NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Chapter 3: Landforms and Life
NCERT Textbook Exercises
Q1. Identify Your Landform
In what type of landform is your town, village, or city located? Which features discussed in this chapter do you see around you?
Approach: Look at the landscape around your settlement. If the area is mostly flat with agricultural fields, it is likely a plain. If you see elevated rocky terrain with mines, it could be a plateau. If there are steep slopes, narrow valleys, and thick forests, you are in a mountainous area. Describe the specific features you observe — such as rivers, types of farming, vegetation, or mineral extraction activities.
Q2. Chhota Nagpur to Almora Journey
Describe the three landforms you would encounter on a trip from Chhota Nagpur (Jharkhand) to Prayagraj (UP) and then to Almora (Uttarakhand).
Answer: The journey passes through three distinct landforms. Chhota Nagpur is a plateau region — rocky, mineral-rich land with reserves of iron, coal, and manganese. Farming is limited, and mining is the main occupation. Prayagraj lies in the Ganga plain — flat, fertile land formed by river sediment deposits, ideal for growing rice, wheat, and other crops. Almora is in the Himalayan mountain region — steep terrain with montane forests, terrace farming, and opportunities for tourism and herding.
Q3. Pilgrimage Spots and Landforms
List a few famous pilgrimage spots in India along with the landforms in which they are found.
Examples: Kedarnath and Badrinath (mountains — Himalayas), Varanasi and Prayagraj (plains — Ganga plain), Tirupati (hills/plateau — Eastern Ghats), Amarnath (mountains — Kashmir Himalayas), Shirdi (plateau — Deccan Plateau). Many of these locations are situated near rivers or at confluences considered sacred.
🎲 Exercise Questions — True/False & Match
Q4. True or False (from NCERT)
The Himalayas are young mountains with rounded tops.
False
The Himalayas are young mountains but have tall, sharp peaks, not rounded tops.
Plateaus usually rise sharply at least on one side.
True
Mountains and hills belong to the same type of landform.
True
Mountains, plateaus and rivers in India have the same types of flora and fauna.
False
Different landforms support different climates and therefore different types of flora and fauna.
Ganga is a tributary to the Yamuna.
False
The Yamuna is a tributary of the Ganga, not the other way around.
Deserts have unique flora and fauna.
True
Melting snow feeds rivers.
True
Sediments from rivers deposited in the plains makes the land fertile.
True
All deserts are hot.
False
Some deserts are cold (e.g. Gobi Desert, Antarctica).
Q5. Match the Following (from NCERT)
Mount Everest
⟶
Climbing (mountaineering)
Rafting
⟶
River
Camels
⟶
Desert
Plateau
⟶
Roof of the World (Tibetan Plateau)
Gangetic plains
⟶
Rice fields
Waterway
⟶
Ganga
Mount Kilimanjaro
⟶
Africa
Yamuna
⟶
Tributary
📋
Practice Competency-Based Questions
Scenario: A group of students is planning a project on landforms. They want to create a model showing how different landforms influence people's occupations. Student A chooses mountains, Student B picks plains, and Student C selects plateaus.
Q1. Which student's model would most likely feature mining as the main occupation?
L2 Understand
(A) Student A — Mountains
(B) Student B — Plains
(C) Student C — Plateaus
(D) All three equally
Answer: (C) — Plateaus are rich in minerals and are called 'storehouses of minerals'. Mining (iron, coal, manganese, gold, diamonds) is a major economic activity on plateaus.
Q2. How would Student A's mountain model differ from Student B's plain model in terms of farming methods?
L4 Analyse
Answer: Student A's mountain model would show terrace farming on steep slopes with limited flat land, while Student B's plain model would show large-scale agriculture on flat, fertile land using irrigation canals or tube wells. Mountain farming is smaller in scale, while plain farming is extensive due to rich sediment-deposited soil and flat terrain.
Q3. The concept of 'resilience' means adapting to challenges. Give one example of resilience for each of the three landforms.
L3 Apply
Answer: Mountains: Terrace farming on steep slopes shows adaptation to rugged terrain. Plains: Development of irrigation systems to overcome dependence on unpredictable rainfall. Plateaus: Water harvesting techniques in rocky, less fertile areas where rivers may be scarce. In each case, humans have found creative solutions to the challenges posed by the landform.
Creative Q. Design a travel brochure for a landform of your choice, including its features, occupations, wildlife, and one cultural tradition associated with it.
L6 Create
Hint: Pick one landform (mountain, plateau, plain, or desert). Include a catchy title, describe the landscape, mention 2–3 animals found there, list main occupations, and add one cultural element (festival, folk song, pilgrimage). Make it appealing for tourists!
What are the important questions in NCERT Class 6 Geography Chapter 3?
NCERT Class 6 Geography Chapter 3 includes multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, long answer questions, and competency-based questions (CBQ). Students should focus on key concepts, definitions, and application-based reasoning from the chapter for thorough exam preparation.
How to prepare for Class 6 Geography Chapter 3 board exam?
To prepare effectively for Class 6 Geography Chapter 3, read the NCERT textbook carefully, understand key definitions and concepts, practise all exercise questions, attempt CBQ-style questions for higher-order thinking, and revise diagrams, timelines, or data tables from the chapter.
What is the marking scheme for Class 6 Geography in CBSE?
The CBSE marking scheme for Class 6 Geography typically includes 1-mark MCQs, 3-mark short answer questions, and 5-mark long answer questions. Competency-based questions (CBQ) involving case studies and data interpretation are also included as per NEP 2020 guidelines.
Are NCERT exercises sufficient for Class 6 Geography exams?
NCERT exercises form the foundation for Class 6 Geography exams. Most CBSE board questions are directly or indirectly based on NCERT content. Practising all in-text and end-of-chapter questions along with CBQ-format practice ensures comprehensive preparation.
What types of questions come from Chapter 3 in Class 6 Geography?
Chapter 3 of Class 6 Geography typically features objective-type MCQs, assertion-reason questions, short descriptive answers, map-based or diagram questions, and case-study based CBQ questions testing analysis and evaluation skills.
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