1.

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.

Which rock type is found at a depth of 1,800 feet at this location?

A) Oswego sandstone B) "Basement" gneiss
C) Trenton limestone D) Theresa sandstone
 Base your answers to questions 2 through 6 on the diagrams below which represent two rock outcrops
found several miles apart in New York State. Individual rock layers are lettered, and fossils and rock
types are indicated.

2. According to the "Scheme for Sedimentary Rock Identification" in the Earth Science Reference
Tables, which rock layer was formed mainly from organically formed sediments in seawater?
A) A B) B C) E D) F
3. Based on the given rock and fossil which two letters most likely indicate parts of the same layer?
A) A and F B) B and D C) C and E D) D and A
4. Which processes were directly involved in the formation of these rock layers?
A) melting and solidification B) heating and pressure
C) compaction and cementation D) conduction and convection
5. An unconformity (buried erosional surface) is represented by the interface between which two layers?
A) A and B B) B and C C) D and E D) E and F
6. In which sequence are the rock layers listed in order from oldest to youngest?
A) F, B, E, D B) C, A, F, D C) F, E, C, A D) C, E, D, A
7. The diagram below represents a cross section of a
portion of the Earth's crust where no overturning of
the rock layers has occurred. Two rock layers are
labeled A and B.

Which statement describes the most likely sequence

of events?
A) Deposition occurred before folding or
faulting.
B) Faulting occurred before folding of the rock
layers.
C) Faulting occurred before the formation of rock
layer A.
D) Folding occurred before the formation of rock
layer B.
8. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below, which represents a cross section of
rock layers that have not been overturned.

If the breccia layer formed during the Carboniferous Period, the shale layer below it could have formed
during which geologic time period?
A) Cretaceous B) Triassic C) Permian D) Carboniferous
9. Which feature of a sandstone rock layer usually is the 12. The diagram at the right represents a core drilling in
youngest? a region consisting of only four sedimentary rock
layers, A, B, C, and D. Which geologic event could
A) sand grains that make up the rock
explain the order of the rock layers in the core
B) cement that binds the sand grains together drilling?
C) fossils found in the rock
D) faults that have broken the rock
10. Which statement correctly describes an age
relationship in the geologic cross section below?

A) The sandstone is younger than the basalt.

B) The shale is younger than the basalt.
A) Volcanic activity caused rapid deposition of the
C) The limestone is younger than the shale. sedimentary layers.
D) The limestone is younger than the basalt. B) Large-scale erosion caused a gap in the time
11. The diagram below represents a cross section of a record.
portion of the Earth's crust. The rock layers shown
C) Extensive folding caused the rock layers to
have not been overturned. Which geologic event
overturn.
occurred first?
D) Intrusion of igneous material occurred
sometime between the deposition of layer A
and layer D.
13. The diagram below shows an area where sea level
gradually dropped over a period of thousands of
years. A continuous sandy beach deposit stretching
from A to B was created.

A) faulting along line AB

B) folding of the region
C) formation of rock layer I
D) formation of rock layer IV
Which statement about the beach deposit would
most likely be true?
A) It is older at A than at B.
B) It is older at B than at A.
C) It is the same age at A and B.
14. The age of an igneous intrusion is 50 million years.
What is the most probable age of the rock
immediately surrounding the intrusion?
A) 10 million years B) 25 million years
C) 40 million years D) 60 million years
15. The block diagram below of a portion of Earth's
crust shows four zones labeled A, B, C, and D
outlined with dashed lines.

In which zone is a younger rock unit on top of an

older rock unit?
A) A B) B C) C D) D
16. The diagram below represents a cross section of a
series of rock layers of different geologic ages.

Which statement provides the best explanation for

the order of these rock layers?
A) The oldest layer is on the bottom.
B) A buried erosional surface exists between
layers.
C) The layers have been overturned.
D) The Permian layer has been totally eroded.
 Base your answers to questions 17 through 20 on
the cross section below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The cross section represents rock
units that have not been overturned. Lines CC' and GG' represent unconformities. The geologic ages
of some of the lettered rock units are shown below the cross section.

