SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER - 2

Geography (029)
Class XII (2024-25)

Time Allowed: 3 hours Maximum Marks: 70

General Instructions:
Read the following instructions carefully and follow them:
1. This question paper contains 30 questions. All questions are compulsory.
2. Question paper is divided into five sections A, B, C, D and E.
3. Section A Questions no. 1 to 17 are Multiple Choice type questions. Each question
carries 1 mark.
4. Section B Questions no. 18 and 19 are Source-based questions. Each question
carries 3 marks.
5. Section C Questions no. 20 to 23 are Short Answer type questions. Each question
carries 3 marks. Answer to these questions shall be written in 80 to 100 words.
6. Section D Questions no. 24 to 28 are Long Answer type questions. Each question
carries 5 marks. Answer to these questions shall be written in 120 to 150 words.
7. Section E Questions no. 29 and 30 are Map-based questions. Each question carries
5 marks.
8. There is no overall choice given in the question paper. However, an internal choice
has been provided in a few questions in all sections other than Section A.
Section A
1. Assertion (A): Health is the key area of human development. [1]
Reason (R): It shows people improvement in health.

a) Both A and R are true and R is b) Both A and R are true but R is
the correct explanation of A. not the correct explanation of
A.

c) A is true but R is false. d) A is false but R is true.

2. Match the following correctly [1]

List I (Type of Activity) List II (Features)
(a) Subsistence Agriculture (i) Introduced in colonies
(b) Plantation Agriculture (ii) Supplies citrus fruits
 (c) Dairy farming (iii) Rearing of Milch animals
(d) Mediterranean Agriculture (iv) Producers are consumers

a) (a) - (i), (b) - (iii), (c) - (ii), (d) - b) (a) - (i), (b) - (ii), (c) - (iii), (d)
(iv) - (iv)

c) (a) - (iv), (b) - (i), (c) - (iii), (d) d) (a) - (iv), (b) - (i), (c) - (ii), (d) -
- (ii) (iii)

3. Which mode carries high-value light goods? [1]

a) Railways b) Roads

c) Waterways d) Airways

4. Consider the following statements and choose the correct option for the same: [1]
i. Hamleted Settlement is a fragmented physical unit of settlement.
ii. The units are locally called panna, para, palli, nagla, dhani, etc.

a) Only ii is correct b) Only i is correct

c) Both i and ii are correct d) Both are incorrect

5. Who, among the following economists created the Human Development Index in [1]
the year 1990?

a) Ellen C. Semple b) Prof. Amartya Sen

c) Dr. Mahbub-ul-Haq d) Dr. Manmohan Singh

6. Which of the following states produces sea salt? [1]

a) West Bengal b) Orissa

c) Gujarat d) Andhra Pradesh

7. Where is the largest coalfield of India? [1]

a) Raniganj b) Jharia

c) Neyveli d) Singareni

8. What is the source of pollution along the banks of Ganga? [1]

 a) Paper industry b) Gases

c) Leather industry d) Waste

9. Transportation does not help in: [1]

a) Unity b) Defence

c) Cooperation d) Hunting

10. Consider the following statements and choose the correct option for the same: [1]
i. Growth is a qualitative change, which is always positive.
ii. Development have a positive or a negative sign that the change may be either
positive (showing an increase) or negative (indicating a decrease).

a) Both are incorrect b) Only ii is correct

c) Only i is correct d) Both i and ii are correct

11. Arrange the following countries in sequential order of their health care index. [1]
Choose the correct option:
i. Denmark
ii. South Korea
iii. Taiwan
iv. France

a) iii, ii, i, iv b) ii, i, iv, iii

c) i, iii, iv, ii d) iv, i, iii, ii

12. Which branch of Geography deals with the relation between physical and socio- [1]
cultural environment?

a) Human Geography b) Environmental Geography

c) Physical Geography d) Economical Geography

13. Which one of the following south Indian states has the highest groundwater [1]
utilization (in percent) of its total groundwater potential?

a) Karnataka b) Gujarat
 c) Tamil Nadu d) Andhra Pradesh

14. Areas of Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala have which type [1]
of settlement?

a) Clustered Settlements b) Dispersed Settlements

c) Semi-Clustered Settlements d) Hamleted Settlements

Question No. 15 to 17 are based on the given text. Read the text carefully and answer [3]
the questions:
Study the given graph carefully and answer the following questions:

15. Which of the following elements has aided in the reduction of the death rate?
a) Biotechnology b) Technological advancement

c) Information and Computers d) Globalisation

16. What was facilitated by technological advances?

a) Increasing biotechnology b) Increasing population growth

c) Decreasing imports d) Decreasing population growth

17. “Science and Technology helped Population Growth”. Which of the following is incorrect
with respect to given statement?
a) Agricultural and industrial b) The steam engine replaced
production grew as a result of human and animal energy and
mechanised water and wind also provided mechanised
energy. energy of water and wind.

c) Inoculation against epidemics d) All of these

and other communicable
diseases lead to a global
increase in death rates.

