Samacheer Kalvi 8th Social Science Exploring Continents — Africa, Australia and Antarctica Exercise Solutions

How to Use This Page

Solve each question on your own first, then verify your answers below. Understanding the concepts behind each answer will help you in exams. Use the Key Concepts table for rapid revision and the Exam Checklist to verify you have covered every important topic.

Key Concepts (Quick Recap)

I. Choose the Correct Answer (MCQs)

1. The southernmost tip of Africa is:

• a) Cape Blanca   b) Cape Agulhas   c) Cape of Good Hope   d) Cape Town

Cape of Good Hope is the commonly known southernmost tip of Africa, near Cape Agulhas.

2. The manmade canal through an isthmus between Egypt and Sinai Peninsula is:

• a) Panama Canal   b) Aswan Canal   c) Suez Canal   d) Albert Canal

The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the isthmus.

3. In respect of the Mediterranean climate, consider the following statements and choose the correct answer: (1) The average rainfall is 15cm (2) The summers are hot and dry, winters are rainy (3) Winters are cool and dry, Summers are hot and wet (4) Citrus fruits are grown

• a) 1 is correct   b) 2 and 4 are correct   c) 3 and 4 are correct   d) All are correct

Mediterranean climate features hot dry summers, rainy winters, and citrus fruit cultivation.

4. The range which separates the west and east flowing rivers in Australia is:

• a) Great Dividing Range   b) Himalayan Range   c) Flinders Range   d) Mac Donnell Range

The Great Dividing Range runs along the eastern coast, separating river systems.

5. Kalgoorlie is famous for ___ mining.

• a) Diamond   b) Platinum   c) Silver   d) Gold

Kalgoorlie in Western Australia is a famous gold mining centre.

6. Tasmania is also known as:

• a) Apple Island   b) Bourke   c) Artesian Basin   d) Sydney

7. ______ was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770:

• a) Canberra   b) Australia   c) Africa   d) Antarctica

8. Tropical rain forest is called the:

• a) Tropical deserts   b) Jewel of the earth   c) Mother continent   d) Rift Valley

9. ______ Lake is the largest freshwater body in Africa:

• a) Supervisor   b) Victoria   c) Albert   d) Kiva

Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest in the world.

10. Mount ______, an extinct volcano in Chad, is the highest point in the Sahara:

• a) Koussi   b) Kilimanjaro   c) Everest   d) Atlas

Mt. Koussi (3,415 m) in Chad is the highest point in the Sahara desert.

11. ______ is nicknamed the "mother continent":

• a) Africa   b) Australia   c) South Africa   d) None of these

12. The Tropic of Capricorn cuts the continent almost into ___ equal halves:

• a) three   b) three   c) four   d) two

13. Dakshi Gangotri is India's first research station in:

• a) Africa   b) Australia   c) Antarctica   d) Arctic

Dakshi Gangotri is India's first research station in Antarctica, established in 1983.

14. The Great Barrier Reef is formed by:

• a) Volcanoes   b) Coral polyps   c) Earthquakes   d) Glaciers

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, formed by tiny coral polyps.

II. Fill in the Blanks

1. Atlas Mountain is located in African continent. 2. Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest peak of Africa. 3. Eucalyptus is the most common tree in Australia. 4. A temperate grassland of Australia is called Downs. 5. Dakshi Gangotri is the first Indian research station in Antarctica. 6. McMurdo is the largest research station on Antarctica. 7. Vinson Massif is the highest peak in Antarctica. 8. Wool is described as Cash Crop of Australia. 9. River Murray is the longest river in Australia. 10. Great Barrier Reef is formed by Coral Polyps. 11. Sahel means border or margin. 12. Accra is the capital of Ghana. 13. Henry M. Stanley was the first to use the term "Dark Continent". 14. The Qattara Depression is the deepest point in Sahara. 15. Mount Jaubbakal is the highest point in Atlas Mountain.

