Previous Year Questions: Human Geography: Nature and Scope - Class 10 PDF Download

Ans: Nature and humans are deeply interconnected, as human survival, activities, and progress depend on the natural environment, while human actions, in turn, shape and modify nature.
The statement highlights the symbiotic relationship between humans and their natural environment, a core theme in human geography. Humans rely on nature for resources such as food, water, air, and raw materials to sustain life and build civilizations. For instance, fertile plains like the Ganges provide agricultural opportunities, enabling settlements and economic growth. Conversely, human activities, such as deforestation, urbanization, and industrialization, alter the natural landscape, sometimes leading to environmental degradation, like soil erosion or climate change. This interdependence is dynamic, as humans adapt to environmental challenges (e.g., building irrigation systems in arid regions) while also transforming nature through technology and cultural practices. The intricate relationship underscores that neither can exist in isolation, and their interaction shapes the spatial patterns studied in human geography.

Ans: Human beings exploit natural resources and environmental conditions to meet their needs and advance societal development, using technology and knowledge to harness these opportunities.
Nature provides a range of opportunities, such as fertile soils, mineral deposits, water bodies, and climatic conditions, which humans utilize to fulfill their needs. For example, the availability of coal and iron ore facilitated industrial growth in regions like Europe, while river valleys support agriculture. Humans adapt to and modify these natural opportunities through technological advancements, such as irrigation systems to cultivate crops in dry areas or dams for hydroelectric power. However, the extent of utilization depends on the level of technological and cultural development. For instance, early humans used simple tools to hunt, while modern societies employ advanced machinery for resource extraction. This interaction reflects the possibilist approach in human geography, where humans are not entirely controlled by nature but actively shape it to create opportunities for growth and survival.

Ans: (d) Ratzel
This definition is attributed to Friedrich Ratzel, a German geographer who emphasized the dynamic relationship between humans and their environment. Ratzel’s concept of human geography focused on how human activities and societies evolve in response to the ever-changing physical environment, such as climate shifts or landform changes. His work laid the foundation for understanding human geography as a discipline that examines the interplay between human actions and the earth’s unstable surface, influenced by both natural processes and human interventions. The other options—Vidal-de-la-Blache, Hartshorne, and Ritter—contributed significantly to geography but did not define it in these exact terms. For instance, Vidal-de-la-Blache emphasized possibilism, while Hartshorne focused on geography as a spatial science.

Ans: (b) To understand the relationship between man and his environment.
The core concern of geography, particularly human geography, is to study the relationship between humans and their natural environment. This involves analyzing how humans adapt to, modify, and depend on their surroundings, as well as how the environment influences human activities. For example, the study of settlement patterns in flood-prone areas or the impact of climate on agriculture reflects this relationship. While population distribution (a), mineral distribution (c), and industrial activities (d) are important aspects of geography, they are specific components rather than the overarching focus. The relationship between humans and their environment encompasses these elements, making option (b) the most comprehensive and accurate choice.

Ans: Human development refers to the process of expanding people’s freedoms and opportunities to lead lives they value, focusing on improving their well-being through education, health, income, and social participation. The four approaches to human development are the income approach, welfare approach, capability approach, and basic needs approach.

Concept of Human Development: Human development is a holistic concept that goes beyond economic growth to include improvements in quality of life, such as access to education, healthcare, and a decent standard of living. It emphasizes empowering individuals to achieve their potential and lead fulfilling lives. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) measures human development through the Human Development Index (HDI), which includes indicators like life expectancy, education, and per capita income.

