ANSWERS & EXPLANATION

KCP TEST- 6 (PHYSICAL GEO)

1.

(D)
Heating of earth's surface involves radiation from sun. In turn Earth's surface heats the layers
above it through conduction of sun's radiation and by transmission of heat by upward movement
of air current or convection.

2.

(B)
The term albedo (Latin for white) is commonly used to applied to the overall average reflection
coefficient of an object. 'Albedo of the Earth' is the fraction of solar energy (shortwave
radiation) reflected from the Earth back into space. Hence, it is the total amount of radiation
reflected back by lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere.

3.

(C)
After metamorphism, Sandstone is converted into Quartzite and not Schist. Hence Statement 1
is incorrect. Limestone is converted into marble; Granite is converted into Gneiss and Shale into
Slate after the process of metamorphism.

4.

(A)
Aurora is natural phenomena observed when the magnetosphere is ionized and excited by the
solar winds. These solar winds destabilise the earth's magnetosphere which causes ionisation. It
is generally observed in higher latitudes.

5.

(C)
Mediterranean climate is characterized by all the given features. Shift in wind belts leads to
climatic conditions like winter rain, dry summer etc. Such climate is very much suitable for fruit
farming.

6.

(C)
MSG, is a glutamate, or salt of glutamic acid, a non-essential amino acid, which means it is
produced by the body, and thus not required in our diet.
MSG is a naturally occurring salt in tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, potatoes, mushrooms,
soybeans and seaweed. But today, instead of extracting and crystallising MSG from seaweed
broth or other natural foods, MSG is produced by fermentation of starch, sugar beets, sugar cane
or molasses in laboratories.
MSG is a neurotransmitter - transporting messages from one nerve cell to another. Because it is
said to enhance flavours, some scientists believe it excites nerve endings and exhibits neuroexcitatory properties, that is the ability to stimulate neurons. In the few cases of excessive
stimulation, this can result in killing or damaging of nerve cells. Which is why some people
consider MSG to induce headaches at best and Alzheimers at worst.
FDA has received many complaints of adverse reactions to foods containing MSG. These
reactions - known as MSG Symptom Complex, or Chinese Restaurant Syndrome - include
headaches, flushing, sweating, facial pressure, numbness, tingling or burning in the face/neck,
heart palpitations, chest pain, nausea and weakness.

7.

(C)
Meteorites are pieces of matter which enter the earths atmosphere from outer spaces due to
gravitational force of the Earth. They are large in size, do not burn completely and therefore
manage to reach the surface of the Earth.

8.

(B)
Mining the ocean can be devastating to the natural ecosystems. When the ocean floor is mined,
a cloud of sediment rises up in the water, interfering with photosynthetic processes of
phytoplankton and other marine life, in addition to introducing benign heavy metals into the
food chain.
Plate movements have not been established as a consequence of mining.

9.

(A)
Statement 1 is correct: In the youth stage of stream, V-shaped valleys with no flood plains are
observed. Waterfalls and rapids are common at this stage.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Most of the landscape is at sea level or slightly above it during the old
stage. Statement 3 is incorrect: Waterfalls and rapids disappear at the mature stage.

10.

(C)
Mauna Loa and St Helena Islands are Volcanic Islands while Gilbert and Marshall Islands are
Coral Islands

11.

(D)
The SECC measures deprivation along seven criteria
I. Households with only one room with no solid walls and
roof, II. Those with no adult member aged 15-59,
III. Female-headed households with no adult male aged 15-59,
IV. Those with differently abled members and no able-bodied member,
V.
SC/ST households,
VI. Those with no literate member above the age of 25, and
VII. Landless households deriving a major portion of their income from manual casual labour.
Hence D is the correct answer.
Nearly 19 % of Indias rural population in 2011 lacked at least one of seven socio-economic
parameters used to estimate deprivation.
The SECC 2011 is the first census, since 1931, that takes into account the caste.
For data on rural households, the census was distributed across three categories: those that have
to be compulsorily excluded; those that have to be compulsorily included; and those that fall inbetween they were then ranked based on seven deprivation criteria.
o Those that were automatically included were households without shelter, destitute living on
alms, manual scavengers, primitive tribal groups and legally released bonded labourers. This
figure has been pegged at less than 1 %.
o The automatically excluded category included households with any of the following:
motorised vehicles, mechanised agricultural equipment, Kisan credit card with credit limit
of Rs 50,000 and above. They also included households with any member as a government
employee, with non-agricultural enterprises registered with the government, any family
member earning more than Rs. 10,000 a month, those paying income/professional tax, living
in houses with three or more rooms with all having pucca walls and roof, owning a
refrigerator, landline phone, possessing irrigated land, etc.
The SECC covered 24.39 crore households nationally, out of which 6.48 crore households were
automatically excluded. Thus, only 17.91 crore rural households were surveyed.

12.

(B)
Extrusive igneous rocks have a fine grained structure as they are formed as molten lava cools
down rapidly, while intrusive igneous rocks have large grains as they are formed when magma
cools down slowly. Hence, statement 1 is wrong.
Basic igneous rocks have high proportions of basic oxides such as those of iron, aluminum etc.
hence are denser and darker in colour. Hence, statement 2, is correct.

13.

