Geography: CUET Mock Test - 1 - CUET MCQ

Answer: Neo determinism

Key Points

• Neo Determinism:
  • Sometimes referred to as "Stop and Go Determinism," this concept was indeed introduced by Griffith Taylor.
  • It suggests that while the environment sets certain constraints or limits, humans have the agency to make decisions within those limits.
  • This is a more nuanced approach compared to strict environmental determinism.

Additional Information

• Environmental Determinism:
  • This concept suggests that physical environment, especially climate, determines the patterns of human culture and societal development.
• Possibilism:
  • This theory counters environmental determinism, arguing that while the environment may pose restrictions, humans have the creativity and ability to adjust and choose various courses of action.
  • Griffith Taylor contributed to this debate but is more closely associated with neo determinism.
• Post-Modernism:
  • This is a broad movement across philosophy, art, architecture, and criticism that arose in the mid-to-late 20th century.
  • It is not directly related to Griffith Taylor's work in geography.

In conclusion, Griffith Taylor's introduction of neo determinism in human geography emphasizes a balanced perspective on the relationship between the environment and human agency, marking a significant contribution to the field.

To seek better job opportunities and higher living standards.

• The primary reason people move to cities in India, as in many other parts of the world, is to seek better job opportunities and higher living standards.
• Urban areas are often perceived to offer more economic opportunities, including a wider range of jobs, higher wages, and access to better healthcare and education facilities, compared to rural areas. 
• Option 2 is correct because urbanization in India, and globally, is largely driven by the economic pull factors of cities. Cities are economic hubs that attract people due to the perceived and often real benefits they offer in terms of employment, social mobility, and access to services and amenities that contribute to a higher quality of life.

Incorrect Options Explained
Option 1: To enjoy the cultural diversity of urban life. While cultural diversity and the vibrant social life of cities can be attractive, they are not the main reason people move to cities. The primary motivators are economic opportunities and improved living conditions.
Option 3: To escape the harsh weather conditions in rural areas. Although weather conditions might influence some individuals' decisions to move, it is not the main reason for urban migration in India. Economic factors play a more significant role in driving migration to urban areas.
Option 4: To be closer to family members who already live in cities. Being closer to family can be a factor in choosing to move to the city, but it is not the primary reason for the majority. The search for better job opportunities and living conditions is a more significant driver of urban migration.
The movement towards urban areas is a complex process influenced by multiple factors.

• While seeking better economic prospects is a leading cause, other reasons like education, healthcare access, and social opportunities also contribute to the trend of urban migration.
• This process, known as urbanization, has been a key feature of India's development pattern, especially after independence, with the urban population increasing significantly over the decades.

 Increased access to education facilities

•  Increased access to education facilities is generally considered a positive outcome or goal, rather than a challenge associated with rapid urbanization.
• Urban areas often provide better access to a wide range of educational institutions and resources, which is one of the factors that attract people to cities.
• The challenges of rapid urbanization are more commonly related to infrastructure, environmental, and social issues.
• Option 1 is correct because it represents a positive development goal associated with urbanization, rather than a challenge.
• While urban areas do face challenges in providing equitable access to quality education for all residents, especially the poor and those living in informal settlements, the basic premise of increased access to educational facilities as a concept is oriented towards positive outcomes.
• Option 2: Strain on existing infrastructure like sanitation and water supply. This option correctly identifies a challenge of rapid urbanization. As cities grow quickly, existing infrastructure may not be able to keep up with the demand, leading to inadequate sanitation and water supply services for the urban population, contributing to health and environmental problems.
• Option 3: Rising traffic congestion and air pollution. This is also a significant challenge faced by rapidly urbanizing areas. The increase in vehicles and industrial activity, coupled with inadequate urban planning and public transportation, contributes to severe traffic congestion and air pollution, impacting the health and quality of life of residents.
• Option 4: Formation of slums with inadequate basic amenities. This accurately describes another major challenge of rapid urbanization. As people flock to cities in search of better opportunities, the housing market often cannot keep up, leading to the formation and expansion of slums. These areas are characterized by overcrowded living conditions and lack of access to clean water, sanitation, and other basic amenities, posing significant social and health challenges.

 Encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship through business creation.

