Grade VIISocial Studies(Booklet)

History

Chp: Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years

Q1) What is the difference between the map drawn by Al-idrisi and the map drawn by the French cartographer.

Q2) In what ways has the meaning of the term Hindustan changed over the centuries ?

Q3) How are travelogues an important literary source?

Q4) What is the difference between varna and jatis.

Q5) What is the medieval period?

Chp: New Kings and Kingdoms

Q1) Do you see revolts by samantas as a possibility in today's India?

Q2 ) Why did kings often reward Brahmanas by grants of land ?

Q3) Why did the struggle for Kanauj take place? What happened in the end?

Q4) Why are Chola inscriptions important?

Q5) Write a brief note on the early chola administration .

Chp: Delhi Sultans

Q1) State few features of the tawarikh.

Q2) Why do you think that Rudramadevi changed her name?

Q3) What were the administrative reforms of Alauddin Khilji ?

Q4) How were the Mongol attacks a constant threat for the Sultanate?

Q5) According to the “circle of justice”, why was it important formilitary commanders to keep the interests of the peasantry in mind?

Ch 4: Mughal Empire

Q1) Trace the origin of the Mughals.

Q2) What is sulh-i-kul?

Q3) State the main features of the mansabdari system.

Q4) Nur Jahan is regarded as the “true power behind the throne”. Justify this statement.

Q5) Write about the three volumes of Akbar Nama .

Q6) Elaborate on the military expansion under Akbar during his initial years..

Chp: Rulers and Buildings

Q1) What are the main features of the Indo-Islamic architecture?

Q2) Short note on Shah Jahan's patronage of architecture

Q3) What do you mean by ‘shadow of God’ ?

Q4) Why were reservoirs built by the Emperors.

Q5) Why were temples destroyed?

Chp:Towns and Traders and Craftsmen

Q1) What are temple-towns?

Q2) Thanjavur as a city served varied functions. Explain.

Q3) Who were the samantas ?

Q4) Why did traders form guilds?

Q5) How did Masulipatnam become a dilapidated little town?

Chp: Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

Q1) What are the features of a tribal society?

Q2) Write a short note on the Gonds.

Q3) What are the main occupation of the tribals?

Q4) Why were tribals and caste-based societies dependant on each other?

Q5) How were the affairs of the jatis managed ?

Chp: Devotional Paths To The Divine

Q1) What is bhakti?

Q2) When and from where Nayanars and Alwars came into being ?

Q3) What are the similarities between the Bhakti and Sufi saints?

Q4) What are the main teachings of Kabir?

Q5) What is Virashaivism?

Chp: The Making Of Regional Cultures

Q1) How did the cheras draw upon sanskrit tradition ?

Q2) Explain the origin of the Rajput.

Q3) Trace the evolution of Kathak.

Q4) Trace the developments in miniature paintings during the medieval period with reference to the techniques themes and materials used.

Q5) How did Bengal rise as an independent state?

Chp: Eighteenth-Century Political Formations

Q1) What kind of economic and political crisis faced by the Mughals?

Q2) How did the states of Awadh,Bengal and Hyderabad emerge?

Q3) Trace the rise of the Sikhs to political power.

Q4) Explain the Maratha administration in brief.

Geography

Chp: Environment

Q1) What is natural environment?

Q2) Explain the concept of ecosystem.

Q3) What do you understand by human environment?

Q4) How is Biosphere important to us?

Q5) Differentiate between Hydrosphere and Atmosphere.

Chp: Inside Our Earth

Q1) What is the difference between intrusive igneous rocks and extrusive igneous rock ?

Q2) How are sedimentary rocks formed?

Q3) What is rock cycle?

Q4) What is a rock? Note down few of its uses.

Q5) What are metamorphic rocks?

Chp: Our Changing Earth

Q1) How do volcanoes erupt?

Q2) Earthquakes are an environmental hazard. Explain.

Q3) How is the Sundarban delta formed?

Q4) What is the difference between sand dunes and loess?

Q5) What is moraine?

Chp :Air

Q1) Differentiate between Troposphere and Stratosphere.

Q2) What is the difference between weather and climate?

Q3) What will happen if the direction of the permanent wind changes?

Q4) Differentiate between cyclone and anticyclone.

Q5) Explain cyclonic rainfall.

Chp: Water

Q1) What is ocean circulation?

Q2) What is a Tsunami? How is it caused?

Q3) How are tides useful?

Q4) Why is water cycle important?

Chp: Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Q1) Mention the major features of tropical evergreen forest.

Q2) Why trees of tropical deciduous forest shed their leaves during summer.

Q3) What are Mediterranean forests known for?

Q4) Describe the different types of grasslands.

Q5) Describe the wildlife of the Tundra region?

Chp 7: Human Environment

Q1) Difference between temporary and permanent settlement.

Q2) Differentiate between airways and the roadways.

Q3) Mention some importance of communication .

Q4) What do you understand my mass communication? describe the role of modern means of communications along with examples.

Chp: Human Environment Interactions: The Tropical And The Subtropical Regions

Q1) How was Amazon forest discovered ?

Q2) Why is the Amazon basin is sparsely populated?

Q3) Explain the physiography of Ganga-Brahmaputra basin ?

Q4) What are the factors favourable for the growth and development of agriculture in the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin?

Q5) Give reason why the presence of susu ( blind dolphin) is an indication of the health of the river ?

Chp: 9 : Life in the Temperate Grassland

Q1) Differentiate between the Prairies and the Velds.

Q2) Why are Prairies called granary of the world?

Q3) What is the climatic condition of the Veld region like?

Q4) Explain the flora & fauna of velds.

Chp: 10 Life in the Deserts

Q1) Describe the climate of the Sahara desert region.

Q2) Name the countries that are covered by the Sahara desert.

Q3) Explain the geographical location of Ladakh.

Q4) Why is growing season in ladakh short?

Q5) Why are migratory birds common in Ladakh?

Civics

Chp: On Equality

Q1) The Dalits have been given equal voting rights in India. True or False?

Q2) How can education strengthen democracy?

Q3) How can the caste system can weaken democracy?

Q4) Explain how does democracy safeguard dignity and freedom.

Chp: Role of the Government in Health

Q1) What is public health care system?

Q2) What is the role of government in public health services?

Q3) Why are private health care services gaining popularity.

Q4) Compare the private and public healthcare facilities.

Q5) Which sections of society experience inequality in healthcare facilities?

Chp: How the State Government Works?

Q1) What is the role of the MLA?

Q2) What is constituency?

Q3) What are the functions of opposition party?

Q4) Role of legislative assembly in India?

Q5) List any 3 qualifications necessary to become the member of a legislative assembly .

Chp: Growing Up As Boys and Girls

Q1) What is gender?

Q2) What is gender prejudice?

Q3) Why do you think that men and boys generally don't do housework? Do you think they should?

Q4) What are anganwadis?

Q5) How are women discriminated in society ?

Chp: Women Change the World

Q1) What do you mean by stereotypes?

Q2) List some measures to empower women.

Q3) Explain how Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain asserts a woman's right to education?

Q4) What do you mean by women's movement?

Chp: Understanding Media

Q1) What are the impact of media on public?

Q2) How can the different mass communication Media educate the people?

Q3) What are the merits and demerits of media?

Chp: Understanding Advertising

Q1) What is advertisement?

Q2) Advertisements help in creating new consumers? Comment.

Q3) Who are consumers?

Q4) What are 'social values and 'brand values'?

Chp: Markets Around Us

Q1) What is difference between a shopping complex & mall?

Q2) what is a weekly market?

Q3) Explain how a chain of markets is formed. What purpose does it serve?

Chp: A Shirt in the Market

Q1) Describe the cotton farmers condition in Bhuj.

Q2) Define putting out system?

Q3) Who are exporters?

