SSC CGL Tier 1 2017 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The Reverse Repo Rate is the fixed interest rate at which the Reserve Bank of India borrows money from commercial banks by absorbing liquidity from the banking system. It serves as a monetary policy tool that allows banks to park their excess funds with the central bank in exchange for interest. By adjusting this rate, the RBI can manage the money supply in the economy; for instance, a higher reverse repo rate incentivizes banks to lend less to the public and store more money with the RBI, which helps in curbing inflationary pressures by reducing the liquidity available in the market.

Explanation

Movement along the supply curve occurs when the quantity supplied of a commodity changes solely due to a change in its own price, while all other determinants of supply remain constant. This phenomenon is categorized into two types: expansion and contraction. When the price of the commodity increases, producers are willing to supply more, resulting in an upward movement along the existing supply curve, which is termed expansion of supply. Conversely, when the price falls, the quantity supplied decreases, leading to a downward movement along the same curve, referred to as contraction of supply. Since both upward and downward movements are variations along the same functional line, the term describes both expansion and contraction.

Explanation

Article 66(3) of the Constitution of India prescribes the eligibility criteria for the election of the Vice-President. It states that a person must be a citizen of India, must have completed the age of thirty-five years, and must be qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). This constitutional provision ensures that the individual holding the second-highest constitutional office in the country possesses sufficient maturity and experience.

Explanation

The writ of Quo Warranto, which literally translates to "by what authority," is issued by the judiciary to inquire into the legality of a person's claim to a public office. Its primary purpose is to prevent the illegal usurpation of a public office by an individual who is not legally entitled to hold it. This writ can be issued only in cases where the office is a substantive public office of a permanent character created by a statute or by the Constitution. Under the Indian legal system, the Supreme Court and High Courts exercise this power under Articles 32 and 226 respectively. If the court finds that the person is not entitled to the office, it can issue an order ousting them from that position. Unlike other writs, a petition for Quo Warranto can be moved by any interested person and not necessarily by the aggrieved person.

Explanation

Bindusara was the second Mauryan Emperor of India and the son of the dynasty founder, Chandragupta Maurya. He ascended the throne in approximately 297 BCE following the abdication of his father, who retired to pursue a life of spiritual asceticism under the Jain monk Bhadrabahu. During his reign, Bindusara was known by the Greek title Amitrochates, derived from the Sanskrit Amitraghata, meaning slayer of enemies. He successfully maintained the vast empire inherited from his father and extended Mauryan control into the Deccan region of southern India. Bindusara was the father of Ashoka the Great, who succeeded him as the third ruler of the Maurya Empire.

Explanation

The Sayyid dynasty was established in 1414 by Khizr Khan, who seized power in Delhi following the disintegration of the Tughlaq dynasty. The Tughlaq rule had been fatally weakened after the invasion of Timur in 1398, which left the sultanate in a state of chaos and political vacuum. Khizr Khan, who had served as the governor of Multan, took control of the capital to become the first of four Sayyid rulers. This dynasty served as the fourth house of the Delhi Sultanate and governed the region until 1451, when the throne was transitioned to the Lodi dynasty.

Explanation

Pluto was reclassified from a major planet to a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in August 2006. Under the IAU definition, a celestial body must meet three specific criteria to be designated as a planet: it must orbit the Sun, have sufficient mass to assume a nearly round shape through hydrostatic equilibrium, and have cleared the neighborhood around its orbit of other debris. While Pluto orbits the Sun and is spherical, it fails the third criterion because its orbital path in the Kuiper Belt is shared with numerous other icy objects. As a result, Pluto is officially categorized as a dwarf planet, a status it shares with other bodies such as Eris, Haumea, Makemake, and the asteroid Ceres.

Explanation

Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock formed through the process of lithification, which involves the compaction and cementation of sand-sized mineral grains or rock fragments. These grains, primarily composed of quartz or feldspar, are transported by environmental agents such as water, wind, or ice and eventually settle in layers or strata. Over geological time, the pressure from overlying sediments and the precipitation of mineral cements like silica, calcium carbonate, or iron oxide bind these particles together to create a solid rock structure.

