Pedagogy

CTET Social Studies (SST) MCQ with Answers, Paper 2

756 practice questions on Social Studies and its Pedagogy (Paper II) for CTET Paper II (Social Studies/Social Science), with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.

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1. Q.501

   When the government prevents certain news items, scenes from films or lyrics of songs from being shared with the public, it is called:

   1. A Branding
   2. B Setting the agenda
   3. C Balanced reporting
   4. D Censorship
   Show answer

   Correct answer: (D) Censorship

   Censorship is the government's power to stop some news, film scenes or song lyrics from reaching the public. Setting the agenda, by contrast, is the media choosing which issues to focus on.

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2. Q.502

   Observing a Class 7 social science period, a mentor finds that the teacher talks for 35 of 40 minutes and students only answer 'yes' or 'no'. In line with NCF 2005, the most important improvement would be to:

   1. A Make more room for student talk through discussion, questions and shared experiences
   2. B Speak faster and skip activities so that more of the syllabus is covered in each period
   3. C Ask students to copy notes silently from the board for the whole period
   4. D Give a written test at the end of every period to keep students alert
   Show answer

   Correct answer: (A) Make more room for student talk through discussion, questions and shared experiences

   NCF 2005 sees learning as active meaning-making, which needs classroom dialogue in which children express, test and revise their ideas. A teacher's monologue leaves little room for this.

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3. Q.503

   By the seventh century, kings acknowledged big landlords or warrior chiefs in different regions as their subordinates. These chiefs were expected to bring gifts, be present at court and provide military support. They were called:

   1. A samantas
   2. B muqtis
   3. C mansabdars
   4. D nayakas
   Show answer

   Correct answer: (A) samantas

   Such subordinates were called samantas. As they gained power and wealth, some declared themselves maha-samanta or maha-mandaleshvara, and some, like the Rashtrakutas, eventually overthrew their overlords. Muqtis and mansabdars belong to the Sultanate and Mughal periods.

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4. Q.504

   Instead of appointing aristocrats as governors, the early Delhi Sultans, especially Iltutmish, favoured special slaves purchased for military service and trained to man important offices. These slaves were called:

   1. A bandagan
   2. B muqtis
   3. C ulama
   4. D sardars
   Show answer

   Correct answer: (A) bandagan

   Bandagan were slaves bought for military service and carefully trained for high political offices; being totally dependent on their master, they could be trusted. Muqtis were holders of iqtas, and the ulama were scholars of Islamic learning.

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5. Q.505

   Assertion (A): Many people in rural areas have to travel long distances to see a doctor.

   Reason (R): Most doctors prefer to settle and practise in urban areas.

   1. A Both A and R are true; R explains A
   2. B Both A and R are true; R does not explain A
   3. C A is true; R is false
   4. D A is false; R is true
   Show answer

   Correct answer: (A) Both A and R are true; R explains A

   Doctors are concentrated in towns and cities, so the number of doctors relative to the population is much lower in villages. That is why rural people often have to travel far for treatment.

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6. Q.506

   The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 is significant because it:

   1. A Recognises forest dwellers' rights to land and forest resources
   2. B Bans all entry of people into forests to protect wildlife
   3. C Reserves seats for Adivasis in Parliament for the first time
   4. D Hands over forest land to private companies for mining and timber
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   Correct answer: (A) Recognises forest dwellers' rights to land and forest resources

   The Act recognises the rights of forest-dwelling communities to homestead, cultivable and grazing land and to minor (non-timber) forest produce, and it acknowledges the historical injustice done to them. Reserved seats for Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha come from the Constitution itself.

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7. Q.507

   In 1994, an outbreak of which disease in Surat, Gujarat, made the Municipal Corporation take major steps to clean up the city?

   1. A Cholera
   2. B Smallpox
   3. C Plague
   4. D Malaria
   Show answer

   Correct answer: (C) Plague

   The plague outbreak of 1994 in Surat, then seen as a very dirty city, pushed the Municipal Corporation to improve garbage collection and sanitation. It shows how civic cleanliness is linked to public health.

