GK Quiz | 19 November 2020

Q1: Consider the following statements:

1. Recently, Hurricane Iota has made landfall in Nicaragua in Central America.
2. Hurricanes use cool and dry air as fuel.
3. Storms that form towards the north of the equator rotate clockwise.

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

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 only
4. 2 and 3 only

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statement 1,2 and 3: Recently, Hurricane Iota has made landfall in Nicaragua in Central America. It has developed into a category five storm.

About Hurricanes:

• The tropical cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean or the eastern Pacific Ocean are called hurricanes.
• They are categorized on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which rates them on a scale of 1 to 5 based on wind speed. Major hurricanes are the hurricanes that reach category three or higher.
• Hurricanes or Tropical cyclones use warm, moist air as fuel and form over warm ocean waters near the equator.
• Storms that form towards the south of the equator rotate clockwise, while those that form to the north spin counterclockwise because of the rotation of the Earth.

So, statement 1 is correct and statements 2 and 3 are incorrect. Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q2: The Payment Banks are allowed-

1. To give loans
2. To issue credit cards
3. To invest the money received from customers’ deposits into government securities

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 3 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Solution: C)

Explanation:

About Payment Bank:

• It is like any other bank, but operating on a smaller or restricted scale.
• It can accept demand deposits only, i.e., savings and current accounts, not time deposits.  It cannot accept deposits from the NRI persons.
• It can issue ATMs or debit cards but cannot issue a credit card.
• It is not allowed to give loans.
• It is restricted to holding a maximum balance of Rs. 1,00,000 per individual customer.
• It is allowed to invest the money received from customers’ deposits into government securities.

Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q3: Which of the following is/are elements of fake news?

1. Mistrust
2. Manipulation
3. Misinformation

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Solution: D)

Explanation:

Fake news is news, stories or hoaxes created to deliberately misinform or deceive readers. Following are three elements to fake news:

• Mistrust,
• Misinformation and
• Manipulation

Hence, option D is correct.

 

Q4: Consider the following statements regarding QRSAM missile:

1. It is a surface-to-surface missile (SAM) system.
2. It has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
3. It is a long-range missile.

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

1. 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 1,2 and 3
4. 1 and 2 only

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Statement 1,2 and 3: About Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM):

• It is a canister-based system means that it is stored and operated from specially designed compartments.
• It is a short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.
• It has a range of 25 to 30 km.
• It has been designed for induction into the Army
• It is primarily designed and developed by DRDO to provide a protective shield to moving armoured columns of the Army from enemy aerial attacks.

So, statements 1 and 3 are incorrect and statement 2 is correct. Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q5: Consider the following statements with reference to Global Geoparks:

1. It is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) site designation.
2. At present, India has two UNESCO Global geopark.
3. UNESCO Global Geopark status implies restrictions on all economic activities inside a UNESCO Global Geopark.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1 and 2 only

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is making efforts to get recognition of a geopark for Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, consisting of Erra Matti Dibbalu, volcanic ash deposits, Borra Caves and natural rock formations.

About Global geoparks:

• It is one of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) site designations.

• These are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.
• These are managed by a body having legal existence recognized under national legislation
• UNESCO Global Geopark status does not imply restrictions on any economic activity inside a UNESCO Global Geopark where that activity complies with indigenous, local, regional and/or national legislation.
• This designation period is of four years, after which the functioning and quality of each UNESCO Global Geopark is thoroughly re-examined during a revalidation process.
• These are sustained through geo-tourism activities like excursions, nature trails, guided tours, hiking and academic meets.
• Currently, India does not have any UNESCO Global geopark.

So, statement 1 is correct and statements 2 and 3 are incorrect. Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q6: Consider the following statements with reference to Erra Matti Dibbalu:

1. It is coastal red sediment mound located in Odisha.
2. Such sand deposits are found only in India.
3. It is a notified National Geological Heritage Monument Site of India.

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

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: About Erra Matti Dibbalu:

• It is coastal red sediment mounds located between Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam.
• It is among the 34 notified National Geological Heritage Monument Sites of India by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
• Such sand deposits have only been reported from two other low latitude tropical regions in South Asia and these are - the Red Coastal Sands of Sri Lanka and Teri Sands of Tamil Nadu.

So, statements 1 and 2 are incorrect and statement 3 is correct. Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q7: Consider the following pairs:

                Caves                                              States

1. Borra caves                             Madhya Pradesh
2. Karle caves                              Maharashtra
3. Bagh caves                              Andhra Pradesh

Which of the pair(s) given above is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Borra Caves or Borra Guhalu: These are located on the East Coast of India, in the Ananthagiri hills of the Araku Valley of the Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh.  These are one million year old caves, discovered by William King George of the Geological Survey of India (GSI). These caves are known for stalactite and stalagmite formations such as Shiva-Parvathi, Rishi’s Beard, Mother-Child, Crocodile, Human Brain, Tiger and Cows udder.

Karle Cave: It is an ancient Indian Buddhist early rock-cut architecture, located in Maharashtra. It has a great chaitya hall. It is related to the Mahasaṃghika sect of Buddhism.

Bagh Caves: These are situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhyas in Bagh town of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh, India. These are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, established by Buddhist monk Jataka.

Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q8: Anakkayam Small Hydro Electric Project, recently seen in news, will come up in the buffer zone of which of the following tiger reserve?

1. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
2. Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve
3. Parambikulam Tiger Reserve
4. Bor Tiger Reserve

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Anakkayam Small Hydro Electric Project will come up in the buffer zone of the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (PTR). It will also create a 5.617-km-long tunnel within the forest.

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (PTR) is located in the Palakkad District of Kerala. It is a well-protected ecological portion in the Nelliampathy-Anamalai landscape of the Southern Western Ghats in India. It has the world’s largest and oldest teak tree named “Kannimara”, which is believed to be 350 years old.

Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q9: India’s first convergence project is set to come up in which of the following states?

1. Karnataka
2. Jharkhand
3. Tamil Nadu
4. Goa

Solution: D)

Explanation:

India’s first convergence project to generate green energy for rural and agriculture consumption is set to come up in Goa. For this, Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power, and Goa government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

About the project:

• It focuses on energy solutions that lie at the confluence of renewable energy, electric mobility and climate change.
• It seeks to connect seemingly independent sectors like Solar Energy, Energy Storage and LED lights to provide solutions, which can enable in decarbonisation and affordable energy access.
• Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) is offering convergent interventions, which solve multiple gap areas in the energy ecosystem.

Hence, option D is correct.