UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment, Geography, Sci-Tech MCQs on Traditional medicines, cocoa producers and more (Week 67)

1. The Siddha system of medicine is followed predominantly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

2. The Sowa-Rigpa system is practised in the Kutch region of Gujarat.

3. Homoeopathy medicine is not a part of the Ministry of AYUSH.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The WHO describes traditional medicine as the total sum of the “knowledge, skills and practises indigenous and different cultures have used over time to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness”.

— Traditional medicine in India is often defined as including practices and therapies — such as yoga, Ayurveda, Siddha — that have been part of Indian tradition historically, as well as others — such as homoeopathy — that became part of Indian tradition over the years.

— Ayurveda and yoga are practised widely across the country; the Siddha system is followed predominantly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala; the Sowa-Rigpa system is practised mainly in Leh-Ladakh and Himalayan regions such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Lahaul & Spiti. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) said it will seek to set policies and standards on traditional medicine products and help countries create a comprehensive, safe, and high-quality health system. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Which of the following statements is not correct about the Strait of Gibraltar?

(a) It is a water channel which connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea.

(b) The strait lies between two continents.

(c) The countries which border the Strait of Gibraltar are Spain and Morocco.

(d) The strait lies in the region of cold ocean currents which obstructs fishing in the region.

Explanation

— Two people were rescued after a group of orcas, also known as killer whales, sank their 15-metre-long sailing yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar.

— The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, separating Spain on the European continent and Morocco on the African continent.

— The Strait of Gibraltar is notable for its constantly disappearing volume of water.

— It is the most important fishing ground for the Moroccan coast and artisanal fleets in the Strait of Gibraltar region.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.nasa.gov)

QUESTION 3

Which of the following countries are well known as the two largest cocoa producers in the world? (UPSC 2024)

(a) Algeria and Morocco

(b) Botswana and Namibia

(c) Cote d’ Ivoire Coast and Ghana

(d) Madagascar and Mozambique

Explanation

— The price of cocoa beans, the most important raw material in chocolates, has skyrocketed, hitting a record $12,000 a tonne in April, around four times last year’s price.

— Cocoa processors — who turn the beans into butter and liquor that are then converted to chocolate by companies — have thus reduced production because they cannot afford the beans.

— The direct cause of the ongoing issue is a terrible harvest season in West African countries Ghana and Ivory Coast, which produce 60% of the world’s cocoa beans.

— Due to the development of El Nino — a weather pattern, which refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean — in 2023, West Africa experienced heavier-than-usual rainfalls. This created an ideal ground for the spread of black pod disease, which causes cocoa pods (a case that holds a plant’s seeds) to rot on the branches of cocoa trees.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following:

1. Pyroclastic debris

2. Ash and dust

3. Nitrogen compounds

4. Sulphur compounds

How many of the above are products of volcanic eruptions? (UPSC 2024)

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— According to the US Geological Survey: “Volcanoes are openings, or vents where lava, tephra (small rocks), and steam erupt onto the Earth’s surface.”

— Volcanoes can be on land and in the ocean. They are formed when material significantly hotter than its surroundings is erupted onto the surface of the Earth. The material could be liquid rock (known as “magma”, when it’s underground and “lava” when it breaks through the surface), ash, and/or gases.

— Magma refers to the material found in the upper mantle. When it begins to move towards the crust or reaches the surface, it is known as “lava.”

— Lava flows, pyroclastic debris, volcanic bombs, ash and dust, as well as gases such as nitrogen compounds, sulphur compounds, and trace amounts of chlorine, hydrogen, and argon, all make their way to the ground.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Consider the following statements about the Indian leopards:

1. Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains have the maximum population of the Indian leopard.

2. Statewise, Madhya Pradesh has the largest number of Indian leopards.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— The ‘Status of Leopards in India, 2022’ report estimates that there are 13,874 leopards in India, up from 12,852 in 2018.

— Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) are distributed across a variety of forested habitats in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of Pakistan.

— They are apex predators, they sit at the top of the food chain, and thus play a crucial role in maintaining a balanced ecosystem.

— According to the recently released report, Central India and Eastern Ghats has the highest population of leopards (8,820), followed by the Western Ghats (3,596), and the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains (1,109). Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Statewise, Madhya Pradesh boasts of the largest population of leopards (3,907), followed by Maharashtra (1,985), Karnataka (1,879) and Tamil Nadu (1,070). Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The report showed that the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains recorded a worrying 3.4% per annum decline, going down from 1,253 in 2018 to 1,109 in 2022.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 67)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 67)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 66)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 66)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 66)

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