CBSE Class 8 Social Science Sample Paper Set B

CBSE Class 8 Social Science Sample Paper Set B. It’s always recommended to practice as many CBSE sample papers as possible before the examinations. The latest sample papers have been designed as per the latest blue prints, syllabus and examination trends. Sample papers should be practiced in examination condition at home or school and also show it to your teachers for checking or compare with the answers provided. Students can download the sample papers in pdf format free and score better marks in examinations. Refer to other links too for latest sample papers.

1 Is soil a renewable or non renewable resource?
Ans: renewable 

2 Name any two animals threatened due to poaching.
Ans: black buck, tiger, lion, snow leapord, crocodile, rhinoceros. (any2)

3 Define the term “buried sunshine”?
Ans: Coal is referred to as buried sunshine because of the following reasons:
1) It produces energy. 2) It is buried under the layers of the earth.

4 Define the term ‘Musket’ in your words.
A heavy gun used by infantry soldiers.

5 Name any two areas annexed by the British under their annexation policy.
Udaipur , Nagpur, Jhansi,Sambalpur,Satara.

6 For whom was the term ‘ryots’ used?
Ans: The term ‘ryots’ was used for the cultivators.

7 Give an example of discrimination, exclusion and persecution on the grounds of religion.
A1. Jews were persecuted in Hitler’s Germany/ In Saudi Arabia non muslims are not allowed to build a temple, church etc.

8 State the meaning of Universal Adult Franchise?
A2. U.A.F allows all adult citizens of the country the right to vote.

9 Under which article is Right to Life included?
Ans. Artcle 21 of the Indian Constitution is ‘Right to Life.

10 Identify the resources on the basis of their distribution and explain them.
Ans: Ubiquitous and Localised

11 “The distribution of population is uneven in different parts of the world”- Justify the statement.

Ans: 1. The uneven distribution of population in different parts of the world is mainly due to varied characteristics of land and climate.
2. Sparsely populated regions:- The rugged topography, steep slopes of the mountains, low lying areas suspectible to water logging, desert areas thick forested areas are normally sparsely populated or uninhabited.

3. Densely populated regions:- Plains and river valleys offer suitable land for agriculture. Hence, these are the densely populated areas of the world.

12 ‘Minerals are precious, they need to be conserved’. In the light of given statement suggest few ways to conserve minerals

Ans: Minerals can be conserved by the following ways :-
1) Reduce wastage in the process of mining.
2) Recycling of metals.
3) Export of minerals should be minimum.
4) To save the minerals their substitute should be used.

13 Name the Indian ruler who took part in the Battle of Buxar? Write in brief the outcome of the battle.

Ans: i) The Nawab of Bengal Mir Qasim fought against the East India Company.

ii) Mir Qasim was defeated in the Battle of Buxar.

iii) Mir Qasim was driven out of Bengal and Mir Jafar was reinstalled, who died the next year, i.e. 1765.

iv) The company now began to exploit the vast revenue resources of Bengal.

14 “After the set up of the East India Company in 1651 there was a constant conflict between the East India Company and the Nawabs of Bengal.” Justify the given statement.

Ans: i) The Bengal Nawabs asserted their power and autonomy and refused to grant the company concessions.
ii) They demanded large tributes for the Company’s right to trade.
iii) They denied the Company any right to mint coins.
iv) The Nawabs stopped the Company from extending its fortifications.

15 Explain the benefits reaped by the East India Company through Diwani.

Ans: The Mughal emperor, in 1765, appointed the company as the Diwan of the provinces of Bengal.
i) The Diwani allowed the Company to exploit the vast revenue resources of Bengal.
ii) The overflow of gold and silver from Britain stopped after the assumption of Diwani. Now revenue from India could finance Company expenses.
iii) These revenues they used to purchase cotton, silk textiles in India, maintain troops and meet the cost of building the Company fort and offices at Calcutta.

16 Give a brief description of the Mahalwari System.

Ans: i) The Mahalwari system was devised by an Englishman called Holt Mackenzie which came into effect in 1822.
ii) He felt that villages needed to be preserved.
iii) Under his directions collectors went from village to village inspecting the land , measuring the fields etc.
iv) The village headman was given the charge of collecting the revenue and paying to the Company.

17 The over ambitious imperialist policies followed by the British rulers before May1857were:

i) Since the mid-18th century Nawabs and Rajas had gradually lost their authority and honour.
ii) Residents had been stationed in many courts, the freedom of the rulers reduced, their armed forces
disbanded and their revenues and territories taken away by stages.
iii) The Company decided to end the Mughal dynasty. In 1849, Governor-General Dalhousie announced that after the death of Bahadur Shah Zafar the family of the king would be shifted out of the Red Fort.
iv) In 1856 Governor-General Canning decided that Bahadur Shah would be the last Mughal ruler.

18 “The Indian Constitution mandates the Indian State to be secular’. Justify the statement.

a. that one religious community does not dominate another.
b. that some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community.
c. that the State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.

19 ‘Parliament is the most important symbol of Indian democracy’. Justify the statement.

A4. a. The Parliament which is made up of representative together, controls and guides the government.
b. Parliament is a supreme legislative body.
c. It is a forum of debate and discussions and holds the government for its actions.

20 Discuss the important role of Judiciary.

Ans a. The Judicial system provides a mechanism for resolving of disputes between citizens, between citizens and the govt, between two state govt’s and between the centre and state governments.
b. The judiciary has the power to strike down particular laws passed by the Parliament if it believes that these are a violation of the basic structure of the constitution.
c. Every citizen can approach the High Court or the Supreme court if they believe that their Fundamental rights have been violated.