Chp: Struggles for Equality

Q1) What issue is the Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS ) fighting for ?

Q2) Why is constitution is called living document?

Answers

Chp: Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years

Ans 1)

Map drawn by Arab geographer Al-Idrisi

Map drawn by French cartographer

a. Map was made in the 12th century.

Map was drawn in 1720's.

b. Sri Lanka, an island is shown at the top. South India is placed at the

top where we actually have North India at present.

This is not the case with the map drawn by the French cartographer.

c. Places are marked in Arabic. Places like Kannauj are spelt as Qanauj.

This map is more detailed in nature and has a degree of familiarity. The depiction of the coastal areas are more detailed.

Ans 2) Over the centuries there has been a vast change in the meaning of the term “Hindustan”.

Ans 3) Some of the important foreign travellers in the medieval period were:

● AI-Beruni's who wrote an account of the rulers of Delhi Sultans ● Minhaj-us-siraj, who wrote greatly about political events of this period.

● Marco Polo who visited South India giving details about the economic conditions of India.

● Batuta, who visited during Muhammad Bin Tughlaq's reign.

● Akbar Razzaq who gave an account of Vijayanagar empire.

Ans 4) The word means ‘colour’. "Varna" was used in Rig Veda to distinguish "natives" from aryans. It was a four-tiered socio-religious stratification of the Vedic age. This stratification was not determined by birth. i.e. son of Brahmin does not automatically become a Brahmin and so on and so forth. It was completely dependent on the occupation that a person did choose. The four main varnas were:

a) Brahmins - priests,

b) Kshatriyas - warriors,

c) Vaishyas - commoners/tradesmen

d) Shudras - All the other so called "lower" jobs including barbers, servants etc.

Jati - is also referred to as a sub-caste. This is however, "fixed" at the time of birth. Jati has a predefined set of rules as to regarding their food, marriages, "inter-mingling" with other jatis etc.

Ans 5) The time period in between the ancient and modern period that lasted from 5th to 15th century in European history and 8th to 18th century in Indian subcontinent is termed as Medieval Period.

1. The end of Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the Age of Discovery marked the beginning of Medieval Period.

2. It involves the study of the spread of different peasant societies, the rise of regional and imperial states and the development of Hinduism and Islam as major religions.

3. It is further divided into two divisions as per Indian history;

4. Early middle age – The period from the 8th to 13th century in India before the onset of Mughal empire.

5. Late middle age – Period of Indian history from 14th to 18th century. It marks the height of Mughal Empire.

Chp: New Kings and Kingdoms

Ans 1) We might not see the kind of revolt by Samanthas in India today. Firstly, it is because, at present India is characterised by a democratic rule where with power to the people and the elected government. There are no kings in the present political system, who have subordinates or samanthas. Also, as earlier samathas used to provide military support to kings and gradually became powerful , this would not be the case in present India, as there are no such subordinates offering military assistance to India, The country has its own military to defend the country. Presently, there is no system of superior or subordinates with king at the helm of affairs.

Ans 2) The Kings made land grants to the Brahmans as rewards. Rewards were given to the Brahmanas as they were given the responsibility to parashatis, where the the kings were often depicted as as valiana, benevolent and generous. Moreover, the Kings had great devotion for the Brahmanas in those times and Bhumi-dan to Brahmanas and other religious institutions were considered great pious deeds.

Ans 3) In the 8th century, three major powers of ancient India, the Palas, Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas fought for Kannauj because of the following reasons:

1. The city was a major city on the Ganga trade route.

2. The city connected the Ganga trade route with the Silk trade route.

3. This made the position of the city to be strategically highly important

The long-drawn war for the ended with the Pratiharas winning the war and establish their hold over the Central India.

Ans 4) Chola inscriptions are important because they provide us detailed information about:

1. Way of organisation of the ‘court sabhas’.

2. It tells us that the ‘Sabha’ had separate committees to look after irrigation works, gardens, temples, etc.

3. There was a proper system of choosing members of such committees. Names of eligible ‘would be’ members of these committees would be written on pieces of palm leaf and kept in an earthenware pot, from which a young boy would pick the tickets, one by one for each committee.

4. Like other inscriptions, they also tell us about kings and powerful men.

5. It informs us about the lives of ordinary men and women.

6. An important thing Chola inscriptions mention, are, the several categories of land ;

Vellanvagai - land of non-Brahmans peasant proprietors.

Brahmadeya - land gifted to Brahmans.

Shalabhoga - land for the maintenance of a school.

Devadana and tirunamattukkani - land gifted to temples.

Pallichchhandam - land donated to Jaina institutions.

All these informations help to get a clear socio-economic and political structure of the Chola period.

Ans 5) Chola administration

● For easy and efficient administration ,the chola administration was divided into provinces called Mandalams.

● Mandalams were further divided into Valanadus or districts.Group of villages formed larger units called nadus.

● The king appointed governor to look after the Mandalams.There were many towns also.The towns were also known as nagarams .A large towns was called taniyur.The governor were from the royal family.

● The associations or assemblies were the most important part of chola administration.

● The ur and the sabha were the two important assemblies involved in local self government in rural areas.

Chp: Delhi Sultans

Ans 1) The valuable information about the Sultanas recorded in the form of inscriptions, coins and architecture is also known as ‘tawarikh’ or histories. The tawarikhs were mostly written in Persian, which was also the language of the court.

The authors of tawarikh were learned men: secretaries, administrators, poets and courtiers, who both recounted events and advised rulers on governance, emphasising the importance of just rule.

Ans 2) In the medieval era it was believed that women had to remain subordinate to the men. Thus, their rise as the ruler of an empire was against all norms. It was because of this reason that Rudramadevi adopted a male nam

Ans 3) Alauddin Khilji made several administrative reforms. His reforms were based on the idea of fear and control as the basis of good government.

1. He increased his level of control over the nobility. He confiscated their wealth and removed them from their bases of power in order to stop them from rebelling. Severe punishments were given for disloyalty. Even wives and children of soldiers rebelling for greater war spoils were imprisoned. An efficient spy network was set up that reached into the private households of nobles. Marriage alliance made between noble families had to be approved by the king.

2. He rationalized the land revenue system. Tax was assessed at half of the output payable in cash. No additional taxes were levied on agriculture. The direct relationship between the cultivator and the state disrupted the power of local landowners that traditionally had power of collecting taxes and parcelling out land within their ares. To enforce the new system, a strong and efficient revenue administration system was set up.

3. He instituted a system of controlling prices of essential commodities like food grains, cloth and items such as ghee, oil and sugar. Regulations were laid out for the operations of markets in these commodities. He fixed the prices of all the commodities from top to bottom. Market officers called shahna were appointed to keep a check on the prices. The defaulters were heavily punished.

Ans 4) The attack of the Mongols throughout the Sultanate reign was a cause of tension for the Sultans. These attacks threatened the power and authority of the Sultanate rulers. To defend these attacks, special arrangements such as deploying standing armies or building forts had to be conducted. These severe measures involved huge expenditure too.

Ans5 ) According to the “circle of justice”, why was it important for military commanders to keep the interests of the peasantry in mind?

According to the Circle of Justice, it was important for the military commanders to keep the interests of the peasants in mind because the salaries of the soldiers came from the revenue collected from the peasants and peasants could pay the revenue only when they were prosperous and happy.

Ch 4: Mughal Empire

Ans 1) The Mughals were descendants of two great lineages of rulers. From their mother’s side they were descendants of Genghis Khan (died 1227), ruler of the Mongol tribes, China and Central Asia. From their father’s side they were the successors of Timur (died 1404), the ruler of Iran, Iraq and modern-day Turkey.

