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1. Solution: b)
Article 123 of the constitution gives legislative power to
President. He can issue
ordinances when Parliament is in recess i.e. not in session if
there is urgent need to
have a law on some urgent public matter. The promulgated
ordinance has similar
effect to an act of parliament. However, every ordinance must be
laid and approved
by both houses of the parliament within 6 weeks from the
reassembling. If not
placed and approved by both houses of the parliament after
reassembling it becomes
invalid or lapses.
2. Solution: c)
WNTD is one of eight official global public health campaigns
marked by the WHO.
The FCTC, one of the most quickly ratified treaties in United
Nations history, is a
supranational agreement that seeks "to protect present and
future generations from
the devastating health, social, environmental and economic
consequences of tobacco
consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke" by enacting a set of
universal
standards stating the dangers of tobacco and limiting its use in
all forms worldwide.
Even though it talks about regulating the use of tobacco, it
does not provide for a
tobacco ban; neither about alternative livelihoods for
farmers.
3. Solution: a)
Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (UP FDA) had
recently asked
Nestle India to withdraw a batch of Maggi noodles from the
market after they had
found that it contained high level of lead and Monosodium
glutamate (MSG), a taste
enhancer.
Monosodium glutamate is a kind of amino acid. It occurs
naturally in many
agricultural products. Monosodium glutamate is added
artificially to packaged food
to enhance flavour. Large doses of MSG can cause headaches and
other feelings of
discomfort collectively known as Chinese Restaurant
Syndrome.
4. Solution: a)
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Recently, Nobel peace prize winning organisation OPCW
(Organisation for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) has achieved major milestone of
destroying 90
per cent of the global chemical weapons stockpile.
OPCW promotes, administers and verifies the adherence to the
Convention on the
Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use
of Chemical
Weapons and on their Destruction (CWC).
This convention outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of
chemical weapons
and their precursors. 190 member-states have signed and ratified
this convention
including India. Six states- Angola, Egypt, Israel, Myanmar,
North Korea and South
Sudan are still outside the CWC.
5. Solution: c)
AFSPA initially empowered only the Governors of the States and
the Administrators
of the Union Territories to declare areas in the concerned State
or the Union
Territory as 'disturbed'. But, since 1972 AFSPA can be enforced
by the Central
government too.
The Act gives the military special powers over disturbed areas
where it can use
force (without formal prosecution etc.) if it deems
necessary.
The Act has received criticism from several sections for alleged
concerns about
human rights violations in the regions of its enforcement
alleged to have happened.
Hence, the Tripura government has decided to withdraw the Armed
Forces Special
Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 from the remaining areas of the state.
Consent of military
is not required to withdraw the act from disturbed areas.
6. Solution: d)
The rate of disappearance will depend on how much greenhouse-gas
emissions
continue to rise and indirectly will affect temperature,
snowfall and rainfall in this
region. Increased temperatures due to global warming will not
only increase the
rates of snow and ice melt, but can also result in a change of
precipitation from snow
to rain at critical elevations, where glaciers are concentrated.
It will greatly affect the
farming and hydropower generation downstream of the Himalayan
peaks. While,
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avalanches and earthquakes in this region also can breach the
dams, causing
catastrophic floods. It can also result in the creation and
growth of lakes dammed by
glacial debris.
Albedo is the fraction of solar energy (shortwave radiation)
reflected from the Earth
back into space. It is a measure of the reflectivity of the
earth's surface. Ice, especially
with snow on top of it, has a high albedo: most sunlight hitting
the surface bounces
back towards space.
7. Solution: d)
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) is a national
agency of Government
of India, with the remit to consider and recommend foreign
direct investment (FDI)
which does not come under the automatic route. It provides a
single window
clearance for proposals on FDI in India.
It comprises of secretaries of different ministries with
Secretary, Department of
Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance being the chairman.
In a significant move aimed at expediting flow of foreign
investment into the
country, the Union Cabinet liberalised the FDI policy further by
allowing the FIPB to
clear proposals from overseas entities worth up to 30 billion,
against the existing
limit of 12 billion. Recommendations of FIPB for proposals up to
30 billion are
approved by Minister of Finance. While recommendations for
proposals of more
than 3000 crore need to be approved by Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs
(CCEA).
8. Solution: d)
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/blu-ray2.htm
Blu-ray discs are almost as thick as DVDs.
9. Solution: c)
Poona Pact, (Sept. 24, 1932), agreement between Hindu leaders in
India granting
new rights to untouchables (low-caste Hindu groups). The pact,
signed at Poona
(now Pune, Maharashtra), resulted from the communal award of
Aug. 4, 1932, made
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by the British government on the failure of the India parties to
agree, which allotted
seats in the various legislatures of India to the different
communities. Mahatma
Gandhi objected to the provision of separate electorates for the
Scheduled (formerly
untouchable) Castes, which in his view separated them from the
whole Hindu
community. Though in prison, Gandhi announced a fast unto death,
which he began
on September 18.
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the untouchable leader, who felt that
his groups special
interests might be advanced by the governments system, resisted
concessions until
Gandhi was near death. He and the Hindu leaders then agreed to
the pact, which
withdrew separate electorates but gave increased representation
to the Scheduled
Castes for a 10-year period.
10. Solution: c)
They are extra-constitutional in emergence. In other words, they
are not mentioned
in the Constitution. However, the Rules of Business provide for
their establishment.
They are of two typesstanding and ad hoc. They are set up by the
Prime Minister
according to the exigencies of the time and requirements of the
situation.
They not only sort out issues and formulate proposals for the
consideration of the
Cabinet, but also take decisions. However, the Cabinet can
review their decisions.
11. Solution: a)
Triticale, Wheat-rye hybrid that has a high yield and rich
protein content. The first
cross was reported in 1875, the first fertile cross in 1888. The
name triticale first
appeared in scientific literature in 1935 and is attributed to
Erich Tschermak von
Seysenegg. In favourable environmental conditions its yield
equals that of wheat;
under poor conditions its yield exceeds that of wheat. Its flour
is not very suitable for
breadmaking but can be blended with wheat flour. Major producers
are Russia, the
U.S., and Australia.
12. Solution: a)
The most remarkable among Mauryan Art is the highly polished
monolithic lion-
capital found at Sarnath, which is now the Emblem of the
Government of India. It
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represents four roaring lions back to back facing the four
cardinal directions. The
round abacus is decorated with four dharmachakras or wheels of
law, alternating
with an elephant, a bull, a horse and a lion, all carved with
masterly skill. The abacus
is supported by a bell-shaped base consisting of a lotus with
dharmachakra, which
perhaps symbolized the victory of righteousness over physical
force. The superb
modelling of the figures executed in a realistic manner with a
certain stylization, is
invested with a great power and dignity, and reveals the
aristocratic and
international nature of Mauryan art.
