Test: Weekly Current Affairs: December 1 to 7, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Option 1 and 2 is correct.

 The source of the Sutlej is west of the catchment area of Lake Rakshastal in Tibet, as springs in an ephemeral stream.

 Brahmaputra River has its source in southwest Tibet.

 Ravi river rises in the Bara Bhangal, District Kangra in Himachal Pradesh.

 Chenab river rises in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

The language movement not only gave rise to the Bengali national identity in the then Pakistan, but also became the stepping stone for the Bengali nationalist movement, the six-point movement, the student movement in 1962, the uprising in 1969 and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. This is perhaps the only movement in history that started with protecting linguistic and cultural rights and ultimately led to the birth of an independent nation, Bangladesh.

Statement 2 is incorrect.

CDSL, or Central Depositories Services India Ltd, is a government-registered share depository, alongside its other state-owned counterpart National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL).

Share depositories hold shares in an electronic or dematerialised form and are an enabler for securities transactions, playing a somewhat similar role to what banks play in handling cash and fixed deposits. While banks help customers keep their cash in electronic form, share depositories help consumers store shares in a dematerialised form.

CDSL was founded in 1999. It is a Market Infrastructure Institution or MII that is deemed as a crucial part of the capital market structure, providing services to all market participants, including exchanges, clearing corporations, depository participants, issuers and investors.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth casts its shadow completely over a full moon, blocking reflection of all direct sunlight from the lunar orb and dimming the color of the moon to a reddish hue, hence the term “blood moon.”

This is only possible when the orbits of the Earth, moon and sun align so that the moon is directly behind Earth relative to the sun. Otherwise, the moon passes above or below Earth’s shadow because its orbit around Earth is usually tilted relative to Earth’s orbit about the sun.

 The reddish appearance of the lunar surface — the moon does not entirely disappear from view — is caused by rays of sunlight around the outer edge of the eclipse shadow, or umbra, being filtered and refracted as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere, bathing the moon indirectly in a dim copper glow.

The degree of redness depends on atmospheric conditions that vary with levels of air pollution, dust storms, wildfire smoke and even volcanic ash.

 Total lunar eclipses occur, on average, about once every year and a half, according to NASA. But the interval varies.

Statement 3 is incorrect.

 Emissions from livestock mainly include carbon dioxide (from urea), nitrous oxide (from livestock dung and urine), and methane (from belching) among others. They contribute towards the greenhouse effect as due to these gases, heat gets trapped around the surface of the earth and causes global warming.

 According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of gases is a metric that helps measure “the radiative effect (determined by the ability to absorb energy) of each unit of gas” over a specific period of time such as 100 years, “as expressed relative to the radiative effect of carbon dioxide.”

 Through GWP, we know gases such as nitrous oxide and methane produce more heat around the earth’s surface than carbon dioxide or CO2, which is taken as a reference. It absorbs more energy than CO2 but stays in the atmosphere for a shorter duration. Over a 20-year-period, it has 80 times more GWP than that carbon dioxide, according to the UNEP website.

Statement 2 is incorrect.

Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the process of creating enriched uranium, which is used in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. In comparison to enriched uranium, depleted uranium is much less radioactive and is incapable of generating a nuclear reaction. However, due to its high density — it’s more dense than lead — depleted uranium is widely used in weapons as it can easily penetrate armour plating.

Even though depleted uranium munitions aren’t considered nuclear weapons, experts suggest that such weapons must be used with caution because they emit low levels of radiation and can cause severe diseases.

Ingesting or inhaling quantities of uranium – even depleted uranium – is dangerous: it depresses renal function and raises the risk of developing a range of cancers. According to the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, depleted uranium munitions which miss their target can poison groundwater and soil.

1. "Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that flourished in the basins of the Indus River." This statement is correct. The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), also known as the Harappan Civilization, was indeed a Bronze Age civilization that developed along the Indus River and its tributaries.

2. "Complete burial of dead bodies was absent in the Indus Valley Civilization." This statement is incorrect. Archaeological evidence from various IVC sites indicates that the people of the Indus Valley did practice burial of the dead, including complete burials. There have been discoveries of both full burials and partial burials (such as post-cremation burials), suggesting that they had a set of burial practices.

