STUDY TIME

Directorate of Education, National Capital Territory of Delhi

Practice Question Paper

Mid Term Examination (2022-23)

Class VIII

Social Science

Time Allowed : 2 Hrs. 30 Min.

Maximum Marks 60

General Instructions:

i. The question paper is divided into five sections- Section A, Section B, Section C, Section D and Section E. The question paper has 12 questions in all.

ii. All questions are compulsory; however internal choices are given in some questions. Attempt any one of them.

iii. Marks are indicated against each question.

iv. Section A: [Questions from serial number 1(i) to 1(xii)] has objective questions of 1 mark each.

v. Section B: Questions from serial number 2 to 5 are short answer type questions of 3 marks each. Answer of these questions should not exceed 40 words each.

vi. Section C: Questions from serial number 6 and 7 are long answer type questions of 4 marks each. Answer of these questions should not exceed 80 words each.

vii. Questions from serial number 8 to 11 are competency based/source based questions, carrying of 6 marks each.

viii. Question number 12 is a map based question of 4 marks.

ix. Separate questions are given for visually impaired student only in lieu of map based question number 12.

Section A (1x12=12)

Do as per the instructions Q. No. 1 (i) to (xii).

Choose the correct option in q. no. (i) to (vi)

Question 1. (i) When was Awadh annexed by the Britishers? (1)

A. 1810

B. 1825

C. 1840

D. 1856

Ans. D. 1856

Question 1. (ii) Who was the Governor-General of India in 1857? (1)

A. Lord Canning

B. Lord Willium Bantick

C. Lord Minto

D. Lord Irwin

Ans. A. Lord Canning

Question 1. (iii) Who led the rebellion in Jhansi in 1857? (1)

A. Nana Saheb

B. Vir Kunwar Singh

C. Rani Lakshmibai

D. Birjis Qadr

Ans. C. Rani Lakshmibai

Question 1. (iv) Thorny shrubs and scrubs mainly grow in- (1)

A. Dry areas of low rainfall

B. Areas of heavy rainfall

C. Areas of moderate rain

D. None of these

Ans. A. Dry areas of low rainfall.

Question 1. (v) Which of the following is considered a vital cleanser of the environment? (1)

A. Vulture

B. Elephant

C. Tiger

D. Deer

Ans. A. Vulture

Question 1. (vi) Parliament of India consists of- (1)

A. Lok Sabha

B. Rajya Sabha

C. The President

D. All of the above

Ans. D. All of the above.

State whether true or false: (Questions number vii-ix)

Question 1. (vii) The President nominates 20 members in the Rajya Sabha. (1)

Answer. (Incorrect) The President nominates 12 members to the Rajya Sabha.

Question 1. (viii) Federalism refers to the existence of more than one level of government in the country. (1)

Answer. Correct.

Question 1. (ix) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is known as the father of the Indian Constitution. (1)

Answer. Correct.

Fill in the Blanks in Question number (x) to (xii)

Question 1. (x) The Doctrine of Lapse was implemented by ­­­­­­_______. (1)

Ans. The Doctrine of Lapse was implemented by ­­­­­­ Lord Dalhousie.

OR

Question 1. Rani Channamma was the ruler of __________.

Ans. Rani Channamma was the ruler of Kittur Karnataka.

Question 1. (xi) _____________ alliance was imposed on Mysore after the Battle of Seringapatam. (1)

Ans. Seringapatam alliance was imposed on Mysore after the Battle of Seringapatam.

Question 1. (xii) The Battle of Buxar was fought in the year __________. (1)

Ans. The Battle of Buxar was fought in the year 1764.

OR

Question . The Battle of Plassay was fought in the year ­______.

Ans. The Battle of Plassay was fought in the year ­1757.

Section-B (4X3=12)

Short Answer Type Questions (2 to 5)

Question 2. Why does a country need a constitution? (3)

Answer. A country needs a constitution because of the following reasons:

1. Constitution is necessary for any country because the constitution itself tells what is the basic nature of our society. It formulates the ideals on the basis of which citizens can build their country according to their wishes and dreams.

2. The constitution is also needed because the constitution itself decides what kind of political system will be in the country. In the absence of a constitution, disorder can arise in the country, so we can say that the constitution plays a big role in determining the political system of any country.

