map below?

A) 10,000 feet B) 10,688 feet

C) 10,700 feet D) 10,788 feet
 Base your answers to questions 40 through 44 on the topographic map below and on your knowledge
of Earth Science. Points A, B, C, and D represent locations on the surface of Earth. Elevations are
measured in feet.

40. In which general direction does Red Creek flow?

A) northeast B) southeast C) southwest D) northwest
41. What is the approximate gradient from point A to point B on the map?
A) 25 feet per mile B) 50 feet per mile
C) 75 feet per mile D) 100 feet per mile
42. Which cross section represents an accurate profile of the landscape between points C and D?
A)

B)

C)

D)

43. What is a possible elevation for the surface of Darry Lin Lake?
A) 228 feet B) 242 feet C) 255 feet D) 268 feet
44. Which cross section represents an accurate profile of the landscape between points C and D?
A) B)

C) D)

45. The topographic map below shows the location of a

stream. Points A and B are locations on Earth's
surface.

What is the gradient between points A and B?

A) 1 m/km B) 2 m/km
C) 10 m/km D) 20 m/km
 Base your answers to questions 46 through 50 on the Base your answers to questions 52 and 53 on the
topographic map below. Points A, B, C, D, E, F, X, topographic map below. A, B, C, and D are locations
and Y are locations on the map. Elevation is on the map.
measured in feet.

52. Between which two locations does the steepest

gradient occur?
46. Which diagram best represents the profile along a A) A and B B) B and C
straight line between points X and Y? C) C and D D) A and C
A) B) 53. Which location most likely has an elevation of 45
meters?
C) D)
47. What is the contour interval used on this map? A) A B) B C) C D) D
54. The topographic map below shows locations X and Y
A) 20 ft B) 50 ft .
C) 100 ft D) 200 ft
48. Between points C and D, Rush Creek flows toward
the
A) north B) south C) east D) west
49. The gradient between points A and B is closest to
A) 20 ft/mi B) 40 ft/mi
C) 80 ft/mi D) 200 ft/mi
50. Which locations have the greatest difference in
elevation?
A) A and D B) B and X
C) C and F D) E and Y
51. The map below represents an elevation field.

What is the approximate gradient between X and Y?

What is the approximate gradient between point A
and point B? A) 15 ft/mi B) 20 ft/mi
A) 0.5 m/km B) 2.0 m/km C) 30 ft/mi D) 60 ft/mi
C) 3.0 m/km D) 4.0 m/km
 Base your answers to questions 55 through 57 on the topographic map below. Points A through I are
locations on the map. Elevations are shown in meters.

55. The profile below represents certain locations on the map.

The profile represents a cross section of the landscape between points

A) A and D B) B and C C) C and A D) I and H
56. The contour lines crossing Deer River show that the river flows
A) northward out of Wolf Pond B) northward into Wolf Pond
C) southward out of Wolf Pond D) southward into Wolf Pond
57. What is the approximate gradient along line BD?
A) 25 m/km B) 50 m/km C) 100 m/km D) 150 m/km
 Base your answers to questions 58 through 62 on the topographic map below that represents a
location in North America. A grid system of letters and numbers along the edges of the map is
provided to assist in finding locations. Elevations are expressed in feet.

58. If a person at point W (grid location 2-B ) travels uphill, in which direction is the person traveling?
A) northwest B) northeast C) southwest D) southeast
59. Which profile best represents the topography along a straight line from point Z ( 6-B ) to point Y (
2-M )?
A) B)

C) D)

60. What is a possible elevation at point X (grid location 3-D)?

A) 488 ft B) 548 ft C) 558 ft D) 598 ft
61. What is the approximate elevation at grid location 7-I?
A) 140 ft B) 170 ft C) 200 ft D) 230 ft
62. What is the gradient of the entire length of the Excelsior River?
A) 0.1 ft/mi B) 11 ft/mi C) 24 ft/mi D) 48 ft/mi
63. Four locations, A, B, C, and D, are represented on the topographic map below.

Which lettered location has the highest elevation?

A) A B) B C) C D) D
64. The isoline diagram below represents an elevation 65. A topographic map of Mt. Rainier in Washington
field. State is shown below.

Which profile best represents the topography along

line AB?
A) B)
What is the contour interval of the map?
C) D) A) 20 ft B) 40 ft
C) 100 ft D) 200 ft
 Base your answers to questions 66 through 68 on the topographic map below. Points A, B, C, D, and
X represent locations on the map. Elevations are measured in feet.

66. Which cross section best represents the profile along straight line AB?
A) B)

C) D)

67. What is the highest possible elevation of point X on Rock Mountain?

A) 1,599 ft B) 1,600 ft C) 1,601 ft D) 1,699 ft
68. What is the average gradient of the slope along straight line CD?
A) 100 ft/mi B) 250 ft/mi C) 500 ft/mi D) 1,000 ft/mi
 Base your answers to questions 69 through 71 on the map below. The isolines on the map show the
increases in elevation that have occurred since the end of the ice age in this part of North America. A
and B are two points on isolines. Several towns within the area are indicated.

