Quick Quiz
Question 1
Australia, ............... and other neighbouring islands are together called Australasia.
Answer
Australia, New Zealand and other neighbouring islands are together called Australasia.
Question 2
Melbourne is the capital of Victoria. True or False?
Answer
True
Question 3
Name the capital of New South Wales.
Answer
The capital of New South Wales is Sydney.
Question 4
Name the highest peak of Australia. In which mountain range is it located?
Answer
The highest peak of Australia is Mount Kosciuszko. It is located in the Australian Alps.
Question 5
Nullarbor Plain is a part of which physical division?
Answer
Nullarbor Plain is a part of the coastal plains.
Tick the correct answer
Question 1
The word australis means
- northern
- southern
- eastern
- western
Answer
southern
Question 2
Which of these is not a state in Australia?
- Southern Australia
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- Victoria
Answer
Southern Australia
Question 3
Which of these deserts is not in Australia?
- Great Victoria
- Great Sandy
- Gibson
- Gobi
Answer
Gobi
Question 4
Which of these drainage basins is not a part of the central lowland?
- Murray-Darling
- Carpentaria
- Nullarbor
- Lake Eyre
Answer
Nullarbor
Question 5
Which of these states faces water shortage due to scanty rainfall?
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
Answer
Queensland
Question 6
The hired workers in a sheep station are called
- cowboys
- gauchos
- paddocks
- jackaroos
Answer
jackaroos
Match the columns
Question 1
| Sl. No. | Column A | Column B |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | South Australia | sheep-rearing state |
| 2. | New South wales | World Heritage Site |
| 3. | Great Dividing Range | Adelaide |
| 4. | Great Barrier Reef | central lowlands |
| 5. | artesian wells | eastern highlands |
Answer
| Sl. No. | Column A | Column B |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | South Australia | Adelaide |
| 2. | New South wales | sheep-rearing state |
| 3. | Great Dividing Range | eastern highlands |
| 4. | Great Barrier Reef | World Heritage Site |
| 5. | artesian wells | central lowlands |
Fill in the blanks
Question 1
Australia is separated from Indonesia by the ............... Sea.
Answer
Australia is separated from Indonesia by the Timor Sea.
Question 2
The Lake Eyre basin is an area of ............... drainage.
Answer
The Lake Eyre basin is an area of inland drainage.
Question 3
The Great Barrier Reef is found along the ............... coast of Australia.
Answer
The Great Barrier Reef is found along the north-eastern coast of Australia.
Question 4
An ............... is found between two layers of hard non-porous rocks.
Answer
An aquifer is found between two layers of hard non-porous rocks.
Question 5
A sheep station is divided into ............... .
Answer
A sheep station is divided into paddocks.
Give reasons for the following
Question 1
The state boundaries in Australia are mostly straight lines.
Answer
The state boundaries in Australia are mostly straight lines as they do not follow any natural features like a mountain range or a river, except between Victoria and New South Wales.
Question 2
The water from artesian wells is not used for irrigation.
Answer
The water from artesian wells is not used for irrigation because it contains dissolved mineral salts.
Answer these questions
Question 1
What is the latitudinal and longitudinal extent of Australia?
Answer
Australia is located in the southern hemisphere. It extends between 10°S latitude in the north and 44°S latitude in the south, and between 112°E longitude in the west and 154°E longitude in the east.
Question 2
Name the physical divisions of Australia. Write three features of the eastern highlands.
Answer
The physical divisions of Australia are:
- The western plateau
- The eastern highlands
- The central lowlands
- The coastal plain
Three features of the eastern highlands are:
- They run almost parallel to the eastern and South-eastern coasts.
- The eastern highlands have steep slopes on the eastern side and gentle slopes on the western side.
- Most of the rivers in Australia originate from the eastern highlands.
Question 3
Where is the Carpentaria lowland located? Write one important feature of this basin.
Answer
The Carpentaria lowland is located in the northern part of the central lowlands. One important feature of this basin is that it is the largest artesian basin in the world.
Question 4
Name two activities for which water from the artesian well is used.
Answer
Two activities for which water from the artesian well is used are:
- It is used to water cattle and sheep.
- It is supplied to towns for domestic use.
Question 5
How are coral reefs formed?
Answer
The coral reefs are formed by tiny animals, called corals, which live near the sea floor in the warm shallow waters of the tropical region. The corals secrete calcium carbonate, which on the death of coral polyps, remains clinging to the rock. As time passes a great ridge-like structure called coral reef is formed.
Question 6
Why are sheep reared in the Downs? Name two wool-trading centres in Australia.
Answer
Sheep are usually reared in areas where the average annual rainfall is about 40 cm, the summer temperature is between 21°C and 26°C, and the winter temperature is about 10°C. This type of climatic conditions are mostly found in the temperate grasslands, called Downs, in Australia. Moreover, short grasses, suitable for sheep, mostly grow in the Downs. That is why, sheep are mostly reared in the Downs.
The two wool-trading centres in Australia are:
- Sydney
- Melbourne