Class 12 : Geography (English) – Lesson 4. Primary Activities
Summary of Lesson 4 – Primary Activities
Class 12 – Fundamentals of Human Geography
Primary activities refer to those occupations that are directly dependent on nature and the use of Earth’s natural resources. These are the most basic forms of human activities and form the foundation of an economy, especially in traditional and developing societies. The major primary activities include agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, forestry, gathering, and mining.
Agriculture is the most widespread and significant primary activity. It involves the cultivation of crops for food, fiber, and other products. Agriculture is practiced in various forms:
Subsistence agriculture is aimed at fulfilling the needs of the farmer’s family with little surplus for trade.
Commercial agriculture is market-oriented, involving large-scale production for sale.
Shifting cultivation involves clearing forested land for temporary farming.
Plantation agriculture involves monoculture of cash crops on large estates.
Animal Husbandry includes livestock rearing for meat, milk, wool, and other products. It can be nomadic (moving with animals in search of pasture) or sedentary (permanent settlement with developed techniques). Nomadic herding is found in dry and mountainous regions, while commercial livestock rearing is common in temperate grasslands of developed countries.
Fishing is another vital primary activity, providing food and employment to millions. It can be of two types:
Subsistence fishing, practiced using simple tools and techniques.
Commercial fishing, which uses advanced equipment and large vessels for deep-sea fishing, especially in developed countries.
Forestry involves the collection and management of forest resources for fuel, timber, medicine, and other uses. In some regions, especially tropical forests, gathering of forest produce is still done in traditional ways.
Gathering is a primitive activity involving collection of natural products like fruits, roots, medicinal plants, and minerals. It is practiced in remote, forested, or mountainous regions and contributes marginally to the economy. Gatherers usually operate at a subsistence level.
Mining involves extraction of minerals from the Earth’s crust. It is both a traditional and modern activity depending on the methods used. It provides raw materials for various industries and contributes significantly to national economies. Mining can be of two types – surface mining (open cast) and underground mining.
Each of these activities has spatial distribution based on geographical factors such as climate, soil, water availability, and natural resource presence. For instance, agriculture is widely practiced in fertile river valleys, nomadic herding in arid areas, fishing in coastal regions, and mining in mineral-rich zones.
Conclusion:
Primary activities are essential for the sustenance of human life and form the base of the economic pyramid. They provide food, raw materials, and employment to a large segment of the population, especially in rural areas. Despite the growth of secondary and tertiary sectors, primary activities remain crucial, particularly in underdeveloped and developing economies. Understanding the diversity and distribution of these activities helps in planning sustainable development and resource management.
Geography Question Paper (GQP)
Class 12
Subject: Geography – Fundamentals of Human Geography
Lesson 4: Primary Activities
Time Allowed: 3 Hours
Maximum Marks: 70
General Instructions:
All questions are compulsory.
The question paper is divided into Sections A, B, C, D and E.
Answer each question carefully and write correct question number.
Do not include material from boxes, highlights or tables.
SECTION A
(Multiple Choice Questions, 1 mark each)
(Questions 1 to 17)
17 × 1 = 17 marks
Q1. Which of the following is not a primary activity?
A. Agriculture
B. Mining
C. Teaching
D. Fishing
Answer: C. Teaching
Q2. Which crop is typically associated with plantation agriculture?
A. Wheat
B. Rice
C. Tea
D. Bajra
Answer: C. Tea
Q3. What is the primary objective of subsistence farming?
A. Export of crops
B. Feeding the farmer’s family
C. Producing raw material
D. Providing employment
Answer: B. Feeding the farmer’s family
Q4. Nomadic herding is primarily found in:
A. Coastal areas
B. Urban areas
C. Semi-arid and mountainous regions
D. River valleys
Answer: C. Semi-arid and mountainous regions
Q5. What is the main occupation in primitive societies?
A. Software development
B. Trade and banking
C. Primary activities
D. Tourism
Answer: C. Primary activities
Q6. Commercial farming is characterized by:
A. Small land holdings
B. Low yield
C. Use of family labour
D. High mechanization and surplus production
Answer: D. High mechanization and surplus production
Q7. Which of these is not a characteristic of intensive subsistence agriculture?
A. Small land holdings
B. Low labour input
C. High population pressure
D. Use of traditional tools
Answer: B. Low labour input
Q8. Commercial livestock rearing is practiced mainly in:
A. Desert regions
B. Temperate grasslands
C. Forested hills
D. Coastal belts
Answer: B. Temperate grasslands
Q9. The process of collecting natural resources directly from nature is known as:
A. Manufacturing
B. Processing
C. Gathering
D. Marketing
Answer: C. Gathering
Q10. The purpose of shifting cultivation is:
A. Permanent settlement
B. Use of modern techniques
C. Temporary cultivation after forest clearance
D. Mechanized farming
Answer: C. Temporary cultivation after forest clearance
Q11. Which is not a product of gathering?
A. Wild fruits
B. Resins
C. Timber
D. Steel
Answer: D. Steel
Q12. Which of the following is a modern primary activity?
A. Satellite launching
B. Mechanized mining
C. Legal consultancy
D. Data entry
Answer: B. Mechanized mining
Q13. What is the common feature of all primary activities?