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8. Q.508

   The Swadeshi movement that followed the partition of Bengal spread to other regions. In Andhra, it was known as the:

   1. A Khilafat Movement
   2. B Vandemataram Movement
   3. C Self-Respect Movement
   4. D Home Rule Movement
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   Correct answer: (B) Vandemataram Movement

   In Andhra the Swadeshi movement was known as the Vandemataram Movement. It encouraged Indian enterprises, national education and the boycott of British goods, and some groups also turned to revolutionary violence.

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9. Q.509

   Match the temperate grasslands with the regions where they are found:

   (a) Prairies (b) Velds (c) Pampas (d) Downs

   1. Australia 2. South Africa 3. North America 4. Argentina (South America)

   1. A a-3, b-4, c-2, d-1
   2. B a-2, b-3, c-4, d-1
   3. C a-3, b-2, c-1, d-4
   4. D a-3, b-2, c-4, d-1
   Show answer

   Correct answer: (D) a-3, b-2, c-4, d-1

   Temperate grasslands have different local names: the Prairies of North America, the Velds of South Africa, the Pampas of Argentina and the Downs of Australia. The tropical grasslands of Africa, by contrast, are called savanna.

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10. Q.510

    The Kitab al-Hind, an account of the subcontinent written in Arabic, was produced by the scholar al-Biruni, who had been brought to Ghazni by:

    1. A Muhammad Ghori
    2. B Mahmud of Ghazni
    3. C Alauddin Khalji
    4. D Zahiruddin Babur
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (B) Mahmud of Ghazni

    Al-Biruni was brought to Ghazni in 1017 by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, who raided the subcontinent 17 times, and he lived at Mahmud's court. It is sometimes said that Mahmud entrusted him with this account, but in his own preface al-Biruni says he wrote it at the urging of a scholar friend. The Kitab al-Hind remains an important source for historians.

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11. Q.511

    After 1854 the Company brought pathshalas under new rules, such as a regular timetable, textbooks, annual examinations and regular attendance. Why did these rules make it harder for children of poor peasant families to study?

    1. A Attendance was required even at harvest, when they worked in the fields
    2. B The new rules barred peasants' children from entering any pathshala
    3. C All lessons in every pathshala now had to be given only in English
    4. D The pathshalas were shifted from the villages to the district towns
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Attendance was required even at harvest, when they worked in the fields

    Earlier, pathshalas did not hold classes at harvest time, so poor children could study; the new system demanded regular attendance even then, and inability to attend came to be seen as indiscipline. The rules did not formally exclude anyone or shift teaching to English.

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12. Q.512

    Which of the following questions on rural livelihoods demands the highest level of thinking (evaluation) from Class 6 students?

    1. A List any three occupations that people in a village follow to earn a living.
    2. B Describe the daily work of an agricultural labourer.
    3. C What is meant by the term 'landless labourer'?
    4. D Is a landless labourer or a small farmer more secure? Justify your view.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) Is a landless labourer or a small farmer more secure? Justify your view.

    Evaluation requires students to judge between alternatives and support the judgement with reasons and evidence. Listing, describing and defining call only for recall and understanding.

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13. Q.513

    Abstract concepts such as 'secularism' and 'equality' are difficult for Class 8 students. The most appropriate teaching strategy is to:

    1. A Relate them to concrete examples from children's own lives, such as festivals celebrated in school and fairness in games
    2. B Give the dictionary definition and ask students to memorise it
    3. C Skip the concepts until students reach higher classes
    4. D Explain only the Constitutional Article and move on
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    Correct answer: (A) Relate them to concrete examples from children's own lives, such as festivals celebrated in school and fairness in games

    Abstract social concepts become meaningful when anchored in lived experience. Constructivist teaching builds the concept from familiar situations before introducing formal definitions and constitutional provisions.

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14. Q.514

    How many members of the Rajya Sabha are nominated by the President for their special knowledge or experience in fields such as literature, science, art and social service?

    1. A 2
    2. B 10
    3. C 14
    4. D 12
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) 12

    Under Article 80, the President nominates 12 members to the Rajya Sabha for their special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art and social service. The other members are elected by the legislatures of the states and of certain Union Territories.