(A)
Solar eclipses can only occur during a new Moon, when the Moon moves between the Earth and
the Sun and the three celestial bodies form a straight line: Earth - Moon - Sun. There are 3 kinds
of solar eclipses: total, partial, annular.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and blocks the
Sun's rays from directly reaching the Moon. Lunar eclipses only happen at full Moon. There are
3 kinds of lunar eclipses: total, partial, and penumbral.
During a total solar eclipse, the Sun is completely invisible only from the umbra region.

14.

(B)
Salinity of an ocean can be affected by these following factors: Evaporation, Precipitation,
Water flow from rivers, Freezing and thawing of ice (in polar regions), Wind (by transferring
water to other areas), Ocean currents.

15.

(C)
Micro-organisms are responsible for an estimated three quarters of a soil's metabolic activity.
These micro-organisms help release nutrients from dead organisms. Algae, fungi, protozoans,
actinomycetes and other miniscule organisms play a role in soil development. Virus do not play
a direct role in soil development as they need a host for growth and survival.

16.

(C)
Anti-dumping duty is a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign
imports that it believes are priced below fair market value. Usually countries initiate antidumping probes to check if domestic industry has been hurt because of a surge in below-cost
imports.
For example recently in India, Ministry of finance has imposed anti-dumping duty on imports of
graphite electrodes used in steel plants, cold-rolled flat products of stainless steel, Linen imports
from China and Hong Kong, Vitamin-C imports from China and phenol imports from South
Africa.
In India, anti-dumping duty is recommended by the Union Ministry of Commerce, while the
Union Finance Ministry imposes it. Hence C is the correct answer.

17.

(C)
The prolonged wave attack on the base of a cliff excavates holes in the regions of local
weakness called caves. When the two caves approach one another from either side of headland
and unite, they form an arch. Further erosion by waves will lead to the total collapse of the arch.
The seaward portion of the headland will remain as a pillar of rock known as a stack. The
Vertical pillars after being eroded resulted into the stump.

18.

(A)
Statement 1 is correct. Antarctica does not have a fixed time zone. Different based stations
follow different time zones, usually that of the parent country or their supply base.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The international date line has kinks or deviations from the 180 degree
meridian to avoid intersecting landmasses, so that one country does not have to follow two
dates.

3
19.

(C)

20.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Oceanic rocks are made up of basalt and continental rocks are made up
of granite.
Statement 3 is correct. Since oceanic crust is denser than continental crust, it subducts under the
continental crust.
(B)
The IAP Healthphone Programme is the world's largest digital mass education programme for
addressing the issue of malnutrition in women and children.
It has been launched by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) in partnership with the Ministry
of women and child development, UNICEF and supported by Vodafone India.

21.

(B)
India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh signed a landmark Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) for the
Regulation of Passenger, Personnel and Cargo Vehicular Traffic among the four South Asian
neighbours.
The MVA agreement between sub-groupings of four SAARC nations Bangladesh, Bhutan, India
and Nepal (BBIN) will pave the way for a seamless movement of people and goods across their
borders for the benefit and integration of the region and its economic development.
The BBIN framework is seen as a conducive model of sub-regional co-operation in the area of
Connectivity which involves transport as well as energy.
The talks of a similar agreement with Myanmar and Thailand are going on currently.

22.

(C)
The deposits making up deltas are very well sorted with clear stratification. The coarsest
materials settle out first and the finer fractions like silt and clays are carried out into the sea. As
the delta grows, the river distributaries continue to increase in length and the delta continues to
build up into the sea. The Ganges delta is the largest delta in the world.

23.

(A)
Kuroshio current moves from South to North in the Northern Hemisphere. Hence, it is a warm
oceanic current.
Benguela current flows from South to North in the Southern Hemisphere. Hence, it is a cold
oceanic current.
Similarly, Brazilian current moves from North to South in the Southern hemisphere. Hence, it is
a warm oceanic current. While, Labrador flows from North to South in the Northern
Hemisphere. Thus, it is a cold current.

24.

(D)
Most kayals or backwaters are predominantly brackish i.e. saline. In certain areas, such as the
Vembanad Kayal, where a barrage has been built near Kumarakom, salt water from the sea is
prevented from entering the deep inside, keeping the fresh water intact. Such fresh water is
extensively used for irrigation purposes.

25.

(A)
The peninsular block is formed by a great complex of ancient gneisses and granite rocks. The
northern boundary of the Peninsular Block may be taken as an irregular line running from
Kachchh along the western flank of the Aravali Range near Delhi and then roughly parallel to
the Yamuna and the Ganga as far as the Rajmahal Hills and the Ganga delta.

Apart from these, the Karbi Anglong and the Meghalaya Plateau in the northeast and Rajasthan
in the west are also extensions of this block.
4
Since the Cambrian period, the Peninsula has been standing like a rigid block with the exception
of some of its western coast which is submerged beneath the sea and some other parts changed
due to tectonic activity without affecting the original basement.
26.

(C)
Statement 1 is incorrect. Fold Mountains may also be called Mountains of elevation. Volcanic
mountains are often called mountains of accumulation.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The upfolded waves of Fold Mountains are called anticlines and are
convex in shape.
Statement 3 is correct. Overriding portion of the thrust fold is termed a 'nappe'.

27.

(D)
Sheet erosion takes place on level lands after a heavy shower and the soil removal is not easily
noticeable. It is harmful since it removes the finer and more fertile top soil.
Gully erosion is common on steep slopes. Gullies deepen with rainfall, cut the agricultural lands
into small fragments and make them unfit for cultivation.
Therefore both statements are incorrect.

