GOPAL JI MEMORIAL SCHOOL

Answer key (1 mark each):
1. (b) Plate tectonics  ·  2. (c) The high Himalayas  ·  3. (b) Monsoon  ·  4. (b) The total greenhouse gases produced by a person's activities  ·  5. (b) The beginning of farming and domestication of animals  ·  6. (a) Rulers are chosen by the people through free and fair elections  ·  7. (b) The Election Commission of India (ECI)  ·  8. (b) Prevent elected members from switching parties for personal gain  ·  9. (b) The value of the next-best alternative given up  ·  10. (b) Falls  ·  11. (b) Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)  ·  12. (a) Biome  ·  13. (b) Personal devotion to God, open to all  ·  14. (b) India's traditional and classical bodies of knowledge  ·  15. (b) Rightful use of authority, force and punishment to maintain order  ·  16. (b) Promote manufacturing and entrepreneurship within India  ·  17. (a) Assets = Liabilities + Capital  ·  18. (c) Protect against the financial loss caused by an unexpected event  ·  19. (a) Both A and R true, R correctly explains A  ·  20. (a) Both A and R true, R correctly explains A.

21. Any two effects of plate movement (1 mark each): formation of fold mountains where plates collide; earthquakes along plate boundaries; volcanic eruptions; creation of ocean trenches/mid-ocean ridges; slow shifting of continents. (2)
OR — Climate change = a long-term change in the average pattern of temperature and weather of the Earth (1). One human activity, e.g. burning of fossil fuels / large-scale deforestation / heavy industrial emissions (1). (2)

22. Any two functions of the ECI (1 mark each): preparing and updating electoral rolls; fixing the schedule/dates of elections; conducting free and fair polls; enforcing the Model Code of Conduct; recognising political parties and allotting symbols; supervising counting and declaring results. (2)

23. MSME = Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises — businesses classified by their investment and turnover (1). Importance (any one, 1 mark): they generate large-scale employment / support local entrepreneurship / contribute significantly to production and exports. (2)

24. Tsunami = a series of very large sea waves caused by the sudden displacement of a large volume of ocean water (1). Trigger (any one, 1): an undersea earthquake / submarine volcanic eruption / underwater landslide. (2)
OR — Conservation of biodiversity is important because (any two, 1 mark each): it maintains ecological balance / provides food, medicines and raw materials / supports pollination and clean air and water / preserves species for future generations. (2)

25. In summer the land heats up, low pressure forms over north India, and moist south-west monsoon winds blow from sea to land bringing rain (1); in winter the land cools, high pressure forms, and dry north-east winds blow from land to sea (1); farmers depend on this rain for sowing kharif crops, so timing and amount of monsoon directly affect agricultural output (1). (3)

26. Any three features (1 mark each): planned cities with grid-pattern streets; advanced drainage and water-management systems; use of standardised weights, bricks and seals; craft, trade and a script; well-organised social/economic life. (3)
OR — Effects of the Neolithic farming revolution (any three, 1 mark each): people settled in one place and built permanent homes; food surplus allowed population growth; new tools, pottery and crafts developed; specialisation of work and the beginnings of villages and trade. (3)

27. Any three arguments (1 mark each): democracy requires respect for rights and freedoms, not just voting; rule of law and an independent judiciary; accountability of elected rulers to the people; free press and open debate; peaceful and fair means of changing government; equality of all citizens. (3)

28. Demand: consumers buy more at a lower price and less at a higher price (1). Supply: producers offer more at a higher price and less at a lower price (1). The price settles at the point where quantity demanded equals quantity supplied — the equilibrium/market price — illustrated with a simple example such as vegetables or notebooks (1). (3)

29. Any three steps (1 mark each): make a monthly budget separating needs and wants; save regularly and start early to gain from compound interest; avoid unnecessary borrowing / high-interest debt; buy suitable insurance; keep basic records of income and expenses. (3)
OR — Stages of turning an idea into a startup (any three, 1 mark each): identifying a problem / opportunity; developing and testing the idea (prototype/plan); arranging resources and finance; registering the enterprise (e.g. as an MSME) and starting operations; marketing and scaling up. (3)

