de Blij and Muller – Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts
Self Quiz Questions - Draft April 2001
Wendy Shaw
CHAPTER 1 – Europe
Question 1.1
Europe may be described as:
A. Physically diverse but very culturally homogeneous
Europe is also culturally as well as physically diverse.
B. Both physically and culturally homogeneous
Europe is both physically and culturally diverse.
C. Linguistically homogeneous
Europe is very linguistically diverse.
D. Physically homogeneous but very culturally diverse
Europe is also physically as well as culturally diverse.
E. Both physically and culturally diverse
Correct
Question 1.2
Which of Europe's landscape regions is the most densely populated?
A. The Central uplands
This region has a great concentration of raw materials but is not as densely populated as the North European Lowland.
B. The Appennines
This mountain range is part of the Alpine system and is not densely populated.
C. The Northern European Lowland
Correct
D. The Alpine Mountains
These are very rugged and are not densely populated.
E. The Western uplands
These are quite rugged and are not densely populated.
Question 1.3
Von Thunen developed a model of the ideal spatial arrangement of agricultural activities within the isolated state. What did he say would be produced in the ring closest to the city?
A. Timber for building and fuel.
Forest would be found in the second ring outward from the city, not the closest ring.
B. Field crops
Field crops would be found in the third ring outward from the city, not the closest ring.
C. Dairy products and vegetables
Correct
D. Grazing for animals
Grazing would be found in the fourth ring outward from the city, not the closest ring.
E. A wide variety of animals, such as cows, sheep, and goats
These animals would most likely be found in the outermost ring since that is where Von Thunen said there would be extensive grazing for animals.
Question 1.4
Which of the following is an example of a centripetal force?
A. A strong and popular political leader
Correct
B. Linguistic diversity
Centripetal forces tend to unify a state; linguistic diversity would tend to divide it.
C. Multicultural population
Centripetal forces tend to unify a state; cultural diversity would tend to divide it.
D. Civil War
Centripetal forces tend to unify a state; civil war is perhaps the ultimate division.
E. A hotly contested political election with no clear winner
Centripetal forces tend to unify a state; this type of election would tend to divide people.
Question 1.5
Which of the following statements would you say best describes Europe's population?
A. It is about half urban and half rural.
Europe's population is mostly urban.
B. It is mostly urban and there are relatively few children.
Correct
C. Most people live in cities and choose to have large families.
Most people do live in cities but family size is small.
D. There is a growing number of young people and that is why unemployment is such a severe problem.
There is a shrinking number of young people as women choose to have fewer children.
E. It is growing rapidly and adding to the world's population problem.
Europe has very little population growth and in many countries the population is actually shrinking.
Question 1.6
A powerful force in Europe today is devolution. What does devolution mean?
A. That regions within states are gaining strength, demanding autonomy, and may even become independent states
Correct
B. That established governments are becoming increasingly powerful and so government is becoming more centralized
This is really the opposite of devolution, in which regions gain more strength and demand more autonomy.
C. That society is breaking down and all the progress of cultural evolution is being reversed
Devolution involves political fragmentation, but is not a breakdown of society or a step backward culturally.
D. That Europe is ready to become one country with existing countries giving up power to a single European government
This is really the opposite of devolution, in which existing countries may break apart and the pieces become independent states.
E. That people are moving back to live in rural areas in large numbers
Devolution refers to political fragmentation and not to the migration of people to or from rural areas.
Question 1.7
Which of the following statements about the European Union (EU) is correct?
A. The United Kingdom began the original organization that became known as the EU in 1986 so that it would be easier to export a wide range of high-tech products.
The original organization was established in 1958 and the United Kingdom was denied membership.
B. Today every European country is a member of the EU because membership is essential to economic survival.
Many eastern European countries do not belong to the EU, and some countries in Western Europe, such as Norway, have voted against membership.
C. Membership in the EU provides great opportunities for trade, but does not mean that countries have to give up any of their sovereignty.
Members do have to give up some sovereignty since they are compelled to observe a wide range of rules that apply in many areas that have little to do with trade.
D. One of the goals of the EU is to establish a single European currency, and to eventually eliminate existing currencies such as the German mark and the French franc.
Correct
E. The EU not only enjoys the support of European government but is also overwhelmingly supported by ordinary people in Europe.
Although there is strong political support for the EU, many ordinary people are less enthusiastic. Many people fear their national cultures will be submerged and that they will lose any local control.
Question 1.8
Which country has the most powerful economy in Europe?
A. France
France does have a powerful economy but is surpassed by Germany.
B. United Kingdom
Although the United Kingdom was once one of the most powerful world economies, Germany is now much more powerful economically.
C. Italy
Northern Italy is part of the European economic core but southern Italy remains much less developed. Overall Germany has a more powerful economy than Italy.
D. Spain
Spain has a thriving economy but is much less powerful economically than Germany.
E. Germany
Correct
Question 1.9
Which European country is often described as two countries, the progressive north with a core area centered in the Po River basin, and a sharply contrasting stagnant south?
A. Germany
The Po River basin is at the heart of northern Italy's economic core.
B. Ireland
The Po River basin is at the heart of northern Italy's economic core.
C. France
The Po River basin is at the heart of northern Italy's economic core.
D. Italy
Correct
E. Belgium
The Po River basin is at the heart of northern Italy's economic core.
Question 1.10
Which is Eastern Europe's most populous and largest country? (This country was once part of the Soviet Union, it has access to ports on the Black Sea, and has assets that include massive farm production, a skilled labor force, and substantial raw materials.)
A. Poland
Poland was not part of the Soviet Union and does not border the Black Sea.
B. Estonia
Estonia is a small country and does not border the Black Sea.
C. Ukraine
Correct
D. Croatia
Croatia was once part of Yugoslavia, not the Soviet Union. It is a small country with no access to the Black Sea.
E. Slovakia
Slovakia was once part of Czechoslovakia, but was not part of the Soviet Union, and does not border the Black Sea.