XAT General Knowledge MCQ Quiz - 4 - CAT MCQ

'Delhi is not far' written by Ruskin Bond. In this book, Ruskin Bond presents a picture of small-town India with characteristic sympathy and quiet wisdom.

Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiography written by South African President Nelson Mandela, and it was first published in 1994. This book is about his early life, coming of age, education, and 27 years in prison.

SARAS stands for Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society. They are organized at several places across India to promote Rural artisans. Recently, ‘Didi Lakhpati Tripura Agragati’ (Progressive Tripura through Women Entrepreneurs) was the unique theme of the SARAS Mela 2023 launched by Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha. Aiming to showcase and economically empower small business owners and self-help group members, over 300 stalls have been set up for 15 days. Rural artisans, craftswomen, and homemakers from remote parts of the state are participating to sell indigenous products like handicrafts, handloom items, delicacies etc.

China has introduced a revolutionary new ocean drilling vessel called the ‘Mengxiang’, designed to penetrate the Earth’s crust and reach the mantle for the first time in human history. If successful, the Mengxiang’s planned drilling to breach the Mohorovicic discontinuity (Moho) over 7,000 meters beneath the ocean floor would open the door to unprecedented scientific exploration and discovery within the planet. Crafted through collaboration between China’s Geological Survey and over 150 institutes, the Mengxiang is an enormous, specially-equipped ship capable of withstanding extreme conditions.

On January 1, 2024, a nanosatellite called WESAT (Women Engineered SATellite) was launched by students of Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Technology for Women (LBSITW) in Thiruvananthapuram. The satellite was launched as secondary payload aboard an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) mission, specifically the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C58/XPoSat mission. The mission’s announcement of success was made from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. WESAT is a 1.4-kg satellite designed and developed entirely by women, making it the first Indian satellite with this distinction. The purpose of WESAT is to study ultraviolet radiation and its impact. The satellite project was led by Lizy Abraham, an Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator, with technical assistance from ISRO.

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. While Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary are prominent cities in Canada, Ottawa serves as the political center of the country, housing the Parliament of Canada and the official residences of the Prime Minister and Governor General.

Paris is the capital city of France and is renowned for iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum. It stands as a symbol of art, culture, and history. While Rome, Berlin, Madrid, and London are all capital cities of European countries, Paris holds a distinct position as a global center for fashion, cuisine, and the arts.

The Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, second only to the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The award criteria include "service in any field including service rendered by Government servants'' including doctors and scientists, but excluding those working with the public sector undertakings.

Saraswati Samman Award was instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in the year 1991. It is given annually for an outstanding Literature work written in any official Indian languages and published during the preceding 10 years. It carries a cash purse of Rs 15 lakh, apart from a citation and a plaque.

Highest civilian award in India is Bharat Ratna which is followed by Padma Vibhushan, Padma bhushan and Padma Shri in the past.

The Forest Department and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam imposed restrictions at Ahobilam shrine in Nallamala forest due to intense heat endangering wild animals. Ahobilam, in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district, houses nine Narasimha shrines in a 5km radius. Recently, the ‘Paruveta Utsavam’ became a state festival. To protect wildlife, plastic use is banned. Additionally, a temple for Prahaladavarada Varadhan exists due to security reasons and logistical challenges in daily worship.

India’s President, Smt Droupadi Murmu, launched the nation’s inaugural home-grown gene therapy for cancer at IIT Bombay. The groundbreaking “CAR-T cell therapy” offers affordable hope in the cancer fight. This medical milestone, a part of ‘Make in India,’ embodies ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’ Developed collaboratively by IIT Bombay, Tata Memorial Hospital, and ImmunoACT, it marks a significant achievement in research and development. Gene therapy holds promise in treating various diseases, heralding a new era in healthcare.

The indigenous wheat variety Kathiya Gehu from Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh, earns a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, marking a breakthrough for agricultural recognition. It’s the first farm produce from Uttar Pradesh to achieve this distinction, highlighting the region’s agricultural significance. The GI tag acknowledges the unique qualities and geographical origin of Kathiya Gehu, ensuring its protection and promoting its heritage. This recognition bolsters the cultural and economic value of Bundelkhand’s agricultural heritage.

