UPSC CSE Prelims – Daily PYQ Practice
Geography • 20 Previous Year Questions
UPSC CSE Prelims 2021–2022
Q1. The vegetation of savannah consists of grassland with scattered small trees. Forest development in such areas is generally kept in check by one or more conditions. Which of the following are such conditions?
2. Fire
3. Grazing herbivores
4. Seasonal rainfall
5. Soil properties
Show Answer
Fire, grazing pressure and strongly seasonal rainfall help maintain the characteristic grass-dominated savannah landscape and restrict continuous forest development.
Q2. With reference to the water on planet Earth, consider the following statements:
2. The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.
Show Answer
Groundwater greatly exceeds the water stored in rivers and lakes. Polar ice caps and glaciers, however, contain substantially more water than groundwater.
Q3. Consider the following statements:
2. Tamarind tree is endemic to South Asia.
3. In India, most of the tamarind is collected as minor forest produce.
4. India exports tamarind and seeds of moringa.
5. Seeds of moringa and tamarind can be used in production of biofuels.
Show Answer
Moringa is not a leguminous tree, while tamarind is not endemic to South Asia. Statements 3, 4 and 5 are correct.
Q4. The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of:
Show Answer
Black or regur soil is strongly associated with weathering of basaltic lava of the Deccan Trap, which originated from extensive fissure eruptions.
Q5. How is permaculture farming different from conventional chemical farming?
2. Conventional chemical farming can increase soil salinity, whereas such phenomenon is not generally associated with permaculture farming.
3. Conventional chemical farming is easily possible in semi-arid regions without irrigation compared with permaculture.
4. Mulching is very important in permaculture farming but not necessarily so in conventional chemical farming.
Show Answer
Permaculture emphasizes diversity, soil health, recycling of biological resources and techniques such as mulching. Statement 3 is not correct.
Q6. With reference to palm oil, consider the following statements:
2. Palm oil is a raw material for some industries producing lipstick and perfumes.
3. Palm oil can be used to produce biodiesel.
Show Answer
Oil palm is native to West Africa, not Southeast Asia. Palm-oil derivatives are used in cosmetics and palm oil can also serve as a biodiesel feedstock.
Q7. With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three pour into one of them which joins the Indus directly. Which one is such river?
Show Answer
The answer recorded for this UPSC question is Sutlej. The Punjab tributaries ultimately combine before their waters enter the Indus system.
Q8. With reference to India, Didwana, Kuchaman, Sargol and Khatu are the names of:
Show Answer
These are inland saline lakes/playas associated with the arid landscape of Rajasthan.
Q9. Consider the following rivers:
2. Nagavali
3. Subarnarekha
4. Vamsadhara
Which of the above rise from the Eastern Ghats?
Show Answer
Nagavali and Vamsadhara originate in the Eastern Ghats. Brahmani and Subarnarekha originate farther north in the Chotanagpur-region drainage system.
Q10. Among the following, which one is the least water-efficient crop?
Show Answer
Sugarcane is a highly water-intensive crop compared with sunflower, pearl millet and red gram.
Q11. Consider the following statements:
2. In the temperate zone, westerlies make eastern sections of oceans warmer than western sections.
Show Answer
Prevailing wind systems influence surface-water movement and temperature distribution. Both statements correctly describe the broad pattern.
Q12. “Leaf litter decomposes faster than in any other biome and, as a result, the soil surface is often almost bare. Apart from trees, vegetation is largely composed of plants that reach into the canopy by climbing trees or growing as epiphytes.” This most likely describes:
Show Answer
Warm and humid conditions produce extremely rapid decomposition. Lianas and epiphytes are also characteristic features of tropical rainforests.
Q13. Which one of the following lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert?
Show Answer
Lake Faguibine in Mali was once one of West Africa's significant lakes but largely dried up following prolonged drought and hydrological changes.
Q14. Gandikota canyon of South India was created by which one of the following rivers?
Show Answer
Gandikota Canyon in Andhra Pradesh has been carved by the Pennar River through the local rock formations.
Q15. Consider the following pairs:
2. Nanda Devi — Kumaon Himalaya
3. Nokrek — Sikkim Himalaya
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Show Answer
Nanda Devi belongs to the Kumaon Himalaya. Namcha Barwa lies at the eastern Himalayan syntaxis, while Nokrek is in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya.
Q16. The term “Levant”, often heard in the news, roughly corresponds to which of the following regions?
Show Answer
The Levant broadly refers to the eastern Mediterranean region, historically associated with areas such as Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Jordan.
Q17. Consider the following countries:
2. Kyrgyzstan
3. Tajikistan
4. Turkmenistan
5. Uzbekistan
Which of the above have borders with Afghanistan?
Show Answer
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan share land borders with Afghanistan. Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan do not.
Q18. In the Northern Hemisphere, the longest day of the year normally occurs in:
Show Answer
The Northern Hemisphere summer solstice normally occurs around 21 June, when the Northern Hemisphere experiences its longest period of daylight.
Q19. Consider the following States:
2. Kerala
3. Himachal Pradesh
4. Tripura
How many of the above are generally known as tea-producing States?
Show Answer
Tea cultivation is not limited to Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura and parts of Andhra Pradesh are also tea-producing areas.
Q20. Consider the following statements:
2. Low clouds have a high absorption of infrared radiation emanating from Earth's surface and thus cause a warming effect.
Show Answer
The broad net effect is opposite to the statements. High thin clouds are relatively effective at trapping outgoing long-wave radiation and can produce warming, while low thick clouds strongly reflect incoming solar radiation and tend to cool the surface.
