[T25] UPSC Mock Round#23: Environment Prize, Nobel Prize, IPCC Report, 2+2 Dialogue, BIMSTEC Summit & More Current Affairs

1. Environment & Biodiversity
2. International Relations (IR) & Diplomacy
3. Banking-Finance related
4. PIN-Nobel 2018 (Persons in News)
5. PIN: Sports, Movies, Deaths and Appointments
6. English Vocabulary for Bank / SSC

Environment & Biodiversity

Q. In 2018-October, Supreme court ordered the Union Government to investigate the mass deaths of Gir Lions, which is caused by _ _ _ virus.

1. PPRV virus also known as ‘Goat Plague’
2. Panthera Distemper virus
3. Canine Distemper virus
4. Felis Distemper virus

HINT: In Africa, Peste Des Petits Ruminants virus (PPRV) / Goa Plague killed 1/3rd of lion population. In 2012, it appeared among the Gir lions as well. but the present crisis is because of the deadly Canine oil paint Distemper virus, which can’t be cured easily, but prevented through vaccination of lions, dogs and cattle.

Q. In 2018-October, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a Special Report on Global Warming at an event in Seoul, South Korea. Which of the following are mentioned in its major finding(s) and suggestion(s)?

1. It is not possible to keep the increase in global average temperatures to within 5 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial times.
2. 50% of Coral reefs will die with the rise of 2 degrees in global temperature compared to pre-industrial levels.
3. It recommended a target of net-zero emission level by the year 2020.
4. It recommended five-fold pathways to curb the global warming.

Answer Codes:

1. Only 1 and 2
2. Only 2, 3 and 4
3. Only 1 and 4
4. None of them

HINT: Possible to contain within 1.5 degrees, 99% corals will die with 2 degree rise, it made projections that to keep global warming within 1.5 degree, you’ve to achieve net-zero emission by 2050 and to keep it within 2 degree, you’ve to achieve net-zero emission by 2075. It also gave four pathways to curb global warming.

Q. Who among the following is/are given “Champions of the Earth” Awards-2018 by the UNEP?

1. French President Emmanuel Macron
2. Indian Prime Minister Modi
3. Cochin International airport
4. All of the above

HINT: Modi given this for leadership of the International Solar Alliance and pledge to eliminate single use plastic in India by 2022. Macron also given for ISA. Cochin airport given for being 100% solar powered.

International Relations (IR) & Diplomacy

Q. In 2018-September, Macedonia held a public referendum to decide what?

1. Leave European Union just like Britain
2. Merge the country with Greece
3. Change its name from Macedonia to North Macedonia
4. Change its name from Macedonia to North Yugoslavia

HINT: Macedonia declared independence in 1991 from Yugoslavia. But neighbor Greece also had a region named Macedonia. Hence UN and other agencies were forced to call it “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. If this referendum is accepted, then country’s name will be changed to “North Macedonia” (capital Skopje), and Greece will end its veto on Macedonia’s membership application to NATO and the EU.

Q. Which of the following countries has launched a manual of “Feminist foreign policy” (in 2018-September)

1. Norway, Capital Oslo
2. Sweden, Capital Stockholm
3. New Zealand, Capital Willingdon
4. No country has launched such manual, it’s a fake news.

HINT: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had been in news for birth of her first child in 2018-June, but it’s Sweden who launched this manual.

Q. Find incorrect statement about BIMSTEC and its latest fourth Summit of 2018:

1. BIMSTEC consists of eight countries India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal and Maldives.
2. The latest summit’s theme was “Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region”
3. The latest summit of 2018 was held at Kathmandu, Nepal, and the next summit will be held in Colombo SriLanka.
4. None of the above.

HINT: Only 7 countries, Maldives not part of it. Summits held every four years starting from 2004.

Q. In 2018-September, India held 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with USA at New Delhi. Who among the following were the parties in this dialogue?

1. Minister of External Affairs Smt Sushma Swaraj and her USA counterpart designated as “Secretary of State”
2. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his USA counterpart designated as “Secretary of treasury”
3. Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu his USA counterpart designated as “Secretary of Commerce”
4. Minister of Defence Smt Nirmala Sitharaman and her USA counterpart designated as “Secretary of Defense”

Answer Codes:

1. Only 1 and 2
2. Only 2 and 3
3. Only 1 and 3
4. Only 1 and 4

HINT: India was represented by two female ministers. The next 2+2 meeting is to be held in the United States in 2019

Q. In 2018-September, India’s external affairs minister Shusma Swaraj refused meet her Pakistani counterpart during the informal meeting of SAARC Foreign ministers, because Islamabad had released postage stamps “glorifying” slain Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani. This meeting took place at:

1. Kathmandu
2. New York
3. Washington
4. Ashgabat

HINT: Informal Meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers was held on the margins of the 73rd UN General Assembly. Where is the UN General Assembly located?

