Chapter One

Answers to Questions and Activities, page 8: 1.

a) Most Islamic countries are in the Middle East, Southern Asia, and Northern Africa. The home
of Islam is in Saudi Arabia and it spread outwards from here. Its progress was halted by the solid
barriers of Christianity in Europe and western Russia; by the virtually empty steppes of central
Asia; by the firmly established society in China; and the deserts of North Africa.
b) There are no Islamic countries in the Americas, Europe (apart from the tiny state of Albania
where there are a few million Muslims), and in Australia.
2. In Pakistan, deserts (hot) are located in the east and south-east, in the center, and in the west.
Cold deserts are found in the high mountains of the north.
3. Punjab is the most populous as it is generally the most fertile and has a very extensive system
of canals supplying water for agriculture, which is the main occupation of the people.
4. Students to refer to the atlas for the answer.
5. Finding these features in the subcontinent on the atlas: Mountains—obvious in the north and
west Plateau—the Potwar region Plains—all of the green coloured areas on the map Deserts—
Thal and Thar deserts; parts of Balochistan Rivers—the lifeblood of Pakistan; rising in the north
and merging with the Indus to flow down to the Arabian Sea Lakes—relatively few natural ones:
Saiful Muluk in Kaghan, Manchar in Sindh, and often artificial where created by dams for
hydroelectric power or as reservoirs—Hab, Rawal, Mangla, and Warsak. Estuary—no good
example in Pakistan Delta—Indus, in the south-east
 Chapter two

Answers to Questions and Activities, page 11:

1. Rainfall is important in determining the climate of a place as less rainfall can make a land
dry and more rain affects the temperature of that place. Crops and plants are also grown
according to temperature of a place—rice, bananas, pineapples grown in hot countries, and
wheat, maize, and barley in cooler ones. But in the absence of water, either natural
precipitation or irrigation, nothing will grow at all. Some crops need more water than
others—rice and sugar cane need large amounts, while grass (for stock raising), barley, and
oats need less.
2. The rainfall in Cherrapunji was nearly 23 metres, enough to go over the tops of some
buildings.
3. Location on the lee side of high ground, i.e. in the rain shadow; urban areas (towns, cities)
have higher temperature (1–3 degrees) as compared to rural areas which have open spaces
and more vegetation; size of a place: a small island has a different climate as compared to a
land mass.
4. Parts of the country showing low air pressure will also show stormy or wet weather, while
high air pressure brings fine and dry weather.
5. Students to first find out about the location, altitude, climate, houses, dress, and food
particular to these cities and then discuss the differences.
 Chapter Three
Answer to question in margin box, page 14: The word ‘typhoon’ which means storm may have
come from the word ‘toofan’, which means the same.
Answers to Questions and Activities, page 14:
1. Students can find related information from various sources e.g. the Internet, newspapers, etc.
and then present it in class.
2. In an anticyclone, the air moves in a clockwise direction. This means that the pressure on the
ground is high. An anticyclone normally means fine/warm/dry weather. The winds in an
anticyclone are light. In a cyclone the winds move in an anticlockwise direction. The pressure on
the ground is low and brings bad/wet/stormy weather. The winds in a cyclone are strong/fierce.
The only part where they are different is in the centre/eye. Here the winds are calm. Cyclones are
dangerous because they cause great damage. Other names for storms are hurricanes, typhoons,
and tornadoes.