B. Extra HSLC Pattern MCQs Questions with Answers

Q.1 Which percentage of the earth’s surface is covered by water?
(a) 29%
(b) 51%
(c) 61%
(d) 71%
Answer: (d) 71%

Q.2 The total surface area of the earth is—
(a) 410 million sq km
(b) 510 million sq km
(c) 610 million sq km
(d) 710 million sq km
Answer: (b) 510 million sq km

Q.3 Which continent has no permanent human settlement?
(a) Africa
(b) Europe
(c) Antarctica
(d) Oceania
Answer: (c) Antarctica

Q.4 Which is the largest continent of the world?
(a) Africa
(b) Europe
(c) Asia
(d) North America
Answer: (c) Asia

Q.5 Which is the largest ocean in terms of area?
(a) Atlantic Ocean
(b) Indian Ocean
(c) Pacific Ocean
(d) Arctic Ocean
Answer: (c) Pacific Ocean

Q.6 The single landmass that existed about 300 million years ago was called—
(a) Gondwanaland
(b) Angaraland
(c) Pangaea
(d) Laurasia
Answer: (c) Pangaea

Q.7 The narrow sea formed between Laurasia and Gondwanaland was—
(a) Red Sea
(b) Mediterranean Sea
(c) Tethys Sea
(d) Caspian Sea
Answer: (c) Tethys Sea

Q.8 The average depth of the ocean floor is about—
(a) 2000 metres
(b) 3000 metres
(c) 4000 metres
(d) 5000 metres
Answer: (c) 4000 metres

Q.9 The deepest trench in the world is—
(a) Peru–Chile Trench
(b) Tonga Trench
(c) Mariana Trench
(d) Kurile Trench
Answer: (c) Mariana Trench

Q.10 The depth of the Mariana Trench is approximately—
(a) 8000 metres
(b) 9000 metres
(c) 10,022 metres
(d) 11,022 metres
Answer: (d) 11,022 metres

Q.11 Which of the following oceans lie in both hemispheres?
(i) Pacific Ocean
(ii) Atlantic Ocean
(iii) Indian Ocean
(iv) Arctic Ocean

(a) (i), (ii), (iii)
(b) (i), (ii)
(c) (iii), (iv)
(d) (ii), (iv)
Answer: (a) (i), (ii), (iii)

Q.12 Which continents are completely in the Northern Hemisphere?
(i) Asia
(ii) Europe
(iii) North America
(iv) Africa

(a) (i), (ii), (iii)
(b) (i), (ii)
(c) (ii), (iii)
(d) (i), (iii)
Answer: (a) (i), (ii), (iii)

Q.13 Match the oceans with their relative size:

A. Pacific Ocean – 1. Smallest
B. Atlantic Ocean – 2. Second largest
C. Indian Ocean – 3. Largest
D. Arctic Ocean – 4. Third largest

(a) A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1
(b) A-2, B-3, C-4, D-1
(c) A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
(d) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
Answer: (a) A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1

Q.14 Match the continents with area:

A. Asia – 1. 30.1 million sq km
B. Africa – 2. 44.6 million sq km
C. Europe – 3. 10.9 million sq km
D. South America – 4. 17.8 million sq km

(a) A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
(b) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
(c) A-2, B-3, C-1, D-4
(d) A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1
Answer: (a) A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4

Q.15 Assertion (A): About 90% of the world’s population lives in the Northern Hemisphere.
Reason (R): A large portion of land lies in the Northern Hemisphere.

(a) Both A and R are true and R explains A
(b) Both A and R are true but R does not explain A
(c) A is true, R is false
(d) A is false, R is true
Answer: (a)

Q.16 Assertion (A): Pacific Ocean is deeper than the Atlantic Ocean.
Reason (R): Pacific Ocean has the deepest trench in the world.

