Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists: List I (Cloud) A. Cirrus B. Stratus C. Nimbus D. Cumulus growing List II (Characteristic) 1. Rain giving 2. Feathery appearance 3. Vertically 4. Horizontally spreading Code : A B C D

The classification of clouds is based on their appearance and altitude. Cirrus clouds (A) are high-altitude clouds characterized by a thin, feathery appearance [2]. Stratus clouds (B) are low-level clouds that form uniform, flat layers, typically spreading horizontally across the sky [1]. Nimbus clouds (C), specifically nimbostratus, are dense, shapeless masses known for being rain-giving and producing continuous precipitation [2]. Cumulus clouds (D) are defined by their vertical development; when growing, they form towering structures like cumulus congestus or cumulonimbus, which are associated with strong updrafts and thunderstorms [2]. Matching these characteristics: A-2 (Feathery), B-4 (Horizontally spreading), C-1 (Rain giving), and D-3 (Vertically growing) leads to the correct sequence 2-4-1-3.

Sources

1. [1] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: Water in the Atmosphere > Nimbus > p. 88
2. [2] https://www.weather.gov/media/lmk/soo/cloudchart.pdf