Ans 2) Sulh i kul is an arabic word that means ‘universal peace’ or “the good of all”. Sulh i kul expresses the idea of religious liberality of Akbar. Abdul Baki, in his history of Akbar’s reign, states: “Akbar extended toleration to all religions and creed, and would recognize no difference between them, his object being to unite all men in a common bond of peace.” Sulh-i-kul was one means to achieve the a secular society with religious tolerance.

Ans 3) The main features of the Mansabdari System introduced by Akbar are as follows:

1. It was a system of ranking for all appointments to determine salary and privileges.

2. The rankings were based on number of men and horses he person commanded.

3. Each appointee was required to get his men and horses reviewed.

4. Men were registered and horses branded so that the account was maintained.

5. The highest ranking person was with 7000 horses and horsemen. and could attend court of the emperor.

6. The lowest was with 20 and considered a sepoy or a servant.

Ans 4) Jahangir married Mehr-un-Nissa and soon she emerged as one of the most influential women of her era.

Dr. Beni Prasad has observed “Nur Jahan ruled him (Jahangir) for fourteen years and during the last five years of his reign, Nur Jahan alone controlled him.”

● Nur Jahan was a truly a compassionate woman and under her influence the royalty readily helped the needy.

● She often often accompanied the emperor to the court and listened to the complains of the subjects.

● All important appointments, promotions, postings, transfers and dismissals were done at her behest and consent.

Ans 5) Akbar Nama by Abul Fazl records the history of Akbar’s reign. The book has three parts.

● Volume I deals with the birth of Akbar,reigns of Babur and Humayun the Mughal emperors etc.

● Volume II deals with the reign of Akbar and about the victory of Battle of Panipat by Akbar.

● Volume III also called as Ain-i-Akbari which tells us about the administrative system of Mughal empire along with army setup ,revenue etc.

Ans 6 ) The military expeditions of Akbar can be grouped under three periods. The intial period basically covers the years from 1556 to 1570. Military campaigns of this period are as given below:

● campaigns were launched against the Suris and other Afghans,

● against the neighbouring kingdoms of Malwa and Gondwana,

● suppressed the revolt of his half-brother Mirza Hakim and the Uzbegs.

● In 1568 the Sisodiya capital of Chittor was seized and in 1569 Ranthambhor.

Chp: Rulers and Buildings

Ans 1) Indo-Islamic architecture is an amalgamation of Hindu and Islamic architecture. The main features of this form are as given below:

● Use of mortar as a cementing material becomes prominent.

● Domes started forming an important part of architecture.

● A style of architecture called “trabeate” or “corbelled” emerged.

Ans 2) Shah-Jahan was called the Engineer king because he was greatly interested in architecture.. Shah Jahan's period is known as the Golden Age of Architecture. Shah Jahan had a special liking for white marble. He laid emphasis on uniformity and symmetry.

● Delicacy , beauty, detailing are the main features of architecture of his time

● Walls began to be decorated with precious and semi-precious stones. This style of decoration is known as Pietra-dura.

● The Mughal period which is known for its grandeur, architectural style is well manifested in Taj Mahal .

● We may also refer to Jama Masjid built by him, is the principal mosque in India. Known for its grandeur, wide courtyard, it is indeed one of the best mosques.

Ans 3) Persian court records described the Sultan as the “Shadow of God”. According to such chronicles, a man became a Sultan because of the virtues he possessed that were very similar to that of God. Going by an inscription in the Delhi mosque, Alauddin was the chosen as a Sultan because he possessed the qualities of the great lawgivers Moses and Solomon.

Ans 4) People believed that the success of a ruler could well be understood from the plentiful availability of resources. Water was an essential need of the people and it’s scarcity could actually affect the image of the emperor. One way of gaining the praise of the people was by constructing tanks and reservoirs and make water readily available.

Sultan Iltutmish won universal respect for constructing a large reservoir just outside Dehli-i kuhna. It was called the hauz-i Sultani or the “King’s Reservoir”

Ans 5) Temples were destroyed by invading rulers as they were a symbol of the power, prestige and wealth of a king. The king was viewed as a representative of god. They were also a large store of treasure and riches. Thus, temples were viewed as targets that were to be attacked in the course of battles.

Chp:Towns and Traders and Craftsmen

Ans 1) Temple towns represented the following:

a. It represented an important pattern of urbanization.

b. Temples were considered important for economy and society.

c. Temples were symbolic of power , wealth and devotion of the patrons.

d. Kings granted money and land to carry out rituals, feed pilgrims and to celebrate festivals

e. Temples also received huge amount of donations from the pilgrims.

f. As they became important pilgrim centers, traders, artisans, priests settled near the temples to cater to pilgrims. Thus important towns emerged near temples.

Ans 2) Thanjavur was the capital city of Cholas and a single town that combined many functions. It served as a temple town, trading centre as well as an administrative town.

As a temple town:

● Temples in Thanjavur represents a very important pattern of urbanisation and were central to the economy as well as society.

● Pilgrims who visit to the temple gives donation.Temple authorities use their wealth to finance,trade and banking.

As a trading centre:

1. The bustling markets of the city sold grain, spices, cloth and jewellery.

2. The Saliya weavers produced cloth for flags that were to be used in the temple festival.

3. They also produced fine cotton cloth for the royalty and coarse cotton for the masses.

4. The sculptors made bronze idols and metal lamps.

As an administrative town:

1. The pavilions in the palaces served as mandapas where the kings held their court

2. Kings issued orders to their subordinates from here.

3. The city also had barracks for the army.

Ans3) The term "Samanta" has undergone changes in the history. At one time it was referred to as a neighbour king, went on to mean as a tributary chief and finally as a court official. Samantas were important figures in the emerging towns. Usually a samanta or, in later times, a zamindar built a fortified palace in or near these towns. They levied taxes on traders, artisans and articles of trade and sometimes “donated” the “right” to collect these taxes to local temples, which had been built by themselves or by rich merchants. These “rights” were recorded in inscriptions that have survived to this day.

Ans 4) Traders had to travel over many territories and hence they moved in groups. They formed guilds in order to defend their activities. These guilds traded widely both within the country and also with China and Southeast Asia.

Ans 5) Masulipatnam became a dilapidated town because the Britishers and the other European companies shifted their base of trading to other sites such as Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. These new sites served as much more favourable for trading activities. . These new sites offered political, administrative, and commercial roles.

The concentration of British companies on other ports was more unlike Machilipatnam that did not offer political, administrative powers, the town which eventually declined during the eighteenth century.

Chp:Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

Ans 1) Societies which did not follow the Brahmanical tradition of rules and rituals or the system of varna were classified as tribal societies.

1. The occupations of tribal people included agriculture, hunting and gathering.

2. Their main habitations were forests, deserts and hills

3. Some tribes were nomadic and moved from one place to another.

4. A tribal group controlled land and pastures jointly, and divided these amongst households according to its own rule.

Ans 2) They lived in a vast forested region known as Gondwana. They practiced shifting cultivation. The tribe was divided into smaller clans each of which was ruled by a raja. The Gond kingdom was divided into garhs each of which were controlled by a clan. They were further divided into units of 84 villages known as chaurasi. The centralisation of Gond kingdom during the time of Mughal rule led to discrepancies in their previously equal society. Brahmanas started to exercise influence and received grants from Gond rajas. Garha Katanga was the most prosperous Gond state.

Ans 3) Nomadic pastoralists moved over long distances with their animals. They lived on milk and other pastoral products. They also exchanged wool, ghee, etc., with settled agriculturists for grain, cloth, utensils and other products. They bought and sold these goods as they moved from one place to another, transporting them on their animals.

Many pastoral tribes reared and sold animals, such as cattle and horses, to the prosperous people. Different castes of petty pedlars also travelled from village to village. They made and sold wares such as ropes, reeds, straw matting and coarse sacks. Sometimes mendicants acted as wandering merchants. There were castes of entertainers who performed in different towns and villages for their livelihood.

