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

Cloud classification is based on appearance and altitude. Cirrus clouds are high-level clouds composed of ice crystals, giving them a distinct feathery or wispy appearance [2]. Stratus clouds are low-level clouds that form uniform, flat layers, typically spreading horizontally to cover the entire sky like a blanket [1]. Nimbus clouds are thick, dark, and shapeless masses primarily characterized as rain-giving or precipitating clouds [3]. Cumulus clouds are characterized by their vertical development, appearing as fluffy, heap-like structures with flat bases that grow upward due to atmospheric convection [2]. Therefore, the correct matching is A-2 (Cirrus-Feathery), B-4 (Stratus-Horizontally spreading), C-1 (Nimbus-Rain-giving), and D-3 (Cumulus-Vertically growing). This corresponds to option 3.

Sources

1. [2] https://www.weather.gov/media/lmk/soo/cloudchart.pdf
2. [1] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: Water in the Atmosphere > Nimbus > p. 88
3. [3] https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/cloud/