17. Why is there no contact metamorphism indicated between rock unit L and rock unit F?
A) Conglomerate does not metamorphose.
B) The intrusion was not hot enough to metamorphose rock unit F.
C) The contact metamorphism within rock unit F eroded away.
D) Rock unit F was deposited after the intrusion of rock unit L.
18. Which inference about rock units D, E, and H can best be supported by evidence in the cross
section?
A) They contain mostly sand-sized sediment.
B) They contain both land and marine fossils.
C) They were altered by contact metamorphism.
D) They were deposited as horizontal layers and were later tilted.
19. The diagrams below represent three index fossils found in one of the rock units.

These fossils are most likely found in

A) rock unit I B) rock unit J C) rock unit K D) rock unit M
20. Which rock unit was formed most recently?
A) A B) F C) L D) M
21. The presence of coal in Antarctica indicates that 22. A deep drill core was taken through the bedrock at
Ithaca, New York. Assume the rock layers have not
A) forests can grow on continental glaciers
been overturned and that no unconformity exists.
B) coal can form in cold climates Which diagram best represents the drill core
C) Antarctica’s climate was once warmer obtained?
D) Antarctica currently has areas of tropical
climate A) B)

C) D)
23. Base your answer on the geologic cross section
below.

Which geologic event occurred most recently?

A) folding at A
B) the intrusion at B
C) faulting at C
D) the unconformity at D
24. Base your answer to the following question on
the geologic cross section below, which shows a view of rock layers at Earth's surface. The dashed
lines connect points of the same age. Major fossils contained within each rock layer are shown. The
valleys are labeled X, Y, and Z.

In this region, valley X is more deeply eroded than either valley Y or valley Z. The most likely
explanation for this occurrence is that the metamorphic rock near X has been
A) weakened by faulting B) folded by pressure
C) intruded by melted rock D) covered by sedimentary rocks
25. The geologic cross section below shows a complex
structure containing a granite intrusion.

If the granite intrusion occurred 24 million years

ago, what are the most probable ages of the schist
and shale, in millions of years?
A) schist – 25; shale – 23
B) schist – 25; shale – 26
C) schist – 23; shale – 25
D) schist – 23; shale – 20
26. Base your answer to the following question on the geologic cross section below. Location A is within
the metamorphic rock.

Which rock is the youngest?

A) shale B) sandstone
C) igneous rock D) rock at location A
27. Evidence of mass extinctions of life-forms is
preserved in the fossil record. It is inferred that some
of these extinctions occurred because of
A) earthquakes B) asteroid impacts
C) solar eclipses D) tsunami
28. Base your answer to the following question on the
geologic cross section shown below.

The most recently formed rock unit is at location

A) A B) E C) C D) D
Base your answers to questions 29 and 30 on the data table below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The data table shows information on six major mass extinction events that occurred many
million years ago (mya) in Earth's history.

29. More than half of brachiopod species became extinct at the end of the
A) Devonian Period B) Silurian Period
C) Ordovician Period D) Cambrian Period
30. Which event is generally accepted as the cause of the mass extinction that occurred 65.5 million years
ago?
A) volcanic emption B) continental collision
C) asteroid impact D) sea-level change
31. The geologic cross section below shows sedimentary 32. The cross section below shows a rock sequence that
rock layers A, B, C, and D, which have not been has not been overturned.
overturned. E is an igneous intrusion. Line XY
represents a fault.

Which event occurred last at this location?

A) Shale was deposited.
B) Glacial till was deposited.
Which geologic event occurred most recently? C) Basaltic lava flows solidified.
A) deposition of sediments for rock layer A D) Glossopteris flourished and then became
B) formation of the fault extinct.
C) intrusion of the igneous material E 33. Scientists infer that oxygen in Earth's atmosphere
did not exist in large quantities until after
D) cementation of sediments for rock layer D
A) the first multicellular, soft-bodied marine
organisms appeared on Earth
B) the initial opening of the Atlantic Ocean
C) the first sexually reproducing organisms
appeared on Earth
D) photosynthetic cyanobacteria evolved in
Earth's oceans
34. The diagram below shows a geologic cross section. 35. The cross section below shows the direction of
Letters A through D represent different rock units. movement of an oceanic plate over a mantle hot
spot, resulting in the formation of a chain of
volcanoes labeled A, B, C, and D. The geologic age
of volcano C is shown.

