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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2022 - General Studies Paper II (CSAT) — question paper

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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2022 - General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

Paper #3241 · 2022 · General Studies Paper II (CSAT) · 80 reviewed questions · Showing 1–40 of 80

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2022 General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A: 80 questions with 79 final-key answers and concise KSLC explanations. 1 officially dropped question(s) are explained without a scoring answer. Reading-comprehension answers are based on the accompanying passages. 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. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the following question(s) based only on the passage. The main threat to maintaining progress in human development comes from the increasingly evident unsustainability of production and consumption patterns. Current production models rely heavily on fossil fuels. We now know that this is unsustainable because the resources are finite. The close link between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions needs to be severed for human development to become truly sustainable. Some developed countries have begun to alleviate the worst effects by expanding recycling and investing in public transport and infrastructure. But most developing countries are hampered by the high costs and low availability of clean energy sources. Developed countries need to support developing countries’ transition to sustainable human development.
    Unsustainability in production pattern is due to which of the following? 1. Heavy dependence on fossil fuels 2. Limited availability of resources 3. Expansion of recycling Select the correct answer using the code given below.
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3

  2. Reading passage

    Consider the following statements : Developed countries can support developing countries’ transition to sustainable human development by 1. making clean energy sources available at low cost 2. providing loans for improving their public transport at nominal interest rates 3. encouraging them to change their production and consumption patterns Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 1 and 2 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3

  3. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the following question(s) based only on the passage. Unless the forces and tendencies which are responsible for destroying the country’s environment are checked in the near future and afforestation of denuded areas is taken up on a massive scale, the harshness of the climatic conditions and soil erosion by wind and water will increase to such an extent that agriculture, which is the mainstay of our people, will gradually become impossible. The desert countries of the world and our own desert areas in Rajasthan are a grim reminder of the consequences of large-scale deforestation. Pockets of desert-like landscape are now appearing in other parts of the country including the Sutlej-Ganga Plains and the Deccan Plateau. Where only a few decades back there used to be lush green forests with perennial streams and springs, there is only brown earth, bare of vegetation, without any water in the streams and springs except in the rainy season.
    According to the passage given above, deforestation and denudation will ultimately lead to which of the following? 1. Depletion of soil resource 2. Shortage of land for the common man 3. Lack of water for cultivation 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
  4. What is the value of X in the sequence 20, 10, 10, 15, 30, 75, X?
    1. 105
    2. 120
    3. 150
    4. 225
  5. An Identity Card has the number ABCDEFG, not necessarily in that order, where each letter represents a distinct digit (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 only). The number is divisible by 9. After deleting the first digit from the right, the resulting number is divisible by 6. After deleting two digits from the right of original number, the resulting number is divisible by 5. After deleting three digits from the right of original number, the resulting number is divisible by 4. After deleting four digits from the right of original number, the resulting number is divisible by 3. After deleting five digits from the right of original number, the resulting number is divisible by 2. Which of the following is a possible value for the sum of the middle three digits of the number?
    1. 8
    2. 9
    3. 11
    4. 12
  6. Two friends X and Y start running and they run together for 50 m in the same direction and reach a point. X turns right and runs 60 m, while Y turns left and runs 40 m. Then X turns left and runs 50 m and stops, while Y turns right and runs 50 m and then stops. How far are the two friends from each other now?
    1. 100 m
    2. 90 m
    3. 60 m
    4. 50 m
  7. Which date of June 2099 among the following is Sunday?
    1. 4
    2. 5
    3. 6
    4. 7
  8. A bill for ₹1,840 is paid in the denominations of ₹50, ₹20 and ₹10 notes. 50 notes in all are used. Consider the following statements : 1. 25 notes of ₹50 are used and the remaining are in the denominations of ₹20 and ₹10. 2. 35 notes of ₹20 are used and the remaining are in the denominations of ₹50 and ₹10. 3. 20 notes of ₹10 are used and the remaining are in the denominations of ₹50 and ₹20. Which of the above statements are not correct?
    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 1 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
  9. Which number amongst 2⁴⁰, 3²¹, 4¹⁸ and 8¹² is the smallest?
    1. 2⁴⁰
    2. 3²¹
    3. 4¹⁸
    4. 8¹²
  10. The digits 1 to 9 are arranged in three rows in such a way that each row contains three digits, and the number formed in the second row is twice the number formed in the first row; and the number formed in the third row is thrice the number formed in the first row. Repetition of digits is not allowed. If only three of the four digits 2, 3, 7 and 9 are allowed to use in the first row, how many such combinations are possible to be arranged in the three rows?
    1. 4
    2. 3
    3. 2
    4. 1

