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GeographyMediumAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2020, GAT

Which one of the following is a cold local wind?

  1. A.Santa Ana
  2. B.Chinook
  3. C.Mistral
  4. D.Loo

Correct answer

C. Mistral

Explanation

The correct answer is C, Mistral. The mistral is a cold, dry northerly wind that blows from the Alps down the Rhone valley of France to the Mediterranean coast.

It is strongest in winter and spring, when cold air from the high ground rushes towards low pressure over the Mediterranean Sea. Squeezed through the narrow Rhone valley, it gains great speed and can damage crops, so farmers in southern France plant rows of cypress trees as windbreaks. The bora of the Adriatic coast is a similar cold wind.

A is wrong because the Santa Ana is a hot, dry wind that blows from the interior towards the coast of southern California and spreads forest fires. B is wrong because the chinook is a warm, dry wind on the eastern slopes of the Rockies that melts snow, and is called the snow eater. D is wrong because the loo is a hot, dry wind of the north Indian plains in May and June.

Exam tip: cold winds are mistral, bora and blizzard; warm winds are chinook, foehn, Santa Ana, sirocco and loo.

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.