Class 7 North America – Land of Prairies
I. Answer the following:
1. Why is North
America called ‘Land of Prairies’?
Ans: a) The central plains of North America are also known as the great plains
or the prairies.
b) The plain consists of vast expanse, almost 3/5 of the total area of North America of flat to gently rolling land.
c) These plains are formed by the River Mississippi, Missouri and their tributaries.
d) This is one of the most fertile plains of the world and is a good farming region.
2. Mention
the location and extent of North America
Ans: a) North America is located entirely to the north of the equator.
b) It lies within 7° N to 84° N latitudes.
c) The topic of cancer passes through the continent in the south and the arctic circle in North.
d) North America is surrounded by the Atlantic ocean in the east the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Arctic ocean in the north.
e) It is separated from the continent of Asia by the herring strait.
f) It has land links with South America by the Isthmus of Panama.
g) North America occupied 16.4% of the world area. It is the third-largest continent in the world. It is almost seven times bigger than India.
3. Make a list of
important countries of North America.
Ans: Important countries in North America are Canada, Greenland Mexico, the
United States of America, Guatemala, West Indies, the Bahamas and Saint Lucia.
4. How is the Grand
Canyon of North America formed?
Ans: The Colorado River drains into the Colorado plateau and forms the Grand
Canyon. It is a centre for scenic beauty and tourism. The grand canyon is
called ‘Natural wonder of the world’.
5. Name the important
plants of animals of North America.
Ans: a) The Tundra
Mosses and Lichens are found here. Some stunted flowering plants grow in summer.
Animals like Arctic fox, reindeer, caribou, polar bears, etc., are found here. Whales, seals, and fish ate found along with the coastal areas.
b) The Taiga or the coniferous belt
The trees found here are pine, fir, spruce, lurch, cedar etc.,
Animals like the lynx, sable, silver, fox, beaver, black and grizzly bears are found hare.
c) Deciduous type
The trees found here are cypress, oak, ash, maple and chestnut. Mahogany and logwood are also found here
Animals like beaver, black bear, bear, muskrat and porcupines are found here.
d) Coal temperate climate
They are vast plains with rich grass. Only a few trees grow on the hilltops.
Bison and prairie dogs are the important animals found here.
e) Mediterranean type
The trees found here are olives, oak, cork, walnut, figs etc., Citrus trees like lemon, orange etc are also found here.
Not much wildlife is found here.
f) The Desert Type
Cactus and thorny bushes are common here.
Animals like the desert fox, lizards, rattle snakes and various kinds of insects are found here.
6. Make a list of
important rivers in North America.
Ans: The Mississippi and Missouri are the great rivers of North America. The
other rivers are Ohio, Tennessee Arkansas, Rio Grande, Yukon, Red, Colorado,
Columbia, Peace, Snake and St. Lawrence, etc.,
7. Who is called
‘Lumber Jacks’ in North America?
Ans: The profession which is related to forest activities like cutting of
trees, preparing pulp, etc. is called Lumbering. Lumbering is a highly organized job in North America people engaged in lumbering in Canada are known
as lumberjacks.
8. Mention the
important races and their languages formed in North America. .
Ans: Most of the North Americans are descendants of Europeans or American
Indians and Africans. There are also some native or indigenous people.
Most of them speak Spanish, English, French or American Indian Languages.
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