69. For which two locations have elevations increased by nearly the same amount?
A) Arctic Bay and Coral Harbour B) Ivujivik and Churchill
C) Cambridge Bay and Esker D) Montreal and Fort George
70. The increases in elevation indicated by this map have most greatly increased the
A) area covered by ocean water
B) amount of land exposed above sea level
C) latitude of the population centers shown on the map
D) altitude of Polaris above the horizon
71. The land under which town has risen the most?
A) Arctic Bay B) Baker Lake
C) Cambridge Bay D) Fort George
Base your answers to questions 72 through 75 on the topographic map below. Elevations are in feet.
Point A and B are locations on the map.

72. What is the gradient along the straight line between points A and B?
A) 10 ft/mi B) 20 ft/mi C) 25 ft/mi D) 35 ft/mi
73. Toward which direction does the Green River flow?
A) northeast B) northwest C) southeast D) southwest
74. Which graph best represents the profile along line AB?
A) B)

C) D)

75. What evidence can be used to determine that the land surface in the northeast corner of the map is
relatively flat?
A) a rapidly flowing river B) a large region covered by water
C) the dark contour line labeled 300 D) the absence of many contour lines
76. The diagram below is a three-dimensional model of a landscape region.

Which map view best represents the topography of this region?

A) B) C) D)
77. Base your answer to the following question on the topographic map below and on your knowledge of
Earth Science. Points A, B, C, and D represent locations on the surface of Earth. Elevations are
measured in feet.

Which cross section represents an accurate profile of the landscape between points C and D?
A) B)

C) D)
 Base your answers to questions 78 through 81 on the map below, which shows elevations in feet at
various points. The southern part of the map has contour lines representing elevations at 20-foot
intervals. Lines AB and CD are reference lines on the map.

78. Calculate the gradient along line CD and label your answer with the correct units.
79. On the map, draw contour lines for the 780-ft, 760-ft, and 740-ft elevations. Extend your contour
lines to the edges of the map.
80. Explain how the contour lines indicate the direction of flow of Otter Creek.
81. On the grid below, construct a topographic profile along line AB by plotting the elevation of each
contour line that crosses line AB. Connect the plots with a line to complete the profile.

82. Base your answer to the following question on the 83. The profile below shows four regions of the ocean
map below. bottom.

In which list are these regions arranged in order of

In which direction does Jennifer Brook flow? gradient from least steep to most steep?

A) southwest B) northwest A) rise abyssal plain shelf slope

C) southeast D) northeast B) slope rise shelf abyssal plain
C) abyssal plain shelf rise slope
D) shelf abyssal plain rise slope
 Base your answers to questions 84 through 86 on the topographic map below. Points A, X, and Y are
reference points on the map.

84. In which general direction does Flint Creek flow?

A) southwest B) southeast C) northwest D) northeast
85. What is a possible elevation of point A?
A) 575 meters B) 600 meters C) 655 meters D) 710 meters
86. What is the approximate gradient along the straight dashed line between points X and Y?
A) 50 m/km B) 100 m/km C) 150 m/km D) 300 m/km
 Base your answers to questions 87 through 90 on the contour map below. Points A through F
represent locations on the map.

87. What is the most likely elevation of the surface of Sunfish Lake?
A) 151 m B) 140 m C) 55 m D) 28 m
88. Which statement about hill C is best supported by the map?
A) Hill C is located approximately 2 km west of Cedar River.
B) The steepest slope of hill C is on the western side.
C) Hill C has been shaped by glaciers.
D) The highest possible elevation of hill C is 179 m.
89. Which location has the same elevation as location D?
A) A B) E C) C D) F
90. If no elevation values were given, which general rule could be used to establish that Cedar River
flows into Sunfish Lake?
A) Rivers shown on maps generally flow southward.
B) Rivers always flow toward large bodies of water.
C) Contour lines bend upstream when crossing a river.
D) A large body of water is generally the source of water for a river.
91. The topographic map below shows a stream crossing 93. The map below shows the stream drainage patterns
several contour lines and passing through points X for a region of Earth's surface. Points A, B, C,and D
and Y. Elevations are measured in feet. are locations in the region.

What is the approximate gradient between point X

and point Y?
A) 10 ft/mi B) 20 ft/mi
C) 40 ft/mi D) 80 ft/mi
92. The topographic map below shows a lake and two
rivers.

The highest elevation most likely exists at point

A) A B) B C) C D) D
94. The four streams shown on the topographic maps
below have the same volume between X and Y. The
distance from X to Y is also the same. All the maps
are drawn to the same scale and have the same
contour interval. Which map shows the stream with
the greatest velocity between points X and Y?
A) B)

In which direction does each of the rivers flow?

A) The Sapphire River and the Garnet River both
flow east.
B) The Sapphire River and the Garnet River both C) D)
flow west.
C) The Sapphire River flows east and the Garnet
River flows west.
D) The Sapphire River flows west and the Garnet
River flows east.
 Base your answers to questions 95 and 96 on the diagram below, which shows a coastal region in
which the land slopes toward the ocean. Point X is near the top of the hill, point Y is at the base of the
hill, and point Z is a location at sea level. The same type of surface bedrock underlies this entire
region. A stream flows from point X through point Y to point Z. This stream is not shown in the
diagram.

