Natural Resources and Their Use — Quiz

Q1. Ravi sees a forest where trees grow undisturbed. these trees become a 'resource' only when

• A. rainwater falls on their leaves
• B. they shed leaves naturally in autumn
• C. birds and squirrels make their homes in them
• D. humans cut them and convert their wood into furniture or similar items

Q2. 'petroleum in places deep under the ocean' as an example to show that an entity may not yet be a resource because

• A. petroleum is no longer used in modern industries
• B. petroleum is renewable and need not be extracted
• C. ocean water is sacred in Indian tradition
• D. the technology to access it is missing or the extraction cost is too high

Q3. 'Think About It' box mentions even the plastic button on a shirt. The point being made is that

• A. plastic buttons are renewable resources
• B. shirts are not natural resources
• C. buttons should not be made of plastic
• D. if we trace the origin of any object, it ultimately leads back to Nature

Q4. Why air, water and soil belong in the 'essential for life' category. The chapter's reason is that humans

• A. import them from other countries
• B. have replaced them with man-made substitutes
• C. use them only for industries
• D. cannot make the air we breathe, the water we drink, or the soil which gives us food

Q5. Energy is called 'a cornerstone of modern living'. Which combination BEST explains why?

• A. Energy is essential for life like air and water
• B. Energy is the only renewable resource
• C. Energy is found only in fossil fuels
• D. Energy is needed for buildings, transportation and all types of production processes

Q6. On, the chapter draws a distinction between 'restoration' and 'regeneration'. Which option BEST captures it?

• A. Restoration is faster than regeneration
• B. Restoration is done by humans and regeneration is done by machines
• C. Restoration is for non-renewables and regeneration is for renewables
• D. Restoration returns something to its original healthy state; regeneration is Nature's ability to create new life and the conditions for thriving

Q7. A timber company harvests trees from a forest much faster than the forest can grow them back. By the reasoning this means

• A. the forest will keep producing the same amount of timber
• B. no harm is done because trees can be replanted by anyone
• C. the timber automatically becomes a non-renewable resource forever
• D. the natural rhythm of restoration and regeneration is disturbed, and the forest will eventually be depleted

Q8. Figure 1.7 captions river water as 'a renewable resource as long as glaciers and forests exist.' This caption implies that

• A. river water is a non-renewable resource
• B. glaciers and forests are themselves rivers
• C. rivers regenerate themselves without any other natural support
• D. the renewability of river water depends on the survival of glaciers and forests

Q9. The uneven distribution of natural resources across the planet shapes human

• A. settlements, trade patterns, international relations and conflicts
• B. languages and scripts only
• C. festivals and folk songs only
• D. school timetables and holiday lists

Q10. Priya reads that a coal-mining town in eastern India has grown rapidly around the mines. According to the chapter, the BEST explanation is that

• A. industries located near natural resources create employment, townships grow around them, and modern facilities become accessible
• B. coal mines automatically attract tourists from across the world
• C. natural resources cannot be exploited without foreign companies
• D. mining always reduces the local population in resource-rich areas

Q11. A cost of locating industries near resource-rich areas. Which of the following BEST captures this cost?

• A. people living in resource-rich areas can be displaced from their homes, and their sacred places may come under threat
• B. industries always become unprofitable in such areas
• C. transportation of finished goods becomes impossible
• D. the natural resources begin to regenerate too quickly

Q12. India has 'generally avoided' the natural resource curse. The reason the chapter gives is that India

• A. exported all its natural resources to other countries
• B. imported all the resources it needed from abroad
• C. stopped using non-renewable resources
• D. invested in the development of industries that convert resources into products of higher value

Q13. Ecosystem 'functions' from ecosystem 'services'. Which option BEST states this distinction?

• A. Ecosystem functions are paid for, ecosystem services are free
• B. Ecosystem functions are renewable, ecosystem services are non-renewable
• C. Ecosystem services are done by humans, ecosystem functions by Nature
• D. Ecosystem functions are Nature's own ways of working; ecosystem services are these natural processes when they benefit humans

Q14. Records that almost 80 per cent of the area of Punjab has been classified as 'over-exploited' for groundwater. By the chapter's reasoning, this means

• A. groundwater has been drawn at a rate much greater than the rate at which restoration and rejuvenation are possible
• B. Punjab has no groundwater left to draw
• C. rainfall in Punjab has stopped completely
• D. farmers in Punjab have stopped using groundwater

Q15. Cement as one of the most polluting industries. The body the chapter names as having issued guidelines for cement factories to minimise this pollution is the

• A. Reserve Bank of India
• B. National Disaster Management Authority
• C. Archaeological Survey of India
• D. Central Pollution Control Board