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Hit List Questions - PRELIMS 2024

1.	Consider the following statements: 1: Magellan mapped 98% of the Venusian surface. 2: Volcano called Sif Mons is in Venus. Which of the above is/are correct?. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
2.	1. Namibia 2. Botswana 3. Zimbabwe 4. Mozambique 5. Eswatini 6. Lesotho How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with South Africa? (a) Only three (b) Only four (c) Only five (d) All six
3.	Consider the following statements 1: Oxidoreductases and dehydrogenases are enzymes commonly found in living organisms, including viruses. 2: Cells dying of a viral infection lack these enzymes. Which of the above is/are incorrect?. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
4.	The ‘38^th Parallel Line’ demarcates (a) South Korea- North Korea (b) Israel-Palestine (c) Russia-Ukraine (d) Azerbaijan-Armenia
5.	"Arambai Tenggol" recently seen in news refers to- (a) A Radical outfit (b) An International NGO (c) Peace making initiative in Nagaland (d) Forest conservation initiative
6.	The eight Core Industries in decreasing order of their weightage: (a) Fertilizers > Electricity> Steel> Coal> Crude Oil> Natural gas> Cement> Refinery Products (b) Refinery Products> Electricity> Steel> Coal> Crude Oil> Natural gas> Cement> Fertilizers. (c) Fertilizers > Electricity> Steel> Coal> Cement > Natural gas> Crude Oil > Refinery Products (d) Fertilizers > Electricity> Refinery Products > Coal> Crude Oil> Natural gas> Cement> Steel
7.	Which of the following statements is not correct about bond yield? (a) Bond yield reflects the annual return an investor expects to receive on a bond. (b) A higher bond yield typically indicates a higher interest rate paid on the bond. (c) Bond price and yield have a direct relationship; when the price goes up, the yield goes up as well. (d) Bond yield can be influenced by factors like the creditworthiness of the issuer and prevailing interest rates
8.	With reference to Urban Heat Island effect, consider the following statements 1. Miyawaki process enhances Urban Heat Island effect. 2. Humidity increases the cooling effect of perspiration. 3. The waste heat from air conditioning adds more to the Urban Heat Island effect. How many of the above statements is/are correct ?. (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None
9.	With references to The Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), consider the following statements 1. It consists of 14 island countries along with India. 2. Its first summitt was held in India. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
10.	1. Foreign currency assets 2. Reserve Position with IMF 3. Special Drawing rights with IMF 4. Gold reserves Arrange the above-mentioned constituents as per their share in India’s forex reserves in descending order. (a) 1,2,3,4 (b) 1,3,4,2 (c) 1,4,3,2 (d) 1,2,4,3
11.	Consider the following countries 1. Guatemala 2. Honduras 3. Nicaragua 4. Belize How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with ‘Mexico’? (a) Only two (b) Only three (c) All the four (d) Only one
12.	Consider the following statements: 1: Usually, the sulphur dioxide in the smoke of a volcano cools the earth’s surface for a short period. 2: Water vapour in the stratosphere helps in preserving the ozone layer. Which of the above is/are correct?. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
13.	Hamilton''s rule in biology is concerned with (a) Altruism (c) Parasitism (b) Photosynthesis (d) Mitochondrial respiration
14.	The ‘Chang’e 6 probe’ of China is (a) First lunar mission to build permanent base on Moon (b) First lunar mission to land on far side of Moon (c) First lunar mission to bring rock sample from near side of Moon (d) First lunar mission to bring rock sample from far side of the Moon
15.	Where is Hollangapar Gibbon Sanctuary? (a) Assam (b) Arunachal Pradesh (c) Odisha (d) Bihar
16.	With reference to Hunga Tonga, consider the following statements 1. It is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, within the Kingdom of Tonga. 2. It emerged from the ocean as a result of a volcanic eruption in late 2014. 3. The eruption and subsequent erosion have led to changes in the local marine ecosystem, including alterations to underwater habitats and changes in water chemistry. How many of the above statements is/are correct?. (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None
17.	With references to Rudram Missile, consider the following statements 1. It is a anti-radiation supersonic missile is developed DRDO. 2. It is the first indigenously developed anti-radiation missile designed to target enemy ground radars and communication stations in Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) missions. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
18.	1) Simple design, easy to maintain 2) High tolerance for impurities in the water feedstock 3) Higher efficiency compared to some other electrolyser types 4) Wide operating range of temperatures and pressures How many of the above is/are correct about Alkaline Electrolyser Technology for hydrogen production?. (a) Only two (b) Only three (c) All the four (d) Only one
19.	Consider the following countries 1. Iran 2. UAE 3. Saudi Arabia 4. Türkiye 5. Eretria How many of the above are new members of BRICS group? (a) Only two (b) Only three (c) Only four (d) All five
20.	Consider the following statements w.r.t. Hydroxyurea: 1: It is used for the treatment of sickle cell disease. 2: It is injected intravenously. Which of the following is/are correct?. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
21.	Dictyostelium discoideum, seen in news is a/an (a) Amoeba (b) Earthworm (c) Mushroom (d) Flatworm
22.	Consider the following statements regarding Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) : 1: It is an initiative of World Health Organization (WHO). 2: It is putting efforts to restrict the usage of compound BWC0977. Which of the above is/are correct?. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
23.	The Shangri-La Dialogue is primarily a/an (a) Economic cooperation (b) Cultural cooperation (c) Security cooperation (d) Space cooperation
24.	Tuvalu Tonga Palau Brunei Papua New Guinea How many of these countries are the members of COSIS agreement seen in news recently ? (a) Only 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Only 4 (d) All the above
25.	With references India’s edible oil imports in 2023-24, consider the following statements 1. Soybean oil was sourced from Argentina and Brazil. 2. Sunflower oil was sourced from Russia and Ukraine. Which of the above statements is/are incorrect? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWERS

1.	C
2.	D
3.	B
4.	A
5.	A
6.	B
7.	C
8.	A
9.	A
10.	C
11.	A
12.	A
13.	A
14.	D
15.	A
16.	B
17.	C
18.	B
19.	B
20.	A
21.	A
22.	A
23.	C
24.	A
25.	D

EXPLANATIONS

1. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/venus-has-more-volcanism-than-
previously-known-new-analysis-finds/article68227875.ece

3. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/new-light-based-tool-could-cut-cost-of-spotting-viral-infections/article68228282.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-korea-to-suspend-a-military-deal-with-north-korea-after-tensions-over- norths-balloons/article68249344.ece

5. https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/manipur-police-arambai-tenggol-radical-meitei-group-9188409/

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/modest-rebound-on-iip-data/article68168358.ece#:~:text=The%20small%20rise%20in%20industrial%20output%20holds%20some%20worrying%20portents&text=India''s%20factory%20output%20growth%20slowed,IIP)%20had%20shrunk%201.9%25

Index of Industrial Production

It is one of the Prime indicators of economic development for the measurement of trends in the behavior of Industrial Production over a period of time with reference to a chosen base year.
It indicates the relative change of physical production in the field of industries during a specified year as compared to the previous year.
It is computed and published by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) on a monthly basis.
Base Year:

The base year is always given a value of 100.
The current base year for the IIP series in India is 2011-12.
So, if the current IIP reads as 116, it means that there has been 16% growth compared to the base year.

7. https://indianexpress.com/article/business/market/bond-yields-spike-by-9-bps-rupee-falls-9372527/

Bond price and yield have an inverse relationship.
This means that when the price of a bond goes up, the yield goes down, and vice versa.
This is because bond yield is calculated based on the total return you expect to receive, including both the coupon payment (interest) and any capital gain or loss from the purchase price compared to the maturity value.
If the price of the bond increases, you''re essentially getting the same return (coupon payment) on a higher investment, resulting in a lower yield.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/heat-baked-chennai-can-set-an-example-for-india/article68237181.ece#:~:text=The%20reality%20of%20the%20urban%20heat%20island&text=Temperatures%20in%20large%2C%20crowded%20urban,bubble%E2%80%9D%20along%20with%20air%20pollutants
Humidity reduces the cooling effect of perspiration, leading to a person experiencing an elevated body temperature, debilitating heat stress, exhaustion, and even a potentially fatal heat stroke.
Under high humidity conditions, wet-bulb temperature (indicating the extent to which evaporation can take place and facilitate cooling) of around 38.5° C is considered by the World Health Organization to be “near the limits of human survivability”.
A less understood factor behind UHI is waste heat from air-conditioning. In Chennai, as in other Indian metros, roughly 50% of electricity consumption during summer is for air-conditioning alone, which vent heat out. The more the UHI, the greater the use of air-conditioning, generating even more heat in a nasty feedback loop.

9. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-offers-1-million-aid-to-disaster-hit-papua-new-guinea/article68224762.ece

FIPIC is a multinational grouping developed for cooperation between India and 14 PICs, namely Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
It was launched in November 2014 and the first FIPIC summit was held in Suva, Fiji in 2014 and the second one was held in Jaipur, India in 2015.

10.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/forex/indias-forex-reserves-hit-record-high-of-6487-billion/article68211965.ece#:~:text=India''s%20foreign%20exchange%20reserves%20have,bolstering
%20the%20country''s%20global%20standing.

11.

Bordered by the United States to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, Guatemala and Belize to the south, and the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to the east, Mexico is the 13th-largest country in the world by area.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/mexico-presidential-elections-winner-
june-3-2024/article68245640.ece

12.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/tonga-volcano-could-cause-unusual-
weather-for-rest-of-decade-study/article68242943.ece

13.

14.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/chinas-spacecraft-carrying-rocks-from-the-far-side-of-the-moon-leaves-the-lunar-surface/article68249123.ece

15.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/railways-to-build-canopy-bridges-across-track-in-assam-gibbon-habitat/article68235654.ece

16.

Tonga-Hunga Ha''apai volcano is situated in the South Pacific Ocean, within the Kingdom of Tonga.
It emerged from the ocean as a result of a volcanic eruption in late 2014. The eruption that formed the island was a submarine eruption, meaning it occurred beneath the ocean''s surface. Since its formation, the island has been eroding rapidly due to wave action, coastal erosion, and the fragility of the volcanic material. The island was initially around 1 km (0.62 miles) wide and 2 km (1.24 miles) long, but its size has been decreasing over time due to erosion. The area remains volcanically active, with ongoing volcanic activity contributing to changes in the island''s morphology. The eruption and subsequent erosion have led to changes in the local marine ecosystem, including alterations to underwater habitats and changes in water chemistry.
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/tonga-volcano-could-cause-unusual-weather-for-rest-of-decade-study/article68242943.ece

17. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-successfully-test-fires-rudra-air-to-surface-missile/article68228542.ece

18.