13. Solution: b)
Here, no definition is absolutely appropriate. UPSC will often
give such options to
confuse you.
Best approach would be to eliminate and select. Option A is a
very general
statement, and thus cannot be true.
Option C and D can be true for any of the sectors of the
economy.
So, option B is the most appropriate choice here.
Right definition would be - The primary sector of the economy is
the sector of an
economy making direct use of natural resources. This includes
agriculture, forestry,
fishing and mining. This is contrasted with the secondary
sector, producing
manufactured goods, and the tertiary sector, producing
services.
14. Solution: a)
Renowned American mathematician and Nobel laureate John Nash
passed away
recently. He was renowned for works in game theory.
Game theory is the study of strategic decision making.
Specifically, it is "the study of
mathematical models of conflict and cooperation between
intelligent rational
decision-makers." An alternative term suggested "as a more
descriptive name for the
discipline" is interactive decision theory.
Game theory is mainly used in economics, political science, and
psychology, as well
as logic, computer science, and biology. The subject first
addressed zero-sum games,
such that one person's gains exactly equal net losses of the
other participant or
participants. Today, however, game theory applies to a wide
range of behavioral
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relations, and has developed into an umbrella term for the
logical side of decision
science, including both humans and non-humans (e.g. computers,
animals).
15. Solution: a)
During the past one year, the Ministry of Earth Sciences has
provided agro-
meteorological advisories through mobile phones to 7.1 million
farmers in 505
districts, launched customized weather forecast service for the
holy yatra to
Amarnath Cave and commissioned a weather forecasting system at
the heliport
serving pilgrim going to Vaishnodevi.
In addition, a SMS-based disaster alert system for cyclones,
storms and heavy rains
was also developed for the nation and two mobile applications
for android phones
and tablets called India weather` and SAFAR-Air has been
launched. India Weather
is designed to give current day and four-days advance forecast
of weather in 310
cities across the country, while Safar-Air provides air quality
information for the
metro cities in the country.
16. Solution: c)
After Alexander's invasion of India in 326 B.C., the Indo-
Greek, Indo Scythian and Kushan kings ruled over its
north-western territories and under their patronage
emerged a distinct style of sculpture, popularly known as
the Greco-Roman, Buddhist or Gandhara art. It was a
product of the combination of Hellenistic, West Asiatic
and native elements. Greek and Roman techniques,
modified according to Indian requirements, were
employed in fashioning the Gandhara sculpture which
truly represents Indian culture in a Western garb. The
subject-matter treated is predominantly Buddhist. Its area
extended from Takshila in India to the Swat Valley in
Pakistan and northwards to areas in Afghanistan.
The first century of the Christian era's revolutionary
change, had far-reaching effects, not only on the art of
India, but also on the artistic development of Buddhist
Head of Buddha,
Gandhara period, 2nd
century A.D., Uttar
Pradesh
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countries of Asia. Buddha who was hitherto designated
only by a symbol, was conceived in human form. His
person was given some of the 32 suspicious bodily signs
associated with the Mahapurushalakshana, such as the
protuberance of the skull, the hair-knot, bindi between the
eyebrows and elongated ears. This change came about as a
result of the new changes that had crept into the religious
outlook of Buddhism due to the influence of the
Devotional School of Hindu Philosophy, requiring the
worship of personal gods. It must have exercised profound
influence on the religious approach of the masses towards
Buddhism. The image becomes henceforth the main
element of sculpture and worship. Possibly, the emergence
of the image of Buddha in Gandhara and in Mathura was a
parallel development. In each case, it was produced by the
local artist craftsmen working in the local tradition. At
Mathura it clearly emerges from the Yaksha tradition. The
Gandhara image might seem to resemble Apollo in some
extraneous forms and does look characteristically Greco-
Roman in drapery, but even there most of the images
represent Buddha as seated in the typically Indian Yogic
posture, a feature completely unknown to the Hellenistic
tradition of art.
17. Solution: a)
Enzymes are biological substances that help break down proteins.
Basically they are
natural catalysts for control of metabolism and growth. Enzymes
can be produced in
an artificial way and added to all kinds of biological processes
in orer to control the
rate in which chemical reactions occur.
A common use of enzymes is in washing powder, as washing clothes
often involves
removing biological dirt like sweat, blood or other human
excrements. International
rehabilitation and soil stabilisation services (IRASSS) has
found a way to use
enzymes to clean soil and water on a large scale, like cleaning
golf courses and lakes.
Exotic fishes would only introduce more competition for
resources in the lake. This
may further affect the biodiversity of the lake.
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18. Solution: d)
RBI lays down the working norms for banks in India.
To ensure that its policies and schemes are being operated
correctly, RBI asks
information from banks on periodic intervals.
To ensure that priority sector lending norms are not being
violated, banks have to
show amount of credit and customers.
Similarily, information on interest rate allows RBI to check
whether banks are
lending much below or much above the prescribed interest
rates.
To enforce CRR and SLR norms, RBI asks information on
deposits.
19. Solution: c)
The Three Jewels of Jainism
The aim of Jain life is to achieve liberation of the soul.
This is done by following the Jain ethical code, or to put it
simply, living rightly by
following the three jewels of Jain ethics.
There are three parts to this: right faith, right knowledge and
right conduct. The first
two are very closely connected.
Right faith - Samyak darshana
This doesn't mean believing what you're told, but means seeing
(hearing, feeling,
etc.) things properly, and avoiding preconceptions and
superstitions that get in the
way of seeing clearly.
Some books call samyak darshana "right perception". You can't
achieve this unless
you are determined to find the truth, and distinguish it from
untruth.
Right knowledge - Samyak jnana
This means having an accurate and sufficient knowledge of the
real universe - this
requires a true knowledge of the five (or six) substances and
nine truths of the
universe - and having that knowledge with the right mental
attitude.
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One writer puts it like this: "if our character is flawed and
our conscience is not clear,
knowledge alone will not help us achieve composure and
happiness".
Today this means having a proper knowledge of the
Jainscriptures.
Some writers describe right knowledge as meaning having a pure
soul; a soul that is
free from attachment and desire... others say that a person who
has right knowledge
will naturally free themselves from attachment and desire, and
so achieve peace of
mind.
Right conduct - Samyak charitra
This means living your life according to Jain ethical rules, to
avoid doing harm to
living things and freeing yourself from attachment and other
impure attitudes and
thoughts.
Jains believe that a person who has right faith and right
knowledge will be
motivated and able to achieve right conduct.
