AP Human Geography Test: Agriculture & Rural Land-Use

A critical concept in human geography is the way in which we have used land and natural resources over the course of human history. Unit 5 of the AP Human Geography curriculum delves into the revolutions and systems that have defined agricultural development and land-use from the earliest agricultural practices to modern times.

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Question 1

Hunting and gathering, slash-and-burn agriculture, and pastoral nomadism are

A
forms of commercial agriculture
B
forms of plantation agriculture
C
forms of subsistence agriculture
D
no longer practiced
E
becoming more popular after a period of decline
Question 1 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (C). All three are forms of subsistence agriculture — they provide enough food for a family and not much more. While subsistence agriculture is on the decline, it is still practiced in a few parts of the world.
Question 2

Wheat was probably first domesticated in

A
East Africa
B
North America
C
South Asia
D
Southeast Asia
E
Southwest Asia
Question 2 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (E). Wheat was probably first domesticated in southeastern Turkey, which is in Southwest Asia.
Question 3

Central Mexico was a hearth for

A
barley
B
corn (maize)
C
millet
D
rice
E
sorghum
Question 3 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (B). Cultural hearths are sites of significant developments in agricultural techniques, tool development, religious beliefs, or social structures, which spread outward via migration.

Barley was domesticated in Israel; millet comes from the Sahel region of Africa or northern China; rice was domesticated in China; and sorghum probably comes from Ethiopia. The inclusion of the Spanish word for “corn” is a clue that (B) is the correct answer, because Mexico is a Spanish-speaking country.
Question 4

Terracing would be most likely found in a

A
desert
B
coastal area
C
grassland
D
mountainous area
E
rainforest
Question 4 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (D) Terracing is the formation of sloping land into a number of flat areas resembling a series of steps. It decreases erosion and surface runoff.
Question 5

Modern agribusiness is NOT typically associated with

A
commercial agriculture
B
subsistence agriculture
C
the Green Revolution
D
plantations
E
transportation networks
Question 5 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (B). Modern agribusiness produces large quantities of food, so answers (A) and (C) are incorrect. Plantations (D), while found in less-developed countries, are also part of agribusiness because they grow large quantities of food. Agribusiness also relies on transportation (E) networks to bring food from all over the world to market. Agribusiness does not typically use subsistence techniques, so that is the correct answer.
Question 6

Which of the following is NOT associated with the Green Revolution?

A
GMOs
B
Herbicides
C
Pesticides
D
Organic farming
E
Selective breeding
Question 6 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (D). The Green Revolution refers to the use of modern science to grow large quantities of food. It includes all the choices except organic farming.
Question 7

Von Thünen emphasized which of the following factors in his model of agricultural land use?

A
Labor costs and land costs
B
Labor costs and machinery costs
C
Labor costs and transportation costs
D
Land costs and machinery costs
E
Land costs and transportation costs
Question 7 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (E). According to Von Thünen, land costs and transportation costs have an inverse relationship. Von Thünen was not concerned with labor or machinery costs.
Question 8

Which of the following is the correct sequence of rings from the market outward, according to Von Thünen?

A
animals, dairy and horticulture, forestry, grain
B
animals, dairy and horticulture, grain, forestry
C
dairy and horticulture, forestry, grain, animals
D
dairy and horticulture, animals, grain, forestry
E
dairy and horticulture, grain, animals, forestry
Question 8 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (C) and involves memorizing the Von Thünen model.
Question 9

The farther a dairy farm is from a large urban area the lower the percentage of output devoted to fresh milk. This phenomenon occurs primarily because

A
fresh milk spoils faster than other dairy products
B
fresh milk production has to be close to the labor supply
C
fresh milk cows require less grazing land than other types of cows
D
fresh milk sells better when it is placed between urban and rural markets
E
fresh milk is in higher demand in urban markets than other dairy products
Question 9 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (A) and this is another memorization question.
Question 10

Grain raised in the United States is used today primarily for

A
animal feed
B
biofuel
C
corn syrup and other byproducts
D
export to foreign countries
E
human consumption
Question 10 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (A). Americans eat a lot of meat compared to people in other countries, and animals are typically fed grain, usually corn.
Question 11

According to most scientists, which of the following is NOT true about the clearing of tropical rainforests?

A
It causes global warming
B
It enlarges holes in the ozone layer
C
It negatively impacts the quality of soil
D
It is partly caused by shifting cultivation
E
It parallels the rise of a middle class in developing countries
Question 11 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (B). As countries achieve developed status, their people demand more meat, which causes ranchers to clear rainforests for grazing purposes (E). Shifting cultivation (D) is synonymous with slash-and-burn agriculture in rainforests. The removal of root system and interruption of the natural rainforest cycle may negatively impact soil quality (C). Most scientists agree the destruction of the rainforests is one cause of global warming (A).
Question 12

One would find more chicken production in the American South than in the American Midwest due to

A
ethnic preference
B
religious taboos in the South
C
lack of demand for pork in the South
D
laws restricting hog production in the South
E
the southern climate being better suited for chickens than the northern climate
Question 12 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (E). Chickens do not do well in cold weather, but they thrive in the southern climate. Chicken farmers also depend on nearby immigrant labor. Answer (C) is plausible, but the other three are completely false.
Question 13

A world map of beef production per capita would reveal the lowest values in which of the following regions?

A
North America
B
South America
C
South Asia
D
Eastern Europe
E
Western Europe
Question 13 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (C). Beef is taboo in the Hindu religion, which is the dominant religion in India/South Asia.
Question 14

A country with a high percentage of people engaged in agriculture is likely to be in which stage of the demographic transition?

A
Stage 1
B
Stage 2
C
Stage 3
D
Stage 4
E
Stage 5
Question 14 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (B). Stage 1 countries no longer exist, so answer (A) can be eliminated. A high percentage of people employed in agriculture indicates a lack of technology, which indicates stage 2.
Question 15

The shaded areas on the map above represent

A
beef production
B
Mediterranean agriculture
C
multi-cropping
D
plantations
E
shifting agriculture
Question 15 Explanation: 
The correct answer is (B). Mediterranean agriculture is practice in the area around the Mediterranean Sea, but the other shaded areas also have Mediterranean climates, and Mediterranean agriculture is practiced in all of them.
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