CHAPTER 7: INDIA’S URBAN LANDSCAPE
Q1. Which of the following best describes a city?
A. An area mainly dependent on agriculture
B. An area with a concentration of people, businesses, occupations and government institutions
C. An area with no transportation facilities
D. An area consisting only of forests
Answer: B. An area with a concentration of people, businesses, occupations and government institutions
Q2. Which ancient Harappan city is mentioned in the chapter?
A. Jamshedpur
B. Bengaluru
C. Dholavira
D. Gurugram
Answer: C. Dholavira
Q3. Which local body generally governs rural areas in India?
A. Gram Panchayat
B. Municipal Corporation
C. High Court
D. Parliament
Answer: A. Gram Panchayat
Q4. According to the chapter, what population threshold is used to define an urban place in India in the given international comparison?
A. 220 people
B. 1,000 people
C. 50,000 people
D. 5,000 people
Answer: D. 5,000 people
Q5. What is population density?
A. The total number of villages in a state
B. The number of people living per unit area
C. The number of houses in a city
D. The number of workers in a factory
Answer: B. The number of people living per unit area
Q6. How is population density calculated?
A. Total population multiplied by the area
B. Total area divided by the number of villages
C. Total population divided by the area of the region
D. Total births divided by total deaths
Answer: C. Total population divided by the area of the region
Q7. In which unit is population density usually expressed?
A. People per square kilometre
B. Houses per metre
C. Kilometres per person
D. People per litre
Answer: A. People per square kilometre
Q8. Who are demographers?
A. People who design roads
B. People who construct factories
C. People who study rocks and minerals
D. People who study population characteristics and distribution
Answer: D. People who study population characteristics and distribution
Q9. Which two places in Haryana are compared using satellite images in the chapter?
A. Jaipur and Jodhpur
B. Asadpur Khera and Gurugram
C. Mumbai and Pune
D. Delhi and Agra
Answer: B. Asadpur Khera and Gurugram
Q10. What do the satellite images of villages and cities help illustrate?
A. The difference in rainfall between two states
B. The distribution of forests across India
C. Differences in built-up areas and population density
D. The movement of ocean currents
Answer: C. Differences in built-up areas and population density
Q11. Which two Indian cities are identified in the chapter’s 2025 chart as among the world’s most populous cities?
A. Kolkata and New Delhi
B. Jaipur and Lucknow
C. Chennai and Kochi
D. Bhopal and Indore
Answer: A. Kolkata and New Delhi
Q12. According to the United Nations estimates cited in the chapter, what percentage of the world’s population is expected to live in cities by 2050?
A. 40%
B. 50%
C. 60%
D. 68%
Answer: D. 68%
Q13. According to the chapter, approximately what percentage of India’s population lived in urban areas in 1951?
A. 10%
B. 17%
C. 30%
D. 40%
Answer: B. 17%
Q14. Approximately what percentage of India’s population lived in urban areas in 2025, according to the chapter?
A. 17%
B. 25%
C. 40%
D. 68%
Answer: C. 40%
Q15. Which geographical advantage helped many cities develop historically?
A. Locations near rivers and important trade routes
B. Locations without access to transportation
C. Locations far from markets and resources
D. Locations without agricultural produce
Answer: A. Locations near rivers and important trade routes
Q16. Why did places near rivers often become important urban centres?
A. Rivers prevented all forms of trade.
B. Rivers made manufacturing impossible.
C. Rivers eliminated the need for markets.
D. Rivers provided convenient transportation and supported trade.
Answer: D. Rivers provided convenient transportation and supported trade.
Q17. Which development helped Sakchi grow into an industrial city?
A. The establishment of a major film studio
B. The establishment of Asia’s first steel plant
C. The construction of an international airport
D. The development of a major diamond market
Answer: B. The establishment of Asia’s first steel plant
Q18. What was Sakchi renamed in 1919?
A. Kolkata
B. Gurugram
C. Jamshedpur
D. Bengaluru
Answer: C. Jamshedpur
Q19. Why was Sakchi selected as the site for the steel plant?
