An independent state of Israel was born on:
- (A) 14th May, 1947
- (B) 14th May, 1948
- (C) 14th May, 1949
- (D) 14th May, 1950
- (B) 14th May, 1948
Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948. On this day, David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, declared the establishment of the State of Israel in Tel Aviv, at the end of the British Mandate in Palestine.
Elephant Pass is located in:
- (A) India
- (B) Nepal
- (C) Sri Lanka
- (D) Bhutan
- (C) Sri Lanka
Elephant Pass is located in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka and represents a narrow and very important isthmus. It connects the mainland of the island to the Jaffna Peninsula, due to which it has also been given the nickname “Gateway to the Peninsula.”
Nelson Mandela was released from jail after being jailed for:
- (A) 20 years
- (B) 23 years
- (C) 27 years
- (D) 29 years
- (C) 27 years
Nelson Mandela was released from prison on February 11, 1990, after serving 27 years for conspiracy to overthrow the state, sabotage, and other crimes related to his anti-apartheid activism in South Africa. He was arrested in 1962 and received a life sentence in 1964.
Kyoto Protocol talks about:
- (A) Employment
- (B) Trade
- (C) Pollution
- (D) Agriculture
- (C) Pollution
The Kyoto Protocol, which was adopted in 1997, is an international treaty that focuses on reducing the emissions of six greenhouse gases, which include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. These are pollutants that contribute to global warming and climate change. The protocol required developed countries to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases to an average of 5.2 percent below the 1990 level during the first commitment period, which ran from 2008 to 2012.
The maximum fixation of solar energy is done by:
- (A) Bacteria
- (B) Fungi
- (C) Green plants
- (D) Protozoa
- (C) Green plants
Green plants are the largest solar energy absorbers on Earth. By the process of photosynthesis, they trap light and convert it into chemical energy in the form of glucose. They form the primary level of the food chain as they are the energy source for all other heterotrophic organisms. In terms of efficiency, green plants on Earth contribute to about two-thirds of the total photosynthetic activity on the planet. They also help in trapping carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, thus supporting life on Earth.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in 1931 at:
- (A) Bombay
- (B) Delhi
- (C) Agra
- (D) London
- (B) Delhi
The Gandhi-Irwin Pact, signed on March 5, 1931, in Delhi, between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India, ended the Civil Disobedience Movement and paved the way for Indian representation at the Second Round Table Conference in London.Note: The signing took place on 5 March 1931, in Delhi, not in London. It is often referred to as the “Delhi Pact”. It was a pact between Gandhi and Lord Irwin. Although Gandhi later went to London in 1931 for the Second Round Table Conference, the pact was signed in Delhi.
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded in:
- (A) 1948
- (B) 1964
- (C) 1973
- (D) 1978
- (B) 1964
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded on May 28, 1964, in Jerusalem. It was a result of the first Palestinian National Council meeting, which was initiated by the Arab League, with the aim of creating a umbrella organization for Palestinians and liberating Palestine through armed struggle.
The saltiest lake in the world is:
- (A) Lake Assal
- (B) Dead Sea
- (C) Don Juan Pond
- (D) Caspian Sea
- (C) Don Juan Pond
Don Juan Pond in Antarctica is known for being the saltiest body of water in the world, with salinity levels frequently exceeding 40% and sometimes reaching mid-40s. This high level of salt, which is primarily calcium chloride, prevents the pond from freezing when air temperatures are as low as −50 °C (−58 °F).
Lake Assal, in Djibouti, is the saltiest lake in Africa and one of the saltiest in the world, with a salinity of about 34.8%—although Don Juan Pond is saltier than Lake Assal.
The Dead Sea, between Jordan and Israel, is famous for its salinity (about 34.2%) and being the deepest hypersaline lake in the world, although its salinity is lower than that of Lake Assal and Don Juan Pond.
The Caspian Sea is the largest inland water body, but its salinity is quite low, at only 1.2%, which is only one-third as salty as regular seawater.
The country with the largest natural gas reserves is:
- (A) America
- (B) Saudi Arabia
- (C) Iran
- (D) Russia
- (D) Russia
Russia holds the world’s largest proven natural gas reserves, estimated at 47,800 to 48,000 billion cubic meters (approximately 1,700 trillion cubic feet). This is close to a quarter of the total gas reserves in the world. Most of these gas reserves are found in Siberia and the Arctic shelf.
Which of the following is not the member of OPEC?
- (A) Iran
- (B) Jordan
- (C) Iraq
- (D) Kuwait
- (B) Jordan
Jordan has never been a member of OPEC. Although it is located in the Middle East, it does not produce enough oil to export to qualify for membership and actually imports more energy than it exports.