UPSC Essentials — Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 15)

UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. UPSC Daily Subject Quiz covers all topics under the UPSC Civil Services syllabus, including Polity, History, Geography, Economics, Environment, Science and Technology, International Relations, and more. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus.

Each day, we will cover one new subject. Attempt today’s subject quiz on Environment, Geography, Science and Technology to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the Economy Quiz.

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), consider the following statements:

1. It usually leads to fever and cough and can lead to pneumonia and lung inflammation.

2. The person aged 60 years and children under six months of age are resistant to RSV.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 2

“Acinetobacter baumannii” was in the news recently. It is

(a) Flu Vaccine

(b) Antibiotic-resistant bacteria

(c) Blood disorder

(d) Used in prematurely born children to prevent infection.

QUESTION 3

Consider the following pairs:

(Wildlife Sanctuary (WS))                (State/U.T)

1. Limber WS                                          Andaman and Nicobar Islands

2. Chinnar WS                                        Tamil Nadu

3. Dalma WS                                           West Bengal

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

With reference to the effects of transfats, consider the following statements:

1. They increase the tendency of blood to clot, through activation and aggregation of platelets.

2. There is an enhanced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

3. Risk of stroke and paralysis increases.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 5

“Kaas Plateau” is inscribed in the UNESCO world heritage sites list under the name of Western Ghats. It is popularly known as valley of flowers for which state?

(a) Kerala

(b) Karnataka

(c) Goa

(d) Maharashtra

ANSWERS TO MCQs

1. (a)

FYI:

— The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first vaccine against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which usually leads to fever, cough, and runny nose but can lead to pneumonia and lung inflammation. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— RSV is another respiratory infection – just like influenza or rhinovirus – that circulates across the country from time to time.

— In most people, the infection just leads to mild symptoms such as fever, cough and cold. And, just like the other infections, most people recover on their own at home.

— The person over the age of 60 years with chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension and children less than six months of age are two categories of people who are affected most. In these people, the viral infection can cause pneumonia (lungs filling up with fluids) and bronchiolitis (inflammation of the bronchioles or the tiny branch of air tubes in the lung). These people can end up in hospital with breathlessness and low oxygen saturation. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The vaccine was also found to be safe; it only led to side effects like pain at the site of the injection, fatigue, muscle pain and headache.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

2. (b)

FYI:

— In a major breakthrough for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of medicine, scientists from the United States and Canada have found a new antibiotic – powerful enough to kill a superbug – using AI.

— In 2017, the bacterium was identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the world’s most dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

— Acinetobacter baumannii can cause pneumonia, meningitis and infect wounds, all of which can lead to death. It is usually found in hospital settings, where it can survive on surfaces for long periods.

— According to WHO, Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines. This ultimately threatens the ability of medicines to treat common infectious diseases.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

3. (d)

FYI:

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

4. (c)

FYI:

— Trans fats are bad fats, which should not be consumed as part of our diet. They are the worst type of fats as they raise the bad cholesterol [Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c)] and lower the good cholesterol [high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c)] in our body.

— The sources of trans fat can be:

Natural: These transfats are also called ruminant trans fats, as they are present in small quantities in meat and dairy products obtained form ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and cattle. Natural/ruminant trans fat are not generally considered harmful.

Artificial: These transfats are also called industrial trans fat as they are manufactured industrially by a chemical process of partial hydrogenation or thermal treatments of edible oils containing unsaturated fatty acids, e.g. refining of vegetable oils and during the process of frying.

Effects of Transfats

— These fatty acids markedly raise the blood levels of atherogenic LDL cholesterol fraction of blood levels, much more than even the commonly incriminated saturated fats.

— The fraction of blood cholesterol that protects blood vessels (HDL cholesterol) is decreased.

— They increase blood’s tendency to clot, through activation and aggregation of platelets. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— They inflame the inner lining of blood vessels.

— There is also an enhanced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Involvement of the coronary arteries leads to heart attacks. Similarly, there is an increased risk of stroke and paralysis when blood vessels supplying blood to the brain are affected. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: eatrightindia.gov.in)

5. (d)

FYI:

— Kaas Plateau or Kaas pathar is located in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It consists of several varieties of flowers that bloom during the monsoon season.

— It is inscribed in the UNESCO world heritage sites list under the name of Western Ghats in 2012.

— It is also known as the Valley of Flowers in Maharashtra.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 15)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 15)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 14)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 14)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 14)

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Note: Catch the UPSC Weekly Quiz every Saturday evening and brush up on your current affairs knowledge.)