Great Basin Desert MCQs [USA] January 8, 2026August 28, 2024 by u930973931_answers 50 min Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. What is the Great Basin Desert? (A) The largest desert in the United States (B) A coastal desert in California (C) A rainforest in the Pacific Northwest (D) A tropical desert in Hawaii 2. The Great Basin Desert is primarily located in which U.S. state? (A) Arizona (B) Nevada (C) Utah (D) California 3. Which mountain range primarily borders the Great Basin Desert to the west? (A) Appalachian Mountains (B) Sierra Nevada (C) Rocky Mountains (D) Cascade Range 4. The Great Basin Desert is classified as which type of desert? (A) Hot desert (B) Cold desert (C) Tropical desert (D) Coastal desert 5. What is the approximate elevation range of the Great Basin Desert? (A) 500 to 1,000 feet (B) 3,000 to 7,000 feet (C) 1,000 to 3,000 feet (D) 7,000 to 10,000 feet 6. What is the average annual precipitation in the Great Basin Desert? (A) 5 to 12 inches (B) Less than 5 inches (C) 12 to 20 inches (D) More than 20 inches 7. Which season typically experiences the most precipitation in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Winter (B) Spring (C) Summer (D) Fall 8. What is the primary source of moisture for the Great Basin Desert? (A) Monsoon rains (B) Atlantic Ocean hurricanes (C) Pacific Ocean storms (D) Gulf of Mexico moisture 9. Which natural feature is common in the Great Basin Desert due to its arid environment? (A) Salt flats (B) Sand dunes (C) Tropical rainforests (D) Mangrove swamps 10. What is the main reason for the aridity of the Great Basin Desert? (A) Rain shadow effect from surrounding mountain ranges (B) Proximity to the ocean (C) High temperatures (D) Abundant vegetation 11. Which plant is most commonly associated with the Great Basin Desert? (A) Saguaro cactus (B) Joshua tree (C) Sagebrush (D) Creosote bush 12. Which animal is commonly found in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Gila monster (B) Pronghorn antelope (C) American alligator (D) Arctic fox 13. Which bird species is well-adapted to the Great Basin Desert environment? (A) Greater roadrunner (B) California condor (C) Sage grouse (D) Bald eagle 14. Which type of tree is adapted to the higher elevations of the Great Basin Desert? (A) Bristlecone pine (B) Ponderosa pine (C) Joshua tree (D) Douglas fir 15. Which reptile is native to the Great Basin Desert? (A) Desert tortoise (B) Gopher snake (C) Western diamondback rattlesnake (D) Mojave green rattlesnake 16. The Great Basin Desert is characterized by which type of landforms? (A) Rolling hills and valleys (B) Basin and range topography (C) Sand dunes and oases (D) Flat plains and plateaus 17. What is the name of the largest salt flat in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Death Valley (B) White Sands (C) Bonneville Salt Flats (D) Great Salt Lake Desert 18. Which mountain range runs through the Great Basin Desert? (A) Rocky Mountains (B) Sierra Nevada (C) Snake Range (D) Cascade Range 19. What is the primary geological process responsible for the formation of the Great Basin Desert’s valleys? (A) Glacial erosion (B) Volcanic activity (C) River deposition (D) Tectonic extension and faulting 20. Which lake, once part of the Great Basin Desert, is now mostly dry? (A) Lake Mead (B) Lake Tahoe (C) Lake Bonneville (D) Pyramid Lake 21. Which indigenous people traditionally inhabited the Great Basin Desert? (A) Navajo (B) Apache (C) Paiute (D) Hopi 22. What is a significant archaeological site in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Danger Cave (B) Mesa Verde (C) Chaco Canyon (D) Cliff Palace 23. Which famous explorer was the first European to extensively map the Great Basin Desert? (A) John C. Frémont (B) Christopher Columbus (C) Lewis and Clark (D) Hernando de Soto 24. Which mining activity brought settlers to the Great Basin Desert in the 19th century? (A) Silver mining (B) Gold mining (C) Copper mining (D) Coal mining 25. What was the main reason for the development of the Pony Express route through the Great Basin Desert? (A) Mining operations (B) Military outposts (C) Faster communication across the West (D) Cattle drives 26. Which national park is located within the Great Basin Desert? (A) Great Basin National Park (B) Joshua Tree National Park (C) Death Valley National Park (D) Zion National Park 27. What is a key feature of Great Basin National Park? (A) Sand dunes (B) Glaciers (C) Geysers (D) Lehman Caves 28. Which peak is the highest point in Great Basin National Park? (A) Kings Peak (B) Boundary Peak (C) Wheeler Peak (D) Mount Whitney 29. Which Great Basin Desert feature is a remnant of ancient Lake Lahontan? (A) Lake Mead (B) Great Salt Lake (C) Pyramid Lake (D) Mono Lake 30. Which federal agency manages large portions of the Great Basin Desert? (A) National Park Service (B) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (C) U.S. Forest Service (D) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 31. What is a significant economic activity in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Agriculture (B) Tourism (C) Fishing (D) Timber production 32. Which mineral resource is commonly extracted in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Coal (B) Gold (C) Iron ore (D) Bauxite 33. Which renewable energy source is being developed in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Hydropower (B) Geothermal energy (C) Wind power (D) Solar power 34. What is a challenge for agriculture in the Great Basin Desert? (A) High soil fertility (B) Abundant rainfall (C) Limited water supply (D) Low elevation 35. Which city, located near the Great Basin Desert, is a major hub for tourism? (A) Reno, Nevada (B) Phoenix, Arizona (C) Salt Lake City, Utah (D) Las Vegas, Nevada 36. Which ecological issue threatens the Great Basin Desert’s ecosystem? (A) Urbanization (B) Overfishing (C) Invasive species (D) Glacial melting 37. Which invasive plant species is a problem in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Kudzu (B) Japanese knotweed (C) Cheatgrass (D) Purple loosestrife 38. What is a conservation strategy used to protect the Great Basin Desert’s ecosystems? (A) Fire suppression (B) Controlled burns (C) Reforestation (D) Damming rivers 39. Which endangered species is found in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Desert tortoise (B) California condor (C) Pygmy rabbit (D) Grizzly bear 40. Which human activity is a major threat to the water resources in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Overgrazing by livestock (B) Industrial pollution (C) Water diversion for agriculture (D) Deforestation 41. Which outdoor activity is popular in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Hiking (B) Snowboarding (C) Surfing (D) Deep-sea fishing 42. Which scenic byway offers a drive through the Great Basin Desert? (A) Pacific Coast Highway (B) Loneliest Road in America (U.S. Route 50) (C) Route 66 (D) Blue Ridge Parkway 43. What is a unique attraction found in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Hot springs (B) Geysers (C) Sandstone arches (D) Coral reefs 44. Which festival, known for its art and community, takes place in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Coachella (B) Burning Man (C) Lollapalooza (D) Sundance Film Festival 45. Which recreational activity is popular at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Birdwatching (B) Speed racing (C) Rock climbing (D) Fishing 46. What is the primary land ownership in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Federally-owned (B) State-owned (C) Private (D) Foreign-owned 47. Which of the following best describes the night sky in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Light-polluted (B) Cloudy year-round (C) Pristine and ideal for stargazing (D) Always foggy 48. Which prehistoric animal fossils have been found in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Dinosaurs (B) Pterosaurs (C) Saber-toothed cats (D) Mammoths 49. Which major interstate runs through the Great Basin Desert? (A) I-15 (B) I-5 (C) I-10 (D) I-80 50. Which endangered bird species is found in the Great Basin Desert? (A) Bald eagle (B) Whooping crane (C) Greater sage-grouse (D) California condor