Page 138 - SST Class 08

Terminology

Deforestation : cutting down of trees in forests on a large scale that leads to soil erosion as a result of
destruction of vegetation
Overgrazing : removal of grass by domestic animals on a large scale that degrades the land by removing
the vegetation
Innovations : the action or process of innovating
Magnitude : the great size or extent of something
Uncultivated : not used for growing crops
Optimum : most conducive to a favourable outcome; best
Dominant : having power and influence over others

Inside Story
Inside Story
g Land is a natural resource of utmost importance.
g Physical features of the land greatly influence land use.
g The height of plateaus often varies from few hundred meters to several thousand meters.

g Forest area has increased from 19.11 % of total reporting area in 1960-61 to 22.5% in
2002-03.

g More than 5500 mines and quarries are operating in India.
g Indiscriminate discharge of effluents causes land degradation and makes the land unfit for
cultivation.

A. Tick (3) the correct option.
1. Land is a ____________ resource.

(a) natural (b) man-made (c) both (a) & (b)
2. ____________ are also derived from weathering or breakdown of rocks.
(a) Rocks (b) Mountains (c) Soils

3. The Deccan plateau in India is one of the ____________ plateaus.
(a) largest (b) oldest (c) biggest

4. The ‘net Sown Area’ will be about ____________ of the total reporting area.
(a) 54 percent (b) 50 percent (c) 53 percent

B. Distinguish between each of the following.

1. Net Sown Area and Gross Sown Area
2. Afforestation and Deforestation
3. Land Degradation and Land Conservation

Social Science-8 138