In which region is New Zealand situated?
- (a) Oceania
- (b) Asia
- (c) Middle East
- (d) Europe
- (a) Oceania
New Zealand is an island country located in the southwest Pacific Ocean and is considered an important part of Oceania. It is located in the Australasia and Polynesia regions, 2,000 kilometers southeast of Australia, with the Tasman Sea separating the two countries.
Which continent is sometimes referred to as the “8th continent” due to its unique geological features?
- (a) West Indies
- (b) Oceania
- (c) Middle East
- (d) Zealandia
- (d) Zealandia
Zealandia, also known as Te Riu-a-Maui, is a huge landmass that lies mostly beneath the ocean and was given the official name of Earth’s eighth continent by geologists in 2017. It meets the fundamental geological requirements: it is raised considerably compared to the surrounding ocean floor, its crust is thicker and less dense than the ocean crust, and it has well-defined boundaries that stretch over 4.9 million square kilometers. About 94 percent of Zealandia is hidden beneath the ocean floor, but the most prominent above-ground features are New Zealand and New Caledonia.
Which day is the shortest in the Northern Hemisphere?
- (a) Summer solstice
- (b) Winter solstice
- (c) Vernal equinox
- (d) Autumnal equinox
- (b) Winter solstice
The day with the least amount of daylight and the longest night of the year for us in the Northern Hemisphere is known as the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice occurs when the North Pole is positioned as far away as possible from the Sun. This usually occurs on either the 21st or 22nd of December. On this day, the Sun’s arc is at its lowest.
How many surahs in the Quran start with the phrase “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah)?
- (a) 111
- (b) 112
- (c) 113
- (d) 114
- (c) 113
There are 114 instances of Bismillah in the Quran. Out of these 114 instances, 113 are at the beginning of the surahs (with the exception of Surah Tawbah), while there is one more occurrence of Bismillah in Surah Naml (at the beginning of the surah and also within the surah itself). Thus, the total remains 114.
Light year is a unit of measurement used in which context?
- (a) Volume
- (b) Time
- (c) Weight
- (d) Distance
- (d) Distance
A light-year is a unit of distance used mostly to measure enormous gaps between celestial bodies. The light-year measures how far light travels in a vacuum over a span of one Julian year (365.25 days). Since light travels at an astonishing speed of 300,000 km/s, one light-year converts to approximately 9.46 trillion km or 5.88 trillion miles.
What is the unit of pressure?
- (a) Coulomb
- (b) Length
- (c) Ampere
- (d) Pascal
- (d) Pascal
Pressure is defined as the amount of force distributed over a specific area. Mathematically, this is expressed by: P = F / A, where F is measured in newtons and A is measured in square meters.
The SI unit is called a Pascal, which is defined by:
1 Pascal = 1 newton/square meter, or
1 Pascal = 1 N/m².
The Pascal is named after Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician and physicist, and represents how much force is applied over an area. For instance, if you apply a force of 10 N over an area of 2 m², then: P = 10 / 2 = 5 Pa
1 Pascal = 1 newton/square meter, or
1 Pascal = 1 N/m².
Which is the largest industry in Pakistan in terms of revenue?
- (a) Agriculture industry
- (b) Textile industry
- (c) Information technology industry
- (d) Automobile industry
- (b) Textile industry
The Pakistani textile industry represents the biggest manufacturing industry in the country, which contributes to the economy in many different ways. The textile industry contributes to half to slightly more than half of the overall export earnings of the country, which equates to 50-60%. In addition, it contributes to the overall GDP of the country, which lies between 8.5% to 13%. The biggest employment provider in the industrial sector is the textile industry, which employs 40-45% of the industrial workforce.
Which type of process is “boiling of an egg”?
- (a) Physical change
- (b) Chemical change
- (c) Nuclear reaction
- (d) Biological process
- (b) Chemical change
Boiling an egg is a chemical change because it involves a permanent change in the chemical structure of the egg. This is because, during boiling, the globular proteins, which include albumin, uncoil and break their original hydrogen bonds. This leads to the formation of new, strong covalent bonds with each other, a phenomenon referred to as coagulation.
“Rickets” is a disease due to a deficiency of which nutrient?
- (a) Vitamin B
- (b) Vitamin K
- (c) Iron
- (d) Vitamin D
- (d) Vitamin D
Rickets is a sickness caused by a deficiency of Vitamin D. When it occurs in children, it presents itself as soft bones. This happens due to a severe deficiency of Vitamin D. Although it occurs due to a deficiency of Vitamin D, it can also occur due to a deficiency of calcium or phosphate.
What does the term “subway” refer to?
- (a) Highway tunnel
- (b) Elevated walkway
- (c) Underground railway system
- (d) Pedestrian bridge
- (c) Underground railway system
The subway is an electrically powered rapid transportation system, electric underground railway system that is meant to carry large numbers of people in urban areas, as well as their outskirts. While it is known by different names, like London’s “Underground” or “Tube,” or “Metro” in many other regions, the basic concept remains the same: it is a fast rail network that operates on its own track, usually hidden away in a tunnel.