Ans 4) Tribes represented a section of society who did not follow the social rules and rituals of the mainstream society.Many tribes obtained their livelihood from agriculture, they were hunter-gatherers or herders.They made use of natural resources. Some tribes were nomads and moved over long distances with their animals. They lived on milk and other pastoral products.

They exchanged wool, ghee, etc., with settled agriculturists for grain, cloth, utensils and other products. They bought and sold these goods as they moved from one place to another. Banjaras for instance, carried grain on their bullocks from different areas and sold it in towns. Many tribes also sold animals. Some were peddlers who sold ropes, straw matting etc. This how they were dependent.

Ans 5) Jatis are traditional groups of castes or sub castes for which membership is by birth. Members are born into a caste or jati. A Jati Panchayats or the male elder members of a jati come together and regulated the affairs of the jati. The four realms on which these jati panchayats made decisions were:

1. the rules for dining, with whom the members could eat with.

2. rules of marriage, whether exogamy was allowed or not.

3. the trades that the members of a jati could practice.

4. the activities of the guilds or craft associations based on jati.

Chp: Devotional Paths To The Divine

Ans 1) Bhakti emphasises that God can be reached through prayer and meditation. It is one's devotion to the deity

Bhakti believes that anyone be it rich or poor, irrespective of caste , man or women can follow the path of Bhakti. The idea of Bhakti is presented in Bhagwad Gita, Hindus spiritual text, in which Lord Krishna gave Arjun message of duty, of Karma and Dharma. It also talks of complete devotion to chosen deity.

Ans 2) A new kind of bhakti in south India was led by Nayanars and Alvars in the seventh to ninth centuries .The Nayanars were the saints devoted to Shiva and the Alvars were saints devoted to Vishnu. They came from all castes including those considered “untouchable” like the Pulaiyar and the Panars. They were sharply critical of the Buddhists and Jainas and preached ardent love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path to salvation. The Nayanars and Alvars went from place to place composing exquisite poems in praise of the deities enshrined in the villages they visited, and set them to music.

Ans 3) The following are the similarities between the Bhakti and Sufi saints:

1. Both emphasised on salvation through love and devotion to the supreme God.

2. Both traditions sought to remove social barriers of caste, class and religion and challenged orthodoxy.

3. Both traditions were critical of reliance on outward symbols and rituals.

4. The saints composed devotional songs in local languages that were understood by people.

5. There were similar hagiographic styles of writing about both bhakti and sufi saints.

Ans 4) We get to know of Kabir's teachings through a vast collection of sakhis and pads . Kabir's teachings were based on a complete vehement rejection of outward religiosity. His teachings openly challenged all forms of external worship of both Brahmanical Hinduism and Islam, the pre- eminence of the priestly classes and the caste system. He believed in a formless supreme God and believed that the path to salvation was through Bhakti or devotion.

Ans 5)Virashaiva movement was initiated by Basavanna and his companions like Allama Prabhu and Akkamahadevi. It began in Karnataka in the mid-twelfth century. The Virashaivas argued strongly for the equality of all human beings and against Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women. They were also against all forms of ritual and idol worship.

Chp: The Making Of Regional Cultures

Ans 1) The Cheras drew upon Sanskrit tradition in the following ways.

1. The temple theatre that developed in Kerala under the Cheras was based upon Sanskrit epics.

2. The first literary works in Malayalam, which date from the 12th century, were derived from Sanskrit.

3. The first grammar work that emerged in Kerala in the 14th century, called the Lilatilakam, referred to two languages, Sanskrit and the regional language.

Ans 2 )Following are the prevalent theories about the origin of Rajputs:

● they were the descendants of the Sakas

● some believe them to be descendants of the Yu Chi tribe.

● there is a myth that Rajputs originated from ancient Kshatriyas of Lunar and Solar dynasty

● In Prithviraj Raso it is stated that rajputs originated from the fire altar or Agni kula.

Ans 3) The term ‘kathak’ is derived from ‘katha’ a word used in Sanskrit and other languages to represent ‘a story’.

1. The kathaks were originally a caste of story tellers in temples of North India, who enhanced their performances with gestures and songs.

2. Kathak began to evolve into distinct form of dance in the 15th and 16th centuries with the spread of bhakti movement.

3. The legends of Radha Krishna were enacted in folk plays called rasa lila, which combines folk dance with basic gestures of kathak story tellers

4. Under the Mughal Emperors and their nobles, Kathak was performed in the court where it acquired its present features and developed into a form of dance with distinct style

Ans 4) Miniature painting represent beautiful hand made colourful paintings. This style of paintings largely flourished under the Mughals and also under the Rajas of Rajasthan.

1. Miniatures which were small sized paintings were brilliantly painted using bright colors and portrayed court scenes were given as gifts to other rulers.

2. These paintings were made on cloth or paper. Some miniature paintings were also done on wood or palm leaves,

3. These paintings depicted court scenes, battle scenes , social life . Also did they depict scenes from mythology, poetry.

4. Emperor Akbar , Jahangir, Shah Jahan showed great interest in miniature paintings and other forms of art .

5. In Rajasthan these paintings were patronised by several rulers like Raja Savant Singh of Kishen garh , Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner

6. Miniature painting also became famous in Himalays, here bold and intense style of miniature painting called Basohli became famous. The most popular here was Bhanudatta’s Rasamanjar

7. By 18 th century, a new style was given to miniature painting by Kangra artists which gets its inspiration from Vaishnavite traditions.

8. Soft colours like cool blues , greens were used and lyrical themes

Ans 5) Bengal was amongst the states that were carved out of the old Mughal provinces in the eighteenth century the other being Awadh, and Hyderabad. All three states were founded by members of the high Mughal nobility who had been governors of large provinces – Sa‘adat Khan (Awadh), Murshid Quli Khan (Bengal) and Asaf Jah (Hyderabad). All three had occupied high mansabdari positions and enjoyed the trust and confidence of the emperors. Both Asaf Jah and Murshid Quli Khan held a zat rank of 7,000 each, while Sa’adat Khan’s zat was 6,000.

● Bengal gradually broke away from Mughal control under Murshid Quli Khan who was appointed as the naib, deputy to the governor of the province.

● In an effort to reduce Mughal influence in Bengal he transferred all Mughal jagirdars to Orissa and ordered a major reassessment of the revenues of Bengal.

● The formation of a regional state in eighteenth-century Bengal led to considerable changes amongst the zamindars.

● The third common feature in all these regional states was their emerging relationship with rich bankers and merchants.

Chp: Eighteenth-Century Political Formations

Ans 1) The economic and political crisis faced by the Mughals were:

a. Failure on part of the Aurangzeb to recognise the power of Marathas , who emerged as an important power to reckon with.

b. Weak political leadership after Aurangzeb led to political crisis and decline of the Empire.

c . Imperial treasury was severely affected because Aurangzeb's involvement in the Deccan .

d. The conflict with the Rajputs further weakened the empire.

e. Increase in the power and authority of the mansabdars who exercised great influence and became difficult to be controlled.

f . The powerful and ambitious nobles began to carve out their own independent states like Bengal, Hyderabad , Awadh etc.

g . Peasants and Zamindars rebellions caused problems.

h . Nadir Shah's invasion exposed the weaknesses of the Mughal Empire.

Ans 2) The states of Awadh , Hyderabad and Bengal emerged through the following:

1. These regions were powerful with independent rulers maintaining formal links with Mughal Emperor.

2. Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad were founded by members of Mughal nobility , who were governors of large provinces.

3. They were former mansabdars who had gradually grown in their influence and authority. They occupied high positions in the mansabdari system.

4. With the decline and growing crisis in the empire, these powerful and ambitious nobles began to carve out their own independent states.

