0 UPSC EXAM ENGLISH QUIZ 14.10.2024 Daily Quiz 1 / 5 Q1. Consider the following statements: 1. Due to severe drought in Brazil, the main tributaries of the Amazon River have reached their lowest water level. 2. Some central areas of Brazil have not received rain for more than 250 days. Which of the above statement/statements are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Explanation: Due to severe drought in Brazil, the main tributaries of the Amazon River have reached their lowest water level. Some central areas of Brazil have not received rain for more than 150 days. The water level of the Negro River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, has reached its lowest level in 122 years. Negro River Negro River: The Rio Negro is one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon River and is considered one of the largest rivers in the world in terms of flow. Origin: The Negro River originates from several main streams, including the Vaupés (Mapeñas) and the Guainía, which originate in the rainforests of eastern Colombia. Boundary: The river flows along the border of Colombia and Venezuela and enters Brazil, where it becomes the Rio Negro. Course: The Negro River flows generally east-southeast and joins the Branco River and other tributaries to reach Manaus, Brazil (the largest city in the Amazon rainforest). Here it joins the Solimones River to form the Amazon River. 2 / 5 Q2. Consider the following statements: 1. According to a study conducted by the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) , weeds cause losses of Rs 92,000 crore ($11 billion) in crop productivity every year 2. Weeds account for approximately 15-26% of yield losses in kharif crops and 18-25% in rabi crops across India. 3. The study covered seven major crops—rice, wheat, maize, cotton, sugarcane, soybean, and mustard, across 30 districts in 11 states. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 are correct 1 and 3 are correct 2 and 3 are correct All of the above Explanation: According to a study conducted by the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) , weeds cause losses of Rs 92,000 crore ($11 billion) in crop productivity every year Key Points of the Study Yield Loss Statistics: Weeds account for approximately 25-26% of yield losses in kharif crops and 18-25% in rabi crops across India. Diverse Crops and Regions: The study covered seven major crops—rice, wheat, maize, cotton, sugarcane, soybean, and mustard, across 30 districts in 11 states. Stakeholder Involvement: Researchers interviewed 3,200 farmers, 300 dealers as well as officials from, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and Agriculture Department. Average Expenditure:The average weed control expenditure ranges from Rs 3,700 to Rs 7,900 per acre. 3 / 5 Q3. Consider the following statements: 1. The members of Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius signed a Charter and a memorandum of understanding, for the establishment of the CSC secretariat in Colombo. 2. Bangladesh was absent and Seychelles participated as an observer state. Which of the above statement/statements are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Explanation: The members of Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius signed a Charter and a memorandum of understanding, for the establishment of the CSC secretariat in Colombo.Bangladesh was absent and Seychelles participated as an observer state. Key Facts About the Colombo Security Conclave Background of CSC: It was originally known as the NSA Trilateral on Maritime Security and was established between India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives in 2011. It was an initiative of Sri Lanka to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. Members: India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives were its founding members.Mauritius joined the conclave in 2022 while Bangladesh joined in 2024. Seychelles is an observer state. 4 / 5 Q4. Consider the following statements: 1. Continuation of the supply of fortified rice under all government schemes has been approved by the Union Cabinet. 2. The schemes include the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and other welfare initiatives. 3. This decision extends the program from July 2024 through December 2028. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 are correct 1 and 3 are correct 2 and 3 are correct All of the above Explanation: Continuation of the supply of fortified rice under all government schemes has been approved by the Union Cabinet. The schemes include the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and other welfare initiatives. This decision extends the program from July 2024 through December 2028. The fortified rice initiative will remain a central sector scheme. It will remain fully funded by the Government of India under PMGKAY’s food subsidy program. Following a decision made in April 2022 by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), fortified rice started to be distributed nationwide. The objective of providing fortified rice through all government schemes had been successfully achieved by March 2024. India still faces a serious challenge of malnutrition. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), which was carried out between 2019 and 2021, indicates that anemia is still common across a variety of age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds, especially in women and children. Apart from iron deficiency, the survey also reveals persistent deficits in vital minerals including folic acid and vitamin B12. One internationally accepted strategy to combat malnutrition is food fortification. It has worked especially well in India, where 65% of the population eats rice as a staple. Combining normal rice with Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) enhanced with minerals like iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 results in fortified rice. 5 / 5 Q5. Consider the following statements: 1. Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded jointly to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper. 2. The Nobel Prize for 2024 in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker “for computational protein design” along with Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper “for protein structure prediction”. Which of the above statement/statements are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Explanation: Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded jointly to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper. The Nobel Prize for 2024 in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker “for computational protein design” along with Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper “for protein structure prediction”. David Baker led a team that developed a new protein using bespoke software methods in 2003. Hassabis and Jumper received the award for their role in developing an artificial intelligence model called AlphaFold 2. It could predict the structures of millions of proteins. This year’s chemistry prize also continued a new tradition in this category of the award going to non-chemists. In 2023, Nobel Prize in chemistry was given to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexei I. Ekimov for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots. Baker works at the University of Washington in Seattle, and Hassabis and Jumper work at Google DeepMind in London. Your score is LinkedIn Facebook Twitter VKontakte Post navigation ALL EXAM QUIZ 14.10.2024 ALL EXAM QUIZ 23.10.2024