3. The constitution is also needed because the constitution serves us to control ourselves and decides the provisions. It is because of these provisions of the constitution that we avoid harming ourselves and others.

OR

Question. Write a short note on the separation of powers.

Ans. Answer. Division of Powers - The division of powers means the division of powers into different levels. The division of powers is one of the main features of the federal system. India is also a federal system country and the distribution of powers can be seen here too. We can see the distribution of powers in the form of central level government, state level government and local level governments in India.

In this way we can say that the distribution of powers means the distribution of power into more than one level. In India, the central government does the work of making laws for the whole country, on the other hand, the state governments do the work of making laws for their respective states and at the local level, Panchayats and Municipal Corporations do the work of making laws.

Question 3. ‘Indian Parliament has an important role in controlling, guiding and informing the government.’ Comment. (3)

Answer. Parliament - Parliament is the supreme law making body of the country. There are three organs of Parliament in India which are as follows Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and President. The Indian Parliament creates a variety of roles. Parliament controls the government in various ways and for this, Parliament establishes control over the government by asking no confidence motion, stop work motion and question. Similarly, Parliament also plays an important role in giving guidance to the government and provides guidance to the government from time to time through various guidelines.

Various types of bills are presented in the Parliament and Parliament is the only place where the government also gets various types of information so that the government is able to make appropriate laws and act.

Question 4. Mention any three ways for the conservation of land resources. (3)

Answer. Following measures can be taken for conservation of land resource -

1. Afforestation - The most effective and important measure for the conservation of land resource can be done by planting maximum number of plants. Plants play an important role for the conservation of land resource.

2. Prohibition on encroachment - One of the factors affecting land resources the most is overgrazing by animals. If we can reduce this overgrazing process, then it will definitely help in land conservation.

3. Limited use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers- Chemical pesticides and fertilizers also affect the land resource and due to this the fertilizer efficiency of Mirza decreases. Therefore, if we limit the use of chemical pesticides and also use fertilizers in a regulated manner, then perhaps it will help in the conservation of land resources.

OR

Question. Suggest any three ways to conserve water.

Answer. Water resource is an important resource of the earth and is also an essential element to generate life on earth. The three main measures of water conservation are as follows -

1. A major measure of conservation of water resource is that the polluted water coming out of industries and factories should be treated by various methods and released into rivers and streams so that there is minimum water pollution.

2. One way of conserving water resource is to store rain water, it can be used by storing rain water and water can also be prevented from wasting.

3. There is also a way of conserving water resource that irrigation should be done using different types of methods in agriculture such as sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation system, water can be conserved.

Question 5. Write a short note on the wildlife. (3)

Answer. Vegetation and wildlife are valuable resources. We get timber from forests and animals also get shelter, as well as they play an important role in generating oxygen. Wildlife includes animals, birds, insects and aquatic animals. From them we get milk, meat, skins and so on. Insects such as bees give us honey, help pollinate flowers and play an important role as decomposers in the ecosystem.

Birds depend on insects for their food and act as decomposers. In vultures, it is a scavenger due to eating animals and is considered an important purifier of the environment. Therefore we can say that wildlife is a very important resource and plays an important and essential role in the balance of the ecosystem.

Section-C (4X2=8)

Long Answer Type Question (6 and 7)

Question 6. What were the important changes that were introduced by the British after the rebellion of 1857? (4)

Answer. After the revolution of 1857, the British made very important changes, some of them are as follows-

1. The British Parliament passed a new law in 1858 and handed over all the powers of the East India Company to the British Empire so that Indian affairs could be handled better. A member of the British Cabinet was appointed as the Minister for India. He was entrusted with the responsibility of handling matters relating to the governance of India. A council was constituted to advise him, which was called the India Council. The Governor General of India was given the position of Viceroy. Thus he was declared the personal representative of the King/Queen of England. As a result, the British government took the responsibility of the governance of India directly in its hands.

2. All the rulers of the country were assured that their territory would never be occupied in future. They were allowed to hand over their princely state to their descendants, even adopted sons. But he was inspired to accept the Queen of Britain as his suzerain. Similarly, Indian rulers were given freedom to rule under the British Empire.

3. It was decided to reduce the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army and increase the number of European soldiers. It was also decided that instead of recruiting soldiers from Awadh, Bihar, Central India and South India, more soldiers would now be recruited from among Gorkhas, Sikhs and Pathans.

