UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 38)

1. The Indian rhino is listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List.

2. Indian Rhinos are only found in north-eastern India.

3. Rhino horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine to cure a range of ailments.

4. The number of Indian Rhinos has decreased as of a decade ago.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 2

Consider the following pairs:

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 3

Consider the following statements:

1. More than a quarter of the population was either diabetic or in pre-diabetic stage.

2. The prevalence of diabetes was higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas.

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 4

Which of the following countries have launched “Smart Lander for Investigating Moon” or SLIM?

(a) China

(b) United States

(c) Russia

(d) Japan

QUESTION 5

With reference to the cervical cancer, consider the following statements:

1. It is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

2. It is the second most prevalent common cancer in India.

3. Cervavac is the first indigenous vaccine against cervical cancer.

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:

— The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is found only in the Brahmaputra valley, parts of North Bengal, and parts of southern Nepal. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— It has a single black horn that may grow to be 60 cm long and a strong, grey-brown hide with skin wrinkles that gives the animal its armour-plated appearance.

— The Indian rhino is listed as vulnerable (better than endangered, worse than near threatened) in the IUCN Red List. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The WWF says the “recovery of the greater one-horned rhino is among the greatest conservation success stories in Asia”.

— According to the WWF, there are around 3,700 Indian rhinos in the wild today. Assam’s Kaziranga National Park (KNP) alone has 2,613 animals, according to a census carried out in March 2022.

— Rhinos have been poached for their horn, which is prized in some cultures.

— Rhino horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine to cure a range of ailments, from cancer to hangovers, and also as an aphrodisiac. In Vietnam, a rhino horn is considered a status symbol. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— According to the State of the Rhino 2023, the expected number of greater one-horned rhinos is 4014, and the trend is upward. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (d)

FYI:

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: wii.gov.in)

3. (a)

FYI:

— According to a recently published study by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and the Indian Council of Medical Research, India has approximately 101 million people with diabetes and another 136 million people in pre-diabetes stages.

The study found:

(i) More than a quarter of the population was either diabetic or in pre-diabetic stage. 11.4 per cent of India’s population or 101 million people are living with diabetes. Whereas 15.3 per cent of the population or an additional 136 million people are pre-diabetic. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

(ii) The prevalence of hypertension or high blood pressure was found to be higher still in the country. Around 35.5 per cent of the population or 315 million people are living with the condition.

(iii) 28.6 per cent of the population would be considered to be obese as per the BMI (body mass index) measure, 39.5 per cent of the population or 351 million people had abdominal obesity.

Prevalence of non-communicable diseases in India. (Source: ICMR)

— India Diabetes or Indiab study is a 12 year-long project with over 113,000 participants. Data collected by the study over the years in phases across the different states have helped researchers in India accurately determine the prevalence of metabolic disorders.

— The prevalence of diabetes stood at 16.4 per cent in urban India as compared to 8.9 per cent in rural India. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The prevalence of diabetes was higher in the Southern states and a few north Indian states such as Delhi and Punjab. The prevalence of diabetes was lowest in Uttar Pradesh at 4.8 per cent of the population.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

4. (d)

FYI:

— The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that its “Smart Lander for Investigating Moon” or SLIM lander successfully went into lunar orbit.

— SLIM was inserted into an elliptical lunar orbit connecting the Moon’s south and north poles with a period of about 6.4 hours.

— Its altitude will be about 600 kilometres at the point closest to the Moon (perilune) and 4,000 kilometres at the point furthest away from the Moon (apolune).

— The mission’s main objective is to demonstrate precision landing capabilities by landing within 100 metres of the chosen site.

— According to JAXA, pinpoint landing technology is essential to make sure that a spacecraft can land close enough to scientifically interesting sites on the Moon that are accessible by a rover. SLIM aims to land near a small crater named Shinoli in the equatorial region.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

5. (c)

FYI:

— Cervavac—the first indigenous vaccine against cervical cancer—developed and manufactured by city-based Serum Institute of India (SII). Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent common cancer in India. The country accounts for nearly one–fifth of the global burden of cervical cancer. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that affects the cells of the cervix. It is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract.

— HPV vaccination can prevent more than 90 per cent of cervical cancers when given at the recommended age.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 38)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 38)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 37)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 37)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 37)

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