28.

(A)
Shield volcanoes are broad, domed-shaped volcanoes with long, gently sloped sides. This type
of volcano can be hundreds of miles across and many tens of thousands of feet high. The
individual islands of the state of Hawaii are simply large shield volcanoes. Mauna Loa, a shield
volcanoon the "big" island of Hawaii, is the largest single mountain in the world, So option pair
1 is correct.
Composite cone volcanoes, which are also called 'stratovolcanoes' or simply 'composite
volcanoes,' are cone-shaped volcanoes composed of layers of lava, ash and rock debris, These
volcanoes are characterised by eruptions of cooler and more viscous lavas than basalt. These
volcanoes often result in explosive eruptions. Along with lava, large quantities of pyroclastic
material and ashes find their way to the ground. Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier, Mt.
Stromboli and Mt. Etna are impressive examples of composite volcanoes; Mt. Paricutin is an
example of cinder cone volcanoes so Pair 2 is incorrect.
Cinder cone volcanoes are steep, cone-shaped volcanoes built from lava fragments called
'cinder'. These volcanic cinder also known as 'scorcia'. these volcanoes consist almost entirely of
loose, grainy cinders and almost no lava. They are small volcanoes, usually only about a mile
across and up to about a thousand feet high. They have very steep sides and usually have a small
crater on top. Mt. Paricutin, Mt. Nuovo are some examples of cinder cone volcanoes, Mt. Etna
are impressive examples of composite volcanoes so pair 3 is incorrect.

29.

(C)

30.

Both statements are correct.

Isostasy refers to the state of gravitational equilibrium between the earth's crust and mantle, or
more generally, between the lithosphere and asthenosphere. It explains the variation in
topographic height across the Earth's surface.
The Himalayas are not in isostatic equilibrium as they continue to rise in height. At isostatic
equilibrium, their height would not change any further due to endogenic forces.
(D)
The Blue Mormon is a large, swallowtail butterfly found primarily in Sri Lanka and India,
mainly restricted to the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, South India and coastal belts. It may
occasionally be spotted in the Maharashtrian mainland between Vidarbha and Western
Maharashtra.
It is reportedly the second largest butterfly found in India, just smaller than the southern birdwing.

Not uncommon. Not thought to be threatened. Occurs throughout the year but more common in
the monsoon and immediately after it. Maharashtra has become the first State in the country to
have a State butterfly. Thus all statements are wrong. Hence D is the correct answer.
5
31.

(B)
Out of the eight planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called as inner planets as they lie
between the sun and the belt of asteroids. The other four planets are called the outer planets.

32.

(D)
Odisha has one of the largest reserves of Bauxite. Bauxite is the ore of Aluminium. Bihar is also
one of the largest producer states of Mica. Uranium is found in Meghalaya. However, Copper is
not found in Tripura.

33.

(C)
Statement 1 is correct. It is through the process of differentiation that the inner layers of the
earth was formed. Differentiation means the separation of materials on the basis of density.
Statement 2: The early atmosphere largely consisted of water vapour, nitrogen, CO2, methane
etc. and very little of oxygen.
Statement 3: The reverse of the 3rd statement is true. Saturation of oxygen in oceans resulted in
flooding the atmosphere.

34.

(C)
An antecedent stream is a stream that maintains its original course and pattern despite the
changes in underlying rock topography. A stream with a dendritic drainage pattern, for example,
can be subject to slow tectonic uplift. However, as the uplift occurs, the stream erodes through
the rising ridge to form a steep-walled gorge. The stream thus keeps its dendritic pattern and
maintains its original course.
The Himalayan rivers are a good example of antecedent rivers in India because these rivers
originated well before the Himalayan region was uplifted. The rivers Indus, Brahmaputra and
Sutlej originated on Tibetan side and now traverse the existing mountain ranges, cutting deep
gorges.

35.

(A)
The British type, Laurentian type and China type of climatic zones enjoy rainfall all throughout
the year, however scanty all seasons have some amount of rainfall.
Steppe type has light summer rain which also does not allow growth of forests.

36.

(A)
A seismic shadow zone is an area of the Earth's surface where seismographs cannot detect an
earthquake after its seismic waves have passed through the Earth. When an earthquake occurs,
seismic waves radiate out spherically from the earthquake's focus. The primary seismic waves
(P waves) are refracted by the liquid outer core of the Earth and are not detected between 104
and 140 from the epicenter. The Secondary seismic waves (S waves) cannot pass through the
liquid outer core and are not detected more than 104 from the epicenter.
S-wave velocity is entirely dependent on the rigidity of the material it travels through. Liquids,
however, have zero rigidity. Outer core being liquid makes the S-wave velocity overall zero
creating a shadow zone for S wave.

37.

(C)
The deer is endemic to Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP).
It is listed as an critically endangered (Mentioned int Red pages and not the yellow pages)
species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Conservation efforts have
helped in reviving the population of the deer to 204 in 2013 from less than 100 in 2008.

Manipur State Forest Department has decided to translocate a section of Sangai deer with an aim to
save it from extinction. The deer is endemic to Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) will be
translocated to Pumlen Pat which is close existing habitat to Loktak.
6

38.

