🏋️ SESSION 02 — Geography + Environment Sectional Quiz

Type: Prelims sectional · 50Q · 60 min · +2/−0.66 · OMR, timed, no pauses.

GEOGRAPHY (Q1–25)

1. S-waves cannot travel through: (a) Solids (b) Liquids (c) Crust (d) Mantle
2. Himalayas are ___ mountains: (a) Block (b) Young fold (c) Volcanic (d) Residual
3. The Coriolis force is zero at the: (a) Poles (b) Equator (c) Tropics (d) 45°
4. El Niño ___ the Indian monsoon: (a) Strengthens (b) Weakens (c) Has no effect (d) Reverses
5. The largest peninsular river is the: (a) Krishna (b) Godavari (c) Cauvery (d) Mahanadi
6. Regur soil is best for: (a) Rice (b) Cotton (c) Tea (d) Wheat
7. The Tropic of Cancer passes through ___ Indian states: (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 8 (d) 9
8. Barchans are formed by: (a) Rivers (b) Wind (c) Glaciers (d) Waves
9. Western Ghats are also called: (a) Sahyadri (b) Aravalli (c) Nilgiri (d) Vindhya
10. Jet streams occur in the: (a) Troposphere (b) Stratosphere (c) Mesosphere (d) Thermosphere
11. Narmada flows through a: (a) Delta (b) Rift valley (c) Meander belt (d) Plateau
12. The doldrums lie near: (a) 30° (b) Equator (c) 60° (d) Poles
13. Laterite soil forms by: (a) Alluviation (b) Leaching (c) Wind deposition (d) Glaciation
14. Which is a cold ocean current? (a) Gulf Stream (b) Kuroshio (c) Humboldt (d) North Atlantic Drift
15. The Sundarbans is the largest: (a) Coral reef (b) Mangrove forest (c) Desert (d) Grassland
16. Isohyets join places of equal: (a) Temperature (b) Rainfall (c) Pressure (d) Sunshine
17. The southernmost point (Indira Point) is in: (a) Kerala (b) Tamil Nadu (c) Great Nicobar (d) Lakshadweep
18. Deccan Traps are formed by: (a) Rivers (b) Volcanoes (c) Glaciers (d) Wind
19. Loo is a hot wind in ___ India: (a) South (b) North (c) East (d) West
20. Cyclones do not form within ___ of the equator: (a) 5° (b) 15° (c) 30° (d) 45°
21. Khadar is: (a) Old alluvium (b) New alluvium (c) Black soil (d) Red soil
22. The retreating monsoon rains: (a) Kerala (b) Tamil Nadu coast (c) Punjab (d) Gujarat
23. Estuaries are formed by: (a) Ganga (b) Narmada & Tapi (c) Godavari (d) Cauvery
24. The rain shadow lies on the ___ side: (a) Windward (b) Leeward (c) Summit (d) Coast
25. Mid-ocean ridges are ___ boundaries: (a) Convergent (b) Divergent (c) Transform (d) Hotspot

ENVIRONMENT (Q26–50)

26. Energy transfer between trophic levels is about: (a) 1% (b) 10% (c) 50% (d) 90%
27. Ramsar Convention is about: (a) Wetlands (b) Ozone (c) Trade (d) Waste
28. CITES regulates: (a) Wetlands (b) Trade in endangered species (c) Climate (d) Waste
29. Which is a greenhouse gas? (a) Nitrogen (b) Oxygen (c) Methane (d) Argon
30. Ozone is depleted by: (a) CO₂ (b) CFCs (c) Methane (d) Nitrogen
31. The Montreal Protocol concerns: (a) GHGs (b) Ozone-depleting substances (c) Wetlands (d) Mercury
32. Project Tiger was launched in: (a) 1972 (b) 1973 (c) 1980 (d) 1992
33. IUCN maintains the: (a) Red List (b) Ramsar list (c) World Heritage list (d) COP list
34. In-situ conservation includes: (a) Zoos (b) National parks (c) Gene banks (d) Botanical gardens
35. Eutrophication is caused by excess: (a) Oxygen (b) Nutrients (c) Salinity (d) Acidity
36. Coral bleaching is due to: (a) Cooling (b) Rising sea temperature (c) Overfishing (d) Freshening
37. The NGT was established under an Act of: (a) 1986 (b) 2010 (c) 1972 (d) 1981
38. Minamata Convention targets: (a) Lead (b) Mercury (c) Arsenic (d) Cadmium
39. Biomagnification is highest at: (a) Producers (b) Herbivores (c) Top predators (d) Decomposers
40. The Paris Agreement aims to limit warming to: (a) <1°C (b) <2°C (c) <5°C (d) <10°C
41. Which is an in-situ + zoned conservation area? (a) Zoo (b) Biosphere reserve (c) Seed bank (d) Aquarium
42. Keystone species have a ___ ecosystem role: (a) Minor (b) Disproportionately large (c) None (d) Only aesthetic
43. The Basel Convention controls: (a) Ozone (b) Hazardous waste movement (c) Wetlands (d) Climate
44. Fly ash is produced by: (a) Vehicles (b) Thermal power plants (c) Refrigerators (d) Farming
45. India's biodiversity hotspots number: (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6 (d) 8
46. NAAQS standards regulate: (a) Water (b) Air quality (c) Noise (d) Soil
47. The Kigali Amendment phases down: (a) CFCs (b) HFCs (c) CO₂ (d) Methane
48. Indicator species like lichens signal: (a) Soil fertility (b) Air quality (c) Water depth (d) Temperature
49. A carbon sink: (a) Emits CO₂ (b) Absorbs more CO₂ than it releases (c) Is neutral (d) Traps heat
50. Project Cheetah reintroduced cheetahs at ___ NP: (a) Gir (b) Kuno (c) Kaziranga (d) Ranthambore

