CHAPTER 2: Structure and Physiography (Date : 21-09-2022)

Question 1:

The Ganga Plain can be best described as a:

Geosyncline Plain
Karst Plain
Peneplain
Pediplain

Correct Answer : A

Explanation

Geosyncline means a huge depression. Ganga Plain can be best described as a geosyncline.
Peneplain (an almost plain) is a low-relief plain which is formed as a result of stream erosion. It is produced by fluvial erosion that would, in the course of geologic time, reduce the land almost to base level (sea level), leaving so little gradient that essentially no more erosion could occur.
Pediplain is an extensive plain formed in a desert by the coalescence of neighbouring pediments.
- Pediment: It is a gently sloping bedrock surface created by lateral erosion or by mechanical weathering.
Karst plain can be best described as limestone plain.
Hence, option (a) is correct.

Question 2:

Which one of the following statements best describes Karewas?

They are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraines.
They are the alluvial plains formed by sediments brought about by rivers.
They are the rich black soil regions which are famous for cotton cultivation.
They are the camel riders of north west Rajasthan who usually move from one place to another.

Correct Answer : A

Explanation

The Kashmir Himalayas are famous for Karewas formations which are useful for the cultivation of Zafran, a local variety of saffron. In the Kashmiri dialect, the term Karewa means “elevated table land”.
- “Vudr” is the local name for Karewas in Kashmiri language.
Karewas are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraines. These are unconsolidated lacustrine deposits.
- Lacustrine means “associated with lakes”.
Hence, option (a) is correct.

Question 3:

Which of the following statements is correct?

Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu & Kashmir is situated on the bank of Indus river.
Jhelum in the valley of Kashmir is still in its youthful stage yet it forms meanders.
Zojila pass and Banihal pass are located in northeastern Himalayas.
The approximate length of the Great Himalayas is known as the anti-axial range.

Correct Answer : B

Explanation

Srinagar is the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in the Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, one of the five tributary of the Indus that are Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. Hence, statement (a) is not correct.
Jhelum in the valley of Kashmir is still in the youth stage but yet forms meanders which is a typical feature associated with the mature stage in the evolution of Fluvial landform. Hence, statement (b) is correct.
Zojila pass is located on the northwestern himalayas. Zoji la is located in Drass, Ladakh at an altitude above 11,650 ft and historically remains closed for the major part of the winter season.
Banihal Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.157m (7,076ft) above the sea level, located in Ramban district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Hence, statement (c) is not correct.
The approximate length of the Great Himalayas is known as the Central Axial range and not the anti-axial range. Hence, statement (d) is not correct.

Question 4:

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Bhotia tribe?

They mostly inhabit the Great Himalayas range.
They are nomadic groups who migrate to Bugyals (the summer grasslands in the higher reaches) and return to the valley in winter.

Choose the correct answer using the codes given below:

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : C

Explanation

Bhotiyas are originally an ethno-linguistic tribe along the trans-Himalayan belt.
- They were nomadic pastoralists and traded wool and salt between Tibet and China
- They inhabited the high-altitude regions (from 6500 to 13000 ft) of the Indian central Himalaya at the Indo-Tibetan and Indo-Nepal borders.
  - The Trans-Himalayas Mountain Region or Tibet Himalayan Region is located to the north of the Great Himalayas. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
In India, Bhotiya community settlements are found in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Tripura.
- Formerly, their primary occupation was sheep rearing and trans-Himalayan trade.
- The geographic location of their settlements played a vital role in the intermixing and assimilation of the Tibetan-Hindu culture.
The various dialects of the language spoken by them has strong similarity to the eastern subgroup of the Tibeto-Burman language family. Most Bhotiyas are multilingual and speak Hindi, Garhwali and Nepali, in addition to their mother tongue, Rongpa.
- The Bhotiyas and the Gujars are two well-known communities which practise transhumance. Hence, statemement 2 is correct.

Question 5:

Consider the following statements:

The Western coastal plains is broader than Eastern coastal plain and is an example of an emergent coast.
The Eastern coastal plain is an example of submerged coastal plains.

Which of the statements given above are correct with reference to the Coastal plains:

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : D

Explanation

The Western coastal plains is a narrow belt in comparison to the Eastern coastal plains and is an example of submerged coastal plains. Because of its submergence it is a narrow belt and provides natural conditions for development of ports and harbours. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
The Eastern coastal plain is broader and is an example of an emergent coast. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Question 6:

Consider the following statements with reference to the Northern Plains:

The Northern plains are formed by the alluvial deposits brought by the rivers of Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus.
From north to south they can be divided into three major zones - alluvial, bhabar and terai.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : A

Explanation

The Northern plains extend approximately 3,200 km from the east to the west. They are formed by the alluvial deposits brought by the rivers Ganga , Indus and Brahmaputra.Hence,statement 1 is correct.
The maximum depth of alluvium deposits varies between 1,000 to 2,000 m. From the north to south, these can be divided into 3 major zones: the Bhabar , khadar, and alluvial plains. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
- The alluvial plains can be further divided into khadar and Bangar.
- The porosity of bhabar is the most unique feature which is due to deposition of huge number of pebbles and rock debris across the alluvial fans.
  - The streams disappear once they reach the bhabar region because of this porosity.