Many Jains believe that a person without right faith and right
knowledge cannot
achieve right conduct - so it's no use following scripture and
ritual for the wrong
reasons (e.g. so that other people will think you are a good
person). Not all Jains
hold this view. (Source BBC)
20. Solution: a)
As honey bees gather pollen and nectar for their survival, they
pollinate crops such
as apples, cranberries, melons and broccoli. Some crops,
including blueberries and
cherries, are 90-percent dependent on honey bee pollination; one
crop, almonds,
depends entirely on the honey bee for pollination at bloom
time.
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/united-states-environmental-body-
proposes-temporary-pesticide-free-zones-protect-honeybees
21. Solution: c)
Pankhida, Rajasthan Sung by the peasants of Rajasthan while
doing work in the
fields, the peasants sing and speak while playing algoza and
manjira. The literal
meaning of the word Pankhida is lover.
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Lotia, Rajasthan Lotia is sung in the chaitra month during the
festival - Lotia.
Women bring lotas (a vessel to fill water) and kalash (a vessel
considered to be
auspicious to fill water during worship) filled with water from
ponds and wells.
They decorate them with flowers and come home.
22. Solution: d)
Plant growth, as well as its physiological and developmental
processes are all
affected negatively. These include the way plants form, timing
of development and
growth, distribution of plant nutrients and metabolism, etc.
These changes can have
important implications for plant competitive balance, animals
that feed on these
plants, plant diseases, and biogeochemical cycles.
Phytoplankton form the foundation of aquatic food webs. These
usually grow closer
to the surface of water, where there is enough sunlight. Changes
in UV levels is
known to affect the development and growth of phytoplankton, and
naturally, the
fish that feed on them. UV radiation is also know to have affect
the development
stages of of fish, shrimp, crab, amphibians and other animals.
When this happens,
animals in the upper food chain that feed on these tiny fishes
are all affected.
The power of higher UL levels affect the natural balance of
gasses (and greenhouse
gases) in the biosphere: e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon
monoxide (CO), carbonyl
sulfide (COS) and ozone. Changes in UV levels can cause
biosphere-atmosphere
feedback resulting from the atmospheric buildup of these
gases.
You can read more about this at
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-
and-effects-of-ozone-hole.php
23. Solution: d)
The tall buildings within many urban areas provide multiple
surfaces for the
reflection and absorption of sunlight, increasing the efficiency
with which urban
areas are heated. This is called the "urban canyon effect".
Another effect of buildings
is the blocking of wind, which also inhibits cooling by
convection and pollution from
dissipating.
Read this properly in detail here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_heat_island#Causes
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Implications -
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/heat-wave-death-toll-
nears-2000-andhra-telangana-0
24. Solution: b)
Unlike the things that were used as money earlier, modern
currency is not made of
precious metal such as gold, silver and copper. And unlike grain
and cattle, they are
neither of everyday use. The modern currency is without any use
of its own.
It is accepted as a medium of exchange because the currency is
authorised by the
government of the country.
25. Solution: a)
Indian traders, especially from south India, have started
importing wheat from
Australia and other parts of world in the wake of poor yields in
India and lower
international price.
Officials in the agriculture ministry say the government is
closely watching
international wheat prices.
Read this article to understand the whole situation.
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/will-india-s-wheat-imports-lead-global-
food-crisis
26. Solution: c)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarojini_Naidu
27. Solution: b)
In conservation and energy economics, the rebound effect (or
take-back effect) is the
reduction in expected gains from new technologies that increase
the efficiency
of resource use, because of behavioral or other systemic
responses. These responses
usually tend to offset the beneficial effects of the new
technology or other measures
taken.
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For instance, if a 5% improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency
results in only a 2% drop
in fuel use, there is a 60% rebound effect (since (5-2)5 = 60%).
The 'missing' 3% might
have been consumed by driving faster or further than before.
28. Solution: c)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Battle_of_Panipat#Aftermath
29. Solution: c)
A recently released data by the Central Statistics Office shows
that Indias economy
grew by 7.3% during 2014-15. Gross fixed capital formation a
barometer for
investments slowed for the second straight year.
The manufacturing sector grew by 7.1% against the 2013-14 growth
of 5.3%.
The prime drivers of the growth were the significantly stronger
performance of
manufacturing, electricity, gas, water supply and other utility
services and the
financial, real estate and professional services.
30. Solution: b)
An international consortium of researchers led by the Institute
for Health Metrics
and Evaluation at the University of Washington, in its recently
released data, has
said that the incidence of cancer has grown over the last decade
in India although
the rate of mortality has fallen. The study is named The Global
Burden of Cancer
2013.
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31. Solution: d)
The Kasturirangan panel was set up to study the Gadgil committee
report on the
Western Ghats. The Gadgil panel report had faced unanimous
opposition from state
governments for recommending that almost three-fourth of the
hills, including
plantations, cultivated lands and large habitations, be turned
into a restricted
development zone with an over-arching authority to regulate the
region superseding
the elected authorities role.
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Read the recommendations here
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/37-of-
Western-Ghats-ecologically-sensitive-Kasturirangan-panel-
report/articleshow/19607237.cms
32. Solution: c)
Every loan agreement specifies an interest rate which the
borrower must pay to the
lender along with the repayment of the principal. In addition,
lenders may demand
collateral (security) against loans.
Collateral is an asset that the borrower owns (such as land,
building, vehicle,
livestocks, deposits with banks) and uses this as a guarantee to
a lender until the
loan is repaid.
If the borrower fails to repay the loan, the lender has the
right to sell the asset or
collateral to obtain payment. Property such as land titles,
deposits with banks,
livestock are some common examples of collateral used for
borrowing.
33. Solution: c)
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has called for making
Yoga a mass
movement, connecting people and strengthening the bonds of
humanity.
Hatha Yoga is known for the asanas or postures. Ha and tha, the
sun and moon,
refer to the two opposite currents that regulate all processes
in our body.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika names sana as the first accessory and
its benefits as the
attainment of steadiness, freedom from disease, and lightness of
body.
Traditional Hatha Yoga consists of: Asanas (postures); Shat
Karmas (six cleansing
techniques, also known as Shat Kriyas); Pranayama (control of
breathing with
retention); Bandhas (locks) and Mudras (seals) for the
regulation of Prana (life-force)
and kundalini; and Samadhi (Union with God, realization of the
Self, ecstasy,
nirvana).
34. Solution: c)
Read the link carefully. The concept of car protection has been
explained beautifully.
http://www.weather.com/storms/tornado/news/what-happens-when-lightning-
hits-car-20140625
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35. Solution: c)
When a protein in its native form, is subjected to physical
change like change in
temperature or chemical change like change in pH, the hydrogen
bonds are
disturbed.