  11. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the following question(s) based only on the passage. “In simple matters like shoe-making, we think only a specially trained person will serve our purpose, but in politics, we presume that everyone who knows how to get votes knows how to administer a State. When we are ill, we call for a trained physician, whose degree is a guarantee of specific preparation and technical competence—we do not ask for the handsomest physician, or the most eloquent one : well then, when the whole State is ill should we not look for the service and guidance of the wisest and the best?”
    Which one of the following statements best reflects the message of the author of the passage?
    1. We assume that in a democracy, any politician is qualified to administer a State.
    2. Politicians should be selected from those trained in administration.
    3. We need to devise a method of barring incompetence from public office.
    4. As voters select their administrators, the eligibility of politicians to administer a State cannot be questioned.

  12. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the following question(s) based only on the passage. The poverty line is quite unsatisfactory when it comes to grasping the extent of poverty in India. It is not only because of its extremely narrow definition of ‘who is poor’ and the debatable methodology used to count the poor, but also because of a more fundamental assumption underlying it. It exclusively relies on the notion of poverty as insufficient income or insufficient purchasing power. One can better categorize it by calling it income poverty. If poverty is ultimately about deprivations affecting human well-being, then income poverty is only one aspect of it. Poverty of a life, in our view, lies not merely in the impoverished state in which the person actually lives, but also in the lack of real opportunity given by social constraints as well as personal circumstances—to choose other types of living. Even the relevance of low incomes, meagre possessions, and other aspects of what are standardly seen as economic poverty relate ultimately to their role in curtailing capabilities, i.e., their role in severely restricting the choices people have to lead variable and valued lives.
    Why is the methodology adopted in India to count the ‘poor’ debatable?
    1. There is some confusion regarding what should constitute the ‘poverty line’.
    2. There are wide diversities in the condition of the rural and urban poor.
    3. There is no uniform global standard for measuring income poverty.
    4. It is based on the proposition of poverty as meagre income or buying capacity.

  13. Reading passage

    Why is income poverty only one measure of counting the ‘poor’ ?
    1. It talks of only one kind of deprivation ignoring all others.
    2. Other deprivations in a human life have nothing to do with lack of purchasing power.
    3. Income poverty is not a permanent condition, it changes from time to time.
    4. Income poverty restricts human choices only at a point of time.

  14. Reading passage

    What does the author mean by ‘poverty of a life’?
    1. All deprivations in a human life which stem not only from lack of income but lack of real opportunities
    2. Impoverished state of poor people in rural and urban areas
    3. Missed opportunities in diverse personal circumstances
    4. Material as well as non-material deprivations in a human life which restrict human choices permanently
  15. X and Y run a 3 km race along a circular course of length 300 m. Their speeds are in the ratio 3:2. If they start together in the same direction, how many times would the first one pass the other (the start-off is not counted as passing)?
    1. 2
    2. 3
    3. 4
    4. 5
  16. If the order of the letters in the English alphabet is reversed and each letter represents the letter whose position it occupies, then which one of the following represents ‘LUCKNOW’?
    1. OGXPMLD
    2. OGXQMLE
    3. OFXPMLE
    4. OFXPMLD
  17. In a tournament of Chess having 150 entrants, a player is eliminated whenever he loses a match. It is given that no match results in a tie/draw. How many matches are played in the entire tournament?
    1. 151
    2. 150
    3. 149
    4. 148
  18. How many 3-digit natural numbers (without repetition of digits) are there such that each digit is odd and the number is divisible by 5 ?
    1. 8
    2. 12
    3. 16
    4. 24
  19. Consider the Question and two Statements given below : Question : Is x an integer? Statement-1 : x /3 is not an integer. Statement-2 : 3x is an integer. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?
    1. Statement-1 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
    2. Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
    3. Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are sufficient to answer the Question
    4. Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are not sufficient to answer the Question
  20. The increase in the price of a certain item was 25%. Then the price was decreased by 20% and then again increased by 10%. What is the resultant increase in the price?
    1. 5%
    2. 10%
    3. 12.5%
    4. 15%

