Desert Landforms Passage and Questions

Which of the following is the best definition of sand dune?

• Dropping of sediment in a new location by wind, water, or ice

• A large hill or mound of sand formed by the deposition of sand by the wind

• Landforms created over thousands of years by rain

• Steep-sided, flat-topped hills or mountains found in deserts

Which of the following processes includes the dropping of sediment in a new location by wind, water, or ice?

• Deposition

• Erosion

• Abrasion

• Pedestals

What does the word elevated mean in paragraph four?

• Formed over thousands of years

• Moving upward from one level to the next

• Situated lower than the surrounding area

• Situated higher than the surrounding area

What is the key difference between a mesa and a butte?

• Buttes are formed by water while mesas are formed by wind.

• Buttes are situated lower than the surrounding area and mesas are higher.

• Buttes are smaller and steeper than mesas.

• Mesas are only found in deserts and buttes are not.

Which of the following is NOT a type of arch?

• Pothole

• Cliff Wall

• Freestanding

• Underground

Which of the following is true about desert landforms? (Select all that apply.)

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In which section of the article can the reader learn about weathering, erosion, and deposition?

• How are Desert Landforms Created?

• Sand Dunes

• Arches

• Mesas, Buttes, and Plains

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

What can the reader infer about the photo of the landform in the middle of page two?

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Which of the following best describes the text structure of paragraph four, “Mesas, Buttes, and Plains?”

• Chronological

• Cause/Effect

• Compare/Contrast

• Persuasive

What is the best summary of the selection?

• Desert landforms are uniquely varied and include sand dunes, arches, mesas, buttes, plains, and pedestals. Arches, mesas, buttes, and pedestals are formed by weathering of rain and wind-blown sand against rocks. The weathered pieces of rock are eroded, carried away. Sand dunes are formed by deposition of sediments into large piles which shift with the wind. Plains are flat and dry, with few plants.

• There are four different types of desert arches: cliff wall, freestanding, pothole, and natural bridge. Arches are the only landform found in most deserts. Occasionally, a river or stream is seen with many trees on the banks and floating islands of waterlilies. The deserts of Australia have the deepest rivers on Earth.

• Deserts have some of the world’s most unique landforms created by erosion, deposition, and man-made construction projects. There are lots of man-made lakes to store water for drinking. These lakes are protected by great walls called mesas which prevent sand dunes from drifting into the water and filling the lakes up.

• Desert landforms are often seen in dry countries. Deposition grinds at the sides of mountains, creating arches, buttes, and pedestals, which rise above the flat land called mesas. This deposition leads to weathering, which carries sand away. Erosion is the dropping off of the weathered sand into large sand dunes. Australia has the tallest sand dune which is 9,334 feet or 2,845 meters above sea level.

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