Looking at a topographic map for the first time can be a confusing experience.

One way to understand what all the squiggly lines are for is to complete the topographic hand activity:

Make a fist with one hand.  Your knuckles are representing hill tops.  Just like hills and mountains, your fist has a topography of it's own.  Now with a pen in the other hand, start at the top of your knuckles and start drawing  contour lines.  The hill tops will be smaller circles and gradually start to slope as the contour lines make their way down from your knuckles to your wrist.

After you have completed the full topography of the back of your hand, lay your hand down flat.  Just like the topographic map, you are able to see what the conditions of the area are like based on the contour lines.