• Urbanization can act as a catalyst for economic development by fostering environments that encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and the creation of new businesses.
• Urban areas often provide better access to markets, financial services, networks, and human resources that are essential for business development and innovation activities. 
• Option 2 is correct because cities are hubs of economic activity and creativity, offering the infrastructure and diverse talent pool necessary for fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
• This dynamic environment can lead to the creation of new businesses, generating employment, and contributing to economic growth.
• Option 1: Reducing the overall population of the country. Urbanization in and of itself does not reduce the overall population of a country. Instead, it represents a demographic shift of population from rural to urban areas, which can lead to urban areas becoming more densely populated.
• Option 3: Completely eliminating poverty in urban areas. While urbanization can lead to economic growth and has the potential to reduce poverty through job creation, it is overly optimistic to claim that it can completely eliminate poverty. Urbanization also brings about challenges such as the creation of slums and inequality that need to be addressed to effectively reduce urban poverty.
• Option 4: Decreasing the need for investment in education and healthcare in rural areas. Urbanization does not decrease the need for investment in education and healthcare in rural areas; rather, it highlights the importance of ensuring equitable access to these services across both urban and rural settings. Neglecting investment in rural areas can exacerbate disparities and hinder overall national development.

Investing in both rural development and sustainable urban planning.

• A balanced approach involving both rural development and sustainable urban planning is recognized as a key strategy to manage the challenges of rapid urbanization effectively.
• This strategy aims to alleviate the pressure on urban areas by making rural life more attractive through the improvement of livelihoods, infrastructure, and access to services, while also ensuring that urban areas can sustainably accommodate and integrate new residents.
• Option 4 is correct because it addresses the root causes and effects of rapid urbanization in a holistic manner. Investing in rural areas can help reduce the push factors that drive people to leave their homes in search of better opportunities in cities.
• Concurrently, sustainable urban planning can ensure that cities are prepared to absorb new populations in a manner that promotes social equity, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability, thereby mitigating the negative impacts of urbanization.

Incorrect Options Explained

• Option 1: Encouraging everyone to move back to rural areas. This approach is not practical or feasible as a comprehensive strategy for managing urbanization. People are often driven to urban areas by a variety of push and pull factors, including economic opportunities, education, and health services. Simply encouraging a reverse migration does not address the fundamental reasons for urbanization.
• Option 3: Building even more high-rise apartments in existing cities. While increasing housing capacity is important for accommodating a growing urban population, focusing solely on this aspect does not address other critical challenges such as infrastructure strain, pollution, or the need for public services. Sustainable urban planning requires a more comprehensive approach that includes transportation, green spaces, and community services.
• Option 2: Focusing solely on attracting large international corporations to major cities. Attracting large corporations can contribute to economic growth, but this strategy alone does not address the broader challenges of urbanization, such as housing, infrastructure, social inequality, and environmental sustainability. It may also exacerbate problems like income disparities and congestion if not paired with comprehensive urban planning and social policy measures.

The management of urbanization challenges in India, as in other rapidly urbanizing countries, requires integrated and sustainable urban and rural development strategies. These strategies should aim to enhance the quality of life, promote equitable economic opportunities, improve infrastructure and services, and ensure environmental sustainability. Balancing urban and rural development is essential for harnessing the benefits of urbanization while mitigating its drawbacks.

The correct answer is D: Goa.

Explanation: Goa has the highest percentage of its population living in urban areas among the listed states. The rapid urbanization in India is a trend that is more pronounced in states like Goa, where the urban population has been steadily increasing due to factors like tourism and improved living standards. The other states mentioned, like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh, have significant urban populations but not as high a percentage as Goa.

The Seven national highways were merged to form National Highway 44 (NH 44).

• National Highway 44 (NH 44) is India's longest-running main National Highway.
• In addition to the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu it passes through the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It was constructed and is maintained by the Central Department of Public Works (CPWD).
• The Chenani-Nashri Tunnel is also constructed on this highway.

Both statements about Haryana Roadways State Transport are accurate:

• The organisation was established on 1st November 1960.
• Its headquarters is located in Haryana.

Roadways are efficient for short distances and are suitable for door-to-door service, making them cost-effective for such distances.

Railways are ideal for transporting large volumes of goods over long distances, particularly within a country.

Highways facilitate the flow of trade and tourism by providing wide, well-maintained roads that enable efficient movement, supporting both statements.

Major industries causing water pollution are leather, paper and pulp, textiles and chemical industries.

Sources of water pollution are sewage disposal, urban run-off, toxic effluents from industries, run-off over cultivated lands and nuclear power plants.

High level of noise above tolerance level is called noise pollution. Sources of pollution are aircrafts, automobiles, trains, industrial processing and advertising media.

Air pollution can also cause acid rains. It is caused by airborne acidic pollutants and has highly destructive results.

Cities of Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna and Kolkata release domestic waste into the Ganga river.

Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. They can be gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets.

Economic geography is a field of study that focuses on the spatial aspects of economies and economic activities, including the distribution of resources, trade, development, and the factors influencing economic practices in various locations. Let's examine each of the provided options with respect to their alignment with economic geography:

Key Points

• Welfare Economics
  • Welfare Economics is the branch of economics that focuses on the optimal allocation of resources and goods and how this affects social welfare.
  • It is concerned with the well-being of people and how economic policies impact overall societal happiness and equity.
  • While it includes considerations of resource distribution and economic efficiency, its primary focus is not on the geographical aspects of economies or the spatial distribution of economic activities.
  • Instead, it deals more with the normative aspects of economics - what ought to be rather than describing and analyzing economic phenomena spatially.

