Practice Test 85 - AP Human Geography

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

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1. Urban sustainability scholars describe the urban heat island effect as a consequence of dense built surfaces, limited vegetation, and waste heat from vehicles and buildings. In a mid-latitude city, summer nighttime temperatures in the inner core remain several degrees warmer than nearby rural areas, increasing heat stress for elderly residents in older, poorly insulated apartments. The city wants to reduce heat risk while recognizing that vulnerability varies by housing quality and income. Which strategy best matches this challenge?
2. A secondary-source excerpt on wildfire in California describes how decades of fire suppression increased fuel loads, while expanding development in the wildland–urban interface raised exposure. The author notes that drought and heat intensify fire behavior, and that rebuilding decisions and insurance availability influence where people continue to live. Which statement best captures the excerpt's core idea?
3. Secondary source excerpt (about 105 words): Linguists often distinguish between a language family (a broad set of related languages), a language branch (a subdivision within a family), and individual languages and dialects. These categories matter spatially: a family may stretch across continents, while dialect differences can be highly localized and may form dialect continua across rural areas. Confusing these levels can lead to mistaken claims, such as treating a language family as if it were a single language spoken uniformly. Which choice correctly matches the largest-to-smallest linguistic scale?
4. Secondary-source excerpt: Researchers report that women frequently cultivate family plots and manage subsistence crops but rarely hold formal land titles. Inheritance rules and bureaucratic registration practices often list male relatives as owners, limiting women's ability to use land as collateral for loans or to join producer associations. Which of the following best describes women's role in the agricultural system described?
5. A secondary-source geography note explains that local, regional, national, and global scales represent different extents of analysis. Which pairing correctly matches a research question to the most appropriate scale?
6. A source on Mediterranean tourism notes that summer drought and limited freshwater supplies prompted some islands to cap hotel construction, expand desalination, and promote off-season travel to reduce peak demand. The author argues that economic development must account for finite resources and long-term ecosystem health. Which concept is most directly illustrated?
7. Secondary source excerpt (global economy change—special economic zones/export processing zones, 75–125 words): To attract foreign direct investment, some governments designate special economic zones (SEZs) where export-oriented firms receive tax holidays, streamlined customs, and relaxed regulations compared with the national economy. These zones are often located near ports or major highways to speed shipping and reduce logistics costs. Supporters argue SEZs create jobs and generate export earnings, while critics note that labor protections can be weaker and that linkages to local suppliers may be limited. Over time, successful zones can expand into industrial corridors that reshape regional migration and urban growth. Which policy tool is being described?
8. A geography text notes that even in highly developed countries, the primary sector can persist in certain regions due to resource endowments, mechanized agribusiness, or niche products (e.g., fisheries, timber, specialized crops). A wealthy country's remote coastal region remains dominated by commercial fishing and seafood processing, despite the nation's overall service-based economy. Which claim best matches the text?
9. A secondary source notes that fresh berries may be grown in one hemisphere during winter months, flown to distant supermarkets, and sold year-round. The system depends on refrigerated containers, air freight, and rapid logistics, but it increases energy use and emissions compared with seasonal local consumption. The system described most directly results from which of the following?
10. A secondary source excerpt notes that aging is commonly associated with later stages of the demographic transition, when fertility is low and mortality is low. Which statement best links aging to the demographic transition model (DTM)?
11. A secondary-source summary of the monocentric city model notes that many metropolitan areas exhibit a population density gradient: residential density is highest near the historic core and generally declines with distance as land becomes cheaper and households consume more space. In this framework, which statement best describes the expected density pattern from the central city to the suburban fringe?
12. Secondary-source excerpt (population dynamics): A regional report explains that Country B's rate of natural increase (RNI) is $1.6\%$ per year, but its population growth rate (PGR) is only $0.7\%$. The report attributes the gap to sustained out-migration of working-age adults to neighboring states. Over the last decade, births and deaths changed little, but net migration became increasingly negative. Which statement best explains why PGR is lower than RNI in Country B?
13. In a highland farming district, customary law allows women to inherit small movable goods but not land. Married women may cultivate their husband's plots, yet if widowed they often lose access unless a male relative agrees to "lend" land. A local NGO reports that women provide most weeding and harvesting labor but rarely appear on land titles or rental contracts. Which of the following best describes women's role in the agricultural system described?
14. A dataset for Country Q lists a crude birth rate (CBR) of 32 per 1,000 and a crude death rate (CDR) of 12 per 1,000. A planning agency wants the doubling time of the population using the Rule of 70, which approximates doubling time as $\frac{70}{\text{growth rate (in \%)}}$ . Ignoring migration, which estimate is closest to Country Q's doubling time?
15. A secondary-source excerpt on commodity dependence describes the "resource curse," where heavy reliance on oil exports can correlate with weaker institutions and less diversified economies. Which condition most closely aligns with the resource curse argument?
16. A metropolitan planning organization creates a model to prioritize new housing near jobs using parcel data, zoning codes, and commute times. They acknowledge that datasets may be outdated and that zoning categories do not capture informal housing. Which statement best characterizes a limitation of urban data for planning decisions?
17. A transportation policy review on sustainable transportation argues that protected bike lanes, bus rapid transit (BRT), and improved sidewalks can reduce car dependence and emissions. It also warns that investments can bypass transit-dependent neighborhoods if routes prioritize downtown commuters. Which planning decision best reflects the review's emphasis on sustainability and access?
18. Secondary source excerpt (embedded): Urbanization rates vary widely by development level. In many high-income countries, urbanization rose rapidly during earlier industrial periods and has since slowed as populations stabilized and suburbs expanded. In contrast, many low- and middle-income countries have experienced rapid urban growth more recently, driven by migration, natural increase in cities, and uneven rural development. As a result, the fastest urban growth today often occurs in places with limited infrastructure and formal employment, producing extensive informal housing. Which statement best matches the excerpt's comparison of urbanization by development level?
19. A secondary-source excerpt claims that because a region has fertile volcanic soils, its residents are destined to be prosperous farmers and will inevitably develop democratic institutions. The author treats the environment as the direct cause of economic and political outcomes, leaving little room for human agency or historical contingency. Which option correctly identifies the reasoning pattern?
20. A secondary-source report on urban water supply states that a fast-growing city relies on a single reservoir and overdrawn groundwater. During multi-year droughts, rationing disproportionately affects peripheral informal settlements where households lack piped connections and depend on tanker deliveries at higher prices. The report concludes that sustainability requires both demand management and diversified supply while addressing inequitable access. Which strategy best aligns with the report's conclusion?

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