✅ ANSWER KEY

1.b 2.b 3.b 4.b 5.b 6.b 7.c 8.b 9.a 10.a 11.b 12.b 13.b 14.c 15.b 16.b 17.c 18.b 19.b 20.a 21.b 22.b 23.b 24.b 25.b 26.b 27.a 28.b 29.c 30.b 31.b 32.b 33.a 34.b 35.b 36.b 37.b 38.b 39.c 40.b 41.b 42.b 43.b 44.b 45.b 46.b 47.b 48.b 49.b 50.b

SCORING

Score = (Correct×2) − (Wrong×0.66) = ____/100 · 60+ excellent Tag every question; copy errors to the Error Notebook.

🧠 CONCEPTS TESTED — Topic Explainer

Geography concepts behind Q1–25

• Earth's interior: S-waves cannot pass through liquids — this is the proof of a liquid outer core. P-waves pass through everything.
• Mountain types: Himalayas are young fold mountains (continent–continent collision); Aravallis are among the world's oldest fold mountains.
• Coriolis force: zero at the equator, maximum at the poles — this is why tropical cyclones cannot form within ~5° of the equator.
• El Niño/La Niña: El Niño = abnormal warming of central/eastern Pacific → weak Indian monsoon. La Niña = the reverse → good monsoon. Positive IOD also strengthens the monsoon.
• Indian drainage: Godavari is the largest peninsular river ("Dakshin Ganga"). West-flowing Narmada & Tapi run through rift valleys and form estuaries; east-flowing rivers form deltas.
• Soils: Regur (black) = cotton, from Deccan basalt; laterite = leaching in high rain + high temperature → tea/coffee; khadar = new flood alluvium, bhangar = old.
• Winds & pressure: Doldrums = equatorial low (ITCZ), calm + convectional rain; horse latitudes = subtropical high (30°) = deserts. Loo = hot summer wind of north India.
• Jet streams sit in the upper troposphere/tropopause and steer the monsoon's onset and retreat.
• Rain shadow forms on the leeward side; the windward side gets heavy orographic rain.
• Plate boundaries: divergent = mid-ocean ridges (sea-floor spreading); convergent = trenches/fold mountains; transform = faults.
• Coasts: the retreating (NE) monsoon rains the Tamil Nadu/Coromandel coast in Oct–Dec. Indira Point (southernmost) is in Great Nicobar.

