Which statement correctly describes the Colorado River?

• A. It starts in the Rocky Mountains and ends in the gulf
• B. It ends in the Arctic Ocean
• C. It flows east across the Great Plains
• D. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is knowing where a major river begins and where it ends. The Colorado River has its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and it winds southwest through the southwestern United States and into northwestern Mexico, finally reaching the Gulf of California. That makes the statement about starting in the Rocky Mountains and ending in the gulf accurate. The other options would place the river in places or directions that don’t match its real path—it's not sourced in the Appalachian Mountains, it doesn’t flow east across the Great Plains, and it doesn’t end in the Arctic Ocean.