UPSC Weekly Quiz — April 2 to April 8, 2023

QUESTION 1

Operation Gibraltar and Operation Grand Slam is associated with:

(a) Spain

(b) Pakistan

(c) Maldives

(d) Morocco

QUESTION 2

Consider the following statements about Biomethanation –

1. It is a process by which inorganic material is microbiologically converted under anaerobic conditions to biogas.

2. The main physiological groups of microorganisms are fermenting bacteria, organic acid oxidising bacteria, and methanogenic archaea.

Which of the above statements is/are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 3

Which of the following statements is not correct about “Mishmi Takin”?

(a) It is a species of goat-antelope.

(b) It is listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

(c) It is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

(d) They are found in western Himalayas.

QUESTION 4

The Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which of the following states?

(a) Andhra Pradesh

(b) Assam

(c) Meghalaya

(d) Arunachal Pradesh

QUESTION 5

Recently, NASA launched a device to monitor air pollution from space known as:

(a) GoPro

(b) ASTER

(c) TEMPO

(d) Quesst

QUESTION 6

Mathematicians have discovered a single shape that can be used to cover a surface completely without ever creating a repeating pattern known as:

(a) Einstein Tile

(b) DeFi

(c) Mikveh

(d) Graph Neural Network

QUESTION 7

With reference to LIGO consider the following statements:

1. It is an international network of laboratories that detect the ripples in spacetime produced by the movement of large celestial objects like stars and planets.

2. The government of India has given the final go-ahead to India’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO project, clearing the way for the construction of the world’s biggest scientific facility in Maharashtra.

Which of the above statements is/are true?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(c) Neither 1 nor 2

(d) Both 1 and 2

QUESTION 8

With reference to under water mining, consider the following statements:

1. Currently there is no internationally agreed code for mining under the ocean.

2. Possible exploitation of deep-sea deposits is regulated by the International Seabed Authority, which was established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Which of the above statements is/are true?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 9

Consider the following:

1. Rice

2. Pulses

3. Honey

4. Wheat

5. Mustard

Which of the following crops’ surplus stock of which of the following crops are sold through the Open Market Sale Scheme?

(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5 only

(b) 2, 3 and 5 only

(c) 1 and 4 only

(d) 2 and 5 only

QUESTION 10

Recently, the Union Cabinet  approved significant changes in the pricing regime for domestic natural gas under the ambit of the administered price mechanism (APM), determined as per the:

(a) Gadgil formula

(b) Rangarajan formula

(c) Tendulkar formula

(d) None of the above

ANSWERS TO MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

—  Forty-four years ago, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who served as President and Prime Minister of Pakistan, was executed under the military regime of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. Bhutto left behind a mixed legacy in Pakistan. But towards India, his attitude was of hostility and extreme mistrust.

—  Bhutto was the brain behind Operation Gibraltar and Operation Grand Slam, triggering the 1965 war. Bhutto was also the Pakistani leader who announced on the international stage that they would “wage a war for 1,000 years, a war of defence” against India.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

2. (b)

FYI:

—  Biomethanation is a process by which organic material is microbiologically converted under anaerobic conditions to biogas. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The main physiological groups of microorganisms are involved: fermenting bacteria, organic acid oxidising bacteria, and methanogenic archaea. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Microorganisms degrade organic matter via cascades of biochemical conversions to methane and carbon dioxide.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

3. (d)

FYI:

— Mishmi takin (Budorcas taxicolor taxicolor) is a species of goat-antelope found in the hills of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim at an altitude of 2000-3000 metres.

—  It is listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

—  It is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

4. (d)

FYI:

— On March 24, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) chief SP Yadav said that the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh would soon be notified as a tiger reserve. The announcement has caused disquiet among the area’s Idu Mishmi people, who feel that a tiger reserve would “hinder their access” to the forest.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

5. (c)

FYI:

— A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from Florida on Friday, carrying a new NASA device that can track air pollution over North America.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

6. (a)

FYI:

— Mathematicians have discovered a single shape that can be used to cover a surface completely without ever creating a repeating pattern, NYT reported.

7. (a)

FYI:

— The government has given the final go-ahead to India’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, project, clearing the way for the construction of the country’s biggest scientific facility that will join the ongoing global project to probe the universe by detecting and studying gravitational waves. So, it is not world’s biggest scientific facility. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

8. (c)

FYI:

— Currently there is no internationally agreed code for mining under the ocean. After two weeks of negotiations ending March 31, however, the International Seabed Authority has now decided that companies can apply from July to mine the ocean floor.

Could underwater mining begin in July?

— Possible exploitation of deep-sea deposits is regulated by the International Seabed Authority, which was established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It has awarded 31 exploration contracts so far worldwide, but none for commercial mining activities.

— These permits allow companies to explore the resources and potential for future extraction, but also require them to collect data for environmental analysis.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

9. (c)

FYI:

— Food Corporation of India sells surplus stocks of wheat and rice under Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) at predetermined prices through e-auction in the open market from time to time.

— It enhances the supply of food grains, especially wheat during the lean season and thereby moderate the open market prices especially in the deficit regions.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

10. (b)

FYI:

— The Union Cabinet on Thursday (April 6) approved significant changes in the pricing regime for domestic natural gas under the ambit of the administered price mechanism (APM), which mainly applies to gas produced by legacy fields, or nomination fields, of national oil companies Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Ltd and Oil India Ltd (OIL).

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