Additional Information

• Business Studies
  • Business Studies is a broad subject that covers various aspects of businesses and their operations, such as management, marketing, finance, and economics.
  • Although it does include economic principles, it is more focused on the operations and strategies of individual businesses rather than the spatial distribution and economic activities across different geographical areas.
  • Therefore, while Business Studies intersects with economic geography in terms of understanding economic principles, its primary focus is not the geographical aspect of economies.
• Resource Economics
  • ​​Resource Economics is a sub-discipline of economics that deals with the supply, demand, and allocation of natural resources.
  • It is closely related to economic geography as it studies how resources are distributed across the globe, their economic value, and how their extraction and use impact the economy and the environment.
  • Understanding the geographic distribution of resources and their economic implications is a key part of economic geography, making Resource Economics an integral aspect of the subject.
• Agricultural Sciences
  • ​It studies the biological and chemical processes related to farming and the production of food and fiber.
  • It plays a crucial role in economic geography by addressing how agricultural practices and resource utilization vary across different regions due to climatic, soil, and water availability differences.
  • Agricultural productivity and land use are fundamental elements within economic geography, as they influence food security, trade patterns, and the economic development of rural areas.
  • Thus, Agricultural Sciences is very much a part of economic geography.

Based on the explanations above, Option 4) Welfare Economics is NOT a part of Economic Geography.

Answer: Irrigation

Key Points

• Irrigation: -
  • The largest proportion of the total water used in a country typically goes towards irrigation. -
  • This is because agriculture demands significant amounts of water to grow crops, especially in arid and semi-arid regions where natural rainfall is insufficient to meet the plants' needs. -
  • Irrigation systems, which include sprinklers, drip lines, and canals, are used to distribute water across large areas of farmland, ensuring that crops receive the moisture they need for growth and sustenance. -

Additional Information

• Industries: -
  • While industries do consume a considerable amount of water for processes, cooling, and cleaning, their overall consumption is generally less than that of agriculture. -
  • Industrial water use varies by sector but is typically more efficient in its water use due to recycling processes and technological advancements.
• Domestic use: -
  • ​Domestic water use includes drinking, cooking, bathing, and watering gardens among other household needs.
  • Although essential for daily living, the volume of water used domestically is significantly lower than that used for irrigation.
  • In many regions, efforts to conserve water in homes, such as low-flow fixtures and appliances, have further reduced domestic water consumption
• Electricity production:
  • Water is used in the production of electricity primarily for cooling in thermal power plants and in hydroelectric power generation.
  • Despite the critical role of water in electricity production, its usage is still less than that of agriculture.
  • The efficiency of water use in electricity generation has been increasing, with closed-loop cooling systems reducing the overall consumption.

​Answer: Asia

Key Points

• Asia:
  • Asia is the most densely populated continent on Earth, housing more than 60% of the world's current human population despite covering only about 30% of the Earth's land area.
  • The continent has several of the world's largest and most populous countries, including China and India, which significantly contribute to its high population density.
  • Major urban centers, such as Tokyo, Delhi, and Shanghai, also contribute to the high density, with large populations living in relatively small areas.

Additional Information

• Europe:
  • Europe does have areas of high population density, particularly in urban centers and smaller countries with significant populations.
  • However, its overall population density is lower than Asia's, making it not the continent with the highest population density.
• Africa:
  • While Africa is the second-largest continent in terms of both area and population, its population density is lower than Asia's.
  • The continent has vast areas with lower population densities, such as deserts and rainforests.
• South America:
  • South America, while populous, does not reach the population densities found in Asia.
  • Much of South America is covered by rainforest, notably the Amazon, which is sparsely populated.

In conclusion, Asia's significant population, combined with its relatively smaller land area compared to continents like Africa, contributes to its status as the most densely populated continent. This is due to a combination of factors including large populations in countries like China and India, as well as high urban population densities.

• Marginal Farmers Development Agency: -
  • This agency focuses on the development of marginal and small farmers, aiming to improve their livelihoods and productivity.
  • It is not specifically targeted at developing a spatial or geographical area but rather focuses on a particular demographic within various areas.

