Chapter – 6

Secondary Activities

In this post, we have given the Important Questions of Class 12 Geography Chapter 6 (Secondary Activities) in English. These Important Questions are useful for the students who are going to appear in class 12 board exams.

Board	CBSE Board, UP Board, JAC Board, Bihar Board, HBSE Board, UBSE Board, PSEB Board, RBSE Board
Textbook	NCERT
Class	Class 12
Subject	Geography
Chapter no.	Chapter 6
Chapter Name	(Secondary Activities)
Category	Class 12 Geography Important Questions in English
Medium	English

Chapter – 6, (Secondary Activities)

Very Short Answer Type

Q1. Mention any two major problems of the Ruhr industrial region.
Ans: The two major problems are as follows:
(1) Changes in the industrial structure as the demand for coal declined, led to the decay of this region.
(2) There are other problems related to industrial waste disposal and pollution.

Q2. Define the term technopolies.
Ans: Technopolies is the term given to high-tech industries which are regionally concentrated, self-sustained and highly specialized,
E.g., Silicon Valley near San Francisco.

Q3. How has the ‘New Ruhr’ landscape emerged?
Ans: The ‘New Ruhr’ landscape has emerged as a result of more focus on the concentration of new industries like the huge Opel car assembly plant, new chemical plants, universities and out of town shopping centers.

Q4. What is the household industry?
Ans: The household industry is the smallest unit of manufacturing, also known as a cottage industry. It is basically run by creative individuals or craftsmen who are assisted by their family members in their home.

Q5. What is the importance of secondary activities in the world?
Ans: The importance of secondary activities is that these activities add value to the natural resources by the transformation of raw materials into useful and valuable products.

Q6. Name three sub-sectors of cotton textile industry in the world.
Ans: Three sub-sectors of cotton textile industry are:
(i) Handloom
(ii) Power loom, and
(iii) Mill sector.

Q7. Explain the characteristics of organizational structure and stratification of modern large scale manufacturing industry.
Ans: Modern manufacturing is characterized by:
(a) A complex machine technology.
(b) Extreme specialization and division of labor for producing more goods with less effort,
(c) Low costs,
(d) Vast capital,
(e) Large organization,
(f) Executive bureaucracy.

Q8. What factors have reduced the dependence of industry upon labour?
Ans:

(i) Increasing Mechanization
(ii) Automation
(iii) Flexibility of Industrial processes.

Q9. ‘Secondary activities add value to natural resources.’ Explain it.
Ans: Secondary activities add value to natural resources by transforming raw materials into more usable products. Most of the materials from the farm, forest, mine, and the sea are transformed into valuable products. Secondary activities, therefore are concerned with
manufacturing, processing, and construction (infrastructure) industries.

Q10. Which processes help secondary activities?
Ans: Secondary activities change the form and value of raw material by the following process:

• Manufacturing
• Processing
• Construction.

Q11. Explain the main characteristic of professional workers (White collar).
Ans: White collar workers does clerical workman in an office and draws monthly salaries at a fixed price. They perform managerial work for the organization.

Q12. What are characteristics of modern manufacturing?
Ans: Modern manufacturing is characterized by:

• A complex machine technology
• Extreme specialization and division of labour for producing more goods with less efforts,
• Vast capital
• Large organizations and
• Executive bureaucracy.

Q13 Classify industries into two groups on the basis of metallic minerals.
Ans: Industries classified on the basis of metallic minerals are ferrous and non-ferrous industries.

Short Answer Based Questions

Q1. What are the characteristics of traditional large scale Industrial regions?
Ans: Traditional Large-Scale Industrial Regions These are based on heavy industry, often located near coalfields and engaged in metal
smelting, heavy engineering, chemical manufacture or textile production. These industries are now known as smokestack industries.
Traditional industrial regions can be recognized by:

• High proportion of employment in manufacturing industry.
• High-density housing, often of inferior type, and poor services.
• Unattractive environment, for example, pollution, waste tips, and so on.
• Problems of unemployment, emigration and derelict land areas caused by
  closure of factories because of a world-wide fall in demand.

Q2. Write a short note on cotton textile industries of the world?
Ans: Textile Industries. These are labor-intensive industries that require less-skilled, lowcost workers. The production steps include spinning of fiber, weaving of yam, and finishing of fabric. Manufacturing is concentrated in countries where the main raw material-cotton-is grown. China, India, Pakistan, USA and Uzbekistan grow and produce more than half of the world’s cotton and cotton textiles. The UK, Northwest Europe and Japan are also leading manufacturers depending on imported fiber and yarn. Europe alone accounts for nearly half of the world cotton imports. The
industry has now declined in many countries but the main centers still retain some of the finishing trades. The future of the industry is bright in Asian countries due to the rising standard of living and a booming global market.

