DAILY

 CURRENT AFFAIRS

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Current Affairs MCQs for Practice – 04 Feb 2022

Question-1

What is the term that broadly refers to ethnic self-centredness and self-importance?

a)     Ethnocentrism

b)     Pompocentrism

c)      Xenocentrism

d)     Anthropocentrism

Ans- a

Explanation-

Ethnocentrism broadly refers to ethnic self-centredness and self-importance. This attitude could lead an individual to believe that their own culture or way of life is the correct way of living. It could also result in hostility towards other cultures.

Question-2

The latest statistics published by the Law and Justice Ministry showed that the judicial vacancies in High Courts total 411. How many High Courts are there in India?

a)                 26

b)                 28

c)                  25

d)                 27

Ans- c

Explanation-

The latest statistics published by the Law and Justice Ministry on February 1 showed that the judicial vacancies in the 25 High Courts total 411. The sanctioned judicial strength in the High Courts is 1,098. That means 687 judges form the working strength of the High Courts’ judiciary.

Question-3

The Export Import Bank of India has signed a $500-million Line of Credit agreement with which country, aimed at helping the island nation cope with its fuel shortages?

a)    Mauritius

b)    Philippines

c)    Indonesia

d)    Sri Lanka

Ans- d

Explanation-

The Export Import Bank (EXIM) of India and the Government of Sri Lanka on Wednesday signed a $500- million Line of Credit agreement aimed at helping Sri Lanka cope with its fuel shortages, amid one of the worst economic meltdowns facing the island nation.

Question-4

Consider the following statements regarding the Chandrayaan-3 Mission:

1.   It will consist only the rover and lander and will communicate to earth via the orbiter from Chandrayaan-2.

2.   The Chandrayaan-3 mission is done in collaboration with Japan space agency, JAXA which provides the rover and the launcher.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

a)     1 only

b)     2 only

c)      Both 1 and 2

d)     Neither 1 nor 2

Ans- a

Explanation-

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, Chandrayaan-3 is scheduled for launch in August 2022.

Chandrayaan-3

• Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft is the 3rd lunar exploration expedition, outlined by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• ISRO planned this spacecraft to exhibit India’s soft landing proficiency on a stellar body.
• It will only consist of a rover and lander and will communicate to the earth via an orbiter from Chandrayaan 2.
• India aims to examine the Moon’s surface, especially areas that have not been receiving sunlight in some billion years.
• Scientists and astronomers are suspecting the presence of ice and abundant mineral stocks in these darker parts of the lunar surface.
• In addition, this exploration will not limit to the surface but aim to study the sub-surface and exosphere.
• The rover will study the surface by taking images at a distance of 100km from the lunar orbit.
• Design
• The lander of ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 will be powered by 4 throttle-able engines.
• In addition, it will be endowed with a Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV).

Reasons to target moon’s south pole with Chandrayaan-3 space mission

• It contains larger shadowed areas than the northern pole.
• Scientists believe that these areas on the lunar surface possibly have a permanent source of water.
• In addition, scientists also have a keen interest in the craters present in the southern pole.
• They believe these cold traps may contain mysterious fossil records of the early planetary system.

Question-5

Consider the following statements:

1.   The Kolleru salt water lake in Andhra Pradesh is a Ramsar site, a wetland site of international importance.

2.   The Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) is home to India’s second-largest mangrove cover.

3.   The CWS is located in the confluence of River Godavari and the Bay of Bengal.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

a)     1 and 2  only

b)     2 and 3 only

c)      1 and 3  only

d)     All of the above

Ans- b

Explanation-

Coringa, a case of negligence in claiming ‘Ramsar status’. It meets all criteria to be declared as ‘Wetland of international importance’.

Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS)

• In 2002, Asia’s freshwater lake, Kolleru in Andhra Pradesh, was designated as Ramsar site — a wetland of international importance.
• Since then, the State appears to have not put any effort for getting Ramsar status for any of its other wetlands despite being blessed with wetlands that officially meet the Ramsar Convention’s (Iran-1971) nine criteria.
• The Godavari estuary, including 235.70 sq. km Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS), is one of the rarest eco-regions on the earth.
• It is also home to India’s second-largest mangrove cover after the Sundarbans.
• The CWS is inhabited by 115 endangered fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus), Olive Ridley turtles, Indian smooth-coated otter, and saltwater crocodiles.
• The Ramsar Convention criterion mandates that a wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 20,000 or more water birds.
• The CWS itself meets all the nine-criteria of the Ramsar Convention to be declared as ‘wetland of international importance.

Question- 6

Consider the following statements regarding the Early harvest agreements:

1.   Early harvest agreements open up bilateral trade between two countries on a restricted list of goods and services.

2.   It is mandatory for Early harvest agreements to graduate into Free Trade Agreements(FTA).

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

a)                 1 only

b)                 2 only

c)                  Both 1 and 2

d)                 Neither 1 nor 2

Ans- a

Explanation-

Last month, India and Britain launched trade talks in Delhi, with an aim to finalize a free trade agreement (FTA) as soon as possible.