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15. Q.515

    Arrange these events in chronological order: 1. The Battle of Buxar 2. The Battle of Plassey 3. The grant of the Diwani of Bengal to the Company 4. The setting up of the first English factory on the banks of the Hugli

    1. A 2, 4, 1, 3
    2. B 4, 2, 3, 1
    3. C 4, 1, 2, 3
    4. D 4, 2, 1, 3
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) 4, 2, 1, 3

    The first English factory on the Hugli was set up in 1651, Plassey was fought in 1757, Buxar in 1764, and the Mughal emperor made the Company the Diwan of Bengal in 1765. The Diwani came after Buxar, not before it.

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16. Q.516

    Coniferous forests (taiga) supply softwood that is used to make pulp for paper and newsprint. Which trees are typical of these forests?

    1. A Chir, pine and cedar
    2. B Sal, teak and shisham
    3. C Rosewood, ebony and mahogany
    4. D Babool, khair and keekar
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Chir, pine and cedar

    Coniferous forests of the higher latitudes and high mountains have softwood trees such as chir, pine and cedar. Rosewood, ebony and mahogany are hardwoods of tropical evergreen forests, sal and teak grow in deciduous forests, and babool and khair are thorny plants of dry areas.

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17. Q.517

    The Governor of a state is appointed by:

    1. A The Chief Minister of the state
    2. B The members of the Legislative Assembly
    3. C The Chief Justice of the High Court
    4. D The President of India
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    Correct answer: (D) The President of India

    The Governor is appointed by the President of India, acting on the advice of the Union government. The Chief Minister is the leader of the majority in the Legislative Assembly and heads the state government.

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18. Q.518

    Assertion (A): Knowing only the latitude of a place is not enough to fix its exact location on a globe.

    Reason (R): Each parallel of latitude is a full circle on which countless places lie.

    Choose the correct option.

    1. A Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
    2. B Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
    3. C A is true, but R is false
    4. D A is false, but R is true
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

    A latitude only tells how far north or south of the Equator a place is, and every place on that parallel shares it. The longitude must also be known, which is why the grid of latitudes and longitudes is used to locate places.

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19. Q.519

    Match the groups of rulers in Samudragupta's prashasti with how he treated them: A. Rulers of Aryavarta B. Rulers of dakshinapatha C. Inner circle of neighbouring states D. Rulers of outlying areas; 1. Brought tribute, obeyed orders, attended his court 2. Uprooted; their kingdoms added to his empire 3. Submitted and offered daughters in marriage 4. Surrendered, then allowed to rule again

    1. A A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3
    2. B A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
    3. C A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
    4. D A-1, B-4, C-2, D-3
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (B) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3

    The nine rulers of Aryavarta were uprooted and their lands added to the empire, while twelve rulers of dakshinapatha surrendered and were allowed to rule again. Neighbouring states such as Assam, coastal Bengal and Nepal brought tribute and attended court, and outlying rulers, perhaps Kushana and Shaka descendants and the ruler of Sri Lanka, submitted and offered daughters in marriage.

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20. Q.520

    Earthquakes and volcanoes occur far more often in some belts of the Earth than in others. These belts are mainly linked to:

    1. A the heavy rainfall of the equatorial region
    2. B the movement of the lithospheric plates
    3. C the Moon's gravitational pull on the oceans
    4. D the cold, dense air over the polar regions
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    Correct answer: (B) the movement of the lithospheric plates

    The Earth's lithosphere (the crust together with the uppermost mantle) is broken into plates that keep moving very slowly. Their movement, especially where plates meet, sets off earthquakes and volcanic activity; rainfall, tides and polar air have nothing to do with it.

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21. Q.521

    Lothal stood beside a tributary of the Sabarmati in Gujarat, close to the Gulf of Khambhat and near areas where semi-precious stones were easily available. It was an important centre for:

    1. A making beads and other objects of stone, shell and metal
    2. B mining the copper that was used in all the Harappan cities
    3. C growing cotton for the first time in the subcontinent
    4. D carving the large stone letters of the Harappan script
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    Correct answer: (A) making beads and other objects of stone, shell and metal

    Lothal was a centre for making objects of stone, shell and metal; a building with stone pieces, half-made beads, tools and finished beads was probably a bead workshop. Many seals and sealings were also found in its storehouse, while the large stone letters were found at Dholavira.

