Practice Test 22 - AP Human Geography

20 questions. Answer them in any order, then submit to see your score and every explanation.

A geographer analyzes smartphone location data purchased from a data broker to estimate foot traffic in a downtown business district. The dataset excludes users who disable location services and may undercount older residents with non-smartphones. Which option best identifies the main limitation and bias risk of using this dataset to represent downtown activity patterns?
A scholarly article on irrigation in semi-arid agricultural frontiers reports that expanded pumping from aquifers can stabilize yields during drought years, but may also lower groundwater tables and reduce baseflow to streams. The author notes that depletion rates depend on recharge, crop choice, irrigation efficiency, and governance; some regions slow declines through pricing, drip systems, and limits on withdrawals. The article frames the issue as a tradeoff between short-term production reliability and long-term water availability. The agricultural method described most directly results in which of the following?
A 120-word secondary-source excerpt evaluates advantages and disadvantages of federal and unitary systems. It notes that federalism can increase representation of regional interests and tailor policies to local conditions, but it may produce uneven service provision and jurisdictional conflict. Unitary systems can standardize policy and simplify coordination, but they may overlook regional needs or concentrate power. Which statement best captures a commonly cited trade-off of federalism mentioned in the excerpt?
A transportation planning newsletter describes a metro area where suburban office parks and low-density housing generate many car trips. It reports that adding lanes briefly improved traffic flow, but within two years commute times returned to previous levels as more drivers used the expanded roads. The newsletter argues that induced demand and dispersed land use contribute to a persistent urban problem. Which challenge is most directly referenced?
A researcher compares two neighborhood datasets: Dataset 1 lists median household income by census tract for 2022; Dataset 2 contains interview transcripts from 15 residents about rising rents and cultural change. The researcher wants to explain why some tracts experience stronger feelings of displacement despite similar income levels. Which approach best uses the strengths of each dataset?
Secondary-source excerpt (about 105 words): Comparative research across two regions found major variation in women's agricultural authority. In one area with matrilineal inheritance, women commonly held use rights to fields and made decisions about staple cropping, while men specialized in seasonal migration and livestock sales. In a neighboring patrilineal area, women performed extensive field labor but decisions about land allocation and marketing were typically made by men. The author argues that "women in agriculture" is not a single global pattern; it depends on kinship systems, land tenure, and local labor markets. Which of the following best describes women's role in the agricultural system described?
Secondary source excerpt (about 100 words): The DTM is often used to infer broad population-growth outcomes. When birth rates remain high but death rates fall (Stage 2), population grows rapidly. When birth rates begin to fall (Stage 3), growth slows. In Stage 4, both rates are low and growth is stable or slow. In a proposed Stage 5, births may fall below deaths, causing decline without immigration. Because it is a model, real-world outcomes can vary with migration and shocks. Which outcome is most consistent with a country in Stage 4 (ignoring migration)?
A secondary-source excerpt emphasizes that ignoring scale effects can lead to misleading conclusions. A student compares two countries' CO $_2$ emissions totals and concludes Country 1 is "less sustainable" because its total emissions are higher. Which critique best uses scale analysis to evaluate the claim?
A secondary source excerpt emphasizes that ignoring scale effects can lead to misleading conclusions. A report uses a national average internet access rate (85%) to plan service upgrades and decides no additional investment is needed anywhere. However, several rural counties have access rates below 50%. Which critique best applies scale analysis?
A policy brief defines the total dependency ratio as the number of dependents (ages 0–14 and 65+) per 100 working-age people (15–64). It notes that higher dependency ratios can strain household finances and public budgets for education and pensions. A country has 30% ages 0–14, 60% ages 15–64, and 10% ages 65+. What is the total dependency ratio (dependents per 100 working-age people), and what is a likely implication?
A comparative agriculture excerpt notes that households may produce staple crops mainly for consumption while specializing in a small area of production—such as a cash crop, dairy, or poultry—for sale. It emphasizes that this mixed strategy can reduce risk, meet dietary needs, and generate cash for inputs or services, especially where prices fluctuate or land is limited. The excerpt cautions that labeling such farms as purely "subsistence" or purely "commercial" can misrepresent how livelihoods are assembled. Which of the following best distinguishes the agricultural systems described in the excerpt?
