Lesson Y7-U01-L08

Y7-U01-L08 Contour Lines and Relief Quiz: KS3 Geography, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson Y7-U01-L08, Contour Lines and Relief: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Geography (National Curriculum), Unit 1: Year 7: The UK and Map Skills, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What do all the points on one contour line have in common?

    • The same type of rock beneath them
    • The same height above sea level
    • The same distance from the nearest river
    • The same temperature at the surface

  2. What colour are contour lines usually printed in on an OS map?

    • Green
    • Blue
    • Brown
    • Red

  3. What does the number on a contour line tell you?

    • The distance to the nearest town in kilometres
    • The number of trees growing on that slope
    • The height of that line in metres above sea level
    • The width of the river in metres

  4. Contour lines that are CLOSE together show which kind of slope?

    • A gentle slope
    • A flat plain
    • The edge of a lake
    • A steep slope

  5. Contour lines that are FAR apart show which kind of slope?

    • A gentle slope
    • A rocky summit
    • A deep valley wall
    • A steep cliff

  6. If you walk along ONE contour line, what happens to your height?

    • It stays the same
    • It rises steadily
    • It rises and then falls
    • It falls steadily

  7. What does the word 'relief' mean in geography?

    • The amount of rain that falls each year
    • The colour of the rocks in a region
    • The distance between two towns
    • The shape and height of the land

  8. Rings of contour lines inside rings, like a target, show which landform?

    • A flat plain
    • A valley
    • A hill
    • A river bend

  9. On a hill drawn with rings, where is the summit?

    • In the centre, on the smallest ring
    • On the outer ring at the edge
    • On the largest ring at the bottom
    • Between two rings on the left side

  10. Contour lines bent into a V shape show which landform?

    • A hill
    • A valley
    • A cliff
    • A plateau

  11. Which way does the point of a V-shaped contour line always face?

    • Downhill, towards lower ground
    • Towards the nearest coast
    • Uphill, towards higher ground
    • Along the same height

  12. Slope A has contour lines 3 mm apart. Slope B has lines 20 mm apart. Which slope is steeper?

    • Slope A
    • Both slopes are equally steep
    • Slope B
    • Neither slope is steep because both are flat

  13. On a slope the contour lines are close at the bottom and far apart at the top. How does steepness change as you climb?

    • It is flat at the bottom and steep near the top
    • It is gentle at the bottom and steep near the top
    • It is steep at the bottom and gentler near the top
    • It stays steep all the way up with no change

  14. A walker wants the easiest route up a hill. Which side should they climb?

    • The side where the contour lines are far apart
    • The side with the most rings and V shapes
    • The side where the contour lines are closest together
    • The side with the darkest contour lines

  15. True or false: darker and thicker contour lines always mean a steeper slope.

    • True, because darker lines always show higher land
    • True, but only for thick lines on a valley
    • False, because only the spacing of the lines shows steepness
    • True, because darker lines always show a steeper slope

  16. A hill has rings labelled 10, 20, 30 and 40 m, with 40 m on the smallest ring in the centre. What is the summit's height?

    • 40 m, the number on the smallest ring in the centre
    • 100 m, the number on the outer edge, which is the highest point
    • 10 m, the number on the outer ring, the lowest contour
    • 20 m, the number on the middle ring, on the slopes of the hill

  17. A pattern of contour lines bends into a V pointing uphill. What landform is it, and which way does a stream usually flow?

    • A valley, and a stream flows uphill, towards the point of the V
    • A hill, and a stream flows up the point of the V
    • A cliff, and a stream flows along the top of it
    • A valley, and a stream usually flows downhill, away from the point of the V

  18. Four slopes are A (lines far apart), B (lines almost touching), C (lines fairly close) and D (lines a medium distance apart). Which is the steepest?

    • C
    • B
    • A
    • D

  19. Why do contour lines never cross each other on a map?

    • Each contour line is drawn in a different colour of ink to show its height
    • Contour lines are printed too thin on the map to touch each other at all
    • Contour lines always follow straight roads and paths across the flat land
    • Each spot can only be at one height, so two different heights cannot share one spot

  20. Why does a flat map need contour lines at all?

    • Contour lines show where the nearest shops and cafés are, and which roads lead to them
    • Contour lines show the exact colour of each field and where the crops are grown
    • Contour lines show how many people lived in each area, and their ages and jobs
    • Contour lines show the height and steepness of the land, which a flat map cannot otherwise show

All KS3 Geography quizzes