What are the most likely geologic ages of volcanoes

B and D?
A) B is 5 million years old and D is 12 million
Which sequence correctly shows the age of the years old.
lettered rock units, from oldest to youngest?
B) B is 2 million years old and D is 6 million years
A) A B C D B) C D A B old.
C) D B A C D) D C B A C) B is 9 million years old and D is 9 million years
old.
D) B is 10 million years old and D is 4 million
years old.
 Base your answers to questions 36 and 37 on the
geologic cross section below of a region of Earth's
crust. Rock layers A through E have been labeled.
Two index fossils are shown and their locations
within the rock layers are indicated.

36. What caused the valleys and ridges in this area?

A) Some rock layers are folded more than others.
B) Rock layers were not deposited in the valley
areas.
C) Some rock layers are more resistant to
weathering and erosion than others.
D) Folding caused the ridge rocks to undergo
regional metamorphism.
37. Evidence of tectonic activity in this cross section is
provided by the
A) folding and tilting of the rock layers
B) faulting and movement of the rock layers
C) igneous intrusion into the rock layers
D) collision of crustal plate boundaries in the rock
layers
 Base your answers to questions 38 through 40 on the cross sections below, which show widely
separated outcrops at locations X, Y, and Z.

38. An unconformity can be observed at location Z. Which rock layer was most probably removed by
erosion during the time represented by the unconformity?
A) conglomerate B) gray siltstone C) black shale D) brown siltstone
39. Which rock layer is oldest?
A) gray siltstone B) green shale C) tan limestone D) brown siltstone
40. At location Y, the boundary between the red sandstone and the black shale marks the
A) beginning of the Cenozoic Era B) beginning of the Mesozoic Era
C) end of the Cenozoic Era D) end of the Mesozoic Era
41. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below of a cross section of a portion of
Earth’s crust. Letters A through D represent landscape features, and numbers 1 through 7 represent
rock layers. The detail shows a fossil found in layer 3.

What is the correct sequence of events from oldest to most recent in the geologic history of this area?
A) deposition of layers from 1 to 7 ® intrusion of basalt ® faulting
B) deposition of layers from 1 to 7 ® faulting ® intrusion of basalt
C) deposition of layers from 7 to 1 ® intrusion of basalt ® faulting
D) deposition of layers from 7 to 1 ® faulting ® intrusion of basalt
42. Base your answer to the following question on the passage and map below. The map shows the
generalized landscape regions of Vermont.

Landscape Regions of Vermont

Most of Vermont's landscape regions consist of ancient, weathered mountains that were covered by
several ice sheets during the last ice age. When the ice melted, sand, cobbles, and boulders were
deposited throughout the state, Vermont is divided into six landscape regions.

(1) The Vermont Lowlands region has a mild climate, with Lake Champlain moderating its
temperature.
(2) The Green Mountains run the length of Vermont and were formed over 400 million years ago.
Most of the bedrock is metamorphic and the region is known for its deposits of talc and asbestos.
(3) The Taconic Mountains extend into New York State. Slate and marble are commonly mined in
this region.
(4) The Valley of Vermont is a narrow valley between two mountain ranges. Most of the bedrock in
the region is limestone and marble.
(5) The Vermont Piedmont covers the largest area of the state. This region consists of rolling hills and
valleys. Granite mining is an important industry.
(6) The Northeast Highlands is a mountainous region composed of granite bedrock.

During which geologic period did a major orogeny form the Taconic Mountains?
A) Cretaceous B) Permian C) Devonian D) Ordovician
 Base your answers to questions 43 and 44 on the cross sections of three rock outcrops, A, B, and C.
Line XY represents a fault. Overturning has not occurred in the rock outcrops.

43. Which sedimentary rock shown in the outcrops is the youngest?

A) black shale B) conglomerate
C) tan siltstone D) brown sandstone
44. What is the youngest geologic feature in the three bottom layers of outcrop C?
A) fault B) igneous intrusion
C) unconformity D) zone of contact metamorphism
45. The diagram below represents a cross section of a
portion of the Earth's crust.

Which graph best indicates the relative age of the

rock units along line AF?
A) B)

C) D)

Base your answers to questions 46 through 48 on the diagram below which shows three geologic
columns representing widely separated rock outcrops. Letters A through E represent fossils found in
the outcrops. Line XY represents a fault in column I. The layers have not been overturned.

