Reading Standards for Informational Text > Determining Word Meanings in Grade-Level Topics (CCSS.RI.4.4) Practice Test

Geographers divide a country into regions to compare land and weather. In the coastal region, ocean winds often bring fog and cool air. The mountain region has tall peaks where heavy snow falls in winter. Farmers in the plains region plant wide fields because the land is flat and open. Each region has patterns that repeat, like certain temperatures or typical kinds of plants. By looking at these patterns, scientists and planners can decide which crops to grow, what roads to build, and how to prepare for storms. Knowing the region helps people understand what a place is like.

Maps often divide the country into regions to help people compare places. A region is an area that shares important features. For example, the Great Lakes region includes states that touch the big freshwater lakes. These states have many things in common. They have similar landforms, like long shorelines, and similar kinds of weather, with snowy winters. People there also share some jobs, such as shipping goods by boat and building cars. When a scientist or a teacher talks about a region, they mean a section of land grouped for its shared traits, not just any random spot.