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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2017 - General Studies Paper II (CSAT) — question paper

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UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2017 - General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

Paper #3251 · 2017 · General Studies Paper II (CSAT) · 80 reviewed questions · Showing 1–40 of 80

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2017 General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A: 80 questions with 78 final-key answers and concise KSLC explanations. 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 2 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.

  1. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. What climate change will undeniably do is cause or amplify events that hasten the reduction of resources. Competition over these diminishing resources would ensue in the form of political or even violent conflict. Resource-based conflicts have rarely been overt and are thus difficult to isolate. Instead they take on veneers that appear more politically palatable. Conflicts over resources like water are often cloaked in the guise of identity or ideology.
    What does the above passage imply?
    1. Resource-based conflicts are always politically motivated.
    2. There are no political solutions to resolve environmental and resource-based conflicts.
    3. Environmental issues contribute to resource stresses and political conflict.
    4. Political conflict based on identity or ideology cannot be resolved.

  2. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. The man who is perpetually hesitating which of the two things he will do first, will do neither. The man who resolves, but suffers his resolution to be changed by the first counter-suggestion of a friend—who fluctuates from opinion to opinion and veers from plan to plan—can never accomplish anything. He will at best be stationary and probably retrograde in all. It is only the man who first consults wisely, then resolves firmly and then executes his purpose with inflexible perseverance, undismayed by those petty difficulties which daunt a weaker spirit—that can advance to eminence in any line.
    The keynote that seems to be emerging from the passage is that :
    1. we should first consult wisely and then resolve firmly
    2. we should reject suggestions of friends and remain unchanged
    3. we should always remain broad-minded
    4. we should be resolute and achievement-oriented

  3. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. During the summer in the Arctic Ocean, sea ice has been melting earlier and faster, and the winter freeze has been coming later. In the last three decades, the extent of summer ice has declined by about 30 per cent. The lengthening period of summer melt threatens to undermine the whole Arctic food web, atop which stand polar bears.
    Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?
    1. Climate change has caused Arctic summer to be short but temperature to be high.
    2. Polar bears can be shifted to South Pole to ensure their survival.
    3. Without the presence of polar bears, the food chains in Arctic region will disappear.
    4. Climate change poses a threat to the survival of polar bears.

  4. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. Why do people prefer open defecation and not want toilets or, if they have them, only use them sometimes? Recent research has shown two critical elements : ideas of purity and pollution, and not wanting pits or septic tanks to fill because they have to be emptied. These are the issues that nobody wants to talk about, but if we want to eradicate the practice of open defecation, they have to be confronted and dealt properly.
    Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?
    1. The ideas of purity and pollution are so deep-rooted that they cannot be removed from the minds of the people.
    2. People have to perceive toilet use and pit-emptying as clean and not polluting.
    3. People cannot change their old habits.
    4. People have neither civic sense nor sense of privacy.

  5. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. In the last two decades, the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) has increased by 50 per cent, whereas inclusive wealth has increased by a mere 6 per cent. In recent decades, GDP-driven economic performance has only harmed inclusive wealth like human capital; and natural capital like forests, land and water. While the world’s human capital which stands at 57 per cent of total inclusive wealth grew by only 8 per cent, the natural capital which is 23 per cent of total inclusive wealth declined by 30 per cent worldwide in the last two decades.
    Which of the following is the most crucial inference from the above passage?
    1. More emphasis should be laid on the development of natural capital.
    2. The growth driven by GDP only is neither desirable nor sustainable.
    3. The economic performance of the countries of the world is not satisfactory.
    4. The world needs more human capital under the present circumstances.

  6. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. By 2020, when the global economy is expected to run short of 56 million young people, India, with its youth surplus of 47 million, could fill the gap. It is in this context that labour reforms are often cited as the way to unlock double-digit growth in India. In 2014, India’s labour force was estimated to be about 40 per cent of the population, but 93 per cent of this force was in unorganized sector. Over the last decade, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of employment has slowed to 0.5 per cent, with about 14 million jobs created during last year when the labour force increased by about 15 million.
    Which of the following is the most rational inference from the above passage?
    1. India must control its population growth so as to reduce its unemployment rate.
    2. Labour reforms are required in India to make optimum use of its vast labour force productively.
    3. India is poised to achieve the double-digit growth very soon.
    4. India is capable of supplying the skilled young people to other countries.