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22. Q.522

    Which of the following is the main purpose of a summative assessment held at the end of a term?

    1. A To judge and report what students achieved in the units taught
    2. B To find out what ideas students already hold before a new unit begins
    3. C To adjust the next day's lesson based on today's answers
    4. D To give instant feedback while students work in groups
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    Correct answer: (A) To judge and report what students achieved in the units taught

    Summative assessment sums up learning at the end of a unit or term so that it can be reported. Finding prior ideas is diagnostic, and adjusting teaching or giving feedback during work is formative.

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23. Q.523

    The Nayanars and the Alvars, bhakti saints of south India, were devoted respectively to:

    1. A Shiva and Vishnu
    2. B Vishnu and Shiva
    3. C the Buddha and the Jaina tirthankaras
    4. D Krishna and Rama
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    Correct answer: (A) Shiva and Vishnu

    The Nayanars were saints devoted to Shiva and the Alvars were devoted to Vishnu. They came from all castes, including those considered 'untouchable', and composed devotional poems in Tamil.

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24. Q.524

    According to NCF 2005, with respect to social and gender justice, social science teaching should enable students to:

    1. A Accept the existing social order as natural and unchangeable
    2. B Avoid all discussion of caste, class and gender in the classroom
    3. C Become sensitive to inequality and injustice and question discriminatory practices
    4. D Study these issues only as examination topics
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    Correct answer: (C) Become sensitive to inequality and injustice and question discriminatory practices

    NCF 2005 places social and gender justice at the heart of social science: the subject should help children recognise discrimination based on caste, gender, religion or region and develop the commitment to challenge it.

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25. Q.525

    Large letters of the Harappan script, carved out of white stone and perhaps inlaid in wood, were a unique discovery at which city on Khadir Beyt in the Rann of Kutch?

    1. A Lothal
    2. B Kalibangan
    3. C Mohenjodaro
    4. D Dholavira
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) Dholavira

    Dholavira, on Khadir Beyt in the Rann of Kutch, was divided into three parts surrounded by massive stone walls, and large letters of the Harappan script carved from white stone were found there. Lothal, near the Gulf of Khambhat, was a centre for making objects of stone, shell and metal.

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26. Q.526

    At Burzahom in present-day Kashmir, archaeologists found that early farmers built:

    1. A houses of baked brick connected to covered drains
    2. B pit-houses dug into the ground, with steps leading into them
    3. C houses raised on wooden stilts over the waters of lakes and rivers
    4. D rock-cut monasteries with pillared halls
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    Correct answer: (B) pit-houses dug into the ground, with steps leading into them

    People at Burzahom built pit-houses dug into the ground with steps leading into them; these may have given shelter in cold weather. Baked-brick houses with covered drains are typical of Harappan cities.

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27. Q.527

    Why is coal often referred to as 'buried sunshine'?

    1. A It glows like the Sun when it is freshly mined
    2. B It is found only in hot desert regions
    3. C It formed from ancient plants that stored the Sun's energy and got buried
    4. D It is produced underground by the Sun's rays falling on rocks
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) It formed from ancient plants that stored the Sun's energy and got buried

    The coal we use today formed millions of years ago when giant ferns and swamp vegetation were buried under layers of earth; the energy those plants had captured from sunlight is released when coal burns.

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28. Q.528

    In the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, which body works at the block (or mandal) level and has many Gram Panchayats under it?

    1. A Gram Sabha
    2. B Zila Parishad
    3. C Panchayat Samiti
    4. D Municipal Council
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    Correct answer: (C) Panchayat Samiti

    The Panchayat Samiti, at the block or mandal level, links the many Gram Panchayats below it with the Zila Parishad at the district level above it.

