UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 25)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Astra Missile, consider the following statements:

1. It is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) surface-to-air missile.

2. The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft.

3. The missile has all weather day and night capability.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 2

Consider the following applications:

1. Healthcare

2. Automobile

3. Aerospace

How many of the applications given above can be achieved by 3-D printing?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Turtle and Tortoise, consider the following statements:

1. The turtle is a land animal and the tortoise is an aquatic animal.

2. Turtles usually have dome-shaped shells whereas those of the tortoises are flat and streamlined.

3. The shell of tortoises is harder and heavier compared to turtles.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

Consider the following pairs:

 (Wildlife Sanctuary (WS))         (Location)

1. Mhadei WS                                   West Bengal

2. Amchang WS                               Karnataka

3. Thanthai Periyar WS                Kerala

4. Dibang WS                                    Assam

How many of the pairs given above are not correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 5

With reference to the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and gene-edited foods, consider the following statements:

1. Gene editing involves making precise changes to an organism’s genome with the integration of foreign DNA elements.

2. Gene editing and GMOs increases crop tolerance against climate stresses.

3. Genetically modified organisms are mainly used to produce crops that are herbicide-resistant or produce pesticides.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas successfully fired the ASTRA indigenous Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile off the coast of Goa.

— Astra is a state-of-the-art Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile to engage and destroy highly maneuvering supersonic aerial targets. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— It is designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and other laboratories of DRDO.

— The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The missile has all weather day and night capability. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The ASTRA Mk-I Weapon System integrated with SU-30 Mk-I aircraft is being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.drdo.gov.in)

2. (c)

FYI:

— India’s first 3D-printed post office was virtually inaugurated by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Bengaluru’s Cambridge Layout.

— Multinational company Larsen & Toubro Limited built the post office with technological support from IIT Madras under the guidance of Professor Manu Santhanam, Building Technology and Construction Management Division, Department of Civil Engineering.

— To carry out 3D printing, one needs a personal computer connected to a 3D printer. All they need to do is design a 3D model of the required object on computer-aid design (CAD) software and press ‘print’.

— These machines are capable of printing anything from ordinary objects like a ball or a spoon to complex moving parts like hinges and wheels.

— 3D printing is being used in a host of different industries like healthcare, automobile and aerospace.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

3. (a)

FYI:

— There are various differences between a turtle and a tortoise such as:

— The turtle is an aquatic animal and the tortoise is a land animal. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Turtles have webbed feet and tortoises’ feet are round and stumpy (like tiny elephant feet), suitable for walking on land and burrowing.

— Tortoises are largely vegetarians while turtles are generally omnivores.

— Tortoises usually have dome-shaped shells whereas those of the turtles are flat and streamlined. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The shell of tortoises is harder and heavier compared to turtles. The small turtles that live in brackish and fresh waters are called terrapins. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

4. (d)

FYI:

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

5. (b)

FYI:

— Advances in genetic engineering have given rise to an era of foods – including genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and gene-edited foods – that promise to revolutionise the way we eat.

— GMOs are organisms whose genetic material has been artificially altered by inserting a piece of foreign DNA. This DNA may be synthetic in origin or sourced from other organisms.

— Gene editing involves making precise changes to an organism’s genome without the integration of foreign DNA elements. Hence, statement 1 is not correct

— Scientists use tools like CRISPR/Cas to produce precise “cuts” in the DNA to create new genetic variety. Unlike GMOs, this merely causes tiny changes that are indistinguishable from spontaneous mutations.

— GMOs and gene-edited foods have been in circulation for almost three decades, research in this space continues to deliver breakthroughs. These technologies are being applied to provide a range of benefits, from improved nutrition in food, to reduced food waste and increased crop tolerance against climate stresses. Hence, statement 2 is correct

— Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are mainly used to produce crops that are herbicide-resistant or produce pesticides.  Hence, statement 3 is correct

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 25)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 25)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 24)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 24)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 24)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfvCD51T5lU?si=ae_n-wGBFefZwIbM