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GeographyEasyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · Paper I, 8 Aug 2021

In the course of a river, in time, which one of the following features is formed when the old meander is closed off by deposition?

  1. A.Pothole
  2. B.Levee
  3. C.Oxbow lake
  4. D.Flood plain

Correct answer

C. Oxbow lake

Explanation

The correct answer is C, Oxbow lake. When a river cuts across the narrow neck of a loop and silt seals both ends, the old loop is left behind as a curved lake. Meanders form in the middle and lower course, where a river flows slowly over flat land, cutting its outer bank and building up its inner bank. Over time the neck of a loop grows thinner until a flood breaks through it and the river takes the shorter path. The abandoned bend is shaped like the U-shaped collar of an ox's yoke, which gives the lake its name; Kanwar Lake (Kabar Tal) in Bihar was left behind in this way by the Burhi Gandak. Option A is wrong because potholes are round holes drilled into a rocky bed by pebbles swirling in a fast upper-course stream. Option B is wrong because levees are raised banks of silt dropped along the river during floods. Option D is wrong because a flood plain is the wide flat land built by repeated floods, not a cut-off loop. Exam tip: meander plus cut-off gives an oxbow lake, a mark of the river's old stage.

Practice Questions

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Q2.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Himalayan rivers have their origin in the snow-covered areas, hence are dry in winter season. 2. Rivers of the Peninsular Plateau have reached maturity. 3. Himalayan rivers depict all the three stages of normal cycle of erosion. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.2 only
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 2 and 3 only

Himalayan rivers are perennial, so statement 1 is wrong, while statements 2 and 3 are correct. Himalayan rivers such as the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra rise from glaciers and snowfields and also get monsoon rain, so they flow all year round, including in winter.

Q3.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following statements related to latitude are true? 1. Rainfall, temperature and vegetation vary with latitude. 2. The difference between the longest day and the shortest day increases with latitude. 3. Indira Point is located approximately at 6°45' N latitude. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 1, 2 and 3

All three statements about latitude are true. Latitude decides how directly the Sun's rays strike a place, so temperature, rainfall and the type of vegetation change from the equator towards the poles, from hot, wet rainforests to cold tundra.

Q4.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following lakes is/are situated in Ladakh? 1. Tso Kar 2. Pangong Tso 3. Tsomgo 4. Tso Moriri Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 and 3
  3. C.1, 2 and 4
  4. D.2 and 4 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1, 2 and 4

Tso Kar, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are high-altitude lakes of Ladakh, while Tsomgo lies in Sikkim. Pangong Tso, at about 4,350 metres, is a long, narrow lake that stretches from Ladakh into Tibet, and most of its length lies on the Chinese side.