(a) Both A and R are true and R explains A
(b) Both A and R are true but R does not explain A
(c) A is false, R is true
(d) A is true, R is false
Answer: (a)

Q.17 Arrange the oceans in descending order of area:
(a) Pacific > Atlantic > Indian > Arctic
(b) Atlantic > Pacific > Indian > Arctic
(c) Indian > Pacific > Atlantic > Arctic
(d) Pacific > Indian > Atlantic > Arctic
Answer: (a)

Q.18 Arrange the continents in ascending order of area:
(a) Europe < Oceania < Africa < Asia
(b) Europe < Oceania < South America < Asia
(c) Europe < Oceania < Asia < Africa
(d) Oceania < Europe < Africa < Asia
Answer: (b)

Q.19 The boundary between Asia and Europe is marked by—
(a) Alps
(b) Andes
(c) Ural Mountains
(d) Atlas Mountains
Answer: (c) Ural Mountains

Q.20 The boundary between Asia and Africa is formed by—
(a) Mediterranean Sea
(b) Red Sea
(c) Arabian Sea
(d) Caspian Sea
Answer: (b) Red Sea

Q.21 Which river forms a boundary between Europe and Asia?
(a) Volga
(b) Danube
(c) Ural
(d) Rhine
Answer: (c) Ural

Q.22 Which continent is known as an ancient plateau?
(a) Asia
(b) Africa
(c) Europe
(d) Australia
Answer: (d) Australia

Q.23 The highest peak of the world is—
(a) K2
(b) Mount Elbrus
(c) Mount Everest
(d) Mount Blanc
Answer: (c) Mount Everest

Q.24 Mount Everest is located in—
(a) Europe
(b) Africa
(c) Asia
(d) South America
Answer: (c) Asia

Q.25 The highest peak of Europe is—
(a) Mount Blanc
(b) Mount Elbrus
(c) Mount Etna
(d) Mount Vesuvius
Answer: (b) Mount Elbrus

Q.26 The longest mountain range in the world is—
(a) Himalayas
(b) Andes
(c) Rockies
(d) Alps
Answer: (b) Andes

Q.27 Which desert is located in Africa?
(a) Atacama
(b) Gobi
(c) Sahara
(d) Patagonian
Answer: (c) Sahara

Q.28 The world’s highest lake Titicaca is located in—
(a) Asia
(b) Africa
(c) North America
(d) South America
Answer: (d) South America

Q.29 Which river is the longest in the world?
(a) Amazon
(b) Nile
(c) Yangtze
(d) Mississippi
Answer: (b) Nile

Q.30 Which ocean surrounds Antarctica?
(a) Arctic Ocean
(b) Indian Ocean
(c) Southern Ocean
(d) Pacific Ocean
Answer: (c) Southern Ocean

Q.31 Which continent lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere?
(a) Africa
(b) South America
(c) Oceania
(d) Antarctica
Answer: (d) Antarctica

Q.32 Which continent is divided by the Equator into two almost equal parts?
(a) Asia
(b) Africa
(c) South America
(d) Australia
Answer: (b) Africa

Q.33 Which country has the largest land area in the world?
(a) Canada
(b) China
(c) USA
(d) Russia
Answer: (d) Russia

Q.34 The smallest country in the world is—
(a) Monaco
(b) Malta
(c) Vatican City
(d) Singapore
Answer: (c) Vatican City

Q.35 The most populous country in the world is—
(a) India
(b) USA
(c) China
(d) Russia
Answer: (c) China

Q.36 Which ocean is ‘S’ shaped?
(a) Pacific
(b) Indian
(c) Atlantic
(d) Arctic
Answer: (c) Atlantic

Q.37 Mid-Atlantic Ridge is found in—
(a) Pacific Ocean
(b) Indian Ocean
(c) Atlantic Ocean
(d) Arctic Ocean
Answer: (c) Atlantic Ocean

Q.38 The largest desert in the world is—
(a) Gobi
(b) Sahara
(c) Atacama
(d) Kalahari
Answer: (b) Sahara

Q.39 Which continent has the highest population?
(a) Africa
(b) Europe
(c) Asia
(d) South America
Answer: (c) Asia

Q.40 The Bering Strait separates—
(a) Asia and Africa
(b) Europe and Africa
(c) Asia and North America
(d) Europe and North America
Answer: (c) Asia and North America

Q.41 Which river flows through Egypt?
(a) Niger
(b) Congo
(c) Nile
(d) Zambezi
Answer: (c) Nile

Q.42 Which lake is the deepest in the world?
(a) Victoria
(b) Superior
(c) Baikal
(d) Tanganyika
Answer: (c) Baikal

Q.43 The continent known as the “Dark Continent” is—
(a) Asia
(b) Africa
(c) Europe
(d) South America
Answer: (b) Africa

