UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2011 - General Studies Paper I — question paper

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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2011 - General Studies Paper I

Paper #3262 · 2011 · General Studies Paper I · 100 reviewed questions · Showing 41–80 of 100

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2011 General Studies Paper I, Series A: 100 questions with 99 final-key answers and concise KSLC explanations. Original questions and applicable copyright belong to UPSC and the respective rights holders. KSLC explanations are independent educational commentary; KSLC is not affiliated with or endorsed by UPSC. Official source: https://www.upsc.gov.in/examinations/previous-question-papers/archives 1 question(s) have explained discrepancies between the printed wording and final-key disposition; their official answers are disclosed, but KSLC automatic scoring is withheld. These were not officially dropped.

Who is eligible to benefit from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act?
1. Adult members of only scheduled-caste and scheduled-tribe households.
2. Adult members of below-poverty-line households.
3. Adult members of households of all backward communities.
4. Adult members of any household.
Regarding India’s Look East Policy: 1. India wants to become an important regional player in East Asian affairs. 2. India wants to fill the vacuum created by the end of the Cold War. 3. India wants to restore historical and cultural ties with neighbours in Southeast and East Asia. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
When the annual Union Budget is not passed by Lok Sabha,
1. the Budget is modified and presented again.
2. the Budget is referred to Rajya Sabha for suggestions.
3. the Union Finance Minister is asked to resign.
4. the Prime Minister submits the resignation of the Council of Ministers.
Which is not a fundamental duty under the Constitution?
1. To vote in public elections.
2. To develop the scientific temper.
3. To safeguard public property.
4. To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals.
Which statement about the Finance Commission is correct?
1. It encourages foreign capital inflow for infrastructure.
2. It facilitates distribution of finances among Public Sector Undertakings.
3. It ensures transparency in financial administration.
4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) is correct in this context.
Consider: 1. Right to education 2. Right to equal access to public service 3. Right to food. Which are human rights under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
What could cause harmful algal blooms in Indian seawaters? 1. Discharge of nutrients from estuaries. 2. Land runoff during monsoon. 3. Upwelling in seas. Select the correct answer.
1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Which add carbon dioxide to Earth’s carbon cycle? 1. Photosynthesis 2. Respiration 3. Decay of organic matter 4. Volcanic action.
1. 1 and 4 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 2, 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Regarding the Australia Group and Wassenaar Arrangement: 1. The former is informal and minimizes risks of assisting chemical/biological weapons proliferation, whereas the latter is a formal OECD group with identical objectives. 2. The former comprises predominantly Asian, African and North American countries, whereas the latter comprises predominantly EU and American countries. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
A lake’s surface freezes in severe winter but its bottom water remains liquid. Why?
1. Ice is a bad conductor of heat.
2. The surface has the same temperature as the air, so no heat is lost.
3. Water has maximum density at 4°C.
4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) is correct.
A sandy and saline area is the natural habitat of an Indian animal with no predators in that area, but threatened by habitat destruction. Which animal could it be?
1. Indian wild buffalo
2. Indian wild ass
3. Indian wild boar
4. Indian gazelle
How is La Niña different from El Niño? 1. La Niña means unusually cold equatorial Indian Ocean temperatures, whereas El Niño means unusually warm equatorial Pacific temperatures. 2. El Niño adversely affects India’s southwest monsoon, but La Niña has no effect on monsoon climate. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Increased litigation after Cornwallis’s land settlement of 1793 is normally traced to which provision?
1. Strengthening the Zamindar’s position relative to the ryot.
2. Making East India Company an overlord of Zamindars.
3. Making the judicial system more efficient.
4. None of (a), (b) and (c)
Which observation about the Quit India Movement of 1942 is not true?
1. It was a non-violent movement.
2. It was led by Mahatma Gandhi.
3. It was a spontaneous movement.
4. It did not attract the labour class in general.
What was a common factor behind nineteenth-century tribal insurrections in India?
1. A new land-revenue system and taxation of tribal products.
2. Foreign religious missionaries’ influence.
3. Moneylenders, traders and revenue farmers becoming middlemen in tribal areas.
4. Complete disruption of the old agrarian order of tribal communities.
What best explains India’s early maritime cultural and trade links with Southeast Asia across the Bay of Bengal?
1. India had better shipbuilding technology than other countries in ancient and medieval times.
2. Southern rulers always patronized traders, brahmin priests and Buddhist monks.
3. Monsoon winds across the Bay of Bengal facilitated sea voyages.
4. Both (a) and (b)
What is the difference between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices?
1. Bluetooth uses the 2.4 GHz band, whereas Wi-Fi can use 2.4 or 5 GHz.
2. Bluetooth is only for WLAN and Wi-Fi only for WWAN.
3. Bluetooth devices require line of sight whereas Wi-Fi devices do not.
4. Both (a) and (b)
