02 December 2023

Q1. With reference to distinctive features of leaf insects, consider the following statements:

1. They are excellent swimmers.
2. They possess vibrant, colorful patterns.
3. They mimic the appearance of leaves.
4. They are known for their loud chirping.

How many of the above statements given is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Leaf insects are tropical insects that resemble leaves to avoid predators. They are closely related to stick insects and are known for their remarkable camouflage. Leaf insects are found in the forests of Asia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and the islands of the Indian Ocean.

Q2. Consider the following statements about Red Sand Boa:

1. It is a non-venomous snake.
2. It uses its head to mimic a threat.
3. It is classified as ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The red sand boa (Eryx johnii) is a non-venomous snake that lives in the dry parts of the Indian subcontinent.
• It’s also known as the Indian sand boa. The red sand boa is a thick-set snake that’s usually reddish-brown, known for its blunt tail, which it uses to mimic its head when it senses a threat.
• Classified as ‘Near Threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with a declining population trend.
• The red sand boa is highly sought after in the illegal wildlife trade due to its demand in the pet trade and its use in black magic.

Q3. If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of the Wildlife Protection Act,1972, what is the implication?

(a) A licence is required to cultivate that plant.

(b) Such a plant cannot be cultivated under any circumstances.

(c) It is a Genetically Modified crop plant.

(d) Such a plant is invasive and harmful to the ecosystem.

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• These are Endemic plants where Cultivation of specified plants without licence is prohibited.
• From the Wildlife protection Act: (1) No person shall cultivate a specified plant except under and in accordance with a licence granted by the Chief Wild Life Warden or any other officer authorised by the State Government in this behalf: Provided that nothing in this section shall prevent a person, who immediately before the commencement of the Wild Life (Protection) (Amendment) Act, 1991 (44 of 1991), was cultivating a specified plant from carrying on such cultivation for a period of six months from such commencement or where he has made an application within that period for the grant of a licence to him, until the licence is granted to him or he is informed in writing that a licence cannot be granted to him.

Q4. Which one of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social Cost of Carbon’?

It is a measure, in monetary value, of the:

(a) long-term damage done by a tonne of CO2 emissions in a given year.

(b) requirement of fossil fuels for a country to provide goods and services to its citizens, based on the burning of those fuels.

(c) efforts put in by a climate refugee to adapt to live in a new place.

(d) contribution of an individual person to the carbon footprint on the planet Earth.

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The social cost of carbon (SCC) is the marginal cost of the impacts caused by emitting one extra tonne of greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide equivalent) at any point in time, inclusive of ‘non-market’ impacts on the environment and human health. The purpose of putting a price on a ton of emitted CO2 is to aid policymakers or other legislators in evaluating whether a policy designed to curb climate change is justified.

Q5.  With reference to solar water pumps, consider the following statements:

1. Solar power can be used for running surface pumps and not for submersible pumps.
2. Solar power can be used for running centrifugal pumps and not the ones with piston.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• They can be used to run them all. The most common pump mechanics in Solar power pumps used are centrifugal pumps, multistage pumps, borehole pumps, and helical pumps.

Q6. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple has been honoured with UNESCO award for Heritage Conservation. In this context, consider the following statements:

1. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is built in the Dravidian style.
2. Its Gopuram is the biggest Gopuram in Asia.
3. The temple was constructed during the Chalukyan period.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

Tamil Nadu’s historic Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam became a national symbol of conserving cultural heritage after bagging an Award of Merit from UNESCO. The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the first temple in Tamil Nadu to have ever received a mighty recognition and award from UNESCO.It is considered as one of the most important of the 108 main Vishnu temples (Divyadesams). It is Vaishnava temple built in Tamil or or Dravidian style of architecture. Its Gopuram also called as “Raja Gopuram is the biggest gopuram in Asia.

Q7. Consider the following statements:

1. The World Heritage Convention 1972 sets out the duties of state parties in identifying potential sites and their role in protecting and preserving them.
2. India is a signatory to the World Heritage Convention 1972.
3. Ramappa temple in Telangana is declared as the 39th world heritage site of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

The World Heritage Institute of Training and Research – Asia Pacific (WHITR-AP) is a non-profit organization specialized in the area of heritage conservation.It is an institute under the auspices of UNESCO, it is the first one established in the developing countries.It is an autonomous institution at the service of member states and associate members of UNESCO.Its mission is to strengthen implementation of the World Heritage Convention 1972 in the Asia and the Pacific region.TheWorld Heritage Convention is one of the most important global conservation instruments which was created in 1972.Its mission is to identify and protect the world’s natural and cultural heritage considered to be of Outstanding Universal Value.It sets out the duties of States Parties in identifying potential sites and their role in protecting and preserving them. Hence, statement 1 is correct.By signing the Convention, each country pledges to conserve not only the World Heritage sites situated on its territory, but also to protect its national heritage.India is a signatory to the convention and has 40 world heritage sites, which includes 32 cultural, 7 natural and one mixed property. Hence, statement 2 is correct.Ramappa Temple in Telangana was the 39^th and Dholavira in Gujarat was India’s 40^th world heritage site. Hence, statement 3 is correct.Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