46. What is the oldest layer shown?

A) glacial soil B) brown sandstone
C) tan limestone D) grey limestone
47. Which rock would most likely be produced by the metamorphism of the grey limestone?
A) quartzite B) slate C) marble D) gneiss
48. When did fault XY, located in column I, most likely occur?
A) before the formation of the grey limestone
B) during the formation of the grey siltstone
C) during the formation of the black shale
D) after the formation of the red sandstone
Base your answers to questions 49 and 50 on the geologic cross section below. The large cone-shaped
mountain on Earth’s surface is a volcano. Letters A, B, and C represent certain rocks.

49. Rock B is most likely which type of igneous rock?

A) granite B) peridotite C) pegmatite D) basalt
50. Which statement correctly describes the relative ages of rocks A and C and gives the best supporting
evidence from the cross section?
A) A is younger than C, because A is a lower sedimentary rock layer.
B) A is younger than C, because the intrusion of A metamorphosed part of rock layer C.
C) A is older than C, because A has older index fossils.
D) A is older than C, because the intrusion of A cuts across rock layer C.
 Base your answers to questions 51 and 52 on the geologic cross section below in which overturning
has not occurred. Letters A through H represent rock layers.

51. Which two letters represent bedrock of the same age?

A) A and E B) B and D C) F and G D) D and H
52. The folding of rock layers G through C was most likely caused by
A) erosion of overlying sediments B) contact metamorphism
C) the collision of lithospheric plates D) the extrusion of igneous rock
Base your answers to questions 53 through 57 on the block diagrams below, which represent three
widely separated outcrops. All rock layers are sedimentary. No overturning has occurred. Layers
labeled with the same letter are the same age.

53. Layer I is of Permian age. Which fossil could be found in layer H?

A) early flowering plant B) early human
C) early reptile D) early dinosaur
54. Which order of events occurred at the Hiltonia Outcrop between the formation of layer F and the
beginning of the deposition of layer H?
A) uplift ® erosion ® faulting ® deposition
B) folding ® uplift ® erosion ® subsidence
C) subsidence ® erosion ® deposition ® faulting
D) folding ® erosion ® faulting
55. The fault in the Evansburg Outcrop is younger than
A) G, only B) J, only
C) G and J, only D) F, G, H, I, and J
56. Which geologic process that affected layer F happened first?
A) deposition of the sediments in layer F B) erosion of the surface of layer F
C) folding of layer F D) faulting of layer F
57. Which method would provide the most reliable evidence for the idea that layer J was deposited at the
same time in each location?
A) measuring the percentage of the mineral cement in each J layer
B) measuring the thickness of each J layer
C) comparing the mineral composition of each J layer
D) comparing the fossils in each J layer
58. What is the relative age of a fault that cuts across
many rock layers?
A) The fault is younger than all the layers it
cuts across.
B) The fault is older than all the layers it cuts
across.
C) The fault is the same age as the top layer it cuts
across.
D) The fault is the same age as the bottom layer it
cuts across.
Base your answers to questions 59 and 60 on the geologic cross section below. Overturning has not
occurred. The dike and sills shown in the cross section are igneous intrusions.

59. Which rock type is the oldest?

A) B) C) D)

60. Which feature is represented by symbol A along the edges of the dike and sills?
A) contact metamorphic rock B) an unconformity
C) a glacial moraine D) index fossils
61. The geologic cross section below represents a
portion of the Earth's crust.

Which geologic event occurred last?

A) the formation of rock A
B) the erosion of surface B
C) the faulting along line C
D) the intrusion of rock D
62. The accumulation of water vapor, carbon dioxide,
and nitrogen in Earth’s early atmosphere
approximately 4 billion years ago resulted mainly
from
A) outgassing from Earth’s interior
B) radioactive decay
C) photosynthesis by the earliest land plants
D) convection currents in Earth’s outer core
63. The geologic cross section below represents an area where faulting has occurred. Rock layers have
not been overturned.

Within which circled area does older rock directly overlie younger rock?
A) A B) B C) C D) D
64. Unless a series of sedimentary rock layers has been
overturned, the bottom rock layer usually
A) contains fossils
B) is the oldest
C) contains the greatest variety of minerals
D) has the finest texture
65. Which sequence of geologic events is in the correct order, from oldest to most recent?
A) oceanic oxygen begins to enter the atmosphere earliest stromatolites initial opening of the
Iapetus Ocean dome-like uplift of the Adirondack region begins
B) dome-like uplift of the Adirondack region begins initial opening of the Iapetus Ocean
oceanic oxygen begins to enter the atmosphere earliest stromatolites
C) initial opening of the Iapetus Ocean earliest stromatolites oceanic oxygen begins to enter
the atmosphere dome-like uplift of the Adirondack region begins
D) earliest stromatolites oceanic oxygen begins to enter the atmosphere initial opening
of the Iapetus Ocean dome-like uplift of the Adirondack region begins
66. The diagram below represents a cross section of a
portion of the Earth's crust.

