Here we are again with chapter 3 MCQs for class 6 social science new NCERT book. Landforms shape the surface of the Earth and influence how people live, work, and adapt to their surroundings. This chapter covers extensively mountains, plateaus, plains, and deserts, and resources, challenges, and cultural significance. You can test your understanding with these MCQs for the exam preparation after you have completed reading the chapter completely.

30 MCQ Questions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 3 Landforms and Life
Question 1: Which are the three main categories of landforms on Earth?
a) Deserts, Rivers, Lakes
b) Mountains, Plateaus, Plains
c) Hills, Valleys, Forests
d) Islands, Oceans, Continents
Answer:
b) Mountains, Plateaus, Plains — These are the three major landform types.
Question 2: Which of the following best defines a landform?
a) A human-made structure on land
b) A physical feature on the Earth’s surface shaped over millions of years
c) A type of vegetation
d) A political boundary of a country
Answer:
b) A physical feature on the Earth’s surface shaped over millions of years
Question 3: What is the highest mountain peak in the world?
a) Kanchenjunga
b) Mount Kilimanjaro
c) Mount Everest
d) Mont Blanc
Answer:
c) Mount Everest — It is 8,849 m high, located between Nepal and Tibet (China).
Question 4: Which is the highest mountain peak in South India?
a) Nilgiri Hills
b) Mount Anamudi (Anai Peak)
c) Aravalli Hills
d) Cardamom Hills
Answer:
b) Mount Anamudi (Anai Peak) — Located in Kerala, it is the highest in South India.
Question 5: The Himalayas are considered ‘young mountains’ because—
a) They are still growing due to geological uplift
b) They have no snow
c) They are lower in height
d) They are found only in India
Answer:
a) They are still growing due to geological uplift — Erosion and uplift continue today.
Question 6: Which of the following is an isolated mountain in Africa?
a) Mount Everest
b) Mount Kilimanjaro
c) Mount Aconcagua
d) Mont Blanc
Answer:
b) Mount Kilimanjaro — It is not part of any mountain range.
Question 7: The Aravalli Range is considered—
a) The youngest mountain range in the world
b) An old range rounded by erosion
c) Part of the Alps
d) An isolated mountain
Answer:
b) An old range rounded by erosion — It is one of the oldest mountain ranges.
Question 8: Coniferous trees like pine, fir and spruce are commonly found in—
a) Deserts
b) Plains
c) Montane forests in mountains
d) Coastal areas
Answer:
c) Montane forests in mountains — These cone-shaped trees grow in colder mountain slopes.
Question 9: Which river originates in the Himalayas and is about 2,500 km long?
a) Yamuna
b) Ganga
c) Ghagara
d) Son
Answer:
b) Ganga — It has numerous tributaries and immense cultural value.
Question 10: Cultivation on steep slopes by cutting steps is called—
a) Dry farming
b) Terrace farming
c) Rainfed farming
d) Slash-and-burn farming
Answer:
b) Terrace farming — Practised in mountains to use slopes for cultivation.
Question 11: Which sport is NOT generally associated with mountain tourism?
a) Skiing
b) Mountaineering
c) Paragliding
d) Scuba diving
Answer:
d) Scuba diving — It is a marine activity, not a mountain sport.
Question 12: Who was the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest in 1984?
a) Arunima Sinha
b) Bachendri Pal
c) Kalpana Chawla
d) Santosh Yadav
Answer:
b) Bachendri Pal — She achieved this feat and later led many expeditions.
Question 13: Arunima Sinha is remembered for—
a) Writing about mountains
b) Being the first amputee woman to climb Mount Everest
c) Leading the first all-women expedition to Kanchenjunga
d) Discovering Mount Vinson
Answer:
b) Being the first amputee woman to climb Mount Everest — She later climbed peaks on all continents.
Question 14: Which plateau is the largest and highest in the world?
a) Deccan Plateau
b) Tibetan Plateau
c) Chhota Nagpur Plateau
d) East African Plateau
Answer:
b) Tibetan Plateau — Average altitude is 4,500 m; also called the “Roof of the World”.
Question 15: The Deccan Plateau of India was formed through—
a) River erosion
b) Glacial activity
c) Volcanic activity
d) Wind deposition
Answer:
c) Volcanic activity — It is one of the oldest volcanic plateaus in the world.