Q3. Explain any five characteristics of high-tech industry in the world.
Ans:

(i) Professional workers make up a large share of the total workforce.
(ii) Neatly spaced, low and modern offices and factories, along with planned business parks for high-tech start-ups are its characteristics.
(iii) High-tech industry is regionally. Concentrated, self sustained and highly specialised and known as technopolies.
(iv) For high-tech startups planned business parks have become part of regional and local developments.
(v) High-tech industries are the latest generation of manufacturing activities.

Q4. Explain the characteristics of ‘Foot Loose Industries’.
Ans:

(i) Foot loose industries can be located in a wide variety of places.
(ii) They do not depend on any specific raw material, weight losing or otherwise.
(iii) They are dependent on component parts which can be obtained from anywhere.
(iv) They produce in small quantity and also employ a small labour force.
(v) They do not cause any kind of pollution.

Q5. Explain any three characteristics of organizational structure and stratification of modern large scale manufacturing industry.
Ans: The characteristics of modern large scale manufacturing industries are as follows:

• Complicated Organization Modern large scale industrial processes consist of multiple activities to run the industries.
• Specialized and Skilled Labour The specialized and skilled labour is required in the modern manufacturing industries. Thus, skilled manpower is increasing.
• Use of Power Resources These industries widely uses huge power to run heavy machines in the production process.

Q.6. Explain any four features of small manufacturing.
Ans: Characteristics:

• Small manufacturing uses local raw materials.
• Semi-skilled labour is used.
• The goods are sold in local markets.
• It provides employment in large number.

Q7. Define the term manufacturing. Explain any four features of small scale manufacturing.
Ans: Manufacturing means to make by hand, however now it includes goods made by machines. It is essentially a process which involves transforming raw materials into finished goods for higher value for sale in local or distant markets.
The four features of small scale manufacturing are as follows:

• It differs from household industries and large scale industries by its production techniques and place.
• This type of manufacturing uses local raw material, simple power driven machines and semi-skilled labour.
• It provides employment and raises local purchasing power.
• These manufacturing units have developed labour intensive techniques in order to provide employment to their population.

Q8 Differentiate between small scale manufacturing and large scale manufacturing.

Ans:

Large scale manufacturing 

• Large scale industries use power driven heavy machines.
• Large amount of capital is invested.
• These industries form the basis of development in developed countries.

Small scale manufacturing

• Small scale industries use small power driven machines.
• A small amount of capital is invested.
• These industries provide employment in developing countries.

Q9. Describe any three characteristics of agro based industries in the world.
Ans:

Agro – Industries

• Agro – industries are based on products of primary occupations such as agriculture.
• Agricultural products are processed to useful products such as tax tiles from cotton, sugar from sugarcane.
• These are labour intensive industries.

Heavy Industries

• Heavy industries are based on manufactured goods involving use of machines.
• A number of complex products are manufactured from semi finished goods as iron used in the making of machinery.
• These are capital intensive industries.

Q10. “Africa has immense natural resources and yet it is industrially the most backward continent.” Lack of which value leads to this backwardness in Africa.
Ans: Lack of following values leads to the backwardness of Africa:

• Nationalism
• Social welfare
• Caring attitude towards people.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Explain five factors that influence the industrial location in the world.
Ans: Factors influencing the industrial location in the world are as follows:

Access to Market: Market refers to the people for whom goods are manufactured. Market affects the location of an industry. A manufacturing unit is established near the market area. Areas having more population are big markets for manufactured goods, as compared to areas having less population. Apart from it, areas having a population with more purchasing power also have a big market.

Access to Raw Material: Industries that use heavy, bulky and weight-losing raw materials are established near the source of raw material. For e.g. in sugar industries, sugarcane is a perishable and weight-losing raw material. To reduce the transport cost, industries are located near a source of raw material.

Access to Sources of Energy: Industries using more power and energy are established near the source of energy, e.g. aluminium industry.

Access to Transportation and Communication: Industries are located in areas that have an efficient transport network to get the raw material from various regions and supply manufactured goods to market. Communication network is also needed to communicate with the consumers. Thus, transport and communication are important factors that affect the location of an industry.