Section B
18. Basic industries or key industries supply their products to other industries as raw [3]
materials for these industries so that other goods can be produced. Some examples
of basic industries are iron and steel industry, copper smelting, aluminum smelting
etc. The iron and steel industry provides steel as a raw material to other industries
like automobile industry. Basic industries are the industries that provide other
industries with raw materials so that they can operate and produce other products.
i. Define the term basic industry?
ii. Give two examples each of the Basic and Consumer industries.
iii. Why Iron and Steel industry is considered a basic industry?

19. Study the map given below carefully and answer the questions that follow: [3]

i. Identify the waterway and name it.

ii. Through which countries does this waterway pass?
iii. Explain the economic importance of this waterway.

Section C
20. What do you know about the groundwater resources of India? [3]

OR
Why has the need for conservation and management of water resources in India arisen?

21. Study the chart given below and answer the questions that follow: [3]
 Source: Census of India
i. What do you mean by the decadal growth rate?
ii. Explain why the decades 1951-81 are referred to as the period of population
explosion in India?
iii. In which decade the population growth rate has increased to 181 million? Give a
reason why it has increased?

22. Why are ports known as gateways of international trade? Explain any three [3]
characteristics of inland ports.

23. What is telecommunication? Why is it important? [3]

Section D
24. Hunting and gathering are the oldest known economic activities. Explain. [5]

25. The distribution of roads in India is not uniform. Examine the statement by giving [5]
three reasons.

OR
Why is air transport important for India? Describe the different types of Air transport in
India.
26. How is international trade considered a basis of the world economy? [5]

OR
What are the concerns related to international trade?

27. Mention any five land use categories as maintained in the Land Revenue Records. [5]

OR
Write any suggestions to overcome low productivity of land and to overcome
fragmentation of land holding.

28. Development is a multi-dimensional concept and signifies the positive, irreversible [5]
transformation of the economy, society and environment. Support the statement
with suitable arguments from India.

OR
What is Sustainable Development? Explain any two aspects of the concept of
sustainable development.

