TEXT QUESTIONS :
1. Choose the correct alternative:
1) The Ganga is known as ________ at its origin at the Gangotri glacier .
a) Bhagirathi
b) Alaknanda
c) Yamuna
d) Gandaki
2) The origin of Narmada is from a small tank known as ________ on the Amarkantak hills of Madhya Pradesh .
a) Jal kund
b) Jal Kumbh
c) Narmada Kund
d) None
3) The _______is also known as the Dakshin Ganga .
a) Godavari
b) Narmada
c) Krishna
d) Kaveri
4) An example of a salt water lake is __________ .
a) Sambhar
b) Wular
c) Dal
d) Gubind Sagar
5) The river _________ originates from the jungles of Dumacem and Amthane .
a) Mapusa
b) Chapora
c) Zuari
d) Sal
6) Manohargad is the source of _________ river .
a) Sal
b) Chapora
c) Terekhol
d) Mapusa .
Ans :
1) (a) Bhagirathi 2) (c) Narmada Kund 3) (a) Godavari
4) (a) Sambhar 5) (a) Mapusa 6) (c) Terekhol .
2. Answer the following the following in brief :
1) Write brief note on deltas of India .
Ans:
Ganga Delta : (also known as the Sunderbans Delta) It is the world’s fastest growing delta. It is also the World largest and most fertile regions in the world, thus earning the nickname The Green Delta .
Krishna Delta : 6,322 sq.km, and 95 kms wide .
Godavari Delta : The Coringa mangrove forests in the Godavari delta are the second largest mangrove formation in the country .
2) Which are the three primary water sheds of India ?
Ans: The three primary watersheds are :
(i) Himalayas and Karakoram Ranges .
(ii) Vindhya, Satpura and the Chota Nagpur Plateau .
(iii) Western Ghats .
3) Write a note on the Bramhaputra river .
Ans: The Brahmaputra originates from the Angsi glacier in Tibet near Mount Kailash. Having a length of 2900 km, the Brahmaputra is one of the longest rivers of the world. The rivers Tista, Manas, Lohit etc, are some of its major tributaries. It discharges the maximum amount of water among the Himalayan rivers, so it causes severe floods in Assam and Bangladesh .
4) Write a note on the Narmada river .
Ans: Narmada is the fifth largest river of India and flows in the east west direction. The Narmada river acts as a boundary between the Northern and the Southern parts of India .
The Narmada enters three narrow valleys between the Vindhya scarps in the north and the Satpura range in the South before draining itself into the Arabian Sea .
It flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat .
5) Write a note on the natural lakes in India .
Ans: Lakes in India are not only of geographical importance but they also support the tourism industry. These water bodies differ from region to region. Both natural and man-made lakes are found in India .
-Some common natural lakes are Wular, Dal, Sambhar and Pulicat .
They are used to help regulate flow of water, control floods during heavy rainfall, and maintain even flow of water during summer .
6) What do you understand by name ‘Punjab’ ?
Ans: Punjab means the land of five rivers. The words Punj means five and aab means Water. The five rivers that form the tributaries of Indus create the Punjab plains. These rivers are Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi and Sutlej .
7) Write a note on the Dudhsagar falls .
Ans: This is one of the most important waterfalls of Goa. It is the 5th highest waterfall in India . These falls are on the higher reaches of the Mandovi River in Goa. They have a height of 310 m . They offer a spectacular sight during the monsoon season .
3. Answer the following :
1) Compare the rivers of Himalayan region with that of rivers of Peninsular India .
Ans:
| Rivers of Himalayan Region | Rivers of Peninsular India |
| 1. They originate from snow covered mountains . | 1. They originate from peninsular river . |
| 2. They have large basins and large catchment areas . | 2. They have a small basins and small catchment areas |
| 3. They are suitable for navigation | 3. They are not suitable for navigation . |
| 4. They flow on the leveled northern plains . | 4. They flow on rocky surfaces . |
2) Why are rivers important for India ?
Ans: India is referred to as the land of rivers. The rivers in India have a major significance in its culture, economy and society. Indian agriculture is largely dependent on the rivers as they form a major source of irrigation. These rivers valleys have rich fertile alluvium soils which boost the growth of crops thereby aiding agriculture. River valleys also form a major source of income for a large part of our population. Besides being the source of irrigation to our Agro-based economy, river valleys have also aided hydroelectric power generation and river transport. These features of the river valleys have transformed the economy thus contributing to industrial development. The rivers of India have also facilitated the growth of huge flora and fauna. River rafting and pilgrimage spots of holy cities have always been along these rivers. Therefore, these rivers have largely promoted tourism which has boosted the Indian economy .
3) Write a note on the drainage patterns .
Ans: There are five types of drainage patterns: Dendritic, Parallel, Trellis, Rectangular and Radial drainage .
(i) Dendritic Pattern it is the pattern made on land by the flow of the river. Dendritic systems form in V – shaped valleys. It is the most common type of pattern and looks similar to many branches of a tree joining the main tree trunk e.g Indo Gangetic plains .
(ii) Parallel drainage develops in regions of steep slopes with some relief. The streams are swift and straight due to steep slopes. They have few tributaries, and all flow in the same direction. e.g. Western Ghats .
(iii) Trellis drainage it is formed where hard and soft rock exists. Tributaries form at approximately right angles to each other. Trellis drainage is a characteristic of folded mountains e.g. Chota Nagpur plateau .
(iv) Rectangular drainage it is a drainage pattern made by right angle bends and right angle functions, between tributaries and the main stream. e.g. Vindhya Range .
(v) Radial drainage it is formed, from the mountain peaks, where, the tributaries flow in different directions. e.g. Rivers Mahanadi and Narmada originating from Amarkantak hills .
4) Write a note on any two rivers of Goa .
Ans:
(i) The River Indus :
The Indus rises in Tibet on the northern slopes of the Kailash range. The Sutlej, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum merge with the Indus near Mithankot in Pakistan. Thereafter, the Indus flows south to drain into the Arabian Sea east of Karachi. It flows over a distance of 2900kms from its source to its mouth. It is one of the longest rivers in the world .
(ii) The River Ganga :
The Ganga is known by different names through its entire course. The Ganga originates from the Gangotri glacier wherein it is known as the Bhagirathi. The main stream is joined by the Alaknanda at Devprayag. The Bhagirath is known as Ganga only after Devprayag. The Ganga reaches the plains at Haridwar. On the plains, the Ganga is merged with the Yamuna.
-The Yamuna has a parallel course on the right bank of the Ganga till it combines with the Ganga at Prayagraj .
5) Group the names given below of a few lakes of India under two categories – Natural (N) and created by Human Beings (HB) .
Ans:
Natural (N) Created by Human beings (HB)
i) Wular , Dal, Nainital, Loktak, Chilka, i) GobindSagar, RanaPratapSagar, NizamSagar
Sambhar, Pulicat, Bhimtal . Hirakud,Nagarjuna Sagar, Barapani .