Pariksha SaathiPedagogy
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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Q.201
In the prairies of North America, a warm local wind called the Chinook blows in winter. What is its main effect?
- A It brings heavy summer rain to the wheat fields
- B It raises the temperature quickly, melting snow and freeing pastures
- C It blows sand in from the deserts and buries the grasslands under it
- D It freezes the rivers and lakes for most of the year
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) It raises the temperature quickly, melting snow and freeing pastures
The Chinook is a hot wind that blows in winter in the prairies. It raises the temperature within a short time, so the snow melts and the grass becomes available for grazing.
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Q.202
From the twelfth century onwards, builders increasingly used the 'arcuate' form of architecture. In this form:
- A a horizontal beam was placed across two vertical columns to make roofs, doors and windows
- B the weight of the structure above doors and windows was carried by arches
- C whole temples were carved out of a single huge rock
- D buildings were made entirely of wood and bamboo
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) the weight of the structure above doors and windows was carried by arches
In the arcuate form, arches carried the weight of the superstructure above openings, with the keystone at the centre of the arch transferring the load to the base. Placing a horizontal beam across two columns is the earlier trabeate style.
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Q.203
Consider the following statements about the heat zones of the Earth:
1. The angle of the Sun's rays increases as we move from the Equator towards the poles.
2. The Temperate Zones lie between the Tropics and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles.
3. The Frigid Zones are very cold because the Sun does not rise much above the horizon there.
Which of these are correct?
- A 1 and 2 only
- B 2 and 3 only
- C 1 and 3 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 2 and 3 only
The Temperate Zones lie between the Tropics and the Polar Circles, and in the Frigid Zones the Sun stays low in the sky, so its slanting rays give little heat. Statement 1 is reversed: the angle of the Sun's rays goes on decreasing towards the poles.
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Q.204
The constructivist view of learning, which underlies NCF 2005, holds that:
- A The teacher transmits knowledge and the learner receives it passively
- B Learners actively construct meaning by connecting new experiences to their prior knowledge, with the teacher as facilitator
- C Learning is best ensured by repeated memorisation and drill
- D Learning happens mainly through reward and punishment
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Learners actively construct meaning by connecting new experiences to their prior knowledge, with the teacher as facilitator
Constructivism treats learning as meaning-making: children bring prior ideas to the classroom and reorganise them through activity, dialogue and reflection. Transmission, drill and conditioning describe other models.
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Q.205
Article 17 of the Indian Constitution:
- A guarantees free legal aid to the poor
- B abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form
- C provides for the election of the President
- D lays down the list of the Fundamental Duties of every citizen of India
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form
Article 17 abolishes untouchability and makes its practice in any form an offence punishable by law; Dalits have invoked it to demand equal treatment. Free legal aid is in Article 39A and the Fundamental Duties are in Article 51A.
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Q.206
The word 'Dalit', which many groups among the so-called 'lower castes' use to describe themselves, means:
- A Children of God
- B Original inhabitants
- C Forest dwellers
- D Broken
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Broken
Dalit means 'broken'; these groups use it themselves, in preference to 'untouchable', to show how social prejudice and discrimination have 'broken' them. 'Original inhabitants' is the meaning of 'Adivasi'; the government's term is Scheduled Castes.
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Q.207
Delhi first became the capital of a kingdom under:
- A the Tomara Rajputs
- B the Chauhans of Ajmer
- C the Gahadavalas of Kanauj
- D the early Turkish Sultans
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) the Tomara Rajputs
Delhi first became a capital under the Tomara Rajputs, who were defeated in the middle of the twelfth century by the Chauhans (Chahamanas) of Ajmer. Under the Tomaras and Chauhans Delhi became an important commercial centre, and coins minted there, called dehliwal, circulated widely.