3. "They had a strong disbelief in life after death, which was similar to the belief system of other contemporary civilizations." This statement is speculative and not necessarily correct. The belief system of the IVC, including their beliefs regarding life after death, is not well understood due to the lack of decipherable written records. Therefore, we cannot accurately claim that they had a strong disbelief in life after death, nor can we compare it confidently with other contemporary civilizations whose belief systems are better understood through textual evidence.

Based on the analysis, only one of the above statements is correct.

The correct answer is:

1. Only one

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth casts its shadow completely over a full moon, blocking reflection of all direct sunlight from the lunar orb and dimming the color of the moon to a reddish hue, hence the term “blood moon.”

This is only possible when the orbits of the Earth, moon and sun align so that the moon is directly behind Earth relative to the sun. Otherwise, the moon passes above or below Earth’s shadow because its orbit around Earth is usually tilted relative to Earth’s orbit about the sun.

 The reddish appearance of the lunar surface — the moon does not entirely disappear from view — is caused by rays of sunlight around the outer edge of the eclipse shadow, or umbra, being filtered and refracted as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere, bathing the moon indirectly in a dim copper glow.

The degree of redness depends on atmospheric conditions that vary with levels of air pollution, dust storms, wildfire smoke and even volcanic ash.

 Total lunar eclipses occur, on average, about once every year and a half, according to NASA. But the interval varies.

Statement 1 is incorrect.

 The National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 expanded the coverage of the PDS substantially.

 The law mandates that 50% of the urban and 75% of the rural populations must be covered by the PDS. 

 The NFSA requires that the latest completed Census be used to calculate the total PDS coverage. 

 Some States use their own budgets to “top up” PDS coverage through the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) — for example, Tamil Nadu — or local procurement — for example, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is partnering with India to expand the Travel for LiFE (Lifestyle of the Planet, for the Planet, and by the Planet) initiative across the Asia-Pacific region.

 PATA was founded in 1951, and is a not-for-profit membership-based association that promotes the responsible development of travel and tourism in the Asia-Pacific region.

Three indigenous products from Arunachal Pradesh – Yak Churpi, Khamti rice, and Tangsa textile – have received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the GI Registry.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was established with effect from 20th February 1997 by an Act of Parliament, called the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, to regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services which were earlier vested in the Central Government.

 TRAI’s mission is to create and nurture conditions for growth of telecommunications in the country in a manner and at a pace which will enable India to play a leading role in emerging global information society.

One of the main objectives of TRAI is to provide a fair and transparent policy environment which promotes a level playing field and facilitates fair competition.

 The TRAI Act was amended by an ordinance, effective from 24 January 2000, establishing a Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to take over the adjudicatory and disputes functions from TRAI. TDSAT was set up to adjudicate any dispute between a licensor and a licensee, between two or more service providers, between a service provider and a group of consumers, and to hear and dispose of appeals against any direction, decision or order of TRAI.

 The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) in India has ruled that Over the Top (OTT) streaming platforms, like Disney+Hotstar, do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Instead, they are governed by the Information Technology Rules of 2021, as notified by the IT Ministry.

Statement 2 is incorrect.

Armenia is a landlocked country in the mountainous Caucasus region between Asia and Europe. Yerevan is the capital. Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion. It underwent the Armenian genocide during World War I. After periods of independence and Soviet rule, it became independent in 1991.

Statement 1 is incorrect.

Zealandia is an underwater continent located to the southeast of Australia. It was recognized as Earth’s eighth continent in 2017. Zealandia formed around 83 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period and started as part of the supercontinent Gondwana before breaking away.

Scientists are conducting research on watermeal, the world’s smallest flowering plant, to explore its potential as a source of nutrition and oxygen for astronauts.

• Watermeal, known for its tiny size and floating habit on water bodies, offers a unique subject for this research due to its simplicity and rapid growth rate. It lacks roots, stems, or leaves, making it an ideal candidate for studying the effects of altered gravity on plant development.
• Watermeal is not only scientifically intriguing but also has practical benefits. It is a prolific producer of oxygen through photosynthesis and a rich source of protein. In Thailand, it has been part of the local diet for generations.

Option 1, 2 and 4 is correct.

There are tens of millions of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air we inhale on a daily basis. These ubiquitous specks of matter are known as aerosols, and they can be found in the air over oceans, deserts, mountains, forests, ice, and every ecosystem in between.

