CBSE Class 7 Social Science Chapter 07 Infrastructure Engine Of Indias Development MCQs Set 03

Answer: (A) Twenty-foot Equivalent Units

Explanation:
TEU stands for Twenty-foot Equivalent Units, a measure used to describe the capacity of container ships and the activity level at a port, with one TEU roughly equal to 33 cubic metres.

Answer: (B) The third-largest metro network, after China and the USA

Explanation:
Metro trains already run in 23 Indian cities covering over 1,000 km, and the chapter notes that continued expansion will soon place India's network third in the world, behind only China and the USA.

Answer: (B) It can quickly reach difficult terrains such as mountains, deserts and oceanic stretches that other transport cannot

Explanation:
Being the fastest mode of connectivity, aircraft can deliver aid across terrains that roads or railways struggle to reach, such as high mountains, deserts, dense forests and long ocean stretches, making them vital during disaster relief.

Answer: (A) India has more minor ports than major ports, and cargo volumes have grown significantly over the last decade

Explanation:
The chapter states India has 12 major ports and 217 minor ports, showing minor ports far outnumber major ones, and mentions that cargo volume handled has risen by 50 per cent over the past decade thanks to the roughly 11,100 km coastline linking India to West Asia, Africa and Europe.

Answer: (B) Candlestick phone, rotary phone, cordless/desk phone, mobile phone, smartphone

Explanation:
The evolution chart moves chronologically from the 1880s candlestick-style phone, to the 1940s-60s rotary and desk telephones, followed by mobile handsets in the 1990s-2000s, and finally the smartphone in the 2010s.

Answer: (B) True national development means urban and rural areas enjoy equal access to infrastructure like roads, power, water and communication

Explanation:
Kalam's words set the theme for the chapter by suggesting that genuine development is measured not by infrastructure in cities alone, but by equal availability of facilities like roads, electricity, water and communication in both villages and towns.

Answer: (B) To illustrate how multiple types of infrastructure work together like connected pieces of a puzzle to support ordinary livelihoods

Explanation:
Satish's tomatoes reaching the city fresh depended on irrigation canals, good roads, cold storage and internet access for prices — the story uses this example to show infrastructure functioning as interlinked pieces rather than isolated facilities.

Answer: (C) State highways are built and maintained by states through their public works departments, while national highways and expressways are managed by the central government

Explanation:
The chapter draws a clear distinction: state highways connecting towns and districts fall under state public works departments, whereas the faster national highways and expressways linking cities across states are the central government's responsibility.

Answer: (B) The exclusive right to make, sell or use an invention for a fixed number of years

Explanation:
A patent is a legal right given by the government or institutions allowing only the patent-holder to make, sell or use their invention for a certain period, which is why Marconi's patented device gained wider recognition than J.C. Bose's unpatented work.

Answer: (B) The 'garden city' concept, featuring bamboo structures and green spaces

Explanation:
The airport blends modern passenger facilities with a 'garden city' theme, incorporating bamboo structures, plants and vibrant greenery alongside the latest infrastructure technology.

Answer: (B) To match the road's width with the nature and volume of traffic it needed to carry

Explanation:
The text specified varying widths — such as 16 m for royal highways and roads connecting towns and villages, versus narrower 8 m forest roads and 2.5 m chariot roads — based on the kind of traffic each type of road was expected to handle.

Answer: (B) About 11,100 km, connecting India to trading regions like West Asia, Africa and Europe

Explanation:
The chapter notes the coastline's length as roughly 11,100 km, which supports India's shipping trade with regions such as West Asia, Africa and Europe by allowing heavy goods to move cheaply over long distances.

Answer: (B) Schools, hospitals, police stations and community centres

Explanation:
While physical infrastructure covers transport, utilities, energy and communication systems, the chapter introduces social infrastructure separately as facilities like schools, colleges, hospitals, police and fire stations, courts, parks and libraries that support community wellbeing.

Answer: (C) It is a shared duty, where citizens must use infrastructure responsibly and report damage, alongside government penalties for violators

Explanation:
The chapter argues that while authorities can impose fines to discourage damage, ordinary citizens equally need to use facilities carefully and report issues such as potholes or broken streetlights, framing infrastructure upkeep as a collective responsibility rather than the government's job alone.

Answer: (B) Second, after the USA

Explanation:
The chapter notes that as of 2024, India has the world's second-largest road network, trailing only the United States.

Answer: (B) Srinagar and Kanyakumari

Explanation:
Stretching 4,112 km, NH44 runs from Srinagar in the north down to Kanyakumari in the south, linking the country from end to end.

Answer: (B) It decoded signals received by early wireless devices

Explanation:
Bose invented a new type of coherer, a component essential to early wireless systems because it interpreted the signals that were being transmitted.

Answer: (A) It has about 1.21 million direct employees plus many indirect jobs

Explanation:
• Indian Railways employed roughly 1.21 million people in 2024, including engineers, ticket collectors and service staff.
• Beyond this, it also generates indirect employment through catering, vending and taxi services.
• This makes it one of the largest employers described in the chapter.

Answer: (B) By running on electricity, with some routes even using solar power

Explanation:
Metro trains cut pollution by relying on cleaner fuels such as electricity instead of fossil fuels, and the chapter specifically points out that the Delhi Metro even draws on solar power for part of its operations.

Answer: (B) To show how infrastructure can be designed more safely with concern for biodiversity

Explanation:
This example appears alongside discussion of sustainable infrastructure, illustrating that thoughtful design can protect wildlife while keeping transport systems safe.

Answer: (B) The fax machine by Alexander Bain

Explanation:
The fax machine, invented by Alexander Bain in 1843, predates the telegraph signal of 1844, Bell's telephone of 1876, and Bose's 1895/1899 wireless work, making it the earliest of the four on the timeline.

Answer: (B) To reveal the vast, largely unseen communication infrastructure working behind a simple message

Explanation:
Behind one tap-and-send action lies electricity, mobile towers, buried fibre cables, satellites and servers — the story is used to make this hidden network visible to readers.

Answer: (B) He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909

Explanation:
After patenting a device similar to Bose's and transmitting a radio signal across the Atlantic in 1901, Marconi went on to win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909.

Answer: (B) To show that organised planning and protection of infrastructure has existed in India for centuries

Explanation:
By describing specified road widths and penalties for damaging reservoirs or parks under Kautilya's rules, the chapter demonstrates that structured infrastructure governance is not a modern invention but has deep historical roots.

Answer: (B) Good infrastructure design should also consider safety, inclusivity, and environmental impact

Explanation:
The chapter links these examples to its call for sustainable infrastructure that serves everyone, including children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, while also protecting the natural environment.