Ans 3) The Sikhs organized themselves politically to create a separate state. Many battles were fought by Guru Gobind Singh against the Rajput and Mughal rulers. Under many able leaders in the eighteenth century, the Sikhs organized themselves into a number of bands called jathas, and later on misls. The Khalsa was inspired by Guru Gobind Singh with the belief that their destiny was to rule. Protection was offered to cultivators on the payment of a tax of 20 percent of the produce. Their well-knit organization successfully resisted the Mughal governors and the invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali. Maharaja Ranjit Singh united the Sikh territories and established his capital at Lahore in 1799.

Ans 4) The Maratha emerged as an important kingdom under the rule of Shivaji in the mid-17th century. The Marathas were successful because of their ability to mobilise the peasants. The Maratha polity was an enlightened centralised autocratic monarchy. Some of the features of the Maratha administration are as follows:

(1) King as the head: The king was the in charge of all affairs. To assist him, there was a council of state ministers known as ashtapradhan. Later, the Peshwas became the civil and military heads.

(2) Division of the territory: For ease of administration, the territory was divided into three provinces, with each province headed by a viceroy. The provinces were subdivided into prants, each of which was further divided into parganas and tarafs. The lowest unit was the village headed by a headman called patel.

(3) Revenue collection: Revenue was assessed after a thorough survey of the lands. It was collected from peasants, either in cash or in kind. Further, chauth and sardeshmukhi were collected in the form of protection money from areas outside the Maratha kingdom.

The Marathas ruled for a long time, but the power gradually weakened over the time because of internal strife between different Maratha chief.

Ans 5) The Jats strengthened their power during the late seventeenth and eighteenth-centuries. Under the leadership of Churaman, they acquired territories situated to the west of the city of

Delhi. By the 1680s, they started dominating the region between the two imperial cities of Delhi and Agra. The Jats were affluent agriculturists, and towns like Panipat and Ballabgarh became important trading centres Under the leadership of Suraj Mal, the kingdom of Bharatpur emerged as a strong state

Chp:Environment

Ans 1) The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species. The natural environment is contrasted with the built environment which comprises the areas and components that are strongly influenced by humans. A geographical area is regarded as a natural environment. Natural environment is often used as a synonym for habitat. For instance, when we say that the natural environment of giraffes is the savanna.

Ans 2) An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) at a particular place or area.The living and physical components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.Ecosystems can be of any size, but usually they are in particular places.

Each ecosystem has its own community. A terrarium community, for example, can have small animals. A desert community may have cacti, small snakes, and scorpions. A pond community can have frogs, insects, snakes, and plants, and a forest community may have rabbits, foxes and pine trees. Communities are also divided into populations. A population is composed of species.

Ans 3) Human environment refers to the artificial environment that is created by humans. It includes buildings, roads, cities as well as the society that humans live in.

Ans 4) The domain of earth that consists of living beings is known as the biosphere. It is the place where lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere meet. The conditions at the meeting point of these domains are suitable to sustain life.

Ans 5) Hydrosphere is the water surface which includes the oceans,lakes and rivers. Atmosphere is the blanket of air that envelopes the Earth.

Chp: Inside Our Earth

Ans 1) Sedimentary rocks are formed by accumulation of sediments, by the deposition of the weathered remains of other rocks,by the deposition of the results of bio genic activity and by precipitation from solution. The sedimentary rock minerals are the result of this sedimentation, which means accumulation of minerals or other particles in layers. These minerals settle down, accumulate and are layered in a horizontal manner.

Ans 2) The transformation of one type of rock into another, under certain conditions and in a cyclical manner is referred to as the rock cycle. For example, igneous rocks, formed as a result of the solidification of molten magma, may break down into small particles, which may then be transported and deposited to form sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary and igneous rocks transform into metamorphic rocks when subjected to heat and pressure. These metamorphic rocks may themselves get broken down to form sedimentary rocks, or they may melt under great heat and pressure to form molten magma, which would then once again solidify to form igneous rocks.

Ans 3) A rock refers to any natural mass of mineral matter that makes up the Earth’s crust.

Some of the uses of rocks are as follows :

(a) For building roads, houses and buildings

(b) For making jewellery

(c) For cutting and drilling purposes

(d) The fossilised remains of plants and animals present in rocks help in scientific research.

(e) The different minerals that make up different rocks are used as fuels, medicines, fertilisers, and in various industries.

Ans 4) Metamorphic rocks are the rocks that get formed under great heat and pressure. Igneous and sedimentary rocks, when subjected to heat and pressure, get transformed into metamorphic rocks.

Chapter: Our Changing Earth

Ans 1) A volcano erupts when the pressure within the molten magma below the surface becomes stronger than the strength of the rocks on the surface that make up the volcano. The magma then finds the path of least resistance to the surface and erupts. That pressure comes both from the buoyancy of the magma and from gas bubbles inside the magma that want to expand. The magma pressure comes from the expansion of gas bubbles that are within the magma. The heat source for all erupted materials comes from natural radioactive decay within the Earth. The concentration of radioactive elements in the Earth is not really very high, but the volume of the Earth is great enough so that there is enough of a contribution of heat from the decay to produce melting. The material that melts (magma) has a lower density and it migrates to the surface to erupt.

Ans 2) Earthquakes are the vibrations inside the Earth's crust that happen due to seismic disturbances or volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes are an environmental hazard as they cause widespread distress in the affected area and huge loss of life and property. Earthquakes disrupt telephone lines and transportation modes such as railways and roadways. They often damage national monuments. Buildings collapse due to vibrations and people get buried under the rubble. Electrical wires also get ruptured causing fire to breakout, creating havoc.

Ans 3) The Sundarban constitutes the largest delta in world and is formed by way of sedimentation of river Ganges & its tributaries. It is formed due to deposition of silt, clay and other soil particles. It is a result of the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. The land has been moulded by tidal action, giving it a distinctive physiology.

Ans 4) When the wind blows, it lifts and transports the sand and sediments. as the winds stop blowing, these sediments and sand gets deposited in low hill like structures known as sand dunes.

When the grains of sand are very fine and light, the wind can carry it over very long distances. when such sand is deposited in large areas, it is known as a loess.

Ans 5) Moraine is the deposit of gravel, sand, and clay left on the ground by a glacier.

Chapter :Air

Ans 1)

Troposphere

Stratosphere

It is a lowest portion of earth's atmosphere

It is just above troposphere layer.

The average height is 17 km.

Stratosphere starts at about 9 to 18 km.

The planetary winds flow in this layer.

Ozone lies in stratosphere and airliners cruise in this zone.

Temperature decreases with height.

Temperature increases with height.

Ans 2) Weather means conditions such as air temperature, rain, snow, wind, or other atmospheric phenomena, on a particular day. Climate describes what kind of weather a particular location is likely to have either seasonally or all the time; for example, Albuquerque has a dry climate, so you expect that it will rarely rain there, because a low amount of rain is the average condition there measured long enough to know what to expect.

Weather is changes that occur everyday, so it can be changed daily.

Ans 3 ) If permanent wind changes, then there will be lot of changes in the world's weather pattern. For example, India's monsoons depend upon permanent winds that blows from the southwest in summer and northeast in winter. If these winds change, then India's weather will change drastically causing widespread damage to India's economy.

Ans 4) Cyclones

(i) It is an area of low pressure surrounded by high pressure.

(ii) Winds converge at the eye (central low pressure) of the cyclone, wind moves in a spiral motion.

(iii) Stormy conditions prevail.

(iv) Winds blow in an anti-clockwise direction in the Northern hemisphere and vice-versa in the Southern hemisphere.

Anticyclones

(i) It is an area of high pressure surrounded by low pressure.

(ii) Winds diverge from the central high pressure to the surrounding low pressure.

(iii) Light cool winds blow.

(iv) Winds blow in a clockwise direction in the Northern hemisphere and vice-versa in the Southern hemisphere.