  21. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the following question(s) based only on the passage. In some places in the world, the productivity of staples such as rice and wheat has reached a plateau. Neither new strains nor fancy agrochemicals are raising the yields. Nor is there much unfarmed land left that is suitable to be brought under the plough. If global temperature continues to rise, some places will become unsuitable for farming. Application of technology can help overcome these problems. Agricultural technology is changing fast. Much of this change is brought about by affluent farmers in the West/Americas. Techniques developed in the West are being adapted in some places to make tropical crops more productive. Technology is of little use if it is not adapted. In the developing world, that applies as much to existing farming techniques as it does to the latest advances in genetic modification. Extending to the smallholders and subsistence farmers of Africa and Asia the best of today’s agricultural practices, in such simple matters as how much fertilizers to apply and when, would lead to a greatly increased availability of food for humanity. So would things like better roads and storage facilities, to allow for the carriage of surpluses to markets and reduce wastage.
    Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Development of agricultural technology is confined to developed countries. 2. Agricultural technology is not adapted in developing countries. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

  22. Reading passage

    Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Poor countries need to bring about change in their existing farming techniques. 2. Developed countries have better infrastructure and they waste less food. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

  23. Reading passage

    Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Growing enough food for future generations will be a challenge. 2. Corporate farming is a viable option for food security in poor countries. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
  24. The letters A, B, C, D and E are arranged in such a way that there are exactly two letters between A and E. How many such arrangements are possible?
    1. 12
    2. 18
    3. 24
    4. 36
  25. Consider the Question and two Statements given below : Question : Is Z brother of X? Statement-1 : X is a brother of Y and Y is a brother of Z. Statement-2 : X,Y and Z are siblings. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?
    1. Statement-1 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
    2. Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
    3. Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are sufficient to answer the Question
    4. Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are not sufficient to answer the Question
  26. On one side of a 1.01 km long road, 101 plants are planted at equal distance from each other. What is the total distance between 5 consecutive plants?
    1. 40 m
    2. 40.4 m
    3. 50 m
    4. 50.5 m
  27. A, B and C are three places such that there are three different roads from A to B, four different roads from B to C and three different roads from A to C. In how many different ways can one travel from A to C using these roads?
    1. 10
    2. 13
    3. 15
    4. 36
  28. A has some coins. He gives half of the coins and 2 more to B. B gives half of the coins and 2 more to C. C gives half of the coins and 2 more to D. The number of coins D has now, is the smallest twodigit number. How many coins does A have in the beginning?
    1. 76
    2. 68
    3. 60
    4. 52
  29. In the series AABABCABCDABCDE.., which letter appears at the 100th place?
    1. G
    2. H
    3. I
    4. J
  30. Three persons A, B and C are standing in a queue not necessarily in the same order. There are 4 persons between A and B, and 7 persons between B and C. If there are 11 persons ahead of C and 13 behind A, what could be the minimum number of persons in the queue?
    1. 22
    2. 28
    3. 32
    4. 38

  31. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the following question(s) based only on the passage. Natural selection cannot anticipate future environments on the earth. Therefore, the set of existing organisms can never be fully prepared for environmental catastrophes that await life. An outcome of this is the extinction of those species which cannot overcome environmental adversity. This failure to survive, in modern terms, can be attributed to the genomes which are unable to withstand geological vagaries or biological mishaps (infections, diseases and so on). In biological evolution on the earth, extinction of species has been a major feature. The earth may presently have up to ten million species, yet more than 90% of species that have ever lived on the earth are now extinct. Once again, the creationist doctrines fail to satisfactorily address why a divine creator will firstly bother to create millions of species and then allow them to perish. The Darwinian explanation for extinct life is once again simple, elegant and at once convincing—organisms go extinct as a function of environmental or biological assaults for which their inheritance deems them ill-equipped. Therefore, the so-called Darwinian theory of evolution is not a theory at all. Evolution happens—this is a fact. The mechanism of evolution (Darwin proposed natural selection) is amply supported by scientific data. Indeed, to date no single zoological, botanical, geological, paleontological, genetic or physical evidence has refuted either of the central two main Darwinian ideas. If religion is not taken into consideration, Darwinian laws are acceptable just like the laws proposed by Copernicus, Galileo, Newton and Einstein—sets of natural laws that explain natural phenomena in the universe.
    According to the passage, natural selection cannot anticipate future environments on the earth as 1. species not fully prepared to face the environmental changes that await them will face extinction 2. all the existing species would get extinct as their genomes will not withstand biological mishaps 3. inability of the genome to withstand environmental changes would result in extinction 4. extinction of species is a common feature Select the correct answer using the code given below.
    1. 1, 2 and 3
    2. 2, 3 and 4
    3. 1, 3 and 4
    4. 1, 2 and 4