(C)
Nathu La pass in Sikkim connects India-China was recently opened for pilgrim purpose to
Mansarovar lake.
Earlier Lipulekh Pass as used for the route for Mansarovar pilgrimage, but it was badly
damaged in the floods in Uttarakhand in 2013.
Zoji La is a high mountain pass in India, Kashmir, located D between Srinagar and Leh.
Rohtang La pass in Himachal connects Manali in the Kullu Valley to Keylong in the Lahaul Valley.

39.

(D)

40.

Oceans and atmosphere act as giant thermal engines that transfer heat from the tropis towards the
poles. Ocean currents influence the temperature of the adjacent areas. The influence of cold
currents is felt the most in the tropics and during the summer months in the mid-latitudes. Heat
transfer is maximum at the mid-latitudes. All the three statements are correct.
(C)
Statement 1 is incorrect. The magnitude scale is known as the Richter scale, the intensity scale
is known as Mercalli scale. The magnitude relates to the energy released during the quake.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The magnitude is expressed in absolute numbers of 0-10. The range of
intensity scale is from 1-12. Statement 3 is correct. Seismograph is used to record the
earthquake waves.

41.

(B)
The Sargasso Sea is a region in the gyre in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is bounded
on the west by the Gulf Stream; on the north, by the North Atlantic Drift; on the east, by the
Canary Current; and on the south, by the North Atlantic Equatorial Current.

42.

(A)
Statement 1 is correct. A fold mountain is formed by action of compressive forces only, however
a block mountain is formed by action of both compressive as well as tensional forces. Hence,
statement 2 is wrong.

43.

(A)
The tropic of cancer passes through Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West
Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram.
The northern and southern parts of the state are hilly, while the central part is a fertile plain.
Deciduous forests of the Eastern Highlands Forests cover roughly 44% of the state. The state
animal is the van bhainsa, or wild water buffalo.
The Rihand River, a tributary of the Ganges, drains this State

44.

(A)
Earthquake waves get recorded in seismographs located at far off locations. However, there
exist some specific areas where the waves are not reported. Such a zone is called the shadow
zone'. A zone between 105 and 145 from epicentre is identified as the shadow zone for both
the types of waves thus option 1 is correct.
The entire zone beyond 105 does not receive S-waves, so option 2 is incorrect.
The shadow zone of S-waves is much larger than that of P-waves. The shadow zone of S-waves
is not only larger in extent but it is also a little over 40 per cent of the earth surface. So option 3
is incorrect

45.

(D)
A submarine canyon is a steep-sided valley cut into the sea floor of the continental slope,
sometimes extending well onto the continental shelf. Trenches are the zones of subduction,
therefore are associated with volcanoes and strong earthquakes due to faulting and folding of
rocks. The maximum number of deeps are found in the Pacific Ocean and least in Indian Ocean

46.

(B)
Methods
of
soil
conservation
are:
Afforestation
Restrictions on felling of trees
Contour ploughing and strip cultivation Control of
floods
Restriction of shifting cultivation Restoration
of long fallows
Reclamation of saline and alkaline soil through application of Gypsum etc.

47.

(C)
The Bay of Bengal islands including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are largely tectonic and volcanic in
origin.
While the Islands of Arabian Sea including Lakshadweep are mainly coral formations. Deccan
trap was formed during cretaceous period due to intense volcanic activities.
Aravali ranges are nothing but the remains of old fold mountains.

48.

(D)
Spring tides are the high tides which are formed when the sun, the moon and the earth are in straight line.
Hence, statement 1 is wrong.
Spring tides take place during new moon as well as full moon, as at both days sun, moon and earth are in
straight line. Hence, statement 2 is wrong.

49

(D)
Among BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) the correct order is China> Brazil > India > Russia. Russia
dropped out of the top 10 as foreign investors exited its oil sector and other projects after Western countries
slapped economic sanctions on it. Among the top 10 FDI recipients in the world, half are developing
economies - Brazil, China, Hong Kong (China), India and Singapore.
India has topped in the regional inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in South Asia region during year
2014, accounting for 34 billion US dollars investments. It was revealed in United Nations Conference on Trade
and Developments (UNCTADs) World Investment Report 2015.
After 2008, for the first time, India again broke in to the top 10 recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI)
during 2014. India, however, is the only BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) country that hasnt yet crossed
the $50 billion-a-year FDI mark. China became the largest recipient of FDI in 2014 with $129 billion inflows,
followed by Hong Kong (China) that received $103 billion and the U.S. with $92 billion.
Top five FDI recipients in South Asia: India, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka.

50.

(A)
Sakaar is Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Augmented Reality (AR) application designed for Andriod
devices.
Augmented Reality is a live direct view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or
supplemented) by computer-generated 3D models, animations, videos etc. It enhances users current perception of
reality. The interesting example is projecting a calculator on a palm where one can perform normal calculations.
Applications of Augmented Reality:
Navigation: Enhanced GPS systems are using augmented reality to make it easier to get from point A to point
B.
Military: A transparent display is positioned directly in the fighter pilots view, it shows information about
altitude, speed etc.

51.

Medical: Medical students use the technology to practice surgery in a controlled environment.
Gaming: With recent advances in computing power and technology, gaming applications in augmented reality
are on the upswing.
AR is also useful in knowing the identity of the people using various facial recognition devices which
compares the identity of a person in data bases of social networking sites. However this application has lot of
legal and ethical issues regarding right to privacy, anonymity concerns etc.
(D)

Mass movement refers to transfer of rock debris down a slope under the influence of gravity. No other
geomorphic agent participates in the process. As gravity acts not only on the weathered debris but also on the
bedrock, weathering is not a pre-requisite for mass movement. However, weathering aids in mass movement.
52.