Ans 5) Frontal (or Cyclonic) Rain is caused by cyclonic activity and it occurs along the fronts of the cyclone. It is formed when two masses of air of different temperature, humidity and density meets. For example meeting of moisture laden warm tropical wind with a polar air mass. A layer separating them is called the front. This front has two parts , the warm front and the cold front. At the warm front, the warm lighter wind rises gently over the heavier cold air, which being heavy stays close to the ground. As the warm air rises, it cools, and the moisture present in it condenses to form clouds altostratus clouds. This rain falls steadily for a few hours to a few days.

Chapter: Water

Ans 1) Ocean circulation is the large scale movement of sea waters in the ocean basins. It is generated by various forces like wind direction, tides, temperature variation, water density differences and the Coriolis force generated by the earth's rotation.

Ans 2) tsunami is a serie of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of water mainly by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions. Tsunamis can be very disastrous to people living near the coast.

Ans 3) Tides are helpful in the following manner:

1.They help in navigation.They raise the water level close to the shores, helping ships to reach the harbour.

2.They help in fishing. Many more fishes come to the shore during high tide.

3.Rise and fall of water due to tides help in generating electricity.

Ans 4) Water cycle : The cyclic process through which water circulates in the environment is called the water cycle.

Importance of water cycle is given below :

● Water cycle ensures distribution of water across the earth through the process of evaporation, condensation and precipitation.

● Water cycle is driving force of earth's atmosphere.

● Water cycle provide water to the plants, animals and human beings for sustaining their life.

● Water cycle recycles nutrients and water and it brings fresh water to animals, plants and humans.

Chapter 6: Natural Vegetation And Wildlife

Ans 1) Tropical evergreen forests are usually found in areas receiving more than 200 cm of rainfall and having a temperature of 15 °C to 30 °C. They occupy about seven per cent of the Earth's land surface and harbour more than half of the world’s plants and animals. Found mostly near the equator, these tropical forests are dense, multi-layered and harbour many types of plants and animals. The trees are evergreen as there is no period of drought or frost. They are mostly tall hardwood trees with broad leaves that release excess water through transpiration.

In India, evergreen forests are found on the western slopes of the Western Ghats in States such as Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka. And also found in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are also found in the hills of Jaintia and Khasi. Some of the trees found in Indian Tropical Forests are rosewood, mahogany and ebony. Bamboo and reeds are also common.

Ans 2) Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off". In a general sense, deciduous means rejecting a part that is no longer needed, or after its purpose is finished. Forests where the trees lose their foliage at the end of the typical growing .

Ans 3) Mediterranean forests are known as ‘orchards of the world’ for their fruit cultivation especially figs, olives, grapes, oranges etc

Ans 4) The most important forms of grasslands are:

Tropical grasslands: These grow on either side of the equator and extend till the tropics . This vegetation grows in the areas of moderate to low amount of rainfall. They can grow very tall, about 3 to 4 metres in height. Savannah grasslands of Africa are of this type. Elephants, zebras, giraffes, deer, leopards are common in tropical grasslands.

Temperate grasslands: These are found in the mid latitudinal zones and in the interior part of the continents. Usually, grass here is short and nutritious.Wild buffaloes, bisons, antilopes are common in the temperate region.

Ans 5) The wildlife of the Tundra region consists of animals with thick fur or thick layer of fat, which helps them to face the harsh cold weather conditions. Some of the prominent species found in this region are reindeer, musk ox, polar bear, polar dog, hare, fox, wolf and lemming.

Chapter 7: Human Environment

Ans 1) Temporary settlement

A temporary settlement is a place in which people live for a short time. These people were somehow removed from their homes. War and natural disasters can cause the need for temporary settlements to be built and utilized.

Permanent settlement

The Permanent Settlement is also known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal ï½ was an agreement between the East India Company and Bengali landlords to fix revenues to be raised from land, with far-reaching consequences for both agricultural methods and productivity in the entire Empire and the political realities of the Indian countryside.

Ans 2)

Roadways

Airways

1. It is less expensive

1. It is costly

2. It cannot cover longer distances

2. It is meant to cover very long distance.

3.It is less speedy

3. It is faster and quicker.

4. Bus, car, truck etc are its examples

4. Aeroplane and helicopter are its examples.

Ans 3) Importance of communication can be understood with following points:

1) With development of technology and communication, resources can be put to best utilisation.

2) Resources are transformed into useful ones according to the needs of the people. With the help of ideas, knowledge, inventions of people existing resources can lead to creation of more new utilities

3) For instance, wind potential can be put to best use in the near future with the help of technology to substitute non – renewable energy resources

Ans 4) Mass communication is the imparting of large information on a large scale to a wide range of people.

Mass communication provides entertainment and creates awareness among people about various national programmes and policies.

● such mediums endeavour to address a large number of people simultaneously

● It includes radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books and films.

● Radio broadcasts a variety of programmes in national, regional and local languages for various categories of people, spread over different parts of the country.

● Television broadcasts a variety of programmes from entertainment, educational to sports, etc. for people of different age groups.

● Newspapers are one of the most important mediums of disseminating news.

● The mediums of mass communication have become an inseparable part of our lives. they help to make people more aware of the social problems

Chapter 8: Human Environment Interactions: The Tropical and the Subtropical Regions

Ans 1) It is said that the first European to travel the length of the Amazon River was Francisco de Orellana in 1542, He was a Spanish adventurer who accomplished the first exploration of the River Amazon and its dense evergreen forests.

Ans 2) Amazon basin is sparsely populated because it's dense rainforest. Rain forests aren't a very friendly environment for human habitation, i.e. lack of fresh water, dangerous animals, lack of solid ground, lack of dry shelter, skeeters, dense trees, limited fuel and food sources, and difficult transportation.

Ans 3) The Ganga-Brahmaputra basin is a sub-tropical region. The Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their tributaries, form this river basin.

The Ganges river is joined by its tributaries like the Ghaghra , the Son , the Chambal , the Gandak and the Kosi. The Brahmaputra river is joined by its tributaries like the Dibang, the Luhit the Subansiri, the Manas, the Sankosh, the Tista, the Dhansiri and the Champamati.

The main features of this river basin are:

● A fertile belt that includes most of north and east India

● Rich source of alluvial soil

● Number of ox-bow lakes over the plains

● Bounded on the north by the mountains and foothills of the Himalayas

● On east, lies the famed Sundarbans delta

Ans 4) The Ganga- Brahmaputra basin is made up of the plains of Ganga and Brahmaputra, foothills of the Himalayas and the Sundarbans delta. The plains are most suitable for human occupation as they have fertile lands that are drained by rivers. Large part of agricultural activity is done on the fertile plains of the delta, main crops grown there are jute, tea, rice.

Besides paddy, wheat , millets, sugarcane,oilseeds are also grown on Ganga Brahmaputra basin.Sugarcane and jute are prominent cash crops while silk is also cultivated.

Fertile land, apt climatic conditions, proximity to main rivers are some of the factors that have resulted in agricultural growth.

Ans 5 ) The presence of susu dolphin in a river system signals a healthy ecosystem. Since the river dolphin is at the apex of the aquatic food chain, its presence in adequate numbers symbolizes greater biodiversity in the river system and helps keep the ecosystem in balance.

Chapter: 9 : Life in the Temperate Grassland

Ans 1) The Differences between Veld and Prairies are as follows :

Veld

Prairies

1. They are temperate grasslands of South Africa

1.They are temperate grasslands of North America

2. Here vegetation cover is sparse

2. Tall grass, upto two metres high, dominates, the landscape in prairies.

3. Velds are plateaus ranging from 600m to 1600 m height.

3. Prairies are region of Flat, gently sloping or hilly land.

4. It is bound by the Drakensburg Mountains on the east. To its west lies the Kalahari desert.

4. The prairies are bound by the Rocky Mountains in the West and the

Great Lakes in the East.

