(Prelims) IAS General Studies – 1998 (Part 8)

106. An accurate clock shows the time as 3.00. After hour hand has move 135°, the time would be
(a) 7.30     (b) 6.30    (c) 8.00    (d) 9.30

Ans: a

107. The loss of Qandhar was a big blow to the Mughal empire from the view point of
(a) natural resources
(b) buffer territory
(c) communication
(d) strategic stronghold

Ans: d

• Kandahar was regarded as important to the Mughal Empire because it was one of the gateways to India, and Mughal control over Kandahar helped to prevent foreign intrusions.

108. A tree species in Mauritius failed to reproduce because of the extinction of a fruit-eating bird. Which one of the following was that bird ?
(a) Dove             (b) Dodo
(c) Condor         (d) Skua

Ans: b

• The Dodo was a giant flightless bird with short stumpy legs and a large hooked beak. It used to live on the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Reunion but had completely vanished by the end of the 17th century

109. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?
1. Mrichchakatikam       Shudraka
2. Buddhacharita           Vasuvandhu
3. Mudrarakshasha       Vishakhadatta
4. Harshacharita            Banabhatta
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4           (b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4                   (d) 2 and 3

Ans: b

• Mṛcchakaṭika (The Little Clay Cart) is a ten-act Sanskrit drama attributed to Śūdraka
• Buddhacharita is an epic poem in the Sanskrit on the life of Gautama Buddha by Aśvaghoṣa, composed in the early second century CE
• The Mudrarakshasa (“The Signet of the Minister”) is a historical play in Sanskrit by Vishakhadatta that narrates the ascent of the king Chandragupta Maurya (r. 322BC – 298BC) to power in India.
• The Harshacharita is the biography of Indian emperor Harsha by Banabhatta, also known as Bana, who was a Sanskrit writer of seventh-century CE India. He was the Asthana Kavi, meaning Court Poet, of Harsha.

110. Forest areas have been labelled as 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the rough outline map given :

Among these, those which were threatened in 1997 by a serious epidemic include
(a) teak forests of 3 and 4
(b) oaks forests of 1 and sal forests of 2
(c) sal forests of 3
(d) sandalwood forests of 4

111. Simon Commission of 1927 was boycotted because
(a) there was no Indian Member in the Commission
(b) it supported the Muslim League
(c) Congress felt that the people of India are entitled to Swaraj
(d) there were differences among the members

Ans: a

112. The current price index (base 1960) is nearly 330. This means that
(a) all items cost 3.3 times more than what they did in 1960
(b) the prices of certain selected items have gone up to 3.3 times
(c) weighted mean of prices of certain items has increased 3.3 times
(d) gold price has gone up 3.3 times

Ans: c

113. In the above set of figures (I) to (IV), some parts are shown to change their position in a regular direction. Following the same sequence, which one of the following will appear at the fifth stage?

114. The Indian Muslims in general, were not attracted to the Extremist movement because of the
(a) influence of the Sir Sayid Ahmed khan
(b) anti-Muslim attitude of Extremist leaders
(c) indifference shown to Muslim aspirations
(d) Extremists’ policy of harping on Hindu past

Ans: d

115. Which one of the following statements regarding starch and cellulose is NOT correct ?
(a) Both of them are of plant origin
(b) Both of them are polymers
(c) Both of them give colour with iodine
(d) Both of them are made up of glucose molecules

Ans: c

• Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants as an energy store. It is the most common carbohydrate in human diets and is contained in large amounts in such staple foods as potatoes, wheat, maize (corn), rice, and cassava.
• Iodine solution is used to test for starch; a dark blue color indicates the presence of starch.
• Cellulose is a polysaccharide. It does not give color in Iodine.
• The cellulose content of cotton fiber is 90%, that of wood is 40–50% and that of dried hemp is approximately 45%. Cellulose is mainly used to produce paperboard and paper. Smaller quantities are converted into a wide variety of derivative products such as cellophane and rayon. Conversion of cellulose from energy crops into biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol is under investigation as an alternative fuel source.

116. Commercial production of mineral oil has started recently in which one of the areas of India, labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the rough map given below
(a) 1        (b) 2        (c) 3          (d) 4

117. Examine the following statements
1. All members of Mohan’s family are honest
2. Some members of Mohan’s family are not employed.
3. Some employed persons are not honest.
4. Some honest persons are not employed.
Which one of the following inferences can be drawn from the above statements ?
(a) All members of Mohan’s family are employed
(b) The employed members of Mohan’s family are honest
(c) The honest members of Mohan’s family are not employed
(d) The employed members of Mohan’s family are not honest

Ans: b

118. The banks are required to maintain a certain ratio between their cash in hand and total assets. This is called
(a) SBR (Statutory Bank Ratio)
(b) SLR (Statutory Liquid Ratio)
(c) CBR (Central Bank Reserve)
(d) CLR (Central Liquid Reserve)

Ans: a

• Statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) is the Indian government term for reserve requirement that the commercial banks in India require to maintain in the form of gold, cash or government approved securities before providing credit to the customers. Statutory Liquidity Ratio is determined and maintained by Reserve Bank of India in order to control the expansion of bank credit.

119. Ergotism is due to consumption of
(a) contaminated grains
(b) rotting vegetables
(c) contaminated water
(d) stale cooked food

Ans: a

• Ergotism is the effect of long term ergot poisoning, traditionally due to the ingestion of the alkaloids. Eating grain products contaminated with the fungus Claviceps purpurea caused ergotism.

120. What is the correct chronological order in which the following appeared in India ?
1. Gold coins.
3. Iron plough.
2. Punch-marked silver coins.
4. Urban culture.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
(a) 3, 4, 1, 2       (b) 3, 4, 2, 1
(c) 4, 3, 1, 2       (d) 4, 3, 2, 1

Ans: d

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