Q144 · UPPSC Prelims 2022 · Set B · General Studies

← Q143 Q145 →

Given below are two statements, one is labelled asAssertion (A) :and the other as Reason (R).Assertion (A) :Rainfall occurs in the winter season in mediterranean climate.Reason (R):In summer these regions remain under the influence of dry terrestrial winds.Select the correct answer from the code given below:

A (A) is false but (R) is true
B (A) is true but (R) is false
C Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
D Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

Correct answer: (d) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

Explanation

  1. A

    (A) is false but (R) is true

    Option (a) claims that Assertion (A) is false while Reason (R) is true. However, both statements are factually correct regarding the climatological characteristics of the Mediterranean region.

  2. B

    (A) is true but (R) is false

    Option (b) asserts that Assertion (A) is true and Reason (R) is false. This is incorrect because the summer dryness caused by offshore winds is precisely why the region experiences Mediterranean climate patterns.

  3. C

    Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)

    Option (c) states that both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation for (A). This is wrong because the summer dominance of dry terrestrial winds directly explains why precipitation is restricted to the winter season when the pressure belts shift.

  4. D

    Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

    Option (d) states that both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and that Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A). During winter, the shifting of wind and pressure belts brings westerlies that cause rainfall, whereas in summer, the poleward shift of the subtropical high-pressure belt leaves these regions under the influence of dry trade winds or terrestrial winds, making both statements fully accurate and causally linked.

Summary. Official key is (d) because both the assertion regarding winter rainfall and the reason concerning summer dry winds in the Mediterranean climate are factually sound. The Mediterranean region is uniquely characterized by dry summers and wet winters due to the seasonal migration of planetary winds and pressure belts. In summer, the subtropical high pressure creates stable, dry conditions with offshore winds. In winter, the equatorward shift brings moist westerly winds responsible for the characteristic precipitation. Therefore, the reason correctly explains the assertion.

Same topic · past papers

UPPSC has asked this before

These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.

  1. 2024 · Q79 · UPPGS

    Consider the following statements with reference to Mediterranean climate: 1. It receives rainfall in winter season. 2. Due to winter solstice, air pressure belts shift to the South. Which of the above statements is/are correct? Select the correct answer from the code given below:

    View answer →

PDF