GCSE Geography quiz: two sets of 12

Two sets of 12 questions for quick self-checks. Pick one answer for each question, then press the button at the end of the set. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere. Questions are general, so they may not match your board's wording exactly.

Set 1: Physical geography

Question 1. Which process describes rock fragments carried by a river scraping and grinding against the river bed and banks? A. Attrition B. Abrasion C. Solution D. Deposition

Question 2. What happens at a constructive plate margin? A. Plates move apart and magma rises B. Plates slide past each other C. An oceanic plate sinks under a continental plate D. Plates collide to make fold mountains only

Question 3. Longshore drift moves sand and pebbles along a coast. Which statement fits? A. Waves arrive at an angle and the backwash runs straight down the beach B. Waves arrive at right angles and the backwash runs sideways C. Wind alone moves the beach material D. Material only moves out to sea

Question 4. What does lag time mean on a flood hydrograph? A. The time between peak rainfall and peak river discharge B. The time between sunrise and the first rain C. The length of the river D. The total rainfall in a storm

Question 5. Which of these is an example of soft engineering on the coast? A. A concrete sea wall B. Rock armour C. Beach nourishment D. A groyne made of steel

Question 6. What is the epicentre of an earthquake? A. The point underground where it starts B. The point on the surface directly above the focus C. The edge of the damaged area D. The place with the most deaths

Question 7. Interlocking spurs are most typical of which part of a river? A. The mouth B. The lower course C. The upper course D. Only estuaries

Question 8. Which is an adaptation shown by many tropical rainforest plants? A. Leaves with drip tips to shed heavy rain B. Very thick, waxy stems to store water for months C. Shallow roots to chase underground water D. Leaves reduced to spines

Question 9. What is desertification? A. The growth of rainforest B. Land on desert edges becoming degraded and desert-like C. Flooding in a desert D. Building new cities in a desert

Question 10. How is a wave-cut platform formed? A. By deposition of sand at the base of a cliff B. By glaciers carving a valley C. By erosion at the base of a cliff, which then retreats D. By wind blowing sand inland

Question 11. Which condition is needed for a tropical storm to form? A. Very cold sea water B. Warm ocean water C. A large mountain range D. A desert coast

Question 12. What does biodiversity mean? A. The number of people in a rainforest B. The variety of plant and animal life in an area C. The total area of forest D. The amount of rainfall

Set 2: Human geography and skills

Question 1. What is urbanisation? A. People moving out of cities B. A rise in the proportion of people living in towns and cities C. Cities getting colder D. Building only in the countryside

Question 2. How is natural increase calculated? A. Birth rate minus death rate B. Death rate minus birth rate C. Immigration minus emigration D. Births plus deaths

Question 3. Which of these is secondary data? A. Counting pedestrians yourself on a street B. Measuring river width with a tape C. Census figures downloaded from a government website D. Your own questionnaire results

Question 4. In a four-figure grid reference, which number comes first? A. The northing, up the side B. The easting, along the bottom C. The height D. The scale

Question 5. On a map, contour lines drawn close together show what? A. A gentle slope B. A steep slope C. A flat plain D. A river

Question 6. What is the median of 2, 5, 6, 9 and 13? A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. 9

Question 7. On a map with a scale of 1:50,000, 2 cm on the map is how far on the ground? A. 100 m B. 500 m C. 1 km D. 2 km

Question 8. What does GDP measure? A. Total value of goods and services produced in a country in a year B. The number of people in a country C. Average rainfall D. How many tourists visit

Question 9. Which statement best describes sustainable development? A. Using up resources as fast as possible B. Meeting present needs without reducing future generations' ability to meet theirs C. Stopping all development D. Only building in cities

Question 10. What is gentrification? A. Wealthier people moving into an area and upgrading it, often raising costs B. People leaving a city for the countryside C. Building a new town from nothing D. The decline of an industrial area

Question 11. In fieldwork, what does random sampling mean? A. Choosing the easiest places B. Every possible site or person has an equal chance of being chosen C. Picking only extreme examples D. Measuring everything

Question 12. In a "to what extent" question, what should your conclusion do? A. Repeat the question B. Weigh the evidence and give a supported judgement C. List new facts only D. Avoid taking a view

Want definitions for anything you missed? Use the glossary, or revisit the revision guide.

Part of the GCSE Geography revision set: the revision guide and glossary of key terms.

GCSE Geography quiz

Set 1: Physical geography

Set 2: Human geography and skills

Sources

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