Landforms, rivers and resources of Russia and northern Eurasia

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Card E (fact card, two lakes; Wikidata figures). Lake Baikal in Siberia: area 31,722 km², greatest depth 1,642 m, volume about 23,600 km³. Lake Superior (United States and Canada): area 82,350 km², greatest depth 406 m, volume about 12,100 km³.

2. 1.

   About how many times as deep as Lake Superior is Lake Baikal at its deepest, Tala asks?

   • About 3 times
   • About 1,236 times
   • About 400 times
   • About 4 times
3. 2.

   Superior covers more area, yet Baikal holds about twice the water. What explains that, Bo asks?

   • Baikal holds more water, so its depth must be small and spread over a wide area
   • Baikal's area is bigger than Superior's, so it holds more water
   • Baikal is in Siberia, and Siberian lakes hold more water than any other lakes
   • Baikal is far deeper, so its smaller area still holds more water than Superior

4. Use this

   Card F (fact card, the Trans-Siberian Railway). The main line links Moscow to Vladivostok and is 9,289 km long. The main line was finished in 1916. Cities such as Novosibirsk on the Ob, Krasnoyarsk on the Yenisei and Irkutsk on the Angara grew where the track crosses large rivers, where river boats could meet the trains. Today the railway carries passengers and freight such as coal, timber and containers.

5. 3.

   Why did cities such as Novosibirsk grow where the railway crosses large rivers, Jun asks?

   • Large cities were there first, so the railway builders decided to cross rivers near them
   • Rivers in Siberia flow north, so towns at crossings are close to the Arctic Ocean
   • Rail and river boats could meet at the crossings, so trade and jobs gathered there
   • Rivers freeze in winter, so railway workers needed large towns beside the rivers for shelter
6. 4.

   A student claims: "The railway only helps passengers." How does Card F bear on that, Esme asks?

   • It weakens the claim, because the card says the railway also carries coal, timber and containers
   • It supports the claim, because the card says the railway carries passengers
   • It weakens the claim, because freight trains need no tracks across big rivers
   • It supports the claim, because the main line is long enough to be a passenger route

7. Use this

   Card G (fact card, Western Siberia). Western Siberia holds much of Russia's oil and natural gas. Pipelines carry the gas west, toward Europe, while the great Siberian rivers flow north to the Arctic Ocean and are frozen for much of the year. Permafrost lies under much of the region. Heat from buildings and pipes can melt the frozen ground, and the soil then sinks and shifts. Builders often set buildings on posts driven deep into the ground, leaving air beneath.

8. 5.

   Why do builders set buildings on posts with air beneath, Ari asks?

   • The posts melt the permafrost on purpose, so the ground becomes soft enough to build on
   • Western Siberia holds much of Russia's oil and gas, so builders have plenty of work
   • Air under the building keeps its heat away from the ground, so the permafrost stays frozen
   • The posts keep pipes warm so that gas can flow west toward Europe
9. 6.

   A student claims: "A warmer climate would make building in Western Siberia easier." How does Card G bear on that, Zee asks?

   • It weakens the claim, since melting permafrost makes the ground sink and shift
   • It supports the claim, since melting frozen ground turns it into soft earth for digging
   • It supports the claim, since a warm climate makes building cheaper in other regions too
   • It weakens the claim, since the card says Western Siberia has no permafrost
10. 7.

    Gas from Western Siberia goes west by pipeline. Why is a pipeline better than a river for this, Kira asks?

    • Gas from Western Siberia ends up in Europe, which lies a long way to the west
    • The Ob and Yenisei flow west, so rivers could carry gas to Europe, though slowly in summer
    • The big rivers flow north, not west, and freeze in winter, but a pipeline can run in any season
    • The card says pipelines carry the gas west, so rivers cannot carry anything

11. Use this

    Card H (climate averages, rounded, 1991-2020). Novosibirsk, western Siberia: January -17 °C, July 20 °C. Yakutsk, eastern Siberia: January -37 °C, July 20 °C. Both cities are far from any ocean, and Yakutsk is farther east and farther from the Atlantic Ocean's mild air.

12. 8.

    How much warmer is Yakutsk in July than in January, Noah asks?

    • 57 degrees
    • 17 degrees
    • 20 degrees
    • 37 degrees
13. 9.

    July is the same in both cities, but January differs by 20 degrees. What does that suggest about Yakutsk, Ren asks?

    • Both cities have the same July, so both have the same yearly range of temperature
    • Yakutsk is closer to an ocean, which makes its winters colder than Novosibirsk's
    • Yakutsk is farther from ocean air, so its winters are much colder and its range is bigger
    • Novosibirsk has the colder January, because its January number is bigger
14. 10.

    A student claims: "Yakutsk is cold in every month of the year." How does Card H bear on that, Milo asks?

    • It weakens the claim, because Yakutsk averages 20 °C in July
    • It weakens the claim, because the card says Yakutsk is warmer than Novosibirsk
    • It supports the claim, because the card lists Yakutsk as the colder of two cities
    • It supports the claim, because a January average of -37 °C is so cold