21 What are dowry deaths? Enumerate the provisions made for combating this problem.

Ans7. Dowry death-Death of young women who are murdered or driven to suicide by continous harassment and torture.
a. For combating this problem anti dowry proposal was kept before Supreme court in 1996-97.
b. A law was passed in 2006 to protect women against domestic violence.

22 What is Sustainable development? State the principles of Sustainable development.

Ans: Balancing the need to use resources and also to conserve them for future is called sustainable development. The principles of sustainable development are:

23 Suggest few of the measures to conserve soil resources.

Ans: 1) Mulching: The bare ground between plants is covered with a layer of organic matter like straw. It helps to retain soil moisture.
2) Contour barriers: Stones, grass, soil are used to build barriers along contours. Trenches are made in front of the barriers to collect water.
3) Rock dam: Rocks are piled up to slow down the flow of water. This prevents gullies and further soil loss.
4) Terrace farming: These are made on the steep slopes so that flat surfaces are available to grow crops. They can reduce surface run-off and soil erosion.
5) Intercropping: Different crops are grown in alternate rows and are sown at different times to protect the soil from rain wash.
6) Contour ploughing:-Ploughing parallel to the contours of a hill slope to form a natural barrier for water to flow down the slope.
7) Shelter belts: In the coastal and dry regions, rows of trees are planted to check the wind movement to protect soil cover.

24 State the ways in which minerals can be useful to us.

Ans: 1) Iron ore is used for manufacturing of machines, agriculture implements and items of general use.
2) Minerals which are used for gems are usually hard. These are then set in various styles for jewellery.
3) Copper is another metal used in everything from coins to pipes.
4) Silicon, used in the computer industry is obtained from quartz.
5) Aluminum obtained from its ore bauxite is used in automobiles and airplanes, bottling industry, buildings and even in kitchen cookware.
6) Mica is used in electrical and electronic industries.
7) Manganese ore is used for making iron, steel and preparing alloys.

25 The Indian sepoys were discontent under the East India Company.’ Highlight the reasons in your own words.

Ans: Reasons for the discontentment of the sepoys were:
i) The sepoys were given poor salaries and allowances.
ii) The condition of the service also made them unhappy.
iii) Some of the rules even violated their religious sentiments and beliefs.
iv) Sepoys who refused to go to Burma by the sea because of their beliefs were given severe punishment.
v) In 1856 the Company passed a new law which stated that every new person who took up employment in the Company’s army had to agree to serve oversees if required.
vi) Many of the sepoys were peasants whose families were living in villages. So the anger of the villagers over high taxes quickly spread among the sepoys as well

26 Describe the ways adopted by the Company to suppress the revolt of 1857.What values to the Indian people Rani Lakshmibai’s valour impart?

i) The Company decided to suppress the revolt with all its might. It brought reinforcements from England, passed new laws so that the rebels could be convicted with ease.
ii) Delhi was recaptured from the rebel forces in September 1857.
iii) The last Mughal ruler, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried in court and sentenced to life imprisonment.
iv) The British fought for two years to suppress the massive forces of popular rebellion.
v) The British took Lucknow in 1858. Rani Lakshmibai was defeated and killed in June 1858.
Values: Like Rani Lakshmibai we too should be brave and should have love for our motherland.

27 ‘The Indian state, keeps away from religion as well as intervenes in religion.’ Justify the statement by giving suitable points.
In Indian Secularism the State can intervene in religious affairs for e.g. Indian Constitution intervened in Hindu religious practices in order to abolish untouchability.

b. In Indian secularism any interference in religion by the state has to be based on the ideals laid out in the constitution.
c. Law has nothing to say in any of the religions practices but when the dominance of upper castes in religion was brought to question the law took favour of the lower caste.
d. Laws explain a concept of religion in a very different way., but people interpret it differently.
e. In a secular state law has nothing to say in any of the religious practices.
f. The state is intervening in religion in order to end a social practice that it believes isolates the Fundamental rights of the lower caste.
g.It respects the sentiments of all religions and makes certain exceptions for particular religious communities.

28 Compare and contrast between the State Legislative Assembly and the Lok Sabha.

Ans. State Legislative Assembly
a. Members are called MLA’s.
b. Elected for a term of five years.
c. Adult population of the State elects the MLA’s.
d. Leader of the majority party is C.M
e.The C.M is appointed by the Governor of State Lok Sabha
a. Members are called MP’s.
b. Elected for a term of five years.
c. Adult population of the entire country elects the MP’s
d. Leader of the majority party is the P.M
e. The P.M is appointed by the president of India

29 Recall and write about the significance of Public Interest Litigation.

Ans. The Public Interest Litigation is an important mechanism devised by the Supreme Court in the early 1980’s.Justify the statement in your own words.
The Supreme Court in the early 1980’s devised a mechanism of PIL to increase access to justice. It allowed any individual or organisation to file a PIL in the High Court or the Supreme Court on behalf of those whose rights were being violated.
High courts were established in the three presidency cities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1862.
Under the procedure the poor and downtrodden can seek and raise their voice against it by simply writing a postcard or submitting an application to the Supreme Court. Their complaints are registered and necessary orders are passed. In the early years, PIL was used to secure justice on a large number of issues such as rescuing bonded labourers from inhuman work conditions and securing the release of prisoners in Bihar who had been kept in jail even after their punishment term was complete

30 On a political map of India locate the following important centers of Freedom movement:
1. Surat
2. Champaran

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