95. Compared to the stream velocity between point X and point Y, the stream velocity between point Y
and point Z is most likely
A) greater, since the slope of the land decreases
B) greater, since the slope of the land increases
C) less, since the slope of the land decreases
D) less, since the slope of the land increases
96. Which diagram best shows the most probable path of the stream flowing from point X to point Z?
A)

B)

C)

D)
97. Base your answer to the following question on the block diagram and the cross section below. The
block diagram shows the present position of Niagara Falls in relation to the Niagara Escarpment. The
cross section shows the general bedrock structure of present-day Niagara Falls.

During the last 12,000 years, the waterfall gradually shifted upstream 11 kilometers. The average rate
of headward erosion from the original waterfall location at the escarpment (cliff) near Lewiston to the
present-day waterfall location was approximately 1 kilometer every
A) year B) 100 years C) 1,000 years D) 10,000 years
 Base your answers to questions 98 through 100on the maps below. Points A, B, C, X, and Y are
locations on the topographic map. The small map identifies the New York State region shown in the
topographic map.

98. Which evidence best supports the inference that the meltwater river that once occupied the Cayuta
Creek valley was larger than the modern Cayuta Creek?
A) The modern Cayuta Creek occupies a V-shaped valley.
B) The valley floor is wider than the modern Cayuta Creek.
C) The modern Cayuta Creek lacks meanders and a flood plain.
D) The tributary streams meet the modern Cayuta Creek at nearly right angles.
99. Which graph best represents the profile from point B to point C?
A) B)

C) D)

100.At the end of the Ice Age, the valley now occupied by Cayuta Creek was a channel for southward
flowing glacial meltwater. Into which present-day river valley did this meltwater most likely flow?
A) Hudson River B) Genesee River
C) Delaware River D) Susquehanna River
101.The map below shows the elevation field for a 102. The field map below shows air temperature
30-by-50-meter section of a parking lot on which a measurements, in degrees Celsius, taken at the
large pile of sand has been dumped. The isolines same elevation within a closed room. Two
show the height of the sand above the surface of the reference points, A and B, are shown.
parking lot in meters.

Which map represents the most likely elevation field

for the same area after several heavy rainstorms?
A) B)
Which temperature field map shows correctly
C) D)
drawn isotherms?
A) B)

C) D)
 Base your answers to questions 103and 104on the 105. The topographic map below shows two hills
map below. The black triangle represents Mt. Hekla, labeled A and B. The tributary streams labeled X
a volcano in Iceland. The isolines represent the and Y have the same volume of water.
thickness of ash, in centimeters, that settled on
Earth’s surface after a volcanic eruption of Mt. Hekla
on March 29, 1947. Point X is a location on the
surface of the ash.

Which statement is best supported by the map?

A) Hill A is higher than hill B.
B) Hill B is higher than hill A.
C) Stream X flows faster than stream Y.
D) Stream Y flows faster than stream X.
106. The topographic map below shows the island of
Hawaii. Elevations are measured in feet.

103.How many centimeters thick was the ash beneath

point X?
A) 0 B) 15 C) 20 D) 25
104.At the time of the eruption, the wind direction was
primarily from the
A) east B) west C) north D) south
What is the approximate average gradient along
line XY?
A) 200 ft/mi B) 400 ft/mi
C) 800 ft/mi D) 1,000 ft/mi
107. Base your answer to the following question on the map below, which shows coral reef distribution
and diversity (number of different coral types) around the world. Isolines on the map represent the
number of different types of coral. Coral reefs are found mostly in shallow tropical waters and do
not grow when ocean temperatures fall below 18°C. The 18°C barrier represents the outer
boundaries within which coral reefs normally grow. Points X and Y are locations on the map.

Which graph shows the number of coral types found along the 165° east longitude line between
point X and point Y?
A) B)

C) D)
108. A topographic map and an incorrectly constructed 110. The topographic map below shows part of a stream.
profile from point A to point H on the map are
shown below.

What mistake was made in the construction of this

profile?
A) using a contour interval of 10 feet
B) plotting points A through H the same distance
apart horizontally In which general direction is the stream flowing?
C) drawing a curved line instead of a straight line
from point B to point C A) northeast B) northwest
D) increasing the elevation from point F to point C) southeast D) southwest
H 111. The diagram below shows a cross section of a cliff
109. A contour map is shown below. Elevations are climbed by a student.
shown in feet.

What is the approximate average gradient of the

cliff?
A) 10 m/m B) 30 m/m
C) 300 m/m D) 700 m/m

Which side of Amethyst Hill has the steepest

slope?
A) north B) south C) east D) west
112. Base your answer to the following question on the topographic map below. Points X, Y, and Z are
locations on the map. Elevations are expressed in meters.

Which profile best represents the topography along the dashed line from point X to point Y?
A) B)

C) D)