Q.44 Which continent has the greatest number of countries?
(a) Asia
(b) Europe
(c) Africa
(d) North America
Answer: (c) Africa

Q.45 The continent with the smallest land area is—
(a) Europe
(b) Antarctica
(c) Oceania
(d) South America
Answer: (c) Oceania

Q.46 Which river system forms fertile plains in Asia?
(a) Indus–Ganga–Brahmaputra
(b) Tigris–Euphrates
(c) Nile
(d) Amazon
Answer: (a) Indus–Ganga–Brahmaputra

Q.47 Which continent has the Andes mountain range?
(a) North America
(b) Asia
(c) South America
(d) Europe
Answer: (c) South America

Q.48 Which plateau is the highest in the world?
(a) Deccan Plateau
(b) Pamir Plateau
(c) Tibetan Plateau
(d) Iranian Plateau
Answer: (c) Tibetan Plateau

Q.49 The Arctic Ocean is located mainly in the—
(a) Southern Hemisphere
(b) Northern Hemisphere
(c) Eastern Hemisphere
(d) Western Hemisphere
Answer: (b) Northern Hemisphere

Q.50 Which landform is found between the continental shelf and deep sea plain?
(a) Oceanic ridge
(b) Continental slope
(c) Trench
(d) Canyon
Answer: (b) Continental slope

C. Previous Year Short Type Questions with Answers

Q1. Write the area and locational character of Asia. [HSLC 2011]

Answer: Asia is the largest continent of the world with an area of about 44.6 million square kilometres, which is nearly 30% of the total land area of the earth. It is mainly located in the Northern Hemisphere. It extends from about 78° North latitude to 10° North latitude and from 25° East longitude to 170° West longitude. Asia is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean in the north, the Indian Ocean in the south, the Pacific Ocean in the east and by the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Ural River and Ural Mountains in the west.

Q2. Which is the largest Ocean in the world? Mention the area of the Ocean. [HSLC 2017]

Answer: The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world. Its total area is about 165 million square kilometres. It covers nearly one-third of the total surface area of the earth and is almost twice the size of the Atlantic Ocean.

Q3. How many countries are there in the world? In terms of land area, name the largest and smallest country in the world. [HSLC 2017]

Answer: There are altogether 197 countries in the world. In terms of land area, Russia is the largest country in the world, while Vatican City is the smallest country.

Q4. Which is the world’s largest desert and where is it located? [HSLC 2018]

Answer: The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest desert. It is located in the continent of Africa and covers a large part of northern Africa.

Q5. Write the names of two countries of Europe located in the Mediterranean region. [HSLC 2018]

Answer:
• Italy
• Spain

Q6. What is the name of the major mountain range of North America? In which part of the continent is it located? [HSLC 2019]

Answer: The major mountain range of North America is the Rocky Mountain Range. It is located in the western part of the continent and extends from Alaska in the north to Mexico in the south.

Q7. Write the names of two countries of Europe located in the Mediterranean region. [HSLC 2020]

Answer:
• Greece
• France

Q8. Name the continental land blocks on the north and south of the Tethys Sea. [HSLC 2022]

Answer: The continental land block on the north of the Tethys Sea was called Laurasia (Angaraland), and the land block on the south was called Gondwanaland.

D. Previous Year Essay Type Questions with Answers

Q9. Describe the main physiographic divisions of Asia. [HSLC 2010]

Answer: Asia has a highly varied physiographic structure. The central part of Asia is mainly covered with high mountain ranges and plateaus. The Himalayas, Karakoram, Kunlun, Altai and Tien Shan are some of the important mountain ranges. Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, is located in the Himalayas.

Asia also has extensive plateaus such as the Tibetan Plateau, which is the highest plateau in the world, along with the Pamir, Deccan, Iranian and Arabian plateaus. Several large rivers like the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yangtze and Hwang Ho flow across the continent and form fertile plains and deltas. Asia also contains important deserts like the Gobi, Thar and Arabian deserts. Thus, mountains, plateaus, plains and deserts form the main physiographic divisions of Asia.