Question 16: Which plateau is rich in iron, coal and manganese reserves in India?
a) Deccan Plateau
b) Chhota Nagpur Plateau
c) Tibetan Plateau
d) Patagonian Plateau
Answer:
b) Chhota Nagpur Plateau — Known as a mineral-rich region.
Question 17: Which African plateau is famous for gold and diamond mining?
a) East African Plateau
b) Patagonian Plateau
c) Mongolian Plateau
d) Sahara Plateau
Answer:
a) East African Plateau — Known worldwide for gold and diamonds.
Question 18: Which Indian waterfall is located in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau?
a) Jog Falls
b) Hundru Falls
c) Nohkalikai Falls
d) Athirapally Falls
Answer:
b) Hundru Falls — On the Subarnarekha River in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau.
Question 19: Which waterfall is one of the tallest in India, dropping from 340 m in Meghalaya?
a) Jog Falls
b) Hundru Falls
c) Nohkalikai Falls
d) Victoria Falls
Answer:
c) Nohkalikai Falls — Emerges from the Cherrapunji Plateau.
Question 20: Floodplains are formed by—
a) Earthquakes
b) River deposition of sediments
c) Glacial melting
d) Landslides
Answer:
b) River deposition of sediments — These make plains fertile for agriculture.
Question 21: The Ganga plain supports over ___ crore people, about one-fourth of India’s population.
a) 20
b) 30
c) 40
d) 50
Answer:
c) 40 — About 400 million people live in the Ganga plain.
Question 22: Which of the following fibre crops is grown in the Gangetic plains?
a) Jute and Cotton
b) Rubber and Tea
c) Coffee and Cocoa
d) Grapes and Apples
Answer:
a) Jute and Cotton — Along with hemp, these fibre crops are grown in the plains.
Question 23: Which is a major challenge facing agriculture in the Ganga plains?
a) Lack of irrigation
b) Depletion of groundwater due to excessive irrigation
c) Scarcity of fertile soil
d) Absence of rainfall
Answer:
b) Depletion of groundwater due to excessive irrigation — Overuse of pumps has created concerns.
Question 24: Which type of desert is the Thar Desert of India?
a) Cold desert
b) Hot desert
c) Coastal desert
d) Semi-arid desert
Answer:
b) Hot desert — The Thar is in the northwest of India and has a hot, arid climate.
Question 25: Which desert is located in Asia and is classified as a cold desert?
a) Sahara
b) Thar
c) Gobi
d) Kalahari
Answer:
c) Gobi — A cold desert located in Asia.
Question 26: Which continent is sometimes described as a desert due to very low precipitation?
a) Asia
b) Antarctica
c) Africa
d) Australia
Answer:
b) Antarctica — Its icy climate and low precipitation make it a cold desert.
Question 27: Which ancient Indian poet wrote verses praising the Himalayas in Kumarasambhava?
a) Kalidasa
b) Tulsidas
c) Valmiki
d) Bhasa
Answer:
a) Kalidasa — His poem invokes the Himalayas as the ‘Lord of Mountains’.
Question 28: Which Indian mountaineer, despite losing a leg, climbed Everest in 2013?
a) Bachendri Pal
b) Arunima Sinha
c) Santosh Yadav
d) Premlata Agarwal
Answer:
b) Arunima Sinha — She later scaled the highest peak of every continent.
Question 29: The Sangam concept of five tiṇais classified landscapes based on—
a) Physical geography only
b) Deities, lifestyles, and emotions linked to landforms
c) Modern geology
d) Agricultural potential only
Answer:
b) Deities, lifestyles, and emotions linked to landforms — Kuriñji, Mullai, Marudam, Neydal, Pālai.
Question 30: Which tiṇai corresponds to fertile agricultural plains in Sangam poetry?
a) Kuriñji
b) Mullai
c) Marudam
d) Neydal
Answer:
c) Marudam — It refers to plains where farming was the main occupation.