III. Match the Following

Textbook Match:

Additional Match:

Third Match:

IV. Assertion and Reason

Q1. Assertion (A): Aurora is a curtain of colour lights appear in the sky. Reason (R): They are caused by magnetic storms in the upper atmosphere.

• a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Auroras are indeed caused by magnetic storms (solar wind interacting with Earth's magnetosphere).

Q2. Assertion (A): A geological feature of Africa is the Great Rift Valley. Reason (R): A Rift valley is a large crack in the earth's surface formed by tectonic activity.

• a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A.

The Great Rift Valley was indeed formed by tectonic activity, which explains why it exists.

Q3. Assertion (A): Antarctica is a unique continent but it does not have a native population. Reason (R): It is located in the polar region; it is the coldest continent with a permanent cover of ice.

• a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A.

The extreme cold and permanent ice cover make Antarctica uninhabitable for permanent settlement.

V. Answer in Brief (Short Answer Questions)

1. Why is Africa called a "Mother Continent"? Africa is nicknamed the "Mother Continent" because it was the oldest inhabited continent on Earth. Human life is believed to have originated in Africa, making it the cradle of human civilisation. Archaeological evidence, including ancient fossils and tools, supports the theory that early humans first evolved in Africa before migrating to other continents.

VI. Distinguish Between

Sahel vs. Sahara

Western Antarctica vs. Eastern Antarctica

Great Barrier Reef vs. Artesian Basin

The Great Western Plateau vs. The Eastern Highlands

VII. Give Reasons

1. Egypt is called the gift of the Nile. The Nile is the lifeline of Egypt. Without the Nile, Egypt would have been a desert. The river provides water, fertile soil, and supports agriculture and civilisation. The annual flooding of the Nile deposits rich silt along its banks, making the land fertile and enabling crops to grow. Hence, Egypt is called the gift of the Nile.

2. Deserts are found in the western margins of the continents. Most deserts are found in the western margins of the subtropics because the prevailing tropical easterly winds become dry by the time they reach the western margins, resulting in very low rainfall. The cold ocean currents along western coasts also reduce moisture in the air, contributing to arid conditions.

3. Antarctica is called the continent of scientists. Scientists of any country are free to conduct experiments and collect data from Antarctica. Under the Antarctic Treaty, the continent is reserved for peaceful scientific research, and no country can claim sovereignty over it. Hence, it is called the "Continent of Science."

4. The Zambezi River is a Southern African "River of Life." It is the fourth-largest river system in Africa. It drains seven countries and supports millions of people who use its rich fisheries, forests, water, and floodplain soils. The Victoria Falls on the Zambezi is one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls.

VIII. Detailed Answer Questions

1. Give an account of the mineral wealth of Australia. Minerals are Australia's largest export item, contributing about 10% of GDP. Australia is the world's leading producer of bauxite and limonite; the second-largest producer of gold, lead, lithium, manganese ore, and zinc; the third-largest producer of iron ore and uranium; and the fourth-largest producer of black coal.

• Coal belts stretch from Newcastle to Sydney.
• Iron ores are found mainly in southern and Western Australia.
• Bauxite is mined around the Gulf of Carpentaria.
• Uranium is mined in the Northern Territory.
• Gold is mined in the Western desert at Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie.

2. Describe the flora and fauna of Antarctica. With temperatures below freezing almost year-round, no major vegetation is found in Antarctica. Simple plants like algae, mosses, liverworts, lichens, and microscopic fungi can survive. Some algae live in snow, while other plants grow on ice-free coastal rocky land. Plankton, algae, and mosses are found in and around freshwater and saltwater lakes.

Small red fish called krill are found in large shoals and are food for many warm-blooded sea animals. The blue whale is the largest animal feeding on plankton. These animals have a thick layer of fat called blubber to withstand cold. Penguins cannot fly; they have webbed feet and flippers. Small invertebrates are the only land animals.