(D)
Ocean currents are streams of water flowing constantly on the ocean surface in definite directions. The ocean
currents may be warm or cold Generally, the warm ocean currents originate near the equator and move towards
the poles. The cold currents carry water from polar or higher latitudes to tropical or lower latitudes Warm
currents bring about warm temperature over land surface. The areas where the warm and cold currents meet
provide the best fishing grounds of the world. Seas around Japan and the eastern coast of North America are
such examples. The areas where a warm and cold current meet also experience foggy weather making it
difficult for navigation.

53.

(B)
Cirrus clouds do not cause rainfall. The rainfall in the temperate cyclones is generally caused by Cumulonimbus clouds. The rainfall in the tropical cyclones is generally caused by Nimbo-stratus clouds.

54.

(A)
Opposite side of the Earth experiences a tide due to the strong centrifugal force to balance the rotation of the
Earth.

55.

(B)

56.

Black Soil/Regur Soil is found in the Deccan Plateau & parts of Andhra & Tamil Nadu. It is suitable for cotton
cultivation and is both clayey & impermeable in nature. Hence, statements 1, 3 and 4 are correct.
Black Soil swells when sticky & wet & shrinks when dry(develops cracks that aids in self-ploughing)
this unique characteristic of Black Soil i.e. slow absorption & less moisture helps it to retain the moisture for
a long time and aids in cultivation of rain-fed crops even in dry season. Hence, 2nd statement is incorrect.
(B)

57.

The P-waves are similar to sound waves, Primary waves (P-waves) are compressional waves that are
longitudinal in nature they travel through gaseous, liquid and solid materials, so option 1 is correct.
P-waves vibrate parallel to the direction of the wave, so option 2 is incorrect.
P-waves exert pressure on the material in the direction of the propagation, As a result it creates density
differences in the material leading to stretching and squeezing of the material, so option 3 is also correct
(D)
Increase in wind speed increases rate of evaporation hence salinity also increases.
Enclosed seas will have higher salinity because of no dilution effect and lesser circulation.

9
58.

(C)
The Bibek Debroy committee report on the restructuring of Indian Railways lays down a five-year roadmap to
evolve a statutory rail regulator, scrap the Rail Budget and make room for more players in an open access regime
which turns the Railways into just another train-service provider in the country.
Committee's recommendations are based on three pillars: commercial accounting, changes in HR and an
independent regulator.
The report envisages the creation of a Railway Ministry eventually with at least three Secretary-level officers
(not attached with the Railway Board) to lay down policy for the rail sector, not just of Railways alone that
should ensure competitionencourage private entry and private investments.
The report makes the existence of an independent, quasi-judicial Railway Regulatory Authority of India a
prerequisite for reforms like un-bundling and restructuring of Railways. It will be up to the Regulator to decide
technical standards, set freight rates and resolve disputes. The Regulator can recommend fare revisions but
these will not be binding on the Railway Ministry.

The Regulator will work under the policy framed by the Ministry, while the present Railway Board will
become a board of Indian Railways the government-run operator alone. The Board itself might be pruned
to having only five secretary-level officers from the present seven.
The Rail Budget should cease to exist after 5 years and the government should take the entire burden of social
cost borne by Railways by way of subsidy.
The first five years will see preparatory work: migration to a commercial accounting system (to figure out the
social cost burden) in two years; uniform induction system of all new Human Resource; and devolution of
powers to General Managers, Divisional Railway Managers and Station Managers.
It recommended separation of railway track construction, train operations, and rolling-stock production units
under different entities to enable open access.
The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation Limited (DFCCL) should be made autonomous and separated
from Indian Railways so that it gives non-discriminatory access to both Indian Railways and private operators.
The Committee does not recommend privatization of Indian Railways. It does, however endorse private
entry with the proviso of an independent regulator. The committee recommended commercial accounting as
without it is difficult to know the rate of return on the projects. Thus Statement 1 is wrong. Statement 2 and 3
are correct. Hence C is the correct answer.
59.

(D)
Minicoy is separated from rest of the Lakshadweep Islands by the 'Nine Degree Channel'

60.

(D)
Ocean currents affect the temperature by transporting heat or cold to different regions. Winds act in a similar
fashion. Natural vegetation impacts the local temperature through dense vegetative cover. For instance, in
amazon forest where sunlight is not able to penetrate the local temperature is cooler. Dark soil have small
albedo compared to light alluvial soil, therefore, to some extent, this also affects the local temperature of a
region.

61.

(C)
A large part of irrigated and (cultivable land) has lost its fertility due to alkanisation& salinity of soils around 8
million ha land) & waterlogging (around 7 million ha) .

62.

(A)
Both Loktak and Kolleru are fresh water Ramsar sites located in Manipur and Andhra Pradesh respectively.
Sasthamkotta lake is a brackish-water lake in Kerala. Similarly, Chilika lake has a status of coastal Ramsar
Site.

63.

(A)
Inversion of temperature takes place only in the troposphere, where majority of atmospheric phenomena takes
place related to weather.

10

64.

(B)
Patagonia desert is a mid-latitude desert. Other mid-latitude deserts are Gobi Turkestan which are formed due
to their interior position in the continent away from the rain-wearing winds. But Patagonian desert is more due
to its rain-shadow position in the leeward side of lofty Andes than continentality.

