Unit 11: Oceania

Which condition most affects the average rainfall in Birdsville, Australia?

• A. Its corresponding latitude

• B. Its position on the continent

• C. Its location in the Southern Hemisphere

• D. Its close proximity to a political border

Melanesia is made up of many high islands which were formed by —

• solar and wind erosion

• wind and water erosion

• glacial melting

• volcanic activity and earthquakes

Papua New Guinea’s proximity to the equator is responsible for creating a biome in the region which is characterized by —

• desert

• steppes

• deciduous forests

• tropical rainforests

Which physical process was responsible for the formation of continental islands, such as Australia, Zealandia, and New Guinea?

• Water erosion

• Glacial soil building

• Growth of coral reefs

• Tectonic plate movement

This famous Australian landform most likely resulted from which physical process?

• A. Erosion

• B. Earthquake

• C. Deforestation

• D. Volcanic activity

The rainfall pattern illustrated on the map is responsible for most of Australia being covered by what type of biome?

• Desert

• Forest

• Savanna

• Tundra

Based on the maps above, it can be concluded that —

• the interior regions of Australia have the highest rainfall totals and the most major cities

• the annual rainfall amounts have no impact on the location of the major cities

• most of Australia’s five largest cities are located in the areas with high rainfall totals

• low annual rainfall has prevented the growth of large cities along the coastline

Based on the information in the excerpt, a unique characteristic of Australian society includes the importance of —

• languages

• agriculture

• self sufficiency

• healthy lifestyles

Micronesia and Polynesia are dominated by low islands that were once volcanoes. These small, low islands form in irregular rings known as —

• A fjord

• B an atoll

• C an estuary

• D a barrier reef

The distribution of climate regions in Australia has created settlement patterns characterized by —

• densely populated areas located along major rivers

• a concentration of urban centers along the eastern coast

• an even split of the population living in villages and in cities

• a majority of people living in villages scattered across the continent