Which geologic event is the most recent?

A) erosion of the surface of rock layer A
B) folding of rock layer B
C) deposition of rock layer C
D) faulting along line XY
67. Which plate tectonic events occurred as the Iapetus
Ocean closed?
A) Taconian orogeny and Grenville orogeny
B) Taconian orogeny and Acadian orogeny
C) Alleghenian orogeny and Acadian orogeny
D) Alleghenian orogeny and Grenville orogeny
 Base your answers to questions 68 through 70 on the geologic cross section of bedrock shown below.
A through G identify rock layers and Q represents a fault. Lines W, X, Y, and Z are locations of
unconformities. The rocks have not been overturned.

68. The movement of bedrock along fault Q most probably produced

A) gaps in the rock record B) an earthquake
C) a volcanic lava flow D) zones of contact metamorphism
69. The unconformities shown in the cross section represent
A) buried erosional surfaces
B) locations of index fossils
C) volcanic ash deposits
D) boundaries between oceanic and continental crust
70. Which rock most likely formed in the zone of contact between rock E and rock F?
A) obsidian B) slate
C) metaconglomerate D) sandstone
71. The cross section below shows rock layers A, B, C, Base your answers to questions 72 and 73 on the
D, and fault F. The rock layers have not been diagrams below. Diagram I shows part of a geologic
overturned. map. Diagram II shows a geologic cross section
taken along line CD. The rock layers shown have not
been overturned. Numbers 1 through 5 represent
locations on the surface bedrock.

Which sequence places the rock layers and fault in

order from oldest to youngest?
A) D C B A F
B) A B C D F
C) F D C B A
D) F A B C D

72. Which type of surface bedrock would most likely be

found at location 5?
A) shale
B) sandstone
C) chemical limestone
D) siltstone
73. Which graph best represents the age of the surface
bedrock along line CD?
A) B)

C) D)
74. The diagram below represents two geologic rock Base your answers to questions 76 and 77 on the
columns. The color and environment of deposition diagram below which represents a cross section of an
of each sedimentary rock are indicated beside the eroded fold that has not been overturned.
rock layers. Which rock layer in the West geologic
column is most likely the same as rock layer X in the
East column?

76. The fossils found in rock layer G will most closely

resemble those found in rock layer
A) A B) I C) C D) E
77. If rock layer A is of Devonian Age, rock layer E
A) A B) B C) C D) D could be of
75. The diagram below shows a geologic cross section A) Triassic Age
of a portion of the Earth's crust that has not been B) Carboniferous Age
overturned. C) Cambrian Age
D) Tertiary Age

An observer travels across the surface from point A

to point B, measuring the age of the surface
bedrock. The observer finds the age of the surface
bedrock to
A) decrease, only
B) increase, only
C) decrease, then increase
D) increase, then decrease
78. The diagram below represents a geologic cross 79. The geologic cross section below represents a cliff
section. outcrop. Some bedrock layers are labeled as millions
of years old (myo). Letters A through E represent
different rock types.

In the cross section, the basalt is known to be

younger than the sandstone because
A) in places, the sandstone is above the basalt
B) rocks are older than the igneous intrusions
that cut through them What is a possible age of igneous rock E?
C) the sandstone is made of weathered basalt A) 1.5 million years old
D) igneous rocks are usually younger than B) 12 million years old
sedimentary rocks C) 28 million years old
D) 40 million years old
80. A geologic cross section for a portion of Earth's 82. The drill-core samples below were taken from two
crust is shown below. Letter A is a location in a rock locations 1000 kilometers apart. Rock layers 1
layer, and line XY represents a fault. through 8 have been labeled. Some index fossils are
shown in the layers.

Which numbered layers most likely formed at the

same time?
Which of these events occurred most recently at this
location? A) 1 and 6 B) 2 and 8
A) deposition of the layer at A C) 3 and 5 D) 4 and 7
B) igneous intrusion
C) contact metamorphism
D) faulting along line XY
81. The diagram below represents a cross-sectional view
of a portion of the Earth's crust.