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Q.208
NEP 2020 proposes that every student take part in a 10-day 'bagless' period sometime during Classes 6 to 8. During this period students are to:
- A Prepare at home for the Class 8 board examination without attending school at all
- B Take a holiday from school with no learning activities planned
- C Attend coaching classes for national-level competitive examinations
- D Intern with local vocational experts such as carpenters, gardeners and potters
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Intern with local vocational experts such as carpenters, gardeners and potters
NEP 2020 suggests that during the bagless period students intern with local vocational experts such as carpenters, gardeners, potters and artists, linking school learning with work and the community.
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Q.209
In the polar regions, the growth of natural vegetation is very limited. Which kind of vegetation is typical of these regions?
- A Tall hardwood trees such as mahogany
- B Tall grasses with scattered acacia trees
- C Thick mangrove forests
- D Mosses, lichens and very small shrubs
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Mosses, lichens and very small shrubs
In the polar (tundra) regions only mosses, lichens and very small shrubs grow, during the very short summer. Mahogany belongs to tropical evergreen forests and mangroves to coastal tidal areas.
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Q.210
In earlier times, travellers used the Pole Star to find their way at night. What makes this star useful for the purpose?
- A It is the brightest star in the night sky
- B It rises in the east and sets exactly in the west
- C It can be seen only from the Southern Hemisphere
- D It indicates the north and stays almost fixed in the sky
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) It indicates the north and stays almost fixed in the sky
The Pole Star (North Star) indicates the direction to the north and appears to stay in the same position in the sky, so it gives a fixed reference at night. It is not the brightest star (Sirius is), and, seen from the Northern Hemisphere, it does not rise and set as most other stars appear to do.
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Q.211
Assertion (A): In an inclusive class, every child must do exactly the same task in the same way. Reason (R): Equality in education means identical treatment of all children.
- A Both A and R are true, and R explains A
- B Both A and R are true, but R does not explain A
- C A is false, R is true
- D Both A and R are false
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Both A and R are false
Inclusion means adapting tasks and support to children's different needs, so A is false. Equality means equal opportunity and fair treatment, which may need different support for different children, so R is also false.
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Q.212
At Arikamedu, a coastal settlement near present-day Puducherry, archaeologists found amphorae, Arretine ware and Roman lamps. This suggests that:
- A the Romans conquered and ruled this part of the eastern coast for centuries
- B Arikamedu was a port town of the Harappan civilisation
- C goods from distant lands, such as the Mediterranean, reached it by trade
- D Arikamedu was the capital city of the early Chola kingdom
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) goods from distant lands, such as the Mediterranean, reached it by trade
Arikamedu was a place where ships unloaded goods from distant lands; Arretine ware was made in Italy, and amphorae held liquids such as wine or oil. These finds show long-distance trade, not Roman rule.
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Q.213
In the Indian Constitution, 'federalism' refers to:
- A The separation of religion from the State
- B The existence of more than one level of government in the country
- C The division of power among legislature, executive and judiciary
- D The right of every adult citizen to vote
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) The existence of more than one level of government in the country
Federalism means more than one level of government: the Union and the states (and now panchayats and municipalities too), each with its own powers. The division among legislature, executive and judiciary is the separation of powers.
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Q.214
Reena bowls well, but the coach leaves her out of the school cricket team, saying 'girls cannot play cricket'. The coach's belief and his act of leaving her out are, respectively, examples of:
- A A stereotype and discrimination
- B Discrimination and a stereotype
- C Diversity and inequality
- D Prejudice and dignity
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) A stereotype and discrimination
Fixing all girls into one image ('girls cannot play cricket') is a stereotype; acting on such a belief to deny someone an opportunity is discrimination. The second option reverses the two terms.
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Q.215
Which of the following dates is the earliest?
- A 200 CE
- B 100 BCE
- C 50 CE
- D 300 BCE
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) 300 BCE
Dates before the Common Era (BCE) are counted backwards, so 300 BCE is earlier than 100 BCE, and every BCE date is earlier than every CE date. The order is 300 BCE, 100 BCE, 50 CE, 200 CE.
