NCERT Class 7 Geography Chapter 9 - Life in the Temperate Grasslands

Chapter 9 - Life in the Temperate Grasslands

Question and Answers
Question 1: Answer the following questions briefly
a) What are the Temperate Grasslands of North America called?
Answer: The Temperate Grasslands of North America are called Prairies.

b) What are the cattle farms in the North American Grasslands known as?
Answer: The cattle farms in the North American grasslands are known as Ranches.

c) Name the rivers that drain the Velds.
Answer: River Orange, River Limpopo and their tributaries.

d) When is the rainy season in the Velds?
Answer: The rainy season in the Velds is from November to February.

e) What is the major occupation of the people of the South African grasslands?
Answer: The major occupation of the people of the South African grasslands is Sheep Rearing.

Question 2: The Prairies are known as the ‘Granaries of the world’. Give reason.
Answer: The Prairies are known as the ‘Granaries of the World’ because:
*Prairies grasslands have been cleared and wheat is grown extensively on these plains.
*The use of tractors, harvesters, etc. and modem technologies have made the wheat production surplus.
*Prairies supply wheat all over the world.

Question 3: Write some effects of Chinook.
Answer: Chinook is a hot wind that blows in winter. It raises the temperature within a short time. This increase in temperature results in the melting of snow, making the pasturelands available for grazing of animals.

Question 4: Describe the flora and fauna of the Velds.
Answer:
Flora: Velds are not rich in vegetation. Grasses dominate the landscape. Red grass grows in bush Velds. High Velds are characterized by grasses like acacia and Maroola.
Fauna: The animals found in the Velds are lions, leopards, Cheetah, and Kudu.

Question 5: What are the major occupations of the people in the prairies? What factors contributed to the industrialization of this region.
Answer: The people living in the Prairies are hardworking. Their main occupations are cultivations and dairy fanning. They use tractors, harvesters and combines and produce surplus food. The prairies are known as the ‘Granaries of the world’ due to the huge surplus of wheat production. Another main occupation of the people of the prairies is dairy farming. The daily belt extends from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast in the east. Daily farming and extensive agriculture both promote setting up of food processing industries.
The factors that led to the industrialization of this region are:
*Large mineral deposits such as coal and iron.
*A good network of roads, railways and canals.

Question 6: What various activities are performed by the people living in the Velds?
Answer: Cattle rearing and mining are the two major activities of the people living in the Velds. Here the soil is not very fertile. Where the land is fertile enough to grow crops, maize, wheat, barley, oats, and potato are cultivated. Cash crops like tobacco, sugarcane, and cotton are also grown. People of the
Velds are mostly engaged in sheep rearing. Sheep is bred mainly for wool and has given rise to the wool industry in the Velds. Dairy farming is the next important occupation. Cattle are reared in warmer and wetter regions and dairy products such as butter; cheese is produced for both domestic supply and also for export.
As Velds are very rich in mineral reserves, gold and diamond mining are also the chief occupations of the people of this region. Johannesburg is known for being the gold capital of the world. Kimberley is famous for its diamond mines.