Grade 8 - World Geography SOL Practice Test — Set 1 of 3
108 free Grade 8 - World Geography Virginia SOL practice questions drawn from official Virginia Department of Education released tests. Pick an answer to check it instantly, or open “Show answer” to review. No signup required.
1. Which country contains the latitude and longitude 15° South latitude and 45° West longitude?
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Answer: A — Brazil
2. Selected Cities of the World: Boston is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Madrid is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Warsaw is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Alexandria (Egypt) is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Calgary is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Durban is located in the Southern Hemisphere. Johannesburg is located in the Southern Hemisphere. Brasília is located in the Southern Hemisphere. Which two cities have opposite seasons at the same time of year?
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Answer: C — Calgary and Durban
3. Jimmy knows the route from his house to his school and can name each street along the way. This statement is an example of —
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Answer: D — mental mapping
4. This type of map is used to show the height of land and changes in elevation using contour lines or shading.
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Answer: A — Elevation
5. This symbol identifies which feature of a map?
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Answer: A — Orientation (compass direction)
6. Ethiopia, 1976: On a thematic map of Ethiopia showing industrial activity, different industries are represented using distinct icons placed on the map. On this map, industrial activity is represented by —
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Answer: C — symbols
7. A photograph shows a large rotating storm system over warm ocean water with a clearly defined eye at its center. Which weather phenomenon is shown?
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Answer: B — Hurricane
8. Northeast Africa: A map shows a major river flowing northward from East Africa through Sudan and Egypt before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. Which major river system is shown?
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Answer: B — Nile
9. The image shows nesting wooden dolls painted with traditional folk designs, where each doll fits inside a larger one. These dolls are a traditional cultural craft in —
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Answer: A — Russia
10. Mexico is linked more to Central and South America than to North America because of the way geographers define —
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Answer: D — cultural regions
11. Diagram description: Title: “Nations that have been divided into smaller countries” Example shown: Soviet Union Which country best completes this diagram?
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Answer: B — Yugoslavia
12. A river shown on a map flows northward and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. This river flows northward toward the —
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Answer: D — Atlantic Ocean
13. Angkor Wat is an archaeological site located in present-day Cambodia and consists of large stone temples originally built as Hindu shrines and later used for Buddhist worship. This site revealed important information about the —
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Answer: D — religious history of Southeast Asia
14. Which name do western societies commonly use for the Arabian Gulf?
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Answer: D — Persian Gulf
15. Diagram description: Title: “Selected Regions of the United States” Labeled regions include the Wheat Belt and the Rust Belt. Which description is matched with the correct section of this diagram?
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Answer: D — Section 4 represents climate regions.
16. The separation of Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland is an example of —
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Answer: A — immigrants trying to adapt to a new government
17. A roof design with clay or ceramic tiles that slope gently to allow rain to run off easily is shown. In which region is this type of roof most commonly used?
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Answer: D — Scandinavia
18. Diagram description: Practices include nomadic herding. Region is a major exporter of raw materials. Region has considerable mineral wealth. Which geographic region best completes this diagram?
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Answer: C — Western Europe
19. Which structure is known primarily as a national seat of government?
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Answer: C — Kremlin
20. Cultural Icons listed: Windmill Colosseum Eiffel Tower These structures are associated with the continent of —
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Answer: C — Europe
21. Which city is a center of culture and trade located in Canada?
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Answer: B — Toronto
22. Conflicts between the Hutu and Tutsi have occurred in —
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Answer: D — Rwanda
23. Which religion is practiced by the majority of India’s population?
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Answer: C — Hinduism
24. Agricultural terracing most directly affects which landform?
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Answer: A — Mountains
25. Table: Places of Origin for Foreign Students in the United States, 2008–2009 Rank 2: China — 98,235 students Rank 3: South Korea — 75,065 students Rank 5: Japan — 29,264 students Which conclusion can be drawn from this table?
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Answer: C — Educational opportunity pulls Asian students to the United States.