5. They have a mild climate

5. The climate in prairies is of continental type with extreme

temperatures.

6. The Velds are known for cattle rearing and mining

6.Prairies are mainly known for the mass food production

7. The velds receive rainfall mainly in the summer months from November to February.

7. Annual rainfall in prairies is moderate

Ans 2) Praries are known as the Granary of the world because scientific methods of cultivation and the use of tractors, harvesters and combines have made North America a surplus food producer. The Prairies are called the ‘Granaries of the world’ due to the huge production of wheat in this region.

Ans 3) The velds have a mild climate due to the influence of the Indian Ocean. Winters are cold and dry. Temperatures vary between 5°C and 10°C and July is the coldest month. Summers are short and warm. Johannesburg records about 20°C temperature in the summer. The velds receive rainfall mainly in the summer months from November to February. This is mainly because of the warm ocean currents that wash the shores of the velds. If the rainfall is scanty in the winter months from June till August, drought may occur.

Ans 4 ) Flora and fauna refers to the plant life and wildlife respectively:

Flora: The vegetation cover is sparse.

● Grasses dominate the landscape.

● Red grass grows in bush velds.

● In the high velds acacia and maroola are seen to be growing.

Fauna:

● The animals of the velds are primarily lions, leopards, cheetah and kudu

Chp: 10 Life in the Deserts

Ans 1) The climate of the Sahara desert is scorchingly hot and parch dry. It has a short rainy season. The sky is cloudless and clear. Moisture evaporation is faster than accumulation. Days are unbelievably hot whereas nights are very cold. Al Azizia in Libya recorded the highest temperature of 57.7°C in 1922.

Low rainfall - Sahara receives less than 10 cm of rainfall annually due to presence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the south-western region that prevents moisture from reaching the area.

Ans 2) Sahara is a vast desert covering large parts of many countries which include from East to West, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Chad, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Niger, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, and a small part of Eritrea.

Ans 3) Ladakh is situated in the eastern part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.It is enclosed between the Karakoram and the Zanskar ranges of the Great Himalayas.The world's second highest peak, Mt Godwin Austen (Mt K2), 8611 m, is located in the Karakoram Range.Among the many large glaciers, the famous Siachen Glacier is situated here.Leh, situated on river Indus, is the capital and the main commercial Ladakh was divided into two districts in 1979: Leh and Kargil.

Ans 4) Plants grow well in a warm climate. In Ladakh it is quite cold for most of the year, and the plants grow well during the short summer season.

Ans 5) Why are migratory birds common in Ladakh?

Migratory birds are common in Ladakh because many birds from other parts of India migrate to Ladakh to spend the summer. Ladakh has many marshes which is a good breeding ground for many migratory birds.

Chp: On Equality

Ans 1) The statement is true. Dalits exercise the right of universal adult franchise. Every adult citizen, irrespective of his/her caste, colour and creed, is free to vote in India. This ensures equal political rights for all citizens.

Ans 2) Education can strengthen democracy in the following ways-

1. It can make people aware of their rights.

2. It can make the people understand the functioning of the government in a better way.

3. It can mobilise all the sections of the society.

Ans 3) Caste can weaken democracy in the following ways-

1. People choose their representatives of the same caste irrespective of their capability.

2. Improper demands are put infront for more representation.

3. A lot of money and time is wasted in conflicts among various castes.

4. Unity of the country is destroyed.

Ans 4) Democracy safeguards human dignity and freedom in the following manner.

a) In a democratic country people have the freedom to choose their representatives on the basis of universal adult franchise.

b) Most societies across the world were historically male dominated. Equal treatment of women became the necessary requirement of a democratic society. Thus, their status in democratic countries improved.

c) In a non-democratic setup, there is no legal basis for freedom and dignity of individuals. Democracy in India has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity.

d) Democracy transforms people from the status of subjects under a king or a dictator to the status of citizens with rights and duties. Many Fundamental rights are granted to citizens in a democratic country. One such right is the right to freedom, which is a cluster of many rights like

freedom to travel anywhere, freedom to assemble anywhere, freedom to choose any profession, to choose any religion etc.

Chp: Role of the Government in Health

Ans 1) Public health care system is a established and monitored by government and its agencies. It provides medical services at concessional rates Health care performs the function of raising standards of public health.

Ans 2) Following points summarise the Government’s part in health services.

1. The Government is responsible for providing pure water, proper sanitation, and safe and unadulterated food to the public.

2. The Government should start public health programmes particularly in rural areas where people are not educated and allocate appropriate funds for their functioning.

3. Periodical free health check-up, free laboratories must be set up to diagnose the health issues for poor people.

4. Funds should also be allocated for research purposes and hence new drugs are invented to cure diseases.

5. Awareness programmes like ‘quit smoking’ must be held to educate people to protect them from infectious diseases.

6. Observation of ‘Heart Day’, ‘Cancer Day’, ‘Marathon for Diabetes’, etc. enables people to have the knowledge of the ailment and make them conscious to be healthy.

Ans 3 ) Private health care services are gaining popularity because they provide basic health care to people at a faster and speedy pace. They have access to all modern technology for detecting diseases and medication for curing diseases. Their services are costly and those who can afford prefer private health care services for better care and improved services.

Ans 4)

Public Healthcare Facilities

Private Healthcare Facilities

These facilities are owned and run by the government.

These facilities are owned and run by profit-oriented individuals and

institutions.

Providing service to the people is the motive of such facilities.

Profit making is the sole motive of such facilities.

Infrastructure of these facilities is not that good.

These facilities possess world class infrastructure.

Treatment is done either free of cost or at a very minimal price.

High prices are charged for the providing treatment to the patients.

Ans 5) Healthcare facilities are not readily available to all sections of the society. The poor and women are the worst affected sections of the society. Since the basic facilities like water, sanitation and housing are not available to the poor people, they are more prone to ill health.

On the other hand, Indian society tends to extend all benefits and facilities to males rather than females. Women are debarred from good nutritional diet and access to medical institutions. These tend to make women vulnerable to health crisis.

Chp: How the State Government Works

Ans 1) A MLA has principal role in representing interests of people of his constituency. He has also to manage the local area funds at his disposal for development in his constituency. He is supposed to take active interests in all matters that affect the people and he should protect the people's interests in state assembly and outside, bringing up issues that concern the people the MLA represents, presenting a petition on their behalf, or assisting in solving a problem a constituent understanding existing laws, proposing new laws and studying, discussing and supporting or opposing new laws.

Ans 2) What is constituency?

India is divided into different areas for purposes of elections. These are called constituencies.

Constituency : Voters in a geographical area who elect a representative to the legislative bodies.

Under Article 82 of the Constitution, the Parliament by law enacts a Delimitation Act after every census. After coming into force commencement of the Act, the Central Government constitutes a Delimitation Commission. This Delimitation Commission demarcates the boundaries of the Parliamentary Constituencies as per provisions of the Delimitation Act. The present delimitation of constituencies is based on 1971 census figures. Population is the basis of allocation of parliamnetary constituencies of the Lok Sabha. As far as possible, every State gets representation in the Lok Sabha in proportion to its population as per census figures.

Ans 3) Following are the main functions of the opposition party:

● They question the ruling government and make them accountable to the public.

● Their role is to ensure that the government should not take any step which is against the interest of the public.

● Their duty is to check and ensure the action of the ruling party is for the benefit of the masses and to support the government in such things.

Ans 4) In India, elected representatives at State Level, is called Legislature or Legislative Assembly

1) Its main function is to make laws which are confined to the State List and the Concurrent List

2) The Money bill can be introduced only in Legislative Assembly and without its authorization no money can be spent from State Treasury.