Environment concepts behind Q26–50

• Energy flow: only ~10% transfers between trophic levels (Lindeman's law) — which is why food chains are short and why biomagnification peaks in top predators.
• Conventions (memorize the pairing): Ramsar = wetlands · CITES = trade in endangered species · Montreal = ozone-depleting substances (+ Kigali Amendment = HFCs) · Basel = hazardous waste · Stockholm = POPs · Minamata = mercury · Cartagena = biosafety · Nagoya = access & benefit sharing · UNCCD = desertification.
• Climate: Paris Agreement aims to hold warming well below 2°C (aspiring to 1.5°C) via nationally determined contributions — not uniform binding cuts. GHGs include CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, water vapour; nitrogen, oxygen and argon are not GHGs.
• Ozone: depleted by CFCs; the hole is largest over Antarctica (polar stratospheric clouds + polar vortex).
• Conservation: in-situ = national parks, sanctuaries, biosphere reserves (species protected in habitat); ex-situ = zoos, gene/seed banks, botanical gardens.
• Species categories: keystone (disproportionate ecosystem role) · flagship (charismatic, drives funding) · umbrella (protecting it shields many) · indicator (lichens signal air quality).
• Pollution: eutrophication = nutrient overload → algal bloom → oxygen depletion → fish kill. Coral bleaching = heat stress expels symbiotic zooxanthellae.
• India's institutions & law: NGT (NGT Act 2010), CPCB, NAAQS/NCAP for air; 4 biodiversity hotspots (Himalaya, Western Ghats–Sri Lanka, Indo-Burma, Sundaland). Project Tiger 1973; Project Cheetah → Kuno NP.

📝 PER-QUESTION EXPLANATIONS

Geography 1. (b) S-waves are shear waves — they need rigidity, so liquids stop them. 2. (b) Himalayas = young fold mountains, still rising. 3. (b) Coriolis is zero at the equator. 4. (b) El Niño weakens/deficits the Indian monsoon. 5. (b) Godavari is the largest peninsular river. 6. (b) Black regur soil retains moisture — ideal for cotton. 7. (c) The Tropic of Cancer crosses 8 Indian states. 8. (b) Barchans are crescent-shaped wind (aeolian) dunes. 9. (a) The Western Ghats are called the Sahyadri. 10. (a) Jet streams occur in the upper troposphere/tropopause. 11. (b) The Narmada flows through a rift valley (hence an estuary, not a delta). 12. (b) Doldrums = equatorial low-pressure belt. 13. (b) Laterite forms by intense leaching under high rain and heat. 14. (c) The Humboldt (Peru) Current is cold; the others listed are warm. 15. (b) The Sundarbans is the world's largest mangrove forest. 16. (b) Isohyets join equal rainfall (iso-hyet = rain). 17. (c) Indira Point lies in Great Nicobar Island. 18. (b) The Deccan Traps are basaltic lava flows. 19. (b) The Loo is a hot, dry north-Indian summer wind. 20. (a) No Coriolis within ~5° of the equator → no cyclone genesis. 21. (b) Khadar is newer, flood-deposited alluvium (bhangar is older). 22. (b) The retreating monsoon rains the Tamil Nadu coast. 23. (b) Narmada and Tapi form estuaries due to rift valleys and tidal action. 24. (b) The rain shadow lies on the leeward side. 25. (b) Mid-ocean ridges are divergent boundaries.

Environment 26. (b) ~10% energy transfer per trophic level. 27. (a) Ramsar = wetlands of international importance. 28. (b) CITES regulates international trade in endangered species. 29. (c) Methane is a potent greenhouse gas; nitrogen/oxygen/argon are not. 30. (b) CFCs release chlorine that destroys stratospheric ozone. 31. (b) The Montreal Protocol (1987) controls ozone-depleting substances. 32. (b) Project Tiger began in 1973. 33. (a) IUCN maintains the Red List of threatened species. 34. (b) National parks conserve species in their natural habitat (in-situ). 35. (b) Excess nitrogen/phosphorus drives eutrophication. 36. (b) Bleaching is triggered by rising sea-surface temperature. 37. (b) The National Green Tribunal Act was passed in 2010. 38. (b) Minamata Convention targets mercury (named after Minamata disease). 39. (c) Toxins concentrate most in top predators. 40. (b) Paris aims for well below 2°C, pursuing 1.5°C. 41. (b) Biosphere reserves have core/buffer/transition zones — in-situ with graded use. 42. (b) Keystone species have an outsized effect relative to their abundance. 43. (b) Basel governs transboundary movement of hazardous wastes. 44. (b) Fly ash is a by-product of coal-fired thermal power plants. 45. (b) India has 4 biodiversity hotspots. 46. (b) NAAQS are National Ambient Air Quality Standards. 47. (b) The Kigali Amendment phases down HFCs. 48. (b) Lichens are classic bio-indicators of air pollution (SO₂ sensitive). 49. (b) A carbon sink absorbs more CO₂ than it emits (forests, oceans). 50. (b) Cheetahs were reintroduced at Kuno National Park, MP.

Cross-check anything doubtful in ../../NOTES/02-Geography-Notes.md and ../../NOTES/05-Environment-Notes.md.