Section E
29. On the given political map of the World, seven geographical features have been [5]
marked as A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Identify any five with the help of the following
information and write their correct names on the lines drawn near each feature.
A. A major seaport in Asia
B. An international airport
C. An important Seaway
D. An area of subsistence gathering
E. Eastern terminal of Trans-Australian Railways
F. An area of Nomadic Herding
G. Region of extensive commercial grain agriculture
30. Locate and label any five of the following geographical features on the political [5]
outline map of India with appropriate symbols:
i. A major seaport in Gujarat
ii. The Headquarter of Central Railway Zone
iii. Software Technology Park in Telangana
iv. The iron and steel plant located in Karnataka
v. The leading rice producer State in India
vi. An oil refinery in Assam
vii. A mine of Bauxite in Odisha
viii. The leading State in the field of out-migration
 Solution
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER - 2
Geography (029)
Class XII (2024-25)
Section A
1.
(c) A is true but R is false.
Explanation:
A meaningful life is not just a long one. It must be a life with some purpose. This means
that people must be healthy, be able to develop their talents, participate in society and be
free to achieve their goals. Healthy people are capable of using all the resources and create
wealth out of them.
The assertion is correct but the reason is incorrect.
2.
(c) (a) - (iv), (b) - (i), (c) - (iii), (d) - (ii)
Explanation:
(a) - (iv), (b) - (i), (c) - (iii), (d) - (ii)
3.
(d) Airways
Explanation:
Airways is the fastest and the costliest mode of transport. The manufacturing of large size
passenger and cargo aeroplanes and their operations require elaborate arrangements, such
as hangar, landing, fuelling, and maintaining facilities. Thus, air transport is used only
for high-value goods and passengers.
4.
(c) Both i and ii are correct
Explanation:
Both i and ii are correct
5.
(c) Dr. Mahbub-ul-Haq
Explanation:
Dr. Mahbub-ul-Haq
6.
(c) Gujarat
Explanation:
Gujarat and Rajasthan both have rich sources of salt. Gujarat is the largest salt
producer state of India and the third-largest in the world. The state contributes 76 per cent
 to the total salt production in India, Kharaghoda, Bhavnagar, Porbandar and Rann of
Kutch of Gujarat are major salt produced districts.
7.
(b) Jharia
Explanation:
Jharia.
Jharia coalfeld is a large coal field located in the east of India in Jharia, Jharkhand. Jharia
represents the largest coal reserves in India having estimated reserves of 19.4 billion
tonnes of coking coal.
8.
(c) Leather industry
Explanation:
Leather industry.
The Leather industry releases large amounts toxic chemicals and acidic effluents
concentrated with heavy metal Chromium, Cadmium, Lead,Arsenic, Cobalt, Copper, Iron,
Lead, Zinc, Manganese. All of these highly potent chemicals make their way into the
Ganges.
9.
(d) Hunting
Explanation:
Hunting
10. (a) Both are incorrect
Explanation:
Both are incorrect
11. (a) iii, ii, i, iv
Explanation:
iii, ii, i, iv
12. (a) Human Geography
Explanation:
Human Geography
13.
(c) Tamil Nadu
Explanation:
Tamil Nadu
14.
(b) Dispersed Settlements
 Explanation:
Extreme dispersion of settlement is often caused by the extremely fragmented nature of
the terrain and land resource base of habitable areas. Many areas of Meghalaya,
Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala have this type of settlement.
15. (b) Technological advancement
Explanation:
Technological advancement
16. (b) Increasing population growth
Explanation:
Increasing population growth
17. (c) Inoculation against epidemics and other communicable diseases lead to a global
increase in death rates.
Explanation:
Inoculation against epidemics and other communicable diseases lead to a global decrease
in death rates.
Section B
18. i. The industry whose products are used to make other goods by using them as raw
materials are basic industries.
ii. Iron and steel and Copper industries are basic industries. Tea and Soap are consumer
industries.
iii. Iron and steel industry provides a base for all other industries, so it is called a basic
industry. It is used to make everything from a sewing needle to rail sheets, wires,
machines etc.
19. i. Rhine Waterway
ii. The Rhine Waterway passes through Germany and the Netherlands.
iii. It connects the industrial areas of Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium and the
Netherlands with the North Atlantic Sea Route. It provides a cheap and safe way of
transportation.
Section C
20. i. The total replenishable groundwater resources in the country are about 432 cubic km.
ii. The level of groundwater utilisation is relatively high in the river basins lying in the
north-western region and parts of south India.
iii. The groundwater utilisation is very high in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan,
and Tamil Nadu. However, there are states like Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Kerala, etc. which
utilise only a small proportion of their groundwater potentials.
iv. States like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tripura, and Maharashtra are utilising their
groundwater resources at a moderate rate.
 OR
Need for the conservation and management of water resource in India:
i. The demand for freshwater is increasing due to the ever-growing population, but the
availability of freshwater has declined.
ii. The over-use of groundwater resources has led to declining in groundwater tables in
some states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
iii. The high yield varieties of crops require more irrigation.
iv. The available water is getting polluted due to domestic, agricultural, and industrial
effluents.
21. i. The decadal growth rate is a vital part of Census operations. This gives an overview of
the percentage of total population growth in a particular decade.
ii. A rapid fall in the mortality rate but a high fertility rate of population in the country. It
is in this period, after the, Independence that developmental activities were introduced
through a centralised planning process and economy started showing up ensuring the
improvement of living condition of people at large. Consequently, there was a high
natural increase and higher growth rate.
iii. During 2001-2011 period because downward trend of crude birth rate is held
responsible for such a population growth. This was, in turn, affected by an increase in
