Daily Quiz – 03rd May 2024

An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the ocean. In contrast, a delta is a triangular shaped land at the mouth of a river formed from the deposition of silt, sand and small rocks that flow downstream in the river.

Estuaries are formed as a result of tidal bore, which ablates the riverbed and carries the silt out to sea; whereas, deltas are created as a result of rivers depositing silt. So, statement 1 is correct.

The west coast differs considerably from the east coast in the sense that it does not have major deltas and large riverine estuaries, but is predominantly sandy and at places rocky. In contrast, the East coast is shallow, largely influenced by deltas and riverine estuaries.

So, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

According to the Koeppen scheme of Climatic classification, dry climates include areas where precipitation is very low in comparison to temperature, and hence, dry. If dryness is less, it is semiarid (S) while if it is more, the climate is arid (W).

Karnataka, central Maharashtra, some parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh experience the tropical semi-arid (steppe) climate. So, points 1 and 4 are correct.

The Western Ghats, the Malabar Coast, southern Assam, Lakshadweep and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands have a tropical monsoon climate. So, point 2 is not correct.

Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand experience a polar type of climate. So, point 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Explanation:

‘Kath-Kuni’ is made of two words — ‘Kath’ meaning ‘wood’ and ‘Kuni’ meaning ‘corner’. It is a popular type of natural building style that makes use of locally available mud, wood and stone as prime materials for construction. It is a popular architectural style in

Himachal Pradesh. It is environmentally friendly, prevents cold temperatures and can help survive earthquakes due to its high tensile strength. It is native to this middle Himalayan belt which includes Kullu, Manali, Chamba, Shimla and some parts of Uttarakhand.

It is structurally different from conventional building methods.

1. Instead of vertical columns, it is built on horizontal beams.
2. The wooden structure is constructed through ‘crisscross’ bracings.
3. The weight of tightly packed stones provides stability to the structure while the wooden beams provide flexibility.
4. Slate tiles are used to lay the roof, their weight presses the entire structure downwards and adds further to its stability.

At the time of an earthquake, a Kath-Kuni structure might shake but is less likely to collapse. It provides excellent heat insulation during the harsh winters. The thick double walls help to retain heat and the mud plaster allows free movement of air.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

The Narmada originates on the western flank of the Amarkantak plateau. It flows in a rift valley between the Satpura in the south and the Vindhyan range in the north.

The Tapi River originates from Multai in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. Nearly 79 per cent of its basin lies in Maharashtra, 15 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and the remaining 6 per cent in Gujarat.

Unlike the other major peninsular rivers, the Narmada and the Tapti have a westward flow (east to west) and run into the Arabian Sea in Gujarat after traversing a long distance in hilly central India.

The major river systems of the peninsular drainage (except Narmada and the Tapi) are characterised by fixed course, absence of meanders and non-perennial flow of water. The Narmada and the Tapi are exceptions. So, points 1 and 2 are not correct.

The Narmada and the Tapi flow through the rift valleys, which were developed in response to the breaking of Gondwanan landmasses during the Upper Palaeozoic. This is also the reason for the westward flow of Narmada and Tapi. So, point 3 is correct.

The Narmada and The Tapi flow in through faults and fill the original cracks with their detritus materials. Hence, there is a lack of alluvial and deltaic deposits in these rivers. So, point 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

The Tropic of Cancer passes through eight states in India: Gujarat (Jasdan), Rajasthan (Kalinjarh), Madhya Pradesh (Shajapur), Chhattisgarh (Sonhat), Jharkhand (Lohardaga), West Bengal (Krishnanagar), Tripura (Udaipur) and Mizoram (Champhai) in that order. Here, Gujarat and West Bengal are coastal states. So, statement 1 is correct and

statement 2 is not correct.

Tropic of Cancer is an imaginary line, at an angle of 23.50 degrees north from the Equator, that passes through the middle of India dividing it into two latitudinal halves being about 15 degrees from either end. However, the northern portion is very broad and the area to the north of Tropic of Cancer is nearly twice the area that lies south of it. So, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.