  32. Reading passage

    The passage suggests that Darwinian theory of evolution is not a theory at all because
    1. it does not satisfy the creationist doctrine
    2. extinction is a function of environment and biological assaults
    3. there are no evidences to refute it
    4. existence of organisms is attributed to a creator

  33. Reading passage

    With reference to the passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Only species that have the ability to overcome environmental catastrophes will survive and perpetuate. 2. More than 90% of the species on the earth are in the danger of getting extinct due to drastic changes in the environment. 3. Darwin’s theory explains all the natural phenomena. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
    1. 1 only
    2. 1 and 2 only
    3. 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3

  34. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the following question(s) based only on the passage. With steady economic growth, higher literacy and increasing skill levels, the number of Indian middle-class families has gone up exponentially. Direct results of the affluence have been changes in dietary patterns and energy consumption levels. People have moved to a higher protein-based diet like milk products, fish and meat, all of which need significantly more water to produce than cerealbased diets. Increasing use of electronic and electric machines/gadgets and motor vehicles needs more and more energy and generation of energy needs water.
    Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the passage?
    1. People should be persuaded to continue with the mainly Indian traditional cereal-based diets.
    2. India needs to focus on developing agricultural productivity and capacity for more energy generation in the coming years.
    3. Modern technological developments result in the change of cultural and social behaviour of the people.
    4. Water management practices in India need to change dramatically in the coming years.
  35. How many seconds in total are there in x weeks, x days, x hours, x minutes and x seconds?
    1. 11580x
    2. 11581x
    3. 694860x
    4. 694861x
  36. P, Q, R, S, T and U are six members of a family. R is the spouse of Q. U is the mother of T and S is the daughter of U. P’s daughter is T and R's son is P. There are two couples in the family. Which one of the following is correct?
    1. Q is the grandfather of T
    2. Q is the grandmother of T
    3. R is the mother of P
    4. T is the granddaughter of Q
  37. Consider the Question and two Statements given below in respect of three cities P, Q and R in a State : Question : How far is city P from city Q? Statement-1 : City Q is 18 km from city R. Statement-2 : City P is 43 km from city R. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?
    1. Statement-1 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
    2. Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
    3. Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are sufficient to answer the Question
    4. Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are not sufficient to answer the Question
  38. Two Statements followed by four Conclusions are given below. You have to take the Statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from the commonly known facts. Read all the Conclusions and then decide which of the given Conclusions logically follows/ follow from the Statements, disregarding the commonly known facts : Statement-1 : All pens are books. Statement-2 : No chair is a pen. Conclusion-I : All chairs are books. Conclusion-II : Some chairs are pens. Conclusion-III : All books are chairs. Conclusion-IV : No chair is a book. Which one of the following is correct?
    1. Only Conclusion-I
    2. Only Conclusion-II
    3. Both Conclusion-III and Conclusion-IV
    4. None of the Conclusions follows
  39. Three Statements followed by three Conclusions are given below. You have to take the Statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from the commonly known facts. Read all the Conclusions and then decide which of the given Conclusions logically follows/ follow from the Statements, disregarding the commonly known facts : Statement-1 : Some doctors are teachers. Statement-2 : All teachers are engineers. Statement-3: All engineers are scientists. Conclusion-I : Some scientists are doctors. Conclusion-II : All engineers are doctors. Conclusion-III : Some engineers are doctors. Which one of the following is correct?
    1. Only Conclusion-I
    2. Only Conclusion-II
    3. Both Conclusion-I and Conclusion-III
    4. Both Conclusion-I and Conclusion-II
  40. Eight students A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H sit around a circular table, equidistant from each other, facing the centre of the table, not necessarily in the same order. B and D sit neither adjacent to C nor opposite to C. A sits in between E and D, and F sits in between B and H. Which one of the following is definitely correct?
    1. B sits in between A and G
    2. C sits opposite to G
    3. E sits opposite to F
    4. None of the above

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