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Q.216
After the Battle of Plassey, the Company installed and removed nawabs in Bengal. Which nawab complained against the Company, was driven out of Bengal in 1763 and was then defeated, along with his allies, in the battle of Buxar (1764)?
- A Mir Jafar
- B Sirajuddaulah
- C Mir Qasim
- D Alivardi Khan
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Mir Qasim
The Company replaced Mir Jafar with Mir Qasim in 1760; when Mir Qasim complained and went to war with the Company, he was driven out of Bengal in 1763 and Mir Jafar was reinstalled. Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II were then defeated together at Buxar in 1764. Sirajuddaulah had been defeated at Plassey in 1757.
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Q.217
Dr B.R. Ambedkar, who was born into the Mahar caste, then treated as untouchable, urged Dalits to:
- A continue in their hereditary occupations so as to avoid conflict with others
- B leave the towns and settle in their native villages
- C stay away from elections until untouchability ended
- D send their children to school and college and take up government jobs
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) send their children to school and college and take up government jobs
Ambedkar encouraged Dalits to send their children to school and college and to take up different kinds of government jobs so as to move out of the caste system. He also led efforts for temple entry and, later in life, converted to Buddhism.
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Q.218
In May 1857, after the sepoys at Meerut rebelled, they rode to Delhi and:
- A signed a peace treaty with the Company's officials
- B surrendered to the British troops stationed in Delhi
- C proclaimed Nana Saheb as the new Peshwa of the Marathas
- D proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader
On 10 May 1857 the sepoys at Meerut rebelled and rode to Delhi, where they proclaimed the old Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader, which gave the rebellion a recognised symbol of authority. Nana Saheb led the rebels at Kanpur.
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Q.219
The National Achievement Survey (NAS) conducted in November 2017 for Classes 3, 5 and 8 was designed mainly to assess:
- A Teachers' knowledge of their subjects
- B The physical facilities and infrastructure available in schools
- C Students' physical fitness and health
- D Students' achievement of the class-wise learning outcomes
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Students' achievement of the class-wise learning outcomes
NAS 2017 used test items based on the learning outcomes developed by NCERT, giving a district-wise picture of how far students had achieved them.
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Q.220
A farmer cultivates a small plot using simple tools and much family labour, grows rice as the main crop and, where sunshine and fertile soil allow, raises more than one crop a year. This farming, common in thickly populated monsoon regions of Asia, is:
- A commercial grain farming
- B plantation agriculture
- C nomadic herding
- D intensive subsistence agriculture
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) intensive subsistence agriculture
Intensive subsistence farming uses small plots, simple tools and much labour to meet the needs of the farmer's family, with rice as the main crop and often more than one crop a year. Commercial grain farming uses large farms and machines to grow wheat and maize for sale.
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Q.221
Under the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, what were the minimum ages at which a man and a woman could marry?
- A 21 for men and 18 for women
- B 16 for men and 14 for women
- C 18 for men and 14 for women
- D 14 for men and 12 for women
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) 18 for men and 14 for women
The Act of 1929, known as the Sarda Act, laid down that no man below 18 and no woman below 14 could marry. The age for women was raised to 15 in 1949, and in 1978 the limits became 21 for men and 18 for women, which is why the first option is tempting. Our Pasts III gives 16 for women, but the Act as passed fixed 14.
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Q.222
In a parliamentary democracy, the most important role of the opposition parties is to:
- A Take charge of running the government whenever the Prime Minister is abroad
- B Appoint the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts
- C Question the government and point out drawbacks in its policies
- D Support and pass every bill introduced by the ruling party without any debate
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Correct answer: (C) Question the government and point out drawbacks in its policies
The opposition questions the government, highlights drawbacks in its policies and programmes, and mobilises public support for its own views, which keeps the government accountable. It does not run the government or appoint judges.
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Q.223
New Delhi was built as a new imperial capital on Raisina Hill, south of the old city. Which two architects designed it and its buildings, such as the Viceroy's Palace and the Secretariat?
