India : Climate
(PRACHI Excellence in Social Studies)
EXERCISES
A. Multiple choice questions (MCQs).
Choose the correct answer from the given options :
1. India experiences __________ and __________ type of climate.
(a) cold and polar. [ ]
(b) humid and rainy. [ ]
(c) tropical and subtropical. [✓]
(d) all of these. [ ]
2. Which of the following factors affects the climate of India?
(a) location. [ ]
(b) Physiography. [ ]
(c) monsoon winds. []
(d) all of these. [✓]
3. Which of the following pairs is wrong?
Seasons Duration
(a) Winter - March to May. [✓]
(b) Summer - March to May. [ ]
(c) Rainy - June to September. [ ]
(b) Autumn - October to November. [ ]
4. Which place receives highest rainfall in the world.
(a) Dispur. [ ]
(b) Kohima. [ ]
(c) Mawsynram. [✓]
(d) Imphal. [ ]
5. The Arabic word 'Mausim' refers to the
(a) movement of the winds. [ ]
(b) seasonal reversal of the winds. [✓]
(c) cold season. [ ]
(d) hot and dry winds. [ ]
B. Very short answer type questions.
1. Define the term weather.
= Weather is about day-to-day changes in the atmosphere.
2. What do you understand by climate?
= Climate is an average atmospheric condition of an area over a long period of time.
3. Name the main branches of monsoon winds.
= The main branches of monsoon winds are - i) The Arabian Sea branch and ii) The Bay of Bengal branch.
4. Name the major seasons of India.
= The major seasons of India are - i) Cold Weather Season (Winter), ii) Hot Weather Season (Summer), iii) South-west Monsoon Season (Rainy), and iv) Season of Retreating Monsoon (Autumn).
5. Which part of India does receive maximum rainfall by the retreating monsoon?
= The southern part of India, particularly Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh receives maximum rainfall by the retreating monsoon.
6. Distinguish between weather and climate.
= Weather is the instant record or change of the atmosphere. On the other hand, climate is the long term atmospheric condition of a particular place.
C. Short answer type questions.
1. What do you know about the summer season?
= During summer season, the general weather remains hot and dry almost throughout the country. We experience the summer season in the months of April, May and June. At this time the Sun is overhead and it is a period of increasing temperature. During summer season, hot and dry wind called 'loo' blows in the north-western part of India. Dust storms are common. People visit hill stations to experience cool and pleasant weather. The coastal areas are less hot due to the influence of cool winds coming from the sea. In the desert region, it is extremely hot and the weather is unbearable. Some parts of India, like Assam, get small amount or rainfall during the summer season.
2. Which parts of India do remain dry throughout the year?
= Jaisalmer in Rajasthan remain dry throughout the year.
3. How do the monsoon winds affect our climate?
= Monsoon winds which blow from sea to land. They bring dark clouds and thus give heavy rainfall. There are two branches of the Monsoon winds - i) The Arabian Sea branch and ii) The Bay of Bengal branch. The Malabar coast is the first to get rainfall from the Monsoon winds. By the middle of July, there is rainfall in almost every part of India. The rainy season lasts from the middle of June to October. The western coast of India gets more rainfall than the eastern coast.
4. Describe the factors affecting the climate of India.
= The climate of a place is affected by its location, altitude, distance from the sea and relief. Therefore, we experience regional differences in the climate of India. Jaisalmer and Bikaner in Rajasthan are very hot, while Drass and Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir are freezing cold. Coastal places like Mumbai and Kolkata experience moderate climate. They are neither too hot nor too cold. Being on the coast, these places are very humid. Mawsynram in Meghalaya receives the world's highest rainfall, while in a particular year it might hot rain at all in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.
5. Differentiate between the following:
(a) Rainy and Autumn seasons.
= Rainy season lasts from middle of June to October. The Autumn season lasts from October to November. In rainy season, it rains in almost every part of India. In autumn season, it rains only in southern part of India.
(b) Hot (Summer) season and cold (winter) season.
= Hot (Summer) season lasts from March to Mid June. Cold (Winter) season lasts from December to February. In Hot Summer season, the weather remains hot and humid. In Cold Winter season, the weather remains cold and dry. In Hot Summer, the days are longer and nights are shorter. In Cold Winter, the days are shorter and nights are longer.
D. Fil in the blanks.
1. July is the wettest month in India.
2. Dust storms are common in Summer.
3. The rainfall starts from the Western Malabar coast of India.
4. Rajasthan state gets a little rainfall throughout the year.
5. During winters, the days are small and nights are long.
E. Read the following statements carefully and mark (✓) on the true and (X) on the false one.
1. The land surface of our country is same at all places. [X]
2. March is the coldest month of the winter season. [X]
3. Hot and dry winds called 'loo' blow during the summer season. [✓]
4. Rajasthan gets heavy rainfall throughout the year. [X]
5. Coastal places have a moderate temperature. [✓]