UPSC Geography of India – Chapter 10: The Indian Monsoon – Mechanism (23 MCQs)

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UPSC Geography of India – Chapter 10: The Indian Monsoon – Mechanism (23 MCQs) – 23 questions, subject: Geography. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

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1.  

The word "monsoon" is derived from an Arabic word meaning:

Correct Answer: D [season]

Explanation:

mausim.

2.  

In summer, the position of the ITCZ over the Ganga plain is called the:

Correct Answer: C [monsoon trough]

Explanation:

In summer the ITCZ shifts north over the Ganga plain, parallel to the Himalaya; this position is called the monsoon trough.

3.  

Western disturbances that bring winter rain to north-west India originate over the:

Correct Answer: B [Mediterranean Sea]

Explanation:

Western disturbances are shallow depressions that form over the Mediterranean Sea and reach India with the westerly jet.

4.  

Which crop benefits most from the winter rain brought by western disturbances?

Correct Answer: A [Wheat]

Explanation:

a rabi crop.

5.  

Who first explained the monsoon as a large-scale land and sea breeze?

Correct Answer: D [Edmond Halley]

Explanation:

1686.

6.  

In a positive Indian Ocean Dipole:

Correct Answer: A [the western Indian Ocean is warmer than the eastern Indian Ocean]

Explanation:

A positive IOD means the western Indian Ocean is warmer than the eastern part south of Indonesia.

7.  

Which of the following usually goes with a stronger Indian monsoon?

Correct Answer: A [La Niña]

Explanation:

La Niña, an unusually cold eastern Pacific with stronger trade winds, usually goes with a good Indian monsoon.

8.  

The Madden–Julian Oscillation is best described as:

Correct Answer: D [an eastward-moving band of clouds and rain that circles the tropics in about 30–60 days]

Explanation:

The MJO is an eastward-moving band of clouds, rain, winds and pressure that circles the tropics in about 30–60 days.

9.  

The normal date of onset of the south-west monsoon over Keralam is about:

Correct Answer: C [1 June]

Explanation:

IMD's normal onset date over Keralam is about 1 June, unchanged in the 2020 revision.

10.  

Consider the following statements:

1. In summer, the westerly jet stream shifts to the north of the Himalaya.
2. The Tropical Easterly Jet blows over the southern Peninsula in June.
3. Breaks in the monsoon occur when the monsoon trough shifts south to the Peninsula.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

In summer the westerly jet moves north of the Himalaya and the Tropical Easterly Jet blows over the southern Peninsula; statement 3 is false.

11.  

Assertion (A): The Tamil Nadu coast receives little rain from the south-west monsoon.

Reason (R): It lies in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats and parallel to the Bay of Bengal branch.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

The Western Ghats' rain shadow and the coast's parallel alignment to the Bay branch explain Tamil Nadu's low summer rain.

12.  

Under IMD's revised normal dates (2020), the south-west monsoon covers the whole country by about:

Correct Answer: D [8 July]

Explanation:

IMD's 2020 revision moved the date of covering the whole country from 15 July to about 8 July.

13.  

Rainfall in the Ganga plain decreases from east to west mainly because:

Correct Answer: A [the Bay of Bengal branch loses moisture as it moves west]

Explanation:

The Bay of Bengal branch sheds moisture as it moves up the Ganga plain, so rainfall decreases from Kolkata to Delhi.

14.  

The Arabian Sea branch gives little rain to western Rajasthan mainly because:

Correct Answer: B [the Aravalli lie parallel to its direction]

Explanation:

The Aravalli run parallel to the Arabian Sea branch, so the winds are not forced to rise and shed rain.

15.  

According to IMD, all-India monsoon rainfall of 96–104 per cent of the LPA is classed as:

Correct Answer: D [normal]

Explanation:

IMD classes all-India rainfall of 96–104 per cent of the LPA as normal.

16.  

The current all-India Long Period Average of June–September rainfall used by IMD is about:

Correct Answer: A [87 cm, based on 1971–2020]

Explanation:

From 2022 IMD uses an all-India June–September LPA of about 87 cm, based on 1971–2020.

17.  

Arrange the following in chronological order:

1. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology set up at Pune
2. India Meteorological Department set up
3. IMD revises the normal dates of monsoon onset and withdrawal
4. Gilbert Walker describes the Southern Oscillation

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: C [2-4-1-3]

Explanation:

1875, 1920s, 1962, 2020.

18.  

Mawsynram receives very heavy rain mainly from the:

Correct Answer: C [Bay of Bengal branch trapped by the Khasi hills]

Explanation:

The Bay of Bengal branch moving up the north-east is trapped by the Khasi hills, drenching Mawsynram on their crest.

19.  

The oppressive weather of the retreating monsoon season in north India is popularly called:

Correct Answer: B [October heat]

Explanation:

High temperature and humidity after the rains in October make the weather oppressive, popularly called October heat.

20.  

Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT) is the average temperature of the ocean down to the depth of the:

Correct Answer: B [26 °C isotherm]

Explanation:

OMT is the average temperature of the upper ocean from the surface down to the 26 °C isotherm.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2020

With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. OMT is measured up to a depth of 26°C isotherm which is 129 metres in the south-western Indian Ocean during January – March.
2. OMT collected during January–March can be used in assessing whether the amount of rainfall in monsoon will be less or more than a certain long-term mean

Select the correct answer using the code given below

Correct Answer: B [2 only]

Explanation:

the 26 °C isotherm lies at a much shallower depth (about 50–100 m); January–March OMT helps forecast the monsoon.

22.  
UPSC Prelims 2017

With reference to 'Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)' sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.
2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino's impact on the monsoon.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: B [2 only]

Explanation:

the IOD compares the western and eastern Indian Ocean, not the Pacific.

23.  
UPSC Prelims 2015

Consider the following statements:

1. The winds which blow between 30 N and 60 S latitudes throughout the year are known as westerlies.
2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in North-Western region of India are part of westerlies.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [2 only]

Explanation:

westerlies blow between about 30° and 60° in each hemisphere.

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