NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science Geography Chapter 7 Life in the Deserts

Question 1.
Answer the following questions.

1. What are the two types of deserts found in the world?
2. In which continent is the Sahara desert located?
3. What are the climatic conditions of the Ladakh desert?
4. What mainly attracts tourists to Ladakh?
5. What type of clothes do the people of the Sahara desert wear? (f) Name the trees that grow in Ladakh.

Answer.

1. Two types of deserts found in the world:
   • Hot Deserts – Sahara.
   • Cold Deserts – Ladakh.
2. The Sahara Desert is located in the continent of Africa.
3. Climatic conditions of the Ladakh Desert:
   • Climate is extreme cold and dry.
   • Due to high temperature, air is thin and the heat of the sun is felt intensely.
   • Summer Season:
     • Day temperatures are just above 0°C.
     • Night temperatures go down upto -30°C.
   • Winter Season:
     • It is freezing cold in winter.
     • Most of the period temperatures remain 40°C.
   • Rainfall is only 10 cm annually because of the area lying in the rainshadow region of the Himalayas.
   • Ladakh desert experiences freezing winds and burning hot sunlight during the day.
   • If one sits in the sun, and his feet in the shade he may suffer from sunstroke and frostbite at the same time.
4. The following attract tourists to Ladakh mainly:
   • Gompas
   • Treks to see meadows
   • Glaciers.
   • Ceremonies and festivities.
5. The people of the Sahara Desert wear the following types of clothes:
   • Clothes made of the hair of the animals.
   • Heavy clothes as protection against dust storms and hot winds.
6. The following trees grow (well) in Ladakh:
   • Willows and Poplars
   • Fruit trees bloom during summers.
     • Apples
     • Apricots
     • Walnuts

Question 2.
Tick the correct answer.
(i) Sahara is located in which part of Africa
(a) eastern
(b) northern
(c) western
Answer.
(b) northern

(ii) Sahara is located in which part of Africa
(a) cold
(b) hot
(c) mild
Answer.
(b) hot

(iii) The Ladakh desert is mainly inhabited by
(a) Christians and Muslims
(b) Buddhists and Muslims
(c) Christians and Buddhists
Answer.
(b) Buddhists and Muslims

(iv) Deserts are characterized by
(a) scanty vegetation
(b) heavy precipitation
(c) low evaporation
Answer.
(a) scanty vegetation

(v) Hemis in the Ladakh is a famous
(a) temple
(b) church
(c) monastery
Answer.
(c) monastery

(vi) Egypt is famous for growing
(a) wheat
(b) maize
(c) cotton
Answer.
(c) cotton

Question 3.
Match the following.
(i) Oasis                                                   (a) Libya
(ii) Bedouins                                           (b) monastery
(iii) Oil                                                     (c) glacier
(iv) Gangri                                               (d) depressions with water
(v) Lamayuru                                           (e) cold desert Sahara
                                                                (f) Sahara
Answer.
(i) Oasis                                                  (d) depressions with water
(ii) Bedouins                                           (f) Sahara
(iii) Oil                                                    (a) Libya
(iv) Gangri                                              (c) glacier
(v) Lamayuru                                          (b) monastery

Question 4.
Give reasons.
(i) There is scanty vegetation in the deserts.
(ii) People of the Sahara desert wear heavy robes.
Answer.
(i) Because of extremely harsh temperatures and little rainfall.
(ii) To protect themselves from the dust storms and hot winds.

Question 5.
Map skills.
(i) On the outline map of Africa, marks the Sahara desert.
(ii) On the outline map of India, mark the Karakoram Range, Zanskar Range, Ladakh and Zoji La pass.
Answer.
(i) the Sahara Desert on the outline map of Africa: