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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2012 - General Studies Paper I — question paper

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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2012 - General Studies Paper I

Paper #3260 · 2012 · General Studies Paper I · 100 reviewed questions · Showing 81–100 of 100

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2012 General Studies Paper I, Series A: 100 questions with 100 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. Consider the following: 1. Assessment of land revenue on the basis of nature of the soil and the quality of crops 2. Use of mobile cannons in warfare 3. Cultivation of tobacco and red chillies Which of the above was/were introduced into India by the English?
    1. 1 only
    2. 1 and 2
    3. 2 and 3
    4. None
  2. With reference to the guilds (Shreni) of ancient India that played a very important role in the country’s economy, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Every guild was registered with the central authority of the State and the king was the chief administrative authority on them. 2. The wages, rules of work, standards and prices were fixed by the guild. 3. The guild had judicial powers over its own members. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 3 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
  3. The distribution of powers between the Centre and the States in the Indian Constitution is based on the scheme provided in the
    1. Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909
    2. Montagu-Chelmsford Act, 1919
    3. Government of India Act, 1935
    4. Indian Independence Act, 1947
  4. Despite having large reserves of coal, why does India import millions of tonnes of coal? 1. It is the policy of India to save its own coal reserves for future, and import it from other countries for the present use. 2. Most of the power plants in India are coal-based and they are not able to get sufficient supplies of coal from within the country. 3. Steel companies need large quantity of coking coal which has to be imported. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
  5. A person stood alone in a desert on a dark night and wanted to reach his village which was situated 5 km east of the point where he was standing. He had no instruments to find the direction but he located the polestar. The most convenient way now to reach his village is to walk in the
    1. direction facing the polestar
    2. direction opposite to the polestar
    3. direction keeping the polestar to his left
    4. direction keeping the polestar to his right
  6. Recently, there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called ‘rare earth metals’. Why? 1. China, which is the largest producer of these elements, has imposed some restrictions on their export. 2. Other than China, Australia, Canada and Chile, these elements are not found in any country. 3. Rare earth metals are essential for the manufacture of various kinds of electronic items and there is a growing demand for these elements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
  7. Consider the following protected areas: 1. Bandipur 2. Bhitarkanika 3. Manas 4. Sunderbans Which of the above are declared Tiger Reserves?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 1, 3 and 4 only
    3. 2, 3 and 4 only
    4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  8. Consider the following statements: 1. The duration of the monsoon decreases from southern India to northern India. 2. The amount of annual rainfall in the northern plains of India decreases from east to west. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
  9. Which one of the following is the characteristic climate of the Tropical Savannah Region?
    1. Rainfall throughout the year
    2. Rainfall in winter only
    3. An extremely short dry season
    4. A definite dry and wet season
  10. In which one among the following categories of protected areas in India are local people not allowed to collect and use the biomass?
    1. Biosphere Reserves
    2. National Parks
    3. Wetlands declared under Ramsar Convention
    4. Wildlife Sanctuaries
  11. Consider the following kinds of organisms: 1. Bat 2. Bee 3. Bird Which of the above is/are pollinating agent/agents?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
  12. Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species?
    1. Great Indian Bustard, Musk Deer, Red Panda and Asiatic Wild Ass
    2. Kashmir Stag, Cheetal, Blue Bull and Great Indian Bustard
    3. Snow Leopard, Swamp Deer, Rhesus Monkey and Saras (Crane)
    4. Lion-tailed Macaque, Blue Bull, Hanuman Langur and Cheetal
  13. Consider the following statements: If there were no phenomenon of capillarity 1. it would be difficult to use a kerosene lamp 2. one would not be able to use a straw to consume a soft drink 3. the blotting paper would fail to function 4. the big trees that we see around would not have grown on the Earth Which of the statements given above are correct?
    1. 1, 2 and 3 only
    2. 1, 3 and 4 only
    3. 2 and 4 only
    4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  14. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment describes the following major categories of ecosystem services—provisioning, supporting, regulating, preserving and cultural. Which one of the following is supporting service?
    1. Production of food and water
    2. Control of climate and disease
    3. Nutrient cycling and crop pollination
    4. Maintenance of diversity
  15. What is the difference between the antelopes Oryx and Chiru?
    1. Oryx is adapted to live in hot and arid areas whereas Chiru is adapted to live in steppes and semi-desert areas of cold high mountains
    2. Oryx is poached for its antlers whereas Chiru is poached for its musk
    3. Oryx exists in western India only whereas Chiru exists in north-east India only
    4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct
  16. Which of the following can be threats to the biodiversity of a geographical area? 1. Global warming 2. Fragmentation of habitat 3. Invasion of alien species 4. Promotion of vegetarianism Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
    1. 1, 2 and 3 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 4 only
    4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  17. Consider the following: 1. Black-necked crane 2. Cheetah 3. Flying squirrel 4. Snow leopard Which of the above are naturally found in India?
    1. 1, 2 and 3 only
    2. 1, 3 and 4 only
    3. 2 and 4 only
    4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  18. Consider the following agricultural practices: 1. Contour bunding 2. Relay cropping 3. Zero tillage In the context of global climate change, which of the above helps/help in carbon sequestration/storage in the soil?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 3 only
    3. 1, 2 and 3
    4. None of them
  19. What would happen if phytoplankton of an ocean is completely destroyed for some reason? 1. The ocean as a carbon sink would be adversely affected. 2. The food chains in the ocean would be adversely affected. 3. The density of ocean water would drastically decrease. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 only
    3. 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
  20. Vultures which used to be very common in Indian countryside some years ago are rarely seen nowadays. This is attributed to
    1. the destruction of their nesting sites by new invasive species
    2. a drug used by cattle owners for treating their diseased cattle
    3. scarcity of food available to them
    4. a widespread, persistent and fatal disease among them

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