A Global Test

Millions of Americans grew up learning from the National Geographic magazine about far-away places with strange-sounding names--names that also tended to change over the years along with the winds of political revolution and evolution.

But today, young Americans are not learning about their nation and the world the way they should. A 1988 survey by the Gallup Organization Inc. disclosed that the geographic ignorance of Americans 18 to 24 years of age was shocking. They scored worse than their contemporaries in all of the eight other nations tested by the polling organization. And for all ages, American adults scored lower in geographic literacy than those of Sweden, West Germany, Japan, France and Canada.

Officials of the National Geographic Society have set out to do something about this by sponsoring a nationwide “geography bee” for students in grades four through eight in Washington, D.C., May 18-19. One hundred winners of local contests, similar to the traditional spelling bees, will participate in each of 55 state and territorial runoffs to be held Friday. Cosumnes River College in Sacramento will host the California match. The 55 winners will go on to the national finals in Washington next month. The national champ will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.

Here are samples of the questions that will be asked of youngsters ranging in age from 10-14:

1. A giraffe is commonly found in which major vegetation type?

2. The country of Guyana is located on which continent?

3. How many countries have more land area than the United States of America? Name them.

4. Where is the rainiest spot in the 48 contiguous states?

5. Name two states with names beginning with the letter “M” that do not share a border with Canada.

Young readers are encouraged to challenge their parents. Suitable prizes in home contests may include a later bedtime or getting out of doing the dishes. Punishment for losing adults might include a sentence of one hour with an atlas.

Answers:

1. Savanna or African grasslands.

2. South America.

3. Three: Canada, China and U.S.S.R.

4. Mt. Olympus or the Olympic Penninsula of Washington State.

5. Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi and Missouri.