1. Answer the following questions.
(i) Name the continent in which the Amazon Basin is located?
Ans. The continent in which the Amazon Basin is located is South America.
(ii) What are the crops grown by the people of the Amazon Basin.
Ans. Crops grown by the people of the Amazon Basin are – Tapioca, Pineapple, Sweet potatoes, Cassava (manioc), Maize, Coffee and Cocoa etc.
(iii) Name the birds that you are likely to find in the rainforests of the Amazon.
Ans. The birds that you are likely to find in the rain-forests of the Amazon are – Toucans, Humming birds, Bird of Paradise with their brilliantly coloured plumage and Oversized bills.
(iv) What are the major cities located on the River Ganga.
Ans. The major cities located on the river Ganga are – Allahabad, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, and Kolkata.
(v) Where is the one-horned rhinoceros found?
Ans. In Kaziranga, Assam (India).
2. Tick the correct answer.
(i) Toucans are a type of
(a) birds (b) animals (c) crops
(ii) Manioc is the staple food of
(a) Ganga Basin (b) Africa (c) Amazon
(iii) Kolkata is located on the river
(a) Orange (b) Hooghly (c) Bhagirathi
(iv) Deodars and firs are a type of
(a) Coniferous trees (b) Deciduous trees (c) shrubs
(v) Bengal tiger is found in
(a) mountains (b) delta area (c) Amazon
3. Match the following.
(i) Cotton textile
(e) Ganga plain
(ii) Maloca
(d) Slanting roof
(iii) Piranha
(g) Fish
(iv) Silk worm
(c) Sericulture
(v) Kaziranga
(a) Assam
4. Give reasons.
(i) The rainforests are depleting.
Ans. It is true that rain forests are depleting. The various reasons for their depletion are –
- Developmental activities have started in a big way, resulting in the cutting of rain- forests for various purposes.
- Indigenous populations of rain-forests have been driven out who practiced conservation activities of forests and wild life.
- Industries are being set up after clearing the forests.
- Lumbering activities have also caused depletion of forests.
- Top soil is washed away during rains and lush green forests turn into barren lands.
(ii) Paddy is grown in the Ganga-Brahmaputra plains.
Ans. The reasons are –
- Deep loamy soil is found in these plains due to the deposition of silt by the rivers for thousands of years.
- Rivers during floods spread new layer of alluvial soil every year. Hence, it does not require adding manure and paddy can be grown easily.
- Canals from rivers supply ample water for irrigation of paddy fields during dry season. So, there is no scarcity of water.
- The lower portion of the plains receives adequate rainfall which is very helpful for the cultivation of paddy.
- Cheap labour is available from the densely populated plains.
- Adequate means of transportation are there to raise and movement of paddy to the nearby markets.
- New technologies are being adopted by the farmers because they can afford it due to their sound financial position.