WBBHSC Class 12 Environmental Studies Higher Secondary Examination 2018

WBBHSC Class 12 Environmental Studies Higher Secondary Examination 2018

Time: 3 Hours 15 Minutes

(First 15 Minutes for reading the question paper only, 3 Hours for writing) 

Full Marks – 80

PART – B [Marks: 40]

1. Select the correct answer out of the options given against each question and write in the box provided on the right-hand side bottom : [1 × 24 = 24]

(i) How much area of global land is getting lost due to soil erosion every year?—

1. 100 lakh hectares
2. 80 lakh hectares
3. 50 lack hectares
4. 30 lakh hectares

(ii) What is India’s rank in the world in respect of reptile diversity?—

1. 15^th
2. 10^th
3. 5^th
4. 20^th

(iii) One example of a physical component of soil is—

1. fungus
2. earthworm
3. water
4. none of these

(iv) In which year was the ‘National Biodiversity Authority’ established in India?—

1. 2003
2. 1981
3. 1992
4. 1972

(v) What is maximum permissible limit of ‘iron’ in drinking water as per I.S. 10500?—

1. 0.1 miligramme/liter
2. 0.2 miligramme/liter
3. 0.3 miligramme/Iiter
4. 04 miligramme/liter

(vi) What is the maximum permissible limit of annual average concentration of nitrogen oxide (NO_X) in the air of residential areas?—

1. 80 microgramme/cubic m
2. 60 microgramme/cubic m
3. 15 microgramme/cubic m
4. None of these

(vii) The example of renewable resource is—

1. petroleum
2. coal
3. forest wealth
4. none of these

(viii) Yam (Dioscorea deltoidea) is used in—

1. manufacture of contraceptive pills
2. prevention of cancer
3. prevention of malaria
4. none of these

(ix) From which country was the plant Lantana camera brought to India?—

1. Russia
2. China
3. Mexico
4. Bangladesh

(x) The scientific name of the Coconut tree is—

1. Mangifera indica
2. Albizia procera
3. Cocus nucifera
4. none of these

(xi) The total number of ‘Tiger Reserve Projects’ in India is—

1. 38
2. 28
3. 18
4. 48

(xii) One example of bio-herbicide is—

1. sunflower
2. D.D.T.
3. urea
4. phosphate

(xiii) How many people in the world face death out of pesticide poisoning every year?—

1. 4,00,000
2. 50,000
3. 1,00,000
4. 10,000

(xiv) An example of mycorrhiza is—

1. Glomus
2. Nostoc
3. Millet
4. Alfalfa

(xv) How much area of global land is getting converted to deserts every year?—

1. 180 lakh hectares
2. 80 lakh hectares
3. 40 lakh hectares
4. 20 lakh hectares

(xvi) The oldest form of traditional agroforestry is—

1. Jhum cultivation
2. Taungya
3. Social forestry
4. none of these

(xvii) Over-use of D.D.T. leads to—

1. biodiversity
2. bioluminescence
3. biomagnification
4. none of these

(xviii) What is the maximum permissible limit of noise in the daytime in a silence zone?—

1. 75 decibel
2. 65 decibel
3. 50 decibel
4. 45 decibel

(xix) What is the maximum permissible limit of the annual average concentration of Suspended Particulate Matter (S.P.M.) in the air of rural areas?—

1. 360 microgramme/cubic in
2. 120 microgramme/cubic m
3. 140 microgramme/cubic m
4. 70 microgramme/cubic m

(xx) To which country was the Mali civilization associated with?—

1. Australia
2. India
3. Africa
4. None of these

(xxi) The estimated number of threatened plant species in India is—

1. 93
2. 1336
3. 49
4. none of these

(xxii) Which flower is predominantly used in sacrificial fires in Gujrat?—

1. Jaba (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
2. Saini (prosopis spicigera)
3. Datura (Datura stramonium)
4. None of these

(xxiii) Which of the following has been designated as a ‘Megadiversity country’?—

1. Pakistan
2. Iraq
3. India
4. None of these

(xxiv) In which state of India is ‘Panchmarhi biosphere Reserve’ situated?—

1. Karnataka
2. Tamil Nadu
3. Madhya Pradesh
4. Uttar Pradesh

2. Answer the following questions in very brief (Alternatives are to be noted) : [1 × 16 = 16]

1. What do you mean by ‘biofertilizer’?
2. What is the source of laterite soil?
3. What is ‘coliform’? What do you mean by a sustainable economy? Or; What is a ‘sustainable society’?
4. In which year was the ‘Pesticide Act’ promulgated in India? Or; In which year was the ‘Indian Boilers Act’ promulgated in India?
5. What is the maximum permissible limit of ‘hardness’ in drinking water as per IS 10500? ” Or; What do you mean by ‘turbidity’ of drinking water?
6. In which year was the ‘Forest Survey of India’ established? Or; In which year was the ‘Tiger Project’ launched in India?
7. In which state of India is Gir Forest situated? Or; How many species of amphibia are found in India?
8. What is ‘I.R. 36′?
9. What do you understand by ‘crop rotation’?
10. What is the full form of ‘N.C.E.P.’?
11. What is ‘carrying capacity’?
12. What is the maximum limit of the annual average concentration of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter in the air of industrial areas?
13. In which year was the ‘Montreal Protocol’ signed? Or; What are ‘Mangroves’?
14. What is the main objective of ‘National Action Plant for Wildlife’? Or; What is the scientific name of the Bot (Banyan) tree?
15. What is the number of threatened fish species in India? Or; What is a coral reef?

PART – A [Marks : 40]

1. Answer the following questions (Alternatives are to be noted) : [8 × 5 = 40]

(i) What do you mean by ‘domesticated biodiversity’? Discuss briefly the different causes of the loss of biodiversity. 3 + 5

Or; State the differences between ‘in situ’ and “ex situ’ conservation. What do you understand by ‘genetic engineering’? 3 + 5

(ii) Write a short note on ‘Environment Protection Act, 1986′. State briefly the components of environmental management. 4 + 4

Or; What do you understand by ‘assessment of environmental indicators’? Explain with examples. 3 + 5

(iii) What do you mean by ‘sustainable development’? Discuss the necessity of sustainable development in improving the quality of life at present and future times. 3 + 5

(iv) Discuss the role of government and non-governmental agencies in the field of sustainable development.

(v) Discuss the impacts of agrochemicals on the environment.

Or; Describe briefly the different elements of sustainable agriculture.