Due to this, globules unfold and helix gets uncoiled and protein
loses its biological
activity. This is called denaturation of protein.
The coagulation of egg white on boiling is a common example of
denaturation.
Another example is curdling of milk which is caused due to the
formation of lactic
acid by the bacteria present in milk.
36. Solution: c)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Highway_3_(India)(old_numbering)
National Highway 3, or NH 3, commonly referred to as the
MumbaiAgra Highway
or AB Road, is a major Indian National Highway that runs through
the states of
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in
India.
37. Solution: d)
He is the guardian of powers and privileges of the members, the
House as a whole
and its committees. He is the principal spokesman of the House,
and his decision in
all Parliamentary matters is final. He is thus much more than
merely the presiding
officer of the Lok Sabha. In these capacities, he is vested with
vast, varied and vital
responsibilities and enjoys great honour, high dignity and
supreme authority within
the House.
He is the final interpreter of the provisions of (a) the
Constitution of India, (b) the
Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha, and (c)
the parliamentary
precedents, within the House.
He appoints the chairman of all the parliamentary committees of
the Lok Sabha and
supervises their functioning. He himself is the chairman of the
Business Advisory
Committee, the Rules Committee and the General Purpose
Committee.
38. Solution: d)
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If high quantity of organic matter is added to water, all the
available oxygen is used
up. This causes oxygen dependent aquatic life to die.
Thus, anaerobic bacteria (which do not require oxygen) begin to
break down the
organic waste and produce chemicals that have a foul smell and
are harmful to
human health. Aerobic (oxygen requiring) bacteria degrade these
organic wastes and
keep the water depleted in dissolved oxygen.
They also produce carbon dioxide which can be released in the
atmosphere. High
organic matter may also contain nutrients supportive of
eutrophication of the water
body.
39. Solution: d)
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/wholesale-price-index-based-
inflation-dips-to-record-low/article7105132.ece
40. Solution: d)
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There are several forms of dance-drama or folk theatre, such as
the Nautanki of
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the Bhavai of Gujarat, the
irreverent Tamasha of
Maharashtra , the Bengali Jatra, the spectacular Yakshagana of
Karnataka and
Theyyam of Kerala, all of which narrate legends of local heroes,
kings and deities.
41. Solution: b)
India now measures GDP by market prices instead of factor costs,
to take into
account gross value addition in goods and services as well as
indirect taxes. The base
year has been shifted to 2011/12 from 2004/05 earlier.
The governments statistics department says the new method is
more in line with
global practices and gives a better picture of economic
activity.
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/xziKtmtOxBJntZb41p2hDL/India-GDP-seen-
surging-74-in-data-that-has-puzzled-economi.html
42. Solution: d)
To cure acidity you would need to take a base. All options
except antacid are acids.
Amla is a citrous fruit.
Curd contains lactic acid. And spinach contains oxalic acid.
All these acids occur in nature.
43. Solution: c)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankim_Chandra_Chattopadhyay
44. Solution: c)
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Noncooperation movement, (September 1920February 1922),
unsuccessful attempt,
organized by Mohandas Gandhi, to induce the British government
of India to grant
self-government, or swaraj, to India. It arose from the outcry
over the massacre at
Amritsar in April 1919, when the British killed several hundred
Indians, and from
later indignation at the governments alleged failure to take
adequate action against
those responsible. Gandhi strengthened the movement by
supporting (on nonviolent
terms) the contemporaneous Muslim campaign against the
dismemberment of
Turkey after World War I.
The movement was to be nonviolent and to consist of the
resignations of titles; the
boycott of government educational institutions, the courts,
government service,
foreign goods, and elections; and the eventual refusal to pay
taxes. Noncooperation
was agreed to by the Indian National Congress at Calcutta (now
Kolkata) in
September 1920 and launched that December. In 1921 the
government, confronted
with a united Indian front for the first time, was visibly
shaken, but a revolt by the
Muslim Moplahs of Kerala (southwestern India) in August 1921 and
a number of
violent outbreaks alarmed moderate opinion. After an angry mob
murdered police
officers at Chauri Chaura (February 1922), Gandhi himself called
off the movement;
the next month he was arrested without incident. The movement
marks the
transition of Indian nationalism from a middle-class to a mass
basis.
45. Solution: d)
The CAG is appointed by the president of India by a warrant
under his hand and
seal. The recommendation is passed by the Council of
Ministers.
Recently, The Supreme Court rejected a plea seeking to quash
appointment of Shashi
Kant Sharma as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India
(CAG) on the
grounds of conflict of interest.
Read this important article.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/cag-appointment-2-966864.html
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46. Solution: c)
It is a quasi-judicial body since it decides and disposes
complaints relating to the RTI
Act.
It does not do delegated legislation because that would mean it
is framing rules and
regulations. It only enforces the existing rules and regulations
pertaining to the RTI
act.
It is also an administrative body as it provides information
services to citizens of
India.
47. Solution: b)
Since the
Chief Minister is the head of the council of ministers, his
resignation or death
automatically dissolves the council of ministers. The
resignation or death of any
other minister, on the other hand, merely creates a vacancy,
which the Chief Minister
may or may not like to fill.
Even though the ministers may be appointed from any of the
houses, only by the
dissolution of the assembly does the council of minister
dissolves. The Legislative
council is a permanent body is never dissolved.
48. Solution: c)
Satyagraha, ( Sanskrit and Hindi: holding onto truth) concept
introduced in the
early 20th century by Mahatma Gandhi to designate a determined
but nonviolent
resistance to evil. Gandhis satyagraha became a major tool in
the Indian struggle
against British imperialism and has since been adopted by
protest groups in other
countries. According to this philosophy,
satyagrahispractitioners of satyagraha
achieve correct insight into the real nature of an evil
situation by observing a
nonviolence of the mind, by seeking truth in a spirit of peace
and love, and by
undergoing a rigorous process of self-scrutiny. In so doing, the
satyagrahi
encounters truth in the absolute.
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By refusing to submit to the wrong or to cooperate with it in
any way, the
satyagrahi asserts that truth. Throughout the confrontation with
evil, the satyagrahi
must adhere to nonviolence, for to employ violence would be to
lose correct insight.
Satyagrahis always warn their opponents of their intentions;
satyagraha forbids any
tactic suggesting the use of secrecy to ones advantage.
Satyagraha includes more
than civil disobedience. Its full range of application extends
from the details of
correct daily living to the construction of alternative
political and economic
institutions. Satyagraha seeks to conquer through conversion: in
the end, there is
neither defeat nor victory but rather a new harmony.