Explanation

Wheat is classified as a herb because it possesses a soft, green, and non-woody stem. In botany, herbs are plants that do not develop persistent woody tissue above the ground and typically have a relatively short life cycle. Wheat is a member of the Poaceae family and is an annual grass that completes its life cycle from germination to seed production within a single growing season. Its stem, known as a culm, remains flexible and green throughout its growth, which are the defining characteristics of herbaceous plants.

Explanation

Snakes, turtles, lizards, and crocodiles are classified within the class Reptilia. Members of this group are typically cold-blooded vertebrates that possess skin covered in scales or bony plates, known as scutes, which serve to prevent water loss and provide protection. They primarily reproduce by laying amniotic eggs on land, which are protected by a leathery or hard shell, allowing them to thrive in terrestrial environments. Unlike other vertebrate classes that may use gills at certain life stages, reptiles breathe exclusively through lungs throughout their entire life cycle. This category is defined by these shared physiological and anatomical traits, including a skeletal structure adapted for crawling or creeping.

Explanation

A tensiometer is an instrument designed to measure the matric potential or soil water tension, which indicates how tightly water is held by soil particles. It consists of a water-filled tube with a porous ceramic cup at the bottom and a vacuum gauge at the top. When the device is inserted into the soil, water moves from the tube through the porous cup into the soil until the pressure inside the tube is in equilibrium with the soil water tension. The resulting vacuum created inside the tube is measured by the gauge, typically in units of centibars or kilopascals. This measurement is crucial for irrigation management, as it directly reflects the energy that plant roots must exert to extract water from the soil.

Explanation

The Newton is the standard unit of force in the International System of Units (SI). It is derived from Newton's Second Law of Motion, which defines force as the product of mass and acceleration (F = ma). One Newton is equivalent to the force needed to accelerate a one-kilogram mass at a rate of one meter per second squared (1 N = 1 kg · m/s²). The unit is named in honor of Sir Isaac Newton for his foundational work in classical mechanics.

Explanation

Glass is a thermal insulator because it lacks the free electrons that are necessary for the efficient conduction of heat. In its amorphous atomic structure, the atoms are held together by strong covalent bonds in an irregular arrangement, which significantly hinders the transmission of thermal vibrations through the material. Since heat energy cannot be easily transferred from one particle to another via mobile charge carriers, the thermal conductivity of glass remains extremely low. This low rate of heat transfer characterizes it as a bad conductor, making it useful in applications where thermal insulation is required.

Explanation

ROM, or Read-Only Memory, is a non-volatile storage medium that permanently stores data on a computer. Unlike volatile memory, ROM retains its information even when the power supply is disconnected. It is used to store essential instructions such as the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), which is required to initialize the hardware and start the operating system during the boot process. The data in ROM is typically written during the manufacturing process and is intended to remain unchanged throughout the life of the device.

Explanation

Rusting is a chemical process where iron reacts with oxygen and moisture in the environment to form hydrated iron(III) oxide. This process is a redox reaction because it involves simultaneous oxidation and reduction. Iron atoms lose electrons to form iron ions, which is the oxidation half-reaction: Fe → Fe²⁺ + 2e⁻. At the same time, oxygen molecules gain these electrons in the presence of water to form hydroxide ions, representing the reduction half-reaction: O₂ + 2H₂O + 4e⁻ → 4OH⁻. These ions then react further to produce the compound known as rust, typically expressed as Fe₂O₃ · xH₂O. Since electron transfer occurs from the iron to the oxygen, the entire transformation is categorized as a redox reaction.

Explanation

The sulphate ion is a polyatomic anion with the chemical formula SO₄²⁻. It consists of a central sulfur atom covalently bonded to four oxygen atoms, resulting in a net negative charge of -2. By definition, ions with a negative charge are called anions, while ions with a positive charge are called cations. Because the sulphate ion carries a negative charge, it does not classify as a cation.