Additional Information

• Desert Development Programme: -
  • Aimed at combating desertification and promoting economic development in desert areas.
  • This program is spatially targeted as it focuses on specific geographical areas prone to desertification.
• Command Area Development Programme: -
  • This program is designed to improve water use efficiency in irrigation commands.
  • It targets specific geographical areas where irrigation infrastructure is developed or needs improvement, making it spatially targeted.
• Hill Area Development Programme:
  • Focused on the socio-economic development of hill areas, addressing the unique challenges faced by these regions.
  • This program is spatially targeted as it focuses on hill areas that have specific developmental needs due to their topography and ecological conditions.

In conclusion, the Marginal Farmers Development Agency does not focus on the development of a specific spatial or geographical area but rather on a specific group of people, i.e., marginal and small farmers, regardless of their location.

The correct answer is Neo-determinism

Key Points

• Geographer, Griffith Taylor introduced this concept which reflects a middle path (Madhyam Marg) between the two ideas of environmental determinism and possibilism.
• He termed it as Neo-determinism or stop-and-go determinism.
• It means that possibilities can be created within the limits which do not damage the environment and there is no free run without accidents.
• The free run which the developed economies attempted to take has already resulted in the greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, global warming, receding glaciers and degrading lands.
• it suggests humans operate within environmental limits without unrestricted freedom, avoiding extremes of either theory.

A. The way in which people are spread across the Earth's surface is known as the pattern of population distribution. -  Correct

• The population distribution pattern refers to the arrangement or spread of people living in a given area; it can be dense in some areas and sparse in others, depending on a variety of factors including geographical, social, and economic factors.

B. More than 90 percent of the world's population lives in about 10 percent of the land surface.-  Correct

• The world's population is indeed highly concentrated in specific areas due to factors such as climate, soil fertility, availability of water, and economic activity.
• For instance, large populations are found in the river valleys, coastal areas, and fertile plains where living conditions are favorable.

C. The distribution of population in the world is extremely uneven.-  Correct

• The distribution of the global population is not uniform, with some areas having high population densities (e.g., South Asia, East Asia, Europe) while vast regions such as deserts, high mountains, and polar areas have very low densities of population due to harsh living conditions.

 Thus, we can say that the above statements about the population are correct.

• The change of place of residence for a long period of time is known as migration.
• Migration is a global phenomenon caused not only by economic factors but also by social, political, cultural, environmental, health, education and transportation factors.
• Migration of people is related to changes in the social, political, and economic environment in the region of origin or the receiving region.
  • Hence Statement 3 is incorrect.

The push and pull factors operate together for a person to migrate.

• The push factors make the place of origin less attractive and compel a person to migrate because of unemployment, poverty, violence, political strife etc.
• The pull factors make the place of destination seem more attractive such as better living conditions, educational and cultural development, regular work, high wages etc.
• Adults are more likely to migrate than any other age group.
• Rural to urban migration is far the major portion of migration. It is because of growing urbanisation.
• The migration affects the overall population of the region. 

The correct answer is option 4 i.e., A-iv, B-i, C-ii, D-iii.

• Crops that are grown in the winter season, from November to April are called Rabi Crops.
• Some of the important rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram, and mustard.
• The crops that are sown in the rainy season are called Kharif crops.
• It is also known as the summer or monsoon crop in India.
• Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains in July, during the south-west monsoon season.
• Zaid crops are mainly grown in the summer season during a period called the "Zaid crop season".The time between Kharif crops and rabi crops.

Paddy can be considered as both kharif and rabi crop as in some areas paddy is grown in the winter season also. But paddy needs a lot of water to be cultivated; hence in most of the areas it is grown in the rainy season. Hence, paddy will be considered as a kharif crop. 

Here's a table explaining each sector of the economy (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary) along with the corresponding activities:

• Primary Sector: Involves activities related to natural resources and raw materials, such as agriculture, fishing, mining, and forestry. Pearl culture falls under this sector as it relies on oysters and water bodies.
• Secondary Sector: Involves manufacturing and processing activities that transform raw materials into finished products. Brick-making is an example.
• Tertiary Sector: Encompasses service-based activities, including retail, healthcare, education, and transportation. Postal services fit here as they involve delivery services.
• Quaternary Sector: Involves knowledge-based activities related to information technology, research, development, and innovation. Singing is classified here as a creative pursuit by professional vocalists who may engage in research and new music composition.

The correct answer ​A - II, B - I, C - III, D - IV

In the last paragraph, various techniques which are being used to control soil erosion have been mentioned. For example: contour tillage, contour bunding, terrace farming, etc. Thus, terrace farming is a human intervention that controls soil erosion instead of aggravating it. All other options are examples of human interventions which lead to soil erosion, transforming the cultivable lands into wastelands.

Both the assertion and the reason are correct. The assertion is correct according to the statement 'Increasing pressures of urbanisation and . . . of the soil in India.' The reason is correct according to the statement 'Since the causes of . . . improve soil quality.' However, the reason does not explain the assertion, and they act as independent statements.