Question

Name the huge ancient landmass which consisted of India, Australia, South Africa, and South America as one single landmass.
A. Angara land
B. Canadian shield
C. Gondwana land
D. Tethys sea

Answer 1

Hint: When a number of continental blocks assemble together to form a single landmass, it is called a supercontinent. In the geologic past, the supercontinent Pangea split into a northernmost and a southernmost landmass.

Complete Answer:
Between 170 and 180 million years ago, the Gondwana landmass began to disassemble owing to strain and other geological factors. Initially, present-day Africa and South America broke apart from the rest of the landmass. Eventually, Madagascar broke apart from India, Australia, and Antarctica. About 45 million years ago, Australia moved towards the north due to the gradual cooling of Earth's temperature. Hence, modern-day India, Australia, South Africa, and South America exist as a single huge landmass commonly known as Gondwana land.
The northern block of unselected Pangea is known by the names of Laurasia or Angara land. This block shifting to the north started to break down about 200 million years ago. Eventually, the landmass disintegrated into the present-day continents of North America, Europe, and Asia. Hence, option (A) is incorrect.
Canadian Shield is a physiographic division composed of both igneous and metamorphic rocks. The main core of the North American continent is composed of the Canadian Shield. So, option (B) is wrong.
Tethys sea is the oceanic part present between the then landmasses of Angara land and Gondwanaland. Tethys sea gradually shrunk and disappeared completely giving rise to a mountain range. So, option (D) is wrong.
So, the correct answer is Option C.

Note: The two blocks into which the supercontinent Pangea split about 180 million years ago are -Laurasia and Gondwana land. After the division, Laurasia drifted to the north whereas Gondwanaland drifted to the south.