  7. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. The very first lesson that should be taught to us when we are old enough to understand it, is that complete freedom from the obligation to work is unnatural, and ought to be illegal, as we can escape our share of the burden of work only by throwing it on someone else’s shoulders. Nature ordains that the human race shall perish of famine if it stops working. We cannot escape from this tyranny. The question we have to settle is how much leisure we can afford to allow ourselves.
    The main idea of the passage is that
    1. it is essential for human beings to work
    2. there should be a balance between work and leisure
    3. working is a tyranny which we have to face
    4. human’s understanding of the nature of work is essential

  8. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. There is no harm in cultivating habits so long as they are not injurious. Indeed, most of us are little more than bundle of habits. Take away our habits and the residuum would hardly be worth bothering about. We could not get on without them. They simplify the mechanism of life. They enable us to do a multitude of things automatically, which, if we had to give fresh and original thought to them each time, would make existence an impossible confusion.
    The author suggests that habits
    1. tend to make our lives difficult
    2. add precision to our lives
    3. make it easier for us to live
    4. tend to mechanize our lives

  9. Reading passage

    Read the information and answer the question(s). No supporters of ‘party X’, who knew Z and supported his campaign strategy, agreed for the alliance with ‘party Y’; but some of them had friends in ‘party Y’.
    With reference to the above information, which one among the following statements must be true?
    1. Some supporters of ‘party Y’ did not agree for the alliance with the ‘party X’.
    2. There is at least one supporter of ‘party Y’ who knew some supporters of ‘party X’ as a friend.
    3. No supporters of ‘party X’ supported Z’s campaign strategy.
    4. No supporters of ‘party X’ knew Z.

  10. Reading passage

    With reference to the above information consider the following statements : 1. Some supporters of ‘party X’ knew Z. 2. Some supporters of ‘party X’, who opposed Z’s campaign strategy, knew Z. 3. No supporters of ‘party X’ supported Z’s campaign strategy. Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 and 3 only
    3. 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
  11. If second and fourth Saturdays and all the Sundays are taken as only holidays for an office, what would be the minimum number of possible working days of any month of any year?
    1. 23
    2. 22
    3. 21
    4. 20
  12. If there is a policy that 1/3rd of a population of a community has migrated every year from one place to some other place, what is the leftover population of that community after the sixth year, if there is no further growth in the population during this period?
    1. 16/243rd part of the population
    2. 32/243rd part of the population
    3. 32/729th part of the population
    4. 64/729th part of the population
  13. Four tests—Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology are to be conducted on four consecutive days, not necessarily in the same order. The Physics test is held before the test which is conducted after Biology. Chemistry is conducted exactly after two tests are held. Which is the last test held?
    1. Physics
    2. Biology
    3. Mathematics
    4. Chemistry
  14. The sum of income of A and B is more than that of C and D taken together. The sum of income of A and C is the same as that of B and D taken together. Moreover, A earns half as much as the sum of the income of B and D. Whose income is the highest?
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
  15. Consider the following : Statement : Good voice is a natural gift but one has to keep practising to improve and excel well in the field of music. Conclusions : I. Natural gifts need nurturing and care. II. Even though one’s voice is not good, one can keep practising. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement and conclusions?
    1. Only conclusion I follows from the statement.
    2. Only conclusion II follows from the statement.
    3. Either conclusion I or conclusion II follows from the statement.
    4. Neither conclusion I nor conclusion II follows from the statement.
  16. There are three pillars X, Y and Z of different heights. Three spiders A, B and C start to climb on these pillars simultaneously. In one chance, A climbs on X by 6 cm but slips down 1 cm. B climbs on Y by 7 cm but slips down 3 cm. C climbs on Z by 6.5 cm but slips down 2 cm. If each of them requires 40 chances to reach the top of the pillars, what is the height of the shortest pillar?
    1. 161 cm
    2. 163 cm
    3. 182 cm
    4. 210 cm
  17. “Rights are certain advantageous conditions of social well-being indispensable to the true development of the citizen.” In the light of this statement, which one of the following is the correct understanding of rights?
    1. Rights aim at individual good only.
    2. Rights aim at social good only.
    3. Rights aim at both individual and social good.
    4. Rights aim at individual good devoid of social well-being.
  18. 15 students failed in a class of 52. After removing the names of failed students, a merit order list has been prepared in which the position of Ramesh is 22nd from the top. What is his position from the bottom?
    1. 18th
    2. 17th
    3. 16th
    4. 15th
  19. Consider the following : A + B means A is the son of B. A − B means A is the wife of B. What does the expression P + R − Q mean?
    1. Q is the son of P.
    2. Q is the wife of P.
    3. Q is the father of P.
    4. None of the above
  20. Gopal bought a cell phone and sold it to Ram at 10% profit. Then Ram wanted to sell it back to Gopal at 10% loss. What will be Gopal’s position if he agreed?
    1. Neither loss nor gain
    2. Loss 1%
    3. Gain 1%
    4. Gain 0.5%

