US Regions and States — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
Arizona is located in the Midwest region and has very cold winters.
Corrected: Arizona is located in the Southwest region and has very hot, dry summers.
Arizona is in the Southwest, not the Midwest. Its desert climate brings very hot, dry summers rather than cold winters, with cities like Phoenix often reaching over 100 degrees.
2. Fix the sentence:
The capital of Washington state is Seattle.
Corrected: The capital of Washington state is Olympia.
Olympia is Washington's state capital, not Seattle. Seattle is the largest city, but the state government meets in Olympia, which is farther south.
3. Fix the sentence:
The Northeast region has mild winters with very little snow.
Corrected: The Northeast region has cold winters with heavy snowfall.
The Northeast actually gets very cold winters with heavy snow, especially in states like Vermont and New Hampshire. Its location in the northern part of the country brings freezing temperatures each winter.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Hurricanes often strike states in the Southeast region along the Atlantic coast.
Hurricanes form over warm ocean water and travel toward land, hitting Southeast states like Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas along the Atlantic coast.
2. The Southwest region receives the least amount of rainfall in the country.
The Southwest has a hot, dry desert climate with very little rain. Large deserts like the Sonoran and Mojave cover much of this region.
3. Tornadoes are most common in the flat, open areas of the Midwest region.
The Midwest's flat, open plains allow warm and cold air masses to collide easily, creating the perfect conditions for tornadoes in an area often called Tornado Alley.
4. The state of Washington gets more rain than any other state in the West region.
Washington state receives heavy rainfall because moist air from the Pacific Ocean hits the Cascade Mountains and drops rain on the western side of the state.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Why do deserts form in the Southwest region?
Sample answer: Deserts form in the Southwest because the area receives very little rain. Mountains block moisture from the ocean, so the land stays hot and dry.
A good answer includes: Deserts form in the Southwest because the area receives very little rain. Mountains block moisture from the ocean, so the land stays hot and dry.
2. How does the climate of the Northeast change across the four seasons?
Sample answer: The Northeast has warm summers and very cold winters with snow. Spring and fall are mild with changing leaves in autumn.
A good answer includes: The Northeast has warm summers and very cold winters with snow. Spring and fall are mild with changing leaves in autumn.