Ans: D

Exp:

Incoming Solar Radiation, or Insolation, is the energy received by the earth’s surface mostly in the form of short waves. The amount and the intensity of insolation vary during the day, in a season and in a year. The factors that cause these variations in insolation are:

1. The rotation of the earth on its axis;
2. The angle of inclination of the sun’s rays;
3. The length of the day;
4. The transparency of the atmosphere;
5. The configuration of land in terms of its aspect.

Ans: A

Exp:

The “Fujiwhara effect” is when two hurricanes spinning in the same direction pass close enough to each other, they begin an intense dance around their common center. If one hurricane is a lot stronger than the other, the smaller one will orbit it and eventually come crashing into its vortex to be absorbed. Two storms closer in strength can gravitate towards each other until they reach a common point and merge, or merely spin each other around for a while before shooting off on their own paths. In rare occasions, the effect is additive when the hurricanes come together, resulting in one larger storm instead of two smaller ones.

Ans: C

Exp:

Statement 1 is correct: The eastern margins of warm temperate latitudes have a much heavier rainfall than either the western margins or the continental interiors and thus have luxuriant vegetation.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The lowlands carry both evergreen broadleaved forests and deciduous trees quite similar to those of the tropical monsoon forests. On the highlands, are various species of conifers, such as pines and cypresses, which are important soft-woods.

Statement 3 is correct: Warm temperate eastern margins are the homes of a number of valuable timber species. In eastern Australia, the most important are eucalyptus trees, with scanty foliage and thick fern undergrowth. Some of the eucalyptus are very tall, over 250 feet and they, make hardy timber. The Australian Alps of Victoria and the Blue Mountains of New South Wales have great reserves of temperate eucalyptus forests that make up part of the timber exports of Australia.

 Ans: C

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The cool temperate western margins are under the permanent influence of the Westerlies all round the year. They are also regions of much cyclonic activity, typical of Britain, and are thus said to experience the British type of climate.

Statement 2 is correct: In North America, the high Rockies prevent the on-shore Westerlies from penetrating far inland and the British type of climate is confined mainly to the coastlands of British Columbia.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The British-type climate is characterised by significant oceanic influence. There is so much oceanic influence on both the temperature and the precipitation that the climate is also referred to as the North-West European Maritime Climate.

Ans: A

Exp:

The Laurentian type of climate has cold, dry winters and warm, wet summers. Winter temperatures may be well below freezing point and snow falls to quite a depth. Summers are as warm as the tropics and if it were not for the cooling effects of the off-shore cold currents from the Arctic, the summer might be even hotter. 

Though rain falls throughout the year, there is a distinct summer maximum from the easterly winds from the oceans. Of the annual precipitation, two- thirds come in the summer. 

Winter is dry and cold, because the winds are dry Westerlies that blow out from the continental interiors. 

Hence, both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.