49. Solution: b)
Recently, a Muslim MBA grad was denied a job in a diamond firm
in Mumbai. The
question has been framed in that regard only.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Adani-hires-MBA-grad-who-was-
denied-job-for-being-a-Muslim/articleshow/47486173.cms
50. Solution: a)
Such a resolution must be supported by two-thirds of the members
present and
voting. The resolution remains in force for one year; it can be
renewed any number
of times but not exceeding one year at a time. The laws cease to
have effect on the
expiration of six months after the resolution has ceased to be
in force.
This provision does not restrict the power of a state
legislature to make laws on the
same matter. But, in case of inconsistency between a state law
and a parliamentary
law, the latter is to prevail.
51. Solution: c)
Gandhi felt an irresistible attraction to a life of simplicity,
manual labour, and
austerity. In 1904after reading John Ruskins Unto This Last, a
critique of
capitalismhe set up a farm at Phoenix near Durban where he and
his friends could
live by the sweat of their brow. Six years later another colony
grew up under
Gandhis fostering care near Johannesburg; it was named Tolstoy
Farm for the
Russian writer and moralist, whom Gandhi admired and
corresponded with. Those
two settlements were the precursors of the more-famous ashrams
(religious retreats)
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in India, at Sabarmati near Ahmedabad (Ahmadabad) and at
Sevagram near
Wardha. (Source: Britannica)
52. Solution: d)
53. Solution: c)
Take the weight of the person in kg. Then take the height in
metres.
Divide the weight by the square of the height. If this figure is
less than 18.5 then the
person would be considered undernourished. However, if this BMI
is more than 25,
then a person is overweight.
Do remember that this criterion is not applicable to growing
children.
54. Solutions: d)
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Round Table Conference, (193032), in Indian history, a series of
meetings in three
sessions called by the British government to consider the future
constitution of India.
The conference resulted from a review of the Government of India
Act of 1919,
undertaken in 1927 by the Simon Commission, whose report was
published in 1930.
The conference was held in London.
The first session (Nov. 12, 1930Jan. 19, 1931) had 73
representatives, from all Indian
states and all parties except the Indian National Congress,
which was waging a civil
disobedience campaign against the government. Its principal
achievement was an
insistence on parliamentarianisman acceptance by all, including
the princes, of the
federal principleand on dominion status as the goal of
constitutional development.
The second session (SeptemberDecember 1931) was attended by
Mahatma Gandhi
as the Congress representative; it failed to reach agreement,
either constitutionally or
on communal representation. The third session (Nov. 17Dec. 24,
1932) was shorter
and less important, with neither the Congress nor the British
Labour Party attending.
The result of these deliberations was the Government of India
Act, 1935, establishing
provincial autonomy and also a federal system that was never
implemented.
55. Solution: d)
For the growth of the tertiary sector in India, there can be
many reasons.
First, in any country several services such as hospitals,
educational institutions, post
and telegraph services, police stations, courts, village
administrative offices,
municipal corporations, defence, transport, banks, insurance
companies, etc. are
required. These can be considered as basic services. In a
developing country the
government has to take responsibility for the provision of these
services.
Second, the development of agriculture and industry leads to the
development of
services such as transport, trade, storage and the like, as we
have already seen.
Greater the development of the primary and secondary sectors,
more would be the
demand for such services.
Third, as income levels rise, certain sections of people start
demanding many more
services like eating out, tourism, shopping, private hospitals,
private schools,
professional training etc. You can see this change quite sharply
in cities, especially in
big cities.
Fourth, over the past decade or so, certain new services such as
those based on
information and communication technology have become important
and essential.
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56. Solution: a)
Consider a firm which has employed more than required number of
labour.
Each labour is doing some work but no one is fully employed.
This is the situation of
underemployment, where people are apparently working but all of
them are made
to work less than their potential.
This kind of underemployment is hidden in contrast to someone
who does not have
a job and is clearly visible as unemployed. Hence, it is also
called disguised
unemployment.
Over employment is the exact opposite of this situation. Workers
are doing overtime
work here and producing more than they can in an ideal case.
They are even ready
to sacrifice their income for some leisure.
57. Solution: b)
The majority of the provisions in the Constitution need to be
amended by a special
majority of the Parliament, that is, a majority (that is, more
than 50 per cent) of the
total membership of each House and a majority of two-thirds of
the members of each
House present and voting.
Those provisions of the Constitution which are related to the
federal structure of the
polity can be amended by a special majority of the Parliament
and also with the
consent of half of the state legislatures by a simple
majority.
58. Solution: b)
Gallium nitride is used in Blue LED whereas gallium phosphide is
used in preparing
Red and Green LED.
http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/why-blue-led-worth-nobel-prize
59. Solution: b)
The Godavari River has a drainage area of 312,812 km2 (120,777
sq mi), which is
nearly one-tenth of the area of India and is greater than the
areas of England and
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Ireland put together. Major tributaries of the river include the
Purna (South),
Pravara, Indravati, Manjira River, Bindusara River, Sabari
River, Wainganga, and
Wardha River.
60. Solution: a)
The various types of loans can be conveniently grouped as formal
sector loans and
informal sector loans. Among the former are loans from banks and
cooperatives. The
informal lenders include moneylenders, traders, employers,
relatives and friends,
etc.
So, formal credit is more than the informal credit.
61. Solution: a)
The provisions of the act can be grouped into two
categoriescompulsory and
voluntary. The compulsory (mandatory or obligatory) provisions
of the act have to
be included in the state laws creating the new panchayati raj
system. The voluntary
provisions, on the other hand, may be included at the discretion
of the states. Thus
the voluntary pr-ovisions of the act ensure the right of the
states to take local factors
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like geographical, politicoadministrative and others, into
consideration while
adopting the new panchayati raj system.
62. Solution: c)
Lucknow Pact 1916, IndiaREAD VIEW HISTORY EDIT FEEDBACK Lucknow
Pact,
(December 1916), agreement made by the Indian National Congress
headed by
Maratha leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak and the All-India Muslim
League led by
Muhammad Ali Jinnah; it was adopted by the Congress at its
Lucknow session on
December 29 and by the league on Dec. 31, 1916. The meeting at
Lucknow marked
the reunion of the moderate and radical wings of the Congress.
The pact dealt both
with the structure of the government of India and with the
relation of the Hindu and
Muslim communities.
On the former count, the proposals were an advance on Gopal
Krishna Gokhales
political testament. Four-fifths of the provincial and central
legislatures were to be
elected on a broad franchise, and half the executive council
members, including
those of the central executive council, were to be Indians
elected by the councils
themselves. Except for the provision for the central executive,
these proposals were
largely embodied in the Government of India Act of 1919. The
Congress also agreed
to separate electorates for Muslims in provincial council
elections and for weightage
in their favour (beyond the proportions indicated by population)
in all provinces
except the Punjab and Bengal, where they gave some ground to the
Hindu and Sikh
minorities. This pact paved the way for Hindu-Muslim cooperation
in the Khilafat
movement and Mohandas Gandhijis noncooperation movement from
1920.