65.

(C)
The north-south corridor extends from Srinagar to Kanyakumari. The east-West corridor extends from
Porbandar to Silchar. National Waterway 1 extends from Allahabad to Haldia. National Waterway 3 extends
from Kollam to Kottapuram in Kerala.

66.

(C)
South to North, the N-E States are arranged as follows:

67.

Mizoram-Manipur-Nagaland-Arunachal Pradesh. However, Tropic of Cancer passes only through two States of NE India i.e. Mizoram and Tripura
(C)
A mineral, by definition, is any naturally occurring, inorganic substance, often additionally characterized by an
exact crystal structure. Its chemical structure can be exact, or can vary within limits. Native elements that occur
naturally are also considered minerals.
A rock is an indefinite mixture of naturally occurring substances, mainly minerals. Its makeup may vary in
containment of minerals and organic substances, and its composition is never exact.

68.

(C)
Mercury and Venus have no moons. Earth has 1 moon, named Luna in scientific terminology. Mars has 2
moons Deimos and Phobos. Jupiter has 67 confirmed moons. Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are the four
largest moons of Jupiter. Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System. Saturn has 3 named moons,
including Titan, the second largest moon in the solar system. Other important moons of Saturn include Rhea
and Enceladus. Uranus has 27 moons. Its 5 major moons - Miranda, Titania, Oberon, Ariel and Umbriel, are
named after characters in Shakespeare's works. Neptune has 14 moons, Triton being the major one. Pluto has 5
moons, Charon being the largest.

69.

(A)
Rosetta is a space probe built by the European Space Agency launched on 2 March 2004. Along with Philae, its
lander module, Rosetta is performing a detailed study of comet 67P. In November 2014, Philae comet lander
had created space history by becoming first to probe landed on a comet. The historic feat was achieved after it
was dropped on to the surface of Comet 67P by its mothership Rosetta. After successfully landing on the comet
it had worked for 60 hours and had conducted experiments and transmitted that data to Earth before going into
hibernation after its solar-powered battery ran flat. Probe resumed its communication on 14 June 2015 by
sending about 300 packages of data to Earth via its mother ship Rosetta which is still orbiting the comet.
Thre are many active space probes to explore Mars like Mangalyaan, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN
(MAVEN) etc.
IceCube is a particle detector situated at South Pole.
'New Horizon' is an interplanetary space probe with primary mission to perform a flyby study of the Pluto
system, and a secondary mission to fly by and study one or more other Kuiper belt objects.

70.

(C)
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry
of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian
Standards Act, 1986. Thus it is a statutory body. The Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department having
administrative control of the BIS is the ex-officio President of the BIS.

11
The Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 was introduced in Lok Sabha by Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, Minister of
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution on August 7, 2015. Main features:
(a) To establish the Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India.
(b) The Bureau to perform its functions through a Governing Council, which will consist of its President and other
members.
(c) To include goods, services and systems, besides articles and processes under the standardization regime;
(d) To enable the Government to bring under the mandatory certification regime such article, process or service
which it considers necessary from the point of view of health, safety, environment, prevention of
deceptive practices, security etc. This will help consumers receive ISI certified products and will also help in
prevention of import of sub-standard products;

(e) To allow multiple types of simplified conformity assessment schemes including Self Declaration Of
Conformity (SDOC) against any standard which will give multiple simplified options to manufacturers to adhere
to standards and get a certificate of conformity, thus improving the "ease of doing business";
(f) To enable the Central Government to appoint any authority, in addition to the Bureau of Indian Standards, to
verify the conformity of products and services to a standard and issue certificate of conformity;
(g) To enable the Government to implement mandatory hallmarking of precious metal articles;
(h) To strengthen penal provisions for better and effective compliance and enable compounding of offences for
violations;

71.

(i) To provide recall, including product liability of products bearing the Standard Mark, but not conforming to
relevant Indian Standards.
(D)
Bandipur National Park is famous park located in the southern part of Karnataka, while Damodar drains the
Bihar (Northern region).The Bandipur National park is flanked by the Kabini river in the north and the Moyar
river in the south. Keibul Lamjao Wild Life Sanctuary is located in Manipur while Manas river flows in the
Arunachal Pradesh and Assam Bhagwan Mahavir National Park (or
Sanctuary and Mollem National Park) is located in the state of Goa. It contains the famous dudhsagar falls,
which is located over the Mandovi river, which passes through the national park.

72.

(D)
Geologists collect information about Earth's remote interior from several different sources. Some rocks found
at the earth's surface, known as kimberlite and ophiolite, originate deep in the crust and mantle. Some
meteorites are also believed to be representative of the rocks of the earth's mantle and core. These rocks
provide geologists with some idea of the composition of the interior. Another source of information, while
more indirect, is perhaps more important. That source is earthquake, or seismic waves. When an earthquake
occurs anywhere on Earth, seismic waves travel outward from the earthquake's center. The speed, motion, and
direction of seismic waves changes dramatically at different levels within Earth, known as seismic transition
zones.

73.

(B)
Off-shore trade winds and cold currents inhibits moisture ladden wind to bring rain in the regions resulting into
desert formation. Cold current lower the carrying capacity of the winds entering into the region. Moisture
ladden winds enter the continent in lower latitudes from eastern margin and by the time they reach the western
margin, their moisture is mostly exhausted. Hot deserts lie in the subtropical high pressure belts where the air is
descending, a condition least favourable for precipitation.

