UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2018 - General Studies Paper II (CSAT) — question paper

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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2018 - General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

Paper #3249 · 2018 · General Studies Paper II (CSAT) · 80 reviewed questions · Showing 41–80 of 80

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Accuracy note: This is a reviewed structured rendering of an official previous-year paper and may cover only part of it. Where available, explanatory notes describe unresolved source or answer issues without supplying a scoring answer. Official examination authority notices remain final.

2018 CSAT structured study edition: 80 questions, 80 official-key answers and 80 concise KSLC explanations. No questions were officially dropped. Shared passages, some tables/data and visuals are not yet fully included; questions depending on them must be read with the official PDF. Original questions and applicable copyright belong to UPSC and the respective rights holders. KSLC commentary is independent; KSLC is not affiliated with or endorsed by UPSC. Official source: https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/QP-CSP-18-GS-II-C.pdf Question numbers follow the reviewed Series A booklet. The linked official PDF may use a different booklet order; match the question text.

A student has to get 40% marks to pass in an examination. Suppose he gets 30 marks and fails by 30 marks, then what are the maximum marks in the examination?
1. 100
2. 120
3. 150
4. 300
19 boys turn out for playing hockey. Of these, 11 are wearing hockey shirts and 14 are wearing hockey pants. There are no boys without shirts and/or pants. What is the number of boys wearing full uniform?
1. 3
2. 5
3. 6
4. 8
A is studying in
1. Rajasthan
2. Gujarat
3. city Q
4. Kerala
Science college is located in
1. city Q
2. city S
3. city R
4. city P
C is studying in
1. Science college
2. Rajasthan
3. Gujarat
4. city Q
Which one of the following statements is correct?
1. D is not studying in city S.
2. A is studying in Science college.
3. A is studying in Kerala.
4. Engineering college is located in Gujarat.
Which one of the following statements is correct regarding Engineering college?
1. C is studying there.
2. B is studying there.
3. It is located in Gujarat.
4. D is studying there.
Which one of the following statements is correct?
1. Engineering college is located in Assam.
2. City Q is situated in Assam.
3. C is studying in Kerala.
4. B is studying in Gujarat.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Climate change is not a challenge for developed countries. 2. Climate change is a complex policy issue and also a development issue for many countries. 3. Ways and means of finance must be found to enable developing countries to enhance their adaptive capacity. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Which of the following is the most crucial and logical inference that can be made from the above passage?
1. Rural people are giving up the use of polluting solid fuels due to their increasing awareness of health hazards.
2. Subsidizing the use of clean cooking fuels will solve the problem of India’s indoor air pollution.
3. India should increase its import of natural gas and produce more electricity.
4. Access to cooking gas can reduce premature deaths in poor households.
Which one of the following is the most important implication of the passage?
1. A happy world is a dream of science.
2. Science only can build a happy world, but it is also the only major threat.
3. A happy world is not possible without science.
4. A happy world is not at all possible with or without science.
Which one of the following is the most important implication of the passage?
1. India can have territorial claims in the Arctic territory and free access to its resources.
2. Melting of summer ice in the Arctic leads to changes in the geopolitics.
3. The Arctic region will solve the world’s future problem of resource crunch.
4. The Arctic region has more resources than Antarctica.
What is the crucial message conveyed by the above passage?
1. India should revise its PDS.
2. India should not be a member of WTO.
3. For India, food security collides with trade.
4. India provides food security to its poor.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. India continues to be a developing country essentially due to its faulty education system. 2. Today’s learners need to acquire new-age skill-sets. 3. A good number of Indians go to some developed countries for education because the educational systems there are a perfect reflection of the societies in which they function. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
What is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?
1. Obesity has become an epidemic all over the world.
2. A lot of people are obsessed with attaining a perfect body.
3. Obesity is essentially an incurable disease.
4. There is no perfect diet or one solution for obesity.
Which of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial message given by the passage?
1. Preserving crop genetic diversity is an insurance against the effects of climate change.
2. Despite great risks, monoculture is the only way to ensure food security in the world.
3. More and more genetically modified crops only can save the world from impending shortages of food.
4. Asia and North America will be worst sufferers from climate change and the consequent shortage of food.
A shopkeeper sells an article at ₹40 and gets X% profit. However, when he sells it at ₹20, he faces same percentage of loss. What is the original cost of the article?
1. ₹10
2. ₹20
3. ₹30
4. ₹40
There are 24 equally spaced points lying on the circumference of a circle. What is the maximum number of equilateral triangles that can be drawn by taking sets of three points as the vertices?
1. 4
2. 6
3. 8
4. 12
Consider the sequence: 4/12/95, 1/1/96, 29/1/96, 26/2/96, … What is the next term of the series?
1. 24/3/96
2. 25/3/96
3. 26/3/96
4. 27/3/96
Twelve equal squares are placed to fit in a rectangle of diagonal 5 cm. There are three rows containing four squares each. No gaps are left between adjacent squares. What is the area of each square?
1. 5/7 sq cm
2. 7/5 sq cm
3. 1 sq cm
4. 25/12 sq cm
Consider the following graph. Which one of the following statements is not correct with reference to the graph?
1. On 1st June, the actual progress of work was less than expected.
2. The actual rate of progress of work was the greatest during the month of August.
3. The work was actually completed before the expected time.
