Chapter
1
Social Studies ★
History and Geography
Unit
Geography Skills
1
01 What Is a Globe?
s
Key Word
t globe
t model
t imaginary line
t latitude
t longitude
t North Pole
1
Look around your classroom. You can probably see a globe in
it. What is a globe? A globe is a model of the Earth that shows
what the Earth looks like.
A globe is a kind of map. It shows all of the land and water on
the Earth. You can turn a globe and see all seven continents and
five oceans. But that is not all that a globe shows.
t South Pole
Look carefully at the globe. There are many lines on it. Some are
horizontal lines while others are vertical lines. These lines on the
grid are two sets of imaginary lines that circle the Earth.
The horizontal lines that circle from east to west are lines of
latitude. The vertical lines that circle from north to south are
lines of longitude. The lines of longitude pass through the
North Pole and the South Pole. When we know the latitude and
longitude of a place, we know its exact location on the globe.
A globe shows all of the land and water on the Earth.
North Pole
line of
latitude
land
water
line of
longitude
South Pole
8
M
Main Idea and Details
1
What is the passage mainly about?
a. The Earth’s continents and oceans.
b. The features of a globe.
c. Lines of latitude and longitude.
2
-JOFTPGMBUJUVEFBSF
a. horizontal
lines.
b. vertical
c. diagonal
3
Why is knowing a place’s latitude and longitude important?
a. It tells us how close to the North Pole it is.
b. It tells us the name of the place.
c. It tells us the place’s exact location.
4
What does imaginary mean?
a. real
b. not real
c. colorful
5
Complete the sentences.
a. A globe is a
of the Earth.
b. Lines of longitude run from
to south.
c. Lines of
run from east to west.
6
Complete the outline.
A Globe
What It Is
What It Shows
r A model of the a
r Shows what the Earth
r Latitude = c
r Land and water
r All seven b
lines
that circle from east to west
r d
= vertical lines
that circle from north to south
and five oceans
looks like
Latitude and Longitude
Vocabulary Builder
V
Write the correct word and the meaning in Chinese.
1
Ș
a small copy of
something
2
Ș
a model of the Earth
3
Ș
a horizontal line that
circles from east to
west on the globe
4
Ș
a vertical line that
circles from north to
south on the globe
9
Unit
Geography Skills
2
02 Understanding Hemispheres
s
Key Word
t geographer
t divide
t hemisphere
2
Geographers divide the Earth into four different hemispheres.
They are the Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern hemispheres.
The word “hemi” means “half.” A hemisphere covers exactly one
half of the Earth.
t cover
t equator
t prime meridian
The Earth is divided into the Northern and Southern
hemispheres by the equator. The equator is the
line of latitude that lies in the middle of the Earth.
Above the equator is the Northern Hemisphere. Asia, Europe,
and North America are in it. Below the equator is the Southern
Hemisphere. It includes parts of Africa and South America.
Australia and Antarctica are in it, too.
The Earth is divided into the Eastern and Western hemispheres
by the prime meridian. The prime meridian is a line of longitude
that goes from the North Pole to the South Pole. It goes directly
through Greenwich, England. North and South America are in
the Western Hemisphere. Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and
Antarctica are in the Eastern Hemisphere.
The Earth is divided into four different hemispheres.
North Pole
Europe
North America
Asia
Africa
Western
equator
Southern
South America
Hemisphere
Australia
Hemisphere
prime meridian
Northern
Hemisphere
North Pole
Antarctica
South Pole
10
South Pole
Eastern
Hemisphere
M
Main Idea and Details
1
What is the main idea of the passage?
a. The word “hemi” means “half.”
b. There are many continents in the Northern Hemisphere.
c. We can divide the Earth into different hemispheres.
Europe is in the
.
a. Southern Hemisphere
b. Northern Hemisphere
c. Western Hemisphere
2
3
What is the equator?
a. A line that runs next to the prime meridian.
b. A line of latitude in the middle of the Earth.
c. A line of longitude from the North Pole to the South Pole.
4
What does divided mean?
a. stretched
b. showed
c. split
5
According to the passage, which statement is true?
a. North America is in the Eastern Hemisphere.
b. Europe is in the Southern Hemisphere.
c. The prime meridian goes from the North Pole to the South Pole.
6
Complete the outline.
Hemispheres
Northern Hemisphere
r Is north of the
a
r Includes Asia,
Europe, and North
America
Southern Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
Eastern Hemisphere
r Is south of the equator
r Is west of the prime
r Is east of the prime
r Includes Australia,
meridian
r Includes North and
meridian
r Includes Europe, Africa,
Asia, d
,
and Antarctica
b
, and
parts of Africa and
South America
c
Vocabulary Builder
V
Write the correct word and the meaning in Chinese.
1
Ș
a person whose area
of study is geography
2
Ș
one half of the Earth
3
Ș
an imaginary line that
lies in the middle of
the Earth
4
Ș
an imaginary line that
goes from the North
Pole to the South Pole
11
Unit
The West Region of the United States
1
03 The Environment of the West
s
Key Word
t touch
t coastline
t lush
t rugged
t extreme
t earthquake
t strike
t active volcano
t fertile soil
3
The states in the West are all near the
Pacific Ocean. They are California, Nevada,
Oregon, and Washington. Alaska and
Hawaii are in the western region, but they do not
touch any other states.
The states in the West are known for their long coastlines along
the Pacific, lush forests, hot deserts, and rugged mountains.
The West has a variety of climates. Nevada and California have
many deserts. Death Valley, California, is one of the driest
places on the planet. But there are also many places that get
lots of rain. In fact, even rainforests are found in Oregon and
Washington. The western climate sometimes can be very
extreme. Earthquakes often strike along the Pacific coast. There
are active volcanoes in Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington.
WASHINGTON
12
OREGON
ts
e va d a M .
Sierra N
Death Valley
ALASKA
de
ca
Pacific
Ocean
Cas
The West Region
Ran
ge
The West has numerous natural resources. There is plenty
of fertile soil for farming. The forests provide much valuable
wood throughout the country. The West is also a region of low
valleys and tall mountains. The Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada
Mountains, and Mt. McKinley are all located in the West.
NEVADA
HAWAII
Death
Valley
CALIFORNIA
Mt. McKinley
the highest peak in North America
Main Idea and Details
M
1
What is the main idea of the passage?
a. The West has a unique geography and different climates.
b. Earthquakes and volcanoes are problems in the West.
c. There are several major mountain ranges in the West.
2
Death Valley is located in
a. California
3
4
.
b. Alaska
c. Hawaii
Which state in the West has active volcanoes?
a. California.
b. Alaska.
c. Oregon.
What does lush mean?
a. orange
c. brown
b. green
5
Answer the questions.
a. Which states are in the West?
b. What often strikes along the Pacific coast?
c. Where are some rainforests located?
6
Complete the outline.
The West
States
Climate
r California,
Geography
r Nevada and California =
r There are active volcanoes in Alaska,
many b
Nevada, Oregon,
Washington,
Alaska, and
Hawaii, and Washington
r There is much c
soil for farming
r There are many lush d
, low
valleys, and rugged mountains
r Death Valley is very dry
r Many places get lots of
a
rain
Vocabulary Builder
V
Write the correct word and the meaning in Chinese.
1
Ș
having lots of green
and healthy plants
2
Ș
uneven and covered
with rocks
3
Ș
very great in degree or
intensity
4
Ș
a volcano that may
erupt at any time
13
Unit
The West Region of the United States
2
04 The California Gold Rush
s
Key Word
t carpenter
t be hired
t discovery
t secret
t rush
t gold rush
t forty-niner
t empty handed
t population
t bustling
4
James Marshall was a carpenter who was hired at Sutter’s Mill
in California. In 1848, he was building a mill along the American
River for John Sutter. One day, while working on the mill,
Marshall found some flakes of a shiny metal in the river. He
and John Sutter tried to keep this discovery a secret. However,
rumors soon started to spread, and then everyone knew there
was gold in California.
It took months for people in the East to hear the news. But,
soon, thousands of people had moved to California. By 1849,
more than 80,000 people had rushed to California. They were
all looking for gold. This was the California Gold Rush. People
called these gold miners “forty-niners” because they arrived in
California in 1849. Some found gold and became rich. Others
found nothing and left empty handed.
During the early 1800s, the West was a quiet region with a small
population. However, the discovery of gold changed the West
into a land with bustling cities. The population also exploded,
and California became a state in 1850.
The California Gold Rush
During the early 1800s,
thousands of people rushed
to California looking for gold.
14
M
Main Idea and Details
1
What is the passage mainly about?
a. Who the first person to discover gold in California was.
b. How the California Gold Rush changed California.
c. When the California Gold Rush took place.
2
Where was gold first discovered?
a. At Sutter’s Mill.
b. At Marshall’s Mill.
c. At the Forty-Niners’ Mill.
3
When did many people arrive in California to look for gold?
a. 1848.
b. 1849.
c. 1850.
4
What does hired mean?
a. built
5
6
b. worked
c. employed
Complete the sentences.
a. James Marshall tried to keep the discovery of gold a
b. The people who were looking for gold were called
c. In
, California became a state.
.
.
Complete the outline.
The California Gold Rush
The Discovery of Gold
The Forty-Niners
Changes to California
r Was discovered by James
r Were the people who
r Had a small c
Marshall at Sutter’s Mill in
1848
r Tried to keep it a secret
r a
soon started
to spread
went to California looking
for gold in 1849
r Some became rich
r Others left b
handed
in the early 1800s
r Became a land with
bustling cities after gold
was discovered
r Became a d
in 1850
Vocabulary Builder
V
Write the correct word and the meaning in Chinese.
1
Ș
a person whose job is
making and repairing
wooden things
2
Ș
to move or do very
quickly
3
Ș
a sudden movement of
people into an area where
gold was discovered
4
Ș
full of busy, noisy, and
energetic people
15
ary
l
Vocabu
Review 1
A
Complete the sentences with the words below.
Western
half
B
pass through
horizontal
circle
lies
1
A globe is a model of the Earth that shows what the Earth
2
The
like.
3
The vertical lines that
4
The lines of longitude
the North Pole and the South Pole.
5
A hemisphere covers exactly one
of the Earth.
6
The Earth is divided into the Northern and Southern hemispheres by the
.
7
The equator is the line of latitude that
8
The Earth is divided into the Eastern and
prime meridian.
lines that circle from east to west are lines of latitude.
from north to south are lines of longitude.
in the middle of the Earth.
hemispheres by the
Complete the sentences with the words below.
discovery
extreme
16
looks
equator
secret
fertile
variety
flakes
1
The states in the West are known for their long
2
The West has a
3
The western climate sometimes can be very
4
There is plenty of
5
James Marshall was a carpenter who was
California.
6
One day, Marshall found some
7
He and John Sutter tried to keep this discovery a
8
The
hired
coastlines
along the Pacific.
of climates.
.
soil for farming in the West.
at Sutter’s Mill in
of a shiny metal in the river.
.
of gold changed the West into a land with bustling cities.
C
D
Write the correct word and the meaning in Chinese.
1
Ș
a model of the Earth
2
Ș
a horizontal line that
circles from east to
west on the globe
3
Ș
one half of the Earth
4
Ș
an imaginary line
that lies in the
middle of the Earth
5
Ș
uneven and covered
with rocks
6
Ș
a volcano that may
erupt at any time
Match each word with the correct definition and write the meaning in Chinese.
1
model
2
line of longitude
3
geographer
4
prime meridian
5
carpenter
6
lush
7
extreme
8
gold rush
9
rush
10
bustling
quickly
a. to move or do very
mething
b. a small copy of so
ee or intensity
c. very great in degr
n and healthy plants
d. having lots of gree
, and energetic people
e. full of busy, noisy
phy
ea of study is geogra
f. a person whose ar
b is making and
g. a person whose jo
gs
repairing wooden thin
e that goes from the
h. an imaginary lin
h Pole
North Pole to the Sout
circles from north to
i. a vertical line that
south on the globe
area
ent of people into an
j. a sudden movem
ered
where gold was discov
17