- A Thomas Daniell and William Daniell
- B Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker
- C Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret
- D James Rennell and Charles Wood
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker
Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker designed New Delhi and its main buildings; the Viceroy's Palace is today's Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Daniells painted Indian landscapes, and Le Corbusier designed Chandigarh after independence.
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Q.224
Students fill a glass jar with layers of soil, placing a different 'object' in each layer, and later dig it out from the top. Asked which objects are likely to be the oldest, they should conclude that, generally:
- A Objects in the top layer are the oldest
- B Objects in the lower layers are older than those above them
- C All the layers are of the same age
- D The age of an object cannot be judged from its layer
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Objects in the lower layers are older than those above them
Layers are usually laid down one over another, so where a site is undisturbed the lower layers are older. This simple simulation shows how archaeologists use layers to work out the sequence of the past.
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Q.225
At Purana Qila in Delhi, Hastinapura near Meerut and Atranjikhera near Etah, archaeologists found grey pots with simple painted lines and geometric patterns. This pottery, typical of janapada settlements, is called:
- A Painted Grey Ware
- B Black and Red Ware
- C Northern Black Polished Ware
- D Faience ware
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Painted Grey Ware
These janapada sites have yielded a special pottery called Painted Grey Ware: grey pots painted with simple lines and geometric patterns. People there lived in huts and kept cattle as well as other animals.
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Q.226
Ashvaghosha, a poet who lived in the court of the Kushana ruler Kanishka, composed a biography of the Buddha. It is called the:
- A Harshacharita
- B Vinaya Pitaka
- C Buddhacharita
- D Jataka
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Buddhacharita
Ashvaghosha wrote the Buddhacharita, and he and other Buddhist scholars began writing in Sanskrit. Kanishka, the most famous Kushana ruler, organised a Buddhist council; the Harshacharita is Banabhatta's biography of Harshavardhana.
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Q.227
In 1856 Governor-General Canning took a decision about the Mughal dynasty that added to the resentment before the revolt. What was it?
- A Zafar would be the last Mughal king, and his heirs would be only princes
- B The Mughal emperor would be made the first Viceroy of British India
- C The Red Fort would be handed over to the Company's Resident in Delhi
- D The Mughal emperor's name would be put back on the Company's coins
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Zafar would be the last Mughal king, and his heirs would be only princes
Canning decided that Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the last Mughal king and that after his death his descendants would be recognised only as princes. In 1849 Dalhousie had already announced that after Zafar's death the royal family would be shifted out of the Red Fort.
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Q.228
Why are plains generally among the most thickly populated regions of the world?
- A They lie at great heights, where the air is cool and fresh
- B They hold the largest reserves of iron ore and coal
- C They are covered with dense forests that supply food
- D They are flat and fertile, so farming and transport develop easily
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) They are flat and fertile, so farming and transport develop easily
Plains are flat, usually fertile (most are formed by rivers) and allow easy construction of roads and railways, so they support large populations. Most plains are low-lying, and mineral wealth is more typical of plateaus.
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Q.229
The main purpose of a law that fixes minimum wages is to:
- A Set the maximum salary that any worker in the country can earn
- B Allow employers to fix wages freely, without any lower limit at all
- C Guarantee a government job to every unemployed adult person
- D Ensure workers are not paid below a level fixed by the government
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Ensure workers are not paid below a level fixed by the government
Minimum wage laws protect workers, especially those with little bargaining power, from being underpaid; the government fixes the minimum and revises it from time to time. Such laws are one way the State uses law to bring social justice into the market.
