WorksheetsSouth America Culture & Geography
Total questions: 45
Worksheet time: 23mins
What kind of climate do people living in the tierra helada elevation, such as the Andes, have to adapt to?
a hot climate
a humid climate
a very cold climate
a temperate climate
What is subsistence farming?
growing only enough food to feed one's family
growing too little food to feed one's family
growing enough food to feed a village
growing enough food to sell to others
Which area is best suited for ranching and large-scale farming?
Amazon River Basin
Andes Mountains
Lanos
Pampas
How large is the Amazon River Basin?
3,100,000 square miles
2,700,00 square miles
2,100,000 square miles
1,500,00 square miles
Where does the Amazon River originate?
Andes Mountains
rain forrest
northern grasslands
Atlantic Ocean
Generally, how do the climates of the west coast and east coast of South America differ?
west coast is warm and humid; the east coast is cool and dry
west coast is cold and dry; the east coast is cool and humid
west coast is cool and dry; the east coast is warm and humid
west coast is warm and humid; the east coast is cold and humid
Where is the Atacama Desert located?
Northern Chile
Southern Brazil
Eastern Peru
Northern Venezuela
How often does an El Nino occur?
at least once every 8 yrs
at least twice every 8 yrs
at least twice every 12 yrs
at least once every 12 yrs
What is transpiration?
process by which plants and trees repopulate the rain forest
process by which plants and trees help clean Earth's air
process by which plants and trees absorb greenhouse gases
process by which plants and trees release water vapor into the air
Approximately how much of the Amazon rain forest has been cut down in the last 40 yrs?
20%
50%
40%
10%
Who are the Tupinambá?
people who move from place to place before finding a permanent place to settle
people who live in villages, but migrate to different areas for agricultural needs
people who lived in the eastern and central lowlands on the Paraguay and Parana Rivers
People who settled near the mouth of the Amazon and along the Atlantic coast
Who are the Yanomami?
people who move from place to place before finding a permanent place to settle
people who live in villages, but migrate to different areas for agricultural needs
people who lived in the eastern and central lowlands on the Paraguay and Parana Rivers
People who settled near the mouth of the Amazon and along the Atlantic coast
Why have the geogylphs created by the Nasca not eroded over time?
the moist climate and dry soil preserved the geoglyphs
the arid climate and soil preserved the geoglyphs
the temperate climate and moist soil preserved the geoglyphs
the tropical climate and dry soil preserve the geoglyphs
By settling in South America's fertile river plains, what were ancient people able to do?
create a new method of hunting
develop a unique form of travel
maintain a nomadic way of living
establish a steady supply of food
What are geoglyphs?
mountains and plateaus used for village locations
excavation and burial sites created to remove the dead
designs and animal shapes drawn on the gorund
ceramic and copper artifacts found underground
What is a suspension bridge?
a bridge made of stone for crossing rivers
a bridge used to cross canyons or water
a bridge used to support heavy traffic
any bridge made of steel
What are artifacts?
objects made by people of the past and left behind
the art of the Nasca and their patterns of movement
large, geometric designs and animal shapes
tools for excavating
Why have the geoglyphs created by the Nasca not eroded over time?
moist climate and dry soil preserved them
arid climate and soil preserved them
temperate climate and moist soil preserved them
tropical climate and dry soil preserved
Who was Atahualpa?
an Inca emperor
a Spanish conquistador
a Spanish king
Inca engineer and builder
What was the primary mission of the Spanish conquistadors?
to spread disease and enslave the native population
to rule over the Incas
to spread Christianity among the native population
to expand Spain's territory and find valuable natural resources
When did the Portuguese begin to colonize present-day Brazil?
1450s
1500s
1600s
1650s
Which statement is true?
Andes Mountains stretch along the eastern coast of South America
Amazon Basin is the largest river basin in the world
Amazon Basin is a place where few types of vegetation grow
Andes Mountains have generally low elevations
Which of the following helps support biodiversity in the rain forest of the Amazon Basin?
small cities located along the river
many insects living in the Basin forest
rich nutrients deposited by floodwaters
high elevations found within the Basin
What happens during an El Nino?
wind and ocean currents reverse their usual directions
Brazil and Peru Currents collide with one another
Elevation and strong Pacific currents create a dry region
Warm and cold wind currents form a cold dry atmosphere
Who was "The Liberator"?
Christopher Columbus
Francisco Pizarro
Pedro Alvarez Cabral
Simon Bolivar
What causes the Atacama Desert to be so dry?
Andes Mountains prevent moist winds from reaching the coast of Chile
Amazon Basin is too wide for wind currents to reach the desert
Peru Current keeps moisture away from the coast of Chile
Brazil Current drops almost all its moisture in the Amazon Basin
What do greenhouse gases do?
give off dry air, causing deforestation
improve the air quality on Earth
trap heat energy, causing the Earth to warm
help maintain healthy ecosystems
What did the Treaty of Tordesillas do?
gave Columbus permission to sail to South America
converted the native populations to new religious beliefs
permitted the use of slaves to work on plantations
divided newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal
The Andes Mountains stretch for many miles along which side of South America?
Eastern
Western
Northern
Southern
Smaller rivers that drain into a larger river are called what?
tributaries
branches
canals
floodwaters
What was the main goal of many missionaries who came to South America?
force people to work on plantation
convert people to their religious beliefs
discover new ways of treating disease
form villages along the Pacific coast
