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GeographyMediumAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2019, GK

Which one of the following may be the true characteristic of cyclones?

  1. A.Temperate cyclones move from west to east with westerlies whereas tropical cyclones follow trade winds.
  2. B.The front side of cyclone is known as the 'eye of cyclone'.
  3. C.Cyclones possess a centre of high pressure surrounded by closed isobars.
  4. D.Hurricanes are well-known tropical cyclones which develop over mid-latitudes.

Correct answer

A. Temperate cyclones move from west to east with westerlies whereas tropical cyclones follow trade winds.

Explanation

The correct answer is A. Temperate cyclones are carried from west to east by the westerlies, while tropical cyclones generally move from east to west with the trade winds.

Temperate or extra-tropical cyclones form along fronts in the mid-latitudes, roughly between 35 and 65 degrees, and drift eastward in the belt of westerlies. Tropical cyclones form over warm oceans whose surface is above about 27 degrees Celsius and are steered westward by the trade winds before they often curve towards the poles. Every cyclone is a low-pressure system, with winds spiralling inward, anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.

Option B is wrong because the eye is the calm, clear centre of a tropical cyclone, not its front side. Option C is wrong because a cyclone has low pressure at its centre; a centre of high pressure surrounded by closed isobars is an anticyclone. Option D is wrong because hurricanes are tropical cyclones and develop over tropical seas, not over the mid-latitudes.

Exam tip: tropical cyclone moves east to west with the trades; temperate cyclone moves west to east with the westerlies.

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.