Q10. Discuss the factors responsible for the variations of climates in Asia. [HSLC 2013, 2017]

Answer: The climate of Asia varies widely due to several important factors. The vast latitudinal extent of Asia, stretching from the equator to the Arctic region, causes the presence of tropical, temperate and polar climates. Altitude is another factor, as high mountain regions experience colder temperatures than lowland areas. Distance from the sea also influences climate; coastal regions have moderate climates, whereas interior regions experience extreme temperatures. Seasonal winds or monsoons play a major role in determining rainfall and temperature patterns. All these factors together cause climatic variations across Asia.

Q11. Write the names of five countries and their capitals of the continent of Europe. [HSLC 2017]

Answer:
• France – Paris
• Germany – Berlin
• Italy – Rome
• Spain – Madrid
• United Kingdom – London

Q12. Describe briefly the Continental Drift Theory. [HSLC 2018, 2022]

Answer: According to the Continental Drift Theory, about 300 million years ago all the continents were joined together as a single landmass known as Pangaea. This vast landmass was surrounded by a large ocean called Panthalassa. Later, a narrow sea known as the Tethys Sea developed and divided Pangaea into two parts: Laurasia in the north and Gondwanaland in the south. Over time, due to continental drift, these landmasses gradually separated and moved to their present positions, forming the present continents.

Q13. Briefly discuss the physical characteristics of the continent of North America. [HSLC 2019]

Answer: North America has diverse physical features. The western part of the continent is occupied by the Rocky Mountain Range. The eastern part is characterized by the Appalachian Highlands. Between these two highland regions lies a vast central plain. The continent has many important rivers such as the Mississippi, Missouri and Mackenzie, and large lakes like Superior, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. The varied landforms make the physiography of North America highly diverse.

Q14. Discuss the physical characteristics of Asia. [HSLC 2020, 2023, 2024]

Answer: Asia is physically very diverse and rugged. It contains some of the highest mountain ranges in the world, including the Himalayas and Karakoram. The Tibetan Plateau is the highest plateau in the world. Numerous large rivers such as the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yangtze and Hwang Ho flow across the continent and create fertile plains. Asia also contains extensive deserts like the Gobi, Thar and Arabian deserts. The presence of mountains, plateaus, plains and deserts gives Asia a varied physical character.

Q15. Describe the distribution and characteristics of the oceans. [HSLC 2020]

Answer: There are five major oceans in the world: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern Oceans. The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest and is S-shaped. The Indian Ocean lies to the south of Asia and is the third largest. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and is located in the Northern Hemisphere, while the Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica.

The ocean floor is rugged and contains landforms such as continental shelf, continental slope, deep sea plain, oceanic ridges and trenches. The Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean is the deepest trench in the world.

Q16. Write briefly about the distribution of oceans and continents in the world. [HSLC 2022]

Answer: About 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by water and 29% by land. The continents are Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Oceania and Antarctica. Asia, Europe and Africa form one large landmass. North and South America form another landmass. Oceania consists mainly of Australia and surrounding islands. Antarctica lies in the Southern Hemisphere. A major portion of land and nearly 90% of the world’s population are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere.

Q17. Briefly describe the earth’s lithosphere and hydrosphere. [HSLC 2023]

Answer: The lithosphere is the solid land portion of the earth consisting of continents and islands. It covers about 29% of the total surface area of the earth. The hydrosphere is the water portion of the earth and includes oceans, seas, rivers and lakes. It covers about 71% of the earth’s surface. Together, the lithosphere and hydrosphere form the major physical divisions of the earth.

Q18. Describe how the condition of the earth was in the early days according to the Continental Drift Theory. [HSLC 2024]

Answer: According to the Continental Drift Theory, in the early days the earth’s landmass was united as a single supercontinent called Pangaea. It was surrounded by a vast ocean known as Panthalassa. Later, due to the formation of the Tethys Sea, Pangaea was divided into two parts: Laurasia in the north and Gondwanaland in the south. Over time, these landmasses drifted apart and gradually formed the present continents.

Q19. Discuss the physical characteristics of the continent of Asia. [HSLC 2024]

Answer: Asia has highly varied physical features. The central region is mainly mountainous and consists of high mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and Karakoram. The Tibetan Plateau is the highest plateau in the world. Large rivers like the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yangtze and Hwang Ho flow through the continent and form fertile plains. Deserts such as the Gobi and Thar are also found in Asia. The combination of mountains, plateaus, plains and deserts makes Asia physically diverse.

Q20. Based on the features given in the following table, compare the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. [HSLC 2025]

Answer: