INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
surface. When it became clear that the colonial
1. Solution: d)
The epidermis is usually made of a single layer of
cells. In some plants living in very dry habitats, the
epidermis may be thicker since protection against
water loss is critical. The entire surface of a plant
has this outer covering of epidermis. It protects all
the parts of the plant.
Epidermal cells on the aerial parts of the plant often
secrete a waxy, water-resistant layer on their outer
surface. This aids in protection against loss of
water, mechanical injury and invasion by parasitic
fungi. Since it has a protective role to play, cells of
epidermal tissue form a continuous layer without
intercellular spaces. Most epidermal cells are
relatively flat. Often their outer and side walls are
thicker than the inner wall.
2. Solution: a)
The origins of Indian cricket, that is, cricket played
by Indians are to be found in Bombay and the first
Indian community to start playing the game was
the small community of Zoroastrians, the Parsis.
Brought into close contact with the British because
of their interest in trade and the first Indian
community to westernise, the Parsis founded the
first Indian cricket club, the Oriental Cricket Club
in Bombay in 1848. Parsi clubs were funded and
sponsored by Parsi businessmen like the Tatas and
the Wadias. The white cricket elite in India offered
no help to the enthusiastic Parsis. In fact, there was
a quarrel between the Bombay Gymkhana, a
whites-only club, and Parsi cricketers over the use
of a public park. The Parsis complained that the
park was left unfit for cricket because the polo
ponies of the Bombay Gymkhana dug up the
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
authorities were prejudiced in favour of their white
compatriots, the Parsis built their own gymkhana
to play cricket in.
The rivalry between the Parsis and the racist
Bombay Gymkhana had a happy ending for these
pioneers of Indian cricket. A Parsi team beat the
Bombay Gymkhana at cricket in 1889, just four
years after the foundation of the Indian National
Congress in 1885, an organisation that was lucky to
have amongst its early leaders the great Parsi
statesman and intellectual Dadabhai Naoroji.
3. Solution: b)
Bastar is located in the southernmost part of
Chhattisgarh and borders Andhra Pradesh, Orissa
and Maharashtra. The central part of Bastar is on a
plateau. To the north of this plateau is the
Chhattisgarh plain and to its south is the Godavari
plain. The river Indrawati winds across Bastar east
to west. A number of different communities live in
Bastar such as Maria and Muria Gonds, Dhurwas,
Bhatras and Halbas. They speak different
languages but share common customs and beliefs.
4. Solution: c)
EXERCISING HAS various physical and mental
health benefits. It is known to help in relieving
stress-induced depression. But till now
mechanisms behind this were not known. A study
on mice has shown that physical activity causes
changes in skeletal muscles that help it block
kynurenine-a substance that accumulates in the
blood during stress and in high amounts can cause
depression-from entering the brain. Physical
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exercise increases protein PGC-1α1 in skeletal
muscles. The study found that mice with high
levels of PGC-1α1 also had a high level of an
enzyme called KAT. This enzyme converted
kynurenine into kynurenic acid, which is not able
to pass from the blood to the brain, protecting the
brain from stress. Source – Down To Earth.
For associated diseases:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kynurenine
5. Solution: a)
Refer to the link for basics about reserved forests
etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserved_forests_a
nd_protected_forests_of_India
Typically, reserved forests are often upgraded to
the status of wildlife sanctuaries, which in turn
may be upgraded to the status of national parks,
with each category receiving a higher degree of
protection and government funding. For
example, Sariska National Park was declared a
reserved forest in 1955, upgraded to the status of a
wildlife sanctuary in 1958, becoming a Tiger
Reserve in 1978. Sariska became a national park in
1992, though primary notification to declare it as a
national park was issued as early as 1982.
6. Solution: c)
Sacred groves - a wealth of diverse and rare
species
Nature worship is an age old tribal belief based on
the premise that all creations of nature have to be
protected. Such beliefs have preserved several
virgin forests in pristine form called Sacred Groves
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
(the forests of God and Goddesses). These patches
of forest or parts of large forests have been left
untouched by the local people and any interference
with them is banned. Certain societies revere a
particular tree which they have preserved from
time immemorial. The Mundas and the Santhal of
Chhota Nagpur region worship mahua (Bassia
latifolia) and kadamba (Anthocaphalus cadamba)
trees, and the tribals of Orissa and Bihar worship
the tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and mango
(Mangifera indica) trees during weddings. To
many of us, peepal and banyan trees are
considered sacred.
7. Solution: a)
Dams were traditionally built to impound rivers
and rainwater that could be used later to irrigated
agricultural fields. Today, dams are built not just
for irrigation but for electricity generation, water
supply for domestic and industrial uses, flood
control, recreation, inland navigation and fish
breeding. Hence, dams are now referred to as
multi-purpose projects where the many uses of the
impounded water are integrated with one another.
For example, in the Sutluj-Beas river basin, the
Bhakra – Nangal project water is being used both
for hydel power production and irrigation.
Similarly, the Hirakud project in the Mahanadi
basin integrates conservation of water with flood
control.
8. Solution: d)
Self-explanatory.
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9. Solution: d)
NEP 1991 also known as liberalization,
privatization and globalization policy gave a huge
boost to the service sector. Refer to the Section on
―Rising importance of service sector in India‖ in
Chapter 2 of class Xth NCERT economy for a
detailed explanation. Because of the length of the
explanation, it cannot be provided here.
10. Solution: c)
The First World War and the Second World War
had a major impact on forests. In India, working
plans were abandoned at this time, and the forest
department cut trees freely to meet British war
needs. In Java, just before the Japanese occupied
the region, the Dutch followed ‗a scorched earth‘
policy, destroying sawmills, and burning huge
piles of giant teak logs so that they would not fall
into Japanese hands. The Japanese then exploited
the forests recklessly for their own war industries,
forcing forest villagers to cut down forests. Many
villagers used this opportunity to expand
cultivation in the forest. After the war, it was
difficult for the Indonesian forest service to get this
land back. As in India, people‘s need for
agricultural land has brought them into conflict
with the forest department‘s desire to control the
land and exclude people from it.
Since the 1980s, governments across Asia and
Africa have begun to see that scientific forestry and
the policy of keeping forest communities away
from forests has resulted in many conflicts.
Conservation of forests rather than collecting
timber has become a more important goal. The
government has recognised that in order to meet
this goal, the people who live near the forests must
be involved. In many cases, across India, from
Mizoram to Kerala, dense forests have survived
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
only because villages protected them in sacred
groves known as sarnas, devarakudu, kan, rai, etc.
Some villages have been patrolling their own
forests, with each household taking it in turns,
instead of leaving it to the forest guards. Local
forest communities and environmentalists today
are thinking of different forms of forest
management.
11. Solution: d)
In between the rabi and the kharif seasons, there is
a short season during the summer months known
as the Zaid season. Some of the crops produced
during ‗zaid‘ are watermelon, muskmelon,
cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops. Sugarcane
takes almost a year to grow.
12. Solution: b)
Rare earth minerals—-there are 17 of them—are
vital for the production of smart phones, cameras,
steel and hybrid cars, and hence the world
economy. They are present in a significant amount
on the sea floor, both in sovereign and international
waters. Polymetallic
nodules are known to
contain rare earth
mineralsAt present,
China contributes 90
per cent of the global
production of the
minerals.
Developments in last
five years show that
China has been using this monopoly to control the
production and price of the minerals. So there have
been attempts worldwide to realign strategic
relations around exploration of rare earths in
seabed. Developed countries are taking the lead.
Japan, along with the US and the EU, formed an
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alliance to challenge China's restrictive policies in
the WTO. In April 2014, the WTO ruled against
China.
India has collaborated with Japan since November
2012 to develop rare earth materials. As part of
India-Japan strategic collaboration, an agreement
was signed for exploration and production of rare
earths, following which India is setting up a
monazite processing plant in Odisha. In April 2013,
Japan disclosed discovery of a bounty of rare earths
in the seabed around Minami-Tori-shima Island.
Scientists claim the reserve holds 20 to 30 times
more minerals than those being mined in China.
13. Solution: b)
Down to Earth -
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/silent-
threat
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
14. Solution: d)
Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry
conditions. Being leguminous crops, all these crops
except arhar help in restoring soil fertility by fixing
nitrogen from the air. Therefore, these are mostly
grown in rotation with other crops. Major pulse
producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh,
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and
Karnataka.
15. Solution: b)
Refer to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_pro
ducing_countries_of_agricultural_commodities
Look at only where India is the major producer.
16. Solution: b)
http://thestudyofearth.blogspot.in/2012/03/plant
ation-agriculture.html
17. Solution: d)
Manganese Nodules: A type of sediment scattered
on the ocean floor, consisting mainly of manganese
and iron, and usually containing small amounts of
copper, nickel and cobalt.
This article shows the significance of manganese
nodules for India http://www.thehindu.com/sci-
tech/science/soon-nodules-to-be-mined-from-
seabed/article4577372.ece
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18. Solution: d)
Agricultural modernization basically means using
scientifically determined inputs like chemical
fertilizers, insecticides, weedicides, pesticides etc.
These chemicals flow from farm to nearby
waterbodies and pollute the water.
19. Solution: a)
Toothpaste cleans your teeth. Abrasive minerals
like silica, limestone, aluminium oxide and various
phosphate minerals do the cleaning. Fluoride
which is used to reduce cavities, comes from a
mineral fluorite. Most toothpaste are made white
with titanium oxide, which comes from minerals
called rutile, ilmenite and anatase. The sparkle in
some toothpastes comes from mica. The toothbrush
and tube containing the paste are made of plastics
from petroleum.
20. Solution: c)
The Gaddi (aka Pahari Bharmauri) are a Hindu
tribe living mainly in the Indian states of Himachal
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh and Punjab. They used to be considered
as scheduled tribe but some are scheduled caste or
"untouchables" in the Punjab but are no longer
considered such and are made up
of Rajputs, Khatris, Ranas, and Thakurs. They are
said to have fled into the mountains centuries ago
when the Muslims moved into the plains of
northern India.
Many of them are shepherds and live a semi-
nomadic lifestyle (transhumance)- having hill or
mountains' feet villages where they live in winter,
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
while taking their flocks to higher ground for
grazing in the summer.
21. Solution: c)
In the fluid a body weighs less due to buoyant
force acting in upwards direction on the body. The
gravitation force remains the same downwards.
The net effect is reduction in actual seen weight.
22. Solution: d)
1. Megaphones or loudhailers, horns, musical
instruments such as trumpets and shehanais, are all
designed to send sound in a particular direction
without spreading it in all directions, In these
instruments, a tube followed by a conical opening
reflects sound successively to guide most of the
sound waves from the source in the forward
direction towards the audience.
2. Stethoscope is a medical instrument used for
listening to sounds produced within the body,
chiefly in the heart or lungs. In stethoscopes the
sound of the patient‘s heartbeat reaches the
doctor‘s ears by multiple reflection of sound.
3. Generally the ceilings of concert halls, conference
halls and cinema halls are curved so that sound
after reflection reaches all corners of the hall.
23. Solution: b)
Just as we need food for development, growth and
well-being, plants also require nutrients for growth.
Nutrients are supplied to plants by air, water and
soil. There are sixteen nutrients which are essential
for plants. Air supplies carbon and oxygen,
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hydrogen comes from water, and soil supplies the
other thirteen nutrients to plants. Amongst these
thirteen nutrients, six are required in large
quantities and are therefore called macronutrients.
The other seven nutrients are used by plants in
small quantities and are therefore called micro-
nutrients
24. Solution: d)
Refer to chapter 12 Science IXth NCERT section
12.5 for details. It has been explained thoroughly
there.
25. Solution: c)
Gandhi initially said that:
‗I propose to discard at least up to 31st of October
my topi and vest and to content myself with a
loincloth, and a chaddar whenever necessary for
protection of my body. I adopt the change because I
have always hesitated to advise anything I may not
be prepared to follow …‘
At this time, he did not want to use this dress all
his life and only wanted to ‗experiment for a month
or two‘. But soon he saw this as his duty to the
poor, and he never wore any other dress. He
consciously rejected the well-known clothes of the
Indian ascetic and adopted the dress of the poorest
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
Indian. Khadi, white and coarse, was to him a sign
of purity, of simplicity, and of poverty. Wearing it
became also a symbol of nationalism, a rejection of
Western mill- made cloth.
26. Solution: d)
Photosynthesis consumes Co2 to make glucose.
Calcification of shells requires carbonate dissolved
in water (due to Co2). And phytoplanktons are a
major carbon sink.
27. Solution: a)
Unlike most other lymphoid structures, the
thymus grows rapidly and attains its greatest size
relative to the rest of the body during fetal life and
the first years after birth. Thereafter, it continues to
grow, but more slowly than the other organs. At
the onset of puberty, the thymus begins a slow
process of shrinking. This gradual diminution in
size continues for the rest of the individual‘s life.
The functions of the thymus that have so far been
observed relate chiefly to the newborn. Removal of
the organ in the adult has little effect, but when the
thymus is removed in the newborn, T cells in the
blood and lymphoid tissue are depleted, and
failure of the immune system causes a gradual,
fatal wasting disease. The animal whose thymus
has been removed at birth is less able to reject
foreign-tissue grafts or to make antibodies to
certain antigens. Moreover, certain parts of the
white pulp of the spleen and lymph nodes are
much reduced in size. These results demonstrate
that the T cells produced in the thymus and
transported to the lymphoid tissues are crucial
elements in the development of immunity.
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28. Solution: d)
The term water-pollution to cover the following
effects:
1. The addition of undesirable substances to water-
bodies. These substances could be the fertilisers
and pesticides used in farming or they could be
poisonous substances, like mercury salts which are
used by paper-industries. These could also be
disease-causing organisms, like the bacteria which
cause cholera. Increase I nutrients can cause
eutrophication in the water body leading to algal
bloom and toxication.
2. The removal of desirable substances from water-
bodies. Dissolved oxygen is used by the animals
and plants that live in water. Any change that
reduces the amount of this dissolved oxygen would
adversely affect these aquatic organisms. Other
nutrients could also be depleted from the water
bodies.
3. A change in temperature. Aquatic organisms are
used to a certain range of temperature in the water-
body where they live, and a sudden marked
change in this temperature would be dangerous for
them or affect their breeding. The eggs and larvae
of various animals are particularly susceptible to
temperature changes.
29. Solution: d)
See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inland_waterways_
of_India
30. Solution: a)
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India has been given license to mine in Indian
ocean. For more details:
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/mining-
deep-sea
31. Solution: d)
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/india/exports
32. Solution: d)
IRNSS is a navigation system that will cover India,
and also extend 1,500 kms from its boundaries. It
will provide accurate position information to users
in India and will also be used for terrestrial and
marine navigation, disaster management, fleet
management and for vehicle tracking. However, to
be able to use the IRNSS satellites, ISRO will have
to launch at least four of the seven planned IRNSS
satellites. IRNSS is similar to other satellite
navigation service providers like USA‘s GPS
(Global Positioning System), Russia‘s
Glonass, Europe‘s Galileo, Japan‘s Quasi Zenith
and China‘s Beidou.
33. Solution: d)
Aichi Biodiversity Targets
 Strategic Goal A: Address the underlying causes
of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming
biodiversity across government and society
 Strategic Goal B: Reduce the direct pressures on
biodiversity and promote sustainable use
 Strategic Goal C: To improve the status of
biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species
and genetic diversity
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 Strategic Goal D: Enhance the benefits to all from
biodiversity and ecosystem services
 Strategic Goal E: Enhance implementation
through participatory planning, knowledge
management and capacity building
production and consumption and have
kept the impacts of use of natural resources
well within safe ecological limits.
Strategic Goal B: Reduce the direct pressures on
biodiversity and promote sustainable use

Strategic Goal A: Address the underlying causes of Target 5

biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity By 2020, the rate of loss of all natural
across government and society habitats, including forests, is at least
halved and where feasible brought close to
Target 1 zero, and degradation and fragmentation is
By 2020, at the latest, people are aware of significantly reduced.
the values of biodiversity and the steps
they can take to conserve and use it
Target 6
sustainably.
By 2020 all fish and invertebrate stocks and
aquatic plants are managed and harvested
Target 2
sustainably, legally and applying
By 2020, at the latest, biodiversity values
ecosystem based approaches, so that
have been integrated into national and
overfishing is avoided, recovery plans and
local development and poverty reduction
measures are in place for all depleted
strategies and planning processes and are
species, fisheries have no significant
being incorporated into national
adverse impacts on threatened species and
accounting, as appropriate, and reporting
vulnerable ecosystems and the impacts of
systems.
fisheries on stocks, species and ecosystems
are within safe ecological limits.
Target 3
By 2020, at the latest, incentives, including
Target 7
subsidies, harmful to biodiversity are
By 2020 areas under agriculture,
eliminated, phased out or reformed in
aquaculture and forestry are managed
order to minimize or avoid negative
sustainably, ensuring conservation of
impacts, and positive incentives for the
biodiversity.
conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity are developed and applied,
Target 8
consistent and in harmony with the
By 2020, pollution, including from excess
Convention and other relevant
nutrients, has been brought to levels that
international obligations, taking into
are not detrimental to ecosystem function
account national socio economic
and biodiversity.
conditions.

Target 9
Target 4
By 2020, invasive alien species and
By 2020, at the latest, Governments,
pathways are identified and prioritized,
business and stakeholders at all levels have
priority species are controlled or
taken steps to achieve or have
eradicated, and measures are in place to
implemented plans for sustainable
manage pathways to prevent their

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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
introduction and establishment.
Target 10
By 2015, the multiple anthropogenic
pressures on coral reefs, and other
vulnerable ecosystems impacted by climate
change or ocean acidification are
minimized, so as to maintain their integrity
and functioning.
Strategic Goal C: To improve the status of
biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species
and genetic diversity
Target 11
By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial
and inland water, and 10 per cent of
coastal and marine areas, especially areas
of particular importance for biodiversity
and ecosystem services, are conserved
through effectively and equitably
managed, ecologically representative and
well connected systems of protected areas
and other effective area-based conservation
measures, and integrated into the wider
landscapes and seascapes.
Target 12
By 2020 the extinction of known threatened
species has been prevented and their
conservation status, particularly of those
most in decline, has been improved and
sustained.
Target 13
By 2020, the genetic diversity of cultivated
plants and farmed and domesticated
animals and of wild relatives, including
other socio-economically as well as
culturally valuable species, is maintained,
and strategies have been developed and
implemented for minimizing genetic
erosion and safeguarding their genetic
diversity.
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Strategic Goal D: Enhance the benefits to all from
biodiversity and ecosystem services
Target 14
By 2020, ecosystems that provide essential
services, including services related to
water, and contribute to health, livelihoods
and well-being, are restored and
safeguarded, taking into account the needs
of women, indigenous and local
communities, and the poor and vulnerable.
Target 15
By 2020, ecosystem resilience and the
contribution of biodiversity to carbon
stocks has been enhanced, through
conservation and restoration, including
restoration of at least 15 per cent of
degraded ecosystems, thereby contributing
to climate change mitigation and
adaptation and to combating
desertification.
Target 16
By 2015, the Nagoya Protocol on Access to
Genetic Resources and the Fair and
Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from
their Utilization is in force and operational,
consistent with national legislation.
Strategic Goal E: Enhance implementation
through participatory planning, knowledge
management and capacity building
Target 17
By 2015 each Party has developed, adopted
as a policy instrument, and has
commenced implementing an effective,
participatory and updated national
biodiversity strategy and action plan.
Target 18
By 2020, the traditional knowledge,
innovations and practices of indigenous
and local communities relevant for the
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conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity, and their customary use of
biological resources, are respected, subject
to national legislation and relevant
international obligations, and fully
integrated and reflected in the
implementation of the Convention with the
full and effective participation of
indigenous and local communities, at all
relevant levels.
Target 19
By 2020, knowledge, the science base and
technologies relating to biodiversity, its
values, functioning, status and trends, and
the consequences of its loss, are improved,
widely shared and transferred, and
applied.
Target 20
By 2020, at the latest, the mobilization of
financial resources for effectively
implementing the Strategic Plan for
Biodiversity 2011-2020 from all sources,
and in accordance with the consolidated
and agreed process in the Strategy for
Resource Mobilization, should increase
substantially from the current levels. This
target will be subject to changes contingent
to resource needs assessments to be
developed and reported by Parties.
34. Solution: a)
35. Solution: b)
Some time after his return to India from South
Africa in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi transformed the
Kashmiri cap that he sometimes used into a cheap
white cotton khadi cap. For two years from 1919, he
himself wore the cap, and then gave it up, but by
this time it had become part of the nationalist
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
uniform and even a symbol of defiance. For
example, the Gwalior state tried to prohibit its use
in 1921 during the non co-operation movement.
During the Khilafat movement the cap was worn
by large numbers of Hindus and Muslims. A group
of Santhals who attacked the police in 1922 in
Bengal demanding the release of Santhal prisoners
believed that the Gandhi cap would protect them
from bullets: three of them died as a result.
Large numbers of nationalists defiantly wore the
Gandhi cap and were even beaten or arrested for
doing so. With the rise of the Khilafat movement in
the post-First World War years, the fez, a tasseled
Turkish cap, became a sign of anti- colonialism in
India. Though many Hindus – as in Hyderabad for
instance – also wore the fez, it soon became
identified solely with Muslims.
36. Solution: a)
Sharks BECOME abundant in a coral zone when
the reefs are healthy. In a decade-long study
conducted in the Great Barrier Reef, researchers
used thousands of remote underwater video
stations to count the number of sharks. The results
showed that the health of coral reef had a huge
affect on abundance of shark, especially the grey
reef shark which is found on coral reefs. The study
underlines the importance of coral reefs in
protecting sharks Source: Down To Earth
Regarding Coral Bleaching:
Warmer water temperatures can result in coral
bleaching. When water is too warm, corals will
expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their
tissues causing the coral to turn completely white.
This is called coral bleaching. When a coral
bleaches, it is not dead. Corals can survive a
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bleaching event, but they are under more stress and
are subject to mortality. For more:
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.h
tml
37. Solution: c)
Most of the petroleum occurrences in India are
associated with anticlines and fault traps in the
rock formations of the tertiary age. In regions of
folding, anticlines or domes, it occurs where oil is
trapped in the crest of the upfold. The oil bearing
layer is a porous limestone or sandstone through
which oil may flow. The oil is prevented from
rising or sinking by intervening non-porous layers.
Petroleum is also found in fault trap between
porous and non-porous rocks. Gas, being lighter
usually occurs above the oil.
38. Solution: d)
Refer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limestone#Uses
39. Solution: c)
40. Solution: d)
Refer to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shale_gas#Environ
ment
41. Solution: b)
Tea requires a moist fros-free climate with even
rainfall throughout the year. Millet is a semi-arid
area crop and thus can be grown in dry conditions.
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
42. Solution: d)
Large reserves of natural gas have been discovered
in the Krishna- Godavari basin. Along the west
coast the reserves of the Mumbai High and allied
fields are supplemented by finds in the Gulf of
Cambay. Andaman and Nicobar islands are also
important areas having large reserves of natural
gas.
Also refer to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resources_
of_India#Oil
43. Solution: d)
The British were worried that the use of forests by
local people and the reckless felling of trees by
traders would destroy forests. So they decided to
invite a German expert, Dietrich Brandis, for
advice, and made him the first Inspector General of
Forests in India.
Brandis realised that a proper system had to be
introduced to manage the forests and people had to
be trained in the science of conservation. This
system would need legal sanction. Rules about the
use of forest resources had to be framed. Felling of
trees and grazing had to be restricted so that forests
could be preserved for timber production.
Anybody who cut trees without following the
system had to be punished. So Brandis set up the
Indian Forest Service in 1864 and helped formulate
the Indian Forest Act of 1865. The Imperial Forest
Research Institute was set up at Dehradun in 1906.
The system they taught here was called ‗scientific
forestry‘. Many people now, including ecologists,
feel that this system is not scientific at all.
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In scientific forestry, natural forests which had lots
of different types of trees were cut down. In their
place, one type of tree was planted in straight rows.
This is called a plantation. Forest officials surveyed
the forests, estimated the area under different types
of trees, and made working plans for forest
management. They planned how muchof the
plantation area to cut every year. The area cut was
then to be replanted so that it was ready to be cut
again in some years.
After the Forest Act was enacted in 1865, it was
amended twice, once in 1878 and then in 1927. The
1878 Act divided forests into three categories:
reserved, protected and village forests. The best
forests were called ‗reserved forests‘. Villagers
could not take anything from these forests, even for
their own use. For house building or fuel, they
could take wood from protected or village forests.
44. Solution: c)
Waterways are the cheapest means of transport.
They are most suitable for carrying heavy and
bulky goods. It is a fuel-efficient and environment
friendly mode of transport. India has inland
navigation waterways of 14,500 km in length. Out
of these only 3,700 km are navigable by mechanised
boats.
Whereas the Indian coastline is some 7400 kms. 95
per cent of the country‘s trade volume (68 per cent
in terms of value) is moved by sea.
45. Solution: a)
Living organisms also influence the formation of
soil. The lichen grows on the surface of rocks.
While growing, they release certain substances that
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
cause the rock surface to powder down and form a
thin layer of soil. Other small plants like moss, are
able to grow on this surface now and they cause the
rock to break up further. The roots of big trees
sometimes go into cracks in the rocks and as the
roots grow bigger, the crack is forced bigger.
46. Solution: d)
The warm and humid tropical regions of the earth,
between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of
Capricorn, are rich in diversity of plant and animal
life. This is called the region of megadiversity. Of
the biodiversity of the planet, more than half is
concentrated in a few countries – Brazil, Colombia,
Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Zaire, Madagascar,
Australia, China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia.
47. Solution: c)
RESEARCHERS DID not consider climate change
to be a factor in formation of tornadoes because
there was no pattern to link the two. But an
analysis of records on tornadoes in the US between
1954 and 2013 has found that there has been a
consistent decrease in the number of days
witnessing at least one tornado, while the number
of days having multiple tornadoes has increased.
Though tornadoes are forming on fewer days (187
tornado days in 1971 against 79 in 2013), the
severity and frequency of the number of tornadoes
formed in one particular day has increased. There
were 1,700 in 2011 and 2014 has already seen 189.
Source: Down to Earth
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that
is in contact with both the surface of the earth and
a cumulonimbus cloudor, in rare cases, the base of
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to
as twisters or cyclones, although the
wordcyclone is used in meteorology, in a wider
sense, to name any closed low pressure circulation.
48. Solution: d)
Wildlife CORRIDORS aretracts of natural land that
connect habitats divided by agricultural or other
human activities. These are set up to promote
spread of native species. But such corridors can
also lead to spread of invasive species. A study in
Florida, US, found that polygyne fire ants (a type of
slow-moving fire ants) were able to use wildlife
corridors to spread and dominate the habitat. The
study indicates it is crucial to study traits of likely
invasive species before setting up a corridor.
Source: Down to Earth.
49. Solution: a)
Elemental oxygen is normally found in the form of
a diatomic molecule. However, in the upper
reaches of the atmosphere, a molecule containing
three atoms of oxygen is found. This would mean a
formula of O3 and this is called ozone. Unlike the
normal diatomic molecule of oxygen, ozone is
poisonous and we are lucky that it is not stable
nearer to the Earth‘s surface. But it performs an
essential function where it is found. It absorb
harmful radiations from the Sun. This prevents
those harmful radiations from reaching the surface
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
of the Earth where they may damage many forms
of life.
50. Solution: c)
The low pressure system over Indian region are
classified based on the maximum sustained winds
speed associated with the system and the pressure
deficit/ number of closed isobars associated with
the system. The pressure criteria is used, when the
system is over land and wind criteria is used, when
the system is over the sea. The system is called as
low if there is one closed isobar in the interval of 2
hPa. It is called depression, if there are two closed
isobars, a deep depression, if there are three closed
isobars and cyclonic storm if there are four or more
closed isobars. The detailed classification based on
wind criteria are given in the Table
below. Considering wind criteria, the system with
wind speed of 17-27 knots is called as depression
and the low pressure system with maximum
sustained 3 minutes surface winds between 28-33
knots is called a deep depression. The system
with maximum sustained 3 minutes surface
winds of 34 knots or more is called as cyclonic
storm.
For interesting article: Regarding Cyclone Phailin
and other Bay of Bengal related cyclones
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/historic
ally-prone-cyclones
51. Solution: d)
Varieties or strains of crops can be selected by
breeding for various useful characteristics such as
disease resistance, response to fertilisers, product
quality and high yields. One way of incorporating
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
desirable characters into crop varieties is by
hybridisation. Hybridisation refers to crossing
between genetically dissimilar plants. This crossing
may be intervarietal (between different varieties),
interspecific (between two different species of the
same genus) or intergeneric (between different
genera). Another way of improving the crop is by
introducing a gene that would provide the desired
characteristic. This results in genetically modified
crops.
52. Solution: c)
53. Solution: d)
Higher per capita income does not necessarily
translate into better health or education indicators
and vice versa. The availability and accessibility of
public services like health and education should
also be there.
Kerala has a low Infant Mortality Rate because it
has adequate provision of basic health and
educational facilities. Similarly, in some states, the
Public Distribution System (PDS) functions well.
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
Green manure: Prior to the sowing of the crop
seeds, some plants like sun hemp or guar are
grown and then mulched by ploughing them into
the soil. These green plants thus turn into green
manure which helps in enriching the soil in
nitrogen and phosphorus.
It is considered a practice in organic farming.
Health and nutritional status of people of such
states is certainly likely to be better.
54. Solution: a)
Habitat destruction, hunting, poaching, over-
exploitation, environmental pollution, poisoning
and forest fires are factors, which have led to the
decline in India‘s biodiversity. Other important
causes of environmental destruction are unequal
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS

access, inequitable consumption of resources and
differential sharing of responsibility for
environmental well-being.
55. Solution: c)
Intermediary goods are used to make final goods. If
the value of intermediary goods are counted along
with final goods, it will be double counting.
lower entry barriers for employees, a higher
proportion of migrants with a lower rate of
compensation. Employees of enterprises belonging
to the unorganised sector have lower job security
and poorer chances of growth, and no leaves and
paid holidays, they have lower protection against
employers indulging in unfair or illegal practices.
58. Solution: c)

Refer to http://gradestack.com/CBSE-Class-
56. Solution: d) 10th/Organised-and-Unorganised-Sectors/15078-
3004-4121-study-wtw
Refer to http://www.mgnrega.co.in/

You can also view more about the scheme and its
performance analysis. 59. Solution: a)

Oceanic tides can be used to generate electricity.

Floodgate dams are built across inlets. During high
57. Solution: a) tide water flows into the inlet and gets trapped
when the gate is closed. After the tide falls outside
The term unorganised sector when used in
the flood gate, the water retained by the floodgate
the Indian context is defined by National
flows back to the sea via a pipe that carries it
Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganized
through a power-generating turbine. In India, the
Sector, in their Report on Conditions of Work and
Gulf of Kuchchh, provides ideal conditions for
Promotion of Livelihoods in the Unorganised
utilising tidal energy.
Sector as .... consisting of all unincorporated private
enterprises owned by individuals or households engaged
in the sale or production of goods and services operated
on a proprietary or partnership basis and with less than 60. Solution: b)
ten total workers. Amongst the characteristic features
Option 2 and 3 satisfy all the criteria used to
of this sector are ease of entry, smaller scale of
classify unorganized sector. Refer to the
operation, local ownership, uncertain legal status,
explanations given in the previous questions to
labour-intensive and operating using lower
understand the criteria.
technology based methods, flexible pricing, less
sophisticated packing, absence of a brand name,
unavailability of good storage facilities and an
effective distribution network, inadequate access to
government schemes, finance and government aid,

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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
61. Solution: b)
The Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallachiana) is a
medicinal plant found in various parts of Himachal
Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. A chemical
compound called ‗taxol‘ is extracted from the bark,
needles, twigs and roots of this tree, and it has been
successfully used to treat some cancers – the drug
is now the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the
world. The species is under great threat due to
over-exploitation.
62. Solution: b)
Unwilling cultivators were made to produce opium
through a system of advances. In the rural areas of
Bengal and Bihar, there were large numbers of poor
peasants. They never had enough to survive. It was
difficult for them to pay rent to the landlord or to
buy food and clothing. From the 1780s, such
peasants found their village headmen (mahato)
giving them money advances to produce opium.
When offered a loan, the cultivators were tempted
to accept, hoping to meet their immediate needs
and pay back the loan at a later stage.
But the loan tied the peasant to the headman and
through him to the government. It was the
government opium agents who were advancing the
money to the headmen, who in turn gave it to the
cultivators. By taking the loan, the cultivator was
forced to grow opium on a specified area of land
and hand over the produce to the agents once the
crop had been harvested. He had no option of
planting the field with a crop of his choice or of
selling his produce to anyone but the government
agent. And he had to accept the low price offered
for the produce.
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
63. Solution: a)
Political control of India helped the British in two
ways: Indian peasants could be forced to grow
crops such as indigo, and cheap British
manufacture easily replaced coarser Indian one.
Large numbers of Indian weavers and spinners
were left without work, and important textile
weaving centres such as Murshidabad,
Machilipatnam and Surat declined as demand fell.
Yet by the middle of the twentieth century, large
numbers of people began boycotting British or mill-
made cloth and adopting khadi, even though it was
coarser, more expensive and difficult to obtain.
How did this change come about?
In 1905, Lord Curzon decided to partition Bengal to
control the growing opposition to British rule. The
Swadeshi movement developed in reaction to this
measure. People were urged to boycott British
goods of all kinds and start their own industries for
the manufacture of goods such as matchboxes and
cigarettes. Mass protests followed, with people
vowing to cleanse themselves of colonial rule. The
use of khadi was made a patriotic duty. Women
were urged to throw away their silks and glass
bangles and wear simple shell bangles. Rough
homespun was glorified in songs and poems to
popularise it.
The change of dress appealed largely to the upper
castes and classes rather than to those who had to
make do with less and could not afford the new
products. After 15 years, many among the upper
classes also returned to wearing European dress.
Though many people rallied to the cause of
nationalism at this time, it was almost impossible to
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
compete with cheap British goods that had flooded
the market.
64. Solutions: d)
The Androgen test is the latest means adopted by
the International Association of Athletics
Federation (IAAF) to weed out what it believes are
male interlopers in women‘s sporting competitions.
Adopted in 2011 by IAAF and ratified by the
International Olympic Committee a year later, the
tests use testosterone levels to decide whether an
athlete is feminine enough to take part in women‘s
competitions. An athlete can compete in this
category only if her testosterone levels are below
the normal male range— a little over 3 ng/ml.
What Are Androgens?
Androgens are typically thought of as male
hormones, but they also play an important role in
women. In men, androgens support sperm
production and the development of male
secondary sex characteristics. Women produce
androgens in their ovaries and adrenal cortex.
Almost all of the androgens a woman makes are
immediately converted into estrogen. Estrogen
promotes the development of female secondary sex
characteristics. It is also involved in thickening the
endometrium and regulating the menstrual cycle.
The androgens that are not converted into estrogen
play a role in sex drive and slowing bone loss.
Why Would You Have Androgen Levels
Checked?
In women, excess androgen production is the most
common cause of an ovulatory (failure to ovulate)
infertility. If you are having trouble getting
pregnant, your androgen levels will be checked to
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
see if they could be preventing you from getting
pregnant. Women who begin to display masculine
physical features (such as increased body hair or a
deepening voice) would also have their androgen
levels checked. You would also have your
androgen levels checked if your fertility doctor
suspects you have polycystic ovary syndrome
(PCOS).
When Are Androgen Levels Checked?
Androgen can be checked at any time of the
menstrual cycle. Levels are stable across the cycle.
They can also be checked at any time in men.
What Do Androgen Levels Mean?
Androgen tests are done to find out the level of
different androgens in your blood. A testosterone
test is most common. You may also have your
dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) level
checked if you have symptoms that warrant it.
Your fertility doctor will make this decision with
you.
Almost all women who have elevated androgen
levels have an underlying cause that can be
identified. Approximately 80 to 90 percent of
women with high androgen levels have PCOS.
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Cushing
syndrome, and tumors on the ovaries or adrenal
glands are all rare but possible causes of increased
androgen levels.
65. Solution: d)
http://www.ncfc.org/about-ncfc/about-co-ops
In the Indian context refer to
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha
/article1391165.ece
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
66. Solution: c)
The actual weight of an object on earth = (weight of
the object) – (centrifugal force cause due to rotation
of earth)
Centrifugal force is caused due to rotation. So, if
earth stops rotating centrifugal force will become
zero. So all objects on earth (except at poles) will
increase in actual weight.
But, at poles this does not happen because, at poles
the earth‘s effect of rotation is nil. So, centrifugal
force at poles is anways zero. So, at poles the
weight of the object is just its own weight and does
not change even if the earth stops rotating.
67. Solution: c)
RBI supervises using CRR, SLR, priority sector
lending etc. The informal sector is too scattered and
remote to monitored by any agency. Besides, it
comes outside the framework of financial laws in
India.
68. Solution: a)
Forming a SHG is not a fundamental right, forming
a cooperative is.
Refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-
help_group_(finance)
69. Solution: d)
Refer to http://www.sezindia.nic.in/about-
introduction.asp
70. Solution: c)
In 1985 United Nations adopted the UN Guidelines
for Consumer Protection. This was a tool for
nations to adopt measures to protect consumers
and for consumer advocacy groups to press their
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
governments to do so. At the international level,
this has become the foundation for consumer
movement.
Indian constitution does not have any provision.
Laws such as Consumer protection act, 1986 exist.
71. Solution: d)
http://www.consumerrights.org.in/rights.htm
72. Solution: d)
They are at Central, State and district levels with
specifications for filing cases regarding to certain
goods and services.
73. Solution: d)
Rubber: It is an equatorial crop, but under special
conditions, it is also grown in tropical and sub-
tropical areas. It requires moist and humid climate
with rainfall of more than 200 cm. and temperature
above 25°C. Rubber is an important industrial raw
material. It is mainly grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka and Andaman and Nicabar islands and
Garo hills of Meghalaya. India ranks fifth among
the world‘s natural rubber producers.
74. Solution: d)
International Resources: There are international
institutions which regulate some resources. The
oceanic resources beyond 200 km of the Exclusive
Economic Zone belong to open ocean and no
individual country can utilise these without the
concurrence of international institutions. Anything
useful found in the sea or seabed can be termed as
a resource like gas, oil etc.
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
75. Solution: d)
Refer to http://www.cbd.int/sp/targets/
The Brundtland commission report introduced the
term ‗sustainable development‘. Agenda 21 was the
action plan at the first earth summit on
environmental change.
76. Solution: a)
The black soils are made up of extremely fine i.e.
clayey material. They are well-known for their
capacity to hold moisture. In addition, they are rich
in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate,
magnesium, potash and lime. These soils are
generally poor in phosphoric contents. They
develop deep cracks during hot weather, which
helps in the proper aeration of the soil. These soils
are sticky when wet and difficult to work on unless
tilled immediately after the first shower or during
the pre-monsoon period.
79. Solution: b)
Annual state of forest report 2013
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
77. Solution: a)
The laterite soil develops in areas with high
temperature and heavy rainfall. This is the result of
intense leaching due to heavy rain. Humus content
of the soil is low because most of the micro
organisms, particularly the decomposers, like
bacteria, get destroyed due to high temperature.
Laterite soils are suitable for cultivation with
adequate doses of manures and fertilizers. These
soils are mainly found in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and the hilly areas of
Orissa and Assam.
78. Solution: d)
After adopting appropriate soil conservation
techniques particularly in the hilly areas of
Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, this soil is very
useful for growing tea and coffee. Red laterite soils
in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are
more suitable for crops like cashew nut.
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS

82. Solutions: a)

80. Solution: a) For first two points:

Tyndall effect can be observed when sunlight
passes through the canopy of a dense forest. In the
forest, mist contains tiny droplets of water, which
act as particles of colloid dispersed in air.
81. Solution: a)
Examples of aerosols include haze, dust,
particulate air pollutants and smoke
People generate aerosols for various purposes,
including:
 as test aerosols for calibrating instruments,
performing research, and testing sampling
equipment and air filters;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning#Ex
posure_routes
The major sources of lead in drinking water are
corrosion of household plumbing systems; and
erosion of natural deposits. Lead enters the water
(―leaches‖) through contact with the plumbing.
Lead leaches into water through corrosion – a
dissolving or wearing away of metal caused by a
chemical reaction between water and your
plumbing. Lead can leach into water from pipes,
solder, fixtures and faucets (brass), and fittings. The
amount of lead in your water also depends on the
types and amounts of minerals in the water, how
long the water stays in the pipes, the amount of
wear in the pipes, the water‘s acidity and its
temperature.

 to deliver deodorants, paints, and other Although the main sources of exposure to lead are
consumer products in sprays; ingesting paint chips and inhaling dust.

 for dispersal and agricultural application of 83. Solution: a)

pesticides;

 for medical treatment of respiratory

disease; and

 in fuel injection systems and

other combustion technology.

Some devices for generating aerosols are:

 Aerosol spray

 Atomizer nozzle or Nebulizer

 Electrospray

 Vibrating orifice aerosol generator (VOAG)

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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS

84. Solution: d)

Centrifugation is a process that involves the use of

the centrifugal force for the sedimentation of
heterogeneous mixtures with a centrifuge, used in
industry and in laboratory settings. This process is
used to separate two immiscible liquids. More-
dense components of the mixture migrate away
from the axis of the centrifuge, while less-dense
components of the mixture migrate towards the
axis.

Also refer to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugation#Oth
er_applications

85. Solution: a)

TREES ARE the environmental source of

Cryptococcus gattii, the fungus responsible for
86. Solution: a)
causing life-threatening lung and brain infections
in AIDS patients in southern California for decades. Burning of paper and wood is a chemical change.
Three tree species - Canary Island pine, The wood converts into carbon rich material after
pohutukawa and American sweetgum - are the heating losing its original composition.
primary hosts of the fungus behind one-third of all
AIDS-related deaths. The study found that the
fungus remains fertile even after isolation from its
87. Solution: a)
environment, reproducing by sexual or asexual
means. Refer to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmotic_pressure#
Applications

88. Solution: d)

Refer to the section ―Mode of occurrence of

minerals‖ in Chapter 5 – 10th NCERT Geo.

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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
89. Solution: b)
Share of iron-ore mining in India
90. Solution: b)
Indian coal quality is poor and the supplies are less
given so many problems like mining licenses issue,
problems of fuel supply agreements; technology
deficit for sustainable coal mining etc.
Coking coal needs to be of higher quality and hence
needs to be imported.
91. Solution: d)
Legally groundwater is not a community resource
in India. It is considered to be that of the
landowner‘s. The national water policy will
however change this. It calls for making ground
water a community resource.
Even though surface irrigation facilities are not
adequate in India, it is not a reason for
groundwater depletion. Provision of cheap
electricity to farmers for drawing groundwater
through pumps, and MSp based incentivization of
cultivating water-intensive crops is the reason.
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
92. Solution: b)
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/201
4-07-23/news/51932083_1_crude-oil-imports-oil-
minister-dharmendra-pradhan-gas-production
93. Solution: d)
changesIN ocean temperatures have been
attributed to global warming, but local winds can
explain them better. Wind speed impacts ocean
temperatures by changing the rate of evaporation.
Faster wind means more evaporation and cooling.
Between 1900 and 2012, changes in temperatures in
Pacific Ocean waters off North America followed
changes in wind directions and velocity. Ocean
temperature in the region saw a steep rise between
1920 and 1940, though the increase in greenhouse
gases during the period were negligible. Source:
Down to Earth
Regarding density:
Temperature and density share an inverse
relationship. As temperature increases, the space
between water molecules increases—also known as
density, which therefore decreases. If the
temperature of water decreases its density
increases, but only to a point. At a temperature
of 4°C pure water reaches its maximum or peak
density, cooled further it expands and becomes less
dense than the surrounding water which is why
when water freezes at 0°C it floats.
Salinity and density share a positive relationship.
As density increases, the amount of salts in the
water—also known as salinity, increases. Various
events can contribute to change in the density of
seawater.
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS
Salinity can decrease from the melting of polar ice
or increase from the freezing of polar ice.
Evaporation increases salinity and density while
the addition of freshwater decreases salinity and
density.
94. Solution: c)
http://www.wildlifeindia.co.uk/birding-
india/indian-wildlife-species.html
95. Solution: a)
Self-explanatory. The more water vapour is there is
in the surrounding area of the cloth, the more
saturated the air around it will be. If air is more
saturated, there can not be more evaporation.
Hence, wind helps.
96. Solution: a)
Hidden hunger, or micronutrient deficiency, is a
major public health problem in developing
countries caused by a lack of essential vitamins and
minerals (e.g. vitamin A, zinc, iron, iodine) in the
diet. Often, the signs of this form of malnutrition
are ‗hidden‘, as individuals may ‗look alright‘ but
suffer extremely negative impacts on health and
well‐being. For example, children may be stunted,
have poor night vision or suffer frequently from
illness. Adults, too, may succumb more frequently
to illness and fatigue easily.
 Hidden hunger can lead to illness,
blindness, premature death, reduced
productivity, and impaired mental
development, particularly among women
and children in developing countries.
 1 out of 3 people in developing countries
suffers from hidden hunger, which
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS
increases their vulnerability to infection,
birth defects, and impaired development.
 People suffering from hidden hunger have
diets that are deficient in micronutrients.
They habitually eat large amounts of staple
food crops (such as maize, wheat, and rice)
that are high in calories but lack sufficient
micronutrients, and low amounts of foods
that are rich in micronutrients such as fruits,
vegetables, and animal and fish products.
 People suffering from hidden hunger are
often too poor to be able to afford foods that
are more nutritious, or otherwise lack access
to these foods.
97. Solution: a)
The particles gain energy from your palm or
surroundings and evaporate causing the palm to
feel cool. After a hot sunny day, people sprinkle
water on the roof or open ground because the large
latent heat of vaporisation of water helps to cool
the hot surface.
98. Solution: a)
Option B is called disguised unemployment where
people seem to be employed but they are not
actually required on the job. In underemployment,
irrespective of whether more or less people are
employed, their productivity will always be below
normal.
99. Solution: a)
A desert cooler cools better on a hot dry day
because on a hot dry day temperature is high and
humidity is less which helps in better evaporation.
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 INSIGHTS MOCK TEST SERIES 2015: TEST – 4 SOLUTIONS

Due to the higher rate of evaporation it gives better

cooling effect.

100. Solution: b)

ASIAN MONSOON system is much older than

thought. Scientists believed that the system took
form 22-25 million years ago due to the uplift of the
Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. But research
has shown that it came into existence 35-40 million
years ago when carbon dioxide (CO2) levels were
three-four times more than what they are now. The
pattern became weak 34 million years ago when
the CO2 levels declined by 50 per cent. For the
study, 40-million-year-old snail and mammal
fossils in Myanmar were analysed to find the types
of oxygen they contained. The ratio of oxygen-18
and oxygen-16 (two different forms of oxygen)
showed that the animal lived in monsoonal
conditions. Another study in China corroborated
the results. Monsoon climate generates winter
winds that bring dust from Central Asia to China.
Such dust, dating 41 million years ago, was found
in Xining basin in central China. Linking the results
with CO2 levels present at the time showed the
correlation. Source: Down to Earth.

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 INSIGHTS ON INDIA MOCK PRELIMINARY EXAM - 2015

INSIGHTS ON INDIA MOCK TEST - 4

GENERAL STUDIES
PAPER-I
Time Allowed: 2 Hours Maximum Marks: 200

INSTRUCTIONS
1. IMMEDITELY AFTER THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE EXAMINATION, YOU SHOULD
CHECK THAT THIS TEST BOOKLET DOES NOT HAVE ANY UNPRINTED OR TORN OR MISSING
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INSIGHTS ON INDIA MOCK TEST SERIES FOR CIVIL SERVICES PRELIMINARY EXAM 2015

http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 1

http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 2

1. The entire surface of a plant has an outer
covering of epidermis. Why is it useful for
plants?
1. Protects against loss of water
2. Protects against invasion by parasitic
fungi
3. It makes them water resistant to an
extent
4. Recently a study published in journal Cell,
has showed that doing exercise regularly
blocks the accumulation of kynurenine - a
substance produced in the body – in blood.
With what disease is Kynurenine
associated? Choose from below options:
1. Depression
2. Alzheimer's disease
Choose the correct answer using the codes below

Choose the correct answer using the coded below: a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only
a) 1 and 2 c) Both
b) 2 and 3 d) None
c) 1 and 3
d) All of the above 5. Consider the following areas as per various
legislations enacted to safeguard wildlife,
forests and biodiversity.
2. With reference to origins of Indian cricket, 1. Reserved forests
consider the following statements 2. Protected forests
1. The first Indian community to start 3. Wildlife Sanctuary
playing the game was the small 4. National Park
community of Zoroastrians, the Parsis
Arrange the following in increasing order of
2. The Bombay Gymkhana was the first
protection and funding given by the government in
club in India established by Indiana i.e.
connection with safeguarding wildlife, biodiversity
Parsis
and forests.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 2134
a) 1 Only b) 1234
b) 2 Only c) 3214
c) Both d) 2143
d) None
6. Consider the following statements about
3. Dhurwas, Bhatras and Halbas are the sacred groves.
communities of people living in which of 1. These patches of forests have been left
the following regions? untouched by the local tribals.
a) Chhotanagpur 2. Any interference with them is banned
b) Bastar by the local community.
c) Niyamgiri
Which of these is/are true?
d) Nilgiri
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None

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 2. More development of primary and
secondary sector leads to even greater
7. Which of the following purposes can be development in the service sector.
served by multi-purpose projects (dams)? 3. New economic policy 1991
1. Fish breeding
2. Irrigation Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
3. Inland navigation
4. Flood control a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
Choose the correct answer using the codes below: c) 1 and 3
d) All of the above
a) All of the above
b) 1 and 4 only
c) 2 and 4 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 only 10. With reference to forests in India, consider
the following statements
1. Forest cover was greatly reduced during
world wars in India and surrounding
8. Which of the following can be the negative countries
effects of building dams? 2. In India pockets of dense forests still
1. Dams fragment rivers making it difficult remain thanks to community beliefs of
for aquatic fauna to migrate. indeginous people and protection of
2. The reservoirs that are created on the them as sacred groves
floodplains also submerge the existing
vegetation and soil leading to its Which of the above statements is/are correct?
decomposition over a period of time.
3. Regulating and damming of rivers affect a) 1 Only
their natural flow causing poor b) 2 Only
sediment flow and excessive c) Both
sedimentation at the bottom of the d) None
reservoir, resulting in rockier stream
beds and poorer habitats for the rivers’
aquatic life. 11. The Zaid crop season occurs between the
kharif and rabi seasons. Which of the
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
following crops are grown in this season?
a) 1 and 2 1. Watermelon
b) 2 and 3 2. Cucumber
c) 1 and 3 3. Fodder crops
d) All of the above
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
9. Which of the following reasons can be a) 1 and 2
behind the high growth and/or majority b) 2 and 3
share of the service sector in the GDP of c) 1 and 3
India? d) All of the above
1. Public services contribute a large part of
the services sector. 12. With reference to rare earth minerals,
consider the following statements

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 1. At present, China produces 90 per cent 15. India is the largest producer of which of the
of world’s rare earth minerals following?
2. There are 20 rare earth minerals 1. Cashewnut
available on earth 2. Oilseeds
3. Exploring rare earth materials is part of 3. Pulses
India – Japan strategic cooperation
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
Which of the above statements is /are correct?
a) 1 and 2
a) 1 and 2 Only b) 2 and 3
b) 1 and 3 Only c) 1 and 3
c) 2 and 3 Only d) All of the above
d) All

16. Which one of the following describes a

13. Consider the following statements: system of agriculture where a single crop is
1. Use of natural gas for cooking does not grown on a large area?
produce any pollutants a) Shifting Agriculture
2. Pollutants released from various in b) Plantation Agriculture
indoor cooking methods include c) Horticulture
Nitrogen Dioxide, Formaldehyde and d) Intensive Agriculture
Carbon Monoxide

Which of the above statements is/are correct? 17. Manganese nodules, a type of sediment
spread on the sea floor, has come recently in
a) 1 Only
interest because of its abundance. It consists
b) 2 Only
of which of the following other than
c) Both
manganese?
d) None
1. Nickel
2. Iron
3. Cobalt
14. Generally pulses are grown in rotation with
other crops. This is because Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
a) pulses take less nutrients from soil and
a) 1 and 2
so the next crop can utilize nutrients
b) 2 and 3
better from the soil
c) 1 and 3
b) pulses are leguminous crops and hence
d) All of the above
help in restoring soil fertility.
c) water requirement for pulses is lower as
compared to other crops and hence it
helps in conserving soil moisture for the
next season of cropping
d) Both (b) and (c) 18. Which of the following factors have
negatively affected the water quality of the
rivers in India?
1. Population growth
2. Agricultural modernization
3. Urbanization and Industrialization
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Choose the correct answer using the coded below:

a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3 22. Which of the following
d) All of the above applications/devices/phenomenon use the
multiple reflection property of the sound?
1. Megaphones
2. Stethoscope
19. The sparkle in toothpastes come from 3. Sound effects in cinema theatres
a) Mica
b) Fluoride Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
c) limestone
d) Silica a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
20. The Gaddi shepherds, who practice c) 1 and 3
transhumance and live a semi-nomadic life, d) All of the above
are mainly NOT found in which of the
following states? 23. Which of the following are considered to be
1. Jharkhand macro-nutrients for plants?
2. Madhya Pradesh 1. Nitrogen
3. Punjab 2. Calcium
4. Rajasthan 3. Iron
4. Sulphur
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
a) 1 and 2 Only
b) 2 and 3 Only a) All of the above
c) 1 and 4 Only b) All except 3
d) 2 and 4 Only c) All except 3 and 4
d) 3 and 4 only

21. Consider the following statements:

24. Ultrasounds are high frequency waves.
Assertion (A): When measured by a spring balance, They are able to travel along well-defined
a body weighs less in water than in air. paths even in the presence of obstacles.
Which of the following are the uses of
Reason (R): The gravitation force on the body in the ultrasound?
fluid decreases causing a reduction in the weight. 1. Generally used to clean parts located in
hard-to-reach places.
In the context of the above statements, which of
2. Detect cracks and flaws in metal objects
these is/are true?
3. used in SONAR in ships
a) A and R both are true, and R is the
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
correct explanation for A.
b) A and R both are true, and R is the NOT a) 1 and 2
the correct explanation for A. b) 2 and 3
c) A is correct, R is incorrect. c) 1 and 3
d) A and R both are incorrect. d) All of the above

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 Which of the above statements is/are
INCORRECT?
25. With reference to Gandhiji’s choosing of a
piece of loin cloth as his daily wear, a) 1 Only
consider the following statements: b) 2 Only
1. Initially he did not want to use this c) Both
dress all his life and only wanted to d) None
experiment for a month or two
2. White Khadi which he wore all his life
was to him a sign of purity, of
28. Which of the following can be covered in
simplicity, and of poverty
the generic term ‘water pollution’?
Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1. Change in normal temperature of a
water body
a) 1 Only 2. Change in dissolved oxygen level of a
b) 2 Only water body.
c) Both 3. Change in the nutrient concentration of
d) None the water body

Choose the correct answer using the coded below:

26. Which of the following processes reduce the
a) 1 and 2
carbon dioxide stock in the atmosphere?
b) 2 and 3
1. Photosynthesis
c) 1 and 3
2. Calcification of marine animal’s shells in
d) All of the above
sea water.
3. Growth of phytoplanktons
29. Which of the following routes have been
Choose the correct answer using the coded below: declared National Waterways in India?
1. The Ganga river between Allahabad and
a) 1 and 2 Haldia.
b) 2 and 3 2. The Brahmaputra river between Sadiya
c) 1 and 3 and Dhubri
d) All of the above 3. Lakhipur-Bhanga stretch of the Barak
River

Choose the correct answer using the codes below:

27. Recently a wholly functional organ has been
a) 1 and 2
successfully grown inside an animal for the
b) 2 and 3
first time. The organ is Thymus. With
c) 1 and 3
reference to Thymus, consider the following
d) All of the above
statements:
1. Thymus, unlike other organs of the
body, goes on growing albeit very
slowly for the rest of an individual’s life 30. With reference to deep sea minerals,
2. Removal of the organ in the adult has consider the following statements
little effect, than when the thymus is 1. They are more enriched with minerals
removed in the newborn than the ones mined on earth surface
2. Many of these minerals are products of
volcanic activity
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 3. India has not got an official license from 33. Which of the following is/are Aichi
International Seabed Authority to mine Biodiversity targets under Convention of
minerals from bottom of the oceans, Biological Diversity?
whereas likes of China, Russia and 1. By 2015, the rate of loss of all natural
Germany have been given habitats, including forests, is at least
halved
Which of the above statements is/are correct? 2. By 2015 all fish and invertebrate stocks
and aquatic plants are managed and
a) 1 and 2 Only
harvested sustainably, legally and
b) 2 and 3 Only
applying ecosystem based approaches
c) 1 and 3 Only
3. By 2015, pollution, including from
d) None
excess nutrients, has been brought to
levels that are not detrimental to
ecosystem function and biodiversity.
31. Which are the commodities have shown an 4. By 2015 the extinction of known
increase in exports over the last few threatened species has been prevented
decades? and their conservation status,
1. Petroleum products particularly of those most in decline, has
2. Agriculture and allied products been improved and sustained.
3. Gems and jewellery
Choose the correct answer using the codes below.
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
a) 1 and 4 Only
a) 1 and 2 b) 1, 3 and 4 Only
b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 2 Only
c) 1 and 3 d) None of the above
d) All of the above