4. During the period from 1st April to 1st September, at no time was the actual progress more than the expected progress.
For a sports meet, a winners’ stand comprising three wooden blocks is in the form shown. There are six different colours available to choose from and each of the three wooden blocks is to be painted such that no two of them has the same colour. In how many different ways can the winners’ stand be painted?
1. 120
2. 81
3. 66
4. 36
Looking at the graph, it can be inferred that from 1990 to 2010
1. population growth rate has increased
2. population growth rate has decreased
3. growth rate of population has remained stable
4. population growth rate shows no trend
With reference to the above graph, consider the following statements considering 1970 as base year: 1. Population has stabilized after 35 years. 2. Population growth rate has stabilized after 35 years. 3. Death rate has fallen by 10% in the first 10 years. 4. Birthrate has stabilized after 35 years. Which of the above are the most logical and rational statements that can be made from the above graph?
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1, 2 and 3
3. 3 and 4
4. 2 and 4
Average hourly earnings per year (E) of the workers in a firm are represented in figures A and B. From the figures, it is observed that the
1. values of E are different
2. ranges (i.e., the difference between the maximum and the minimum) of E are different
3. slopes of the graphs are same
4. rates of increase of E are different
Consider the figures given below. To fit the question mark, the correct answer is
1. Figure A
2. Figure B
3. Figure C
4. Figure D
The manufacturing cost and projected sales for a product are shown in figures A and B respectively. What is the minimum number of pieces that should be manufactured to avoid a loss?
1. 2000
2. 2500
3. 3000
4. 3500
A lift has the capacity of 18 adults or 30 children. How many children can board the lift with 12 adults?
1. 6
2. 10
3. 12
4. 15
A person bought a refrigerator worth ₹22,800 with 12.5% interest compounded yearly. At the end of first year he paid ₹8,650 and at the end of the second year ₹9,125. How much will he have to pay at the end of third year to clear the debt?
1. ₹9,990
2. ₹10,000
3. ₹10,590
4. ₹11,250
In figures I to VI, some parts change their positions in regular directions. Following the same sequence, which figure will appear at stage VII?
1. Figure A
2. Figure B
3. Figure C
4. Figure D
The graphs indicate different age groups in the populations of countries A and B over a period of a few decades. Which of the following are the most logical and rational inferences? 1. Over the last two and a half decades, the dependency ratio for country B has decreased. 2. By the end of next two and a half decades, the dependency ratio of country A will be much less than that of country B. 3. In the next two decades, the workforce relative to its total population will increase in country B as compared to country A. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Lakshmi, her brother, her daughter and her son are badminton players. A game of doubles is about to begin: (i) Lakshmi’s brother is directly across the net from her daughter. (ii) Her son is diagonally across the net from the worst player’s sibling. (iii) The best player and the worst player are on the same side of the net. Who is the best player?
1. Her brother
2. Her daughter
3. Her son
4. Lakshmi
The graph indicates changes in key policy rates made by the Central Bank several times in a year. Which one of the following can be the most likely reason for such an action?
1. Encouraging foreign investment
2. Increasing the liquidity
3. Encouraging both public and private savings
4. Anti-inflationary stance
With reference to the above table, which of the following is/are the most logical and rational inference/inferences? 1. Higher per capita income is generally associated with higher Tele-density. 2. Higher GDP growth rate always ensures higher per capita income. 3. Higher GDP growth rate does not necessarily ensure higher Tele-density. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 3
4. 3 only
With reference to the above table, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Nowadays, prosperity of an already high performing State cannot be sustained without making further large investments in its telecom infrastructure. 2. Nowadays, a very high Tele-density is the most essential condition for promoting the business and economic growth in a State. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
The graph indicates the composition of gross tax revenue for a period of two decades. Which of the following is/are the most logical and rational inference/inferences? 1. During the given period, revenue from Direct Taxes as a percentage of gross tax revenue has increased while that of Indirect Taxes decreased. 2. The trend in revenue from Excise Duty demonstrates that the growth of manufacturing sector has been negative during the given period. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
If x − y = 8, then which of the following must be true? 1. Both x and y must be positive for any value of x and y. 2. If x is positive, y must be negative for any value of x and y. 3. If x is negative, y must be positive for any value of x and y. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2 nor 3
What is the most rational and crucial message given by the passage?
1. Mass production of meat through industrial farming is cheap and is suitable for providing protein nutrition to poor countries.
2. Meat-producing industry violates the laws against cruelty to animals.
3. Mass production of meat through industrial farming is undesirable and should be stopped immediately.
4. Environmental cost of meat production is unsustainable when it is produced through industrial farming.
What is the most rational and crucial message given by the passage?
1. The conflict between man and wildlife cannot be resolved, no matter what efforts we make.
2. Safe wildlife corridors between protected areas is an essential aspect of conservation efforts.
3. India needs to declare more protected areas and set up more tiger reserves.
4. India’s National Parks and Tiger Reserves need to be professionally managed.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. The strategy of conservation of wildlife by relocating them from one protected area to another is not often successful. 2. India does not have suitable legislation to save the tigers, and its conservation efforts have failed which forced the tigers to live outside protected areas. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

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