Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
A group of students visits two neighbouring districts in India. In District A, they find that the land has been rendered unfit for cultivation because water flows as a thin sheet over large areas down a slope, washing away the fertile topsoil. In District B, they observe deep channels cut into the land by running water, creating a rugged landscape that cannot be farmed. The local administration has been advised to adopt farming and land management methods that follow the natural shape of the landscape, cut steps into hill slopes to reduce runoff, and plant rows of trees along field boundaries.
(i) What type of erosion is occurring in District A? (1)
(ii) What type of erosion is occurring in District B, and what are such lands called in the Chambal basin? (1)
(iii) Identify the soil conservation technique that involves following the natural shape (contours) of the landscape while ploughing. (1)
(iv) How do rows of trees planted along field boundaries help in soil conservation? (1)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:28 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(i) In District A, sheet erosion is occurring, where water flows as a thin sheet over large areas down a slope and washes away the fertile topsoil.
(ii) In District B, gully erosion is occurring. Running water cuts deep channels into the land. In the Chambal basin, such lands are called bad lands (ravines).
(iii) The soil conservation technique of ploughing along the natural contours of the land is called contour ploughing. It slows down the flow of water down the slope, reducing erosion.
(iv) Rows of trees planted along field boundaries act as shelter belts. They break the force of wind, bind the soil, and reduce surface runoff, thereby preventing soil erosion.
Source: Resources and Development (Chapter 1), Land Degradation and Conservation Measures
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Explanation
- Sub-question (i) tests recall of sheet erosion — the keyword from the passage is "thin sheet over large areas."
- Sub-question (ii) needs two pieces of information: the type (gully erosion) and the local name (bad lands/ravines in the Chambal basin). Don't miss either.
- Sub-question (iii): The technique is contour ploughing (also called contour bunding). "Natural shape of the landscape" = contours.
- Sub-question (iv): Trees along boundaries = shelter belts. The textbook explicitly names this as a conservation method. Use that exact term for full marks.