Environmental Studies PYQs

Explanation:

To calculate the average speed of the train, we can use the formula:

Average speed = Total distance ÷ Total time

Here, the total distance covered by the train is given as 2277 km.

To find the total time taken by the train, we need to subtract the departure time from the arrival time:

Total time = (3:00 hrs on 8^th Sep) - (11:30 hrs on 6^th Sep)

= 39.5 hours

Now, substituting the values in the formula:

Average speed = 2277 km ÷ 39.5 hours = 57.7 km/h (rounded to one decimal place)

So, the average speed of the train is 57.9 km/h.

Explanation:

• Braille, a universally accepted system of writing used by and for blind persons and consists of a code of 63 characters.
• Each character is made up of one to six raised dots arranged in a six-position matrix or cell.
• These Braille characters are embossed in lines on paper and read by passing the fingers lightly over the manuscript.
• Louis Braille, who was blinded at the age of three, invented the system in 1824.
• He invented it while he was a student at the Institution Nationale des Jeunes Aveugles (National Institute for Blind Children), Paris.
• World Braille Day is annually celebrated on January 4, the birthday of Braille inventor, Louis Braille in 1824.

Thus, the Braille script is based on 6 points.

The correct answer is Stepwell.

Key Points Baoli:

• Baolis are stepwells, which are wells or ponds in which the people reach the water by going down a set of steps.
• Baolis were a traditional means of storing water in the drier parts of India.
• Separate baolis were constructed for drinking and bathing purposes.
• Most baolis were designed only for the purpose of water storage.
• They were often constructed close to mosques and temples.
• The architectural form of baoli mainly consists of three elements:
• the well in which the water is collected,
• the flight of steps to reach the ground water through several stories, and
• intermediate pavilions

Hence, the correct answer is Stepwell.

The correct answer is: The process of cooling due to evaporation is slow when the area of water surface in contact with the atmosphere decreases and the humidity (water vapour) in air is high.

Key Point

• Evaporation is a type of vaporization that refers to the process of a liquid changing into gas.
• The process of the liquid changing into vapour even below its boiling point is called evaporation.​
• The factors affecting evaporation are explained below:​

Important Points

Evaporation:

• When the area of water surface in contact with the atmosphere increases, more water molecules can evaporate and escape into the atmosphere.
• If the humidity in the air is low, the air can hold more water molecules, allowing for more water molecules to evaporate and the cooling process to occur more quickly.
• In this scenario, the low humidity level in the air allows for more efficient evaporation of water molecules from the water surface, which results in a faster cooling process.
• Conversely, high humidity levels in the air make it more difficult for water molecules to evaporate, resulting in a slower cooling process.

A teacher is displaying different vegetables with their edible parts. For garlic, she displays its Bulb.

Key PointsGarlic:

• The edible part of garlic is the bulb.
• Garlic is a bulbous plant, which means that it grows a bulb underground that contains the edible portion of the plant.
• The bulb of garlic is made up of multiple cloves, each of which is also edible.
• Garlic does have a root system, but the roots are not typically consumed.
• Garlic is not typically grown from seeds, but rather from bulbs or cloves.

The correct answer is Sustainable development Goals.

Key Points 

Sustainable Development Goals:

• The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by all United Nations Member States as a universal call to action to end poverty and protect the planet by 2030.
• They are built on the principle of “leaving no one behind”.
• The SDGs replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which had started a global effort in 2000 to tackle the indignity of poverty.
• The MDGs established measurable, universally-agreed objectives for tackling extreme poverty and hunger, preventing deadly diseases, and expanding primary education to all children, among other development priorities.
• The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental.

Additional InformationThe 17 goals are:

1. No Poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

2. Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

3. Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

4. Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

5. Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

10. Reduced Inequalities: Reduce income inequality within and among countries.

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

12. Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

13. Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

14. Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

15. Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.

16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

17. Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Each of the 17 goals is supported by a list of specific targets and indicators to measure progress. By achieving these goals, the international community aims to create a more just, prosperous, and sustainable world by 2030.