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29. Q.529

    After the Bhopal gas tragedy, the Indian government, representing the victims, filed a case against Union Carbide for $3 billion in 1985. In 1989 it accepted a settlement of about:

    1. A $3 billion
    2. B $47 million
    3. C $470 million
    4. D $1.5 billion
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    Correct answer: (C) $470 million

    The government accepted a settlement of $470 million in 1989, far less than its original claim of $3 billion. Survivors have long argued that this compensation was inadequate.

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30. Q.530

    William Adam, a Scottish missionary, toured the districts of Bengal and Bihar in the 1830s to report on vernacular education. What did he report?

    1. A Only a handful of village schools existed, all of them for upper-caste boys
    2. B He estimated that there were about 1 lakh pathshalas in the villages
    3. C Mission schools had already replaced the pathshalas in most villages
    4. D Pathshalas used printed textbooks and held annual examinations
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (B) He estimated that there were about 1 lakh pathshalas in the villages

    Adam estimated that Bengal and Bihar had about 1 lakh pathshalas; most were small, usually with no more than 20 pupils each, but together they taught a very large number of children (Our Pasts III puts it at over 20 lakh). The system was flexible, without printed books, fixed fees or annual examinations.

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31. Q.531

    Areas where warm and cold ocean currents meet provide some of the best fishing grounds in the world. Which of the following is such an area?

    1. A The seas around Japan
    2. B The Caspian Sea
    3. C The Dead Sea
    4. D The Red Sea
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) The seas around Japan

    Warm and cold currents meet in the seas around Japan and off the eastern coast of North America, making these some of the richest fishing grounds. The Caspian Sea and the Dead Sea are enclosed water bodies without ocean currents.

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32. Q.532

    In the Amazon rainforest, some people live in large apartment-like houses with steeply slanting roofs. These houses are called:

    1. A malocas
    2. B igloos
    3. C yurts
    4. D haciendas
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    Correct answer: (A) malocas

    Malocas are large, apartment-like dwellings with a steeply slanting roof, built by some people of the Amazon rainforest. Igloos are the snow houses of the Inuit, and yurts are the tent homes of herders in Central Asia.

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33. Q.533

    Consider the following statements about the subsidiary alliance: 1. Indian rulers who accepted it were not allowed to have independent armed forces. 2. The cost of the 'subsidiary forces' that protected the ruler was borne by the Company itself. 3. If a ruler failed to pay, part of his territory was taken away as a penalty. Which of these are correct?

    1. A 1 and 2 only
    2. B 2 and 3 only
    3. C 1 and 3 only
    4. D 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) 1 and 3 only

    The ruler had to pay for the subsidiary forces, so statement 2 is wrong. When rulers failed to pay, territory was taken as a penalty: for example, the Nawab of Awadh had to give over half his territory to the Company in 1801.

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34. Q.534

    Consider these statements about portfolios in social science. 1. A portfolio should contain only a student's best final work. 2. It can include drafts that show how a piece of work improved. 3. Students can help choose what goes into it and reflect on why. Which are correct?

    1. A 1 and 2 only
    2. B 2 and 3 only
    3. C 1 and 3 only
    4. D 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (B) 2 and 3 only

    A portfolio shows growth over time, so drafts and improvements belong in it, and involving students in choosing and reflecting on their work builds self-assessment. Keeping only the best final work would hide progress.

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35. Q.535

    In the Gupta period, some important people took part in the administration of towns. Match their titles with their meanings: A. Nagara-shreshthi B. Sarthavaha C. Prathama-kulika D. Prathama-kayastha; 1. Leader of merchant caravans 2. Chief scribe 3. Chief banker or merchant of the city 4. Chief craftsman

    1. A A-1, B-3, C-4, D-2
    2. B A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
    3. C A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
    4. D A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2

    The nagara-shreshthi was the chief banker or merchant of the city, the sarthavaha the leader of merchant caravans, the prathama-kulika the chief craftsman, and the prathama-kayastha the chief scribe, the head of the kayasthas or scribes. Such titles show how important merchants and craftspersons were in the life of Gupta-period towns.