Approaches to Human Development:

1. Income Approach: This approach equates human development with economic growth, measured by per capita income or GDP. It assumes that higher income enables individuals to access better resources, such as food, housing, and education. However, it is limited as it overlooks non-economic factors like health and literacy.
2. Welfare Approach: This approach focuses on providing social services like education, healthcare, and housing to improve living standards. It views humans as beneficiaries of government or institutional interventions. For example, free education programs enhance literacy rates, but this approach may not empower individuals to make their own choices.
3. Capability Approach: Proposed by Amartya Sen, this approach emphasizes expanding people’s capabilities and freedoms to choose their desired life paths. It focuses on what people can do (e.g., access education, participate in decision-making) rather than what they have. For instance, providing skill training enhances employability, enabling individuals to achieve their potential.
4. Basic Needs Approach: This approach prioritizes meeting essential needs like food, water, shelter, and sanitation to ensure a minimum standard of living. For example, providing clean drinking water in rural areas addresses a basic need, enabling better health and productivity. It is practical but may not address long-term aspirations or freedoms.

These approaches collectively highlight the multidimensional nature of human development, addressing both material and non-material aspects of well-being.

Ans: (c) Griffith Taylor
Griffith Taylor, an Australian geographer, introduced the concept of neo-determinism, also known as "stop-and-go determinism." This approach bridges the gap between environmental determinism and possibilism. Neo-determinism suggests that while the natural environment sets certain limits on human activities, humans can overcome these constraints to some extent through technology and ingenuity, but not without consequences. For example, humans can cultivate crops in deserts using irrigation, but overexploitation may lead to environmental degradation. Taylor’s concept emphasizes a balanced view where nature guides human actions, but humans have some freedom within those limits. The other options—Ehrlich, Semple, and Humbold—are not associated with neo-determinism. For instance, Semple advocated environmental determinism, while Humbold focused on physical geography.

Ans: Growth refers to a quantitative increase in economic or material aspects, while development is a qualitative improvement in overall well-being, including social, economic, and environmental factors.

• Growth: Growth is measurable and typically involves an increase in economic indicators like income, production, or infrastructure. For example, an increase in a country’s GDP from $500 billion to $600 billion reflects economic growth. Similarly, a city expanding its road network is an example of physical growth. However, growth does not necessarily improve quality of life or equity.
• Development: Development encompasses broader improvements in living standards, including health, education, and social equality. For instance, a country improving its literacy rate from 60% to 80% through better schooling reflects development. Another example is reducing infant mortality rates by improving healthcare access. Development focuses on enhancing human capabilities and quality of life, often measured by indices like the HDI.
• Key Difference: Growth is narrow and quantitative (e.g., more factories), while development is holistic and qualitative (e.g., better working conditions in factories). A country may experience growth without development if wealth is concentrated, leaving many without access to education or healthcare.

Ans: The naturalisation of humans refers to the process by which early human societies adapted to their natural environment, living in harmony with its constraints and opportunities using limited technology.
In the context of human geography, naturalisation of humans describes the phase when humans were heavily influenced by their natural environment due to their limited technological capabilities. During this stage, human activities were shaped by environmental conditions, such as climate, topography, and resource availability. For example, early human settlements were established near rivers (e.g., the Indus Valley) for water and fertile land, as they lacked the means to modify their surroundings significantly. Hunting, gathering, and primitive agriculture were dictated by natural conditions, like seasonal changes or soil fertility. This concept aligns with environmental determinism, where nature was seen as the dominant force controlling human behavior. Over time, as humans developed technology (e.g., irrigation or tools), they began to overcome these natural constraints, transitioning toward humanisation of nature, where they actively modified the environment to suit their needs.

Ans: The humanistic approach in human geography focuses on the subjective experiences, values, and cultural perspectives of individuals and communities in their interaction with the environment, emphasizing human agency and meaning.
Unlike deterministic or positivist approaches that focus on objective data or environmental control, the humanistic approach prioritizes the human experience, emotions, and cultural contexts in shaping spatial patterns. It studies how people perceive, interpret, and attach meaning to their surroundings. For example, a sacred site like Varanasi in India is not just a geographical location but a place imbued with spiritual significance, influencing human behavior and settlement patterns. This approach explores concepts like sense of place, cultural identity, and personal attachment to spaces. It draws on qualitative methods, such as narratives and interviews, to understand how individuals and communities create meaningful relationships with their environment. For instance, the humanistic approach might analyze why certain landscapes (e.g., a village square) hold cultural or emotional value for a community, shaping their social practices and spatial organization.