12
74.

(D)
Tulsi is well known for its myriad medicinal properties - antibacterial, antifungal, antipyretic, antioxidant,
antiseptic and anticancer.
For centuries, the dried leaves have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects. In Sri Lanka this plant is
used as a mosquito repellent.
CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), has published whole genome
sequence of Tulsi. Other medicinal benefits:
It is tused in several systems of traditional medicine, including Ayurveda, Greek, Roman, Siddha, and Unani.
It is used in the preparations to cure various diseases like bronchitis, bronchial asthma, malaria, diarrhea,
dysentery, skin diseases, arthritis, painful eye diseases, chronic fever, insect bite.
It has also been described to possess anti-fertility, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-fungal, anti-microbial,
hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, anti-emetic, anti-spasmodic, analgesic, adaptogenic and diaphoretic actions.

75.

(C)
For dew formation the dew point must be above the freezing point and if it is below the freezing point frost
formation takes place and snowfall may occur.

76.

(C)
Just above the earth surface lies the troposphere extending up to 10 kms on an average in which temperature
decreases with altitude. Above troposphere is stratosphere extending from 10 to 50 kms above the earth surface
where temperature increases with altitude.
Ozone layer lie in this part of atmosphere at the height of 10-15 kms. In the lower part of this layer there is very
little or no weather phenomenon making it suitable for jet flying.

77.

(D)
Temperature inversion occurs when warm air moves over cold surface,bthe air above the surface is colder than
the upper layers and insulates vertical layers, preventing cooling of upper layers, therefore no condensation and
rainfall.
Cumulus clouds are formed when cold air moves over a warm surface, resulting in turbulence, instability and
convection. This can be seen when polar cold air masses move down over sub polar warm surface.
Air masses of different densities do not mix readily, this boundary zone of convergence is called Fronts. In
mid-latitudes temperate cylones are formed in these frontal zones.
Maritime air masses have high humidity and produce large amounts of precipitation, on the other hand
continental air masses are dry and produce less amounts of precipitation.

78.

(A)
Statement 1 is correct: A Chit fund is a kind of savings scheme practiced in India. A chit fund company is a
company that manages, conducts, or supervises such a chit fund, as defined in Section of the Chit Funds Act,
1982.
Statement 2 is correct: The Chit fund business is regulated under the Central Act of Chit Funds Act, 1982.
Rules are framed under this Act by various State Governments for this purpose. The Central Government has
not framed any rules of operation for them. Thus, registration and regulation of Chit funds are carried out by
State Governments under the rules framed by them.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided that Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
can make unlimited investments in chit funds in India on a non-repatriation basis. This implies that an NRI can
get back the proceeds of such investments only in rupee. Earlier, NRIs were not allowed to invest in companies
that were engaged in the business of chit funds.
Hence A is the correct answer.
Functionally, Chit funds are included in the definition of Non- Banking Financial Companies by RBI under the
sub-head miscellaneous non-banking company (MNBC). However, RBI has not laid out any separate
regulatory framework for them.

13

79.

(C)
The newly-floated United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW) is a conglomerate of United
Liberation Front of Assam (Independent), Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), Kamatapur
Liberation Organization (KLO) and National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit). Thus it is Nationalist
Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) group which is a part of the conglomerate and not the Nationalist
Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Munivah). Hence C is the correct answer.
In the wake of the gruesome attack by militants on the Indian Army in Manipur on June 4, 2015, and
intelligence reports warning of more such imminent attacks on Indian soil, the special forces wing of the Indian
Army launched a covert military offensive, allegedly deep inside Myanmar. Nationalist Socialist Council of
Nagaland (Khaplang) millitants were killed by the Indian army.

80.

(D)
Major reef formations are observed in the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Mannar. Some coral reefs around small
inlets in the western part of the Gulf of Khambat have also been observed.

81.

(B)
Tilaiya Dam is located on Barakar River(Jharkhand) Hirakud
Dam located on Mahanadi River (Odisha)
Koyna Dam is on Koyna River, tributary of Krishna River (Maharashtra)

82.

83.

84.

(B)
Ranthambore National Park:
Park lies at the edge of a plateau, and is bounded by north by Banas river and in south by Chambal river.
Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve located at the junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas. It is site
of one of the largest Banyan Tree in India at Jogi Mahal.
The Park is under Project Tiger also.
An important geological feature the 'Great Boundary Fault' where the Vindhya plateaus meet the Aravali hill
ranges, meanders through the Reserve.
(D)
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (MERS
CoV) that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Typical MERS symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
Pneumonia is common, but not always present. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea, have also been
reported.
Approximately 36% of reported patients with MERS have died.
Although the majority of human cases of MERS have been attributed to human-to-human infections, camels
are a major reservoir host for MERS-CoV and an animal source of MERS infection in humans. However, the
exact role of camels in transmission of the virus and the exact route(s) of transmission are unknown. Hence all
statements are correct.
The virus does not seem to pass easily from person to person unless there is close contact, such as occurs when
providing unprotected care to a patient.
(C)
The order of cities from west to east, starting from the date line, is Los Angeles (West Coast), New York (East
Coast), London and Rome.

85.

(D)
Clearly looking at the Southern India map Palconda Hills are in the north followed by Javadi, Shevaroy and
Palani is located in transverse mode as southernmost hills.

