Geography: CUET Mock Test - 1 - CUET MCQ

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.

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.

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 studs 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 Neodeterminism.

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 Neodeterminism 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.
• Neo-determinism conceptually attempts to bring a balance nullifying the ‘either’ ‘or’ dichotomy.

Neo-Determinism

• Man is able to accelerate, slow, or stop the progress of a country’s regional development. But he should not, if he is wise, depart from directions as indicated by the natural environment. He is like the traffic controller in a large city who alters the rate but not the direction of progress. Hence Statement 1 is incorrect.
• This theory is also called ‘’stop and go determinism’’.
• It says that man follows nature’s plan only if he is wise, presuming he can act foolishly, which admits the possible contention that within broad limits set by the environment, man can choose at the very least. But wisdom and folly are human concepts. Nature knows nothing about them. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
• This theory says that in no environment are the possibilities limitless and for every choice a price must be paid. Man makes his choice and man himself judges its relative wisdom or folly by reference to goals he himself has established.

The correct answer is Quantitative revolution.

Key Points

• Approaches in human geography are as follows-

Important Points

• Quantitative revolution -
  • Marked by the use of computers and sophisticated statistical tools.
  • Laws of physics were often applied to map and analyse human phenomena. This phase was called the quantitative revolution.
  • The main objective was to identify mappable patterns for different human activities.

1, 2, 4 and 5 only

Key Points

• Geography of Leisure: This subfield focuses on the spatial aspects of leisure and tourism activities, including where and why leisure activities occur and their impacts on place and culture. It falls squarely under the purview of human geography as it studies human behaviors and their relationships with spaces and places.
• Military Geography: Military geography is concerned with the geography of military conflict, strategy, and resources. It studies the influence of geography on military planning, logistics, and operations. This area blends physical and human geography, as it considers both the natural landscapes and the human, political, and strategic contexts of military actions.
• Electoral Geography: Electoral geography analyzes the geographic aspects of political elections, such as voting patterns, districting, and the spatial distribution of political preferences. It's a part of human geography that intersects with political geography, studying how geographical and spatial processes affect political behavior and structures.
• Geography of Marketing: The geography of marketing looks at the spatial aspects of marketing activities, including how products and services are distributed and how marketing strategies are tailored to particular geographical locations. This field of study considers how human preferences, behaviors, and social structures influence and are influenced by marketing strategies.

Additional Information

• Geography of Technology: This refers to the study of the spatial dimensions of technology, how technology and its use are distributed in space, and how technology influences the geographical landscape. Technical geography is the branch of geography that involves using, studying, and creating tools to obtain, analyze, interpret, understand, and communicate spatial information.

The correct option is It has led to better technology availability across nations to further implement the agenda of sustainable development. Key Points

• Globalization has had a significant impact on the sustainable development agenda.
• While it has brought about some positive changes, it has also presented challenges.
• One of the ways globalization has impacted sustainable development is by increasing the availability of technology across nations.
• This has enabled countries to implement sustainable development practices, such as renewable energy technologies, that were previously unavailable or costly.
• However, globalization has also led to increased competition among companies, which can lead to a focus on short-term profits at the expense of long-term sustainability.
• This has led to unsustainable practices such as overconsumption, environmental degradation, and exploitation of natural resources.
• In addition, globalization has resulted in increased economic inequality, which can make it difficult for marginalized communities to participate in sustainable development initiatives.
• Overall, it is important to recognize that globalization has both positive and negative impacts on sustainable development.

• To ensure that globalization supports sustainable development, efforts must be made to address issues such as economic inequality, unsustainable consumption patterns, and environmental degradation.

Hence we can conclude that the correct option is It has led to better technology availability across nations to further implement the agenda of sustainable development.

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.

Barren lands: They are the lands which may be classified as wastelands, such as barren hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines, etc. Normally, these lands cannot be brought under cultivation with the available technology. Rapid soil erosion leads to cultivable lands becoming wastelands. The answer can be explicitly inferred from 'The different kinds and increasing . . . into wastelands.' Thus, option C is correct.

The primary cause for pressure on land resources is the increasing demand for food products. Due to the increasing demand, more land is being brought under cultivation. However, due to limited land resources, existing land is being used non-judiciously leading to soil erosion. The answer is explicitly mentioned in the first line of the passage. Option C is a remedial technique to check soil erosion. Options B and D are vague and are not the causes.

Thus, the correct answer is option d.

