ENGLISH QUIZ 17.07.2020

1.Consider the following statements related to Ophiocordyceps sinensis :

1.Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a fungus also known as Himalayan Viagra, or Himalayan Gold has                    entered the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened                      Species.

2.It is called Himalayan Gold because the fungus sells locally for around Rs 20 lakh per kg.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

2.Consider the following statements:

1.Turkey reconverts Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque.

2.Then in 1934 Turkish President Kemal Atatürk secularized the building, and in 1939 it was made                into a museum.

3.It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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

3.The Incumbent President of which country Andrzej Duda has secured a victory in the 2020 Presidential Election?

A. Poland

B. Hungary

C. Slovakia

D. Slovenia

4.As per the Industry body FICCI what will be the country’s annual median GDP growth for FY 2020-21?

A. 5 percent

B. 5 percent

C. –5.0 percent

D. 5 percent

5.Which country drops India from Chabahar rail project, cites funding delay?

A. Afghanistan

B. Pakistan

C. Iran

D. Oman

6.Saroj Khan who passed away recently was a veteran _____.

A. Journalist

B. choreographer

C. Cricketer

D. Indian ceramist

7.Which government started the ‘Stop-Toko’ campaign?

A. Madhya Pradesh Government

B. Jharkhand Government

C. Uttarakhand Government

D. Rajasthan Government

8.Payment technology company VISA has partnered with which bank to roll out Visa Secure to the bank’s cardholders?

A. City Bank

B. Federal Bank

C. ICICI Bank

D. HDFC Bank

ANSWERS:-

Answer: 1)A      

Explanation

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a fungus also known as Himalayan Viagra, or Himalayan Gold has entered the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. It is called Himalayan Gold because the fungus sells locally for around Rs 10 lakh per kg and goes on to be sold in international markets like China (where it is highly prized) at upwards of Rs 20 lakh per kg.

About the Ophiocordyceps sinensis

• This is a fungal parasite of larvae (caterpillars) that belongs to the ghost moth.
• These are endemic to the Himalayan and Tibetan plateau and are found in China, Bhutan, Nepal and India.
• This fungus is locally known as Kira Jari (in India), Yartsagunbu (in Tibet) and Yarsagumba (in Nepal).
• In India, it is primarily found in Uttarakhand in the higher reaches of districts like Pithoragarh and Chamoli.

Medicinal Value

• It has been used in traditional Tibetan and Chinese medicine as a tonic, as a therapeutic medicine for lung, liver and kidney problems.
• In recent times, it has widely traded as an aphrodisiac (stimulating sexual desire) and a powerful tonic, often called the ‘Himalayan Viagra.’

Conservation Status

• It is listed under the ‘vulnerable category’ as per IUCN Red List.

Answer: 2)B

Explanation

Recently Turkey’s highest court allowed for the conversion of the nearly 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque.

Overview of the History of Hagia Sophia

• Hagia Sophia also called Church of the Holy Wisdom or Church of the Divine Wisdom, a cathedral built at Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) in the 6th century CE (532–537) under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I.
• It is the most important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s great monuments.
• After the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Mehmed II had it repurposed as a mosque with the addition of a wooden minaret (on the exterior, a tower used for the summons to prayer), a great chandelier, a mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca), and a minbar (pulpit).
• Then in 1934 Turkish President Kemal Atatürk secularized the building, and in 1935 it was made into a museum.
• It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Violation of UNESCO World Heritage site status

• The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque from the museum will be a violation of UNESCO’s ‘Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage’ where a “designated a museum of world cultural heritage” was “being used to promote other purposes”.

Answer: 3)A

Explanation

Poland has re-elected Andrzej Duda as its President. He won the elections after securing 51.21% of the votes defeating opposition candidate, liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski who got 48.79% votes. It is slimmest presidential election victory of Poland since the end of communism in 1989. He is elected for 5 years term. He became the President of Poland in 2015 for the first time defeating Bronislaw Komorowski

Capital of Poland: Warsaw

Currency: Polish złoty.

Answer: 4)B

Explanation

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI) has released Economic Outlook Survey that forecasted Indian economy to contract by negative 4.5% in 2020-21. The minimum and maximum GDP growth estimate stands at (-) 6.4% and 1.5% respectively for FY21. Quarterly median forecasts showed 14.2% contraction in the gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of FY21. The negative growth is due to the economic losses caused by ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown.

Answer: 5)C

Explanation

India has been dropped from Chabahar rail project by Iran citing delays from the Indian side in funding and starting the project. The project comprises rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, along the border with Afghanistan. Iranian Railways will utilize around $400 million from the Iranian National Development Fund without India’s assistance. India and Iran signed Chabahar rail project agreement in 2016.

Iran capital: Tehran

Currency: Rial

Answer: 6)D

Explanation

Famous Indian ceramist and potter Jyotsna Bhatt (80 years) passes away. She was India’s best-known ceramic artists and have experimented with stoneware, terracotta and countless possibilities that ceramics offered. She enrolled to study sculpture at MS University in Baroda in 1958 and Brooklyn Museum Art School in mid-’60s. She was also a faculty member at MS University from 1972, retiring as the head of Dept of Ceramics in 2002.

Native: Baroda, Gujarat

Answer: 7)A

Explanation

Madhya Pradesh govt is all set to launch a unique campaign titled ‘Roko-Toko’

It will target those people who do not wear masks. Under this, MP govt will distribute masks to the people who do not wear masks in public places . The mask distribution will be carried out by the selected voluntary organizations shortlisted by district collector. Organizations will also be provided with 100 masks created under ‘Jeevan Shakti Yojana’ on credit.

CM: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Answer: 8)B

Explanation

Visa has partnered with Federal Bank to launch ‘Visa Secure’. It is a modernized technology that will provide quicker and frictionless checkout experience to customers. It will enable bank to focus on customer-centric digital solutions that make online shopping experiences seamless through mobile, web, in-app and connected devices. It is built on EMVCo 3DS (3D Secure) 2.0 protocol offering additional layers of authentication for issuers and merchants for secure e-commerce.