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Q.230
Match the methods of soil conservation with their descriptions:
(a) Mulching (b) Contour ploughing (c) Terrace farming (d) Shelter belts
1. Rows of trees planted to check the wind
2. Bare ground between plants covered with straw or other organic matter
3. Ploughing parallel to the contours of a hill slope
4. Broad flat steps made on steep slopes to grow crops
- A a-2, b-4, c-3, d-1
- B a-1, b-3, c-4, d-2
- C a-2, b-3, c-4, d-1
- D a-3, b-2, c-4, d-1
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) a-2, b-3, c-4, d-1
Mulching covers bare soil with organic matter to keep in moisture; contour ploughing forms natural barriers that slow water flowing down a slope; terraces give flat surfaces on steep slopes and reduce run-off; and shelter belts of trees check the wind in dry and coastal areas.
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Q.231
Wood's Despatch of 1854, issued by Charles Wood, President of the Board of Control of the East India Company, stressed the practical benefits of European learning. Following it, universities were established in 1857 at:
- A Delhi, Lahore and Allahabad
- B Benaras, Aligarh and Poona
- C Calcutta, Madras and Bombay
- D Calcutta, Lucknow and Patna
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Calcutta, Madras and Bombay
In 1857, even as the sepoys rose in revolt at Meerut and Delhi, universities were being set up in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay. After the Despatch, education departments of the government were also set up to extend control over all matters of education.
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Q.232
According to the NCF 2005 Position Paper on Teaching of Social Sciences, the central aim of social science teaching at school is to:
- A Help children memorise important dates, names and definitions
- B Develop critical and creative thinking, prepare for democratic citizenship and build understanding of plurality
- C Prepare students for competitive examinations
- D Teach only the political history of India
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Develop critical and creative thinking, prepare for democratic citizenship and build understanding of plurality
NCF 2005 sees social science as a space for developing critical, creative and reflective thinking, respect for diversity and social and gender justice, and the capacities of a democratic citizen, rather than recall of facts.
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Q.233
Through the policy of reservation, the government tries to help groups such as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by:
- A giving them separate schools and colleges, kept away from the students of other communities
- B exempting them from paying all taxes
- C reserving seats for them in educational institutions, government jobs and legislatures
- D allowing only them to buy land in their own districts
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) reserving seats for them in educational institutions, government jobs and legislatures
Reservation sets aside a share of seats in educational institutions, government jobs and legislatures for groups that have faced discrimination and exclusion, so that they can gain access to opportunities. It is one way the State acts on its commitment to equality.
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Q.234
Objects of copper, tin, gold and semi-precious stones are found in Harappan cities, although many of these materials were not available nearby. This shows that the Harappans:
- A mined all these materials from the ground inside their own citadels
- B received these finished objects only as gifts from later rulers
- C obtained raw materials from distant places by travel or exchange
- D made these metals artificially by heating the local river clay
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) obtained raw materials from distant places by travel or exchange
The Harappans got raw materials from distant areas: copper probably from present-day Rajasthan and even Oman, tin possibly from present-day Afghanistan and Iran, and gold possibly from present-day Karnataka. This points to travel and exchange over long distances.
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Q.235
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was framed mainly in response to:
- A demands by Dalits and others that their everyday humiliation be taken seriously
- B a report of the colonial government before Independence
- C pressure from large landowners who wanted the State to protect their property better
- D the need to fix minimum wages for farm workers
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) demands by Dalits and others that their everyday humiliation be taken seriously
Dalit groups and others demanded that the government take seriously the ill-treatment and humiliation that Dalits and tribal groups faced every day. The Act lists such acts as crimes and provides for punishing them.
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Q.236
The Buddha taught that life is full of suffering and unhappiness. According to him, the main cause of this is:
- A failure to perform sacrifices in the proper way
- B the anger of the gods at the wrongdoing of human beings
- C being born into a family of a lower varna
- D constant cravings and desires, which he called tanha
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) constant cravings and desires, which he called tanha
The Buddha taught that suffering arises from cravings and desires that are never fully satisfied; he called this thirst tanha. He taught that it could be removed by following moderation in everything, and that people should be kind and respect the lives of others, including animals.
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Q.237
North America is linked to South America by a narrow strip of land. What is this strip called?
