Essay Type Questions (4 marks)
1. What is the influence of the Himalayas on the Indian agriculture? (Conceptual Understanding)
A: * The formation of the Himalayas influences the climate in various ways.
* The Himalayas are responsible for causing rainfall in the plains during summer.
* The Himalayas play an important role in causing monsoon type of climate in India.
* The Himalayas are the birth places of so many perennial rivers.
* These rivers deposit alluvial soil and make the Northern plain fertile and suitable for agriculture.
* The mountains are favourable for growing fruits and vegetables.
* Hence, the Himalayas have significance influence on the Indian Agriculture.
2. Which are the major physiographic divisions of India? Contrast the relief of the Himalayan region with that of the Peninsular plateau. (Conceptual Understanding)
A: The major physiographic divisions of India are:
1) The Himalayas
2) The Peninsular Plateau
3) The Desert
4) The Indo-Gangetic Plain
5) The Coastal Plains
6) The Islands
3. Read the following text and comment on it. (Reading the text given, understanding and I nterpretation) World land forms originated from two giant lands namely Angara land (Laurasia) and Gondwana land. The Indian peninsula was part of Gondwana land. Over 200 million years ago Gondwana land split into pieces and the peninsular Indian plate moved towards North-East and collided the much larger Eurasian plate (Angara Land). Owing to the collision and immense compression Force, Mountains evolved through a folding process over millions of years. The present form of the Himalayas is a result of this process.
A: * The text is about the formation of Himalayas and world land forms.
* Initially the whole world is in a singular land form but later it split into two giant lands which are called Angara and Gondwana.
* Peninsular India is a part of Gondwana land.
* Due to the collision and compressive forces inside the earth Himalayan mountains formed as folded mountains.
* It took millions of years for this process.
4. Observe the following table and answer the questions given below: ( Information Skill) Heights of Indian Plateaus, Hills and mountains
a) What does the table tell about?
b) Which is higher a plateau or a mountain peak?
c) Which two plateaus are of same range of height?
d) Which mountains the Everest peak belongs to?
5. If the Himalayas would have not been in its present position, how would be the climatic conditions of the Indian sub-continent? Write your reflection. (Reflection on contemporary issues and questioning)
A: In the absence of Himalayas, Indian sub-continent would have remained drier. The Great Plains would have not been protected from the cold winds of Central Asia during severe winter. The summer rains and monsoon type climate would have not been occurred.
6. Read the following Physical map of India and answer the questions given below. (Mapping Skills)
a) Which direction of India the Arabian Sea is located at?
b) Name any two rivers flowing through Deccan Plateau.
c) What is the height of K2 peak?
d) Which state the Thar desert is located at?
7. Himalayas play a vital role in India’s development. How? (Appreciation and Sensitivity)
A: * The formation of Himalayas influences the climate in various ways.
* They are reason for summer rains and monsoon type of climate in regions that are beyond the Western Ghats of India.
* These act as barriers protecting the great plains of India from the cold winds of central Asia during winter. This paves the way for undisturbed living conditions and agriculture.
* The rivers originating in the glaciers of these ranges are perennial and cause the economic growth of northern plains.
* The interaction of three Himalayan rivers the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra and their tributaries resulted in the formation of great Northern Plain, which is very fertile and help for a huge agricultural production.
* The Himalayas have beautiful valleys which are known for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables.
* Many pilgrimage and sightseeing centers are located at Himalayas which attract many tourists and foreigners.
* In the absence of Himalayas India would have remained drier.
* As India is an agriculture based country, the waters and the fertile plains help in the development of agriculture sector, which in turn generates Employment and the Food production increases.
Short Answer type questions (2 marks)
8. The agriculture flourishes more in the plain regions than in plateau regions. Why? (C.U.)
A: The plateau regions are less fertile when compared to plain regions. The rivers are plateau are not perennial whereas, the Himalayan Rivers flow throughout the year. The irrigation for the second crop depends on deep tube wells and tanks in plateau regions.
Hence, the plateau regions in India do not help agriculture as much as the plain regions. The plain regions contain alluvial soil which supports agriculture. But, the plateau regions composed the old crystalline, hard igneous and metamorphic rocks. For the above reasons, we can say that the agriculture flourishes more in the plain regions than in plateau regions.
9. Study the graph given below and answer the questions. (Information skill)
a) What does the graph tell about?
A: The graph tells about the ascents and deaths of Mount Everest from 1953 - 2011.
b) Which year recorded the highest number of ascents?
A: The year 2007 recorded the highest number of ascents.
c) Why do you think the mountaineers die during ascent and descent?
A: The high elevation and corresponding lack of oxygen coupled with extreme temperatures cause the deaths of mountaineers.
10. Locate the following on Indian physical map (Mapping skills).
a) The Himalayan Range b) The Northern Plains c) Deccan Plateau
d) Western Ghats e) Eastern Ghats f) Indian Desert
A:
11. Explain the various Islands of India (conceptual understanding).
A: There are two groups of Islands in India.
1) Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2) Lakshadweep Islands
* Andaman and Nicobar Islands stretched in Bay of Bengal in the east.
* Lakshadweep Islands stretched in the Arabian Sea in the west.
* The Narkondam and Barren islands of Andaman and Nicobar are volcanic origin.
* Lakshadweep Islands are of coral origin.
* These Islands are famous for a great variety of flora and fauna.
12. The Sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat in the west. But the clocks show the same time. How does this happen?(Reflection on contemporary issues / conceptual understanding)
A: * Based on longitudes the time is calculated.
* It takes 4 minutes for the Sun’s position to move one longitude.
* Arunachal Pradesh is located on the North-East and Gujarat is on the west side of India. The longitudes passing through them are different.
* These two different places of our country will have different times, which cause a lot of confusion.
* To avoid this confusion of time from place to place 82.30 degree East longitude is taken as Standard Meridian of India and serves as Indian Standard Time.
* People who are living in India have to follow this time. Thus, clocks show the same time.
Very short answer questions (1 mark)
13. List of the ranges of Himalayas.
A: Greater Himalayas or Himadri, Lesser Himalayas or Himachal and Shivaliks or Outer Himalayas.
14. Name any two peaks of Himalayas.
A: Everest and K2 (Godwin Austin)
15. What is time difference between IST and GMT?
A: Indian Standard Time is 5 1/2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
16. Name the neighbouring of countries of India.
A: Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
17. Write about Bhabar?
A: Bhabar is the deposition of gravel and pebble sediments in a narrow belt of 8 to 16 km. width parallel to foot hills of shivaliks by the Himalayan Rivers.
18. What is a Terai?
A: A swampy and marshy region, south to Bhabar is called Terai.
19. Write the divisions of Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains?
A: Divisions of West Coastal Plains: 1. The Konkan Coast 2. The Canara Coast 3. The Malabar Coast. Divisions of Eastern Coastal Plains: 1. The Utkal Coast 2. The Circar Coast 3. The Coramandal Coast.
20. What is Indira Point?
A: The Southernmost tip of India found in Nicobar Island is called Indira Point.
