World Climates
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Printed: November 18, 2014
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C HAPTER
Chapter 1. World Climates
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World Climates
Lesson 17.2: True or False
Name___________________ Class______________ Date________
Write true if the statement is true or false if the statement is false.
_____ 1. Vegetation can be used as an indicator of climate type.
_____ 2. Tropical climates occur only at the equator (0 degrees latitude).
_____ 3. All tropical climates are wet year round.
_____ 4. Dry climate zones cover about one-quarter of the world’s land area.
_____ 5. Moist subtropical mid-latitude climates are continental climates.
_____ 6. Mediterranean climates are found on the western sides of continents.
_____ 7. Polar climates are found along the polar front in North America.
_____ 8. Most tundra biomes are found in the area surrounding the Arctic Ocean.
_____ 9. The north- and south-facing sides of a hill are likely to have different microclimates.
_____ 10. A marine west coast climate has cold temperatures and light precipitation.
Lesson 17.2: Critical Reading
Name___________________ Class______________ Date________
Read this passage based on the text and answer the questions that follow.
Climate Zones
Climate zones are classified by the Köppen classification system. This system is based on the temperature, amount
of precipitation, and times of year when precipitation falls. The Köppen classification system recognizes five major
climate groups, represented by the letters A through E.
A. Tropical moist climates. These climates are found between the equator and about 25 degrees north and south
latitude. They have intense sunshine, high year-round temperatures, and abundant rainfall. Rain may fall year-round
or seasonally.
B. Dry climates. These climates are found at about 30 degrees north and south latitude. They are also found at higher
latitudes in rainshadows and within continents. They have plenty of sunshine, with hot summers and cool winters.
Rainfall is irregular and infrequent, and there is less precipitation than evaporation.
C. Moist subtropical mid-latitude climates. These climates are found in mid-latitude coastal areas, such as the
southeastern Unites States and western Europe. They have distinct seasons with cool to cold winters and mild
summers. Rainfall is plentiful.
D. Continental climates. These climates are found within continents in the Northern Hemisphere, between about 40
and 70 degrees north latitude. They are not found in the Southern Hemisphere because the southern continents are
too narrow. Continental climates have extreme temperatures, with very cold winters and relatively warm summers.
They are relatively dry climates with stormy winters.
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E. Polar climates. These climates are found in areas around the Arctic Ocean and to a lesser extent in Greenland and
Antarctica. Winters are long, dark, and bitterly cold. Summers are short and cool. The climates are dry, with most
of the limited precipitation falling in the summer.
Questions
1. What is the Köppen classification system? What are the major climate groups in this system?
2. Which of the major climate groups are moist? Why are they moist?
3. Where are group B dry climates found? What other climate groups are dry? Why?
Lesson 17.2: Multiple Choice
Name___________________ Class______________ Date________
Circle the letter of the correct choice.
1. Continental climates are found in
a.
b.
c.
d.
North America.
South America.
South Africa.
all of the above
2. The Köppen classification system classifies climates based on
a.
b.
c.
d.
amount of precipitation.
timing of precipitation.
temperature.
all of the above
3. The five major climate groups in the Köppen system include all of the following except
a.
b.
c.
d.
moist subtropical mid-latitude climates.
Mediterranean climates.
tropical moist climates.
dry climates.
4. Which type of vegetation would you expect to be dominant in a tropical wet and dry climate?
a.
b.
c.
d.
grasses
cacti
evergreen trees
mosses
5. The southeastern United States has a
a.
b.
c.
d.
humid subtropical climate.
Mediterranean climate.
dry-summer subtropical climate.
humid continental climate.
6. Boreal forests are found in
a.
b.
c.
d.
polar climates.
subpolar climates.
tundra climates.
marine west coast climates.
7. Climate zones change with changes in latitude. This may be mimicked by changes in
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a.
b.
c.
d.
Chapter 1. World Climates
biome.
altitude.
longitude.
precipitation.
Lesson 17.2: Matching
Name___________________ Class______________ Date________
Match each definition with the correct term.
Definitions
_____ 1. coniferous forest found in a subpolar continental climate
_____ 2. tropical grassland
_____ 3. climate type and its plants and animals
_____ 4. type of biome in a mid-latitude semi-arid desert
_____ 5. main type of biome found in wet tropical regions
_____ 6. measure of the number of different species in a region
_____ 7. scrubby, woody vegetation that grows in a dry-summer subtropical climate
Terms
a. steppe
b. tropical rainforest
c. chaparral
d. biodiversity
e. taiga
f. savanna
g. biome
Lesson 17.2: Fill in the Blank
Name___________________ Class______________ Date________
Fill in the blank with the appropriate term.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Dry climates include semi-arid climates and __________.
The biome with the highest biodiversity is the __________.
The Köppen classification system recognizes a total of __________ major climate groups.
__________ is a sub-surface layer of permanently frozen ground in an area with a polar climate.
A biome with a polar climate and small plants such as mosses is called __________.
A thick layer of ice found mostly on Greenland and Antarctica is called a(n) __________.
The climate of a small area that differs from the surrounding climate is called a(n) __________.
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Lesson 17.2: Critical Writing
Name___________________ Class______________ Date________
Thoroughly answer the question below. Use appropriate academic vocabulary and clear and complete sentences.
Explain why the natural vegetation in an area can be used to identify the area’s climate zone.
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