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.

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

   • Baikal's area is bigger than Superior's, so it holds more water
   • Baikal is far deeper, so its smaller area still holds more water than Superior
   • Baikal is in Siberia, and Siberian lakes hold more water than any other lakes
   • Baikal holds more water, so its depth must be small and spread over a wide area
3. 2.

   A student claims: "The bigger the lake's area, the more water it holds." How does Card E bear on that, Luz asks?

   • It supports the claim: Baikal's volume is the bigger number, so its area is bigger
   • It weakens the claim: Superior has more area, but Baikal holds more water
   • It weakens the claim: Baikal is deeper, which tells us nothing about volume
   • It supports the claim: Superior is a large lake, so a large area holds more water

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?

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

   A freight train averages 60 km per hour. About how many hours does it need for the whole main line, Pia asks?

   • About 9,289 hours
   • About 557,000 hours
   • About 155 hours
   • About 60 hours

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?

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

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

    • The card says pipelines carry the gas west, so rivers cannot carry anything
    • 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

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

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

    • Yakutsk is closer to an ocean, which makes its winters colder than Novosibirsk's
    • Both cities have the same July, so both have the same yearly range of temperature
    • 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 supports the claim, because the card lists Yakutsk as the colder of two cities
    • It weakens the claim, because the card says Yakutsk is warmer than Novosibirsk
    • It weakens the claim, because Yakutsk averages 20 °C in July
    • It supports the claim, because a January average of -37 °C is so cold