Political outfits and leaders honored the 104th anniversary of the Perungamanallur massacre in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. On April 3, 1920, 16 Piramalai Kallar community members were killed, protesting the oppressive Criminal Tribes Act of 1911. The massacre symbolizes resistance against colonialism. Britishers used the Act for fingerprinting and population control. Eventually repealed after Independence, the Act underwent amendments over the years, marking progress in mitigating its draconian measures.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently launched the myCGHS app for iOS devices. Developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), it aims to improve access to Electronic Health Records and resources for CGHS beneficiaries. The app offers services such as appointment booking, accessing lab reports, and checking medical reimbursement status. Security features like 2-factor authentication ensure user data confidentiality. It’s designed to enhance information and accessibility for CGHS beneficiaries.

Google was founded in September 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University in California.

Biocon Limited was incorporated in the year 1978 as a joint venture between Biocon Biochemicals Limited of Ireland and an Indian entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. Biocon manufactured and exported enzymes to the USA and Europe during the year 1979 as first of its kind.

Mount Everest is Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal subrange of the Himalayas. It is located between Nepal and Tibet.

The IceCube neutrino observatory at the Earth’s South Pole has detected neutrinos, subatomic particles. The observatory is made up of thousands of sensors buried in the ice. The IceCube Collaboration, which includes many universities around the world, built and maintains the observatory. The University of Wisconsin, Madison leads the collaboration. IceCube detects 275 atmospheric neutrinos daily and about 100,000 per year, as well as 275 million cosmic rays every day. The observatory is dedicated to detecting mysterious subatomic particles.

The European Space Agency’s Gaia telescope uncovered ancient star streams, Shiva and Shakti, shedding light on galaxy origins. These structures, formed 12 billion years ago, influenced Milky Way formation. Shakti stars orbit farther from the galactic center in circular paths, unlike Shiva. Named after Hindu deities, they symbolize universal creation. Gaia, launched in 2013, maps the Milky Way by analyzing data from over a decade, measuring stars’ positions, distances, and speeds.

Garuda Aerospace launched the Border Patrol Surveillance Drone, ‘Trishul. Trishul monitors people, natural disasters, and traffic. It features state-of-the-art cameras, infrared technology, radar sensors, and data gathering capabilities for security threats. The launch showcases Garuda Aerospace’s dedication to pioneering drone technology for surveillance purposes, emphasizing their commitment to excellence in product development and service provision.

The 148th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly was held in Geneva, Switzerland from March 23–27, 2024. The IPU is an international organization founded in 1889, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as offices in New York, United States of America, and Vienna, Austria. A seven-member Indian parliamentary delegation, led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh attended the event. The IPU boasts 180 member countries.

A new study highlights Red colobus as key to tropical forest conservation. Imperiled across Africa, they’re vital biodiversity indicators and one of two major simian groups globally. Facing extinction due to hunting and habitat loss, over half are Endangered or Critically Endangered. The Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan, led by IUCN, aims to prioritize their conservation, safeguarding Africa’s forests and curbing unsustainable hunting.

Justice (retired) Dinesh Kumar, former Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, has been appointed as the Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), filling a 4-month vacancy left by Justice Tarun Aggarwal’s retirement in December 2023. SAT, an autonomous body under the SEBI Act, 1992, hears appeals against orders from financial regulators like SEBI, PFRDA, and IRDAI, aiming to streamline appeal processes outside of High Courts.

The Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) recorded the moon passing in front of Antares, a massive red supergiant star in Scorpius constellation. Antares, 10,000 times brighter than the Sun, is 700 times its diameter and lies 600 light-years away. Despite its size, Antares has low density and temperature, around 6,100°F (3,400°C), giving it a ruddy color. Red supergiants are large, cool stars approaching the end of their lives, highly luminous but with low surface temperature.