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Practice Test 9 - AP Human Geography

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

  1. An environmental history monograph describes slash-and-burn (shifting cultivation) in a humid tropical upland. Farmers clear small plots, burn biomass to release nutrients, cultivate briefly, and then leave fields fallow to regenerate vegetation and soil fertility. The author notes that when population pressure or land tenure constraints shorten fallow periods, regrowth may be insufficient, leading to declining yields and more frequent clearing of surrounding forest. The monograph also observes that where long fallows remain feasible, soil recovery can be substantial and forest mosaics persist. The agricultural method described most directly results in which of the following?
  2. Secondary-source excerpt: Analysts of the United Kingdom note that devolution to Scotland accelerated as North Sea oil revenues and higher productivity in parts of the UK fueled arguments about fiscal fairness. Scottish leaders claimed that London's tax-and-spend policies redistributed locally generated wealth without sufficient regional control, while poorer regions elsewhere feared cuts if Scotland gained more authority. The dispute over who benefits from national revenue systems—rather than language or religion—became a central justification for shifting budgetary and policy powers to the Scottish Parliament. Which devolutionary factor is the excerpt primarily describing?
  3. Country I reports an annual rate of natural increase (RNI) of 2.0%. Assuming the rate stays constant and ignoring migration, demographers use the Rule of 70 to estimate doubling time. About how long will it take Country I's population to double?
  4. A secondary-source excerpt contrasts Malthusian and anti-Malthusian views: anti-Malthusians argue that people are a resource because larger populations can generate innovation, specialization, and new technologies that expand carrying capacity. Which statement best reflects the excerpt's anti-Malthusian position?
  5. A secondary source excerpt distinguishes antecedent, subsequent, and superimposed boundaries: antecedent boundaries are established before significant settlement; subsequent boundaries develop after settlement and often reflect existing cultural patterns; superimposed boundaries are imposed by external powers and disregard local cultural divisions. Which choice correctly matches the excerpt's definitions?
  6. Secondary-source excerpt (democracy vs. authoritarianism): Democracies typically feature competitive elections, protections for civil liberties, and institutional checks that limit executive power. Authoritarian systems concentrate power in a leader or small group, restrict political competition, and may limit speech, assembly, and media. Because regimes can mix features, analysts often look at whether leaders can be removed through meaningful elections and whether opposition can organize without coercion. A country holds elections every four years, but opposition parties are banned, major media are state-controlled, and protests are routinely suppressed. Which regime type best fits the excerpt's criteria?
  7. A secondary source excerpt notes that centrifugal forces can be intensified by uneven development between a dominant core and a neglected periphery. It explains that when infrastructure, jobs, and political influence concentrate in the core, peripheral regions may view the state as serving only the core's interests. Which factor in the scenario is the clearest centrifugal force?
  8. A secondary-source study of a river basin describes how a large dam provided hydropower and reliable irrigation water, enabling double-cropping and urban growth downstream. The study also notes reduced sediment delivery to the delta, increasing coastal erosion and requiring expensive levee maintenance. Which choice best characterizes the human–environment interaction described?
  9. A secondary-source excerpt on transportation infrastructure describes how a new circumferential ring road and interchanges on the metropolitan edge reduced travel times for freight and commuters, leading to warehouse clusters and low-density housing subdivisions near exits. The author notes that this shifted growth away from the traditional central business district and increased car dependence. Which interpretation best explains how transportation infrastructure can constrain or enable urban form?
  10. A marketing analysis describes how a beauty trend spreads when creators post tutorials, viewers buy similar products, and then local creators modify the look for different climates and skin tones. The analysis emphasizes that sponsorships and paid promotion can push certain brands and aesthetics more than others. Which contemporary cause of cultural diffusion is most clearly represented?​
  11. Secondary-source excerpt: In one area, women dominate rice transplanting and marketing in local stalls; in a nearby region, women rarely sell crops publicly and instead focus on home gardens and processing, while men handle most market transactions. Scholars emphasize that women's agricultural roles vary with religion, land tenure, and labor migration patterns. Which of the following best describes women's role in the agricultural system described?
  12. A human geography note on spatial organization argues that high-order services and knowledge industries benefit from agglomeration economies, so they often cluster in central business districts and major metro regions, while land-intensive primary activities are more common in rural areas. A student compares two areas: Metro A has dense hospitals, legal firms, and consulting; Rural B has large-scale wheat farms and grazing. Which option best explains the observed distribution?
  13. A 110-word secondary-source excerpt distinguishes site from situation: site refers to a place's physical characteristics (terrain, water, soils), while situation refers to its relative location and connections (near rivers, trade routes, neighbors). A city planner says a town prospered because it sits on flat land with fertile soils and reliable groundwater, but it later expanded even more after a new highway interchange linked it to a major metro area 40 km away. Which option correctly matches the first reason to site and the second to situation?
  14. Secondary source excerpt: Thematic maps use different symbolization to show spatial patterns. A choropleth map shades areas (like counties) by a value such as rate or percent. Dot maps show individual occurrences or counts. Proportional symbol maps scale symbols to represent totals. Isoline maps connect points of equal value (like temperature). A public health analyst wants to map percent of adults without health insurance by county. Which thematic map type is most appropriate?
  15. Secondary source excerpt: Projections differ in what they preserve. Mercator is conformal (preserves local shape and direction) but distorts area, especially near the poles. Equal-area projections preserve area but may distort shape. Compromise projections reduce overall distortion without perfectly preserving a single property. A shipping company wants a world map primarily for plotting compass bearings (rhumb lines) for navigation. Which projection is most appropriate?
  16. A secondary source contrasts Malthus with anti-Malthusian thinkers who argue that a larger population can be an asset because it increases the number of innovators and expands markets, encouraging technological change that raises carrying capacity. Which statement best represents an anti-Malthusian view?
  17. A land-use journal summary explains that brownfield redevelopment reuses contaminated or previously industrial sites by cleaning up pollutants and converting land to new housing, parks, or employment uses. The summary cautions that remediation costs and liability concerns can deter investment, and that redevelopment may displace nearby residents if property values rise. Which strategy best reflects the summary's recommended approach?
  18. A secondary source notes that when regional parties gain power, a central government may respond by transferring authority over education, policing, and taxation to provincial legislatures. The author argues that this can reduce immediate conflict but may also encourage regions to view themselves as quasi-independent, increasing the likelihood of future fragmentation. What consequence of strong centrifugal forces is being described?
  19. A secondary source summarizes the Green Revolution's technological package: beginning in the mid-20th century, many farmers adopted high-yield varieties (HYVs) of wheat and rice alongside irrigation expansion, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and mechanization. The account notes that yields rose most where farmers could afford inputs and where water delivery was reliable, while areas without credit or infrastructure saw smaller gains. Which of the following best explains the Green Revolution pattern described in the excerpt?
  20. Secondary-source excerpt (context): After joining a regional human-rights court system, a state may be required to change criminal procedure, prison conditions, or surveillance laws when the court finds violations. Supporters argue this protects individuals across borders; critics argue it reduces national self-determination by allowing external judges to invalidate domestic statutes. Which option best explains the challenge to sovereignty described?

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