Chapter:

110+ Indian Soil, Seasons and Natural Vegetation Solved MCQs

in Indian Geography

These multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are designed to enhance your knowledge and understanding in the following areas: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) , Indian Administrative Service (IAS) , Provincial Civil Service (PCS) , Staff Selection Commission (SSC) , Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) .

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1.	The formation of laterite soil is mainly due to:
A.	weathering
B.	erosion
C.	leaching
D.	deposition
Answer» C. leaching

2.	Which of the following are the components of loamy soils? 1. Red soil 2. Clay soil 3. Alluvial soil 4. Silt soil 5. Sandy soil
A.	I and II
B.	I, III and IV
C.	II and V
D.	II, III and V
Answer» C. II and V

3.	Soil can best be conserved on the hills by which of the cultivating methods?
A.	Strip cropping
B.	Crop rotation
C.	Contour ploughing
D.	Terracing
Answer» C. Contour ploughing

4.	Which of the following is not a tropical type of soil?
A.	Red soil
B.	Desert soil
C.	Black soil
D.	Brown soil
Answer» D. Brown soil

5.	What do you understand by the word regur ?
A.	Black soil found in the Deccan
B.	Grey-brown soil found in Russia
C.	Red, colour sticky soil, found in the Amazon area
D.	Black soil found in northern Argentina
Answer» A. Black soil found in the Deccan

6.	Which of the following soils is most suitable for cultivation of cereals? [CRPF 1990]
A.	Alluvial soils
B.	Red soils
C.	Laterite soils
D.	None of these
Answer» A. Alluvial soils

7.	Which of the following types of soils have a marked capacity to retain water? [Stenographers' Exam 1994]
A.	Desert soil
B.	Laterite soil
C.	Red soil
D.	Regur soil
Answer» D. Regur soil

8.	Under which climatic conditions do the laterite soils develop ?
A.	Wet tropical Climate
B.	Hot and dry Climate
C.	Cold temperature Climate
D.	Mediterranean type of Climate
Answer» A. Wet tropical Climate

9.	Deforestation results in : 1. flora destruction 2. fauna destruction 3. ecological disbalance
A.	2 and 3
B.	1, 2 and 3
C.	1 only
D.	1 and 3
Answer» B. 1, 2 and 3

10.	The soil formed by the deposition of silt brought by rivers is :
A.	alluvial soil
B.	red soil
C.	black soil
D.	pod soil
Answer» A. alluvial soil

11.	The Red soils develop a reddish colour due to:
A.	deforestation and over-grazing
B.	the presence of potash and magnesia
C.	tropical monsoonal climate
D.	a wide diffusion of iron in ancient crystalline and metamorphic Jacks
Answer» D. a wide diffusion of iron in ancient crystalline and metamorphic Jacks

15.	Which of the following characteristics is not true of alluvial soils?
A.	These vary from sandy loam to clay in texture
B.	These are generally rich in phosphorus but poor in potash
C.	These are usually fine grained
D.	These are by far the most fertile
Answer» B. These are generally rich in phosphorus but poor in potash

16.	Of the following statements about the major soil types, the incorrect one is :
A.	alluvial soils are easy to plough
B.	red soils are rich in phosphorus, nitrogen and lime content
C.	laterite is typically a soil of tropical regions which receive heavy seasonal rainfall
D.	black soil is highly retentive of moisture and very productive
Answer» B. red soils are rich in phosphorus, nitrogen and lime content

17.	On the basis of the process of their formation, which' of the following soils is formed differently from the other three? [NDA 2003]
A.	Khadar
B.	Bhangar
C.	Bhabar
D.	Regur
Answer» D. Regur

19.	Peaty soil is found in :
A.	Kerala
B.	Kashmir
C.	Assam
D.	Gujarat
Answer» A. Kerala

12.	Which of the following soils is very hard to cultivate? [Railways 1994]
A.	Alluvial
B.	Black
C.	Red
D.	Sandy
Answer» D. Sandy

13.	The soil which is a mixture of sand, clay and silt is known as:
A.	loamy soil
B.	sandy soil
C.	clayey soil
D.	desert soil
Answer» A. loamy soil

14.	Which of the following soils is best suited for cotton?
A.	Regur
B.	Alluvial
C.	Red
D.	Clayey
Answer» A. Regur

18.	Which of the following are true in respect of alluvial soil ? 1. Generally confined to river basins 2. It has been deposited by rivers 3. It is rich in phosphorus and poor in potash 4. It is the most fertile soil
A.	I and II
B.	III and IV
C.	I, II and IV
D.	I, II and III
Answer» C. I, II and IV