63. Solution: d)
The tribal areas in the four states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura
and Mizoram have
been constituted as autonomous districts. But, they do not fall
outside the executive
authority of the state concerned. The district and regional
councils within their
territorial jurisdictions can constitute village councils or
courts for trial of suits and
cases between the tribes. They hear appeals from them.
The jurisdiction of high court over these suits and cases is
specified by the governor.
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64. Solution: d)
When you buy garments, you will find information on instructions
for washing.
When we buy medicines, on the packets, you might find directions
for proper use
and information relating to side effects and risks associated
with usage of that
medicine.
Rules have been made so that the manufacturer displays this
information. It is
because consumers have the right to be informed about the
particulars of goods and
services that they purchase. Consumers can then complain and ask
for compensation
or replacement if the product proves to be defective in any
manner.
65. Solution: b)
It is given by the World Food Prize Foundation.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/74242/Norman-Ernest-Borlaug
66. Solution: d)
Interests received can be inside the country (i.e., internal
lending) or outside the
country (i.e., external lending). It means this income might be
in both domestic and
foreign currencies.
Fiscal services also generate incomes for the government, i.e.,
currency printing,
stamp printing, coinage and medals minting, etc.
General Services also earn money for the government as the power
distribution,
irrigation, banking, insurance, community services, etc.
Fees, Penalties and Fines received by the government also form a
part of non-tax
revenue receipt.
67. Solution: c)
Uniform civil code in India is the debate to replace the
personal laws based on the
scriptures and customs of each major religious community in the
country with a
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common set governing every citizen. These laws are distinguished
from public law
and cover marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and
maintenance.
The laws already apply similarly for both men and women. In
specific cases of
property inheritance etc., a uniform civil code will have no
effect. However, there
will be a common law for all the communities in India.
68. Solution: d)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachigam_National_Park
69. Solution: b)
Cooking results in the loss of certain nutrients. Many useful
proteins and
considerable amounts of minerals are lost if excess water is
used during cooking and
is then thrown away.
Vitamin C gets easily destroyed by heat during cooking.
Repeated washing and peeling off of the skin also lead to loss
of nutrients.
70. Solution: a)
Usually crops require a lot of nitrogen to make proteins. After
the harvest, the soil
becomes deficient in nitrogen. Though nitrogen gas is available
in plenty in the air,
plants cannot use it in the manner they can use carbon dioxide.
They need nitrogen
in a soluble form.
The bacterium called Rhizobium can take atmospheric nitrogen and
convert it into a
soluble form. But Rhizobium cannot make its own food. So it
lives in the roots of
gram, peas, moong beans and other legumes and provides them with
nitrogen. Most
of the pulses (dals) are obtained from leguminous plants. In
return, the plants
provide food and shelter to the bacteria. They have a symbiotic
relationship.
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71. Solution: d)
Unlike the SC, in the appointment to HC judges, the Governor of
the state is also
consulted.
HCs can issue writs for legal rights as well as fundamental
rights. The SC can issue
writs only for enforcing fundamental rights.
Both can interpret the constitution, but the version of the SC
will prevail over the
HCs.
Both can review central as well as state laws. Even here the
view of the SC will
prevail over HCs.
72. Solution: c)
Khilafat movement, force that arose in India in the early 20th
century as a result of
Muslim fears for the integrity of Islam. These fears were
aroused by Italian (1911)
and Balkan (191213) attacks on Turkeywhose sultan, as caliph,
was the religious
head of the worldwide Muslim communityand by Turkish defeats in
World War I.
They were intensified by the Treaty of Svres (August 1920),
which not only
detached all non-Turkish regions from the empire but also gave
parts of the Turkish
homeland to Greece and other non-Muslim powers.
A campaign in defense of the caliph was launched, led in India
by the brothers
Shaukat and Muammad Al and by Abul Kalam Azad. The leaders
joined forces
with Mahatma Gandhis noncooperation movement for Indian freedom,
promising
nonviolence in return for his support of the Khilafat movement.
In 1920 the latter
movement was marred by the ijrat, or exodus, from India to
Afghanistan of about
18,000 Muslim peasants, who felt that India was an apostate
land. It was also
tarnished by the Muslim Moplah rebellion in south India
(Malabar) in 1921, the
excesses of which deeply stirred Hindu India. Gandhis suspension
of his movement
and his arrest in March 1922 weakened the Khilafat movement
still further. It was
further undermined when Mustafa Kemal Atatrk drove the Greeks
from western
Asia Minor in 1922 and deposed the Turkish sultan in the same
year; it finally
collapsed when he abolished the caliphate altogether in
1924.
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73. Solution: a)
The winds would have flown in the north-south direction from
north to south, or
from south to north. A change in direction is however, caused by
the rotation of the
earth which results in the generation of the coriolis force.
74. Solution: c)
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Some toilets use earthworms to decompose faecal matter and
kitchen organic waste.
A design of this toilet in which humans excreta is treated by
earthworms has been
tested in India.
It has been found to be a novel, low water-use toilet for safe
processing of human
waste. The operation of the toilet is very simple and hygienic.
The human excreta is
completely converted to vermi cakes a resource much needed for
soil.
There is no heating element and the system is not intended to
operate above 35 C, to
protect the worms.
75. Solution: a)
Earthworms and microbes present in the soil are friends of the
farmer since they
further turn and loosen the soil and add humus to it.
In addition, dead plants and animals get decomposed by soil
organisms. In this way,
various nutrients held in the dead organisms are released back
into the soil. These
nutrients are again absorbed by plants.
76. Solution: a)
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In this diagram, all the factors that can possibly affect the
transmission of the EM
waves are given.
77. Solution: d)
Hard water contains calcium and magnesium ions. These ions form
insoluble
calcium and magnesium soaps respectively when sodium or
potassium soaps are
dissolved in hard water.
These insoluble soaps separate as scum in water and are useless
as cleansing agent.
In fact these are hinderance to good washing, because the
precipitate adheres onto
the fibre of the cloth as gummy mass. Hair washed with hard
water looks dull
because of this sticky precipitate. Dye does not absorb evenly
on cloth washed with
soap using hard water, because of this gummy mass.
78. Solution: a)
The rate of biomass production is called productivity. It can be
divided into gross
primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP).
Gross primary
productivity of an ecosystem is the rate of production of
organic matter during
photosynthesis. A considerable amount of GPP is utilised by
plants in respiration.
Gross primary productivity minus respiration losses (R), is the
net primary
productivity (NPP).