Explanation

Chlorine oxide is not a constituent of smog because it is not a byproduct of the typical industrial or vehicular combustion processes that occur at ground level. Its presence in the atmosphere is chemically significant primarily in the stratosphere, where species such as chlorine monoxide (ClO) are involved in the catalytic destruction of the ozone layer. It does not participate in the specific tropospheric chemical reactions or physical mixtures that define the formation of urban or industrial smog.

Explanation

The National Institution for Transforming India, better known as NITI Aayog, was established on January 1, 2015, through a resolution of the Union Cabinet. It was created to succeed the Planning Commission, which had overseen India's centralized economic planning and Five-Year Plans since its inception in 1950. The transition aimed to replace the traditional top-down command-and-control approach with a more collaborative model. NITI Aayog serves as a policy think tank for the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. It focuses on fostering cooperative federalism by ensuring that states are equal partners in the national development process, a significant structural shift from the resource-allocation functions of the previous planning body.

Explanation

Theodore Harold Maiman (T. H. Maiman) developed the first functioning laser at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California, on May 16, 1960. His device utilized a high-power flash lamp to pump a synthetic, silver-coated ruby crystal rod, which then emitted a pulse of coherent, monochromatic light at a wavelength of 694.3 nanometers. This achievement successfully demonstrated the practical application of Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER), a concept rooted in theoretical physics regarding stimulated emission. Maiman's ruby laser marked the transition from theoretical maser research to practical optical laser technology, leading to the diverse industrial and medical applications used today.

Explanation

The Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot hosted its inaugural Test match starting on November 9, 2016, during the first match of the five-Test series between India and England. This venue, often noted for its media stand design resembling the Lord's Cricket Ground, became the twenty-eighth Test center in India. The match saw centuries from Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Moeen Ali for England, while Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara scored hundreds for India, eventually leading to a high-scoring draw. This debut was part of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's initiative to take Test cricket to new centers across the country during the 2016-17 home season.

Explanation

Gauri Shankar Devilal is a distinguished exponent of Kathak, specifically belonging to the Jaipur Gharana, and is renowned for his mastery of rhythmic patterns and traditional storytelling. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia is a world-renowned maestro of the Bansuri, the Indian bamboo flute, and a key figure in Hindustani classical music. Maqbool Fida Husain, known as M. F. Hussain, was a preeminent modern Indian painter and a founding member of the Bombay Progressive Artists Group, often called the Picasso of India for his prolific and bold artworks. Ustad Zakir Hussain is a legendary tabla virtuoso whose exceptional skill and collaborations have made the tabla one of the most recognized Indian instruments worldwide.

Explanation

Virat Kohli became the first Indian cricketer to be honored with the Polly Umrigar Award three times. He received this prestigious recognition from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for his outstanding performances during the 2011–12, 2014–15, and 2015–16 international seasons. The award for the 2015–16 season was presented to him at the BCCI Annual Awards ceremony held in March 2017, making him the only player to have achieved this feat by that date. The Polly Umrigar Award is the highest individual honor for an Indian cricketer, given annually to the best male international player.

Explanation

Paul Beatty is the author of the satirical novel The Sellout, which was published in 2015. The book achieved significant international recognition when it won the Man Booker Prize in 2016. This achievement was particularly noteworthy as Beatty became the first American author to win the award in its history. The novel uses biting satire to address themes of racial identity and social injustice in a fictional neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Explanation

In December 2016, the United States officially designated India as a Major Defense Partner during the visit of U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter to New Delhi. This designation was unique to India and was subsequently formalized in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. The status allows India to receive license-free access to a wide range of dual-use technologies and facilitates the transfer of advanced defense equipment and technology at a level comparable to the closest allies of the United States. This strategic move was intended to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation, streamline export control processes, and enhance joint research and development in the defense sector.