26. Factors That Influence: Warfare Climate Technology Which phrase best completes the title of this list?
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Answer: D — Population Distribution
27. South America: A map uses shading to show daily per-capita calorie consumption. Lightest shading (1,500–1,900 calories) appears most prominently in Bolivia. Darker shading (higher calorie intake) appears in Argentina and Brazil. This map supports the conclusion that malnutrition is most likely to occur in —
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Answer: C — Bolivia
28. Diagram description: Introduction of the highway system More affordable automobiles Increased assembly-line production The information shown led to the expansion of —
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Answer: C — suburbs
29. Which country is most likely to experience an earthquake due to its location along tectonic plate boundaries?
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Answer: D — Japan
30. Two-thirds of Israel is desert. Underground irrigation systems deliver water directly to plant roots, allowing crops to be grown and exported. This information is an example of how technology —
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Answer: A — influences agricultural production
31. Graph description: Percent of China’s population over age 65 from 2000 to 2050 shows a steady increase over time. Which change to China’s population between 2000 and 2050 does this graph project?
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Answer: D — The number of Chinese people over age 65 will increase.
32. Popular Music Forms in the United States: Calypso Merengue Reggae Salsa These items represent examples of —
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Answer: D — cultural diffusion
33. A construction company would seek the assistance of geographers in order to —
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Answer: B — locate suitable construction sites
34. Urbanization results in: Increased diversity Increased sprawl Greater educational opportunities Which characteristic best replaces the missing factor?
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Answer: B — Greater career opportunities
35. What is an advantage to building a city at a confluence, where two rivers meet?
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Answer: D — Increased access to trade routes
36. Graph description: Waste recycled, composted, and landfilled in South Staffordshire, United Kingdom, shows recycling and composting increasing over time while landfill waste decreases. Which statement is best supported by this graph?
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Answer: B — People became more involved in recycling.
37. Newspaper headline (June 2008): “China and Taiwan Reopen Talks — Countries Negotiate for First Time in Years” Which factor explains the division described in this headline?
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Answer: A — A dispute over national independence
38. Antarctica Treaty, 1996: A map shows territorial claims by several countries, but China has no marked claim. Which country does NOT have a territorial claim to Antarctica?
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Answer: D — China
39. Which spatial division would normally regulate public bus transportation routes?
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Answer: D — Federal government
40. Which factor is most responsible for increasing life expectancy in many less industrialized nations?
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Answer: B — Availability of health insurance
41. Which resource allows nations to develop a high per-capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP)?
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Answer: D — Governmental restrictions
42. Newspaper headline: “German Car Manufacturer Opens Plant in Brazil” Which phrase best describes the subject of this headline?
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Answer: C — Unequal distribution of natural resources
43. Diagram description: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Difficulty agreeing on the same policies Which advantage best completes this diagram?
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Answer: D — Similarity of government systems
44. Comparative International Diagram: Which phrase best completes this diagram?
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Answer: C — Diverse economy
45. Which is an advantage for a small, developing country in joining an economic union?
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Answer: D — Greater access to international markets
46. Diagram description: Factors in the Demand for Coal as a Resource Box 1: Factors that tend to decrease demand for coal Box 2: Factors that tend to increase demand for coal Which factor is matched with the correct box?
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Answer: D — Medical innovation in Box 2
47. Selected Economic Activities in Australia include mining, agriculture, and manufacturing. Which activity best completes this list?
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Answer: A — Banking
48. Outsource: to contract out business, often to foreign companies. One reason some companies choose to participate in this practice is the —
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Answer: A — lack of essential services
49. Diagram description: Economic Activities and Land Use Less land required More land required Which economic activity is correctly placed?
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Answer: B — Ranching in less land required
50. Which statement best explains why nations must trade?
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Answer: A — All nations belong to free trade agreements.
Grade 8 - World Geography SOL practice test — FAQ
Are these Grade 8 - World Geography SOL practice questions free?
Yes — this Grade 8 - World Geography SOL practice test is completely free with no signup. Answer each question to check it instantly, or open "Show answer" to review.
How many Grade 8 - World Geography SOL practice questions are there?
Across all sets, there are 108 Grade 8 - World Geography practice questions drawn from official Virginia Department of Education released SOL tests. This set has 50.
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The questions are adapted from official VDOE released SOL tests for Grade 8 - World Geography. SOL Prep is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Virginia Department of Education.
Practice items adapted from Virginia Department of Education released SOL tests. Practice items are provided for study purposes and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Virginia Department of Education.