Concept:

In the light of the availability of various resources in nature, natural resources can be broadly classified into two kinds:

Inexhaustible Natural Resources:

• These resources are present in unlimited quantity in nature.
• They are not likely to be exhausted by human activities.
• Examples are sunlight, air.

Exhaustible Natural Resources:

• The amount of these resources in nature is limited.
• They can be exhausted by human activities.
• Examples of these resources are forests, wildlife, minerals, coal, petroleum, natural gas etc.

Explanation:

About petroleum:

• The word petroleum is derived from petra (rock) and oleum (oil).
• It is mined from between the rocks under Earth.
• Petroleum was formed from organisms living in the sea.
• As these organisms died, their bodies settled at the bottom of the sea and got covered with layers of sand and clay.
• Over millions of years, the absence of air, high temperature and high pressure transformed the dead organisms into petroleum and natural gas.
• Petroleum is a dark, thick, oily liquid.
• It has an unpleasant odour.
• Petroleum, in general, is used to refer to petrol, diesel and crude oil.
• It is a mixture of various constituents such as petroleum gas, petrol, diesel, lubricating oil, paraffin wax, etc.
• The process of separating the various constituents/ fractions of petroleum is known as refining.
• It is carried out in a petroleum refinery.
• Petroleum is extracted from crude oil.
• With the help of fractional distillation of crude oil, not just petroleum but also a large number of by-products are extracted.
• Byproducts of petroleum are paraffin wax, petrol, diesel, grease, lubricating oil, etc.​
• They are found in sedimentary rocks.

​Thus, the term oil can be used for petrol, diesel and crude oil.

Additional Information 

The correct answer is Lakshadweep and Chandigarh.

Key Points

• There are currently 28 states and 8 union territories in India.
• Manipur is a northeast state in India.
• Union territories are federal territories governed directly by the Central Government of India.
• The President of India appoints an administrator or lieutenant governor for each Union Territory.
• Union Territories in India are:

1. National Capital Territory of Delhi.
2. Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
4. Chandigarh.
5. Lakshadweep.
6. Ladakh.
7. Puducherry.
8. Jammu and Kashmir

• Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry were given partial statehood among 8 union territories.
• These three union territories have their own locally elected legislative assembly and government.
• Ladakh became the union territory of India on 31^st October 2019
• Ladakh is the largest union territory of India.
• Also called Little Tibet.
• Current Lieutenant Governor: Radha Krishna Mathur.
• Lakshadweep is the smallest Union Territory of India.
• Formed on 1^st November 1956.
• Adopting the official name as Lakshadweep in 1973.
• Administrator: Praful Patel
• The union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli merged into a single union territory known as Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu on 26^th January 2020.

​Watershed Management:

• Watershed Management is a process that aims to protect and conserve water resources in a specific area.
• It involves taking care of both groundwater (water found underground) and surface water (water found in lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water).
• The main goal of watershed management is to ensure that there is enough clean water for various needs like drinking, farming, and supporting nature.
• It requires careful planning and implementation of strategies to prevent water pollution, manage water usage, and preserve the overall health of the watershed.
• Watershed management is not something that can be done by individuals alone; it requires the collective effort of communities, government organizations, and other stakeholders.
• To carry out watershed management activities, funds are required.
• These funds are used for planning, implementing projects, and monitoring the progress of conservation efforts.
• In order to have a systematic approach to watershed management, a policy or set of guidelines is needed.
• This policy helps in framing rules and regulations for the conservation of water resources in the watershed.
• By practising watershed management, we can ensure that our water sources remain healthy, clean, and sustainable for the present and future generations to come.

Thus, 

A. Conservation of groundwater and surface water: True

B. Can be handled at an individual level: False

C. Allocation of funds is needed to plan: True

D. Framing of watershed policy for conserving water: True

The correct answer is Banyan Tree.