3) The Ministers are collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly and they have to resign if a no confidence motion is passed in Legislative Assembly.

4) The elected members of the Legislative Assembly elects the President of India.

5) It also sends representatives to Union Government to put forward the demands of the State

Ans 5) Qualifications necessary to become the member of a legislative assembly are as follows:

i) a citizen of India

ii) not less than 25 years of age as per Article 173 of Indian Constitution to be a member of the Legislative Council.

iii)No person can become a member of the Legislative Assembly or the Legislative Council of any state, unless he himself is a voter from any constituency of the state.

Chp: Growing Up As Boys and Girls

Ans 1) Gender is a socially constructed term that sought to create artificial division in the society between men and women. It gets reflected in the sexual division of work and in the society’s mindset.

Ans 2) Society's perception about a women are based on Gender prejudices which is a socially constructed term and that sought to create artificial division in the society between men and women. Gender prejudice is the result of such a mind set in which a society develops preconceived idea about women that is not based on knowledge, reason or thought.

Ans 3) Men and boys do not do household work in our society, owing to the stereotypes that have defined men as the breadwinners of the families, and women as the homemakers.

In the changed socio-economic scenario, women are getting educated, working as professionals and earning as good as men. But owing to archaic mental set up, boys and men think that household work is not their domain and is to be done by the women in the households, even if they are earning as well as them.

Ans 4) Anganwadi basically means Courtyard shelter. It was a scheme started by the Government of India in 1975 under Integrated Child Development Service Programme and is part of government health care policy. Anganwadi centers in both rural and urban areas aims at providing health care to mother and child and includes services like health check ups, immunization,nutrition and health education etc. Their main aim has been to counter growing malnutrition and hunger.

Ans 5) Women are discriminated in society in various ways. For example,

a. They are not given equal access to educational opportunities.

b. They may not be given the same quality food as men.

c. They may be deprived of educational opportunities.

Chapter: Women Change the World

Ans1) A stereotype is a generalisation, or an assumption, people make about a person or groups of persons.For example, how many times have you heard people say only men join army,or only girls cry? These are generalisations that are very often not true.There are women who join the army and do very well. Similarly, men do cry and there is nothing wrong with it either

Ans 2) The issue of women empowerment has always been the talking point . .Much has been achieved ever since we gained Independence, from providing legal political equality, liberty to reservation of seats in the local government bodies for women but a lot needs to be done

1. It is important to reserve seats for women in the Union Parliament and increase their political representation

2. Encouraging education, spreading literacy is rather very important to empower women.

3. It is imperative to change the perception of people from treating women with respect.

4. We have to create more employment opportunities for women.

5. Effective implementation of women based laws like that of Dowry prohibition, Domestic violence act.

6. Creating greater awareness among women about laws and legal recourse

7. Encourage technical education and training among women that would help them to become self reliant.

Ans 3) Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossein asserts women's right to education in the following manner:

a. She argued in favour of women's right to education and strongly condemned the men who were against women education.

b. Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossein refuted the belief of Mulsim orthodox elements who felt that women would be corrupted, would become unruly by reading Urdu romances as they would get swayed away by the ideas.

c. She argued that ironically those who claim to uphold the values of Islam are going against it by rejecting equal right to education to women which is indeed propagated and supported in Islam.

Ans 4) Women's movement refers to the struggle by women to achieve equal status in society by getting access to education, healthcare, prevention of domestic violence, voting rights, equal wages, passage of laws to prevent dowry. The movement includes many organisations that work for the upliftment of women and uses different strategies to spread awareness, fight discrimination and strive for justice. Campaigning, protesting, raising awareness and showing solidarity are some of the methods adopted to achieve its purpose.

Chpt: Understanding Media

Ans1) Media plays an important role in forming and expressing public opinion.

1. It influences our thoughts and moulds our attitudes to a great extent.

2. In a democracy, media expresses common people's views and allows government to be more responsive to their needs.

3. It acts as an important link between the common people and government.

4. It helps in forming an informed citizenry by communicating all important governments' policies and programmes.

5. Media covers issues of social concerns, movements by the people.

Ans 2) Mass communication helps in the following manner:

a. Communication between more people, involving a group or a large population.

b. It involves newspapers, magazines, radio, films etc.

c. It involves creating awareness about social, political issues or policies

d. It helps in creating alert and vigilant citizenry.

e. communication helps in forming and generating public opinion.

f. It helps in moulding our thoughts and influences our beliefs and ideas.

Ans 3) Media refers to various means of communication like Newspaper, Television, Radio, and Internet. Media is very important in our lives for communication, information, advertising, marketing, entertainment etc. A Major advantage of media is that it provides us with all the information on current affairs, it reveals the truth we get all the required information on almost all the subjects.

However, one major disadvantage is that we cannot distinguish the information from misinformation. We get so many different points of views that sometimes we may get biased and can easily get manipulated by the media.

Chp: Understanding Advertising

Ans1) Advertising is an impersonal, paid form of communication used by the marketers for the promotion of goods and services . The basic objective of advertising is to create interest of the customers towards the product.

Ans 2)

1) Advertisements aim to make people buy a particular brand. This means that after seeing an advertisement, we should buy the product.

2) Attractive and creative visuals that go with a particular product are created and they are tested among target audience to avail their opinions and views

3) Advertisements thus, created play an important role in our life as we not only buy products based on them, but having certain products influences our lifestyle, as they make us think about ourselves, our friends and our family.

4) Advertisement target personal emotions and thereby linking them to products, advertisements value people as reputable persons

Ans3) Consumers are those who use certain products or services and pay for the same.

Ans 4) Social value refers to different goals of individuals when they make decisions which affect others . It differs from brand value. Brand value refers to unique set of characteristics that contribute to how a brand is, and/or will be, positioned in the marketplace.

Chp: Markets Around Us

Ans 1) A shopping complex can facilitate branded and non-branded goods but a mall can facilitate only showrooms that have branded goods because of the high charges of maintenance

Ans 2) It is a type of market that is held on a specific day of the week. Things in the market are sold cheap and a many hawkers sit in a place and sell their products.

Ans 3) A chain of markets is formed when a number of traders supply goods from the producers to the consumers. We thus have wholesale markets where other dealers buy the goods in bulk. These dealers then sell the goods in weekly markets to consumers and thus a chain of markets is

formed. The chain serves the purpose of bringing the goods from the producers, who live in far off areas, to consumers in towns and cities.

Chp: A Shirt in the Market

Ans 1) A cotton farmer's condition in Bhuj is precarious. They toil hard in the fields to grow cotton. But the landholdings of such farmers are often small. As a result, each farmer grows small amount of cotton. They do not get very high prices for the cotton in the market. Hence, their living standards are quite poor.

Ans 2) The putting-out system is a means of subcontracting work. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent like merchants to subcontractors like weavers who complete the work in their own facilities, usually their own homes.

Ans 3) In the chain of market the exporter purchases the goods from the manufacturer and then further exports (sells the goods across national boundaries) the goods. However, it must be noted that the manufacturer and exporter are generally the same individuals. That is, the manufacturer himself exports the goods.

The profit is earned in the sense that the price at which the goods are sold abroad (export) is greater than the the price at which they are purchased from the manufacturer.

Chp: Struggles for Equality

Ans 1) The Tawa Matsya Sangh was founded to fight for the rights of the fishermen. They were denied their livelihood when fishing rights in the Tawa reservoir were given by government to private contractors in 1994. The contractors began to threaten the villagers who refused to give up their rights. The Tawa Matsya Sangh protested by organising rallies and road blockades. Finally the government decided to give fishing rights to displaced people in 1996.

Ans 2) The constitution is called as a living document because it keeps changing with the needs and requirement of the situation.The Constitution accepts the required changes which a society needs.It is flexible and can be moulded with the changing times.