Compared to the age of the sedimentary rock layers,

the age of the igneous intrusion is
A) younger B) older
C) the same
83. Base your answer to the following question on the map below. The map shows some regions where
metamorphic bedrock of the Grenville Province in northeastern North America is exposed at Earth’s
surface.

The bedrock of the Grenville Province is generally thought to have formed approximately
A) 250 million years ago B) 400 million years ago
C) 560 million years ago D) 1100 million years ago
84. Which block diagram best shows a transform fault?
A) B)

C) D)
 Base your answers to questions 85 and 86 on the diagram below, which shows a cross section of
Earth’s crust.

85. Which statement gives an accurate age relationship for the bedrock in the cross section?
A) Intrusion A is younger than intrusion C.
B) Intrusion C is younger than intrusion B.
C) Intrusion B is older than intrusion A.
D) Intrusion C is older than layer E.
86. The most apparent buried erosional surface is found between rock units
A) A and B B) C and D C) D and F D) E and H
87. Base your answer to the following question on the
geologic cross section below of the Grand Canyon.
The numbers 1 through 10 represent Paleozoic
sedimentary rock layers.

Which Paleozoic rock layer is the oldest?

A) 1 B) 10 C) 5 D) 4
88. Base your answer to the following question on 90. Geologic cross sections A through F shown below
the diagram below, which is a geologic cross section represent different stages in the development of one
of an area where a river has exposed a 300-meter part of Earth's crust over a long period of geologic
cliff of sedimentary rock layers. The rock layers are time.
labeled A through I. Line XY represents a gap in the
geologic record (an unconformity).

What is the correct order of development from the

original (oldest) stage to the most recent (youngest)
Which layer is oldest? [Assume that the rock layers stage?
have not been overturned.]
A) B–D–C–F–A–E
A) A B) B C) H D) I
B) B–F–C–D–E–A
89. Which block diagram shows rock layers that have
been overturned? C) E–A–D–F–C–B
D) E–A–F–C–D–B
A) B)

C) D)
91. Base your answer to the following question on the cross section below. Rock units are labeled 1
through 8. The line between A and A' indicates an unconformity.

Which event occurred sometime after the formation of the unconformity?

A) formation of rock unit 3
B) tilting of rock unit 5
C) deposition of the sediments that formed rock unit 8
D) intrusion of rock unit 7
92. The diagram below represents layers of rock.

Rock layer A is inferred to be older than intrusion B

because
A) layer A is composed of sedimentary rocks
B) parts of layer A were altered by intrusion B
C) layer B is located between layer A and layer C
D) parts of layer C were altered by intrusion B
93. The map below shows the relative age of the 94. Which pie graph best shows the relative length of
bedrock in the continental United States. time of the major intervals of Earth's geologic
history?
A)

B)

The general age of the bedrock is found to be

progressively
A) older as an observer moves from the east
and west coasts toward the center of the C)
United States
B) younger as an observer moves from the east
and west coasts toward the center of the United
States
C) older as an observer moves across the United
States from the east coast to the west coast
D) younger as an observer moves across the
United States from the east coast to the west
coast D)
95. Base your answer to the following question on the photograph below, which shows a bedrock
outcrop. Line AB is an unconformity between sandstone C and metamorphic rock D.

After the metamorphism of rock D, which sequence of events most probably formed unconformity
AB?
A) flooding deposition erosion uplift
B) uplift erosion flooding deposition
C) deposition flooding uplift erosion
D) erosion flooding uplift deposition
96. Base your answer to the following question on the newspaper article shown below.

Fossilized Jellyfish Found in Wisconsin

Fossil hunters have unearthed the largest collection of fossilized jellyfish ever
discovered, including the largest fossilized jellyfish ever found.
The remains of soft-bodied animals such as jellyfish are relatively rare because they
don’t have bones, fossil dealer Dan Damrow, James W. Hagadorn of the California
Institute of Technology and Robert H. Dott Jr. of the University of Wisconsin at
Madison noted in describing the find in the journal Geology.
About a half-billion years ago, during the Cambrian period, the quarry in Mosinee,
Wis., where the deposits were found was a small lagoon. The jellyfish apparently died
when they were washed up by a freak tide or storm, the researchers said. The jellyfish
remains were probably preserved because of a lack of erosion from sea water and wind,
and a lack of scavengers, the researchers concluded.
“It is very rare to discover a deposit which contains an entire stranding event of
jellyfish,” Hagadorn said. “These jellyfish are not just large for the Cambrian, but are
the largest jellyfish in the entire fossil record.”