86.

(D)
Magnetic storms are caused when earth's magnetic field is impacted by solar flares (due to sunspot cycle) or
magnetic clouds. They cause disruption of electric grids, functioning of radar, radio and magnetic compass as
ionosphere and magnetic field of earth got affected.
Aurora event got shifted to lower latitude than general due to magnetic storms. Pendulum functions on
gravitation of earth which is not impacted hence, they did not hamper its functioning (statement 3 incorrect)

87.

(B)
Jet streams are high velocity winds associated with the troposphere.
Hence, statement 1 is incorrect. Density is highest on the surface of the earth. It gradually decreases on going
upwards (Therefore, density of Troposphere>Stratosphere>Mesosphere>Thermosphere).
Electrically charged layer Ionosphere reflects the radiowaves transmitted from the earth, this helps in
communication.
Since, Ionosphere is a part of Thermosphere, hence Thermosphere helps in communication. Temperature in
Mesosphere decreases with height.

88.

(A)
Bora wind blows in the eastern shore of Adriatic Sea during winter. Gibli blows in Libya during summer and
Chinook blows in the interior west of North America during winter.

89.

(B)

High temperature coupled with air convergence reduces the pressure of the equatorial region. Humidity and
Coriolis force does not impact the pressure of equatorial region.
90.

(A)
Blue green algae: Pre-cambrian era Fish:
Palaezoic era
Frog: Mesozoic era Ape:
Cainozoic era
How to arrive at the answer:
Bacteria and other unicellular organisms were the first species. Hence, options c and d can be eliminated. Also,
we are closest to ape genetically. Hence, it must be the last specie before humans.

91.

(C)
Left hand tributaries of Kaveri are : Herangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, and Akravati Right hand tributaries of Kaveri
are: Lakshamantirtha, Kabini, Amravati, Bhawani

92.

(A)
World heritage sites are places of importance of cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World
Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Western Ghats, Kaziranga Wildlife sanctuary and Humayun's tomb
have been recognised as World heritage sites, however remains at Nalanda and Golden temple are part of the
tentative list submitted by India to UNESCO for acceptance.

93.

(A)
El-Nino refers to a a condition of unusual warming of peru current resulting in heavy rainfall in west coastal
region of south America and drought like condition in India, Indonesia and Australia and other south Asian
regions.

94.

(B)
Denser the material, higher the velocity. Hence, velocity increases as waves moves from crust to core. Density
of crust is 3g/cm^3, while that of mantle and core are 3.4g/cm^3 and 5g/cm^3 respectively.
Both P and S waves provide an idea about the interior of earth. How? P waves bend as it enters the mantle. It
suggests that the medium has changed (in this case: solid to molten).
While, S waves travel only through the solid state. This characteristic helps scientists in understanding the
interior of the earth.

95.

(D)
All of these are tropical cyclones. Temperate cyclones are not named as they occur throughout the year

96.

(A)
AIIB is designed to finance infrastructure projects including energy, transport and infrastructure projects in
Asia-Pacific region.
Membership: While a number of Western and European countries, including Australia, Germany and France
have joined the Bank, the US and Japan have stayed away citing reservations about its openness. The AIIB is
seen as a rival to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Members have been allocated their capital share on quota basis i.e. based on their economic size.
Voting share: for each member country it is based on the size of their economy and not on authorised capital
share to the Bank. China is the largest shareholder followed by India and Russia.
The voting rights of member countries are not equal. The voting shares of China, India and Russia are 26.06%,
7.5% and 5.92%, respectively. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
Its HQ are located in Beijing. Hence, only statement 1 is correct.

97.

(C)
Statement 1 is incorrect: Tsunamis are generated by undersea earthquakes and volcanic eruptions alongwith
other factors such as, displacement of seawater due to landslides, fall of meteorites and asteroids in the ocean.
Hence, statement 1 is wrong.

Statement 2 is incorrect: As the tsunami waves approach the shore, the water depth becomes shallower, waves
slow down, wavelength becomes shorter and the waves gain larger amplitude or heights and become
destructive.
Statement 3 is correct.
98.

(D)
Statement 1 is correct: Antarctica owing to its unique and isolated environment provides unique opportunities to
scientists to learn more about the Earth. It is therefore also called a 'continent for science'.
Statement 2 is correct: Queen Maud Range divides the continent almost into two equal parts.
Statement 3 is correct: Mount Erebus is an active volcano located on it, is the southernmost active volcano on
Earth.

Benj
99.

(C)
Statement 1 is correct: The plate tectonic theory proposes that the earth's lithosphere is divided into
seven major plates namely:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Antarctica and the surrunding oceanic plate

North American plate
South American plate
Pacific plate
India-Australia-New Zealand plate
Africa with eastern Atlantic floor plate
Eurasia and the adjacent oceanic plate

Statement 2 is correct: The boundary between India and the Antarctic plate is a divergent boundary.
100.

(A)
The Global Apollo Programme aims to make the cost of clean electricity lower than that from coalfired power stations across the world within 10 years. It calls for 15 billion British Pounds a year of
spending on research, development and demonstration of green energy and energy storage, the same
funding in todays money that the US Apollo programme spent in putting astronauts on the moon.
India has shown willingness to join the programme. Notably, India and China, both are large
economies powered by the fossil fuels, will be central to the plan.

The End---