Government Policies: Favorable government policies that promote industrialisation is also important in deciding the location of an industry.

Q2. Define the term manufacturing. Explain any four features of small scale manufacturing.
Ans: Manufacturing means to make by hand, however now it includes goods made by machines. It is essentially a process which involves transforming raw materials into finished goods for higher value for sale in local or distant markets.
The four features of small scale manufacturing are as follows:

• It differs from household industries and large scale industries by its production techniques and place.
• This type of manufacturing uses local raw material, simple power driven machines and semi-skilled labour.
• It provides employment and raises local purchasing power.
• These manufacturing units have developed labour intensive techniques in order to provide employment to their population.

Q3. Explain the role of power and raw material in the location of heavy industries in India.
Ans: Power All the Industries require energy as they are run by energy such as cotton textile and Iron and steel Industries.
Role of power is as follows;

• Power provides the motive force for machines.
• Its supply has to be ensured before the location of any Industry.
• Certain Industries like aluminum and synthetic nitrogen manufacturing

industries tend to be located near sources of power. Raw material Industries are located in those areas where the raw material is available near to
the industry. Role of raw material is as follows:

• Industries using weight-losing raw materials are located in the regions where the raw material is located.
• Sugar mills, pulp industries, copper smelting and pig iron industries are located near their raw material.
• Most of the iron and steel industries are located near coal fields or near sources of iron ore.

Q4. Explain the significance of the iron and steel industry of India giving three points.
Ans: Iron and. the steel industry is basic to the industrial development of the country. The development of the iron and steel industry opened the doors to the rapid industrial development in India.
The main significance of the iron and steel industry are:
1. Almost all sectors of the Indian Industry depend heavily on the iron and steel industry for their basic infrastructure.
2. It provides the raw material for other industries such as machine tools used for further production.
3. Iron and steel provide a base for all other industries, so it is called a basic industry.

Q5. How are technological innovations an important aspect of modern manufacturing industries? Explain any three aspects in this regard.
Ans: Technological innovations through research and development strategies are an important aspect of modern manufacturing for quality control, eliminating waste and inefficiency and combating pollution.
Three aspects in this regard are as under:

• Complex machine technology is needed so that high quality goods are produced at less time.
• It requires vast capital so that machines with the latest technology can be used in manufacturing.
• Extreme specialization and division of labour is required, that can work efficiently on the machines.

Q6. Define manufacturing. Classify manufacturing industries on the basis of size into three categories and explain the important characteristics of each type.
Ans: For definition and characteristics of manufacturing industries, Manufacturing means to make by hand, however now it includes goods made by machines. It is essentially a process which involves transforming raw materials into finished goods for higher value for sale in local or distant markets.

The four features of small scale manufacturing are as follows:

• It differs from household industries and large scale industries by its production techniques and place.
• This type of manufacturing uses local raw material, simple power driven machines and semi-skilled labour.
• It provides employment and raises local purchasing power.
• These manufacturing units have developed labour intensive techniques in order to provide employment to their population.

On the basis of their size, industries are classified into the following:

Cottage Manufacturing

• It is the smallest manufacturing unit.
• The artisans use local raw materials.
• Part time labour or artisan’s family members produce everyday goods in their homes with the help of simple tools.
• Finished goods may be used for consumption in the same household or for sale in the local market.

Large Scale Manufacturing

• It requires a large market.
• It needs enormous energy and various raw materials.
• It also requires specialized workers, advanced technology, assembly line mass production and huge capital.
• Now, it has diffused to almost all over the world.

Q7. Write a short note on Silicon Valley.
Ans: ‘Silicon Valley’ technopolis :
The development of Silicon valley is attributed to the work of Frederick Terman, a professor and later, Vice-President of Stanford University at Palo Alto, in the northwestern part of Santa Clara country in California. In 1930s, Terman encouraged his students in electrical
engineering to stay in the areas and establish their own companies.

One of the first companies was set up by William Hewlett and David Packard in a garage near the University campus. Now it is one of the world’s largest electronic firms. By the end of 1950s Terman had persuaded Stanford University to develop a special industrial park for
such new high-tech firms. It created a hot house of innovation and generating a significant specialized work force and produce services.

It has sustained the continued agglomeration of high-tech electronics and has also attracted other high-tech industries. For example, nearly a third of all employment in biotechnology in the USA is located in California. Of this, over 90 percent is located in the San Francisco Bay
area. Stanford University has been receiving increasing amount of donations from grateful companies, which runs into millions of dollars annually.

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