UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | May 26 to June 01, 2024 | UPSC Current Affairs News

1. It is an irregular motion caused by circular whirls and vertical currents of air.

2. It can cause erratic changes in orientation with respect to the horizon.

3. It does not cause a change in altitude.

4. It occurs only on the edges of jet streams.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 2

Vivekananda Rock was recently in news. It is located in:

(a) Pithoragarh

(b) Ladakh

(c) Kanyakumari

(d) Hyderabad

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Virupaksha Temple, consider the following statements:

1. The temple is built in the Dravidian style with extensive inner and outer enclosures.

2. It is a revered Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

3. The temple is believed to have been built during the rule of the Vijayanagara Empire.

4. The temple does not have garbhagriha.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements:

1. She became the queen of the Malwa region under the Maratha rule in 1767 following the deaths of her husband and father-in-law.

2. She is known to have renovated several temples across the country, most importantly the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.

3. She pioneered education for women and worked on women’s empowerment during her three-decade reign.

The above mentioned statements refer to:

(a) Rani Durgawati

(b) Tarabai

(c) Kittur Chennamma

(d) Ahilyabai Holkar

QUESTION 5

Comilla-Sonamura border was recently in news due to illegal entry into India. The border demarcates:

(a) India-Myanmar

(b) India-China

(c) India-Bangladesh

(d) India-Bhutan

QUESTION 6

With reference to the Rudra missile, consider the following statements:

1. It is an indigenously-developed solid-propelled missile system.

2. It is a surface-to-air missile.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 7

Consider the following statements about the Colombo Process:

1. The Colombo Process is a regional consultative forum comprising member states of Asia, Europe and North America.

2. India has become chair of regional grouping Colombo Process for the third consecutive time.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 8

Consider the following pairs:

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 9

With reference to the Exercise SHAKTI, consider the following statements:

1. It is a Joint Military Exercise between India and Russia.

2. It is an annual training event.

3. The seventh edition of the Exercise SHAKTI was concluded in Meghalaya.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 10

Recently, the Government of India extended an immediate relief assistance of $1 million to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in:

(a) Nepal

(b) Nigeria

(c) Djibouti

(d) Papua New Guinea

QUESTION 11

With reference to what PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) polar mission is expected to achieve, consider the following:

1. Provide new information on how Earth’s atmosphere and how ice influences the amount of heat being radiated out to space from the Arctic and Antarctic.

2. Understand why the Antarctic has warmed more than 2.5 times faster than the rest of the planet since the 1970s.

3. Give scientists a better idea of how efficiently far-infrared heat is emitted by matter like snow and sea ice, and how clouds influence the amount of far-infrared radiation that escapes to space.

4. Help researchers better predict how the heat exchange between Earth and space will change in the future, and how those changes will affect phenomena like ice sheet melting, atmospheric temperatures, and global weather.

5. Provide answers to critical questions on climate change using a platform that costs less than a full-size satellite.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only

(b) 2, 3 and 5 only

(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only

(d) All of the above

QUESTION 12

With reference to Agnibaan SOrTeD (Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator) recently seen in news, consider the following statements:

1. It is the first launch by a private startup in India.

2. It is the world’s first launch vehicle to use a single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine.

Which of the statement/s given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 13

Which of the following statements is correct with reference to ‘Zig’ recently seen in news:

(a) Most distant known galaxy founded by James Webb Space Telescope.

(b) One of the rare minerals found in India that are not classified as rare earths, but are equally valuable and scarce.

(c) An AI tool used for digital recreation of a crime scene

(d) It is a new gold-backed currency of an African country.

QUESTION 14

According to the IMD, the onset of the monsoon marks a crucial transition in the large-scale atmospheric and ocean circulations in the Indo-Pacific region, and the Department announces it only after certain defined and measurable parameters, adopted in 2016, are met. Which of the following are not the parameters:

(a) If at least 60 per cent of 14 designated meteorological stations in Kerala and Lakshadweep record at least 2.5 mm of rain for two consecutive days at any time after May 10.

