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1. The map below shows the present-day locations of
South America and Africa. Remains of Mesosaurus,
an extinct freshwater reptile, have been found in
similarly aged bedrock formed from lake sediments at
locations X and Y.
3. The diagram below shows how scientists think some
of Earth's continents were joined together in the
geologic past.
When do scientists think these continents were joined
together?
Which statement represents the most logical
conclusion to draw from this evidence?
A) Mesosaurus migrated across the ocean from
location X to location Y.
B) Mesosaurus came into existence on several
widely separated continents at different times.
C) The continents of South America and Africa
were joined when Mesosaurus lived.
D) The present climates at locations X and Y are
similar.
2. Which mountain range resulted from the collision of
North America and Africa, as parts of Pangea joined
together in the late Pennsylvanian Period?
A)
B)
C)
D)
A) during the Tertiary Period, only
B) from the Cretaceous Period through the Tertiary
Period
C) from the Devonian Period through the
Triassic Period
D) during the Cambrian Period, only
4. The map below shows the current location of New
York State in North America.
Appalachian Mountains
Acadian Mountains
Taconic Mountains
Grenville Mountains
Approximately how many million years ago (mya)
was this New York State region located at the
equator?
A) 59 mya
C) 359 mya
B) 119 mya
D) 458 mya
5. Which map best indicates the probable locations of continents 100 million years from now if tectonic
plate movement continues at its present rate and direction?
A)
B)
C)
D)
6. Which landmass is moving northward with Australia
as part of the same tectonic plate'?
10. Which statement best supports the theory of
continental drift?
A) India
B) Antarctica
C) North America
D) South America
7. The inferred latitude of Pennsylvania 362 million
years ago was closest to
A) Basaltic rock is found to be progressively
younger at increasing distances from a
mid-ocean ridge.
B) Marine fossils are often found in deep-well drill
cores.
C) The present continents appear to fit together
as pieces of a larger landmass.
D) Areas of shallow-water seas tend to accumulate
sediment, which gradually sinks.
11. The Indian-Australian tectonic plate is moving
A) where it is now
B) the North Pole
C) the Equator
D) 45° south
8. The theory of continental drift suggests that the
A) continents moved due to changes in the Earth's
orbital velocity
B) continents moved due to the Coriolis effect
caused by the Earth's rotation
C) present-day continents of South America and
Africa are moving toward each other
D) present-day continents of South America and
Africa once fit together like puzzle parts
9. During which period were North America, Africa, and
South America closest?
A) Tertiary
C) Triassic
B) Cretaceous
D) Ordovician
A)
B)
C)
D)
away from the Philippine Plate
away from the Fiji Plate
toward the Pacific Plate
toward the Antarctic Plate
12. Base your answer to the following question on the
map below which shows mid-ocean ridges and
trenches in the Pacific Ocean. Specific areas A, B, C,
and D are indicated by shaded rectangles.
14. During which geologic period were the continents all
part of one landmass, with North America and South
America joined to Africa?
A) Tertiary
B) Cretaceous
C) Triassic
D) Carboniferous
15. Living corals are found in warm, shallow seas. Coral
fossils have been found in the sedimentary rocks of
Alaska. These findings suggest that
A) Alaska once had a tropical marine
environment
B) Alaska's cold climate fossilized the coral
C) coral usually develops in cold climates
D) ocean currents carried the coral to Alaska
Which map best shows the direction of movement of
the oceanic crustal plates in the vicinity of the East
Pacific Rise (ridge)?
A)
B)
C)
D)
13. According to plate tectonic theory, during which
geologic time interval did the continents of North
America and Africa separate, resulting in the initial
opening of the Atlantic Ocean?
A) Mesozoic Era
C) Proterozoic Eon
B) Paleozoic Era
D) Archean Eon
16. Base your answer to the following question on the Earth Science Reference Tables, the core section
below, and your knowledge of Earth Science. The core section shows the subsurface bedrock geology
for a location north of Buffalo, New York.
Based on studies of fossils found in the Trenton group, scientists have estimated that the climate of
New York State during this part of the Ordovician Period was much warmer than the present climate.
Which statement best explains this change in climate?
A)
B)
C)
D)
The North American Continent was nearer to the Equator during the Ordovician Period.
The Sun emitted less sunlight during the Ordovician Period.
Earth was farther from the Sun during the Ordovician Period.
Many huge volcanic eruptions occurred during the Ordovician Period.
17. The dots on the map below show the present
locations of living coral reefs. Site X indicates an
area of fossil coral reefs preserved in rocks formed
during the Jurassic Period.
Which inference is best supported by this map?
A) The climate at site X during the Jurassic Period
was colder than the present climate at site X.
B) Site X was covered by warm ocean water
during the Jurassic Period.
C) Site X has drifted southward since the Jurassic
Period.
D) The coral at site X evolved from
ocean-dwelling animals into land-dwelling
animals after the Jurassic Period.
18. The large coal fields found in Pennsylvania provide
evidence that the climate of the northeastern United
States was much warmer during the Carboniferous
Period. This change in climate over time is best
explained by the
A) movements of tectonic plates
B) effects of seasons
C) changes in the environment caused by humans
D) evolution of life
19. Which statement best supports the theory that all the
continents were once a single landmass?
A) Rocks of the ocean ridges are older than those
of the adjacent sea floor.
B) Rock and fossil correlation can be made
where the continents appear to fit together.
C) Marine fossils can be found at high elevations
above sea level on all continents.
D) Great thicknesses of shallow-water sediments
are found at interior locations on some
continents.
20. Based on the theory of plate tectonics, it is inferred
that over the past 250 million years North America
has moved toward the
A) northwest
C) southeast
B) southwest
D) northeast
21. Base your answer to the following question on the map below, which shows Earth’s Southern
Hemisphere and the inferred tectonic movement of the continent of Australia over geologic time. The
arrows between the dots show the relative movement of the center of the continent of Australia. The
parallels of latitude from 0° to 90° south are labeled.
During which geologic time interval did Australia most likely have a warm, tropical climate because
of its location?
A) Cambrian
B) Carboniferous C) Late Permian
22. On what other landmass would you most likely find
fossil remains of the late Paleozoic reptile called
Mesosaurus shown below?
A)
C)
B)
D)
D) Eocene
Base your answers to questions 23 and 24 on the map and data table below. The map shows the
locations of volcanic islands and seamounts that erupted on the seafloor of the Pacific Plate as it
moved northwest over a stationary mantle hotspot beneath the lithosphere. The hotspot is currently
under Kilauea. Island size is not drawn to scale. Locations X, Y and Z are on Earth's surface.
23. According to the data table, what is the approximate speed at which the island of Kauai has been
moving away from the mantle hotspot, in kilometers per million years?
A) 1
B) 10
C) 100
D) 1,000
24. Approximately how far has location X moved from its original location over the hotspot?
A) 3,600 km
B) 2,500 km
C) 1,800 km
25. During which era did the initial opening of the
present-day Atlantic Ocean most likely occur?
A) Cenozoic
C) Paleozoic
B) Mesozoic
D) Late Proterozoic
D) 20 km
26. Base your answer to the following question on the
map below, which shows seismograph recording
stations at locations A, B, and C. Location D is an
earthquake epicenter. The distances from locations A
and B to this epicenter are given in kilometers.
How does the age of the ocean-floor bedrock change
as the distance east or west of location D increases?
A) The age decreases, because D is in an oceanic
trench.
B) The age decreases, because D is on a
mid-oceanic ridge.
C) The age increases, because D is in an oceanic
trench.
D) The age increases, because D is on a
mid-oceanic ridge.