People, Development and Environment - People, Development and Environment Section 2
11. In which South American country does one find the Atacama desert?
- Option : A
- Explanation :
The Atacama Desert is located in northern Chile and is one of the driest regions on Earth due to the influence of the cold Humboldt Current and the Andes Mountains blocking moisture.
A. Chile – Correct. The Atacama Desert stretches across northern Chile.
B. Peru – Incorrect. Located north of Chile, it has coastal deserts but not the Atacama.
C. Brazil – Incorrect. Mostly tropical rainforests, not desert.
D. Columbia – Incorrect. Known for rainforests and mountains, not desert regions.
12. Winter rains in north and north-west India are generally associated with the phenomenon of
- Option : B
- Explanation :
Western disturbances, a type of temperate cyclone originating from the Mediterranean region, bring winter rain to north and north-west India.
A. Retreating monsoon – Incorrect. Brings rain to Tamil Nadu during post-monsoon, not winter rains in the north.
B. Temperate cyclones – Correct. These bring winter rainfall in northern India.
C. Local thunderstorms – Incorrect. These occur mostly in the pre-monsoon or summer season.
D. Shift in Jet stream movement – Incorrect. Influences weather patterns but is not the direct cause of rainfall.
13. Which one of the following rivers is known as "Sorow of Bihar"?
- Option : C
- Explanation :
The Kosi River is infamous for frequent and destructive flooding in Bihar, which is why it is called the "Sorrow of Bihar".
A. Damodar – Incorrect. Known as the "Sorrow of Bengal" due to historical floods.
B. Gandak – Incorrect. Causes floods but not as devastating as Kosi.
C. Kosi – Correct. Known for its unpredictable course and floods in Bihar.
D. Sone – Incorrect. A relatively stable river with fewer flood issues.
- Option : C
- Explanation :
Meridians are vertical lines running from the North Pole to the South Pole and are used to measure longitude.
A. Contours – Incorrect. These lines show elevation and terrain on a map.
B. Isobars – Incorrect. These connect places with equal atmospheric pressure.
C. Meridians – Correct. These are lines of longitude from pole to pole.
D. Steppes – Incorrect. Refers to grasslands, not map lines.
15. A lunar eclipse occurs when
- Option : B
- Explanation :
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon. This can only occur during a full moon.
A. Sun, Moon and Earth are not in the same line – Incorrect. A lunar eclipse occurs only when all three are aligned.
B. Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon – Correct. This alignment blocks sunlight from reaching the Moon.
C. Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth – Incorrect. This causes a solar eclipse, not a lunar one.
D. Sun comes between the Earth and the Moon – Incorrect. This alignment never occurs in reality.