Net primary productivity is the available biomass for the
consumption to
heterotrophs (herbiviores and decomposers).
Secondary productivity is defined as the rate of formation of
new organic matter by
consumers.
79. Solution: c)
For the purpose of holding direct elections to the Lok Sabha,
each state is divided
into territorial constituencies. In this respect, the
Constitution makes the following
two provisions:
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Each state is allotted a number of seats in the Lok Sabha in
such a manner that
the ratio between that number and its population is the same for
all states.
This provision does not apply to a state having a population of
less than six
millions.
Each state is divided into territorial constituencies in such a
manner that the
ratio between the population of each constituency and the number
of seats
allotted to it is the same throughout the state.
80. Solution: d)
For a list (and some basic info) on all critically endangered
animal species of India,
please refer to this document prepared by the MoEF. Its very
comprehensive.
http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-
information/critically_endangered_booklet.pdf
For fishes/birds/reptiles etc. refer to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_endangered_animals_in_India#Critically_en
dangered
81. Solution: c)
The trophic level represents a functional level, not a species
as such. A given species
may occupy more than one trophic level in the same ecosystem at
the same time; for
example, a sparrow is a primary consumer when it eats seeds,
fruits, peas, and a
secondary consumer when it eats insects, worms etc.
In most ecosystems, all the pyramids, of number, of energy and
biomass are upright,
i.e., producers are more in number and biomass than the
herbivores, and herbivores
are more in number and biomass than the carnivores. Also energy
at a lower trophic
level is always more than at a higher level.
There are exceptions to this generalisation: The pyramid of
biomass in sea is
generally inverted because the biomass of fishes far exceeds
that of phytoplankton.
82. Solution: a)
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The most typical and the most well known
building in Indo Islamic is Panch Mahal, the
highest and the most impressive structure,
called the palace of five storeys. It is based on
the Hindu system of trabeate structure,
consisting of pillar, architrave, and brackets,
with the only exception of the topmost domed
pavilion, purposefully thrown out of the centre
that crowns the entire building. The tower was
perhaps used for recreation by the emperor
and members of the royal household. The idea
behind this impressive structure of
diminishing storeys, one on top of the other,
consisting of open, terraces in front of the
covered areas, was comfort, shade and airy
open pillared verandahs provided by
perforated railings, constructed with an eye to
providing shade and fresh air, to the
inhabitants seated on the cool floors.
The Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Audience,
is of a unique design. It is a square chamber
with three openings on each side and a richly
carved column in the centre supporting a
magnificent flower shaped capital. Thorough
ventilation is provided by placing on all sides
perforated windows opposite each other on
every wall. The charming balcony supported
by a circular top capital, runs round the halls
whole length of the 4 sides on the first floor
level, supported by brackets. It is believed that
the central place was occupied by the
Emperor's throne while his Ministers sat at the
corners or on the peripheral passage.
The Turkish Sultana's house consists of a small
chamber surrounded by a verandah. It is
beautifully carved both on the outside and
inside; particularly remarkable being the wide
dado carved with panels, portraying jungle
Panch Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri,
Agra, Uttar Pradesh
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scenes with animals, birds and trees. It is the
most ornamented building in a "gigantic jewel
casket" says Fergusson.
83. Solution: b)
The individual transitional communities are termed seral stages
or seral
communities.
In the successive seral stages there is a change in the
diversity of species of
organisms, increase in the number of species and organisms as
well as an increase in
the total biomass.
The present day communities in the world have come to be because
of succession
that has occurred over millions of years since life started on
earth. Actually
succession and evolution would have been parallel processes at
that time.
84. Solution: c)
Moreover, when rocks are weathered, minute amounts of these
phosphates dissolve
in soil solution and are absorbed by the roots of the
plants.
Herbivores and other animals obtain this element from plants.
The waste products
and the dead organisms are decomposed by phosphate-solubilising
bacteria
releasing phosphorus.
So, unlike carbon cycle, there is no respiratory release of
phosphorus into
atmosphere.
85. Solution: d)
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Healthy ecosystems are the base for a wide range of economic,
environmental and
aesthetic goods and services. The products of ecosystem
processes are named as
ecosystem services, for example, healthy forest ecosystems
purify air and water,
mitigate droughts and floods, cycle nutrients, generate fertile
soils, provide wildlife
habitat, maintain biodiversity, pollinate crops, provide storage
site for carbon and
also provide aesthetic, cultural and spiritual values.
Though value of such services of biodiversity is difficult to
determine, it seems
reasonable to think that biodiversity should carry a hefty price
tag.
86. Solution: d)
Biological magnification often refers to the process whereby
certain substances such
as pesticides or heavy metals move up the food chain, work their
way into rivers or
lakes, and are eaten by aquatic organisms such as fish, which in
turn are eaten by
large birds, animals or humans. The substances become
concentrated in tissues or
internal organs as they move up the chain.
Bio-accumulants are substances that increase in concentration in
living organisms as
they take in contaminated air, water, or food because the
substances are very slowly
metabolized or excreted.
The following is an example showing how bio-magnification takes
place in nature:
An anchovy eats zoo-plankton that have tiny amounts of mercury
that the zoo-
plankton has picked up from the water throughout the anchovies
lifespan. A tuna
eats many of these anchovies over its life, accumulating the
mercury in each of those
anchovies into its body. If the mercury stunts the growth of the
anchovies, that tuna
is required to eat more little fish to stay alive. Because there
are more little fish being
eaten, the mercury content is magnified
87. Solution: b)
Purchasing power parity is used worldwide to compare the income
levels in
different countries. PPP thus makes it easy to understand and
interpret the data of
each country.
Let's say that a pair of shoes costs Rs 2500 in India. Then it
should cost $50 in
America when the exchange rate is 50 between the dollar and the
rupee.
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The theory aims to determine the adjustments needed to be made
in the exchange
rates of two currencies to make them at par with the purchasing
power of each other.
88. Solution: d)
It is known that every individual has unique fingerprints. These
occur at the tips of
the fingers and have been used for identification for a long
time but these can be
altered by surgery.
A sequence of bases on DNA is also unique for a person and
information regarding
this is called DNA fingerprinting. It is same for every cell and
cannot be altered by
any known treatment. DNA fingerprinting is now also used in
forensic laboratories
for identification of criminals.
89. Solution: c)
Above the troposphere, between 10 and 50 km above sea level lies
stratosphere.
Troposphere is a turbulent, dusty zone containing air, much
water vapour and
clouds. This is the region of strong air movement and cloud
formation. The
stratosphere, on the other hand, contains dinitrogen, dioxygen,
ozone and little
water vapour.
