The High Plateaus of the World

Geography · 10 questions

Ten multiple-choice questions on high plateaus, their locations, formation and distinctive features.

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1. Which tectonic process chiefly contributed to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau?

   1. Lateral movement of the Caribbean Plate
   2. Separation of the African and Arabian plates
   3. Collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates
   4. Subduction of the Pacific Plate
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   C) Collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates

2. Which geological event is associated with the Deccan Plateau's extensive basalt layers?

   1. Flood-basalt eruptions
   2. Erosion of folded mountain belts
   3. Continental glacial deposition
   4. Marine limestone deposition
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   A) Flood-basalt eruptions

3. Which surface feature is common in the internally drained parts of the Andean Altiplano?

   1. Glacial moraines
   2. Salt flats
   3. Fjords
   4. Coral islands
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   B) Salt flats

4. What is the origin of the rocks covering large areas of the Columbia Plateau?

   1. Mesozoic granite intrusions
   2. Miocene basalt lava flows
   3. Paleogene marine limestones
   4. Pleistocene glacial deposits
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   B) Miocene basalt lava flows

5. Which river rises in the Ethiopian Highlands and joins the White Nile in Sudan?

   1. Blue Nile
   2. Sobat River
   3. Atbara River
   4. Omo River
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   A) Blue Nile

6. In which part of the Iberian Peninsula is Spain's Meseta Central located?

   1. Eastern coast
   2. Southern coast
   3. Interior
   4. Northern coast
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   C) Interior

7. Which river chiefly carved the Grand Canyon into the Colorado Plateau?

   1. Arkansas River
   2. Snake River
   3. Rio Grande
   4. Colorado River
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   D) Colorado River

8. What form do the tepuis of the Guiana Highlands take, with their resistant rock caps?

   1. Narrow, glacially carved ridges
   2. Low, stepped coastal plains
   3. Broad, domed volcanoes
   4. Steep-sided, flat-topped mountains
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   D) Steep-sided, flat-topped mountains

9. When moist prevailing winds cross a mountain range, what is expected on the plateau downwind?

   1. Less precipitation than on the windward slope
   2. More precipitation than on the windward slope
   3. About the same precipitation as on the windward slope
   4. Precipitation only in coastal areas
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   A) Less precipitation than on the windward slope

10. Why is a high plateau generally cooler than a nearby lowland at the same latitude?

    1. Greater distance from the Sun
    2. Air temperature generally decreases with altitude
    3. Wind speed always increases with altitude
    4. Day length decreases with altitude
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    B) Air temperature generally decreases with altitude