19 extra multiple-choice questions for Economic Activities (12th Standard Geography, Samacheer Kalvi), beyond the ones printed in the textbook — each with the correct option highlighted and a clear, worked explanation. Free to read in English and Tamil.
Q1
Which is described in the lesson as the oldest known economic activity in the world?
- A. Agriculture
- B. Mining
- C. Pastoralism
- D. Gathering and huntingCorrect
Explanation. The book says gathering and hunting are the oldest known economic activity in the world. Until 12,000 years ago all humans lived as hunters and gatherers.
Q2
Employees engaged in the quinary sector are called
- A. Red collar
- B. Pink collar
- C. White collar
- D. Gold collarCorrect
Explanation. The book's box names primary workers red collar, secondary blue collar, tertiary pink collar, quaternary white collar and quinary gold collar.
Q3
The Gujjars, Bakarwals, Gaddis and Bhotiyas of the Himalayan region, who move to the mountains in summer and to the plains in winter, practise
- A. shifting cultivation
- B. transhumanceCorrect
- C. commercial livestock rearing
- D. mixed farming
Explanation. Transhumance is the seasonal movement of people with their livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures. These Himalayan groups migrate from plains to mountains in summer and back in winter.
Q4
Match the name of shifting cultivation with its region and choose the correct code:
A. Ladang - 1. Brazil
B. Milpa - 2. Myanmar
C. Roca - 3. Malaysia
D. Taungya - 4. Central America and Mexico
- A. A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2Correct
- B. A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
- C. A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
- D. A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
Explanation. The book's table gives Ladang in Malaysia, Milpa in Central America and Mexico, Roca in Brazil and Taungya in Myanmar.
Q5
Horticulture, the specialised cultivation of flowers, vegetables and fruits, is also termed
- A. truck farmingCorrect
- B. plantation farming
- C. extensive farming
- D. shifting farming
Explanation. Horticulture is also termed truck farming. Its crops are grown on small farms well connected to markets by cheap and efficient transport.
Q6
Which of the following statements about extensive farming are correct?
1. It is practised where the size of land holding is very large.
2. It is found in the interior parts of semi-arid lands of the mid-latitudes.
3. Rice is the major crop of this region.
4. The farming is highly mechanised.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 1, 2 and 4 onlyCorrect
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation. Extensive farming uses very large holdings in the interior semi-arid mid-latitudes and is highly mechanised. Wheat, not rice, is its major crop, so statement 3 is wrong.
Q7
Von Thunen explained his model of agricultural land use in a book called
- A. The Four Rings
- B. The Isolated StateCorrect
- C. Economic and Commercial Geography
- D. Human and Economic Geography
Explanation. Von Thunen, a farmer, landowner and economist, described his model in the book The Isolated State, written before industrialisation.
Q8
Assertion (A): In the Von Thunen model, dairying and intensive farming occur in the ring closest to the city.
Reason (R): Vegetables, fruit, milk and other dairy products must get to market quickly.
- A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of ACorrect
- B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
- C. A is true but R is false
- D. A is false but R is true
Explanation. Ring 1 holds dairying and intensive farming because perishable vegetables, fruit and milk must reach the market quickly, so they are produced close to the city.
Q9
In-situ mining, also called solution mining, is used most in mining
- A. coal deposits
- B. iron ore deposits
- C. uranium depositsCorrect
- D. copper deposits
Explanation. In-situ mining pumps a solution into the ore body to dissolve the ore, which a second pump extracts. This rarely used method is applied most to uranium deposits.
Q10
Which of the following is NOT one of the assumptions of Weber's theory of industrial location?
- A. Resources such as water are ubiquitous.
- B. Markets are found only in specific places.
- C. Transport costs are determined by the weight of the raw materials and distance of transfer.
- D. There is no competition in the markets for the commodities produced.Correct
Explanation. Weber assumed that there is competition in the markets for the commodities produced. The other three statements are among his assumptions, which underlie his least cost principle.
Q11
Oil refinery factories are established at Visakhapatnam because oil is imported through the Vizag port. This illustrates which factor of industrial location?
- A. Availability of labour
- B. Government policy
- C. Availability of raw materials or nearness to raw materialsCorrect
- D. Availability of capital
Explanation. The book gives the Visakhapatnam oil refinery as its example of raw materials deciding location: industries are set up where raw materials are available in abundance and at cheaper rates.
Q12
According to Weber, an industry that manufactures finished products gaining weight in the process is most profitably located
- A. at the raw material source R1
- B. at the raw material source R2
- C. half way between R1 and R2
- D. at the marketCorrect
Explanation. For weight-gaining industries, moving raw materials to the plant costs less than moving finished goods to market, so Weber holds that locating the industry at the market is most profitable.
Q13
Since it adds value to raw materials, the secondary sector is also called the
- A. service sector
- B. value addition sectorCorrect
- C. intellectual sector
- D. gold collar sector
Explanation. The secondary sector transforms raw materials from the primary sector into consumer goods. Because it adds value to raw materials, it is also called the value addition sector.
Q14
Which of the following is an example of a joint sector industry?
- A. Gujarat Alkalies Ltd.Correct
- B. Durgapur Steel Plant
- C. Bajaj Auto
- D. TISCO at Jamshedpur
Explanation. Joint sector industries are owned jointly by private firms and the state, such as Gujarat Alkalies Ltd. and Oil India Ltd. Bajaj Auto and TISCO are private; Durgapur Steel Plant is public.
Q15
Find the odd one out with respect to agro-based industries.
- A. Cotton textile
- B. Jute textile
- C. Sugar
- D. CementCorrect
Explanation. Cotton textile, jute textile, sugar and vegetable oil are agro-based industries. Cement, with iron and steel and aluminium, is a mineral-based industry.
Q16
In the Mediterranean region, the inferior grapes are
- A. dried into raisins and currantsCorrect
- B. used to make the best quality wines
- C. fed to dairy cattle
- D. exported fresh to tropical countries
Explanation. Best quality wines come from the high quality grapes of the Mediterranean region, while the inferior grapes are dried into raisins and currants. The region also produces olives and figs.
Q17
Libraries, scientific research, education and information technology are examples of
- A. secondary activities
- B. quaternary activitiesCorrect
- C. primary activities
- D. cottage industries
Explanation. The quaternary sector consists of intellectual activities such as libraries, scientific research, education and information technology. Its workforce is typically well educated and well paid.
Q18
A country in transition is one whose economy is changing from
- A. a market economy to a centrally planned economy
- B. a subsistence economy to a planned economy
- C. a centrally planned economy to a market economyCorrect
- D. an industrial economy to a subsistence economy
Explanation. A transition economy is changing from a centrally planned economy to a market economy, with prices set by market forces. The process was applied in the former Soviet Union and Eastern bloc.
Q19
According to World Bank data for 2015, which country was in third place with an economy of 4.4 trillion dollars?
- A. JapanCorrect
- B. Germany
- C. China
- D. India
Explanation. In 2015 the USA led with 18 trillion dollars and China followed with 11 trillion. Japan was third with 4.4 trillion dollars, about 6% of the world economy, ahead of Germany.
