Continents and Oceans — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which continent is directly south of Europe?
A) Asia
B) South America
C) Africa
D) Antarctica
Africa sits right below Europe on a world map, separated only by the Mediterranean Sea. A short boat trip across that sea takes you from one continent to the other.
2. What is the name of the ocean that lies between Africa and Australia?
A) Pacific Ocean
B) Atlantic Ocean
C) Indian Ocean
D) Southern Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the warm body of water that fills the space between Africa's east coast and Australia's west coast. Its name comes from India, a country in Asia along its northern edge.
3. Which is true about Earth's surface?
A) Most of it is land
B) Most of it is water
C) Land and water are equal
D) There is no water on Earth
Oceans cover about three-quarters of Earth, while land takes up only about one-quarter. That is why Earth is sometimes called the blue planet.
4. Which continent do kangaroos come from?
A) Africa
B) South America
C) Asia
D) Australia
Kangaroos are native only to Australia, where they have lived and hopped for thousands of years. You will not find wild kangaroos anywhere else in the world.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on Earth.
Only the Pacific is bigger than the Atlantic, so the Atlantic ranks in second place for size. It separates the Americas from Europe and Africa.
2. North America and South America are two separate continents.
North America and South America each count as their own continent, even though a narrow land strip links them. The split makes seven continents in all.
3. Scientists who study maps are called cartographers.
Cartographers are the experts who draw maps and study the land, oceans, and shapes of Earth. They use special tools and, these days, computers to make their maps.
4. The continent of Africa is divided by the equator into its northern and southern halves.
The equator is an imaginary line that circles the middle of Earth, and it runs right through the middle of Africa. That split gives Africa a northern half and a southern half.
5. Asia, Europe, and Africa are all in the Eastern Hemisphere.
The globe is split into an Eastern half and a Western half, and Asia, Europe, and Africa all sit on the eastern side. The Americas are on the opposite, western side.