20.	Which of the following is the most important factor in soil formation?
A.	Relief
B.	Climate
C.	Natural vegetation
D.	Rock cover
Answer» B. Climate

21.	Which of the following is/are not the characteristics of red soils? 1. They are derived from weathering of old crystalline and metamorphic rocks 2. They contain iron oxides 3. They have high water retention capacity 4. They have high nitrogen content
A.	II and III
B.	Only III
C.	Only IV
D.	III and IV
Answer» D. III and IV

22.	Which of the following is/are methods of checking soil erosion? 1. Strip cropping 2. Contour ploughing 3. Use of irrigation and fertilisers 4. Terrace farming
A.	1 and 2
B.	3 and 4
C.	2, 3 and 4
D.	1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer» D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

23.	In which of the following ways can soil be conserved? 1. Contour ploughing 2. Terracing 3. Shifting cultivation 4. Crop rotation
A.	I, II and IV
B.	II, III and IV
C.	II and IV
D.	I and III
Answer» A. I, II and IV

24.	Winter rains in North and North-West India are generally associated with the phenomenon of: [NDA 2003]
A.	retreating monsoon
B.	temperate cyclones
C.	local thunderstorms
D.	shift in jet stream movement
Answer» C. local thunderstorms

25.	'Sal' is a very important tree of: [NDA 2003]
A.	Tropical dry deciduous forest
B.	Tropical rain forest
C.	Thorn forest
D.	Alpine forest
Answer» A. Tropical dry deciduous forest

110+ Indian Soil, Seasons and Natural Vegetation Solved MCQs

The formation of laterite soil is mainly due to:

Which of the following are the components of loamy soils? 1. Red soil 2. Clay soil 3. Alluvial soil 4. Silt soil 5. Sandy soil

Soil can best be conserved on the hills by which of the cultivating methods?

Which of the following is not a tropical type of soil?

What do you understand by the word regur ?

Which of the following soils is most suitable for cultivation of cereals? [CRPF 1990]

Which of the following types of soils have a marked capacity to retain water? [Stenographers' Exam 1994]

Under which climatic conditions do the laterite soils develop ?

Deforestation results in : 1. flora destruction 2. fauna destruction 3. ecological disbalance

The soil formed by the deposition of silt brought by rivers is :

The Red soils develop a reddish colour due to:

Which of the following soils is very hard to cultivate? [Railways 1994]

The soil which is a mixture of sand, clay and silt is known as:

Which of the following soils is best suited for cotton?

Which of the following characteristics is not true of alluvial soils?

Of the following statements about the major soil types, the incorrect one is :

On the basis of the process of their formation, which' of the following soils is formed differently from the other three? [NDA 2003]

Which of the following are true in respect of alluvial soil ? 1. Generally confined to river basins 2. It has been deposited by rivers 3. It is rich in phosphorus and poor in potash 4. It is the most fertile soil

Peaty soil is found in :

Which of the following is the most important factor in soil formation?

Which of the following is/are not the characteristics of red soils? 1. They are derived from weathering of old crystalline and metamorphic rocks 2. They contain iron oxides 3. They have high water retention capacity 4. They have high nitrogen content

Which of the following is/are methods of checking soil erosion? 1. Strip cropping 2. Contour ploughing 3. Use of irrigation and fertilisers 4. Terrace farming

In which of the following ways can soil be conserved? 1. Contour ploughing 2. Terracing 3. Shifting cultivation 4. Crop rotation

Winter rains in North and North-West India are generally associated with the phenomenon of: [NDA 2003]

'Sal' is a very important tree of: [NDA 2003]

Consider the following statements: 1. Alluvial soil is rich in chemical properties and is capable of yielding Rabi and Kharif crops. 2. Black soil is suitable for cotton, groundnut. 3. Rabi crops are reaped in autumn after sowing in June. Which of these statements are correct ? [Asstt Comm PF 2002]

Forest policy of govt. aims to bring what percentage of total area, under forest?

Riparian forest is found:

Most of the floods in the lowlands of N. India, the Bihar plateau and Orissa are associated with:

Which of the following characteristics are associated with the dry monsoon forest of India? 1. Annual rainfall is below 50 cm 2. The trees are short rooted 3. Thorny shrubs and grassland 4. Mango, Mahua, Sisam and Keeker are the prominent trees.

The state which has attained the dubious distinction of being topper in the list with the highest encroachment of forest land:

During the monsoon season rainfall decreases from the Ganga delta to the Punjab plains. It is because:

The extreme of temperature between summer and winter is quite low in southern part of Peninsular India mainly because:

Which one of the following types of vegetation is referred as Monsoon forest?

Which one of the following statements is wrong regarding the "Norwesters" of Bengal? [IAS 2003]

The average annual temperature of a meteorological station is 26°C, its average annual rainfall is 63 cm and the annual range of temperature is 9°C. The station in question is : [IAS 2002]

For short-term climatic predictions, which one of the following events, detected in the last decade, is associated with occasional weak monsoon rains in the Indian subcontinent? [IAS 2002]

The most important commercial forests of India are:

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? [CDS 1999]

The wet hill forest are found in the: [CDS 1999]

With reference to India, which one of the following statements is not correct? [IAS 2002]

Cherapunji receives more rainfall than Shillong because:

Put in descending order of area with the following soils in India: 1. Red soils 2. Black soils 3. Laterite soils 4. Alluvial soils

Among the following places, the average annual rainfall is highest at : [CDS 2004]

Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched? [IAS 1997]

Which of the following are the main reasons for the origin of the south-west monsoon in India? 1. Development of a low pressure in north-west India 2. Deflection of trade winds 3. Arrival of cyclonic stream from the Pacific Ocean 4. Heating of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal

The nature of the winter rainfall in north western India is :

Which of the following functions performed by a forest help most in controlling drought?

27.	Forest policy of govt. aims to bring what percentage of total area, under forest?
A.	33%
B.	25%
C.	22%
D.	27%
Answer» A. 33%

28.	Riparian forest is found:
A.	along the banks of rivers and other wetland
B.	the tarai region, on the foot hills of Himalayas
C.	on the foot hills of Eastern slope of Western Ghats
D.	on the foot hills of Eastern slope of Eastern Ghats
Answer» A. along the banks of rivers and other wetland

29.	Most of the floods in the lowlands of N. India, the Bihar plateau and Orissa are associated with:
A.	easterly depression
B.	orographic rainfall
C.	South-West Monsoon
D.	Thunderstorm
Answer» B. orographic rainfall

30.	Which of the following characteristics are associated with the dry monsoon forest of India? 1. Annual rainfall is below 50 cm 2. The trees are short rooted 3. Thorny shrubs and grassland 4. Mango, Mahua, Sisam and Keeker are the prominent trees.
A.	1 and 2
B.	2 and 4
C.	3 and 4
D.	1, 2 and 3
Answer» C. 3 and 4

31.	The state which has attained the dubious distinction of being topper in the list with the highest encroachment of forest land:
A.	Bihar
B.	Andhra Pradesh
C.	Haryana
D.	Punjab
Answer» C. Haryana

32.	During the monsoon season rainfall decreases from the Ganga delta to the Punjab plains. It is because:
A.	monsoon current moves westward along the Ganga plain and becomes drier
B.	western regions are warmer than the eastern region
C.	hills do not form barriers for winds
D.	the area is far away from the sea
Answer» A. monsoon current moves westward along the Ganga plain and becomes drier

33.	The extreme of temperature between summer and winter is quite low in southern part of Peninsular India mainly because:
A.	the adjoining oceans moderate the temperature
B.	the sky is generally cloudy
C.	The sun's rays are almost vertical throughout the year
D.	strong winds flow throughout the year
Answer» A. the adjoining oceans moderate the temperature

34.	Which one of the following types of vegetation is referred as Monsoon forest?
A.	Tropical Dry-evergreen forests
B.	Tropical Moist-deciduous forests
C.	Tropical Semi-evergreen forests
D.	Tropical Dry-deciduous forests
Answer» B. Tropical Moist-deciduous forests

35.	Which one of the following statements is wrong regarding the "Norwesters" of Bengal? [IAS 2003]
A.	It is caused due to strong surface heating
B.	It originates in the Chhotanagpur plateau region
C.	It is a kind of thunderstorm
D.	None of the above
Answer» D. None of the above

36.	The average annual temperature of a meteorological station is 26°C, its average annual rainfall is 63 cm and the annual range of temperature is 9°C. The station in question is : [IAS 2002]
A.	Allahabad
B.	Chennai
C.	Cherapunji
D.	Kolkata
Answer» B. Chennai