3. The diagram below shows how scientists think some of Earth's continents were joined together in the geologic past.

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1 1. The map below shows the present-day locations of South America and Africa. Remains of Mesosaurus, an extinct freshwater reptile, have been found in similarly aged bedrock formed from lake sediments at locations X and Y. 3. The diagram below shows how scientists think some of Earth's continents were joined together in the geologic past. Which statement represents the most logical conclusion to draw from this evidence? A) Mesosaurus migrated across the ocean from location X to location Y. B) Mesosaurus came into existence on several widely separated continents at different times. C) The continents of South America and Africa were joined when Mesosaurus lived. D) The present climates at locations X and Y are similar. 2. Which mountain range resulted from the collision of North America and Africa, as parts of Pangea joined together in the late Pennsylvanian Period? A) Appalachian Mountains B) Acadian Mountains C) Taconic Mountains D) Grenville Mountains When do scientists think these continents were joined together? A) during the Tertiary Period, only B) from the Cretaceous Period through the Tertiary Period C) from the Devonian Period through the Triassic Period D) during the Cambrian Period, only 4. The map below shows the current location of New York State in North America. Approximately how many million years ago (mya) was this New York State region located at the equator? A) 59 mya B) 119 mya C) 359 mya D) 458 mya

2 5. Which map best indicates the probable locations of continents 100 million years from now if tectonic plate movement continues at its present rate and direction? A) B) C) D) 6. Which landmass is moving northward with Australia as part of the same tectonic plate'? A) India B) Antarctica C) North America D) South America 7. The inferred latitude of Pennsylvania 362 million years ago was closest to A) where it is now B) the North Pole C) the Equator D) 45 south 8. The theory of continental drift suggests that the A) continents moved due to changes in the Earth's orbital velocity B) continents moved due to the Coriolis effect caused by the Earth's rotation C) present-day continents of South America and Africa are moving toward each other D) present-day continents of South America and Africa once fit together like puzzle parts 9. During which period were North America, Africa, and South America closest? A) Tertiary B) Cretaceous C) Triassic D) Ordovician 10. Which statement best supports the theory of continental drift? A) Basaltic rock is found to be progressively younger at increasing distances from a mid-ocean ridge. B) Marine fossils are often found in deep-well drill cores. C) The present continents appear to fit together as pieces of a larger landmass. D) Areas of shallow-water seas tend to accumulate sediment, which gradually sinks. 11. The Indian-Australian tectonic plate is moving A) away from the Philippine Plate B) away from the Fiji Plate C) toward the Pacific Plate D) toward the Antarctic Plate

3 12. Base your answer to the following question on the map below which shows mid-ocean ridges and trenches in the Pacific Ocean. Specific areas A, B, C, and D are indicated by shaded rectangles. 14. During which geologic period were the continents all part of one landmass, with North America and South America joined to Africa? A) Tertiary B) Cretaceous C) Triassic D) Carboniferous 15. Living corals are found in warm, shallow seas. Coral fossils have been found in the sedimentary rocks of Alaska. These findings suggest that A) Alaska once had a tropical marine environment B) Alaska's cold climate fossilized the coral C) coral usually develops in cold climates D) ocean currents carried the coral to Alaska Which map best shows the direction of movement of the oceanic crustal plates in the vicinity of the East Pacific Rise (ridge)? A) B) C) D) 13. According to plate tectonic theory, during which geologic time interval did the continents of North America and Africa separate, resulting in the initial opening of the Atlantic Ocean? A) Mesozoic Era B) Paleozoic Era C) Proterozoic Eon D) Archean Eon

4 16. Base your answer to the following question on the Earth Science Reference Tables, the core section below, and your knowledge of Earth Science. The core section shows the subsurface bedrock geology for a location north of Buffalo, New York. Based on studies of fossils found in the Trenton group, scientists have estimated that the climate of New York State during this part of the Ordovician Period was much warmer than the present climate. Which statement best explains this change in climate? A) The North American Continent was nearer to the Equator during the Ordovician Period. B) The Sun emitted less sunlight during the Ordovician Period. C) Earth was farther from the Sun during the Ordovician Period. D) Many huge volcanic eruptions occurred during the Ordovician Period.

5 17. The dots on the map below show the present locations of living coral reefs. Site X indicates an area of fossil coral reefs preserved in rocks formed during the Jurassic Period. 20. Based on the theory of plate tectonics, it is inferred that over the past 250 million years North America has moved toward the A) northwest B) southwest C) southeast D) northeast Which inference is best supported by this map? A) The climate at site X during the Jurassic Period was colder than the present climate at site X. B) Site X was covered by warm ocean water during the Jurassic Period. C) Site X has drifted southward since the Jurassic Period. D) The coral at site X evolved from ocean-dwelling animals into land-dwelling animals after the Jurassic Period. 18. The large coal fields found in Pennsylvania provide evidence that the climate of the northeastern United States was much warmer during the Carboniferous Period. This change in climate over time is best explained by the A) movements of tectonic plates B) effects of seasons C) changes in the environment caused by humans D) evolution of life 19. Which statement best supports the theory that all the continents were once a single landmass? A) Rocks of the ocean ridges are older than those of the adjacent sea floor. B) Rock and fossil correlation can be made where the continents appear to fit together. C) Marine fossils can be found at high elevations above sea level on all continents. D) Great thicknesses of shallow-water sediments are found at interior locations on some continents.

6 21. Base your answer to the following question on the map below, which shows Earth s Southern Hemisphere and the inferred tectonic movement of the continent of Australia over geologic time. The arrows between the dots show the relative movement of the center of the continent of Australia. The parallels of latitude from 0 to 90 south are labeled. During which geologic time interval did Australia most likely have a warm, tropical climate because of its location? A) Cambrian B) Carboniferous C) Late Permian D) Eocene 22. On what other landmass would you most likely find fossil remains of the late Paleozoic reptile called Mesosaurus shown below? A) B) C) D)

7 Base your answers to questions 23 and 24 on the map and data table below. The map shows the locations of volcanic islands and seamounts that erupted on the seafloor of the Pacific Plate as it moved northwest over a stationary mantle hotspot beneath the lithosphere. The hotspot is currently under Kilauea. Island size is not drawn to scale. Locations X, Y and Z are on Earth's surface. 23. According to the data table, what is the approximate speed at which the island of Kauai has been moving away from the mantle hotspot, in kilometers per million years? A) 1 B) 10 C) 100 D) 1, Approximately how far has location X moved from its original location over the hotspot? A) 3,600 km B) 2,500 km C) 1,800 km D) 20 km 25. During which era did the initial opening of the present-day Atlantic Ocean most likely occur? A) Cenozoic B) Mesozoic C) Paleozoic D) Late Proterozoic

8 26. Base your answer to the following question on the map below, which shows seismograph recording stations at locations A, B, and C. Location D is an earthquake epicenter. The distances from locations A and B to this epicenter are given in kilometers. How does the age of the ocean-floor bedrock change as the distance east or west of location D increases? A) The age decreases, because D is in an oceanic trench. B) The age decreases, because D is on a mid-oceanic ridge. C) The age increases, because D is in an oceanic trench. D) The age increases, because D is on a mid-oceanic ridge.