ENGLISH QUIZ 23.01.2020

1. The Indian Air Force has inducted its first squadron of Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft carrying the BrahMos missiles at:

A. Thanjavur

B. Ambala

C. Bangalore

D. Pune

2. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, on January 20, 2020, interacted with students as part of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2020 at:

A. Arun Jaitley Stadium, Kotla

B. Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi

C. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi

D. Major Dhyanchand National Stadium, Delhi

3. Who is leading the Indian delegation to the 50th World Economic Forum Conference?

A. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

B. Petroleum Minister Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan

C. Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Piyush Goyal

D. Foreign Minister S.K. Jaishankar

4. National Informatics Centre (NIC) has set up the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Blockchain Technology in :

A. Hyderabad

B. Pune

C. New Delhi

D. Bengaluru

5. Recently the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri D.V. Sadananda Gowda launched the “APNA UREA – Sona Ugle” brand of:

A. Hindustan Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited

B. Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited

C. Coromandel International Limited

D. National Fertilizers Limited

6. Who has been elected elected as President of the suspended Archery Association of India (AAI) ?

A. B.V.P. Rao

B. Arjun Munda

C. BijJayant Panda

D. Babu Lal Marandi

7. Who has been appointed as the chairman of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library?

A. Rajat Sharma

B. Swapan Dasgupta

C. Nripendra Mishra

D. Prasoon Joshi

8. Who was Bapu Nadkarni, who died recently?

A. Writer

B. Hockey player

C. Famous Gandhian

D. Cricketer

9. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India has approved up to 100% FDI limit in which telecom company?

A. Bharti Airtel

B. Idea Cellular

C. Vodafone

D. JIO

10. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has canceled the Certificate of Authorisation of which Payment System Operator after it had voluntarily surrendered the authorization?

A. Muthoot Vehicle & Asset Finance Limited

B. Vodafone M-Pesa Limited

C. Tech Mahindra Limited

D. Pemet India Limited

11. Consider the following statements related to IMF:

1. IMF lowers India’s growth forecast to 4.8%.

2. This marks a lowering of its own estimate of 5.1% made in October 2019.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

12. Consider the following statements:

1. Madhya Pradesh Assembly passes bill to establish three capitals.

2. The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government introduced a three-capital proposal to the Assembly which was approved. Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir also have two capital.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

13. Consider the following statements:

1. Hyderabad, Bengaluru top two most dynamic cities globally in list of 130.

2. Kolkata secured 16th rank while Mumbai stood at the 20th position in the list.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

14. Consider the following statements:

1. Delhi Police Commissioner Gets Detention Power Under National Security Act For 3 Months.

2. The National Security Act was promulgated on September 23, 1980 during the days of Indira Gandhi Government to provide preventive detention of a person if authorities are convinced that he or she hampers the law and order of the state or country.

3. For the purpose of this law, the Central Government and the State Government can form one or more advisory committees as per the requirement.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 are correct

B. 1 and 3 are correct

C. 2 and 3 are correct

D. All of the above

15. Consider the following statements.

1. PM Modi, Nepali PM KP Sharma Oli to inaugurate ICP Biratnagar.

2. ICP Biratnagar has been built on 270 acres of land at a cost of around 140 crore rupees.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWERS:-

Answer: 1) A

Explanation

The Indian Air Force has inducted its first squadron of Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft carrying the BrahMos missiles in the South at its Thanjavur base in Tamil Nadu. The No 222 Squadron, called the “Tigersharks” were inducted on January 20, 2020 at Air Force Station Thanjavur. The Squadron will be operating closely with the Indian Army and Navy to get the ball rolling in jointness of the Indian Armed Forces. Thanjavur has also been chosen as the base for induction of the SU 30 MKI squadron because of its strategic location.

Answer: 2) B

Explanation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with school students in his ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha-2020 programme. The third edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha was organised at Talkatora Indoor Stadium in Delhi. Over 2,000 students, parents and teachers participated from all over the country.Mr Modi answers questions and interacts with students on how they can beat examination stress.

Answer: 3) C

Explanation

The 50th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, a congregation of rich and powerful from across the world, opens in Davos, Switzerland. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will lead the Indian delegation to the WEF. Besides, over 100 CEOs, political leaders including Union Ministers and Chief Ministers will take part in the 50th edition of the annual event. The welcome message was followed by the annual crystal awards and this year’s recipients included celebrity film star Deepika Padukone.

Answer: 4) D

Explanation

National Informatics Centre (NIC) has recently set up the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Blockchain Technology in Bengaluru, which aims  to provide Blockchain as a service and allowing all stakeholders to benefit from shared learning, experiences and resources. The CoE was inaugurated by Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Union Minister for Law & Justice, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology. NIC has also successfully set-up CoE in Data Analytics in partnership with NICSI and CoE in Artificial Intelligence some time back.

About Blockchain technology

• Blockchain technology is upcoming & niche technology and adoption of the same in sectors such as health, finance, agriculture and various other sectors would aid the government in implementing various programmes and provide trust and immutability to the assets.
• The applications of Blockchain in the Government are expected to enhance transparency, traceability and trust in e-governance systems.

Answer: 5) A

Explanation

Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister DV Sadananda Gowda launched the APNA UREA – Sona Ugle brand of Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Limited (HURL) in New Delhi. HURL is a Joint Venture Company of Coal India Limited, NTPC Limited &  Indian Oil Corporation Limited. HURL is in the process of reviving three sick urea units located at Gorakhpur, Barauni, and Sindri which are expected to be commissioned in February 2021

Hindustan Fertilizer & Chemicals Ltd.

• Hindustan Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited HURL is a joint venture company, being promoted by three state-owned companies – Coal India Limited, NTPC Limited and Indian Oil Corporation.

The following are the goals of HURL:

• Revival of three urea plants by 2021
• To increase production capacity of Neem Coated Urea to 38.1 lakh MT per annum
• To start production of natural gas based environment friendly fertilizers by 2021

Current urea production

• As per National Urea Policy 2015 there are total 31 urea producing plants in the country.
• 28 of these units use natural gas, the remaining units use naphtha.

Answer: 6) B

Explanation

Union minister Arjun Munda was elected as president of the suspended Archery Association of India (AAI). A three-time Jharkhand chief minister, he is also the president of Jharkhand Archery Association . He defeated Assam Archery Association president BVP Rao. The elections were held as per the Delhi High Court order. The election was held in the presence of a World Archery observer Kazi Rajib Uddin Ahmed Chapol.

Answer: 7) C

Explanation

Former principal secretary to PM, Nripendra Misra has been appointed as chairman of the executive council of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML). Mishra who resigned from the PS to the PM post last year is a UP cadre IAS officer, closely associated with the think tank Vivekananda International Foundation. Dr. A Surya Prakash, chairman of the Prasar Bharati will be the vice-chairman of the council.

Answer: 8) D

Explanation

Former India all-rounder Bapu Nadkarni, best known for bowling a record 21 successive maiden overs in a Test match, passed away.

What was that record

• Bapu Nadkarni bowled 21 consecutive maidens against England in Chennai in 1963-64. This record is still intact.
• He surprised everyone by throwing a total of 27 overs with just 05 runs in 32 overs in that innings. Despite this, he did not get any wickets in that innings.

Bapu Nadkarni

• Bapu Nadkarni was born on 04 April 1933 in Nashik.
• He was a left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner.
• He has been called the most economical bowler (economic bowler) in the cricket world because he bowled very economical in his career.

Bapu Nadkarni’s cricket career

• He scored 1414 runs in 41 Tests for India and took 88 wickets.
• He scored 1414 runs, batting brilliantly in Test cricket, with 01 century and 07 half-century.
• His best performance was six wickets for 43 runs.
• He had given only 2559 runs in 9165 balls in his Test career.
• His Test economy was only 1.67 and is still the fourth best among bowlers who have bowled more than 2000 Test balls.

Answer: 9) A

Explanation

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has approved raising of foreign direct investment in Bharti Airtel to 100% from 49% (earlier). The company also has the approval of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that allowed foreign investors to hold up to 74% stake in the company. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment in the form of a controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country.

Answer: 10) B

Explanation

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the Certificate of Authorisation (CoA) of Vodafone m-pesa on account of voluntary surrender of authorisation. Now, the company cannot transact the business of issuance and operation of prepaid payment instruments. Last year, Vodafone Idea had decided to close m-pesa vertical following the closure of Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd (ABIPBL), with which it was being merged.

Answer: 11) A

Explanation

According to the International Monetary Fund, global growth is projected to rise from an estimated 2.9% in 2019 to 3.3% in 2020 and 3.4% for 2021.

Projections for India

• The IMF has lowered India’s economic growth estimate for the current fiscal to 4.8%.
• This marks a lowering of its own estimate of 6.1% made in October 2019.
• The latest trend in global growth is a downward revision of 10 basis points for 2019 and 2020 and 20 basis points for 2021 compared to the forecast in the IMF’s October 2019 World Economic Outlook (WEO).

Projections for global growth:

• The IMF’s new projections estimate that global growth would be 2.9% in 2019, and would increase to 3.3% in 2020 and 3.4% in 2021.
• However, compared to the October 2019 WEO forecast, the estimate for 2019 and the projection for 2020 represent 0.1 percentage point reduction for each year while that for 2021 is 0.2 percentage point lower.
• This is partly from an improvement in the auto sector and diminished fears of a no-deal Brexit.
• A no-deal Brexit means the UK would leave the European Union (EU) and there would be no agreements in place about what the relationship between the UK and the EU will be like in the future.
• Also, a US-China Phase I deal (to ease tensions related to trade between the two nations), if durable, is expected to reduce the cumulative negative impact of trade tensions on global GDP by end 2020-from 0.8% to 0.5%.
• Collective growth in the 19 countries that use the euro currency is expected to gradually pick up from 1.2% in 2019 to 1.3% in 2020 and 1.4% in 2021.

Answer: 12) B

Explanation

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly late night passed the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 that intended to give shape to state government’s plan of having three capitals–executive capital in Visakhapatnam, legislative in Amaravati and judicial in Kurnool.

Why does Andhra Pradesh government want three capitals?

• The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government introduced a three-capital proposal to the Assembly which was approved. Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir also have two capital.
• According to the new proposal, several government offices including the Chief Minister’s Office, Raj Bhavan and Secretariat will now shift to Visakhapatnam.
• The High Court will be shifted to Kurnool. The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly will stay in Amravati.
• The Andhra Pradesh government behind the concept of three capital states that they want equal development of the three regions of the state – North Coast, South Coast and Rayalaseema.

Andhra Pradesh compromises with the capital every time

• Andhra Pradesh has to compromise the capital each time it changes boundaries. In the year 1953,
• when Andhra separated, Madras moved to Tamil Nadu. Similarly, in 2014, when Telangana became a separate state, Hyderabad came under the jurisdiction of Telangana.

Answer: 13) C

Explanation

Hyderabad has emerged as the world’s most dynamic city, performing better on parameters like socio-economic and commercial real estate, according to global property consultant JLL India. Seven Indian cities feature in the top 20 in this year’s ranking, despite economic slowdown, it added.

Key Highlights

• Hyderabad has scored better than any other city in the world on criteria like socio-economic development.
• According to JLL, seven cities in India have found a place in the list of 20 dynamic cities of the world despite the economic slowdown.
• JLL said that Hyderabad got the first rank because of several key economic indicators like GDP growth, retail sales, and air passenger growth.
• In 2019, Bangalore was in the first place while Hyderabad was at first place.
• According to the JLL’s findings, Hyderabad witnessed the highest office net absorption in 2019 (as a proportion of existing stock) of any city globally. Hyderabad has also selected for its outstanding performance for prime office rental growth in the world.
• Kolkata secured 16th rank while Mumbai stood at the 20th position in the list.

Top-20 dynamic cities in the world

• Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ho Chi Minh City, Nairobi, Chennai, Delhi, Ha Noi, Manila, Silicon Valley, Schengen, Chongqing, Pune, Wuhan, Dubai, Hangzhou, Calcutta, Shanghai, Riyadh, Austin, Mumbai.

About JLL

• Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) is a US-based real estate and investment firm. According to its official website, JLL aims to reimagine the global real-estate world.
• JLL has been selected as the Fortune 500 Company with a yearly revenue of USD 16.3 billion.
• JLL has a global presence in more than 80 countries with more than 90,000 employees.

Answer: 14) D

Explanation

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has granted power of detaining authority to the Delhi Police Commissioner under the National Security Act, according to a notification.The National Security Act, NSA allows for the preventive detention of an individual or individuals who are seen as threat to the national security or harm law and order. The person detained under the act is not charged by the Police.

What is National Security Act?

• The National Security Act was promulgated on September 23, 1980 during the days of Indira Gandhi Government to provide preventive detention of a person if authorities are convinced that he or she hampers the law and order of the state or country.
• The Act applies to the whole country, except Jammu and Kashmir.
• Under the NSA, a person can be detained for up to 12 months without a charge. The state government needs to intimate that person that he or she has been detained under the said Act.
• The detained individual can file an appeal before the High Court Advisory Board; however, he or she cannot hire a lawyer during the trials.

Constitution of advisory committee

• For the purpose of this law, the Central Government and the State Government can form one or more advisory committees as per the requirement.
• Under this law, a person arrested has to appear before the advisory committee within three weeks.
• If the advisory board considers the reasons for the person’s arrest to be correct, then the government can extend his arrest to a suitable time.
• If the committee does not consider the reasons for the arrest sufficient, then the order of arrest is canceled and the person has to be released.

Answer: 15) A

Explanation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart K P Sharma Oli inaugurated Integrated Check Post (ICP) Biratnagar. ICP Biratnagar has been built on 260 acres of land at a cost of around 140 crore rupees. It has the facilities for immigration clearance of foreign passengers, export and import cargo handling.       

It is designed to handle around 500 trucks per day. India and Nepal share over 1,850 kilometre- long border which is characterized by a unique and long tradition of free movement of people. Jogbani-Biratnagar international trade point is one of the important trade points between the two countries. Biratnagar is also the third-largest Revenue Collecting Customs Office of Nepal. Presently, over 65 percent of Nepal’s trade is with India and also over 65 percent of Nepal’s exports are to India.