4. The land and property of Muslims were confiscated on a large scale. He was viewed with suspicion and hostility. The British felt that they had started this rebellion.

5. The British decided to respect the religion and social customs of the people of India.

6. Policies were made to protect the landowners and zamindars and to perpetuate their rights over the land.

OR

Question. What were the reasons for the rebellion of 1857?

Ans. Answer. Many factors are seen in the revolt of 1857, which played an important role in starting this revolt. Some of these major reasons are as follows-

1. An important reason for the revolt of 1857 was the annexation policy of Lord Dalhousie. By this grab policy of Lord Dalhousie, the right to adopt native kings as their right was abolished and many princely states were forcibly annexed to the British Empire.

2. One of the reasons for the revolt of 1857 was that the pension and titles of the kings were abolished by the British government, due to which these kings, including the suspension of pension of Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa Bajirao II, and Karnataka Surat and Tanjore It was also important to abolish the titles of the kings of Due to these policies of the British government, there was a lot of anger in these states which eventually emerged in the form of rebellion.

3. The accession of Awadh is also a responsible reason for the revolt of 1857. Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, was the legitimate successor. But the British government annexed Awadh into the British state by accusing it of misgovernance, due to which the spirit of rebellion started spreading further.

4. The British land revenue policy was also a very responsible factor for the revolution of 1857. Due to the land revenue policy of the British government, the farmers were highly exploited and the farmers were caught in the trap of various types of debt and were continuously falling prey to the land revenue policies of the British government.

5. Industrial policy of the British government was also responsible for the 1857 revolution. The British government had abolished various handicraft industries and handloom industries in India due to its industrial policy, due to which there was enough anger against the British government among various artisans, weavers and craftsmen.

6. One of the reasons responsible for the revolt of 1857 was that the Indian soldiers were treated discriminatory in the army and they were not treated equally in salary and promotion, due to which there was enough anger among the soldiers which took the form of rebellion came in front.

7. An important factor for the revolt of 1857 was the use of guns by the soldiers. Cow and pig fat were being used in their cartridges, due to which the soldiers considered it an insult to their religious sentiments and the rebellion done.

Question 7. Explain the role of the Parliament of India in the selection of the National Government. (4)

Answer. Parliament - Parliament in India is said to be the highest law making body of the country. Indian Parliament consists of two houses known as Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, along with the President is an integral part of the Parliament. So we can say that the Indian Parliament is made up of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the President. The Indian Parliament has a special role in the election of the national government. We can understand it as follows –

After the Lok Sabha elections, a list of MPs is prepared from which it is known that how many MPs of which political party have been elected. If a political party wants to form the government, it must have a majority in the elected MPs. The total number of members of the Lok Sabha is 543+2=545, so any political party has to get at least 272 seats to form the government.

Electing the executive is an important function of the Lok Sabha. The executive implements the laws made by the Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister of India is the head of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister chooses ministers from among the MPs of his party who together with the Prime Minister implement the decisions. These ministers handle various government functions like health, education, finance etc.

In recent years, it has been seen that no political party has got a clear majority in the elections, in such a situation the political parties have formed the government together which is called coalition government and the present time is called the era of coalition politics.

Rajya Sabha mainly works as the representative of the states of the country. In the Rajya Sabha also, a proposal for making a law can be presented. For any bill to be implemented as a law, it is necessary that it should also get the approval of the Rajya Sabha. This house of the Indian Parliament is also very important and this house reviews the laws passed by the Lok Sabha and also amends them if needed. The members of Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of different states.

In this way we can say that the Indian Parliament has a special and important role in the election of the national government.

Section-E (6X4=24)

Competency Based Question (8 to 11)

Question 8. Read the following paragraph and answer the following questions: (3X2=6)

'Soil erosion and depletion are the major threats to soil as a resource. Both human and natural factors can lead to degradation of soils. Factors which lead to soil degradation are deforestation, overgrazing, overuse of chemical fertilizers or pesticides, rain wash, landslides and floods.'

8.1 What is the major threat to soil as a resource?

A. Climate

B. Soil conservation

C. Soil erosion

D. None of these

Ans. C. Soil erosion.

8.2 Which of the following factors does not lead to soil degradation?

A. Deforestation

B. Overgrazing

C. Floods

D. Topography

Ans. D. Topography.