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36. Q.536

    The decision to shift the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi was announced in 1911:

    1. A soon after the partition of Bengal was first announced by Curzon
    2. B at a session of the Indian National Congress that was held in Delhi
    3. C at a Durbar in Delhi held to celebrate the coronation of King George V
    4. D when the new buildings on Raisina Hill were formally inaugurated
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) at a Durbar in Delhi held to celebrate the coronation of King George V

    In 1911 a Durbar was held in Delhi to celebrate the coronation of King George V, and the decision to shift the capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced there. New Delhi's buildings were completed and inaugurated much later, in the 1930s.

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37. Q.537

    Which of the following statements about Mirabai is correct?

    1. A She was a saint-poet of Maharashtra who sang abhangs to Vitthala at the temple in Pandharpur
    2. B She led the Virashaiva movement against caste and Brahmanical ideas in twelfth-century Karnataka
    3. C She was an Alvar saint who composed hymns in Tamil in praise of Vishnu
    4. D She was a disciple of Ravidas, a saint of an 'untouchable' caste, and sang bhajans to Krishna
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) She was a disciple of Ravidas, a saint of an 'untouchable' caste, and sang bhajans to Krishna

    Mirabai, a Rajput princess married into the royal family of Mewar in the sixteenth century, became a disciple of Ravidas and composed bhajans expressing intense devotion to Krishna. Her songs openly challenged the norms of the 'upper' castes and became popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

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38. Q.538

    Under Suraj Mal, who consolidated the Jat state during 1756-1763, which Jat kingdom emerged as a strong state in eighteenth-century north India?

    1. A Patiala
    2. B Bharatpur
    3. C Amber
    4. D Jhansi
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (B) Bharatpur

    Under Suraj Mal the kingdom of Bharatpur became a strong state. He built the famous Lohagarh fort at Bharatpur, and the Jats also built an elaborate garden palace at Dig. Patiala was a Sikh state, and Amber was the kingdom of the Kachhwaha Rajputs.

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39. Q.539

    Movements of the Earth are caused by endogenic forces, which act from inside the Earth, and exogenic forces, which act on its surface. Which of the following is the result of an endogenic force?

    1. A A sand dune formed by wind
    2. B A valley cut by a river
    3. C A volcanic eruption
    4. D A moraine left by a glacier
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) A volcanic eruption

    Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions result from forces inside the Earth, such as the movement of lithospheric plates. Wind, running water and glaciers are exogenic agents that wear down and rebuild the surface.

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40. Q.540

    Which territory was annexed by the Company in 1856 on the ground that it was being misgoverned, rather than under the doctrine of lapse?

    1. A Jhansi
    2. B Satara
    3. C Nagpur
    4. D Awadh
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) Awadh

    Satara, Nagpur and Jhansi were annexed under the doctrine of lapse because their rulers died without a male heir. Awadh was taken over in 1856 with the claim that the British had a duty to free its people from 'misgovernment'.

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41. Q.541

    Students compare a satellite image of their town on an online map service with a printed map of the same area. This mainly helps them to:

    1. A Avoid having to learn the conventional symbols and the key of a printed map
    2. B Find out the exact age of each building in the town
    3. C Relate map symbols to real features and see how maps simplify reality
    4. D Replace all field visits with work on a computer screen
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Relate map symbols to real features and see how maps simplify reality

    Seeing the same place as an image and as a map shows that maps select, simplify and symbolise features. It strengthens the understanding of conventional symbols rather than replacing it.

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42. Q.542

    The dance form Kathak takes its name from the kathaks, who were originally:

    1. A court musicians who performed before the Mughal emperors
    2. B temple priests of south India
    3. C a caste of storytellers in temples of north India
    4. D Sufi saints who danced in their khanqahs
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) a caste of storytellers in temples of north India

    Katha means story, and the kathaks were originally a caste of storytellers in north Indian temples who embellished their performances with gestures and songs. Kathak later developed in the Mughal courts and in two gharanas, in the courts of Rajasthan (Jaipur) and in Lucknow.

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43. Q.543

    Using a timeline in a history class mainly helps children to understand:

    1. A Spatial relations between places
    2. B Chronology, sequence and the relative duration of events and periods
    3. C Only the dates that must be memorised for the test
    4. D The causes of every historical event
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    Correct answer: (B) Chronology, sequence and the relative duration of events and periods

    A timeline makes time visible: it shows what came before and after, how long periods lasted and how events overlap. It supports the concept of chronology rather than mere date memorisation.

