Passage Based Questions: Human Settlements | Geography Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Passage - 1

Q. 1. Read the case study given below and answer the questions that follow:

Smart Cities Mission
The objective of the Smart Cities Mission is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure, a clean and sustainable environment, and a decent quality of life to their citizens. One of the key aspects of Smart Cities is the application of smart solutions to improve infrastructure and services. For instance, making areas less prone to disasters, using fewer resources, and offering more affordable services. The mission focuses on sustainable and inclusive development, aiming to create compact areas that can serve as replicable models, acting as a lighthouse for other aspiring cities.

Answer Any Three Questions:

(i) What is the primary goal of the Smart Cities Mission?
Ans: The primary goal of the Smart Cities Mission is to drive economic growth and enhance the quality of life for people by promoting local area development and utilizing technology, particularly technology that leads to smart outcomes.

(ii) Which city was the first to be recognized as a Smart City in India?
Ans: Bhubaneswar was the first city in India to be recognized as a Smart City.

(iii) In which year was the Smart Cities Mission initiated?
Ans: The Smart Cities Mission was initiated in 2015.

(iv) What are the main features of the Smart Cities Mission?
(A) Provide core infrastructure
(B) Stop migration
(C) Stop brain drain
(D) All of the Above
Ans: The main features of the Smart Cities Mission include planning for unplanned areas, incorporating a range of compatible activities and land uses close to one another to make land use more efficient, and expanding housing opportunities for all.

Passage - 2

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Cities act as nodes of economic growth, provide goods and services not only to urban dwellers but also to the people of the rural settlements in their hinterlands in return for food and raw materials. This functional relationship between the urban and rural settlements takes place through transport and communication network. Rural and urban settlements differ in terms of social relationship, attitude and outlook. Rural people are less mobile and therefore, social relations among them are intimate. In urban areas, on the other hand, way of life is complex and fast, and social relations are formal.

Q1: What role do cities play in the economic relationship between urban and rural settlements, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Cities serve as nodes of economic growth, providing goods and services not only to urban residents but also to people in rural settlements and their hinterlands.
• In exchange for these goods and services, cities receive food and raw materials from rural areas, establishing a functional economic relationship between urban and rural settlements.

Q2: How does the functional relationship between urban and rural settlements occur, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• The functional relationship between urban and rural settlements occurs through transport and communication networks.
• These networks facilitate the exchange of goods and services, enabling urban areas to supply products to rural dwellers and receive agricultural produce and raw materials in return.

Q3: How do social relationships differ between rural and urban settlements, as per the passage?
Ans:

• Rural settlements have intimate social relationships due to lower mobility among rural people, fostering close-knit social bonds.
• In contrast, urban areas have a complex and fast-paced way of life, leading to formal social relations characterized by a more structured and less intimate interaction among residents.

Passage - 3

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
In India compact or clustered village of a few hundred houses is a rather universal feature, particularly in the northern plains. However, there are several areas, which have other forms of rural settlements. There are various factors and conditions responsible for having different types of rural settlements in India. These include: (i) physical features – nature of terrain, altitude, climate and availability of water (ii) cultural and ethenic factors – social structure, caste and religion (iii) security factors – defence against thefts and robberies. Rural settlements in India can broadly be put into four types: (i) Clustered, agglomerated or nucleated, (ii) Semi-clustered or fragmented, (iii) Hamleted, and (iv) Dispersed or isolated.

Q1: What is a common feature of rural villages in India, especially in the northern plains, as described in the passage?
Ans:

• A common feature of rural villages in India, particularly in the northern plains, is the presence of compact or clustered villages consisting of a few hundred houses.

Q2: What are the factors and conditions responsible for different types of rural settlements in India, according to the passage?
Ans: The passage mentions several factors and conditions responsible for different types of rural settlements in India. These factors include:

• Physical features such as the nature of terrain, altitude, climate, and availability of water.
• Cultural and ethnic factors, including social structure, caste, and religion.
• Security factors, related to defense against thefts and robberies.

Q3: What are the four broad types of rural settlements mentioned in India in the passage?
Ans: The passage mentions four broad types of rural settlements in India:

• Clustered, agglomerated, or nucleated.
• Semi-clustered or fragmented.
• Hamleted.
• Dispersed or isolated.