8.3 Which factors can lead to degradation of soils?

A. Human factors

B. Natural factors

C. Both A and B

D. None of These

Ans. C. Both A and B

Question 9. Read the following paragraph and answer the following questions: (3X2=6)

'When Alivardi Khan died in 1756, Sirajuddaulah became the nawab of Bengal. The Company was worried about his power and keen on a puppet ruler who would willingly give trade concessions and other privileges. So it tried, though without success, to help one of Sirajuddaulah's rivals become the nawab. An infuriated Sirajuddaulah asked the Company to stop meddling in the political affairs of his dominion, stop fortification, and pay the revenues.'

9.1 Who became the nawab of Bengal after Alivardi Khan?

A. Mir Qasim

B. Sirajuddaulah

C. Murshid Khan

D. None of these

Ans. B. Sirajuddaulah.

9.2 Who was keen on having a puppet ruler in Bengal?

A. The Company

B. Nawab

C. Sirajuddaulah

D. None of these

Ans. A. The Company

9.3 Who asked the company to stop fortification and pay the revenues?

A. Murshid Quli Khan

B. Sirajuddaulah

C. Lord Clive

D. None of these

Ans. B. Sirajuddaulah.

Question 10. The results of the elections of Legislative Assembly of a fictional state are given below. Read it carefully and answer the following questions- (3X2=6)

Name of the Political Parties	Number of seats
Janata Adhikar Party	53
Kshetra Vikas Party	116
Rashtriya Swabhiman Party	21
Samaj Vikas Party	84
Independents	11
Total	285

10.1 Which party is the largest party in the Legislative Assembly?

A. Samaj Vikas Party

B. Janata Adhikar party

C. Kshetra Vikas Party

D. Rashtriya Swabhiman Party

Ans. C. Kshetra Vikas Party.

10.2 What is the majority mark for government formation?

A. 143

B. 150

C. 70

D. 95

Ans. A. 143.

10.3 Who are said to be independents?

A. They could not win the election.

B. They are associated with the largest party.

C. They are not part of any party.

D. None of these

Ans. C. They are not part of any party.

Question 11. Read the following paragraph and answer the following questions. (Attempt any three) (3X2=6)

'There are seven major continents on earth. These are separated by large water bodies. These continents are- Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica. Asia is the largest continent. It covers about one-third of the total land area of ​​the earth. The continent lies in the Eastern Hemisphere. The Tropic of Cancer passes through this continent. Asia is separated from Europe by Ural Mountains on the west. The combined landmass of Europe and Asia is called the Eurasia (Europe + Asia)'

11.1 The Tropic of Cancer passes through-

A. Africa

B. Asia

C. North America

D. Australia

Ans. B. Asia.

11.2 Which mountain separates Asia from Europe?

A. The Himalayas

B. The Kanchenjunga

C. The Ural

D. Andies

Ans. C. The Ural.

11.3 The continent located in Eastern Hemisphere is-

A. North America

B. South America

C. Asia

D. None of these

Ans. C. Asia.

11.4 The combined landmass of the Europe and Asia is called-

A. Dead Sea

B. Asia

C. Eurasia

D. None of the above

Ans. C. Eurasia.

Section-D (1X4=4)

Map Based Question

Question 12. Locate the following places related to the rebellion of 1857 on the given political outline map of India: (Attempt any four) (1X4=4)

A. Delhi

B. Jhansi

C. Bareilly

D. Faizabad

E. Kanpur

Ans. 

Following questions are only for Visually Impaired students in lieu of Question Number 12. (Attempt any four)

(i) Name the Mughal emperor during the rebellion of 1857.

Answer. Bahadur Shah Zafar was the Mughal emperor during the revolt of 1857.

(ii) In which state of India is Jhansi located presently?

Answer. Jhansi is located in the present day Uttar Pradesh state of India.

(iii) Name the old zamindar from Bihar who joined the rebel sepoys during the rebellion of 1857.

Answer. Kunwar Singh was the old zamindar of Bihar who supported the rebel soldiers.

(iv) In which state of India is Faizabad located presently?

Answer. Faizabad is currently located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

(v) Who led the rebellion in Kanpur in 1857?

Answer. Nana Saheb led the revolt of 1857 in Kanpur.