Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Geography) – April 24, 2020

Both statements are correct.

Statement 1 is correct: The Barail is the highest hill range in Assam. It includes the North Cachar Hill Reserve Forest (RF) of Cachar district, Barail RF of Cachar and North Cachar Hills districts and the unclassified forests stretching from the Simleng river valley in the west to Laike in the east (in North Cachar Hills district).

Statement 2 is correct: The Barail Range is the watershed between the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers. The terrain ranges from flat and undulating in the river valleys, to mountainous with steep slopes.

Both statements are correct.

Statement 1 is correct: The Mediterranean Climate zone is closely associated with the Mediterranean forests, woodland, and scrub biomes. Sclerophyll shrublands known as maquis is a distinctive of the climate zone, especially around the Mediterranean Basin. The aquatic communities of the climate zone are adapted to the yearly cycle of the environmental control by floods and biotic components. The vegetation of the Mediterranean climate zone must adapt to survive the hot summer and the prolonged wet winter.

Statement 2 is correct: The Mediterranean climate is characterized by dry and hot summer and cold and rainy winter. The regions are located in the western parts of the continent between 30 and 45 degrees north and south of the equator. The climate zone is linked to the five large subtropical high-pressure belts of the oceans. These pressure belts include Azore, South Atlantic, Noth Pacific, South Pacific, and Indian Ocean High.

MacDonnell Ranges, mountain system in south central Northern Territory, Australia, a series of bare quartzite and sandstone parallel ridges that rise from a plateau 2,000 ft (600 m) above sea level and extend east and west of the town of Alice Springs for about 230 mi (380 km). They reach a maximum elevation of 4,954 ft at Mt. Ziel and are the source of the Finke, Todd, and Plenty rivers and Ellery Creek. Some streams have carved spectacular gorges (Simpson Gap, Standley Chasm) that contain luxuriant vegetation. One striking feature is the coloration of the stone, which constantly varies as the direction of the sun changes.

Statement 1 is correct: “Beach Sand Minerals (BSM)” which include Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon, Monazite, Leucoxene, Sillimanite and Garnet are defined as “Atomic Minerals” under Part-B of First Schedule of the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulations) Act, 1957.

Statement 2 is incorrect: India has almost 35 per cent of the world’s total beach sand mineral deposits.

Parasnath Hills are a range of hills located in Giridih district of Jharkhand. The highest peak is 1350 metres. It is one of the most important pilgrimage centre for Jains. They call it Sammed Sikhar. The hill is named after Parasnath, the 23rd Tirthankara. Twenty of the twenty-four Jain Tirthankaras attained salvation on this hill. According to some, nine Tirthakaras attained salvation on this hill. For each of them there is a shrine (gumti or tuk) on the hill. Some of the temples on the hill are believed to be more than 2,000 years old. However, although the place is habited from ancient times, the temples may be of more recent origin. The Santhals call it Marang Buru, the hill of the deity. They celebrate a hunting festival on the full moon day in Baisakh (mid April).