These types vary based on factors such as physical features, cultural and ethnic influences, and security considerations.

Passage - 4

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Semi-clustered or fragmented settlements may result from tendency of clustering in a restricted area of dispersed settlement. More often such a pattern may also result from segregation or fragmentation of a large compact village. In this case, one or more sections of the village society choose or is forced to live a little away from the main cluster or village. In such cases, generally, the land-owning and dominant community occupies the central part of the main village, whereas people of lower strata of society and menial workers settle on the outer flanks of the village. Such settlements are widespread in the Gujarat plain and some parts of Rajasthan.

Q1: What are semi-clustered or fragmented settlements, as described in the passage?
Ans:

• Semi-clustered or fragmented settlements result from the tendency of clustering in a restricted area of dispersed settlement.
• Such patterns can also arise from the segregation or fragmentation of a large compact village where one or more sections of the village society choose or are forced to live a little away from the main cluster or village.

Q2: How does the social hierarchy influence the layout of semi-clustered or fragmented settlements?
Ans:

• In semi-clustered or fragmented settlements, the land-owning and dominant community usually occupies the central part of the main village.
• People of lower social strata and menial workers often settle on the outer flanks of the village in such patterns, reflecting social hierarchy and segregation within the community.

Q3: Where are such semi-clustered or fragmented settlements widespread, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Semi-clustered or fragmented settlements are widespread in the Gujarat plain and some parts of Rajasthan, as mentioned in the passage.

Passage - 5

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Sometimes settlement is fragmented into several units physically separated from each other bearing a common name. These units are locally called panna, para, palli, nagla, dhani, etc. in various parts of the country. This segmentation of a large village is often motivated by social and ethnic factors. Such villages are more frequently found in the middle and lower Ganga plain, Chhattisgarh and lower valleys of the Himalayas.

Q1: How are fragmented settlements described in the passage?
Ans:

• Fragmented settlements refer to the division of a large village into several physically separated units, each bearing a common name. These units are known locally as panna, para, palli, nagla, dhani, etc., in different parts of the country.

Q2: What motivates the segmentation of a large village into physically separated units, as per the passage?
Ans:

• The segmentation of a large village into physically separated units is often motivated by social and ethnic factors.

Q3: In which regions of India are these fragmented settlements more frequently found, according to the passage?
Ans:

• These fragmented settlements are more frequently found in the middle and lower Ganga plain, Chhattisgarh, and the lower valleys of the Himalayas, as stated in the passage.

Passage - 6

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
They are engaged in a variety of nonagricultural, economic and administrative functions. As mentioned earlier, cities are functionally linked to rural areas around them. Thus, exchange of goods and services is performed sometimes directly and sometimes through a series of market towns and cities. Thus, cities are connected directly as well as indirectly with the villages and also with each other

Q1: What types of functions are the inhabitants of fragmented settlements engaged in, according to the passage?
Ans:

• The inhabitants of fragmented settlements are engaged in a variety of nonagricultural, economic, and administrative functions.

Q2: How are cities functionally linked to rural areas, as described in the passage?
Ans:

• Cities are functionally linked to rural areas around them, and the exchange of goods and services between cities and villages is performed sometimes directly and sometimes through a series of market towns and cities.

Q3: How are cities connected to villages and other cities, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• Cities are connected directly as well as indirectly with the villages and also with each other, indicating a network of direct and indirect connections facilitating the exchange of goods and services between urban and rural areas, as well as among different cities.

Passage - 7

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Towns flourished since prehistoric times in India. Even at the time of Indus valley civilisation, towns like Harappa and Mohanjodaro were in existence. The following period has witnessed evolution of towns. It continued with periodic ups and downs until the arrival of Europeans in India in the eighteenth century. On the basis of their evolution in different periods, Indian towns may be classified as: (i) Ancient towns,  (ii) Medieval towns,  (iii) Modern towns.

Q1: Can you provide examples of towns that existed during the time of the Indus Valley civilization, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• Towns like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were in existence during the time of the Indus Valley civilization, as mentioned in the passage.

Q2: How are Indian towns classified based on their evolution in different periods, according to the passage?
Ans: Indian towns are classified into three categories based on their evolution in different periods:

• Ancient towns
• Medieval towns
• Modern towns

Q3: When did the evolution of towns in India begin, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Towns in India have existed since prehistoric times, and even during the Indus Valley civilization, towns like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were in existence.
• The evolution of towns continued with periodic ups and downs until the arrival of Europeans in India in the eighteenth century, marking different stages in the development of Indian towns.

