Half Yearly Class 6 Social Studies Set 1

Maximum Marks: 80

Time: 3 Hours

General Instructions: 
(i) The question paper consists of 34 questions divided into five sections: A, B, C, D and E.
(ii) All questions are compulsory.
(iii) Section A: Questions 1 to 15 are multiple-choice questions, carrying 1 mark each.
(iv) Section B: Questions 16 to 22 are short-answer questions, carrying 2 marks each.
(v) Section C: Questions 23 to 30 are short-answer questions, carrying 4 marks each.
(vi) Section D: Questions 31 to 33 are short-answer questions, carrying 5 marks each.
(vii) Section E: Question 34: Map-Based Question, carrying 4 marks.
(viii) Write answers neatly and legibly.

Syllabus: Locating Places on the Earth, Oceans and Continents, Landforms and Life, Timeline and Sources of History, India, That Is Bharat, The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation, India's Cultural Roots.

Section A

Q1. Which of the following is used to squeeze a huge area like a country onto a small piece of paper?  (1 Mark)
(a) Symbols
(b) Scale
(c) Cardinal points
(d) Grid lines

Q2. Which ocean is the largest water body on Earth?  (1 Mark)
(a) Atlantic Ocean
(b) Indian Ocean
(c) Pacific Ocean
(d) Southern Ocean

Q3. Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, is located in which mountain range?  (1 Mark)
(a) Alps
(b) Andes
(c) Himalayas
(d) Aravalli

Q4. What does the term 'BCE' stand for in historical dating?  (1 Mark)
(a) Before Christ Era
(b) Before Common Era
(c) Basic Common Era
(d) Before Current Era

Q5. In the Rig Veda, the northwest region of the Indian Subcontinent is called:  (1 Mark)
(a) Bharatavarsha
(b) Jambudvipa
(c) Sapta Sindhava
(d) Hindustan

Q6. Which Harappan city featured a massive reservoir measuring 73 metres in length?  (1 Mark)
(a) Lothal
(b) Mohenjo-daro
(c) Dholavira
(d) Harappa

Q7. The word "Veda" is derived from the Sanskrit root 'vid', which means:  (1 Mark)
(a) Prayer
(b) Song
(c) Knowledge
(d) Truth

Q8. Which cardinal direction is usually marked with an 'N' on most maps?  (1 Mark)
(a) Night
(b) North
(c) Neutral
(d) National

Q9. Approximately what proportion of the Earth's surface is covered by water?  (1 Mark)
(a) One-fourth
(b) Half
(c) Three-fourths
(d) All of it

Q10. Who studies the past by digging up remains like tools, pots, and figurines?  (1 Mark)
(a) Geologists
(b) Paleontologists
(c) Archaeologists
(d) Anthropologists

Q11. The 'Great Bath' is a famous structure found in which ancient city?  (1 Mark)
(a) Lothal
(b) Harappa
(c) Mohenjo-daro
(d) Rakhigarhi

Q12. What does the Buddhist term 'Ahimsa' mean?  (1 Mark)
(a) Enlightenment
(b) Attachment
(c) Non-violence or Non-hurting
(d) Meditation

Q13. How many years are in a millennium?  (1 Mark)
(a) 10 years
(b) 100 years
(c) 1,000 years
(d) 10,000 years

Q14. The Prime Meridian passes through which area of London?  (1 Mark)
(a) Wimbledon
(b) Greenwich
(c) Westminster
(d) Chelsea

Q15. In which type of landform is agriculture usually the major occupation?  (1 Mark)
(a) Mountains
(b) Plains
(c) Plateaus
(d) Deserts

Section B

Q16. Define the term 'Landform' and name the three broad categories of landforms. (2 Marks)

Q17. What is the difference between physical maps and political maps? (2 Marks)

Q18. Why do we use symbols on maps? (2 Marks)

Q19. What is an island? Give one example from India. (2 Marks)

Q20. What are fossils? (2 Marks)

Q21. Name the four Vedas and state which one is the most ancient. (2 Marks)

Q22. What is "Aparigraha" in Jainism? (2 Marks)

Section C

Q23. Describe the main characteristics that define a 'Civilisation'.  (4 Marks)

Q24. Explain the distribution of land and water in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.  (4 Marks)

Q25. How did the Persians and Greeks name the region of India?  (4 Marks)

Q26. What are coordinates, and how are they used to locate places on a map?  (4 Marks)

Q27. Discuss the importance of the Sarasvati River in the Indus-Sarasvati civilisation.  (4 Marks)

Q28. Why is the banyan tree an apt symbol for Indian civilisation?  (4 Marks)

Q29. What were the challenges faced by early humans, and how did they live?  (4 Marks)

Q30. Explain the role of plateaus as 'storehouses of minerals'.  (4 Marks)

Section D

Q31. Discuss the advanced town-planning and housing of the Harappan civilisation.  (5 Marks)

Q32. Compare the schools of thought of Buddhism and Jainism.  (5 Marks)

Q33. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:  (5 Marks)

"The transition from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age and eventually the Iron Age was a turning point for human history. While the Harappans used copper and bronze for tools, later societies discovered iron. Iron was much harder and more abundant than copper. The use of iron axes allowed people to clear the thick forests of the Ganga valley, expanding agriculture significantly. Iron-tipped ploughs helped turn over the heavy, fertile soil of the plains more efficiently. This surplus food production allowed for the rise of powerful kingdoms and larger armies, as weapons made of iron were stronger and more durable."

(i) Why was iron preferred over copper for making tools and weapons?  (1 mark)
(ii) How did the use of iron impact the geography of ancient settlements?  (2 marks)
(iii) What was the relationship between iron tools and the growth of powerful kingdoms?  (2 marks)

Section E

Q34. Map-Based Question  (4 Marks)

(i) On the map of the Indian Subcontinent, identify the mountain range forming the northern boundary.
(ii) Mark the river that flows through the northwest and has five major tributaries.
(iii) Identify the water body located to the west of the Indian peninsula.
(iv) Mark the southernmost tip of the Indian mainland.

You can access the solutions of Half Yearly here.