GK Quiz | 10 November 2020

Q1: Tigray region, recently seen in news, is located in –

1. Somalia
2. Ethiopia
3. Tanzania
4. Namibia

Solution: B)

Explanation:

A domestic conflict is going on in the Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. The conflict escalated in September, when Tigray held local elections in insubordination of the Ethiopian federal government.

According to a Reuters report, these elections were considered “illegal” by the federal government, this further leads to conflict with Tigray authorities.

The Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine regions of Ethiopia.

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q2: Which of the following countries share border with Red Sea?

1. Kenya
2. Djibouti
3. Oman
4. Eritrea

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Red sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Asia and Africa.

The six countries bordering the Red Sea are - Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q3:  Which of the following countries is/are included in the Horn of Africa?

1. Sudan
2. Somalia
3. Ethiopia

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 2 and 3 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. None

Solution: A)

Explanation:

The Horn of Africa:

• It is a peninsula in Africa and it is the easternmost extension of African land.
• It lies along the southern side of the Red Sea and extends hundreds of km into the Gulf of Aden, Somali Sea and Guardafui Channel.
• It denotes the region containing the countries of Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Ethiopia.

Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q4: With reference to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), consider the following statements:

1. It is a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.
2. It consists of 16 members elected for a period of five years.
3. The members of ACABQ are elected on the basis of a broad geographical representation.

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

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

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statement 1, 2 and 3: Recently, diplomat Vidisha Maitra elected to the U.N. Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).

About ACABQ:

• It is a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.
• It consists of 16 members elected by the General Assembly for a period of three years. They serve in a personal capacity and not as representatives of Member States.
• It holds three sessions a year with total meeting time between nine and ten months per year.
• Its members are selected on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications and experience.
• Following are the major functions of the Advisory Committee are:

• • To advise the General Assembly concerning any administrative and budgetary matters referred to it,
  • To examine and report on the budget submitted by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly,
  • To examine on behalf of the General Assembly the administrative budgets of the specialized agencies and proposals for financial arrangements with such agencies, and
  • To consider and report to the General Assembly on the auditors’ reports on the accounts of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies.

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

 

Q5: Which of the following activities is/are permitted in the Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZs):

1. Commercial use of wood
2. Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices
3. Use of renewable energy sources
4. Establishment of major hydroelectric projects (HEP)

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Recently, a Kerala-based NGO for farmers moved the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional a draft notification of the Centre demarcating 56,825 sq km spread across six States as ‘Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area’.

About Eco-Sensitive Zones or Ecologically Fragile Areas:

• These are areas within 10 kms around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• These are notified by MoEFCC, Government of India under Environment Protection Act 1986.
• Its main aim is to regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas.
• Permitted activities in ESZs are - organic farming, ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, adoption of green technology for all activities, use of renewable energy sources.
• Regulated activities in ESZs are - commercial use of natural water, erection of electrical cables, Felling of trees, establishment of hotels and resorts, drastic change of agriculture system, e.g. adoption of heavy technology, pesticides etc, widening of roads.
• Following activities are prohibited in ESZs: establishment of major hydroelectric projects (HEP), commercial use of wood, Tourism activities like hot-air balloons over the National Park, discharge of effluents or any solid waste or production of hazardous substances, Commercial mining, saw mills, industries causing pollution (air, water, soil, noise etc).

Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q6: Which of the following statement(s) is/are incorrect about Blue Macaws?

1. It is a parrot native to central and eastern South America.
2. It is listed as Vulnerable on IUCN Red List.
3. It is the smallest flying parrot species.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Statements 1, 2 and 3: Recently six blue or hyacinth macaws and two capuchin monkeys were released in the Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden in Guwahati.

About Blue Macaws:

• It is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species.
• It is a parrot native to central and eastern South America
• It is listed as Vulnerable on IUCN Red List.
• It is protected by Appendix I of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

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

 

Q7: Consider the following statements regarding Warli Painting:

1. It is a traditional art form of Karnataka.
2. These paintings are mainly dominated by basic geometric shapes like circles, triangles and squares.
3. Women are mainly engaged in the creation of these paintings.

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

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 only
4. None

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: Artists in Hyderabad are using traditional Warli art form not just to beautify Hyderabad, but also to create awareness on important issues.

About Warli Paintings:

• It is a traditional art form of Maharashtra.
• Its roots may be traced to as early as the 10^th century A.D.
• Women are mainly engaged in the creation of these paintings.
• These paintings are mainly dominated by basic geometric shapes like circles, triangles and squares which stand as a symbol of natural elements in our environment. For example, the triangles represent the mountains, the squares are considered as the central motifs of the painting and circles represent the sun and moon.
• Scenes portraying hunting, fishing and farming, festivals and dances, trees and animals are used to surround the central theme of the painting.
• These paintings bear a resemblance to those created in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka.
• People and animals are represented by two inverted triangles joined together, where the lower triangle is the pelvis and the upper triangle is the torso.

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

 

Q8: Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct about Dobra-Chanti bridge?

1. It is the longest motorable single lane suspension bridge of India.
2. It is built over Vembanad lake.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2: The Uttarakhand Chief Minister has recently inaugurated Dobra-Chanti bridge in Tehri-Garhwal district.

About Dobra-Chanti bridge:

• It is India's longest motorable single lane suspension bridge.
• It is 440-metre long and is built over Tehri Lake.
• It will cut travel time between Tehri and Pratapnagar districts from 5 hours to just 1.5 hours.

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