- A The Bering Strait
- B The Strait of Gibraltar
- C The Isthmus of Panama
- D The Isthmus of Suez
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) The Isthmus of Panama
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land joining two larger landmasses; the Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. A strait, such as the Bering Strait, is the opposite: a narrow stretch of water joining two water bodies.
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Q.238
Which of the following is NOT a principle of sustainable development?
- A Respect and care for all forms of life
- B Conserve the Earth's vitality and diversity
- C Minimise the depletion of natural resources
- D Use natural resources as fast as possible to speed up growth
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Use natural resources as fast as possible to speed up growth
Sustainable development means using resources carefully so that present needs are met while resources are kept for future generations. Using them as fast as possible goes against it; the other three are among its principles.
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Q.239
Students read an account of the Revolt of 1857 written by a British officer. To help them evaluate this source for bias, the teacher should encourage them to ask:
- A Whether the account must be accepted as fact since the officer was an eyewitness
- B Whether the account was originally written in English
- C Who wrote it, for whom, when and with what purpose
- D How many pages the account runs to
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Who wrote it, for whom, when and with what purpose
Source evaluation means examining authorship, audience, context and purpose. Being an eyewitness does not remove bias; an officer's account reflects the colonial perspective and must be compared with other sources.
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Q.240
Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain is remembered for:
- A founding the Brahmo Samaj in Calcutta
- B writing Stripurushtulna, a criticism of the social differences between men and women
- C leading the Satnami movement in central India
- D starting a school for Muslim girls, first at Bhagalpur and later in Calcutta
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) starting a school for Muslim girls, first at Bhagalpur and later in Calcutta
Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain started a school for Muslim girls at Bhagalpur in 1909 and re-established it in Calcutta in 1911 (Our Pasts III names Patna and Calcutta, but the first school was at Bhagalpur), and she fearlessly criticised conservative ideas; she also wrote Sultana's Dream. Stripurushtulna was written by Tarabai Shinde.
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Q.241
Under the Act passed by the British Parliament in 1858, which official, a member of the British Cabinet, was made responsible for all matters related to the governance of India, with a council to advise him?
- A The Viceroy and Governor-General of India
- B The Company's Resident at Delhi
- C The Governor of the Bengal Presidency
- D The Secretary of State for India
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) The Secretary of State for India
The Act of 1858 transferred the Company's powers to the British Crown and made a Cabinet member, the Secretary of State for India, responsible for India, advised by the India Council. The Viceroy was the Crown's personal representative in India, not a Cabinet member.
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Q.242
After the British recaptured Delhi in September 1857, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment. In October 1858 he and his wife Begum Zinat Mahal were sent to prison in:
- A the Andaman Islands
- B Bithur, near Kanpur
- C Rangoon
- D Lahore Fort
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Rangoon
Bahadur Shah Zafar and Begum Zinat Mahal were sent to prison in Rangoon, where he died in November 1862. Earlier, in September 1857, a British officer, William Hodson, had shot dead two of his sons and a grandson at a gate of Delhi.
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Q.243
Raja Ravi Varma of Kerala was one of the first artists to try to create a style that was both modern and national. What did he do?
- A He painted only landscapes of ruined temples in the picturesque style
- B He used Western oil painting to depict scenes from Indian myths and epics
- C He gave up oil painting and revived the style of the Ajanta murals
- D He drew cartoons that mocked the Westernised babus of Calcutta
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) He used Western oil painting to depict scenes from Indian myths and epics
Ravi Varma mastered the Western art of oil painting and realistic life study, but painted themes from Indian mythology and the epics; to meet the demand he set up a printing press near Bombay. Turning away from oil painting towards Indian traditions was the aim of the later Bengal school.
