Chapter: 09. South America
Answer Key
Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
Section B: Fill in the Blanks
Section C: True or False
False (Most of Brazil is located to the north of the Tropic of Capricorn) False (The Eastern Highlands are composed of old hard rocks) Section D: Short Answer Questions
Any two of the following: Pacific Ocean (west), Atlantic Ocean (east), Caribbean Sea (north), Southern Ocean (south). Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is very significant because it contains rich deposits of mineral oil, making it an important source of this natural resource for Venezuela. The two primary languages spoken in South America are Spanish and Portuguese. ‘Llanosc’ are the grasslands of the Orinoco Basin in the northern part of the Central Plains. ‘Selvas’ are the dense equatorial forests found in the Amazon Lowlands, also part of the Central Plains. Section E: Differentiate Between
Pampas: These are temperate grasslands located in northeastern and central Argentina and Uruguay. The vegetation consists of short, soft, and nutritious grasses. This area is fertile and treeless, well-suited for cattle grazing, dairying, and wheat cultivation. Llanos: These are tropical grasslands found in the Orinoco Plains in the northern part of the Central Plains, primarily in Venezuela. They typically have long grasses with scattered trees of varying heights. Section F: Map-Based Questions
Political Map of South America:
(a) Country A is Brazil. Its capital is Brasilia.
(b) Country B is Argentina. Its capital is Buenos Aires.
© The Equator passes through country A (Brazil). Physical Map of South America:
(a) The mountain range shown along the western coast is the Andes Mountains.
(b) The large river basin found in the central part of the continent is the Amazon Basin.
© The two major highland regions in the eastern part of South America are the Guiana Highlands and the Brazilian Highlands. Section G: Long Answer Questions
The continent of South America can be divided into four main physical divisions: The West Coastal Plains: This is a very narrow strip of land located between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Its width varies from 10-15 km, but it can be up to 80 km wide in Peru. It is home to the extremely arid Atacama Desert in northern Chile. The Andes Mountains/Western Mountains: This is a long stretch of high, young fold mountains running parallel to the Pacific Coast. It is the world’s longest mountain chain and the second highest, featuring numerous lofty peaks like Mt Aconcagua and active volcanoes like Mt Cotopaxi, along with Lake Titicaca. The Central Plains: This vast lowland region lies in the center of the continent, between the Andes and the Eastern Highlands. It is formed by major rivers like the Amazon, Orinoco, Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Key areas include the llanos (Orinoco plains), the selvas (Amazon lowlands/rainforests), the Gran Chaco, and the pampas (temperate grasslands of Argentina). The Eastern Highlands: These are composed of the Guiana Highlands and the Brazilian Highlands, separated by the Amazon River. They are located in the eastern part of the continent along the Atlantic coast. Unlike the Andes, they are older, made of hard rocks, and are lower in height. The world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls, is found in the Guiana Highlands. Traditionally, the indigenous people in the Amazon Basin lived as hunter-gatherers, often leading a nomadic life. They practiced a form of shifting cultivation, cutting down and burning trees to clear land for crops like tapioca, pineapple, and sweet potato. They also relied on hunting birds, fish, and animals, and fishing in the rivers. They lived sustainably, depending on the forest for food, shelter, tools, and medicine, and spoke more than 180 different languages. However, their way of life is currently under significant threat due to several modern pressures: Loss of Territory: They are losing their traditional lands because of illegal logging, which destroys the forest, and oil and gas exploration. Expansion of Ranching and Farming: The rapid spread of cattle ranching and commercial farming leads to large-scale deforestation, displacing indigenous communities. Increased External Contact: Easier access for outsiders has sometimes forced these populations to settle in new areas, disrupting their traditional practices and contributing to the gradual destruction of the rainforest. These factors jeopardize their cultural heritage, traditional livelihoods, and the very ecosystem they depend on. 
Answer key