the mean age at marriage, improved quality of life particularly education of females in
the country.
22. Ports are known as gateways of international trade because of cargoes and travellers from
one part of the world to another through these ports. The ports provide facilities of
docking, loading, unloading and the storage facilities for cargo.
Characteristics of inland ports:
a. These ports are located away from sea coast.
b. They are linked to the sea through a river or a canal.
c. Such ports are accessible to flat bottom ships or barges. For example Kolkata Port
23. Telecommunication is the exchange of U information over significant distances by
electronic means.
Importance of telecommunication are:
Modern technology has changed the old pattern of communication. It has made
communication independent of transport.
The use of mobile phones and internet has brought a revolution in modern
communication.
It has reduced the speed with which messages are sent to destination. It has reduced
the communication time from weeks to minutes.
 It has made the communication direct and instantaneous at any time and from
anywhere irrespective of location.
It is now easier to cater to a wide range of audience across the world through radio,
television or internet.
Section D
24. The earliest known primary activities are hunting and gathering. Gathering is practised in
regions with harsh climatic conditions. It is practised in primitive societies who extract
plants and animals to satisfy their needs for food, shelter and clothing. Gathering is I
practised in:
1. High latitude zones which include Northern Canada, Northern Eurasia and Southern
Chile.
2. Low latitude zones such as the Amazon Basin, Tropical interior part of South East Asia.
In modern times some gathering is market oriented. Gatherers collect valuable plants
and after simple processing they sell these plants in the market. They use different parts
of the plants. For example, they use:
(i) Bark of the tree for making quinine, tannin extract and cork;
(ii) Leaves are used to produce beverages, drugs, cosmetics, fibre, thatch and fabrics;
(iii) Nuts are used for food and oils and
(iv) Tree trunk provides rubber, balata, gums and raisins. There are little chances that
gathering can ever become a global activity because it cannot compete in the world
market. Moreover, synthetic products often provide better quality at cheaper rates. It
makes it economically non viable. These synthetic items have replaced many items
supplied by the gatherers in tropical forests.
25. The distribution of roads in India is not uniform. Reasons behind this uneven distribution
of roads are:
i. Roads can be easily and cheaply constructed in plain areas whereas it can be difficult
and costly in hilly, mountainous and plateau areas. That's why most of the northern
states and southern states have a dense network of roads as compared to Himalayan and
North-Eastern states.
ii. The level of economic development also plays an important role in deciding the
network of roads in an area. That's why having plain areas, Rajasthan and Madhya
Pradesh have a less dense network of roads.
iii. Inaccessible areas also have less density of roads in India. Forested rainy and high
altitude areas have less density of roads.
OR
Importance of Air Transport:
Air transport is the fastest mode of transport. It is an important mode for a country of the
 size of India where the terrain and the climatic conditions are so diverse. It is vital for our
internal transport system as well as for the links with other countries.
Types of Air transport:
i. Air India: The Air India handles the foreign traffic, both passengers and cargo from
four focal points, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata. It connects all the continents
through its services.
ii. Indian Airlines: The domestic traffic is handled by the Indian Airlines Corporation. It
carries passengers, cargo and mail to different destinations within the country as well as
to eight neighbouring countries.
iii. Vayudoot: It generally provides links with remote and inaccessible areas which are not
covered by the Indian Airlines.
iv. Pawan Hans: It was established to provide helicopter services in order to link far-flung
and inaccessible areas in hilly and forested regions.
26. International trade is the result of specialization in production. It benefits the world
economy if different countries practice specialization and division of labour in the
production of commodities or provision of services. Each kind of specialization can give
rise to trade. Thus, international trade is based on the principle of comparative advantage,
complementarity, and transferability of goods and services and in principle, should be
mutually beneficial to the trading partners.
i. Specialisation in production: Instead of trying to produce everything by themselves,
countries often concentrate on producing things that they can produce most efficiently.
They then trade for other goods and services. In doing so, both the country and the
world become wealthier.
ii. It is based on the comparative advantage: Even if one country can produce
everything more efficiently than another country, there is still scope for trade. A country
can maximize its wealth by putting its resources into its most competitive industries,
regardless of whether other countries are more competitive in those industries. This is
called the law of comparative advantage.
iii. Complementarity and transferability of goods and services: Sometimes it is difficult
to move resources from one industry to another as it would cost a great deal of money.
For example, it would require a great deal of effort to turn a shoe factory into a car
factory. Governments try to keep in mind certain factors before formulating foreign
policies.
iv. Formation of foreign policy on the basis of international trade: Trade provides
people with a greater selection of goods and services to choose from and often these
goods are available at lower prices than those in the domestic economy. Thus, the
foreign policies of the countries are based on international trade.
 v. Competitiveness: Competitiveness is used to describe the relative productivity of
companies and industries. If one company can produce better products at lower prices
than another, it is said to be more competitive. This is a matter of concern for the
government since it is difficult for uncompetitive industries to survive. This also helps
the countries in formulating their foreign policies.
(Explain any 3 points in detail)
OR