Explanation

Exercise Ekuverin is a joint military exercise conducted annually between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force. The term Ekuverin means Friends in the Dhivehi language, which is the national language of the Maldives. The seventh edition of this bilateral exercise was held in December 2016 at Kadhdhoo in the Laamu Atoll of the Maldives. The primary focus of the fourteen-day exercise was to enhance interoperability between the two forces and to share expertise in conducting counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in amphibious environments. This series of exercises alternates between India and the Maldives, reflecting the strong defense cooperation and strategic partnership between the two maritime neighbors in the Indian Ocean Region.

Explanation

The Official Reserves Account is not considered a primary, standalone account within the Balance of Payments framework. It is typically classified as a sub-component of the Capital Account (or Financial Account) that records the net change in a nation's holdings of foreign currency, gold, and Special Drawing Rights. It serves as an accommodating entry used by the central bank to offset the net balance of all other autonomous transactions, rather than being one of the main categorical accounts used to record those transactions.

Explanation

Under Article 155 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of a State is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal. The Governor serves as the constitutional head of the state and acts as a vital link between the Union and the State governments. According to Article 156, the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President, which means the President has the authority to appoint, transfer, or remove a Governor from their position at any time. While the Governor is the executive head of the state, their appointment is a central executive function performed by the President of India to ensure constitutional propriety and administrative coordination within the federal structure.

Explanation

The term Certiorari is derived from Latin and literally means to be certified or to be informed. It is a prerogative writ issued by a superior court, such as the Supreme Court or a High Court, to a lower court, tribunal, or administrative authority. The writ is used to review the records of a case already decided or currently being heard by the inferior body. Its primary function is to ensure that the lower authority has acted within its legal jurisdiction and has not committed an error of law apparent on the face of the record. By issuing this writ, the higher court can quash the order or decision of the lower body if it is found to be in violation of legal principles or jurisdictional limits. In the context of the Indian Constitution, this power is exercised under Article 32 by the Supreme Court and Article 226 by the High Courts.

Explanation

Akbar was the only major Mughal emperor who was illiterate. His formal education was neglected during his childhood because he spent much of his early life in exile and on the move while his father, Humayun, struggled to reclaim the throne. Despite his inability to read or write, Akbar possessed an extraordinary memory and a profound intellect. He built a massive imperial library and employed professional readers to recite works of history, theology, and philosophy to him daily. This practice allowed him to become one of the most well-informed and culturally sophisticated rulers of his time, leading to the development of his unique religious and administrative policies.

Explanation

The Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army, was officially founded in Singapore in 1942. The initial formation was led by Captain Mohan Singh with the cooperation of the Japanese Imperial Army following the fall of Singapore during World War II. It was primarily composed of Indian prisoners of war who aimed to secure India's independence from British rule. In July 1943, the leadership was transferred to Subhash Chandra Bose in Singapore, where he reorganized the military units and proclaimed the establishment of the Provisional Government of Free India, known as Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind. Singapore acted as the strategic base and headquarters for the army's mobilization efforts.

Explanation

The Strait of Malacca is a narrow, 800-kilometer long stretch of water that forms the primary shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Geographically, it is situated between the Malay Peninsula on the Asian mainland to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest. It connects the Andaman Sea in the west to the South China Sea in the east, serving as a vital maritime bottleneck for international trade and energy transport between the Middle East, Africa, and East Asian economies.

Explanation

Sikkim is situated between the latitudes of approximately 27° 04' N and 28° 07' N. Rajasthan has a broad latitudinal extent, stretching from about 23° 03' N in the south to 30° 12' N in the north. Because the latitudinal range of Sikkim falls within the latitudinal boundaries of Rajasthan, the parallels of latitude that cross through Sikkim, specifically around the 27° N and 28° N lines, also pass through the state of Rajasthan.

