GK Quiz | 5 October 2020

Q1. Which of the statement(s) is/are correct with reference to the report titled “Confronting Carbon Inequality” recently released by the Oxfam International and the Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI)?

1. A rich person contributes more to the climate crisis than a poor person.
2. India is the lowest per capita emitter amongst the world’s large economies.
3. The global carbon budget is being rapidly depleted.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statement 1,2 and 3: The Oxfam International and the Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI) has recently released a report titled “Confronting Carbon Inequality”.

Key highlights:

• A rich person contributes more to the climate crisis than a poor person.
• Americans and Canadians emitted well over 16 tCO₂, while an Indian emitted only 1.97 tonnes of CO₂ (tCO₂) annually.
• Data Analysis (from 1990 to 2015):

• The richest 1% of humanity accounted for 15% of cumulative emissions, while the poorest 50% accounted for only 7%.
• The richest 10% accounted for 46% of emissions growth, while the poorest 50% accounted for only 6%.
• The richest 10% depleted the global carbon budget by 31%, while the poorest 50% used only 4% of the carbon budget.

• In comparison to the per capita emissions of the richest 10% of Americans were 52.4 tonnes, the per capita CO₂ emissions of the richest 10% of Indians were about 4.4 tonnes in 2018.
• India is the lowest per capita emitter amongst the world’s large economies.
• Due to the increasing consumption of the rich in the name of dignity and a decent standard of living, the global carbon budget is being rapidly depleted.

So, all statements are correct and hence, option C is correct.

 

Q2. Which of the following newspaper(s) is/are published by Mahatma Gandhi?

1. Young India
2. New India
3. India Opinion

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: B)

Explanation:

New India was an early 20^th century daily newspaper, started by Annie Besant to highlight issues related to the Indian freedom struggle.

Following are four journals published by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

• Indian Opinion
• Young India: a weekly paper or journal in English published from 1919 to 1931.
• Navajivan
• Harijan: a weekly newspaper in English, started in 1933.

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding retributive justice:

1. It is a system of criminal justice based on the rehabilitation of offenders rather than on the punishment.
2. It requires that the response to a crime must be proportional to the committed offence.

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

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

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2: About Retributive justice:

• It is a system of criminal justice based on the punishment of offenders rather than on rehabilitation.
• It is a theory of punishment that when an offender breaks the law, justice requires that he or she must suffer in return.
• It also requires that the response to a crime must be proportional to the committed offence.

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

 

Q4. Which of the following is/are the major themes of the Data Governance Quality Index (DGQI)?

1. Data Generation
2. Data Quality
3. Use of Technology
4. Data Security

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: D)

Explanation:

Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog has conducted Data Governance Quality Index (DGQI) survey to assess different Ministries/Departments’ performance on the implementation of Central Sector Schemes (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS).

Key highlights:

• Department of Fertilizers has been ranked 2^nd amongst the 16 Economic Ministries / Departments. It has been ranked 3^rd amongst the 65 Ministries / Departments in the Survey Report
• The six major themes of DGQI are - Data Generation; Data Quality; Use of Technology; Data Analysis, Use and Dissemination; Data Security and HR Capacity and Case Studies.
• Ministries / Departments were classified in 6 (six) categories: Administrative, Strategic, Infrastructure, Social, Economic and Scientific to avoid straight-forward irrelevant comparisons.

Hence, option D is correct.

 

Q5. Consider the following pairs:

            

Passes	State
1. Rohtang Pass	Uttarakhand
2. Lipulekh Pass	Sikkim
3. Khardung La	Ladakh

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

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

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Rohtang Pass is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh, India.

Lipulekh is a Himalayan pass located close to the tri junction of Uttarakhand state of India, China and Nepal.

Khardung La pass is located in the Leh district of the Indian union territory of Ladakh. It is the highest motorable pass in the world.

Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q6. Xoo (Xanthomonas oryzaepv. oryzae), recently seen in news, causes a serious bacterial leaf blight disease in-

1. Rice
2. Wheat
3. Maize
4. None of the above

Solution: A)

Explanation: Dr. Tayi Lavanya, along with her research group, is working to identify and develop few molecules which are derived from either the Xoo bacterium or from the infected rice cell walls. The team is developing new disease control strategies that they can use as vaccines that activate the rice immune system and provide resistance to rice plants from subsequent infections by pathogens.

Xanthomonas oryzaepv. oryzae or Xoo infection causes huge yield losses to rice cultivation throughout the world.

Treatment of rice with cellulase, a cell wall degrading enzyme secreted by Xoo, induces rice immune responses and protects rice from subsequent infections by Xoo.

Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q7. With reference to the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, consider the following statements:

1. It is a constitutional body.
2. It falls under the administrative control of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
3. Under the commission, a Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 16 years age group.

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

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

Solution: D)

Explanation:

Statement 1,2 and 3: About the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR):

• It is a statutory body that was set up in 2007 under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
• It falls under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. 
• Under the commission, the Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years age group
• Its mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

So, all statements are incorrect and hence, option D is correct.

 

Q8. Which of the following countries does not share a border with Syria?

1. Lebanon
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Iran
4. Israel

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: C)

Explanation:

About Syria:

• It is a country in Western Asia
• It is bordered by Lebanon to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.

Hence, option C is correct.