Practice Test 43 - AP Human Geography

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

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1. A civics text distinguishes absolute monarchies, where the monarch holds extensive governing power and is not meaningfully constrained by a constitution or legislature, from constitutional monarchies, where the monarch is largely ceremonial and elected officials exercise most policy-making power under constitutional limits. Which scenario best represents a constitutional monarchy?
2. Secondary source excerpt: The political-geography definition of a state relies on territory, population, government, and sovereignty. This definition separates "statehood" from cultural unity: a state may include multiple nations, and a nation may exist without a state. Which statement best uses this definition correctly?
3. Secondary-source excerpt: A demographic methods handbook explains doubling time as the approximate number of years for a population to double at a constant annual growth rate, often estimated by the Rule of 70: $\text{doubling time} \approx \frac{70}{\text{annual growth rate in percent}}$. In the city-state of Marisol, the annual population growth rate is reported as 2.0%. Using the Rule of 70, what is Marisol's approximate doubling time?
4. A secondary source on population geography notes that population aging is driven primarily by two long-term demographic shifts: sustained declines in fertility (fewer births entering the base of the population pyramid) and rising life expectancy (more people surviving into older age). In this framework, which statement best explains why some high-income countries have rapidly aging populations even without sudden changes in migration?
5. A secondary source on social factors argues that family reunification and migrant networks lower the costs and risks of moving by providing housing leads, job contacts, and emotional support. In City Z, a well-established diaspora from Village Q helps new arrivals find apartments and work; as a result, more residents of Village Q choose City Z over other destinations with similar wages. Which choice best explains the migration pattern?
6. A secondary-source summary of the Demographic Transition Model (DTM) explains that it describes population change in five stages based on birth and death rates. In Stage 1, both birth and death rates are high; in Stage 2, death rates fall sharply while birth rates remain high; in Stage 3, birth rates decline; in Stage 4, both rates are low; and some versions add Stage 5, where births fall below deaths and population may shrink. Which option best matches this stage sequence and its key rate changes?
7. In a comparative study, a geographer describes households that grow diverse staples mainly to meet family needs, selling small surpluses when possible, alongside nearby farms producing a single export crop under contracts with processors. The author cautions that many producers blend these approaches: a family may prioritize food security while also participating in markets for cash income. The distinction, the text argues, is best understood as a difference in primary orientation and degree of market integration, not an absolute divide. The excerpt best illustrates which of the following concepts in agriculture?
8. A 100-word secondary-source excerpt critiques modernization theory for implying that "traditional" societies must replicate Western industrialization and governance, while underemphasizing how colonial borders, resource extraction, and unequal trade can shape present-day institutions and conflict. In a case study, a former colony's economy is dominated by a single export crop established during colonial rule, and price drops trigger debt and austerity; a politician claims the solution is simply to "be more like Europe." Which evaluation best reflects the critique?
9. Secondary-source excerpt (population dynamics): Country F reports a crude birth rate (CBR) of 14 per 1,000 and a crude death rate (CDR) of 10 per 1,000 in 2022. A journalist mistakenly claims this means the total fertility rate (TFR) is 4.0 and that the country is experiencing explosive growth. Demographers respond that CBR and TFR measure different things and that the natural increase rate is modest. What is Country F's natural increase rate (per 1,000), and which correction best addresses the journalist's confusion?
10. A planning textbook explains that mixed-use zoning allows residential, commercial, and sometimes light industrial uses in close proximity, while single-use zoning separates them into distinct districts. Neighborhood H permits apartments above ground-floor shops along a main street, while Neighborhood I restricts a large area to only detached single-family homes and prohibits retail. Which statement best identifies the zoning approaches?
11. A secondary-source excerpt summarizes the DTM as a model (not a guarantee) that links falling death rates and later falling birth rates to changes like public health improvements and shifting family economics. Which statement best uses the DTM appropriately?
12. A comparative study of smallholder regions highlights that soil erosion and declining soil organic matter can follow expansion onto marginal slopes, shortened fallows, and reduced ground cover. The authors link these biophysical changes to livelihoods: yield instability increases debt risk, and households may respond by intensifying labor, diversifying income, or migrating. They stress that erosion is shaped by tenure insecurity, market incentives, and infrastructure, so interventions can shift burdens rather than eliminate them. Which of the following is the most significant consequence of the agricultural practice described?
13. Secondary source excerpt (about 100 words): In a fast-growing megacity, demand for freshwater can exceed the recharge rate of nearby aquifers. As wells deepen and costs rise, poorer households may turn to informal vendors or unsafe sources. At the same time, expanding paved surfaces reduce infiltration, further limiting groundwater renewal. These dynamics show how high population concentration can push local systems beyond sustainable limits unless conservation, pricing, and supply diversification are implemented. The key issue is not simply the number of people, but the relationship between density, consumption, and local resource availability. Which scenario best demonstrates the excerpt's focus on resource pressure in a dense area?
14. Secondary-source excerpt (Second Agricultural Revolution, 18th–19th c., focus: relationship to the Industrial Revolution): Many textbooks present agrarian change as a crucial precondition for industrial growth: more reliable food supplies reduced the risk of subsistence crises, while commercialization linked rural producers to urban markets. However, the same processes that increased output also contributed to rural class differentiation and migration, supplying labor to manufacturing centers. Which option best states the excerpt's argument about the agriculture–industry relationship?
15. Secondary-source excerpt (context): Cultural diffusion can be misidentified if the mechanism is ignored. Suppose a religious practice appears in a new city mainly because a large community from the origin region moved there for factory jobs and established places of worship; only later do long-time residents begin to adopt some associated festivals. The initial spread depends on migrants carrying the practice. Which label best fits the initial diffusion mechanism described?
16. A government extension campaign promotes climate-resilient seeds through meetings held at district centers. Attendance records show far fewer women than men, and interviews cite distance, safety concerns, and childcare responsibilities as barriers. Yet women report being responsible for selecting seed for many household plots. Which of the following best describes women's role in the agricultural system described?
17. A retailer maps customer addresses and finds high sales near a new light-rail station. Executives conclude the station caused the sales increase and decide to open more stores only near rail stops. An analyst warns that the pattern could reflect pre-existing income differences and changing neighborhood composition. Which option best applies spatial analysis reasoning to avoid a misleading conclusion?
18. Secondary-source excerpt (population dynamics—focus on TFR): The total fertility rate (TFR) estimates the average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime if current age-specific birth rates remain constant. In many highly developed countries, TFR is below the replacement level (about 2.1), contributing to population aging unless offset by immigration. If Country E has a TFR of 1.4, which inference is most consistent with this figure?
19. Secondary source excerpt (language endangerment): The excerpt reports that a small indigenous language has fewer than 500 fluent speakers, most over age 60. Younger residents use a national language in school and social media, and intergenerational transmission is declining. Which conclusion best aligns with the excerpt?
20. A country has high TFR and rapidly falling death rates. Its age-sex pyramid most likely looks like what?

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