Explanation

Thyroxin is an animal hormone produced and secreted by the thyroid gland in the endocrine system of vertebrates. It is an iodine-based hormone that plays a critical role in regulating the basal metabolic rate, heart and digestive functions, muscle control, brain development, and maintenance of bones. While plants produce various regulatory chemicals known as phytohormones to control growth and development, thyroxin is specifically associated with metabolic regulation in humans and other animals and does not occur naturally in plant tissues.

Explanation

The nephron is the microscopic structural and functional unit of the kidney. Each human kidney contains approximately one million nephrons, which are responsible for the filtration of blood and the removal of metabolic waste products. The process within the nephron involves glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption, and tubular secretion, ultimately resulting in the formation of urine. This entire process is the fundamental mechanism of the excretory system, enabling the body to regulate fluid balance, maintain electrolyte concentrations, and eliminate nitrogenous wastes like urea from the body.

Explanation

Vitamin D is synthesized in the human body when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight. The process begins when 7-dehydrocholesterol, a steroid precursor present in the skin, absorbs UVB light and undergoes a photochemical conversion into previtamin D3. This previtamin then thermally isomerizes into Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. Due to this unique production method, Vitamin D is frequently referred to as the sunshine vitamin. It plays a critical role in maintaining skeletal health by promoting the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which are necessary for bone mineralization and growth. For most individuals, regular exposure to sunlight is the most effective natural way to maintain adequate levels of this vital nutrient.

Explanation

The speed of light is a fundamental physical constant that reaches its absolute maximum in a vacuum. A vacuum is an empty space devoid of any matter, meaning there are no atoms or molecules to interact with or impede the progress of electromagnetic waves. The refractive index (n) of a vacuum is exactly 1, allowing light to travel at its maximum theoretical velocity of approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. In any material medium, the electromagnetic field of light interacts with the electrons of the constituent atoms, which causes a delay in the transmission of the wave and reduces its speed. Since a vacuum provides zero resistance and zero optical density, it serves as the environment where light travels fastest.

Explanation

The Ampere is the base unit of electric current in the International System of Units (SI). It represents the rate at which electric charge flows through a conductor. Quantitatively, one ampere is defined as the flow of one coulomb of electric charge per second (1 A = 1 C/s). As a base unit, it is used to derive other electromagnetic units such as the volt and the ohm. The unit is named after the French physicist André-Marie Ampère, a pioneer in the field of electromagnetism.

Explanation

An Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address is a numerical label consisting of 32 bits. These 32 bits are divided into four 8-bit sections known as octets. In the standard dotted-decimal notation, each octet is represented as a decimal number ranging from 0 to 255, separated by periods. This 32-bit structure defines the addressing capacity of the network, allowing for approximately 4.29 billion unique address identifiers.

Explanation

Oxidation is defined as the process in which an atom, ion, or molecule loses one or more electrons during a chemical reaction. According to the electronic concept of oxidation and reduction, the loss of electrons results in an increase in the oxidation state of the chemical species. This can be represented by the general equation M → Mⁿ⁺ + ne⁻, where M is the substance being oxidized. A classic example is the formation of a sodium ion from a neutral sodium atom, expressed as Na → Na⁺ + e⁻. Because the species losing electrons facilitates the reduction of another substance, it is also referred to as a reducing agent in the context of a redox reaction.

Explanation

Anions are negatively charged ions that are formed when a neutral atom or molecule gains one or more electrons. Since electrons carry a negative electrical charge, the addition of these particles to an atom results in a net negative charge because the number of electrons exceeds the number of protons in the nucleus. This process typically occurs with non-metallic elements that have high electronegativity and seek to achieve a stable noble gas electron configuration by filling their valence shells. For instance, a chlorine atom gains an electron to become a chloride anion Cl⁻, which allows it to reach a stable octet.