Q. The first Global Mobility Summit was held in 2018-September. Find correct statement(s) about it

1. It was organized by the Divyangjan Shasaktikaran Department, at Gandhinagar
2. It was organized by NITI Ayog, at Bengaluru
3. It was organized by NITI Ayog, at New Delhi
4. It was organized by UNICEF at New Delhi

HINT: Organized by NITI, inaugurated by PM.

In 2018-September, Presidential elections were held in Maldives. Who among the following has won it?

1. Mohammed Nasheed
2. Ibrahim Mohammed Soli
3. Abdulla Yameen
4. Abdulla Soli

HINT: Ibrahim Mohammed Soli defeated the incumbent President Abdulla Yameen.

Banking-Finance related

Q. In 2018-September, Government of India announced the merger of _ _ _ bank(s) with Bank of Baroda.

1. Central Bank of India
2. Vijaya Bank
3. Dena Bank
4. Corporation Bank

Answer Codes:

1. Only 1 and 2
2. Only 2 and 3
3. Only 1 and 4
4. Only 3 and 4

HINT: Government announced the amalgamation of three banks — Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank — it’ll create country’s third largest bank with a business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore and over 9,600 branches across the country. Previously, Government has merged the 5-Associated Banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank with SBI in 2017- Watch my lecture about the previous merger.

Q. In 2018-September, RBI issued guidelines for “co-origination of loans”. Why?

1. To meet their priority sector lending targets, Commercial banks can jointly lend with Cooperative Banks
2. To meet their priority sector lending targets, Commercial foreign banks can jointly lend with Indian Banks.
3. To meet their priority sector lending targets, Commercial banks can jointly lend with NBFC.
4. To meet their priority sector lending targets, Commercial banks can jointly lend with RRBs.

HINT: NBFCs have better reach in the clients in priority sector such as agriculture, MSME etc. So, RBI allowed NBFC and Banks to jointly lend a PSL-loan in 20:80 ratio. To learn theory of NBFC, watch my lecture link. To learn theory of Priority Sector lending, watch my lecture link.

Q. Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) is an unlisted infrastructure lending company (NBFC). It’s in controversy due to inability ot pay interest to the bond holders. Who among the following is the largest shareholder of this company?

1. ICICI
2. SBI
3. LIC
4. Government of India

HINT: LIC is the largest shareholder in the company (~25% shares). HDFC, SBI and Central Banks have shareholding in single digit percentages only.

Q. The GST Council has setup a seven-member ministerial panel under to examine the legality of imposing a new tax on certain goods and services to raise money for natural calamity-hit states like Kerala. Who is chairman of the panel on “Calamity Tax”?

1. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
2. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi
3. Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
4. Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac

HINT: He belongs to the state where mass cheating in board exams is done through wall-climbing spidermen, and even woman bathing in the holy river of Ganga is also not sparred from gang-rape.

Q. HRD ministry has decided to participate in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)-2021. Find correct statement(s) about this test.

1. It’s an education test coordinated by UNESCO to measure the learning levels of 15-year old students.
2. It checks the learning levels children in mathematics and comprehension only, just like NGO Pratham’s ASER survey.
3. This test is conducted every three years.
4. All of the above.

HINT: It’s a test coordinated by OECD countries, conducted every 3 years to measures reading, mathematics and science of 15 years old kids. 2009 India perfomed poorly, so the then UPA government boycotted the test. Subsequently, we didnot not participate in the 2012 and 2015 cycle. But now HRD ministry said yes we’ll do it in 2021.

Q. In 2018-September, PM Modi inaugurated Airports Authority of India (AAI)’s first greenfield airport, which is also Sikkim’s first airport. It’s situated at _ _ _.

1. Gangtok
2. Pakyong
3. Namchi
4. Lachung

HINT: Pakyong Airport is located merely 60 km from the Indo-China border and is expected to be a boost to the Indian defence forces, since Indian Air Force will be able to land various types of planes at the airport. SpiceJet will run daily flights between Kolkata and Pakyong, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme.

PIN-Nobel 2018 (Persons in News)

Q. Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland are selected for Nobel Prize in Physics-2018 for their research on

1. Quantum Physics
2. Laser Physics
3. Astro Physics
4. Nuclear physics.

HINT: 2018: given for research in optical tweezers for biological systems and optical pulses- collectively they are associated with “Laser Physics”. Donna Strickland is third lady to win Physics Nobel.

Q. Frances H. Arnold, George P. Smith, and Gregory P. Winter are selected for Nobel Prize in Chemistry-2018 for their research on

1. Fluorescence microscopy
2. Cryo-electron microscopy
3. Drug molecules for Cancer treatment.
4. Enzymes, Peptides and Antibodies

HINT:

• Microscopy discoveries already won Chemistry Nobel in earlier years.
• Nobel-2018 for Medicine / Physiology is given to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo for cancer research. Then think, which one is left?

