SSC CHSL Tier 1 2020 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation, highly advanced earth observation satellite designed and built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Launched on 27 November 2019 aboard the PSLV-C47 launch vehicle, Cartosat-3 is designed with a designated mission life of 5 years. It carries state-of-the-art panchromatic and multispectral imaging systems with a high spatial resolution of 0.25 meters to support large-scale urban planning, rural resource management, infrastructure development, and coastal land use mapping.

Explanation

Sattriya is a major Indian classical dance form that originated in the eastern state of Assam. It was introduced in the 15th century CE by the great Vaishnava saint and reformer Srimanta Sankardev as a powerful medium for the propagation of the Bhakti movement. The dance form is traditionally performed by male monks, known as Bhokots, in the Vaishnavite monasteries called Sattras, from which the dance derives its name. Over the centuries, it has evolved into a highly stylized classical dance drama that depicts mythological stories, primarily focusing on the life and legends of Lord Krishna. Sangeet Natak Akademi officially recognized Sattriya as one of the classical dance forms of India in the year 2000.

Explanation

Waddham, located in the Sironcha taluka of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra, is a highly significant paleontological site near the Godavari-Pranhita river basin. In 1959, a nearly complete and well-preserved skeleton of a dinosaur, Barapasaurus, was discovered in this region. This prehistoric specimen represents one of the earliest known large sauropod dinosaurs from the Early Jurassic period. The fossilized skeleton is currently preserved and exhibited at the museum of the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata. Today, the area is protected as a fossil park containing intact fossils of both ancient flora and fauna.

Explanation

The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 was awarded to the British-Indian novelist Rana Dasgupta for his novel Solo. First published in 2009, the novel explores the themes of estrangement, global development, and personal failure through the perspective of a centenarian Bulgarian chemist. This award, established in 2018 to recognize and celebrate outstanding literary and social achievements by Indian writers, honored Dasgupta in its second edition with a cash prize of 10,000 USD and a statuette of Rabindranath Tagore.

Explanation

Lord William Bentinck, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835, enacted the Bengal Sati Regulation on December 4, 1829. This landmark legislative act declared the practice of Sati—the immolation of Hindu widows on the funeral pyres of their deceased husbands—to be illegal and punishable by criminal courts as culpable homicide. Bentinck was deeply influenced by the humanitarian concerns raised by progressive Indian social reformers, most notably Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who actively campaigned against the cruel custom. The regulation initially applied to the Bengal Presidency and was subsequently extended in similar forms to the Madras and Bombay Presidencies, representing a significant milestone in social reform in India.

Explanation

Calderas are the most explosive volcanoes on Earth. They are typically so explosive that when they erupt, they tend to collapse on themselves instead of building a tall volcanic structure. This collapse forms large, bowl-shaped depressions known as calderas. The extreme explosiveness of these volcanoes indicates that the underlying magma chamber supplying the eruption is not only massive in size but is also located very close to the Earth's surface. When a large volume of magma is erupted rapidly, the structural support beneath the volcano is lost, leading to the collapse of the overlying ground into the emptied magma chamber.

Explanation

In humans, there are typically four parathyroid glands situated on the posterior surface of the thyroid gland. These small, pea-sized endocrine glands are organized into two pairs: a superior pair and an inferior pair. One gland from each pair is located on the posterior aspect of the left and right lobes of the thyroid gland. They are responsible for producing parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium levels in the blood and bones.

Explanation

Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian biologist and physician, discovered the human ABO blood group system in 1901. He identified the presence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells and corresponding antibodies in the blood serum, which allowed him to classify human blood into distinct types. This discovery made blood transfusions safe and routine by explaining the physiological basis of compatible and incompatible blood matches, drastically reducing the occurrence of lethal transfusion reactions. In recognition of this monumental contribution to medicine, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930.

Explanation

According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2019, published by the Forest Survey of India, Karnataka registered the highest increase in forest cover in the country. The state recorded a significant growth of 1,025 square kilometers in forest area compared to the previous assessment in 2017. This increase is primarily attributed to successful afforestation efforts and conservation measures implemented by the state government, particularly outside the recorded forest areas.

Explanation

Rani Rampal, the captain of the Indian women's hockey team, was conferred with the Female Sportsperson of the Year award at the FICCI India Sports Awards 2019 held in New Delhi. She was recognized for her outstanding leadership and contribution, particularly for playing a pivotal role in guiding the national team to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Explanation

As of March 2018, India had 13 elements inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The 13th element to be added to this list was Kumbh Mela, which was officially inscribed in December 2017 during the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Jeju, South Korea. The previously inscribed elements include Kutiyattam, the Tradition of Vedic Chanting, Ramlila, Ramman, Mudiyettu, Kalbelia folk songs and dances, Chhau Dance, Buddhist Chanting of Ladakh, Sankirtana, traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras, Yoga, and Nawrouz.

Explanation

Cinnabar is a toxic mercury sulfide mineral with the chemical composition HgS. It is the primary and most abundant ore of mercury found in nature. The metal is extracted from the ore by roasting it in a furnace, where the mercury sulfide reacts with oxygen to form mercury vapor and sulfur dioxide, and the mercury vapor is then condensed to yield pure liquid mercury.

Explanation

The All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) was officially established on 6 December 1978 during a convention held in Delhi. Founded by Kanshi Ram and D. K. Khaparde, the launch was intentionally scheduled on the death anniversary of B. R. Ambedkar. It was created as an organization of educated, non-political government employees belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minority communities to actively campaign against caste-based discrimination and to work toward establishing social justice and equality in society.