30. Plate tectonics: the Earth's lithosphere is broken into large plates that float and move slowly over the semi-molten mantle (1); plates move apart, towards, or past one another (1); colliding plates crumple to form fold mountains and cause earthquakes (1); a valid mechanism/description of mantle convection or plate boundaries (1); Indian example — the collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate forming the Himalayas / earthquakes in the Himalayan belt (1). (5)
OR — Monsoon working: summer heating creates low pressure over land, drawing moist south-west winds from the ocean (1); these give heavy June–September rainfall (1); "lifeline" because a large part of Indian agriculture is rain-fed and the rural economy depends on it (1)+(1); two problems of uncertainty — drought/crop failure when rain is deficient, and floods/damage when rain is excessive (1). (5)

31. State and society up to 1000 CE (any five valid points, 1 each): organised kingdoms/empires with kings and officials; systems of taxation and administration; agriculture and trade as the base of the economy; growth of towns, guilds and coinage; development of art, temples, literature and Indian knowledge systems; varna/jati-based social organisation. (5)
OR — Resistance and Resilience 1000–1700 CE (any five, 1 each): political changes and new ruling powers; the Bhakti movement stressing devotion and equality; Sufi saints promoting love and tolerance; building of strong forts for defence; flourishing of regional languages, art and architecture; economic and cultural continuity despite upheaval. (5)

32. Authority = the accepted/legitimate right to give commands and take decisions (1); sources — tradition, law/constitution, and popular consent (1); Kautilya's danda (just use of force/punishment), nyaya (justice/fairness) and bala (strength/capacity) together (1)+(1); when authority is exercised justly and lawfully, people accept it and society stays orderly; misuse of danda without nyaya leads to fear, injustice and instability (1). (5)

33. Importance of oceans (2): source of food and livelihoods; regulate climate and produce oxygen; routes for trade; hold mineral and energy resources. Two threats (2): plastic and oil pollution; overfishing; warming and acidification from climate change. Two protection measures (1, any two): reduce plastic waste; regulate fishing; marine protected areas / maritime law (UNCLOS). Marks split 2+2+1. (5)
OR — Biome = a large natural region with a characteristic climate, plants and animals (1); describe any two, e.g. tropical rainforest (hot, wet, dense vegetation, rich biodiversity) and desert (dry, sparse hardy vegetation) (1)+(1); conservation needed because these ecosystems maintain ecological balance and provide resources, and are threatened by human activity (1)+(1). (5)

34. (a) Because the land heats up strongly in summer, air rises and pressure falls, creating a low-pressure area (1). (b) The Indian Ocean (1). (c) Any two problems (1 each): late monsoon delays sowing; deficient rain causes drought and crop failure; excess rain causes floods that damage crops; unpredictability makes planning difficult. (4)

35. (a) The quantity demanded falls (from 500 to 200 notebooks) (1). (b) The law of demand (1). (c) The table shows how many notebooks buyers will take at each price, helping the owner choose a price that balances sales volume and revenue (1); real demand may differ because of factors such as income, taste, competition, advertising or the price of substitutes (1). (4)

36. (a) 30% (₹300 out of ₹1,000) (1). (b) Compound interest pays interest on the principal and on the interest already earned, so savings grow faster over time (1). (c) Insurance transfers the financial risk of a large unexpected loss (e.g. hospital bills) to the insurer (1); budgeting plans income against expenses so a household spends within means and sets aside savings, reducing everyday financial risk (1). (4)

37. 1 mark for each correctly located/labelled item; any three India + any two world = 5.
India (any three, 1 each): Ganga — river of the northern plains flowing across Uttar Pradesh–Bihar–West Bengal to the Bay of Bengal; Himalayas — northern mountain range (GLOF-prone); Dholavira — Harappan site in the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat; New Delhi — national capital, seat of the ECI.
World (any two, 1 each): Indian Ocean — south of the Indian subcontinent; Amazon Basin — tropical rainforest biome in northern South America; Pacific "Ring of Fire" — mark any part of the rim of the Pacific Ocean.
(For visually-impaired candidates, these items may be answered in writing in lieu of marking on the map.) (5)