Answer Key — Social Science
SECTION 1: Family (Extra Questions) — 5 Marks Each
1. Describe the different roles the family members play to make a healthy and supportive
family environment.
A healthy and supportive family environment depends on every member playing their part. Parents
usually take on the role of providing guidance, discipline, financial support, and emotional care,
helping children feel safe and loved. Grandparents often play the role of passing down family
traditions, values, and wisdom gained from experience, and they may also help look after younger
children. Children, in turn, contribute by helping with household chores, doing well in their studies,
and showing respect and care towards elders. Siblings support one another by sharing
responsibilities, offering companionship, and helping each other through difficulties. When each
family member understands and fulfils their role with love and cooperation rather than obligation, it
creates trust, open communication, and a sense of belonging. This balance of roles is what allows a
family to function smoothly and remain supportive during both happy times and challenges.
2. How does a family show support during festivals?
Festivals are occasions when families come together and show support for one another in several
ways. Family members share the workload of preparation — cooking special dishes, cleaning and
decorating the home, buying new clothes, and organising rituals or celebrations — so that no single
person is overburdened. Families also support each other emotionally by spending quality time
together, renewing bonds, and including everyone, even relatives who live far away, through visits or
calls. Financially, families often pool resources so that gifts, sweets, and new clothes can be shared
with everyone, including members who may be facing financial difficulties, ensuring nobody feels left
out. Elders pass down the significance and traditions of the festival to younger members, keeping
cultural values alive. This combined effort of sharing tasks, emotions, and resources during festivals
strengthens family bonds and creates lasting memories.
3. How did the Bhil community help to find water during scarcity?
The Bhil community of Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh faced severe water scarcity due to deforestation
and poor rainfall, which affected their farming and daily lives. To address this, the community came
together and constructed check dams across streams and rivulets to capture and store rainwater
rather than letting it run off. These check dams also helped recharge the groundwater level in the
region, making wells and other water sources more reliable throughout the year. In addition to
building new structures, the community carefully managed and depended on the water bodies that
already existed, ensuring water was used wisely and fairly among households. This effort, often
carried out through community participation and cooperation, is remembered through traditions like
Shivganga, which reflects the Bhil community's collective spirit. Their approach shows how a
community working together with limited resources can successfully overcome a serious
environmental challenge like water scarcity.
SECTION 2: Oceans and Continents — 2 Marks Each
12. Discuss the ecological importance of the various life forms found in the different
zones of the ocean, from the sunlit surface to the dark depths.
The sunlit zone has phytoplankton and fish that form the base of the food chain and produce oxygen.
The twilight and deep zones have specially adapted creatures, some producing their own light, which
together maintain the balance and biodiversity of the ocean ecosystem.
13. Oceans are integral to the sustenance of life on Earth. Discuss.
Oceans produce most of the world's oxygen, regulate climate, and drive the water cycle that brings
rainfall to land. They also provide food and support trade, making them essential for sustaining life on
Earth.
14. Describe the geographical significance of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal to
India.
The Arabian Sea lies west of India and the Bay of Bengal lies east, together connecting India to the
Indian Ocean. Both have supported trade, fishing, and cultural exchange with neighbouring regions
for centuries.
15. Write a note on islands.
An island is land completely surrounded by water, formed through volcanic activity, coral growth, or
land buildup. India's major island groups are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep
Islands.
16. Why is ocean water unfit for consumption by humans?
Ocean water contains a high concentration of dissolved salt, which the human body cannot safely
process. Drinking it causes further dehydration instead of quenching thirst, so it must be desalinated
before use.
17. List the continents represented on the Olympic rings.
The five Olympic rings represent Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania (Australia), and the Americas.
18. What is the purpose of the Indian Antarctica Programme?
The Indian Antarctica Programme conducts scientific research on climate, glaciology, and biodiversity
from stations like Maitri and Dakshin Gangotri, supporting international cooperation in Antarctica.
19. Describe the disasters that originate from the oceans.
Tsunamis, caused by underwater earthquakes or eruptions, and cyclones, formed over warm ocean
waters, are major ocean-origin disasters that cause widespread damage to coastal areas.
20. Describe the human activities that affect the oceans.
Humans pollute oceans through garbage, plastic waste, and oil spills, and overfish marine life. Global
warming caused by human activity also melts glaciers, raising sea levels and harming ocean
ecosystems.