Early Harvest Agreements/Pacts

• Early harvest agreements are used to open up bilateral trade between two countries on a restricted list of goods and services, primarily as a frontrunner to clinching a more comprehensive FTA.
• This strategy can lead to significant delays in wrapping up the mode broad-based FTAs, which could potentially lead to impediments.
• India had concluded an early harvest agreement with Thailand in 2004 but has not been able to conclude a comprehensive FTA with the country.
• India also has a trade agreement with Sri Lanka dealing with goods but was not able to conclude an agreement on services and investments.
• Experts noted that it is often beneficial to negotiate the entire deal together, as an early harvest deal may reduce the incentive for one side to work towards a full FTA.
• Early harvest agreements that do not graduate into full-scale FTAs are exposed to legal challenges from other countries that are members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), an organisation that was formed on the premise that member countries should not discriminate between their trading partners.

What is an FTA?

• An FTA is an agreement between two countries wherein it allows free flow of goods and services to and from both sides, removing all tariff barriers to boost trade with one another.
• For the purposes of this Agreement, a free-trade area shall be understood to mean a group of two or more customs territories in which the duties and other restrictive regulations of commerce are eliminated and substantially all the trade between the constituent territories in products originating in such territories.

India’s status

• India now has in place 10 FTAs and six PTAs (preferential trade agreements).
• In addition, India is negotiating 16 new and expanding seven existing agreements, including with trading partners such as Canada, the EU, the US, alongside Australia and the UK.
• India is also simultaneously carrying out a review of the existing FTAs with South Korea, Japan and ASEAN on the ground of India’s rising trade deficit with these trading partners

Question 7

Sultanpur National Park which was seen in news recently is located in-

a)     Rajasthan

b)     Uttar Pradesh

c)      Haryana

d)     Bihar

Ans- c

Explanation-

Sultanpur National Park (Ramsar site) is located at Sultanpur village on Gurugram-Jhajjar highway, 15 km from Gurugram, Haryana and 50 km from Delhi in India.The wetland harbours a rich plant and animal life: it supports more than 220 species of resident, winter migratory and local migratory waterbirds at critical stages of their life cycles. 

Question 8

Which of the following statements best describes “Participatory democracy”?

a)     It is a model of democracy in which no one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy.

b)     It is a model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making.

c)      It is a model of democracy in which citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions.

d)     It is a model of democracy in which citizens are directly responsible for making policy decisions.

Ans- c

Explanation-

Pluralist democracy is a model of democracy in which no one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy. Elite democracy is a model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making. Participatory democracy is not the same as direct democracy, in which citizens are directly responsible for making policy decisions.

Question 9

 Which of the following are the consequences of ground water depletion?

1. Diminishing surface water
2.Decrease in salt content in the water aquifers near ocean
3.Land subsidence
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a)     1 only

b)     1 and 3 only

c)      2  only

d)     All of the above

Ans-b

Explanation-

Surface waters are also affected by falling water tables. In various wetlands, for instance, the water table is essentially at or slightly above the ground surface. Dropping water tables results in wetlands drying up, with the ecological results described earlier. Further, as water tables drop springs and seeps dry up, diminishing streams and rivers even to the point of dryness. Thus, excessive groundwater removal leads to the same effects as the diversion of surface water. Over the ages, groundwater has leached cavities in the Earth. Where these spaces are filled with water, the water helps support the overlying rock and soil, but as the water table drops, this support is lost. Then there may be a gradual settling of the land, a phenomenon known as land Subsidence Another problem resulting from dropping water tables is Saltwater intrusion. In coastal regions, springs of outflowing groundwater may lie under the ocean. As long as a high-water table maintains a sufficient head of pressure in the aquifer, there is a flow of freshwater into the ocean. Thus, wells near the ocean yield fresh water. However, a lowering of the water table or a rapid rate of groundwater removal may reduce the pressure in the aquifer permitting saltwater to flow back into the aquifer and hence into wells. 

Question 10

Which of the following is true regarding the global distribution of biodiversity?

a)     Biodiversity is greatest closest to the equator and lessens as you move towards the north and south poles.

b)     Areas at high elevations contain greater biodiversity than areas at low elevations.

c)      As temperature decreases, biodiversity levels increase.

d)     All of the above

Ans- a

Explanation-

The climate near the equator is warm year-round and supports many species, so the biodiversity is rich. As one moves further from the equator, the presence of seasons causes more temperate regions to have less biodiversity because organisms must be adapted to multiple conditions. Extreme regions with cold or dry conditions, such as the tundra and deserts, have the least biodiversity. Areas at high elevations tend to have less biodiversity as the conditions are more difficult for many species to survive under. In general, biodiversity increases as temperature increases. However, areas that experience extremes in either temperature, whether too hot or too cold, will have lower biodiversity.

Source- The Hindu Newspaper/ The Indian Express/ Down to Earth /PIB