A. Based on nature
B. Urban centered
C. Require high education
D. Dependent on foreign trade
Answer: A. Based on nature
Q14. Which of the following animals is least likely to be reared in nomadic herding?
A. Sheep
B. Camel
C. Cow
D. Elephant
Answer: D. Elephant
Q15. Assertion (A): Plantation agriculture is a form of commercial farming.
Reason (R): It produces a variety of food crops on small land.
A. Both A and R are correct, and R is correct explanation
B. Both A and R are correct, but R is not the correct explanation
C. A is correct, R is incorrect
D. A is incorrect, R is correct
Answer: C. A is correct, R is incorrect
Q16. What is a key feature of commercial fishing?
A. Use of traditional boats
B. Family-based labour
C. Use of deep-sea trawlers
D. Done in rivers and ponds only
Answer: C. Use of deep-sea trawlers
Q17. The following is an example of a non-renewable primary resource:
A. Forest wood
B. Fresh water
C. Solar energy
D. Mineral ores
Answer: D. Mineral ores
SECTION B
(Source-Based Questions, 3 marks each)
(Questions 18 and 19)
2 × 3 = 6 marks
Q18. Read the passage and answer the following:
“Primary activities such as agriculture, fishing, and forestry are directly dependent on natural resources. While some are traditional in nature, others have become highly mechanized and commercial.”
18.1 Name any two traditional primary activities. (1)
Answer: Agriculture and fishing
18.2 Give one example of a modern primary activity. (1)
Answer: Mechanized mining
18.3 How do natural resources influence primary activities? (1)
Answer: They determine the type, location, and method of activity.
Q19. Read the following passage:
“Nomadic herding involves seasonal movement of people with their livestock in search of pasture and water. It is largely practiced in dry or mountainous regions.”
19.1 What is the key characteristic of nomadic herding? (1)
Answer: Movement of people and animals from place to place
19.2 Name two animals commonly reared in this system. (1)
Answer: Sheep and camels
19.3 Why is this system declining in the modern world? (1)
Answer: Due to urbanization and environmental degradation
SECTION C
(Short Answer Questions, 3 marks each)
(Questions 20 to 23)
4 × 3 = 12 marks
Q20. Mention any three features of plantation agriculture.
Answer:
Monoculture of cash crops like tea and coffee
Large estates with modern equipment
Crops mainly grown for export
Q21. State three characteristics of subsistence agriculture.
Answer:
Small land holdings
Use of local inputs and traditional tools
Output used for family consumption
Q22. What are the challenges faced in gathering activities?
Answer:
Accessibility to remote forest areas
Limited commercial value
Environmental degradation due to overexploitation
Q23. Distinguish between shifting cultivation and settled agriculture.
Answer:
Shifting cultivation involves clearing forest and rotating fields, while settled farming uses fixed land.
It is practiced with simple tools and low productivity.
Settled farming uses better inputs and has higher yield.
SECTION D
(Long Answer Questions, 5 marks each)
(Questions 24 to 28)
5 × 5 = 25 marks
Q24. Describe different types of primary activities with examples.
Answer:
Agriculture – Rice farming in India
Livestock rearing – Ranching in Argentina
Fishing – Commercial fishing in Japan
Forestry – Logging in Canada
Mining – Coal extraction in China
Q25. Explain the characteristics of nomadic herding and name three regions where it is practiced.
Answer:
Involves movement of people with animals
Uses traditional knowledge
Practiced in arid/semi-arid regions
Animals include sheep, goats, camels
Found in Sahara, Central Asia, and Tibet
Q26. Discuss five differences between subsistence and commercial farming.
Answer:
Purpose: family use vs. market
Tools: traditional vs. mechanized
Scale: small vs. large
Capital: low vs. high
Output: low vs. high surplus
Q27. Write a note on commercial livestock rearing.
Answer:
Done for meat, milk, wool
Large, fenced ranches
Modern breeding and healthcare
Found in USA, Australia
Highly organized and market-oriented
Q28. Describe five environmental impacts of primary activities.
Answer:
Deforestation due to shifting agriculture
Soil erosion from overgrazing
Water pollution from mining
Loss of biodiversity due to plantations
Climate change due to fossil fuel extraction
SECTION E
(Map-Based Questions, 5 marks each)
(Questions 29 and 30)
2 × 5 = 10 marks
Q29. On the outline map of the world, locate and label any five of the following:
(Visually impaired students may write names only)
Region of nomadic herding in Central Asia
Major commercial fishing area in North-East Pacific
Important tea plantation zone in Sri Lanka
Rubber plantation area in Malaysia
Ranching area in Argentina
Mining belt in South Africa
Forestry zone in Canada
Q30. On the outline map of India, locate and label any five of the following:
(Visually impaired students may write names only)
Tea plantation region in Assam
Rubber growing region in Kerala
Rice-producing state in Punjab
Mining area in Odisha
Coastal fishing zone in Andhra Pradesh
Shifting cultivation area in Mizoram
Wool-producing area in Himachal Pradesh
EXPLANATION & SUMMARY
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR EXAMS
( CBSE MODEL QUESTIONS PAPER)
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
ONE PAGE REVISION SHEET
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
MIND MAPS
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————