Class 6 Social Science Chapter 3 Fill in the Blanks with Answers – Landforms and Life
1. A ___ is a physical feature on the Earth’s surface that takes shape over millions of years.
Answer:
landform
2. The three main categories of landforms are ___, ___ and ___.
Answer:
mountains, plateaus, and plains
3. Mountains can be recognised by a broad base, steep slopes and a narrow ___.
Answer:
summit
4. The highest mountain in the world is ___, located between Nepal and Tibet (China).
Answer:
Mount Everest
5. The ___ Range in India is among the oldest mountain ranges and has rounded peaks due to erosion.
Answer:
Aravalli
6. Forests in mountainous regions with trees like pine, fir, spruce and deodar are called ___ forests.
Answer:
montane
7. The Ganga is about ___ km long and has numerous tributaries.
Answer:
2,500
8. Farming on mountain slopes by cutting steps is known as ___ farming.
Answer:
terrace
9. The highest plateau in the world, averaging 4,500 m in altitude, is the ___ Plateau.
Answer:
Tibetan
10. The ___ Plateau in India is one of the oldest volcanic plateaus, formed millions of years ago.
Answer:
Deccan
11. The ___ Plateau in India is rich in minerals like coal, iron and manganese.
Answer:
Chhota Nagpur
12. The Nohkalikai Falls in Meghalaya drop from a height of about ___ metres.
Answer:
340
13. Plains formed by river deposits are also called ___.
Answer:
floodplains
14. About ___ crore people, nearly one-fourth of India’s population, live in the Ganga plain.
Answer:
40
15. In Sangam poetry, fertile agricultural plains are called ___, while desert-like arid regions are called ___.
Answer:
Marudam, Pālai
True or False type Questions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 3 Landforms and Life
Question 1. Mountains are always lower than the surrounding landscape. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 2. The Himalayas are considered ‘young’ mountains that are still rising in height. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 3. The Aravalli Range is among the oldest mountain ranges in India. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 4. Terrace farming is a method of farming on steep mountain slopes. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 5. The Tibetan Plateau is also known as the “Roof of the World”. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 6. The Chhota Nagpur Plateau in India is poor in minerals. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 7. Plains formed by river deposits are less fertile and unsuitable for farming. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 8. The Ganga plain supports about 40 crore people, which is nearly one-fourth of India’s population. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 9. The Gobi Desert in Asia is classified as a cold desert. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 10. In Sangam poetry, Marudam refers to fertile agricultural plains. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Assertion-Reason Questions for Social Science Chapter 3 Landforms and Life for Class 6
1. Assertion (A): The Himalayas are considered young mountains.
Reason (R): They have sharp peaks and are still rising due to geological processes.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
2. Assertion (A): Terrace farming is widely practiced in mountainous regions.
Reason (R): Mountain slopes are flat and highly suitable for regular farming without modification.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(c) A is true, but R is false — Slopes are steep and rugged, so steps are cut to enable farming.
3. Assertion (A): Plateaus are often called ‘storehouses of minerals’.
Reason (R): They are rich in deposits of coal, iron, manganese and other minerals, making mining a major activity.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
4. Assertion (A): The Ganga plain is one of the most densely populated regions in the world.
Reason (R): Floodplains formed by river sediments are very fertile and support intensive agriculture.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
5. Assertion (A): Deserts are uninhabitable and do not support any cultural traditions.
Reason (R): Harsh living conditions in deserts prevent human settlement and adaptation.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(d) A is false, but R is true — Deserts are harsh but humans have adapted and developed rich cultural traditions (e.g., in the Thar Desert).
Class 6 Social Science MCQ
- MCQ on Locating Places on the Earth for Chapter 1
- MCQ on Oceans and Continents for Chapter 2
- MCQ on Timeline and Sources of History for Chapter 4
- MCQ on India, That Is Bharat for Chapter 5
- MCQ on The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation for Chapter 6
- MCQ on India’s Cultural Roots for Chapter 7
- MCQ on Unity in Diversity, or ‘Many in the One’ for Chapter 8
- MCQ on Family and Community for Chapter 9
- MCQ on Grassroots Democracy – Part 1 Governance for Chapter 10
- MCQ on Grassroots Democracy – Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas for Chapter 11
- MCQ on Grassroots Democracy – Part 3 Local Government in Urban Areas for Chapter 12
- MCQ on The Value of Work for Chapter 13
- MCQ on Economic Activities Around Us for Chapter 14