Textbook Question and Answers
Keywords:
- Haven: Shelter / place of safety.
- Dwellers: People who inhabit a particular place.
- Cassava: An edible starchy root.
- Livelihood: A means of earning money in order to live.
Define the following:
- Equatorial region: The region around the equator that has a hot and wet climate throughout the year.
- Humidity: The amount of water vapor present in the air.
- Rainforest: A dense forest found in areas with heavy rainfall and warm temperatures throughout the year.
Answer the Following Questions:
1. What are the main areas in the equatorial region?
Ans: The main areas in the equatorial region are the Amazon Basin in South America, the Congo Basin in West Africa, and Indonesia and Malaysia in Asia.
2. Name the trees found in the equatorial region.
Ans: Mahogany, ebony, cinchona, rubber, rosewood, and coconut palm are the trees that grow in the equatorial region.
4. How do the tribes in the equatorial region survive?
Ans: The tribes in the equatorial region survive by hunting and gathering edible plants.
5. The equatorial region has dense forests. Explain how these forests are both a blessing and a challenge for the people living there.
Ans: These dense forests of the equatorial region are both a blessing and a challenge:
- Blessing: They provide timber, medicinal plants, rubber, and other forest products. They also support wildlife and help maintain the Earth’s climate.
- Challenges: The forests are very thick, making transportation and communication difficult. Heavy rainfall, high humidity, insects, and wild animals also make farming a challenge.
6. You are visiting the equatorial region as a nature explorer. What precautions would you take to stay safe and comfortable? Explain.
Ans: As a nature explorer, I would:
(i) Wear light, full-sleeved clothes and sturdy shoes to protect myself from insects and thorny plants.
(ii) Carry rain gear, drinking water, a first aid kit, and insect repellent.
(iii) Stay with a guide and avoid disturbing wild animals for safety.
7. Name the main occupations of the people in the equatorial region.
Ans: Fishing and farming are the important occupations in these areas. Plantations of rubber, coconut, coffee, and cocoa are also a source of livelihood for inhabitants. They may also find work in mining projects.
Assertion and Reasoning Questions
1. Assertion (A): People in the equatorial region wear thick woolen clothes.
Reason (R): The climate is hot and humid throughout the year.
Ans: (A) is false, but (R) is true.
2. Assertion (A): The equatorial region has… (Note: Sentence was incomplete in the original text).
Case-Based Question
The equatorial region rainforests are often called the ‘lungs of the Earth’. They provide shelter to many plants and animals. However, many forests are being cut down for farming and industries.
Questions:
1) Why are the equatorial rainforests important for the environment?
Ans: They produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and provide habitat for many plants and animals.
2) What problems can deforestation cause in this region?
Ans:
i) Many plants and animals lose their natural habitat.
ii) It increases global warming and disturbs the climate.