Tick the correct option
Question 1(a)
Captain James Cook landed at Botany Bay in
- 1788
- 1642
- 1742
- 1840
Answer
1788
Question 1(b)
The capital of Australia is
- Melbourne
- Sydney
- Canberra
- Brisbane
Answer
Canberra
Question 1(c)
The capital of Tasmania is
- Adelaide
- Hobart
- Darwin
- Perth
Answer
Hobart
Question 1(d)
The Great Barrier Reef is situated on the
- Northeast Coast
- Northwest Coast
- Southeast Coast
- Southwest Coast
Answer
Northeast Coast
Question 1(e)
The highest peak of the Eastern Highlands is
- Mt. Kosciuszko
- Mt. MacDonnell
- Blue Mountain
- Australian Alps
Answer
Mt. Kosciuszko
Question 1(f)
The shape of Australia is like a
- Square
- Circle
- Quadrilateral
- Rectangle
Answer
Quadrilateral
Question 1(g)
The Arafura and Timor Sea lie to the ............... of Australia.
- North
- South
- East
- West
Answer
North
Question 1(h)
The basin situated in Queensland and is a major source of groundwater.
- Great Artesian basin
- Great Reef Basin
- Great Ayer basin
- Great Eyre basin
Answer
Great Artesian basin
Question 1(i)
The highest peak of Australia is in the country of ............... .
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- Western Australia
- South Australia
Answer
New South Wales
Question 1(j)
Rivers Murray and Darling originate from
- Australian Alps
- Musgrave Range
- Mt Roberts
- MacDonnell Range
Answer
Australian Alps
Question 1(k)
Tiny sea creatures that live in the shallow, warm and salty waters of the sea and secrete calcium carbonate.
- Coral polyps
- Zooplankton
- Coral Reef
- Phytoplanktons
Answer
Coral polyps
Question 1(l)
The Western Plateau in Australia is composed of
- Sandstone
- Granite
- Marble
- Basalt
Answer
Sandstone
Question 1(m)
A huge single rock within the MacDonnell range
- Uluru
- Monolith
- Donald
- Ayanger
Answer
Uluru
Question 1(n)
Which is not a condition for an Artesian well.
- Saucer shaped aquifer
- Porous rocks between non porous rocks
- Adequate rain
- Snow-capped mountain
Answer
Snow-capped mountain
Question 1(o)
The latitude that passes through the middle of Australia
- Antarctic Circle
- Tropic of Capricorn
- Tropic of Cancer
- Equator
Answer
Tropic of Capricorn
Exercise
Question 2
Fill in the blanks.
(a) Ayer Rock is also known as ............... .
(b) The Eastern Highlands extend almost parallel to ............... .
(c) Murray and Darling Rivers originate in ............... .
(d) Lake Eyre is a region of ............... .
(e) Sydney is situated on the ............... coast.
Answer
(a) Ayer Rock is also known as Uluru.
(b) The Eastern Highlands extend almost parallel to the eastern coast of Australia.
(c) Murray and Darling Rivers originate in Australian Alps.
(d) Lake Eyre is a region of the central lowland.
(e) Sydney is situated on the Australia’s Southeast coast.
Question 3
Explain the following terms.
(a) Inland drainage
(b) Paddock
(c) Sheep stations
(d) Coral polyps
Answer
(a) Inland drainage — A river system in which the rivers are not able to reach the sea or ocean and drain into some shallow salt lake, is called inland drainage.
(b) Paddock — A sheep station is divided into a number of fields called Paddocks.
(c) Sheep stations — A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand, whose main activity is raising of sheep for their wool and/or meat.
(d) Coral polyps — Tiny sea creatures living in shallow, warm and salty waters of the sea that secrete calcium carbonate is called coral polyp.
Question 4(a)
What is meant by the term Australasia? What is the other name given to it?
Answer
The term Australasia includes Australia, New Zealand and the neighbouring islands of the South Pacific Ocean. It is also called Oceania.
Question 4(b)
Name the political divisions of Australia.
Answer
Australia is divided into six states:
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- South Australia
- Queensland
- Tasmania and
- Western Australia.
There are also two internal territories governed by the central government i.e., Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory which includes Canberra, the capital of Australia. Both these territories are large but thinly populated.
Question 4(c)
How is coral reef formed?
Answer
Coral reef is formed by tiny sea creatures called coral polyps. They live in shallow, warm and salty water of the sea and secrete calcium carbonate which on the death of the coral polyps, remains clinging to the rock. As time passes, a great ridge-like structure called coral reef is formed.
Question 4(d)
Name the factors that may cause damage to coral reefs.
Answer
Some of the factors that may cause damage to coral reefs are:
- Climate Change.
- Ocean acidification and pollution.
- Human activities like swimming, diving and mining.
Question 4(e)
State the importance of the Murray-Darling Basin. From where does it get its water supply?
Answer
Importance of the Murray Darling Basin are:
- The Murray-Darling Basin is the most fertile part of Australia, because it is drained by two important River- River Murray and River Darling.
- Rivers carry with them a lot of alluvium and deposit it on the riverbank, that makes the river basin fertile.
The rivers Darling and Murray are snow-fed rivers originating from the southern Alps.
Question 4(f)
Where is Great Artesian Basin situated? What is its importance?
Answer
The Great Artesian Basin is situated mainly in the state of Queensland and New South Wales. It is important for irrigation purposes and is the major source of groundwater supply.
Question 4(g)
State any three favourable conditions for digging an artesian well.
Answer
Three favourable conditions for digging an artesian well are:
- The aquifer should be saucer shaped (synclinal) so that the water moves downward in it under the action of gravity.
- There should be a layer of porous rock between two layers of non-porous rocks.
- The layers of porous rock should be exposed at the surface of the ground to enable the surface water to go in.