US Geography and Regions — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which US region is known for having deserts, the Grand Canyon, and very hot summers?
A) Northeast
B) Midwest
C) Southwest
D) Southeast
Hot summers, dry deserts, and the famous Grand Canyon in Arizona are all features of the Southwest. The Northeast and Midwest are too far north and have very different climates, and the Southeast is wet and humid rather than dry.
2. The Mississippi River empties into which body of water?
A) Pacific Ocean
B) Atlantic Ocean
C) Lake Superior
D) Gulf of Mexico
Flowing south through the middle of the country, the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico near Louisiana. It does not reach the Pacific or Atlantic oceans, and Lake Superior is far up north where the river starts.
3. Which group of states is located in the Northeast region?
A) Texas, Arizona, New Mexico
B) Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
C) New York, Connecticut, Vermont
D) Georgia, Florida, Alabama
New York, Connecticut, and Vermont all sit in the upper-right corner of the country along the Atlantic coast, which is the Northeast region. The other groups belong to the Southwest, the Midwest, and the Southeast.
4. Which landform is a raised flat area of land with steep sides?
A) Valley
B) Plain
C) Plateau
D) Peninsula
A plateau looks like a raised tabletop — flat on top with steep cliffs on the sides. A valley is low, a plain is flat but not raised, and a peninsula is land surrounded by water on three sides.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The Pacific Ocean borders the west coast of the United States.
On the western edge of the country, the Pacific Ocean stretches as far as the eye can see, washing the coasts of states like California, Oregon, and Washington.
2. The Appalachian Mountains are located in the eastern part of the country.
The Appalachian Mountains run from Alabama up through Maine, all along the eastern side of the country, which is why we call it the eastern part.
3. There are five Great Lakes along the US-Canada border.
There are exactly five Great Lakes — Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario — and four of them sit right along the border between the United States and Canada.
4. The Southeast region includes states like Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina all sit in the warm southeastern corner of the country along the Atlantic coast, which makes them part of the Southeast region.
5. The Colorado River flows through the states of Colorado, Utah, and Arizona.
After leaving Colorado and Utah, the Colorado River cuts through Arizona, where it carves out the Grand Canyon before continuing on toward the Gulf of California.