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44. Q.544

    Regions with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, found around the Mediterranean Sea and on the west and south-west margins of other continents, are called the 'orchards of the world'. Why?

    1. A They have dense evergreen forests of hardwood trees such as ebony
    2. B They have vast temperate grasslands used for wheat
    3. C Citrus fruits, figs, olives and grapes are widely grown there
    4. D Their thick mangrove forests supply fruit and timber
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    Correct answer: (C) Citrus fruits, figs, olives and grapes are widely grown there

    In Mediterranean regions people have largely replaced the natural vegetation with orchards, because dry summers and mild, rainy winters suit citrus fruits, figs, olives and grapes. That is why these regions are known as the orchards of the world.

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45. Q.545

    Which tribal community of eastern India rose in revolt against outsiders and colonial rule in 1855?

    1. A The Santhals
    2. B The Kols
    3. C The Mundas
    4. D The Baigas
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    Correct answer: (A) The Santhals

    The Santhals rose in revolt in 1855. The Kols had rebelled earlier, in 1831-32, and Birsa Munda's movement among the Mundas came in the 1890s.

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46. Q.546

    In a city, people in well-off areas get municipal water regularly, while people in a slum share a few public taps and buy water from private tankers at high prices. This situation mainly shows that:

    1. A access to an essential public facility is unequal
    2. B slum dwellers do not need clean water
    3. C private tankers make water cheaper for the poorest families
    4. D the city has more water than it needs
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    Correct answer: (A) access to an essential public facility is unequal

    Water is essential for life and courts have treated it as part of the right to life, yet in many cities its supply is unequal. The poor, who can least afford it, often pay the most for water bought from tankers.

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47. Q.547

    A village panchayat allows each family to collect only fallen wood from the community forest and requires two saplings to be planted for every tree that is cut. This practice best reflects:

    1. A sustainable development
    2. B resource depletion
    3. C shifting cultivation
    4. D encroachment on common land
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    Correct answer: (A) sustainable development

    Sustainable development balances the need to use resources today with conserving them for the future, as the village does by limiting use and replacing what is cut. Depletion and encroachment are the opposite, and shifting cultivation involves clearing forest plots.

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48. Q.548

    Several thinkers of the Upanishads believed that the individual soul and the universal soul were ultimately one. The individual soul and the universal soul were called, respectively:

    1. A ahimsa and moksha
    2. B tanha and karma
    3. C dhamma and sangha
    4. D atman and brahman
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    Correct answer: (D) atman and brahman

    Upanishadic thinkers held that the atman, or individual soul, and the brahman, or universal soul, were ultimately one. Most of these thinkers were men, especially brahmins and rajas, though a few women such as Gargi took part in debates.

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49. Q.549

    In shifting cultivation, a farmer clears a forest plot by cutting and burning, grows crops there for a few years and then moves to a new plot. Why does the farmer move?

    1. A The government does not allow farming in one place
    2. B The soil loses its fertility after a few years
    3. C The forest grows back over the plot within a single season
    4. D The heavy rainfall of the region stops crops from growing
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    Correct answer: (B) The soil loses its fertility after a few years

    The ash of the burnt vegetation enriches the soil only for a short time; once the soil loses its fertility the plot is abandoned and a new one is cleared. This 'slash and burn' farming is practised in thickly forested, heavy-rainfall areas such as the Amazon basin and north-east India.

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50. Q.550

    In 1927 the British government decided to send the Simon Commission to India to decide on its political future. Why did the Congress and most other Indian political groups boycott it?

    1. A It proposed to partition India at once
    2. B It had no Indian representative
    3. C It planned to bring back the Rowlatt Act in a new form
    4. D It wanted to abolish all the princely states
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    Correct answer: (B) It had no Indian representative

    The Simon Commission had no Indian member, which outraged Indians, and the Congress and most other political groups boycotted it; it was greeted with banners saying 'Simon Go Back'. The partition of India came only in 1947.

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