Q8.Which of the following is/are the Mountain Railways of India and are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

1.Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

2.Nilgiri Mountain Railway

3.Kalka–Shimla Railway

4.Kangra ValleyRailway

5.Matheran Light Railway

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 2, 3 and 4 only
3. 1, 3, 4 and 5 only
4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Explanation:

Three railways, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and the Kalka–Shimla Railway, are collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name Mountain Railways of India.The fourth railway, the Matheran Hill Railway, is on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.The basis of UNESCO’s designation of the Mountain Railways of India as a World Heritage Site is “outstanding examples of bold, ingenious engineering solutions for the problem of establishing an effective rail link through rugged, mountainous terrain.”Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

Q9. Which of the following is/are correctly matched:

1. Jagannath Das: Oriya
2. Pampa: Marathi
3. Gyaneswar: Kannada

Select the correct answer using the code below

1. 3 only
2. 1 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. None of the above

Explanation:

The power of ancient bhakti poetry in Tamil set in motion what might well be considered a pan-Indian efflorescence. After Tamil, Pampa’s great court epics were composed in Kannada in the 10th century. Devotional literature in Kannada, the Vachanas (sayings) of the various saints of the Krishna, Rama and Shiva cults, is well known.

Basavanna was a famous Kannada poet, a Shiva devotee and a great social reformer. AllamaPrabhu (Kannada) wrote great poetry under the garb of religion. Chronologically, Marathi, the close successor of Kannada, became the next venue for bhakti.

Gyaneswar (1275 A.D.) is the first and foremost bhakti poet in Marathi. In his teens (he died at the age of 21) he became famous for his poetic contribution to bhakti for Vithal (Vishnu). Eknath wrote his short poetic narratives and devotional abhangas (a literary form), and after him it was Tukarram (1608-1649 A.D.) whose songs cast a spell all over Maharasthra. And then it is Gujarati in the 12th century. Gujarati poets like Narsi Mehta and Premananda occupy a prominent place in the galaxy of the Vaishnava poets. Afterwards, the sequential order is as follows: Kashmiri, Bengali, Assamese, Manipuri, Oriya, Maithili, Braj, Avadhi (the last three languages come under the umbrella language, Hindi) and other languages of India.

Chandidas, a Bengali poet, is acclaimed as a great genius for the lucidity and sweetness of his poems. Similarly, Vidyapati in Maithili created a new poetic language.

Lal Ded, a Kashmiri Muslim poetess, gave a new dimension to mystical bhakti. Jayadeva, a Sanskrit lyric poet of the 12th century, influenced a large number of devotional Bengali poets like Govinda Das (16th century), Balaram Das and others. Sri Chaitanya (1486-1533), a great Bengali saint, helped Vaishnavism to turn into a religious and literary movement, made it a living faith and became a source of never-ending inspiration to a host of Bengali poets, including Jiva Goswami.

Sankardev (1449-1568), an Assamese devotional poet, used plays (Ankiya-Nat) and Kirtan (devotional songs) to propagate Vaishnavism and became a legend. Similarly, Jagannath Das is a legendary devotional poet in Oriya who wrote Bhagavat (the story of Krishna), which has spiritually united all the people of Orissa and created a living consciousness.

Q10. Which of the following is/are the Women Poets of Bhakti:

1. Romasha Brahmavadini
2. Habba Khatun
3. Lopamudra

Select the correct answer using the code below

• 1 only
• 1 and3 only
• 1, 2 and 3
• None of the above

Explanation:

Women Poets of Bhakti:

The contribution of women writers in different languages during that period deserves special attention. Women writers like Ghosha, Lopamudra, Gargi, Maitreyi, Apala, Romasha Brahmavadini, etc., right from the days of the Vedas (6000 B.C. – 4000 B.C.), focused on the image of women in mainstream Sanskrit literature. The songs of Buddhist nuns (6th century B.C.) like Mutta and Ubbiri and Mettika in Pali express the torment of feelings for the life left behind. The Alwar women poets (6th century A.D.), like Andal and others, gave expression to their love for the divine. Lal Ded (1320-1384), the Muslim poetess from Kashmir Lalded & Habba Khatun, represented the sant tradition of bhakti and wrote Vakhs (maxims), which are peerless gems of spiritual experience. Meera Bai, in Gujarati, Rajasthani and Hindi (she wrote in three languages), Avvayyar, in Tamil, and Akkamahadevi in Kannada, are well known for their sheer lyrical intensity and concentrated emotional appeal. Their writings speak to us about the social conditions prevailing at that time, and the position of woman at home and in society. They all wrote small lyrics or poems of devotional fervour, metaphysical depth, and with a spirit of dedication and utmost sincerity. Behind their mysticism and metaphysics is a divine sadness. They turned every wound inflicted by life into a poem.