  21. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intends them to be. We are citizens of a great country, on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or action.
    The challenge the author of the above passage throws to the public is to achieve
    1. a high standard of living, progress and privileges
    2. equal privileges, fulfilment of destiny and political tolerance
    3. spirit of adventure and economic parity
    4. hard work, brotherhood and national unity

  22. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. “The individual, according to Rousseau, puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the General Will and in our corporate capacity we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole.”
    In the light of the above passage, the nature of General Will is best described as
    1. the sum total of the private wills of the individuals
    2. what is articulated by the elected representatives of the individuals
    3. the collective good as distinct from private wills of the individuals
    4. the material interests of the community

  23. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. In a democratic State, where a high degree of political maturity of the people obtains, the conflict between the will of the sovereign law-making body and the organized will of the people seldom occurs.
    What does the above passage imply?
    1. In a democracy, force is the main phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.
    2. In a mature democracy, force to a great extent is the main phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.
    3. In a mature democracy, use of force is irrelevant in the actual exercise of sovereignty.
    4. In a mature democracy, force is narrowed down to a marginal phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

  24. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. A successful democracy depends upon widespread interest and participation in politics, in which voting is an essential part. To deliberately refrain from taking such an interest, and from voting, is a kind of implied anarchy; it is to refuse one’s political responsibility while enjoying the benefits of a free political society.
    This passage relates to
    1. duty to vote
    2. right to vote
    3. freedom to vote
    4. right to participate in politics

  25. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. In a free country, the man who reaches the position of leader is usually one of outstanding character and ability. Moreover, it is usually possible to foresee that he will reach such a position, since early in life one can see his qualities of character. But this is not always true in the case of a dictator; often he reaches his position of power through chance, very often through the unhappy state of his country.
    The passage seems to suggest that :
    1. a leader foresees his future position
    2. a leader is chosen only by a free country
    3. a leader must see that his country is free from despair
    4. despair in a country sometimes leads to dictatorship

  26. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. The greatest blessing that technological progress has in store for mankind is not, of course, an accumulation of material possessions. The amount of these that can be effectively enjoyed by one individual in one lifetime is not great. But there is not the same narrow limit to the possibilities of the enjoyment of leisure. The gift of leisure may be abused by people who have had no experience of making use of it. Yet the creative use of leisure by a minority in societies has been the mainspring of all human progress beyond the primitive level.
    With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. People always see the leisure time as a gift and use it for acquiring more material possessions. 2. Use of leisure by some people to produce new and original things has been the chief source of human progress. Which of these assumptions is/are valid?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

