Map Work Skills is one of 9 topics in the Grade 10 Geography CAPS syllabus, covered across 3 lessons on Study Vault. Below are real practice questions from this topic with full worked answers.
Sample practice questions
Easy
1. A contour line on a topographic map joins points of equal:
Height above sea level
Rainfall
Population density
Temperature
Answer: Height above sea level — A contour line joins all points on the map that have the same height above sea level.
Easy
2. On a topographic map, where contour lines are drawn very close together, this indicates:
A steep slope
A gentle, flat slope
A river mouth only
An area with no land at all
Answer: A steep slope — Closely spaced contour lines mean the height changes quickly over a short horizontal distance, which indicates a steep slope.
Medium
3. What name is given to a ridge of land that projects outward from higher ground, shown on a contour map by V-shaped contours pointing away from the high ground?
Answer: A spur — A spur is a ridge of land projecting out from higher ground; on a contour map its V-shaped contours point outward, away from the high ground, which is the opposite pattern to a valley.