Ans: (a) Earth as home of human beings
The passage explicitly states that the core concern of geography is to understand the earth as the home of human beings and to study the elements that sustain them. This aligns with the focus of human geography on the relationship between humans and their environment, making option (a) the correct choice. Options (b), (c), and (d) are incorrect as they do not encompass the human-centric focus of geography as described in the passage.

Ans: (c) Better understanding of natural laws
The passage highlights that human beings developed technology after gaining a better understanding of natural laws, such as physical, chemical, or biological principles. This understanding enabled innovations like irrigation systems or machinery. While the invention of fire (a) and the wheel (b) were significant, they are specific outcomes of understanding natural laws. Option (d) is incorrect as it refers to the result of technology rather than its cause.

Ans: (b) Nature and Human
The passage emphasizes that geography focuses on the study of nature and human beings, highlighting their inseparable relationship. The interaction between humans and their natural environment is central to understanding the earth’s surface in human geography. Options (a), (c), and (d) refer to approaches or branches of geography but do not capture the fundamental relationship as directly as option (b).

Ans: The demographic transition theory explains the transformation of societies from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as they develop economically and socially, typically progressing through four or five stages.
The demographic transition theory outlines how population dynamics change as societies modernize. Its main characteristics are:

1. Stage 1 (High Stationary): Both birth rates and death rates are high, resulting in stable but low population growth. This is typical of pre-industrial societies where limited healthcare and high mortality balance high fertility. Example: Tribal societies.
2. Stage 2 (Early Expanding): Death rates decline due to improvements in healthcare, sanitation, and food supply, but birth rates remain high, leading to rapid population growth. Example: Many developing countries in the 19th century.
3. Stage 3 (Late Expanding): Birth rates begin to decline due to education, urbanization, and access to contraception, while death rates remain low, slowing population growth. Example: India in the late 20th century.
4. Stage 4 (Low Stationary): Both birth and death rates are low, resulting in a stable population with minimal growth. Example: Developed countries like Japan.
5. Stage 5 (Declining): Some models include a fifth stage where birth rates fall below death rates, leading to population decline, often seen in aging societies like Germany.
   The theory reflects how economic development, education, and technological advancements influence demographic changes, shaping population patterns studied in human geography.

Ans: One ill-effect of gender discrimination is the denial of educational opportunities for girls, which limits their potential and perpetuates poverty.
Gender discrimination often restricts girls’ access to education due to societal norms or economic priorities favoring boys. This leads to lower literacy rates among women, reducing their employability and economic independence. For example, in some regions, girls are married early instead of attending school, perpetuating cycles of poverty and dependency. This exclusion hinders societal progress, as educated women contribute to economic growth and social development, as evidenced by studies showing higher GDP growth in countries with better gender equality in education.

Ans: The statement means that development is incomplete and at risk if it does not include gender equality, as excluding women from opportunities undermines societal progress.
The UNDP’s statement emphasizes that gender equality is essential for sustainable development. If women, who constitute half the population, are denied access to education, employment, or political participation, a society’s human potential is underutilized. For instance, excluding women from the workforce reduces economic productivity, as seen in countries with low female labor participation. Gender discrimination also perpetuates social inequalities, leading to instability and conflict, which endangers development goals. Engendered development ensures that all individuals contribute to and benefit from progress, fostering a balanced and sustainable society.

Ans: The main objective of the ‘Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao’ campaign is to promote gender equality by addressing female infanticide and ensuring girls’ access to education.
Launched by the Government of India, the ‘Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao’ campaign aims to combat gender discrimination by preventing female feticide and infanticide (“Beti Bachao” – Save the Girl Child) and promoting girls’ education (“Beti Padhao” – Educate the Girl Child). It seeks to improve the child sex ratio, which is skewed due to practices like sex-selective abortions, and ensure that girls receive equal opportunities for education and development. By addressing these issues, the campaign aims to empower women, reduce gender-based discrimination, and foster a more equitable society, aligning with the broader goals of human development and social justice.