  27. Reading passage

    Read the passage and answer the question(s) based only on the passage. There is more than a modicum of truth in the assertion that “a working knowledge of ancient history is necessary to the intelligent interpretation of current events”. But the sage who uttered these words of wisdom might well have added something on the benefits of studying particularly the famous battles of history for the lessons they contain for those of us who lead or aspire to leadership. Such a study will reveal certain qualities and attributes which enabled the winners to win—and certain deficiencies which caused the losers to lose. And the student will see that the same pattern recurs consistently, again and again, throughout the centuries.
    With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. A study of the famous battles of history would help us understand the modern warfare. 2. Studying the history is essential for anyone who aspires to be a leader. Which of these assumptions is/are valid?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
  28. Suppose the average weight of 9 persons is 50 kg. The average weight of the first 5 persons is 45 kg, whereas the average weight of the last 5 persons is 55 kg. Then the weight of the 5th person will be
    1. 45 kg
    2. 47.5 kg
    3. 50 kg
    4. 52.5 kg
  29. In a group of six women, there are four tennis players, four postgraduates in Sociology, one postgraduate in Commerce and three bank employees. Vimala and Kamla are the bank employees while Amala and Komala are unemployed. Komala and Nirmala are among the tennis players. Amala, Kamla, Komala and Nirmala are postgraduates in Sociology of whom two are bank employees. If Shyamala is a postgraduate in Commerce, who among the following is both a tennis player and a bank employee?
    1. Amala
    2. Komala
    3. Nirmala
    4. Shyamala
  30. P = (40% of A) + (65% of B) and Q = (50% of A) + (50% of B), where A is greater than B. In this context, which of the following statements is correct?
    1. P is greater than Q.
    2. Q is greater than P.
    3. P is equal to Q.
    4. None of the above can be concluded with certainty.
  31. A watch loses 2 minutes in every 24 hours while another watch gains 2 minutes in every 24 hours. At a particular instant, the two watches showed an identical time. Which of the following statements is correct if 24-hour clock is followed?
    1. The two watches show the identical time again on completion of 30 days.
    2. The two watches show the identical time again on completion of 90 days.
    3. The two watches show the identical time again on completion of 120 days.
    4. None of the above statements is correct.
  32. In a city, 12% of households earn less than ₹30,000 per year, 6% households earn more than ₹2,00,000 per year, 22% households earn more than ₹1,00,000 per year and 990 households earn between ₹30,000 and ₹1,00,000 per year. How many households earn between ₹1,00,000 and ₹2,00,000 per year?
    1. 250
    2. 240
    3. 230
    4. 225
  33. A clock strikes once at 1 o’clock, twice at 2 o’clock and thrice at 3 o’clock, and so on. If it takes 12 seconds to strike at 5 o’clock, what is the time taken by it to strike at 10 o’clock?
    1. 20 seconds
    2. 24 seconds
    3. 28 seconds
    4. 30 seconds
  34. Consider the given statement and the two conclusions that follow : Statement : Morning walk is good for health. Conclusions : 1. All healthy people go for morning walk. 2. Morning walk is essential for maintaining good health. What is/are the valid conclusion/conclusions?
    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
  35. There are thirteen 2-digit consecutive odd numbers. If 39 is the mean of the first five such numbers, then what is the mean of all the thirteen numbers?
    1. 47
    2. 49
    3. 51
    4. 45
  36. Six boys A, B, C, D, E and F play a game of cards. Each has a pack of 10 cards. F borrows 2 cards from A and gives away 5 to C who in turn gives 3 to B while B gives 6 to D who passes on 1 to E. Then the number of cards possessed by D and E is equal to the number of cards possessed by
    1. A, B and C
    2. B, C and F
    3. A, B and F
    4. A, C and F
  37. There is a milk sample with 50% water in it. If 1/3rd of this milk is added to equal amount of pure milk, then water in the new mixture will fall down to
    1. 25%
    2. 30%
    3. 35%
    4. 40%
  38. There are 4 horizontal and 4 vertical lines, parallel and equidistant to one another on a board. What is the maximum number of rectangles and squares that can be formed?
    1. 16
    2. 24
    3. 36
    4. 42
  39. A freight train left Delhi for Mumbai at an average speed of 40 km/hr. Two hours later, an express train left Delhi for Mumbai, following the freight train on a parallel track at an average speed of 60 km/hr. How far from Delhi would the express train meet the freight train?
    1. 480 km
    2. 260 km
    3. 240 km
    4. 120 km
  40. In a test, Randhir obtained more marks than the total marks obtained by Kunal and Debu. The total marks obtained by Kunal and Shankar are more than those of Randhir. Sonal obtained more marks than Shankar. Neha obtained more marks than Randhir. Who amongst them obtained highest marks?
    1. Randhir
    2. Neha
    3. Sonal
    4. Data are inadequate

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