Important Points

• The Indian fig tree, Ficus bengalensis, or Banyan tree whose branches root themselves like new trees over a large area, is the National tree of India.
• The roots then give rise to more trunks and branches.
• Because of this characteristic and its longevity, this tree is considered immortal and is an integral part of the myths and legends of India.

Additional Information

• The banyan reaches a height of up to 30 meters (100 feet) and spreads laterally indefinitely.
• Aerial roots that develop from their branches descend and take root in the soil to become new trunks.
• One tree may in time assume the appearance of a very dense thicket as a result of the tangle of roots and trunks.
• One individual, known as Thimmamma Marrimanu, in Andhra Pradesh, India, is thought to have the broadest canopy of any tree in the world.

The correct answer is 'A tribe living on the mountains.'

Key Points

About the Changpa tribe:​

• More specifically, the Changpa reside in the region of Changtang, Changtang extends into the Himalayan Mountains in Ladakh, a region in the far north of India. While it is a plateau, the altitude is so high that it could be considered mountainous terrain.
• The Changpa are a pastoralist group, raising mainly goats and sheep, including the pashmina goat from which the finest cashmere wool is derived. Their lifestyle is adapted to the extreme conditions of the high-altitude Himalayan ecosystem, where temperatures can drop far below freezing, and vegetation is sparse. They traditionally live in yak-wool tents and move their herds around the vast mountain pastures to graze.

The correct option is North-west and North-east.

Explanation:

• The capital of India is New Delhi, located in the northern part of our country.
• Chandigarh is a union territory in the NCR (North) of the country.
• Dehradun is the state capital of Uttarakhand.

The correct option is North-west and North-east respectively.

The correct answer is Substances regularly used by other family members.

Key Points

• Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, such as drugs and alcohol.
• Substance abuse can have various negative effects on an individual's physical, psychological, and social well-being.
• One important factor that can contribute to substance abuse is the regular use of substances by other family members, particularly parents or siblings.
• This can influence an individual's attitudes and beliefs about substance use, as well as their access to substances.
• Other factors that can contribute to substance abuse include peer pressure, social and economic factors, mental health issues, and genetic and environmental factors.
• It is important to address these factors in order to prevent and treat substance abuse.

In summary, substance abuse can be influenced by various factors, including family members' substance use, peer pressure, social and economic factors, mental health issues, and genetic and environmental factors.

Additional Information

• The gender of the abuser is not a significant factor contributing to substance abuse. Substance abuse can occur in individuals of any gender.
• The locality where tobacco is grown is not a direct factor contributing to substance abuse. However, access to substances and social norms related to substance use can vary by location.
• Climatic conditions of an area are not a significant factor contributing to substance abuse. Substance abuse can occur in any climate or environment.

Concept:

• Population change, defined generally, is the difference in the size of a population between the end and the beginning of a given time period (usually one year).
• The main components of population change are births, deaths, and migration.
• Demographics (or demography) is the study of population statistics, their variation, and their causes.
• These statistics include birth rates, death rates (and hence life expectancy), migration rates, and sex ratios.

Explanation:

Thus, emmigration is movement outside a country.

Explanation:

About the Changpa tribe:

• Changpa is a nomadic tribe found in Ladakh.
• The Changpa tribe has only about 5000 people.
• They make the famous pashmina shawl through these goats.
• The Changpa speak Changskhat, a dialect of Tibetan, and practice Tibetan Buddhism.
• They stay high up on these mountains in very difficult conditions.
• The Changpas carry everything that they own on their horses and yaks.
• Their goats and sheep are most important to them.
• Through these goats and sheep, they obtain meat to eat, wool to wear, skin for tents.
• The Changpa graze their goats at higher and colder places so that the goats have more and softer hair (fur).
• They live in a big cone-shaped tent called Rebo.
• Near the Rebo, they have a place to keep sheep and goats called Lekha.
• The walls of a lekha are made of stones.

​The place where the Changpas use to keep their sheep and goats is called a lekha.

As a learning facilitator, an EVS teacher plays a crucial role in creating an environment that supports and promotes student-centred learning.