Question 7:

Consider the following statements regarding Alluvial plains:

The south of terai belt consists of old and new alluvial deposits known as bhangar and khadar respectively.
These plains have characteristic features of the mature stage of fluvial erosional and depositional landforms.
Most of these areas are subjected to periodic floods and shifting river courses forming braided streams.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
1 only

Correct Answer : C

Explanation

The northern plains have 3 major belts - the Bhabar , the Terai and the alluvial plains from north to south respectively.
Old and new alluvial respectively are called bangar and khadar because of bangar formed by old alluvial and new khadar formed by new alluvial in india.
- It is also known as the Northern Plain of India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
These plains have characteristic features of the mature stage of fluvial
erosional and depositional landforms like sandbars , meanders , oxbow lakes
and braided channels. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Alluvial plains lies close to the banks of rivers and are prone to periodic flooding by the rivers due to the overflow of rivers as well as due to the shifting of their course. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Question 8:

Which of the following statements is/are correct with reference to Loktak lake?

It is located in the state of Mizoram.
Keibul Lamjao, the only floating national park in the world, is located on this lake.

Select the correct answer using the code below:

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : B

Explanation

Loktak lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India (Manipur), and is famous for the phumdis (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil, and organic matter at various stages of decomposition) floating over it. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
The Keibul Lamjao national park is also the habitat of Sangai (brow-antlered deer or dancing deer.
- Afloat on the waters of the Loktak Lake in Manipur, the Keibul Lamjao National Park is the world’s only floating wildlife sanctuary. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
- Sangai (brow-antlered deer is an endemic and rare subspecies of brow antlered deer found only in Manipur.

Question 9:

Consider the following statements with reference to the Peninsular plateau:

The general elevation of plateau is from the east to the west.
The peninsula is formed by a great complex of very ancient gneisses and granites, which constitutes a major part of it.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : B

Explanation

The peninsular plateau is one of the oldest and the most stable landmass of India.
- The general elevation of the plateau is from the west to the east, which is also proved by the pattern of flow of rivers like Mahanadi , Godavari , Kaveri flowing into Bay of Bengal. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
The Peninsula is formed essentially by a great complex of very ancient gneisses and granites, which constitutes a major part of it. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Since the Cambrian period, the Peninsula has been standing like a rigid block with the exception of some of its western coast which is submerged beneath the sea and some other parts changed due to tectonic activity without affecting the original basement.

Question 10:

Which one of the following statements is not correct regarding Western Ghats?

They are locally known by different names such as Sahyadri , Nilgiri hills, Anaimalai hills and Cardamom hills.
They are comparatively lower in elevation and more discontinuous than Eastern Ghats.
Its height increases from north to south.
The Eastern Ghats and Western ghats meet each other at Nilgiri hills.

Correct Answer : B

Explanation

Western Ghats are locally known by different names such as sahyadri in Maharashtra, Nilgiri hills in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu , Anaimalai hills and Cardamom hills in Kerala. Hence, statement (a) is correct.
Western Ghats are comparatively higher in elevation and more continuous than the Eastern Ghats. Hence,statement (b) is not correct.
The Niligiri ranges southeast of Mysore in Karnataka, meet the Shevaroys (Servarayan range) and Tirumala range farther east, linking the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats. Hence,statement (d) is correct.
The height of the Western Ghats increases when we go from from north to south.For an example, the peak of Anamudi in Kerala is the highest peak in the Western Ghats, as well as the highest peak in India outside the Himalayas. Hence, statement (c) is correct.

Question 11:

Which of the following statements is/are correct with reference to Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

Jarawas and Onges are the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of Andaman & Nicobar.
Andaman island is separated from the Nicobar island by 11° channel.

Choose the correct answer using the codes given below:

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : A

Explanation

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a union territory of India. This territory is known as A & N Islands, or ANI.
- It is located in the Indian Ocean, in the southern reaches of the Bay of Bengal, nearer to Indonesia and Thailand.
These two groups are separated by the 10° N parallel (Ten degree channel), the Andamans lying to the north of this latitude, and the Nicobars to the south. The capital of this territory is the Andamanese town of Port Blair.
- The 11° channel separates Amindivi and Cannanore of lakshadweep islands. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands receive convectional rainfall and have an equatorial type of vegetation.
Particularly vulnerable Tribal Groups (PTGs) who have been identified in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. They are:-
- Great Andamanese of Strait Island
- Onges of Little Andaman
- Jarawas of South and Middle Andaman
- Sentinelese of Sentinel Islands
- Shompens of Great Nicobar
- Hence, statement 1 is correct.