Statement 2 is incorrect.

Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter thought to account for approximately 85% of the matter in the universe.

Scientists say that the reason we are unable to see or detect this invisible matter is that it does not interact with electromagnetic forces — things like visible light, X-ray or radio waves.

They argue that we can, however, observe some of the effects of dark matter through its gravitational force.

But we still want to detect dark matter in its own right. And here’s where CERN’s Large Hadron Collider comes in.

The Chairman of the Legislative Council is elected by the council itself from amongst its members.

The maximum strength of the council is fixed at one-third of the total strength of the assembly and the minimum strength is fixed at 40 (with some exceptions).

Statement 3 and 4 is incorrect.

 About the Nobel Prize

It encompasses several categories, including Peace, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economic Sciences. The Nobel Foundation, a private institution established in 1900, oversees the administration of the prizes and ensures the independence of the prize-awarding institutions.

 The Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded every year to honour authors whose works focus on idealism.

 Indian individuals and their Nobel Prize-winning work:

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Norway, while the other Nobel Prizes are awarded in Sweden. This tradition dates back to 1901 when the Nobel Peace Prize was established and has continued ever since.

Statement 1 is incorrect.

Bekal Fort, dating back to 1650 AD and constructed by Shivappa Nayaka of the Keladi dynasty, is known as the largest fort in Kerala. Throughout its history, the fort has witnessed the rise and fall of various dynasties and eventually came under the control of the Kingdom of Mysore.

Bekal Fort’s unique structure, seemingly emerging from the sea, features a water tank, an observation tower attributed to Tipu Sultan, a zigzag entrance, defensive trenches, and strategically placed holes in its outer walls for naval defence. Its solid construction is reminiscent of forts like Thalassery Fort and St. Angelo Fort in Kannur, both built by the Dutch.

Statement 3 is incorrect.

• The CTBT is a global treaty, adopted by the United Nations in 1996, aimed at prohibiting all nuclear explosions for military or peaceful purposes. However, it has not yet entered into force due to the incomplete ratification process by several countries.
• The origins of the CTBT can be traced back to the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, which conducted numerous nuclear tests from 1945 to 1996, causing concerns about the environmental and health impacts of radioactive fallout.
• Various attempts to limit nuclear testing were made, including the Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty in 1963, which prohibited tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater but allowed underground testing.
• The CTBT, established in 1996, sought to impose a complete ban on explosive nuclear testing, taking advantage of reduced geopolitical tensions after the end of the Cold War. Despite its adoption, some countries have conducted nuclear tests since then, including India, Pakistan, and North Korea.
• The treaty requires ratification by 44 specific countries with nuclear technology, and eight of them, including China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, and the United States, have yet to do so.

About Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It lies within the Kali Tiger Reserve (KTR)(Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka) along with Anshi National Park.
• KTR is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and global biodiversity The reserve derives its name from the Kali River, which flows through the region. The ecoregions found here, namely the North Western Ghats montanerainforests and North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests.

Option 3 is incorrect.

Morocco, a North African country bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, is distinguished by its Berber, Arabian and European cultural influences.

Only Statement 1 is correct.

• India is launching its first national-level framework for climate services, known as the National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS), led by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
• The NFCS aims to provide climate information and services to various sectors, including agriculture, energy, disaster management, health, and water,to help them make informed decisions and mitigate climate risks.
• The NFCS is based on the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), which focuses on generating high-quality climate data and information, with priority sectors including agriculture, energy, health, water, and disaster risk reduction.
• Countries like Switzerland, China, Germany, and the United Kingdom have already launched their NFCS, while several others are in the advanced stages of implementation.

Statement 1 is incorrect.

 Travel for LiFE: 

It is a sectoral program launched by the Ministry of Tourism in India in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on September 27, 2023, World Tourism Day

 Aim of the initiative:

The initiative aims to bring about behavioural changes in both tourists and tourism businesses, focusing on environmental protection and socio-cultural sustainability. The program also encourages tourism businesses to adopt sustainable practices and earn certification levels.

 Eight Themes of Travel for LiFE –

• Save Energy
• Save Water
• Say No to single-use plastic
• Reduce Waste
• Empower Local Businesses and Communities
• Respect Local Culture and Heritage
• Consume Local Foods
• Conserve Nature