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These vast grassy plains with tall, coarse grasses are called the savannahs or tropical grasslands. Several varieties of grass, including elephant grass, grow here. Some acacia and baobab trees are found interspersed between the grasses. Please check Map given on Textbook page 126 (Africa : Climatic and vegetation regions)

The coastal areas of north-west Africa and a small area in the south-west of South Africa experience the Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot with plentiful sunshine but no rainfall. Winters are mild and wet. Shifting Westerlies bring rain to these regions in their respective winter seasons.

 The animal seen in the picture is often referred to as the ship of the desert.

Summers are hot and winters are cool in the hot desert regions. The daily as well as annual range of temperature is large due to the absence of cloud cover and the sandy nature of the soil. There is hardly any rainfall. These climatic conditions are found both in the northern and the southern hemispheres. In north Africa it is mainly experienced in the Sahara Desert and in south-central Africa in the Kalahari Desert.

The trees have long roots, small waxy leaves, and thick spongy bark, which help them survive in the dry summers. Examples include cork, oak, laurel, olive, and fig. Forests are not extensive as most of them have been cut down and replaced by orchards of citrus fruit trees such as oranges, lemons, and grapes.

The trees have long roots, small waxy leaves, and thick spongy bark, which help them survive in the dry summers. Examples include cork, oak, laurel, olive, and fig. Forests are not extensive as most of them have been cut down and replaced by orchards of citrus fruit trees such as oranges, lemons, and grapes.

3. Strait of Gibraltar

(B) West winds

The equator passes through the middle of the continent and most of Africa lies within the tropics. It is, therefore, the hottest continent. People faced many difficulties while exploring Africa. In the north, the Sahara, the world’s largest desert, was impenetrable due to severe heat and dry conditions. Most of Africa consists of undulating plateaus, so it was difficult to reach the interior from the coastal areas. The rivers of Africa have many rapids and waterfalls, and are not fit for navigation. The extensive equatorial forests and swampy lands teeming with dangerous tsetse flies and poisonous insects discouraged explorers from entering the heart of the continent.

(A) Tropical Region

1-Egypt 

2 -South Africa

a) Tropic of Cancer.

b) Tropic of Capricorn.

(A) Mineral oil/Petroleum

(D) all the above

The Dutch companies established control over the oil mining and refining in Nigeria.

Nigeria started exporting mineral oil in the year 1958.

Answer is (B) 1960 

(C) Both A & B

Answer is (A) Sahara

(B) Atlantic ocean

The largest sand desert in the world Sahara.

(B) second-largest

The poet comes to know about the history of Africa from his grandmother’s songs.

The poet has heard his grandmother sing about Africa. In spite of staying away from his land, he knows that he belongs there. He knows that the blood that flows in his veins belongs to Africa. He feels the affinity to that land and the people. He describes it as a beautiful land of ‘ancestral savannahs’ and irrigated fields.

“Africa of whom my grandmother sings/On the banks of the distant river/1 have never known you” – these lines express the feeling that the poet didn’t spend much of his life in Africa.

The poet has heard his grandmother sing about Africa. He has heard about the proud warriors of Africa. Though he has never been there, he knows much about it. The beautiful black blood which irrigates the fields is the same as that which flows in the veins of the poet. By referring to all this, he establishes his link with Africa.

The tree grows patiently and obstinately.

B) feels proud of his African descent

A) bom and lived in a different country

East: The Red Sea, the Gulf of Eden and the Indian Ocean. 

West: Atlantic Ocean 

North: Mediterranean Sea 

South: Southern Ocean

(C) Nile River

The tree refers to Africa. The tree is a symbol of growth and the poet tries to show that despite all the struggles, Africa continues to grow. The poet expresses that the freedom struggle is still going on in a majestic way.

“Is this you this back that is bent. This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation.” These lines talk about the humiliation suffered by the Africans.

The fruits acquire a bitter taste because the liberation of the oppressed is not a simple thing. It needs sacrifice and determination. Some people lose their lives in the process. So, in such a case, liberty is never sweet but bitter.

The tree stands in splendid loneliness amidst white and faded flowers.

Red scars are caused by the whipping of the blacks by the whites in the scorching heat of the midday sun. Thus, the phrase ‘Red scars’ describes the wounds and injury the blacks suffer from in their state of slavery.

The symbol of the young and strong tree refers to Africa. It suggests that after colonialism Africa will begin to grow up again just as a young tree.

1. ‘That’ refers to the tree. 

2. It grows patiently without giving up. When the poet uses the word ‘obstinately’, which means stubbornly, he is positive in what he conveys. He wants to express the idea that the tree which symbolizes the nation, is determined and cannot be defeated. 

3. It refers to liberty which is not fully achieved. In this case it is the liberty of Africa. It can also be a pointer to the bloodshed that has made the fruit of liberty bitter.

The back of Africa.

It breaks under the weight of humiliation (caused by the white man).

People with different languages, lifestyles and habits live in different regions of Africa. Since ancient times, people have lived in small tribes, carrying out hunting, gathering, animal husbandry and agriculture. Hunters have inhabited the equatorial regions and the deserts, Pastoralists inhabited the high plateaus and Savanna, grazing their animals on the extensive grasslands. Agriculture has long been carried out on river banks as well as on the margins of forests. There were several cities on the coasts where traders from distant countries came to trade.

While their backs were trembling with red scars, they were saying ‘yes’ to the whip under the midday sun.

‘A grave voice’ answers the poet.

The tree refers to ‘Africa’.

The voice addresses him as ‘impetuous son’.

Bays: Bays of Djibouti, Bay of Yemen, Bays of Somalia, Bays of Madagascar. Gulfs: the Gulf of Sidra, Gulf of Guinea, Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aden.

(D) Boabab tree

Correct Answer is: A) timid

B) grandmother’s songs

A) picture of hope in the future