A land-use change review describes slash-and-burn agriculture practiced by smallholders who clear vegetation, burn it, and plant mixed crops for one or two seasons before moving. The review emphasizes that ash can temporarily raise soil pH and provide readily available nutrients, but these gains often diminish as nutrients leach under heavy rainfall. Where communities have access to ample land, longer fallow periods may allow secondary forest to restore some fertility. Where land is scarce, shortened fallows can increase erosion and forest fragmentation. Which of the following is the most significant environmental consequence of the agricultural practice described?
A state housing agency uses a composite index (rent burden, eviction filings, and vacancy rates) mapped by census tract to decide where to allocate limited rental assistance funds. Staff note that data-driven planning can improve equity, but the index depends on how variables are weighted and on the timeliness of filings data. Which option best describes an appropriate use of geographic data for policy in this case?
Secondary source excerpt (global economy change—global commodity chains/spatial division of labor, 75–125 words): A single smartphone commonly reflects a spatial division of labor: rare earth minerals may be extracted in one country, refined in another, assembled in a third, and branded and marketed from a corporate center elsewhere. Each stage is placed where costs, regulations, and specialized skills best match firm strategies. Logistics firms and standardized shipping make it possible to coordinate these dispersed steps as one integrated system. This organization concentrates higher profits in design, intellectual property, and finance, while routine assembly often captures a smaller share of value. The excerpt is primarily describing which concept?
A geographer writes a 90-word secondary-source overview comparing primary vs secondary data collection for a study of food deserts. The overview describes primary methods (field audits of stores, resident surveys) and secondary sources (commercial business listings, census income data). The author warns that business listings may be outdated and that survey responses may reflect perception rather than measured distance. Which choice correctly distinguishes a primary data source from a secondary one in this scenario?
A secondary-source excerpt on water supply in Arroyo Grande states: "Seasonal shortages are intensified by high non-revenue water from leaks, fragmented utilities across municipalities, and unequal service that leaves informal settlements dependent on vendors charging higher prices. Proposed reservoirs would inundate upstream communities and face political resistance. The report concludes that improving water security requires regional coordination, demand management, and attention to equity, not just building new supply." Which response best matches the excerpt's conclusion?
A comparative agriculture article evaluates certified organic farming systems that restrict most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and often rely on compost, cover crops, and diversified rotations. The article reports reduced pesticide residues and potential gains in soil structure and on-farm biodiversity in some contexts. It also notes that yields can be lower for certain crops and regions, which may require more land to match output if demand is unchanged. Net impacts vary with crop type, management skill, and surrounding land-use patterns. The excerpt best illustrates which of the following consequences of the practice described?
Secondary source excerpt (about 120 words): The DTM links demographic change to development, but it is best used as a framework rather than a strict timeline. Countries can move through stages at different speeds, pause, or even experience reversals due to war, economic crisis, pandemics, or policy. Additionally, some places experienced fertility declines through government programs or diffusion of contraception without matching the European industrial sequence. These issues are often cited as critiques: the DTM can oversimplify and can reflect a Eurocentric historical pathway. Still, it remains useful for comparing broad patterns of birth and death rates. Which choice best captures how the DTM should be applied in AP Human Geography?
A textbook excerpt explains that when a state has a pronounced core-periphery pattern—where the capital region dominates investment, media, and political power—centrifugal forces can rise in peripheral areas that feel excluded. The author notes that these forces often manifest as regionalist parties, anti-tax movements, or calls for decentralization. Which situation best illustrates a centrifugal force (not a centripetal one) in this context?
Secondary-source excerpt (globalization and media): In the 2020s, cultural diffusion is increasingly driven by algorithmic social media feeds and global streaming platforms. Short-form videos, subtitled series, and influencer marketing allow music, slang, fashion, and food trends to spread across borders within days. Because platforms reward engagement, certain cultural products are amplified and remixed, often detached from their original contexts, while others remain less visible. This process can create hybrid cultural forms as users adapt global trends to local tastes. Which contemporary cause of cultural diffusion is best described in the excerpt?

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