34. Minerals are deposited and accumulated in

32. ISRO recently will be launching IRNSS 1C. the stratas of which of the following rocks?
For what purposes will this satellite(In the a) Sedimentary rocks
IRNSS constellation as a whole) be used? b) Igneous rocks
1. Disaster management c) Metamorphic rocks
2. Terrestrial and marine navigation d) None of the above
3. Will serve military purposes also
35. With reference to ‘Gandhi Cap’, consider
Choose the correct answer using the codes below: the following statements
a) 1 and 2 1. It was a modified cap of Kashmiri cap
b) 2 and 3 by Gandhiji, which he made of cheap
c) 1 and 3 khadi cloth
d) All of the above 2. Though he introduced it to masses, he
never wore the cap
3. It was so powerful a tool of nationalism
that the Gwalior state tried to prohibit
its use in 1921 during the non co-
operation movement

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Which of the above statements is/are correct? b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3
a) 1 and 2 Only d) All of the above
b) 1 and 3 Only
c) 2 and 3 Only 39. Consider the following statements:
d) All 1. Madhya Pradesh has the highest
production of copper in India.
36. Consider the following statements: 2. Odisha is the largest producer of
1. The health of coral zones determines the manganese ore in India.
abundance of some shark species
2. Warm waters result in coral bleaching Which of these is/are true?
3. When a coral bleaches, it is dead
a) 1 only
Which of the above statements is/are correct? b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
a) 1 and 2 Only d) None
b) 2 and 3 Only
c) 1 and 3 Only 40. Which of the following can be the problems
d) All related to the extraction of shale gas in
India?
37. Consider the following statements: 1. Requires huge amount of water
1. Most of the petroleum occurrences in 2. Technological know-how to extract
India are associated with anticlines and shale gas not available with India
fault traps in the rock formations of the 3. Extraction by hydraulic fracture will
tertiary age. cause groundwater pollution
2. While extracting petroleum, the oil
bearing layer is found to be a porous Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
limestone or sandstone through which
oil may flow. a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
Which of these is/are true? c) 1 and 3
d) All of the above
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None 41. Which of the following crops require high
temperature and high humidity/rainfall to
38. Which of the following can be the uses of grow?
limestone? 1. Rice
1. It can suppress methane explosions in 2. Millet
underground coal mines. 3. Tea
2. It is used in sculptures because of its 4. Sugarcane
suitability for carving
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
3. Pulverized limestone is used as a soil
conditioner to neutralize acidic soils a) All of the above
b) 1 and 4 only
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
c) 1, 2 and 4 only
a) 1 and 2 d) 2 and 3 only

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 42. Natural gas reserves in India can be found 45. Which of the following living organisms
in cause weathering in rocks and thus help in
1. Gulf of Cambay formation of soil?
2. Offshore Bay of Bengal 1. Lichens
3. Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2. Mosses
3. Algae
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3 a) 1 and 2
c) 1 and 3 b) 2 and 3
d) All of the above c) 1 and 3
d) All of the above

43. ‘Scientific Forestry’ was taught in the then

Imperial Forest Research Institute set up at 46. Which of these countries have biodiversity
Dehradun by the British. With reference to hotspots?
this, consider the following statements: 1. Australia
1. Scientific Forestry encouraged growing 2. Peru
of diverse species of trees in forest 3. Malaysia
regions 4. Mexico
2. This system discouraged plantations in
and near virgin forests Choose the correct answer using the codes below:

Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 2, 3 and 4

b) 2 and 3 only
a) 1 Only c) 1 and 4 only
b) 2 Only d) All of the above
c) Both
d) None

44. Consider the following statements: 47. Consider the following statements
1. The total Inland navigation waterways 1. A tornado is nothing but a cyclone
length is more than the total length of 2. Climate change affects the frequency of
the Indian coastline. tornadoes
2. In India, more freight is handled via the
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
coastal route and ports than the inland
waterway route. a) 1 Only
b) 2 Only
Which of these is/are true?
c) Both
a) 1 only d) None
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None

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 48. With reference to wildlife corridors, a) 1 and 2 Only
consider the following statements b) 2 and 3 Only
1. They are tracts of natural land that c) 1 Only
connect habitats divided by agricultural d) None
or other human activities
2. These are set up to promote spread of
native species
51. Hybridization within plants can be done
3. These corridors might lead to spread of
across
invasive species
1. Different species of the same genus
Which of the above statements is/are correct? 2. Different varieties
3. Different genera
a) 1 and 2 Only
b) 2 and 3 Only Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
c) 1 and 3 Only
a) 1 and 2
d) All
b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3
49. Consider the following statements:
d) All of the above
Assertion (A): The poisonous Ozone does not exist
very near to earth’s surface.
52. Consider the following statements about
Reason (R): It is unstable near the earth’s surface.
green manuring:
In the context of the above statements, which of 1. It is done prior to sowing the seeds.
these is/are true? 2. It involves growing plants and then
mulching and ploughing them in the
a) A and R both are true, and R is the soil.
correct explanation for A.
b) A and R both are true, and R is the NOT Which of these is/are true?
the correct explanation for A.
a) 1 only
c) A is correct, R is incorrect.
b) 2 only
d) A and R both are incorrect.
c) Both 1 and 2
d) None

50. With reference to cyclones, consider the

following statements
53. Consider the following statements about the
1. Till now majority of the deadliest
development level of states in India:
tropical cyclones in world history have
1. The states which have a higher per
been Bay of Bengal storms
capita income than the other states, also
2. A cyclonic storm is classified as Severe
have better health indicators invariably.
Cyclonic Storm if its speed is more than
2. The states which have a higher literacy
220 Kilometer per hour (Kmph)
rate than the other states, also have
3. Cyclone Phailin which affected Orissa
higher per capita income than those
recently was classified as Severe
states invariably.
Cyclonic Storm
Which of these is/are true?
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

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 a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2 57. Indian Economy has been divided into
d) None organized and unorganized sectors. The
unorganized sector is defined based on
54. Which of these factors over the decades which of the following in India?
have caused decline in India’s biodiversity? a) Number of workers employed
1. Forest fires b) Total capital deployed
2. Habitat destruction c) Annual turnover
3. Poaching d) Proprietary or partnership basis
4. Over-exploitation of natural resources
58. Which of the following are the
Choose the correct answer using the codes below: characteristics of the organized sector in
India?
a) All of the above 1. Terms of employment are regular and
b) 2 and 3 only there is security of employment.
c) 3 and 4 only 2. They are registered with the
d) 1 and 2 only government and have to comply to
labour laws.
55. Consider the following statements:
1. Intermediary goods are not counted in Choose the answer from the codes below:
the calculation of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP). a) 1 only
2. Only those goods that are produced b) 2 only
within the territory of India are included c) Both 1 and 2
in the GDP. d) None

Which of these is/are true? 59. In India, Gulf of Kuchch is ideal for
harnessing which kind of energy?
a) 1 only a) Tidal energy
b) 2 only b) Geo-thermal energy
c) Both 1 and 2 c) Wind energy
d) None d) Solar energy

56. Consider the following statements about

MGNREGA:
1. It has been implemented all over India. 60. Which of these are unorganized sector
2. It recognizes the legal Right to Work. activities?
3. If the Government fails to provide 1. A teacher taking classes in school
employment, it will give unemployment 2. A farmer irrigating his field
allowances to the people. 3. A daily wage labourer working under a
contractor
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3 a) 1 and 2
c) 1 and 3 b) 2 and 3
d) All of the above c) 1 and 3
d) All of the above

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61. ‘X’ is a medicinal plant found in various
parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal
Pradesh. A chemical compound called
‘taxol’ is extracted from the plant, and it has
been successfully used to treat some cancers
– the drug is now the biggest selling anti-
cancer drug in the world.
X is?
a) Moeirnga Oliefera
b) Himalayan Yew
c) Withania somnifera
d) Vitexnegundo
62. Consider the following statements with
reference to opium cultivation in British
India
1. Unwilling cultivators were made to
produce opium through a system of use
of force and coercion without paying
them any advances
2. Opium was mainly produced in the
rural Bihar and Bengal regions
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 Only
b) 2 Only
c) Both
d) None
63. With reference to Swadeshi movement and
use of Khadi during freedom struggle,
consider the following statements
1. During Swadeshi movement, mainly the
change of dress appealed largely to the
upper castes and classes rather than to
poor people
2. The use of Khadi appealed to all the
masses and even after Swadeshi
movement, Khadi was used by both
upper class and lower class people
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 Only
b) 2 Only
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c) Both
d) None
64. Consider the following statements
1. A female athlete can compete in this
category only if her testosterone levels
are below the normal male range— a
little over 3 ng/ml
2. The International Association of
Athletics Federation (IAAF) conducts
androgen tests to weed out what it
believes are male interlopers in
women’s sporting competitions
3. In men, androgens support sperm
production and the development of
male secondary sex characteristics
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 Only
b) 2 and 3 Only
c) 1 and 3 Only
d) All
65. Consider the following statements about
cooperatives:
1. They are owned by their members.
2. In India, they are regulated by the
constitution and legislation.
3. Cooperatives can be formed not just for
producing a commodity or running a
company, but also for doing marketing,
getting credit etc.
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3
d) All of the above
66. Imagine an object kept at South pole on
earth weighing ‘M’ kgs. If the earth
suddenly stopped rotating, the weight of
the object will
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 a) Increase 2. Labour laws are more rigid in SEZs
b) Decrease because of possible violation.
c) Remain constant 3. Only foreign investors can invest in
d) Cannot be ascertained with this limited SEZs.
information
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
67. Consider the following statements:
a) 1 and 2
1. The RBI supervises the functioning of
b) 2 and 3
formal sources of loans.
c) 1 and 3
2. There is no organization in India which
d) Only 1
supervises the credit activities of the
lenders in the informal sector.