Atmospheric pollution is generally studied as tropospheric and
stratospheric (also
because of the presence of ozone) pollution.
90. Solution: c)
Just as the glass in a greenhouse holds the suns warmth inside,
atmosphere traps
the suns heat near the earths surface and keeps it warm. This is
called natural
greenhouse effect because it maintains the temperature and makes
the earth perfect
for life.
In a greenhouse, visible light passes through the transparent
glass and heats up the
soil and the plants. The warm soil and plants emit infrared
radiations. Since glass is
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opaque to infrared (heat) radiations, it partly reflects and
partly absorbs these
radiations. This mechanism keeps the energy of the sun trapped
in the greenhouse.
91. Solution: c)
The air around the city of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located,
contains fairly high
levels of sulphur and nitrogen oxides. This caused heavy acid
rains.
The Government of India announced an action plan that aimed at
clearing the air in
the Taj Trapezium an area that includes the towns of Agra,
Firozabad, Mathura
and Bharatpur. Under this plan more than 2000 polluting
industries lying inside the
trapezium would switch over to the use of natural gas or
liquefied petroleum gas
instead of coal or oil. A new natural gas pipeline would bring
more than half a
million cubic metres of natural gas a day to this area.
People living in the city will also be encouraged to use
liquefied petroleum gas in
place of coal, kerosene or firewood. Vehicles plying on highways
in the vicinity of
Taj would be encouraged to use low sulphur content diesel.
92. Solution: a)
The word smog is derived from smoke and fog.
This is the most common example of air pollution that occurs in
many cities
throughout the world.
Photochemical smog occurs in warm, dry and sunny climate. The
main components
of the photochemical smog result from the action of sunlight on
unsaturated
hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides produced by automobiles and
factories.
Photochemical smog has high concentration of oxidising agents
and is, therefore,
called as oxidising smog.
93. Solution: d)
Many techniques are used to control or reduce the formation of
photochemical
smog. If we control the primary precursors of photochemical
smog, such as NO2 and
hydrocarbons, the secondary precursors such as ozone and PAN,
the photochemical
smog will automatically be reduced.
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Usually catalytic converters are used in the automobiles, which
prevent the release
of nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons to the atmosphere. Certain
plants e.g., Pinus,
Juniparus, Quercus, Pyrus and Vitis can metabolise nitrogen
oxide and therefore,
their plantation could help in this matter.
94. Solution: a)
A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which
is a product or a
process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something,
or offers a new
technical solution to a problem.
To get a patent, technical information about the invention must
be disclosed to the
public in a patent application.
In principle, the patent owner has the exclusive right to
prevent or stop others from
commercially exploiting the patented invention. In other words,
patent protection
means that the invention cannot be commercially made, used,
distributed, imported
or sold by others without the patent owner's consent.
95. Solution: d)
The Constitution of India establishes a federal system of
government. It contains all
the usual features of a federation, viz., two government,
division of powers, written
Constitution, supremacy of Constitution, rigidity of
Constitution, independent
judiciary and bicameralism.
However, the Indian Constitution also contains a large number of
unitary or non-
federal features, viz., a strong Centre, single Constitution,
single citizenship,
flexibility of Constitution, integrated judiciary, appointment
of state governor by the
Centre, all-India services, emergency provisions, and so on.
But, all these do not mean that state governments draw power
from Central
government or are subservient to the Union government. The Union
government is
ultimately responsible for the overall development of the
nation; its unity, territorial
integrity, and security. Hence, it has been given more powers
than the state
governments.
96. Solution: a)
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Plants absorb mineral nutrients and water from the soil. Not all
the water absorbed
is utilised by the plant. The water evaporates through the
stomata present on the
surface of the leaves by the process of transpiration.
The evaporation of water from leaves generates a suction pull
(the same that you
produce when you suck water through a straw) which can pull
water to great
heights in the tall trees. Transpiration also cools the
plant.
97. Solution: a)
The Mission has been conceptualized and evolved keeping in view
the ever
increasing computing demand of the scientific and academic
community in the
country, international technology trends and roadmaps of leading
countries in the
area, strategic importance and emergence of supercomputing as a
benchmark for
Scientific & Technological advancements. Two key departments
of the Government
of India, DeitY and DST will be implementing the mission jointly
through two
leading organizations. These are the Centre for Development of
Advanced
Computing (C-DAC) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc),
Bangalore.
The Mission envisages empowering our national academic and
R&D institutions
spread over the country by installing a vast supercomputing grid
comprising of
more than 70 high-performance computing facilities. These
supercomputers will also
be networked on the National Supercomputing grid over the
National Knowledge
Network (NKN). The NKN is another programme of the government
which
connects academic institutions and R&D labs over a high
speed network. Academic
and R&D institutions as well as key user
departments/ministries would participate
by using these facilities and develop applications of national
relevance. The Mission
also includes development of highly professional High
Performance Computing
(HPC) aware human resource for meeting challenges of development
of these
applications.
98. Solution: a)
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Women writers like Ghosha, Lopamudra, Gargi, Maitreyi, Apala,
Romasha
Brahmavadini, etc., right from the days of the Vedas (6000 B.C.
4000 B.C.), focused
on the image of women in mainstream Sanskrit literature.
99. Solution: a)
The Supreme Court has been consistently in news for its
heightened activism since
last few years. While this question may seem very factual, but
UPSC is very
unpredictable and such questions can be very easily expected in
the examination.
Moreover, Regulating Act of 1773 is of great constitutional
importance as (a) it was
the first step taken by the British Government to control and
regulate the affairs of
the East India Company in India; (b) it recognised, for the
first time, the political and
administrative functions of the Company; and (c) it laid the
foundations of central
administration in India.
100. Solution: b)
The Dhamekh stupa at Sarnath is an imposing
cylindrical structure (ht. 43.5 m., dia at base 28.3 m.) of
the Gupta age, partly built of stone and partly of brick.
Its stone basement has eight projecting faces with large
niches for statuary and is further adorned with
delicately-carved floral and geometrical patterns.
Making the holy spot of the enlightenment of the
Master, this site is looked upon with, greatest sanctity
and became a flourishing Buddhist establishment with
numerous temples, stupas and monasteries. According
to tradition a large number of shrines and memorials
were created at the site to commemorate the incidents
before and after enlightenment.
The main brick built shrine known as the Mahabodhi
temple which appears to have been originally erected
in circa 2nd century A.D. is encumbered with heavy
renovation, the four corner-towers being an arbitrary
addition of circa 14th century A.D. Its central tower,
Dhamekh Stupa at
Sarnath,
Utter Pradesh
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standing on a high plinth, is about 55m. high and is a
straight-edged pyramid of seven storeys, by pilasters
and chaitya niches.