Geography

The English Channel is the body of water that separates southern England from northern France, making France the correct answer.

The shortest distance between Spain and Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar is approximately 12 kilometers, making option A the correct answer.

The Great Victoria Desert is located in Australia, making option B the correct answer. It is the largest desert in Australia, spanning parts of Western Australia and South Australia.

The underwater mountain system formed by plate tectonic spreading is called the Mid-Oceanic Ridge. It is created where tectonic plates diverge, allowing magma to rise and form new oceanic crust, resulting in a continuous underwater mountain chain.

The total surface area of the Earth is approximately 510 million square kilometers, while the area of the United States is about 9.8 million square kilometers. Dividing Earth's area by the US area gives roughly 52 times, making option B correct.

The grasslands found in Africa are called Savannahs, characterized by a mix of grass and scattered trees, typical of regions like the Serengeti. Prairies are North American grasslands, Steppes are Eurasian grasslands, and Pampas are South American grasslands.

The Congo River is the only major river that crosses the Equator twice, flowing north and then south across it. The Nile, Amazon, and Indus Rivers do not cross the Equator twice.

Mount Erebus, located on Ross Island in Antarctica, is the southernmost active volcano on Earth. It is well known for its persistent lava lake and continuous volcanic activity, making it the correct answer.

The name 'Himalayas' is derived from the Sanskrit words 'hima' meaning snow and 'alaya' meaning abode, thus translating to 'abode of snow.' This accurately reflects the origin of the mountain range's name.

The prime meridian passes through 7 countries: the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. Therefore, option B (7) is correct.