Q. Nobel Peace Prize 2018 was given to

1. Dr. Denis Mukwege for helping sex-abuse victims in Rwanda
2. Nadia Murad, a Yazidi minority girl from Syria who campaigned against the ISIS.
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT:

• Peace-2014: Kailash Satyarthi (India) for fighting against Child labour and Malala Yousafzai – for whom most Pakistanis have deep hatred.
• Peace-2015: National Dialogue Quartet democracy campaign in Tunisia during Jasmine Revolution of 2011
• Peace-2016: Colombian Juan Manuel Santos for ending civil war with FARC guerrillas.
• Peace-2017: International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
• Peace-2018: Doctor worked in Congo. Nadia is from North Iraq.Prize given for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence in armed conflicts.

PIN: Sports, Movies, Books, Deaths and Appointments

More relevant for Non-UPSC exams

Q. Who among the following has won the FIFA-2018 Player of the year award, announced in 2018-September?

1. Egypt’s Mohamed Salah
2. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo
3. Croatia’s Luka Modric
4. Argentines’ Lionel Messi

HINT: FIFA-2018 cup held at Russia, France defeated Croatia in finals. But Modric played instrumental role in helping the country reach the finals, so he was given this award. Previous two FIFA-Player of the year awards won by Ronaldo.

Q. Find correct statement(s) about the Khel Ratna-2018

1. Virat Kohli has become the third cricketer to win Khel Ratna, after (absentee Rajya Sabha MP) Sachin and MS Dhoni.
2. Manipur’s Mirabai Chanu has become the second female boxer to win this after Mary Kom.
3. Haryana’s Bajrang Punia is selected for winning gold medals in wrestling tournaments (65-kg category) at the Commonwealth Games-2018 (held at Gold Coast, Australia) and Asian Games-2018 held at Indonesia.
4. All of the above.

HINT:

• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award is generally reserved for those sportsmen performing at the pinnacle of their sport.
• Although both Mirabai and Mary Kom hail from Manipur, but Mirabai is a weightlifter, not boxer.
• While Bajrang Punia has won those tournaments but just like a rigged StatePCS exam he is not selected despite securing more marks in the selection process than Kohli and Mirabai.
• You can read the list of Arjun Award, Dronacharya Award and other Sports Awards for 2018 on this theHindu link.

Q. Find correct pair(s) of appointments made in September-October 2018:

1. Gita Gopinath: first Indian to be appointed as chief economist of IMF.
2. Arvind Subramanian: first Indian to be appointed as chief economist of World Bank.
3. Justice Ranjan Gogoi: first person from Northeast India to be appointed as the Chief Justice of India.
4. All of the above

HINT:

• Before Gitaben, Rajanbhai also served in this post.
• Arvind Subramanian sent resignation from Chief Economic Advisor post in 2018-June with hopes of becoming next Chief Economist of World Bank. But like a successful candidate of scam-ridden SSC-CGL, he’s yet to receive confirmation.
• Ranjan Gogoi replaced 45th CJI Dipak Misra. Gogoi is first person from Assam and North East India to reach this place.

Q. In 2018-Sept, Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer biographical movie about Urdu author Saadat Hasan Manto was released. Which of the following novel / short story is associated with this author?

1. Lajja
2. Hajar Churashir Maa
3. Thanda Gosht
4. Gaban

HINT: Hajar Churashir Maa written by Mahasweta Devi. Lajja by Taslima Nasreen, and Gaban by Munshi Premchand. Manto faced court case about obscenity in Pakistan for ‘Thanda Gosht’.

Q. Noted Historian-Autor Ramchandra Guha released a book on Gandhi in 2018-September/October. What is its title?

1. Gandhi who changed the World
2. Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World
3. Gandhi before India
4. Gandhi: The Maker of Modern India

HINT: Guha released Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World (1914-1948). Available at amazon

Q. Following people died in September-October 2018. Find correct pair(s) of their occupation

1. Balabhaskar: Tamil Violinist
2. Jasdev Singh: former Indian hockey captain
3. Kalpana Lajmi: filmmaker noted for women-centric movies such as Rudali, Daman and Chingaari
4. All of the above

HINT: Balabhaskar from Kerala, Jasdev Singh was hockey commentator not captain.

English Vocabulary for Bank / SSC

Q. Find the odd pair

1. Pride: Lions
2. School: Fishes
3. Murder: Crows
4. Flock: Kittens

HINT: Collective nouns for animal groups are given but group of kitten is usually called ‘litter’. whereas the word ‘flock’ is associated with group of birds or sheep.

Visit Mrunal.org/prelims for Previous Rounds of [T25] Mock MCQ Question / Answers.