Which of these is/are true? 70. Provisions for consumer protection have
been promulgated by/in which of the
a) 1 only
following?
b) 2 only
1. United Nations
c) Both 1 and 2
2. Indian constitution
d) None
3. Indian laws

Choose the correct answer using the coded below:

68. Consider the following statements about
a) 1 and 2
Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
b) 2 and 3
1. There is no strict need for a formal
c) 1 and 3
registration of a SHG.
d) All of the above
2. This system eliminates the need
for collateral and is closely related to
that of solidarity lending, widely used
by micro finance institutions. 71. Which of the following rights are part of
3. Forming self-help group is a consumer rights in India?
fundamental right just as forming a 1. The right to be protected from all kind
cooperative is. of hazardous goods and services
2. The right to be fully informed about the
Choose the correct answer using the coded below: performance and quality of all goods
and services
a) 1 and 2
3. The right to complete consumer
b) 2 and 3
education
c) 1 and 3
d) All of the above Choose the correct answer using the coded below:

a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
69. Consider the following statements about
c) 1 and 3
Special Economic Zones (SEZs):
d) All of the above
1. Companies who set up production units
in the SEZs do not have to pay taxes for
an initial period of few years.

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 72. Consumer dispute redressal forums, under 1. Agenda 21
the Consumer Protection Act,1986, have 2. Brundtland Commission report
been established, inter alia, at 3. Aichi targets
1. District level
2. Block level Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
3. Village level
a) 1 and 2
Choose the correct answer using the coded below: b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3
a) 1 and 2 d) All of the above
b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3
d) Only 1
76. Consider the following statements:
1. Black soil is made up of lava flows.
2. Black soil can hold moisture better than
73. Consider the following statements about the
most soils.
plantation of rubber.
3. They are poor in nutrients like calcium
1. It is grown in tropical and sub-tropical
carbonate, magnesium, potash, lime etc.
areas.
2. It is grown in the North-Eastern region Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
of India as well as South India.
3. India is one of the leading producers of a) 1 and 2
rubber in the world. b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3
Choose the correct answer using the codes below: d) All of the above
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3 77. Consider the following statements:
d) All of the above
Assertion (A): Humus is low in laterite soils.

Reason (R): Excessive heat destroys the

74. Which of the following can be examples of decomposers in the soil and bleaching takes away
international resources? the organic content.
1. Fishery
2. Oil In the context of the above statements, which of
3. Natural Gas these is/are true?

Choose the correct answer using the coded below: a) A and R both are true, and R is the
correct explanation for A.
a) 1 and 2 b) A and R both are true, and R is the NOT
b) 2 and 3 the correct explanation for A.
c) 1 and 3 c) A is correct, R is incorrect.
d) All of the above d) A is incorrect and R is correct.

75. Which of the following has a bearing on

‘sustainable development’?

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 78. Which of the following crops can be grown 81. An aerosol is a colloid of fine solid particles
in laterite soil? or liquid droplets, in air or another gas. For
1. Cashewnut what all purposes can aerosols be used?
2. Tea 1. Medical treatment of respiratory illness
3. Coffee 2. Dispersal of pesticides
3. Used in nanotechnology
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3 a) 1 and 2
c) 1 and 3 b) 2 and 3
d) All of the above c) 1 and 3
d) All of the above

82. With reference to lead poisoning, consider

79. Arrange the following forest types in
the following statements
increasing order of abundance in which
1. Paint is one of the leading sources of
they occur in India.
lead poisoning
1. Mangroves
2. Consumption of meat hunted by bullets
2. Dense forests
also leads to lead poisoning
3. Open forests
3. Lead in drinking water mainly comes
Choose the correct answer using the codes below. from natural sources in soil

a) 321 Which of the above statements is/are correct?

b) 231
a) 1 and 2 Only
c) 312
b) 2 and 3 Only
d) 213
c) 1 and 3 Only
d) All

80. When sunlight passes through the canopy

of a dense forest, it looks scattered. Why is
83. As per latest available data, which of the
so?
following is the biggest source of credit for
a) Particles dispersed in the air scatter
rural households?
light.
a) Cooperatives and commercial banks
b) While travelling through the dense
b) Professional and agricultural money
forest, the speed of light reduces which
lenders
causes its wavelength to also reduce.
c) Government of India and states
Lower wavelength light scatter well.
d) None of the above
c) The forest trees act as obstructions
causing the light to scatter.
d) None of the above

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 84. Centrifugation is often used in home and 2. Transfer of fluid across cell walls in
industry for various purposes. Which of the plants
following places can the phenomena of 3. In a thermometer
centrifugation be used?
1. Used in diagnostic laboratories for Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
blood and urine tests.
a) 1 and 2
2. Used in dairies and home to separate
b) 2 and 3
butter from cream.
c) 1 and 3
3. Used in washing machines to squeeze
d) All of the above
out water from wet clothes.

Choose the correct answer using the coded below:

88. Which of the following processes can lead
a. 1 and 2
to the formation of minerals from ores
b. 2 and 3
naturally?
c. 1 and 3
1. Weathering of rocks
d. All of the above
2. Through bank and bed erosion of rivers;
and alluvial deposits
3. Deposition, accumulation and
85. Cryptococcus gattii, the organism concentration in horizontal strata
responsible for causing life-threatening lung
and brain infections in AIDS patients in Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
southern California for decades is a
a) 1 and 2
a) Fungus
b) 2 and 3
b) Bacteria
c) 1 and 3
c) Virus
d) All of the above
d) None of the above

89. Which of the following states in India are

86. Which of the following can be categorized rich in iron ores mines?
as physical changes? 1. Goa
1. Melting of butter in pan after heating 2. Karnataka
2. Dissolving common salt in water 3. Odisha
3. Burning of paper and wood 4. Madhya Pradesh

Choose the correct answer using the coded below: Choose the correct answer using the codes below:

a) 1 and 2 a) All of the above

b) 2 and 3 b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 c) 1 and 2 only
d) All of the above d) 3 and 4 only

87. The phenomenon of osmosis or the use of

osmotic pressure may be found in which of
the following?
1. Filtering of water

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 90. Despite having large reserves of coal, why Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
does India import millions of tonnes of
coal? a) 123
1. It is the policy of Indian government to b) 213
save its own coal reserves for future, c) 231
and import it from other countries for d) None of (a), (b) and (c) are correctly
the present use. ordered.
2. Most of the power plants in India are
coal-based and they are not able to get 93. Consider the following statements
sufficient supplies of coal from within 1. Winds do not have any effect on
the country. influencing surface temperatures of
3. Steel companies need large quantity of oceans
coking coal which has to be imported. 2. With increased temperature, ocean
density also increases
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct? Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 a) 1 Only
b) 2 and 3 b) 2 Only
c) 1 and 3 c) Both
d) All of the above d) None

91. Which of the following can be likely causes 94. Which of the following species are endemic
of the excessive depletion of groundwater to India?
in India? 1. Nicobar pigeon
1. Irrigation for water intensive crops in 2. Himalayan brown bear
some pockets of the country 3. Forest owlet
2. Legally Ground water is a community
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
resource.
3. Surface irrigation facilities are not a) 1 and 2
adequate in India. b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3
Choose the correct answer using the coded below:
d) All of the above
a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3 95. Consider the following statements:
d) Only 1
Assertion (A): On a windy day, wet clothes dry
92. India imports huge quantities of crude oil to faster.
satisfy domestic fuel requirements. Out of
these regions arrange India’s volume of Reason (R): The wind blows away particles of
crude oil import from them in an increasing water vapour around the wet cloth thus decreasing
manner. the amount of water vapour in the surrounding.
1. Latin America In the context of the above statements, which of
2. Gulf countries these is/are true?
3. Africa
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 a) A and R both are true, and R is the correct 99. Why does a desert cooler cool better on a
explanation for A. hot dry day?
b) A and R both are true, and R is the NOT the a) Because on a hot dry day temperature is
correct explanation for A. high and humidity is less which helps in
c) A is correct, R is incorrect. better evaporation.
d) A and R both are incorrect. b) Because on a hot day latent heat of
vapourisation increases for water.
96. The 2014 Global Hunger Index report c) Because the water in the desert cooler
released by the International Food Policy gets colder than the room, which makes
Research Institute (IFPRI) talks about us feel cool.
‘Hidden Hunger’. Consider the following d) None of the above
statements with reference to Hidden
Hunger,
1. It is a chronic lack of micronutrients in
100. Consider the following statements:
food intake of, mainly women and
1. Asian Monsoon system is a recent
children
phenomenon which first took place
2. The sign of this form of hunger are
around 5 million years ago
visible but neglected
2. Monsoon climate generates winter
Which of the above statements is/are correct? winds that bring dust from Central Asia
to China
a) 1 Only
b) 2 Only Which of the above statements is/are correct?
c) Both
a) 1 Only
d) None
b) 2 Only
c) Both
d) None
97. Putting nail polish remover (acetone) on
your palm makes it feel cool. What causes
it?
a) Evaporation of acetone from the palm
b) Reaction of acetone with the water palm
c) Acetone reacts with surrounding air
releasing heat.
d) None of the above

98. Which of the following would best explain

the term ‘underemployment’?
a) When labour productivity is less than
normal
b) When more labour is employed than
required in a job
c) When less labour is employed than
required in a job
d) None of the above

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