An Australian geographer, Griffith Taylor, was the first to propound the concept of neo-determinism. Neo-determinism is also called "Stop and go determinism" because it believes that if human activities (pollution) cause long-term damage to the environment, then such activities should be stopped, otherwise humans can do everything that the environment allows them to do.

Horses are used as a draught animal even in the Western countries. Dogs and reindeer are used in North America, North Europe and Siberia to draw sledges over snow-covered ground. Mules are preferred in the mountainous regions; while camels are used for caravan movement in deserts. In India, bullocks are used for pulling carts.

Option 1 is not an example of institutional or technological reform. Options 2 and 4 are examples of institutional reforms. Option 3 is an example of technological reform in agriculture. Option 1 does not fall under the category of technological or institutional reforms. Following are the institutional and technological reforms undertaken in agriculture:
(i) Land reforms: Collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari
(ii) Agricultural reforms: Green Revolution and White Revolution
(iii) Land development programmes: Procurement for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, etc., establishment of Grameen banks, Cooperative societies and banks for providing loans
(iv) Issuing of Kissan Credit Card and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, etc.
(v) Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers on radio and TV

Economic geography is a sub-field of human geography which studies economic activity and factors affecting them. It can also be considered a sub-field or method in economics. There are four branches of economic geography - primary sector, secondary sector, tertiary sector, and quaternary sector.
Sub-fields of economic geography are: geography of resources, geography of agriculture, geography of tourism, geography of industries, geography of marketing and geography of international trade.

In a subsistence economy, goods are produced to provide for oneself or one's family.
A subsistence economy is an economy directed to basic subsistence (the provision of food, clothing, shelter) rather than to the market. "Subsistence" is understood as supporting oneself at a minimum level. Often, the subsistence economy is moneyless and relies on natural resources to provide for basic needs through hunting, gathering, and agriculture. In a subsistence economy, economic surplus is minimal and only used to trade for basic goods, and there is no industrialization.

After the 'Industrial Revolution', the demand for raw materials like grains, meat, and wool expanded, but their monetary value declined in relation to the manufactured goods. The industrialised nations imported primary products as raw materials and exported the value added finished products back to the non-industrialised nations.

The basic needs approach is one of the major approaches to the measurement of absolute poverty in developing countries. It attempts to define the absolute minimum resources necessary for long-term physical well-being, usually in terms of consumption goods. It was introduced at the International Labour Organization's World Employment Conference in 1976. A traditional list of immediate "basic needs" includes food (including water), shelter and clothing. Many modern lists also emphasise on sanitation, education, and healthcare.

New York became the most populous urbanised area in the world in the early 1920s, overtaking London. The metropolitan area surpassed the 10 million mark in the early 1930s, becoming the first megacity in human history.

According to Census 2021, Delhi has the highest population density of 11,297 persons per square kilometre, followed by Chandigarh (9,252), Puducherry (2,598), and Lakshadweep (2,013). Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest density of 17 persons per square kilometre.

Compact/Nucleated settlements: These are the settlements in which large number of houses are built very close to each other. Such settlements develop along river valleys and in fertile plains. Communities are closely knit and share common occupations.

Economic factors of population mean the factors by which the positive growth of the individuals is affected by the economic development of the region. In case of minerals, industrialisation, and urbanisation, there is inter-linkage (exploration of minerals will result in interest in industrialisation, which will result in the urbanisation of society), resulting in economic development of the areas where the population is residing. Hence, option D is correct.

Exploration is the act of searching for the purpose of discovery of information or resources, especially in the context of geography or space, rather than research and development that is usually not centred on earth sciences or astronomy. The approach which gained importance during the early colonial period was of exploration and description.

Sir Robert Malthus was the first one to voice his concern about the growing scarcity of resources as compared to the human population. Thomas Malthus in his theory (1793) stated that the number of people would increase faster than the food supply. Any further increase would result in a population crash caused by famine, disease, and war. The preventive checks are better than the physical checks. For the sustainability of our resources, the world will have to control the rapid increase in population.

It is a type of farming which includes simultaneous growing of crops and the raising of livestock. Mixed farms are moderate in size.

Barren lands: They are the lands which may be classified as wastelands, such as barren hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines, etc. Normally, these lands cannot be brought under cultivation with the available technology. Rapid soil erosion leads to cultivable lands becoming wastelands. The answer can be explicitly inferred from 'The different kinds and increasing . . . into wastelands.' Thus, option C is correct.