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Q.244
At first, Buddhist and Jaina monks moved from place to place, stopping only during the rainy season. Later, permanent shelters called viharas were built, some in caves hollowed out in hills, as at Karle. The land for a vihara was usually donated by:
- A the monks themselves, who bought it with the alms they collected
- B a rich merchant, a landowner or the king
- C the village assembly, as a compulsory tax on all farmers
- D brahmin teachers of the Vedas who wished to join the sangha
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) a rich merchant, a landowner or the king
The land on which a vihara was built was donated by a rich merchant, a landowner or the king, and local people brought gifts of food, clothing and medicines. Monasteries were first made of wood and then of brick, and some were caves dug into hills, especially in western India.
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Q.245
Match the works with their authors: A. Silappadikaram B. Manimekalai C. Abhijnana Shakuntalam D. Rajatarangini; 1. Kalhana 2. Ilango 3. Kalidasa 4. Sattanar
- A A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1
- B A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
- C A-2, B-4, C-3, D-1
- D A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) A-2, B-4, C-3, D-1
The Tamil epic Silappadikaram, the story of Kovalan, was composed by Ilango, and Manimekalai, the story of the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi, by Sattanar. Kalidasa wrote Abhijnana Shakuntalam, and Kalhana wrote the Rajatarangini, a long Sanskrit poem on the kings of Kashmir, in the twelfth century.
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Q.246
In Aurangzeb's reign, many jagirdars tried to extract as much revenue as possible while they held a jagir, causing great hardship to peasants. What was the main reason for this?
- A Jahangir had abolished Akbar's zabt system of revenue
- B Jagirs had become hereditary and could never be transferred to others
- C A huge rise in the number of mansabdars caused a shortage of jagirs
- D The Mughals had stopped paying mansabdars through jagirs
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) A huge rise in the number of mansabdars caused a shortage of jagirs
By Aurangzeb's reign the number of mansabdars had increased enormously, so they faced a long wait for jagirs, and the revenue actually collected was often less than the sum granted. With jagirs in short supply, jagirdars squeezed as much as they could from them, and peasants suffered.
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Q.247
Many students believe that summer comes when the Earth is nearest to the Sun. The teacher tells them that the Earth is in fact nearest to the Sun in early January, when it is winter in India, and asks them to explain this. The teacher is using:
- A Rote learning
- B Cognitive conflict
- C Positive reinforcement
- D Programmed instruction
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Correct answer: (B) Cognitive conflict
Presenting a fact that contradicts the students' belief makes them question it and look for a better explanation (here, the tilt of the Earth's axis), which helps conceptual change.
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Q.248
Class 8 students interview elderly people of their village about how farming, transport and festivals have changed since their childhood. This method of learning history is called:
- A Textbook exercise
- B Map work
- C Lecture method
- D Oral history
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Correct answer: (D) Oral history
Oral history collects memories and lived experiences of people through interviews, giving access to the past of ordinary people that written records often leave out, and linking history to the child's own community.
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Q.249
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 defines 'inclusive education' as a system of education in which:
- A Students with disabilities study only in special schools
- B Students with disabilities are taught only at home
- C All students learn together but follow identical methods with no adaptation at all
- D Students with and without disability learn together, with adapted teaching
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Correct answer: (D) Students with and without disability learn together, with adapted teaching
The Act defines inclusive education as a system in which students with and without disability learn together, and teaching and learning are suitably adapted to the needs of students with different types of disabilities.
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Q.250
NCF 2005 states that social science content should aim at raising students' awareness through:
- A Critically exploring and questioning the social reality familiar to them
- B Memorising the achievements of great rulers and national leaders
- C Accepting social customs and practices just as they have been handed down to them
- D Learning by heart the definitions given at the end of each chapter
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Correct answer: (A) Critically exploring and questioning the social reality familiar to them
NCF 2005 wants learners to look critically at the social world they already know, such as family, community, market and government, and to question it. This builds the independent thinking a democracy needs, which memorisation or passive acceptance cannot.
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How these questions were made
Authored by an AI assistant (Claude) from its own general knowledge of stable, well-established facts (no live lookup) - not reviewed by a subject-matter expert; verify against an official source before relying on any fact.