 Key Points

• They facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and skills by providing appropriate resources, guiding students in their exploration of environmental concepts, and promoting active engagement in the learning process.
• The teacher acts as a facilitator who encourages student participation, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
• This means that they engage in a collaborative learning process alongside their students.
• They recognize that learning is a shared experience, where both the teacher and students actively contribute to the acquisition of knowledge and understanding.
• The teacher encourages students to explore their ideas, perspectives, and experiences, fostering a sense of shared learning and mutual respect.

Hence, it can be concluded that option C is the correct answer.

Buzz groups are an effective teaching-learning strategy that can be used in a variety of contexts, including Environmental Studies (EVS) education.

Key Points

• In this approach, the teacher assigns small groups of students a specific topic or issue related to the subject matter. The students are then given a task or project to complete related to that topic or issue.
• The group is given a task or project to complete related to the assigned topic, and they work collaboratively to achieve the goal.
• This approach is commonly used in Environmental Studies (EVS) teaching-learning process to promote active learning and critical thinking skills among students.
• Buzz groups help students to explore issues in greater depth and engage with the subject matter, leading to better understanding and retention of the material.

Hence, it can be concluded that 'Buzz groups' in EVS teaching-learning process are to check effects of noise pollution.

The teacher's response to Shima's request reflects several objectives of EVS (Environmental Studies) teaching.

Key Points

• Developing an awareness about the relationship between human beings and the environment- The teacher's explanation emphasizes the importance of not plucking the plant.
• By stating that every beautiful flower and plant should not be plucked, the teacher is highlighting the value of the plant's presence in its natural habitat.
• The teacher explains to Shima that the plant she wants to pluck is rare and that the species may be lost if everyone starts plucking plants from the forest.
• Developing an awareness about conserving the environment for human survival: The teacher's response focuses on the need to conserve the plant species in their natural environment.
• By explaining that the species may be lost if everyone plucks the plants, the teacher highlights the importance of preserving the natural environment for the benefit of human survival.
• Developing an awareness about conserving the environment for human survival: By explaining that the plant is rare and could be lost if everyone starts plucking it, the teacher is emphasizing the importance of preserving the plant species and its role in the environment. This promotes the idea that humans should actively protect and conserve natural resources for the benefit of their own survival and the well-being of the environment.

Hence, it can be concluded that options A, B, and C is the right option.

Problem-Solving Method: In this approach, teachers create a problematic situation for students and then assist them in perceiving, defining, and stating the problems in a fear-free classroom environment. 

Key Points

• It provides children with an opportunity to solve problems quite independently or through a guided approach by following systematic steps.
• It is a learner-centred approach that emphasizes the learner's active involvement in the learning process.
• Steps involved in the problem-solving method:
• Identify and define the problem
• Analyze and scrutinize the problem
• Anticipate outcomes and set subgoals
• Explore possible strategies/solution
• Select and implement the best solution
• Evaluate the result/outcome

Hence, we conclude that option 3 is the correct answer.

Natural resources are resources that come from the natural environment and can be used to support various activities, including education.

Key PointsCommunity resources:

• These include local community gardens, agricultural experts, or community members with knowledge about planting and gardening.
• Revati to effectively educate children about planting the seeds they collected. It's an opportunity to combine learning with fun, community engagement, and awareness, creating a truly enriching experience for the children.
• Utilizing the expertise within the community can provide practical insights and hands-on experiences for the children.

Additional InformationWhile the other options may be relevant in different contexts:

• Institutional resources (Option 2): These may include resources within educational institutions, but for hands-on gardening, community resources might be more directly applicable.
• Natural resources (Option 3): While natural resources are essential for gardening, the focus here is on accessing community knowledge and expertise for planting seeds.
• Technology resources (Option 4): Technology can be useful for supplementary information, but for the hands-on experience of planting seeds, community resources are more directly applicable.

Hence, it can be concluded that Revati should use community resources.