Washington Post,
January 2002
Which two marine organisms most likely lived at the same time as these jellyfish?
A) crinoids and dinosaurs B) ammonoids and placoderm fish
C) brachiopods and gastropods D) amphibians and eurypterids
97. Base your answer to the following question on the block diagram and the cross section below. The
block diagram shows the present position of Niagara Falls in relation to the Niagara Escarpment. The
cross section shows the general bedrock structure of present-day Niagara Falls.

At the end of the glacial period, the Niagara River began flowing over the Niagara Escarpment. At the
end of which epoch of geologic time did this situation occur?
A) Pleistocene B) Pliocene C) Miocene D) Oligocene
98. The map below shows the names and ages of different bedrock formations in North America. The
bedrock ages are shown in billions of years.

The ages shown on the map suggest that the

A) oldest bedrock is located in the Churchill formation
B) youngest bedrock is located in the Wyoming formation
C) younger bedrock has been added to the east and west coasts of the continent
D) age of bedrock increases from west to east across the continent
99. Which event is inferred to have contributed to the
significant global climate change that may have
caused the mass extinctions of organisms at the end
of the Late Cretaceous Epoch?
A) the Big Bang
B) an asteroid impact
C) formation of Pangaea
D) shifting of Earth's magnetic poles
100. The cross section below shows four rock units, A, 102. The diagrams below show geologic cross sections
B, C, and D. of the same part of the Earth's crust at different
times in the geologic past.

Which rock unit is youngest in age?

A) A B) B C) C D) D
101. The geologic drill core below shows bedrock layers
A, B, and C that have not been overturned. The
geological ages of layers A and C are shown.

Which sequence shows the order in which this part

of the crust probably formed?
A) A B C D
B) C D A B
C) C A D B
D) A C B D
What is the geologic age of layer B?
A) Cambrian B) Ordovician
C) Devonian D) Permian
103. Base your answer to the following question on the block diagram below, which shows a portion of
Eath's crust. Letters A, B, C, and D indicate sedimentary layers.

Which event occurred most recently?

A) formation of layer A
B) formation of layer D
C) tilting of all four sedimentary rock layers
D) erosion of the igneous rock exposed at the surface
104. Which geologic event is inferred to have occurred 107. Which event is inferred by most scientists to be
most recently? responsible for a climate change that has recently
led to a decrease in the size of most glaciers?
A) collision between North America and Africa
B) metamorphism of the bedrock of the Hudson A) a decrease in the rate of divergence of
Highlands lithospheric plates along a mid-ocean ridge
C) formation of the Queenston delta B) a decrease in the amount of insolation
D) initial opening of the Atlantic Ocean reaching Earth’s surface
105. The diagram below shows a cross section of the C) an increase in the amount of greenhouse
Earth's crust. Line XY is a fault. gases in Earth’s atmosphere
D) an increase in the amount of vegetative cover
in the tropics

Which sequence of events, from oldest to youngest,

has occurred in this outcrop?
A)
B)
C)
D)
106. Which geologic event occurred most recently?
A) initial opening of the Atlantic Ocean
B) formation of the Hudson Highlands
C) formation of the Catskill delta
D) collision of North America and Africa
108. The diagrams below represent two different 109. The geologic block diagram below shows surface
geologic cross sections in which an igneous features and subsurface structures of a section of
formation is found in sedimentary bedrock layers. Montana.
The layers have not been overturned.

The faulting shown in the diagram could have

occurred
A) 2,100 million years ago
B) 520 million years ago
C) 250 million years ago
D) 50 million years ago
110. Sedimentary rock layers A through D in the cross
Which statement best describes the relative age of section below have not been overturned.
each igneous formation compared to the overlying
sandstone bedrock?
A) In A, the igneous rock is younger than the
sandstone and in B, the igneous rock is
older than the sandstone.
B) In A, the igneous rock is older than the
sandstone and in B, the igneous rock is
younger than the sandstone.
C) In both A and B, the igneous rock is younger
than the sandstone.
D) In both A and B, the igneous rock is older than
the sandstone.
Which rock layer is the oldest?
A) A B) B C) C D) D