Regarding micro-irrigation: 1. Fertilizer/nutrient loss can be reduced. 2. It is the only means of irrigation in dryland farming. 3. In some farming areas, a receding groundwater table can be checked. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Which funds constituted colonial “Home Charges”? 1. Supporting the India Office in London. 2. Paying salaries and pensions of British personnel engaged in India. 3. Waging wars outside India by the British.
1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Why did Gandhi organize Kheda satyagraha? 1. The administration did not suspend land revenue collection despite drought. 2. The administration proposed Permanent Settlement in Gujarat. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Biodiversity supports human existence through: 1. Soil formation 2. Preventing soil erosion 3. Recycling waste 4. Crop pollination. Select the correct answer.
1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 2, 3 and 4 only
3. 1 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Aspartame consists of amino acids and provides calories, yet is used as a low-calorie sweetener. Why?
1. It is as sweet as sugar but cannot readily be oxidized due to missing enzymes.
2. In processing it keeps its sweetness but becomes oxidation-resistant.
3. It is as sweet as sugar but converted into calorie-free metabolites.
4. It is many times sweeter than sugar, so very small quantities yield fewer calories.
Why did Sir William Wedderburn and W. S. Caine set up the Indian Parliamentary Committee in 1893?
1. To agitate for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons.
2. To campaign for Indians’ entry into the Imperial Judiciary.
3. To discuss India’s independence in the British Parliament.
4. To agitate for eminent Indians’ entry into British Parliament.
What is the difference between a CFL and an LED lamp? 1. CFL uses mercury vapour and phosphor; LED uses semiconductor material. 2. CFL’s average lifespan is much longer than LED’s. 3. CFL is less energy-efficient than LED. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
What is “oilzapper”?
1. An eco-friendly technology for remediation of oily sludge and oil spills.
2. The latest technology for undersea oil exploration.
3. A genetically engineered high-biofuel-yielding maize variety.
4. A technology to control accidental flames from oil wells.
A married couple adopted a male child. Later twin boys were born. The parents’ blood groups are AB positive and O negative; the three sons have A positive, B positive and O positive. The adopted son’s blood group is
1. O positive
2. A positive
3. B positive
4. Cannot be determined
What message from Ruskin’s “Unto This Last” transformed Gandhi’s life?
1. Uplifting the oppressed and poor is an educated person’s moral responsibility.
2. The good of the individual is contained in the good of all.
3. Celibacy and spiritual pursuit are essential for a noble life.
4. All the statements (a), (b) and (c)
Usha Mehta is well-known for
1. Running secret Congress Radio during Quit India.
2. Participating in the Second Round Table Conference.
3. Leading an Indian National Army contingent.
4. Helping form Nehru’s Interim Government.
How is Blu-ray Disc (BD) different from traditional DVD? 1. DVD supports Standard Definition video, while BD supports High Definition. 2. BD has several times more storage capacity. 3. BD is 2.4 mm thick, while DVD is 1.2 mm. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
What did the Nehru Report recommend? 1. Complete independence for India. 2. Joint electorates with reserved minority seats. 3. Fundamental rights in the Constitution. Select the correct answer.
1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Which State’s climate best suits low-cost cultivation of varied orchids and an export-oriented industry?
1. Andhra Pradesh
2. Arunachal Pradesh
3. Madhya Pradesh
4. Uttar Pradesh
Which is not an in-situ flora conservation site?
1. Biosphere Reserve
2. Botanical Garden
3. National Park
4. Wildlife Sanctuary
In India, a Metropolitan Planning Committee: 1. Is constituted under the Constitution. 2. Prepares draft metropolitan development plans. 3. Solely implements government-sponsored schemes in the metropolitan area. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
What is the difference between a vote-on-account and an interim budget? 1. A regular government uses a vote-on-account, while a caretaker government uses an interim budget. 2. A vote-on-account deals only with expenditure, while an interim budget includes expenditure and receipts. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Which statement about the International Monetary Fund is correct?
1. It can grant loans to any country.
2. It can grant loans only to developed countries.
3. It grants loans only to member countries.
4. It can grant loans to a country’s central bank.
How do mangroves provide a safety hedge against coastal calamities?
1. Swamps separate settlements from the sea by an uninhabited wide zone.
2. They supply food and medicine after disasters.
3. Their tall dense canopies provide shelter during cyclones or tsunamis.
4. Their extensive roots prevent them being uprooted by storms and tides.
Jain philosophy holds that the world is created and maintained by
1. Universal Law
2. Universal Truth
3. Universal Faith
4. Universal Soul
What is an effect of salinization caused by irrigation water evaporating and leaving salts and minerals?
1. Greatly increased crop production.
2. Making some soils impermeable.
3. Raising the water table.
4. Filling soil air spaces with water.
IUCN Red Data Books contain lists of: 1. Endemic species in biodiversity hotspots. 2. Threatened plant and animal species. 3. Protected conservation sites in different countries. Select the correct answer.
1. 1 and 3
2. 2 only
3. 2 and 3
4. 3 only
Why are teaser loans an economic concern? 1. They are viewed as an aspect of sub-prime lending and may expose banks to future default. 2. In India they mostly go to inexperienced entrepreneurs starting manufacturing/export units. Which is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

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