A. It was close to rich iron ore deposits.
B. It was located near the Arabian Sea.
C. It was famous for silk production.
D. It had the largest film industry in India.
Answer: A. It was close to rich iron ore deposits.
Q20. Which family had the vision of developing Sakchi into a modern industrial township?
A. The Birla family
B. The Wadia family
C. The Godrej family
D. The Tata family
Answer: D. The Tata family
Q21. Which two Indian cities are described as important port cities because of their geographical locations?
A. Jaipur and Lucknow
B. Mumbai and Kolkata
C. Jamshedpur and Moradabad
D. Bengaluru and Hyderabad
Answer: B. Mumbai and Kolkata
Q22. In which year was the Bombay Stock Exchange established, according to the chapter?
A. 1857
B. 1901
C. 1875
D. 1947
Answer: C. 1875
Q23. How did Mumbai develop into India’s financial capital?
A. Trade and commerce expanded, and financial institutions and industries grew.
B. Agriculture became its only economic activity.
C. All manufacturing activities were stopped.
D. The city abandoned its transport infrastructure.
Answer: A. Trade and commerce expanded, and financial institutions and industries grew.
Q24. When did the film industry begin in Mumbai, according to the chapter?
A. In the 1850s
B. In the 1880s
C. In the 1950s
D. In the 1910s
Answer: D. In the 1910s
Q25. Why is Bengaluru known as the Silicon Valley of India?
A. It is the country’s largest port city.
B. It has a concentration of software firms, start-ups and higher education institutions.
C. It is famous mainly for brass handicrafts.
D. It is the centre of India’s steel production.
Answer: B. It has a concentration of software firms, start-ups and higher education institutions.
Q26. Which city is identified in the chapter as a major centre for technology-based enterprises?
A. Agra
B. Varanasi
C. Hyderabad
D. Kanchipuram
Answer: C. Hyderabad
Q27. Which city is famous for brass work?
A. Moradabad
B. Channapatna
C. Jaipur
D. Kochi
Answer: A. Moradabad
Q28. Which city is famous for wooden toys?
A. Ludhiana
B. Tirupur
C. Kanchipuram
D. Channapatna
Answer: D. Channapatna
Q29. Which city is associated with silk sarees in the chapter?
A. Nagpur
B. Kanchipuram
C. Gurugram
D. Jamshedpur
Answer: B. Kanchipuram
Q30. Why do some companies establish offices and warehouses in smaller, rapidly growing cities?
A. These cities have no customers.
B. These cities prohibit commercial activity.
C. The cost of operations can be lower than in larger cities.
D. These cities have no transport connections.
Answer: C. The cost of operations can be lower than in larger cities.
Q31. Which city attracts visitors because of the Taj Mahal?
A. Agra
B. Bengaluru
C. Jamshedpur
D. Moradabad
Answer: A. Agra
Q32. Which economic activities benefit from pilgrims visiting cities such as Amritsar and Varanasi?
A. Only steel manufacturing
B. Only software development
C. Only mining and quarrying
D. Transportation, hospitality, food vending and handicrafts
Answer: D. Transportation, hospitality, food vending and handicrafts
Q33. What happened to New Delhi after India’s Independence?
A. It became a major port city.
B. It became the capital of the Indian Republic.
C. It became India’s largest steel-producing city.
D. It lost its administrative importance.
Answer: B. It became the capital of the Indian Republic.
Q34. Why was the National Capital Region expanded to include places such as NOIDA and Ghaziabad?
A. To eliminate all commercial activities
B. To stop the growth of transportation networks
C. To help ease pressure on Delhi’s infrastructure
D. To replace all government institutions in Delhi
Answer: C. To help ease pressure on Delhi’s infrastructure
Q35. Since the 1990s, which city has become a major IT and BPO hub?
A. Gurugram
B. Varanasi
C. Channapatna
D. Kanchipuram
Answer: A. Gurugram
Q36. What does BPO stand for?