The international trade is mutually beneficial to nations if it leads to regional
specialization, a higher level of production and a better standard of living, worldwide
availability of goods and services, equalisation of prices and wages and diffusion of
knowledge and culture. International trade can prove to be detrimental to nations if it leads
to dependence on other countries, uneven levels of development, exploitation and
commercial rivalry leading to wars.
Global trade affects many aspects of life; it can impact everything from the environment to
the health and well-being of the people around the world. As countries compete to trade
more, production and the use of natural resources spiral up, resources get used up faster
than they can be replenished. The marine life is also depleting fast, forests are being cut
down and river basins sold off to private drinking water companies. If these concerns are
not addressed, then it could lead to serious implications in the future.
27. i. Forests: It is important to note that area under actual forest cover is different from area
classified as forest. The latter is the area which the government has identified and
demarcated for forest growth. The land revenue records are consistent with the latter
definition.
ii. Land put to non-agricultural uses: Land under settlements (rural and urban),
infrastructure (roads, canals, etc.), industries, shops, etc. are included in this category.
iii. Barren and Wastelands: The land which may be classified as a wasteland such as
barren hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines, etc., normally cannot be brought under
cultivation with the available technology.
iv. Area under Permanent Pastures and Grazing Lands: Most of this type of land is
owned by the Village Panchayat or the Government. Only a small proportion of this
land is privately owned.
v. Culturable Wasteland: Any land which is left fallow (uncultivated) for more than five
years is included in this category.
OR
i. Proper irrigation facility: Canals, tube wells should be constructed to provide better
irrigation facilities for the security of the crops.
 ii. Timely availability of good seeds, fertilizers, manure, pesticides: The farmers should
be supplied with quality inputs at the proper time and controlled prices. To protect the
farmers from exploitation, effective steps are needed to be taken to check sale of
adulterated fertilizers, poor quality seeds, etc.
iii. Guidance of exports/educate the farmer: Marketing infrastructure should be widened
and strengthened to help the farmers to sell their products at local as well as
international markets.
iv. Easy availability of labs for soil testing: Labs for soil testing should be set up in
villages so that the farmers can be educated about the soil and how to preserve and
regain its fertility.
v. Agricultural education: In a bid to guide and advise the farmers regarding the
adoption of new technology arrangements should be made for agricultural education
and extension services.
28. Development is a multi-dimensional and dynamic concept that is used to describe the state
of particular societies and the process of changes experienced by them.
The state of societies has been mainly determined by the interaction processes between
human societies and their natural environments. The process of human environment
interaction depends upon the level of technology in a society and the institutions nurtured
by the society.
Development signifies positive and irreversible transformation of the economy, society
and the environment.
It refers to qualitative change in the life of an individual for e.g. increasing literacy,
longivity etc. In economic sphere, creating resources, technological developments such as
industries etc. are irreversible in nature. Earlier, development was measured by only the
economic growth. Later, the development started including equity and redistribution along
with economic growth. Later, it was realised that development cannot be restricted to only
the economic sphere. It must include well being of the people, improving their living
standards, education, health, political and civil rights etc.
In the case of India, when it was realised that regional imbalances are getting more
noticeable, the Planning Commission introduced the 'target area' and target group
approaches to planning that aimed at removing regional disparities that have occured due
to development. So, area specific plans such as Hill Area Development Programme,
Drought Prone Area Development Programme etc. were launched to make development
more balanced.
OR
The notion of sustainable development emerged in the wake of general rise in the
awareness of environmental issues in the late 1960s in the Western World. It reflected the
 concern of people about the undesirable effects of industrial development on the
environment.
Sustainable development takes care of ecological, social, and economic aspects of
development during the present times and pleads for conservation of resources to enable
the future generations to use these resources. It takes into account the development of
whole humankind which have common future.
Ecological Aspect: The environmental aspect of sustainable development commits to
protecting the environment by reducing risks and measuring the environmental
impacts of human activities. It aims to improve human welfare through the protection
of natural capital (e.g. land, air, water, minerals etc.).
Economic Aspect: Development should take care of the protection of the
environment encouraged by various methods like recycling of products, the use of
renewable energy etc.
Social Aspect: Development should promote equality and respect for individual
rights.
(any Two aspect)
Section E
29. A. A major seaport in Asia (Yokohama)
B. An international airport (Buenos Aires)
C. An important Seaway (Suez Canal)
D. An area of subsistence gathering (interior parts of Southeast Asia)
E. Eastern terminal of Trans-Australian Railways (Sydney)
F. An area of Nomadic Herding (Arabian peninsula)
G. Region of extensive commercial grain agriculture (Canadian and American Prairies)
30. A major seaport in Gujarat: Kandla Port
The Headquarter of Central Railway Zone: Mumbai
Software Technology Park in Telangana: Hyderabad
The iron and steel plant located in Karnataka: JSW Steel Plant in Vijayanagar
The leading rice producer State in India: West Bengal
An oil refinery in Assam: Numaligarh Refinery
A mine of Bauxite in Odisha: Panchpatmali
The leading State in the field of out-migration: Uttar Pradesh