Explanation

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a primary precursor to acid rain. When released into the atmosphere from sources such as industrial emissions and internal combustion engines, it reacts with water molecules (H₂O), oxygen, and other atmospheric oxidants. This chemical reaction leads to the formation of nitric acid (HNO₃), often represented by the reaction 3NO₂ + H₂O → 2HNO₃ + NO. The resulting nitric acid dissolves in rainwater, lowering its pH level and causing wet deposition, commonly known as acid rain. This acidified precipitation can significantly damage terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, corrode stone buildings, and harm metal structures.

Explanation

The Saur Sujala Yojana was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 1, 2016, in Chhattisgarh to coincide with the state's 16th foundation day celebrations. Chhattisgarh became the first state in India to implement this scheme, which aims to empower farmers by providing solar-powered irrigation pumps at heavily subsidized rates. The initiative was designed to assist farmers in areas where electricity connection is not yet available, ensuring better irrigation facilities and improving agricultural productivity through renewable energy. Under this scheme, the state government targeted the distribution of approximately 51,000 solar pumps to beneficiaries within a specified timeframe.

Explanation

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist, invented the World Wide Web in 1989 while working at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. He developed the fundamental technologies that remain the foundation of the web today, including Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) for creating web pages, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for transmitting data, and Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) for identifying web addresses. His original proposal, titled Information Management: A Proposal, aimed to allow scientists to share data and updates across different computer systems globally through a linked hypertext system. By 1990, he had written the first web browser and editor, and the first web server went live in 1991.

Explanation

B. Sai Praneeth is a prominent Indian professional badminton player who achieved significant milestones in 2017. In April 2017, he won the Singapore Open Superseries, becoming the fourth Indian to win a Superseries title after Saina Nehwal, Srikanth Kidambi, and P.V. Sindhu. Following this success, he also clinched the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold title in June 2017. His achievements on the international circuit established him as a leading figure in Indian badminton during this period.

Explanation

Nandlal Bose was one of the most celebrated Indian painters of the 20th century and a key figure of the Bengal School of Art. A pupil of Abanindranath Tagore, he is best known for his contribution to modern Indian art and for illustrating the original manuscript of the Constitution of India. He also designed the emblems for prestigious government awards such as the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Shri. He was never associated with the flute or any form of musical performance.

Explanation

The late actor Om Puri was posthumously honored with the Outstanding Achievement in Cinema award at the 7th Asian Awards held in 2017. Kunal Nayyar received the award for Outstanding Achievement in Television at the same ceremony.

Explanation

Yasser Usman, an award-winning television journalist and writer, is the author of the biography Rekha: The Untold Story. Released in 2016, the book provides a detailed account of the life of the veteran Indian actress Rekha, covering her debut in the film industry, her professional struggles, and her evolution into a cinematic icon. Usman reconstructed her life story through extensive research and interviews with colleagues and filmmakers, documenting the personal and professional milestones of her career in the Indian film industry.

Explanation

The United States formally withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on January 23, 2017. This action was taken through a presidential memorandum signed by President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration. The decision aligned with his administration's America First trade policy, which favored bilateral trade negotiations over multilateral agreements. The TPP was originally intended to be a twelve-nation trade bloc, but the U.S. exit led the remaining member nations to renegotiate the deal, eventually resulting in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Explanation

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, not in Sri Lanka. It is a world-renowned Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, built in an intricate fusion of the Chera and Dravidian architectural styles. The temple is famous for its massive gold reserves and historic significance as one of the 108 Divya Desams, making it a prominent landmark of India rather than its neighboring island nation.

Explanation

Oligopoly is a market structure defined by the presence of a few large firms that dominate a particular industry or market. In this environment, the firms are mutually interdependent, meaning the actions of one firm concerning price, output, or advertising will significantly affect the others and provoke reactions. This market form usually features high barriers to entry, such as massive capital requirements or control over essential resources, which ensures that only a few competitors can maintain a substantial presence in the market. Consequently, the behavior of firms in an oligopoly is strategic, as they must account for the potential responses of their rivals when making business decisions.