A. Business Planning Organisation
B. Banking and Postal Operations
C. Building Projects Office
D. Business Process Outsourcing
Answer: D. Business Process Outsourcing
Q37. Why are cities described as cultural hubs?
A. They prevent people from sharing traditions.
B. They bring together people with different languages, customs, food and festivals.
C. They allow only one cultural tradition to exist.
D. They discourage public gatherings and cultural events.
Answer: B. They bring together people with different languages, customs, food and festivals.
Q38. Which snack from Mumbai became popular among workers in textile mills?
A. Banarasi saree
B. Rajasthani handicraft
C. Vada pav
D. Kanchipuram silk
Answer: C. Vada pav
Q39. In which year was Kolkata’s Durga Puja inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?
A. 2021
B. 2001
C. 2011
D. 2025
Answer: A. 2021
Q40. Which of the following is a challenge commonly faced by rapidly growing cities?
A. Unlimited availability of affordable housing
B. Complete elimination of pollution
C. Unlimited green spaces
D. Pressure on housing, water, energy and sanitation infrastructure
Answer: D. Pressure on housing, water, energy and sanitation infrastructure
Q41. What does the Air Quality Index (AQI) indicate?
A. The total population of a city
B. The level of air pollution and associated health risks
C. The number of vehicles registered in a city
D. The amount of drinking water available
Answer: B. The level of air pollution and associated health risks
Q42. What is a heat island in an urban area associated with?
A. A sudden increase in snowfall
B. A permanent decrease in temperature
C. Higher temperatures in built-up areas
D. The complete disappearance of buildings
Answer: C. Higher temperatures in built-up areas
Q43. What are slums, as described in the chapter?
A. Overcrowded settlements with poor housing and limited basic services
B. Planned residential areas with abundant facilities
C. Industrial parks with modern infrastructure
D. Public gardens designed for recreation
Answer: A. Overcrowded settlements with poor housing and limited basic services
Q44. Which government scheme is mentioned as providing affordable housing to economically weaker households?
A. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
B. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
C. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
D. Pradhan Mantri Aawaas Yojana
Answer: D. Pradhan Mantri Aawaas Yojana
Q45. What contributed to Bengaluru’s water shortages and flooding problems?
A. Excessive development of public libraries
B. Overuse of groundwater, lack of rainwater harvesting and encroachment of lake beds
C. An increase in the number of parks alone
D. The complete absence of urban development
Answer: B. Overuse of groundwater, lack of rainwater harvesting and encroachment of lake beds
Q46. Approximately how many lakes did Bengaluru have before rapid urbanisation reduced their number, according to the chapter?
A. 100
B. 500
C. 1,000
D. 5,000
Answer: C. 1,000
Q47. Which activities have helped communities revive lakes in Bengaluru?
A. Desilting, repairing bunds, clearing drainage channels and planting native species
B. Dumping untreated sewage into lakes
C. Encroaching on lake beds
D. Removing all surrounding vegetation
Answer: A. Desilting, repairing bunds, clearing drainage channels and planting native species
Q48. Who was appointed to design Jaipur in 1727?
A. Sir Dorabji Tata
B. Jane Jacobs
C. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II
D. Vidyadhar Bhattacharya
Answer: D. Vidyadhar Bhattacharya
Q49. Which feature of Jaipur’s original plan helped organise its streets and neighbourhoods?
A. A network of unplanned narrow lanes only
B. A grid pattern dividing the city into rectangular blocks or chowkris
C. The absence of public squares
D. Buildings arranged without considering directions
Answer: B. A grid pattern dividing the city into rectangular blocks or chowkris
Q50. Which approach to urban planning is emphasised in the chapter as necessary for the cities of tomorrow?
A. Expanding cities without considering the environment
B. Focusing only on roads and commercial buildings
C. Balancing growth with sustainability, inclusion and people’s needs
D. Removing all public transport and green spaces
Answer: C. Balancing growth with sustainability, inclusion and people’s needs