3. Name the physical divisions of Africa and explain any one. The eight physical divisions of Africa are: 1. Sahara 2. Sahel 3. Savanna 4. The Great Rift Valley and the Great Lakes of Africa 5. East Africa Highlands 6. Swahili Coast 7. The Congo Basin (Zaire Basin) 8. Southern Africa

Sahel: Sahel means "border or margin." It is a semi-arid tropical savannah region lying between the Sahara Desert to the north and grassland to the south. It stretches east-west for 4,000 km covering 30 million sq km. It is largely a semi-arid belt of barren, sandy, and rocky land marking the physical and cultural transition between more fertile tropical regions in the south and desert in the north.

4. How is the climatic condition of Africa divided? Africa has six major climatic zones:

1. Arid and Semi-arid Climate: Found in Northern and Southern Africa; rainfall is scanty. 2. Tropical Savanna Climate: 10-20 degrees latitude on either side of the equator; tropical wet and dry climate. 3. Equatorial Climate: Near the Congo basin and East African highlands; temperature and rainfall are high. 4. Temperate Climate: Southern tip of Southern Africa; climate is equable. 5. Mediterranean Climate: Northwestern and Southwestern tip of Africa; gets rainfall in winter while summers are hot and dry. 6. Tropical Monsoon Climate: Eastern shore of Africa; summer is hot with monsoon winds bringing good rainfall; winter is cool and dry.

Common Mistakes

1. ❌ Confusing Cape Agulhas and Cape of Good Hope: The Cape of Good Hope is the commonly known southernmost tip, while Cape Agulhas is the actual southernmost point. ✅ Both are near each other; Cape Agulhas is the true southernmost. 2. ❌ Confusing the Great Barrier Reef and Great Dividing Range: The Reef is made of coral polyps along Queensland's coast; the Range is a mountain system separating river systems. ✅ Reef = coral in ocean; Range = mountains on land. 3. ❌ Mixing up Sahara and Sahel: Sahara is the largest hot desert; Sahel is the semi-arid transitional belt south of it. ✅ Sahara = desert; Sahel = border/margin. 4. ❌ Confusing Western and Eastern Antarctica: Western Antarctica faces the Pacific; Eastern Antarctica is called the "white continent" with the 4,000m ice cap. ✅ Western = Pacific side; Eastern = white continent. 5. ❌ Forgetting that Antarctica has no native population: It is the only continent without a native human population. ✅ Antarctica = no permanent residents. 6. ❌ Confusing river names: The Nile is the longest; the Congo is the second largest in Africa; the Zambezi is the "River of Life." ✅ Nile = longest; Congo = second largest; Zambezi = River of Life. 7. ❌ Confusing Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Koussi: Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa (Tanzania); Koussi is the highest point in the Sahara (Chad). ✅ Kilimanjaro = Africa's highest; Koussi = Sahara's highest.

Exam Checklist

• [ ] Can name and explain the physical divisions of Australia (3 divisions)
• [ ] Know why Africa is called the "Mother Continent" and Egypt is the "Gift of the Nile"
• [ ] Can list the important rivers of Africa (Nile, Congo, Niger, Zambezi)
• [ ] Understand the six climatic zones of Africa
• [ ] Can describe the mineral wealth of Australia
• [ ] Know the flora and fauna of Antarctica (krill, penguins, blue whale, lichens, mosses)
• [ ] Can distinguish between Sahel and Sahara, Western and Eastern Antarctica
• [ ] Remember key facts: Dakshi Gangotri, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Great Barrier Reef, Kalgoorlie gold mining
• [ ] Can name the 8 physical divisions of Africa and explain any one
• [ ] Know the physical divisions of Australia with key features of each
• [ ] Understand why deserts are found on western margins of continents
• [ ] Know that the Tropic of Capricorn divides Australia into two equal halves

Internal Links

• [Class 8 Social Science Guide](/class/8/social)
• [Exploring Continents — Chapter Guide](/class/8/social/exploring-continents-africa-australia-and-antarctica)
• [Hazards — Exercise Solutions](/class/8/social/solutions/hazards-exercise-solutions)
• [Industries — Exercise Solutions](/class/8/social/solutions/industries-exercise-solutions)