Geography and the Early settlement of India

Because of its large size and its position in relation to large masses of land and water, India is called...

• a plateau.

• an isthmus.

• an ecosystem.

• a subcontinent.

As the Brahmaputra River flows from the mountains into the valley, it becomes

• slower and deeper

• clearer and cleaner

• rockier and rougher

• narrower and colder

Farmers in the Deccan Plateau use the iron-rich black soil principally to raise

• tea

• sheep

• cotton

• oranges

Compared with the Eastern and Western Ghats, the Deccan Plateau has

• denser forests

• a drier climate

• a longer coastline

• steeper mountains

During the summer in India, the monsoon brings

• heavy rain

• dust storms

• unbearable heat

• pleasant mornings

On the map in, find the northern tip of the Bay of Bengal. Why is the nearby soil so fertile?

• Many kinds of fish live in the bay

• Flooding rivers deposit rich minerals

• Pure water flows from the mountains

• People have farmed there for centuries

Which phrase best describes the Eastern and Western Ghats?

• fertile plains

• sandy beaches

• mountain ranges

• marshy wetlands

Which of the following parts of India has the most fertile farmland?

• the Hindu Kush

• the Deccan Plateau

• the Himalaya Mountains

• the plains along the Ganges

Much of the water in the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra rivers comes from

• natural springs in the desert

• melting ice in the mountains

• rain-fed streams in the plateau

• large lakes in the northern plain

How has the location of the Himalaya Mountains benefited India?

• roads for trade routes

• consistent water supply

• protection from enemies

• prevention of earthquakes