The Great Canadian Geography Challenge
is a project of the
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
This booklet provides questions for the Level 2 Challenge. Level 2 is designed for students in grades 7 and above who will NOT have reached their 16th birthday by August 31, 2010. Competitors in Level 2 will compete not only at the school level, but may also have the opportunity to compete at the provincial/territorial and national levels.
To advance from the School Challenge to the Provincial/Territorial Championships, the winning student must take an online multiple-choice Qualifying Test, which will be marked by the GCGC National Coordinating Committee. Only ONE student who has competed in and won your Level 2 Challenge may take the qualifying test. The test is to be completed independently in the school building and monitored by a teacher. The student may have 60 minutes to complete the 50 multiple-choice questions. Teachers will receive notification if their student is eligible to participate in the Provincial/Territorial Championships. Up to fifty school winners from each province or territory will qualify to compete at the location chosen for their Provincial/Territorial Championships. Individual scores will not be provided for any reason.
Key Dates:
February 12, 2010 The online school Qualifying Test must be completed by this date.
April 10, 2010 Provincial/Territorial Championships will be held. Eligible school winners will be advised of the location for their Challenge in advance of this date.
May 20, 2010 The National Final will be held online for provincial/territorial winners.
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INSTRUCTIONS TO COMPETITORS
Note to teacher: The following description may have to be modified to correspond with the procedures adopted by the teacher, for example, if the first three (or fewer) rounds are to be used for instruction purposes.
Teacher says: “Your first instructions are to relax and to enjoy the Challenge. These questions are designed to test your knowledge of geography, not to confuse you with tricks.
“The Challenge consists of nine rounds of questions, which will follow the three warm- up questions. Today we will do _____ questions. You will all have the opportunity to answer each question. You will have 20 seconds to write your answer. If you want me to repeat a question or to spell a word in a question, you must ask me immediately. You will only be allowed to do this ONCE during the competition. After I finish repeating the question or spelling the word you will have the rest of the 20 seconds to answer.
“Do not start to write until I have finished reading the question. If you cannot answer within 20 seconds, leave the space on your answer sheet blank beside that number. At the end of the nine preliminary rounds, your points will be totaled.”
Note to teacher: The method your school will use to choose as many as 10 students to participate in the final competition should be explained here.
“Remember to listen carefully to each question and try to use the correct terms in your answers. You will not be penalized for incorrect spellings so long as it can be determined that you know the correct answer. The competition will follow a policy of recognizing Europe and Asia as two continents.
“Place names are based on events at the time that the questions went to press in August 2009.
“Good luck in the preliminary competition.”
2 CLASSROOM PRELIMINARY COMPETITION
Note to teacher: All rounds comprise ten questions. Answers are included with each round. Other acceptable answers may be shown. Although an effort has been made to list all acceptable answers, you may allow other answers that you consider acceptable. You may ask the warm-up questions in any way that you wish.
Warm-up Questions
Teacher says: “First, we will have three warm-up questions to help you to relax and to get used to the format of the Challenge. Your answers to these questions will not be counted in your scores. For the warm-up questions, you will raise your hands and I will ask one of you to respond.”
1. Name one of the three major fruit-growing regions of Canada. Annapolis Valley, Niagara Peninsula or Okanagan Valley
2. What was the common name given to the plague that devastated Europe in the 14th Century? The Black Death
3. This tectonic plate off the coast of British Columbia is sliding under the mainland and could cause a major earthquake. It shares its name with islands located above it. Name this tectonic plate. Juan de Fuca Plate
“We will now begin with round 1 of the Challenge. You should have your answer sheet in front of you and be prepared to write in the spaces under Round 1.”
Note to teacher: Inform students whether their answers in round 1 will count for the purposes of the Challenge.
3 Round 1: Firing Up
In this round, the ten questions are related to fire and heat.
1. This word is used for bright, high voltage electrical discharges in the atmosphere, responsible for starting most natural forest fires.
2. Volcanic eruptions produce this hot, molten rock.
3. Yellow Grass, the location with the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada, is located in the same province as Grasslands National Park. Name this province.
4. Forest fires in the summer of 2009 burned areas near Kelowna in this province.
5. Summer temperatures can exceed 40°C in this city, the largest in India.
6. Death Valley, the lowest and one of the hottest places in North America, is located on the border of two USA states. Name one of the two states.
7. The “Great Miramichi Fire” of 1825 burned a large part of this Canadian maritime province.
8. This city, the largest in Arizona USA, is named for a mythical bird that is reborn from fire.
9. The Celebration of Light fireworks festival is held every summer in this city, the largest in British Columbia.
10. Throughout Canada, are more forest fires started by humans or by lightning?
Answers
1. lightning 2. Lava (accept basalt) 3. Saskatchewan 4. British Columbia 5. Mumbai 6. California or Nevada 7. New Brunswick 8. Phoenix 9. Vancouver 10. humans
4 Round 2: We’re Number 2 The questions in this round look at geographical “2s”.
1. This province has the second largest population in Canada.
2. Lac des Deux Montagnes (Lake of Two Mountains) is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and this river.
3. Alberta’s Highway #2 connects Edmonton with this city, the largest in the province.
4. After Asia, this is the second largest continent in area.
5. Name one of the two countries which share the island of Tierra del Fuego.
6. Which province has two breeds of dogs named after it?
7. Named after a British Queen, this is the second largest island in the Canadian Arctic.
8. Name one of two countries which share the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean.
9. Twin Falls is located in Yoho National Park, in this western province.
10. This large island in the Northern Hemisphere is the site of the world’s second largest continental glacier.
Answers 1. Québec 2. St. Lawrence 3. Calgary 4. Africa 5. Argentina or Chile 6. Newfoundland & Labrador 7. Victoria Island (or Kitlineq) 8. Dominican Republic or Haiti 9. British Columbia 10. Greenland (or Kalaallit Nunaat)
5 Round 3 Wind in your Sails!
In this round, the ten questions are related to wind.
1. In the Northern Hemisphere, which way do winds blow around a low pressure system: clockwise or counter-clockwise?
2. This high level air flow, meandering from west to east above Canada, is a major factor influencing weather.
3. Which instrument is used for measuring wind speed?
4. This USA city was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
5. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Trade Winds blow from this direction.
6. The annual Windscape Kite Festival is held in Swift Current, in the southwest part of this province.
7. An experimental site for testing wind turbine designs has been established at North Cape in this eastern Canadian province.
8. The windmill tower formed part of the defenses at 17th century Fort Senneville, in New France, in the western part of this modern city in Quebec.
9. What name is given to a warm, dry wind that causes snow to melt rapidly along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of Alberta?
10. The rotation of Earth causes moving air to be diverted. In the Northern Hemisphere, is air diverted to the right or to the left?
Answers 1. counter-clockwise 2. Jet Stream 3. anemometer 4. New Orleans 5. Southeast 6. Saskatchewan 7. Prince Edward Island 8. Montréal 9. Chinook 10. Right
6 MAP OF Eastern Asia & Oceania
7 Round 4: Map of Eastern Asia & Oceania
In this round of ten questions, students must name the country and then locate it by letter on the map provided. Each question in this round is worth two points.
1. Name and locate the country which has Tokyo as its capital.
2. Name and locate the country which is closest to the International Date Line.
3. Name and locate the country which has Pyongyang as its capital.
4. Name and locate the country where the duck-billed platypus and dingo live.
5. Name and locate the country where Siamese cats originated.
6. Name and locate the country famous as the homeland of Genghis Khan.
7. Name and locate the country that formerly was a colony of Spain.
8. Name and locate the country where the Mekong River Delta is located.
9. Name and locate the country which suffered a major earthquake in Sichuan province in 2008.
10. Name and locate the country which includes the major city of Kuala Lumpur.
Answers 1. Japan, “D” 2. New Zealand, “P” 3. North Korea*, “C” 4. Australia, “N”
5. Thailand, “G” 6. Mongolia, “A” 7. Philippines, “K” 8. Vietnam, “J”
9. China, “B” 10. Malaysia, “L”.
*North Korea = Democratic Republic of Korea **South Korea = Republic of Korea
8 Round 5: Animal Geography This round of ten questions is about animals.
1. The Panda is native to which country?
2. The alpaca and llama are native to this mountain range in South America.
3. This term is used to describe an animal that eats only meat.
4. Which continent is home to the anaconda?
5. This wily member of the dog family lives in the wild throughout Canada south of the tree line.
6. The duck-billed platypus lives in this country.
7. Surprising this Canadian black-and-white animal can really stink!
8. The horn of this large African mammal is made of tightly matted hair.
9. This large flightless bird is native to South America.
10. This animal appears on Canadian $2 coins.
Answers 1. China 2. Andes 3. carnivore 4. South America 5. coyote 6. Australia 7. skunk 8. rhinoceros 9. Rhea 10. Polar bear
9 Round 6 Canadian Landmarks
This round of ten questions is about Canadian landmarks.
1. Which city is the site of the CN Tower?
2. L’Anse-aux-Meadows, where Vikings lived from 990 to 1050 AD is located in this province.
3. Inuksuks are used as landmarks throughout this territory.
4. In which eastern province is Fortress Louisbourg?
5. Stanley Park, known for its large trees, is located in this western Canadian city.
6. Perce Rock is located along the eastern shore of the Gaspé Peninsula, in this province,
7. The “White Pass and Yukon” Railway has its northern terminus in this city.
8. Pier 21, where many immigrants from Europe first reached Canada, is located in this city.
9. The “Eternal Youth” statue, a Golden Boy holding a sheath of Golden Wheat, stands atop the provincial legislature in this city.
10. Fort Battleford, Fort Carlton, and Fort Walsh are all located in this prairie province.
Answers 1. Toronto 2. Newfoundland & Labrador 3. Nunavut 4. Nova Scotia 5. Vancouver 6. Québec 7. Whitehorse 8. Halifax 9. Winnipeg 10. Saskatchewan
10 Round 7: Red
This round of ten questions looks at the colour red in Geography.
1. The Red Sea is connected to the Mediterranean Sea by this canal.
2. This country’s flag has a red circle on a white background.
3. The flag of this Scandinavian country is red and white.
4. Red soils usually contain large amounts of this chemical element.
5. In Vietnam, the Red River flows through this capital city.
6. Algal blooms, which contaminate shellfish, are also known by this term.
7. Red Point Provincial Park is located in this Atlantic Canadian province.
8. The Arctic Red River is a tributary of this major Canadian River.
9. In Canada, the Red River flows into this large Manitoba lake.
10. The rose-red city of Petra, carved from red sandstone, is located in this country.
Answers
1. Suez 2. Japan 3. Denmark 4. Iron 5. Hanoi 6. Red tides 7. Prince Edward Island 8. Mackenzie 9. Lake Winnipeg 10. Jordan
11 Round 8: Where the people are …. This round of 10 questions is about the 10 most populated countries in the world*. In alphabetical order, the 10 largest are:
Bangladesh Japan Brazil Nigeria China Pakistan India Russia Indonesia United States of America
(This list should be given to contestants)
1. Which of these countries has the largest area?
2. Which of these countries currently has the greatest population?
3. Which of these countries extends furthest to the south?
4. Which of these countries is located in Africa?
5. Which of these countries has the second largest population in the world?
6. Which of these countries includes the cities of Karachi and Islamabad?
7. Which of these countries has the highest population density of people per km2?
8. Which of these countries is home to the Komodo dragon?
9. Which of these countries includes Acadia, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks?
10. Sushi originated in which of these countries?
Answers 1. Russia 2. China 3. Brazil 4. Nigeria 5. India 6. Pakistan 7. Bangladesh 8. Indonesia 9. USA 10. Japan
*based on current internationally-recognized boundaries
12 Round 9 Snap True or False
The answers for all 10 questions in this round are either true or false.
1. True or False: Vancouver is further north than is Toronto.
2. True or False: After Cairo, Nairobi is the second-largest city in Africa.
3. True or False: Hong Kong and Macao are both parts of China.
4. True or False: Texas has more people than any other USA state.
5. True or False: Tahiti is part of French Polynesia.
6. True or False: The Danube River drains into the Black Sea.
7. True or False: The flag of Spain is red and blue.
8. True or False: New Brunswick has a larger population than does Nova Scotia.
9. True or False: Jaguars do not live in Brazil.
10. True or False: The circumference of Earth along the Equator is approximately 10,000 km.
Answers 1. True 2. False 3. True 4. False 5. True 6. True 7. False 8. False 9. False 10. False
13 School Championship
1. What is the capital of Poland? Warsaw
2. Drumheller Provincial Park is located in which province? Alberta
3. Redwoods National Park is located in which USA state? California
4. Brunei is located on this island. Borneo
5. Which country has its northern border with Panama? Colombia
6. L’Aquila, a city devastated by an earthquake in 2009, is located in this country. Italy
7. Which river is the Red Deer River a tributary of? South Saskatchewan River
8. What is the latitude of the Tropic of Capricorn? 23.5° South
9. Name the province where you can visit Kapuskasing, Kenora, and Kirkland Lake. Ontario
10. The modern city of Cusco and the ancient city of Machu Picchu are two of the major tourist attractions of this country. Perú
11. What is the modern name for the city of Byzantium? Istanbul
12. Which provincial flag includes a bison? Manitoba
13. Which ocean are the Maldives islands located in? Indian
14. Which European country has Sofia as its capital? Bulgaria
15. Which animal is the only marsupial native to North America? Opossum (or possum)
14 16. In which country would you find the Lena River? Russia
17. Chad was formerly a colonial possession of which European country? France
18. What is the term for a line joining points of equal temperature? Isotherm
19. Which city hosts the headquarters of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)? Vienna
20. What term is used to describe a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the mainstem of a river is cut off to create a lake?
Oxbow Lake
21. Which continent is the ostrich native to: Asia, Africa, or South America? Africa
22. Which city is the capital of India? New Delhi
23. What are the colours of the flag of Australia? Blue, Red, and White
24. The Gateway Arch is located in which USA city? St. Louis
25. Wellington is the capital of which country? New Zealand
15 TIEBREAKERS
1. In which province is Fort Qu’Appelle located in? Saskatchewan
2. In which country is Northumberland Strait located? Canada
3. Singer Shania Twain was born in this northern Ontario city known for gold mining. Timmins
4. Which river is the outlet for Great Slave Lake? Mackenzie
5. Which is the most southerly point in Canada? Middle Island, Ontario
6. Which city is the capital of Belarus? Minsk
7. Which town in Ontario is known for its giant statue of a Canada Goose? Wawa
8. What is the official provincial bird of Prince Edward Island? Blue Jay
9. Which city is the capital of Zambia? Lusaka
10. True or False: The ocean coastline of Ontario is longer than the ocean coastline of Prince Edward Island. False
11. Which Canadian province has the second smallest population? Newfoundland & Labrador
12. What is the name of the weather instrument used to measure relative humidity? Hygrometer
13. Which USA state is the largest in population?
California
14. The ancient city of Babylon is located in which modern country? Iraq
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15. In which Great Lake is Isle Royale located? Lake Superior
16. True or False: Montenegro is an independent country. True
17. What term describes a deposit of sediment that connects an island to the mainland? Tombolo
18. In area, is North Korea larger or smaller than South Korea? Larger
19. In what province is Lake Nipigon? Ontario
20. Riga is the capital of which country? Latvia
21. Adelaide is the capital of which Australian state? South Australia
22. The Aland Islands are part of which country? Finland
23. Lake Ladoga is located in which country? Russia
24. Which country will have the largest population in 2050, according to United Nations’ projections? India
25. What is the total area of Canada in km2? 9 984 670 km2 (closest answer wins!)
This ends the tiebreaker questions.
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