Passage - 8

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
The British and other Europeans have developed a number of towns in India. Starting their foothold on coastal locations, they first developed some trading ports such as Surat, Daman, Goa, Pondicherry, etc. The British later consolidated their hold around three principal nodes – Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), and Kolkata (Calcutta) – and built them in the British style.

Q1: Which coastal trading ports were initially developed by the British and other Europeans in India, according to the passage?
Ans:

• The British and other Europeans first developed trading ports such as Surat, Daman, Goa, and Pondicherry in India, as mentioned in the passage.

Q2: What were the three principal nodes around which the British consolidated their hold and built towns in India, according to the passage?
Ans:

• The three principal nodes around which the British consolidated their hold and built towns in India were Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), and Kolkata (Calcutta).

Q3: In what style did the British build the towns of Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), and Kolkata (Calcutta), as per the passage?
Ans:

• The British built the towns of Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), and Kolkata (Calcutta) in the British style, reflecting European architectural influence in the urban development of these cities.

Passage - 9

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
After independence, a large number of towns have been developed as administrative headquarters, e.g., Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, Dispur, etc., and industrial centres, such as Durgapur, Bhilai, Sindri, Barauni. Some old towns also developed as satellite towns around metropolitan cities, such as Ghaziabad, Rohtak, Gurugram around Delhi. With increasing investment in rural areas, a large number of medium and small towns have developed all over the country.

Q1: What are some examples of towns developed as administrative headquarters after independence, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Examples of towns developed as administrative headquarters after independence include Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, and Dispur, as mentioned in the passage.

Q2: Can you provide examples of industrial centers developed after independence, as per the passage?
Ans:

• Industrial centers developed after independence include Durgapur, Bhilai, Sindri, and Barauni, as mentioned in the passage.

Q3: What contributed to the development of medium and small towns all over the country, as stated in the passage?
Ans:

• Increasing investment in rural areas contributed to the development of a large number of medium and small towns all over the country, as mentioned in the passage.

Passage - 10

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Nainital, Mussoorie, Shimla, Pachmarhi, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udagamandalam (Ooty), Mount Abu are some of the tourist destinations. The cities are not static in their function. The functions change due to their dynamic nature. Even specialised cities, as they grow into metropolises become multifunctional wherein industry, business, administration, transport, etc., become important. The functions get so intertwined that the city can not be categorised in a particular functional class.

Q1: Can you name some of the tourist destinations mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• Some of the tourist destinations mentioned in the passage are Nainital, Mussoorie, Shimla, Pachmarhi, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udagamandalam (Ooty), and Mount Abu.

Q2: How do the functions of cities change over time, as per the passage?
Ans:

• The functions of cities are not static; they change due to their dynamic nature. Even specialized cities, as they grow into metropolises, become multifunctional. Important functions in these cities include industry, business, administration, and transport.

Q3: Why is it difficult to categorize cities into specific functional classes, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Functions in cities become so intertwined and diverse that cities cannot be categorized into specific functional classes. Their multifunctional nature makes it challenging to assign them to particular categories, as mentioned in the passage.

Passage - 11

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
The level of urbanisation is measured in terms of percentage of urban population to total population. The level of urbanisation in India in 2011 was 31.16 per cent, which is quite low in comparison to developed countries. Total urban population has increased eleven-fold during the twentieth century. Enlargement of urban centres and emergence of new towns have played a significant role in the growth of urban population and urbanisation in the country.

Q1: How is the level of urbanization measured, according to the passage?
Ans:

• The level of urbanization is measured in terms of the percentage of urban population to the total population of a region or country, as mentioned in the passage.

Q2: What was the level of urbanization in India in 2011, and how does it compare to developed countries, as per the passage?
Ans:

• The level of urbanization in India in 2011 was 31.16 percent. This percentage is quite low in comparison to developed countries, indicating a lower proportion of urban population in India compared to developed nations.

Q3: What factors have contributed to the growth of urban population and urbanization in India, as stated in the passage?
Ans:

• The enlargement of urban centers and the emergence of new towns have played a significant role in the growth of urban population and urbanization in India, as mentioned in the passage.