(b) The depth of westerlies should be up to 600 hectopascal in the area bounded by the equator to 10ºN latitude, and from longitude 55ºE to 80ºE.

(c) The INSAT-derived Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) value should be below 200 watt per sq m (wm2) in the box confined by 5-10ºN latitude and 70-75ºE latitude.

(d) If the size of a Tropical Cyclone over Arabian seas starts varying from 50-100 km radius to 600 km.

QUESTION 15

India’s “All We Imagine As Light”, was recently seen in news because:

(a) It won the ‘Best Global Music Album award’ at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

(b) It won the Golden Peacock at the 55th International Film Festival of India

(c) It won the Grand Prix prize at the Cannes Film Festival

(d) It made history as the first book by an Indian author to receive the International Booker Prize.

ANSWERS TO THE MCQ

1. (b)

FYI:

— The Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore encountered abrupt and severe turbulence over Myanmar. One passenger died, and over 70 passengers and crew were injured, some seriously.

— It could happen close to the ground, with strong winds acting on aircraft taking off or landing; or at higher altitudes, with a “updraft” or downward flow of air affecting aircraft flying through or near storm clouds. Turbulence also occurs on the fringes of jet streams, which are powerful, rapid, and narrow air currents that round the Earth. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— Turbulence is irregular motion experienced by aircraft, which is caused by circular whirls (eddies) and vertical currents (updrafts and downdrafts) of air. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The United States National Weather Service (NWS) says turbulence could be light, moderate, severe, or extreme.

— Light turbulence could cause tiny irregular variations in orientation with respect to the horizon, affecting the aircraft’s height and attitude. Hence, statement 2 is correct and statement 3 is not correct.

— During moderate turbulence, aircraft may undergo more significant fluctuations in altitude and attitude, but the plane remains under control.

— Severe turbulence causes considerable and fast fluctuations in height and attitude, and the aircraft may suddenly lose control.

— The NWS states that mechanical, thermal or convective, frontal, or wind-shear forces can all be responsible for turbulence.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (c)

FYI:

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to visit and meditate at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, from May 30 to June 1 to mark the culmination of BJP’s Lok Sabha election campaign.

— The Vivekananda Rock is a tiny rocky islet located some 500 metres from Kanyakumari’s Vavathurai beach, the southern tip of mainland India, at the confluence of the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

— It can be accessed via a 15-minute ferry service from Vavathurai.

— In 1892, however, Swami Vivekananda, the revered Hindu philosopher-saint, swam from the shores of Kanyakumari to the rocky islet to meditate. His disciples believe that he meditated there for three days and three nights, and attained enlightenment.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

3. (b)

FYI:

— A portion of the Virupaksha temple in Karnataka collapsed following torrential rains.

— However, ASI officials claimed that the temple’s restoration work, including the pavilion, was already underway, and that the rains caused its preemptive collapse.

— The Virupakshi Temple in Mulbagal, in Karnataka’s Kolar district, is a celebrated Hindu shrine devoted to Lord Virupaksha, a manifestation of Lord Shiva. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Virupakshi Temple is one of the few temples with an athma linga, and it is well-known for the linga’s ability to change colour.

— The Virupakshi Temple has a long history and is thought to have been established during the Vijayanagara Empire’s dominance in the 14th century. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

The temple is designed in the Dravidian architecture, with large inner and outer walls and three entrances. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Tejolingam in the shape of an Atmalinga inside the garbhagriha is supposed to have been honey-colored in the morning before turning white and different hues by dusk. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— The temple contains a huge kalyanamantapa in its south-east corner.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

4. (d)

FYI:

— On her 299th birthday, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) president Mohan Bhagwat paid respect to queen Ahilyabai Holkar, who delivered “good governance”.

— She was born on May 31, 1725. Despite being a single woman (widowed), she not only governed but also extended her realm and offered effective governance. She is suitable for any administrative position. She built industries to provide jobs, cared for the poorer elements of society, streamlined the kingdom’s taxing structure, considered farmers, and treated her people as if they were her own children.

— Holkar became the queen of the Malwa region under the Maratha rule in 1767 following the deaths of her husband and father-in-law.

— She pioneered education for women at a time when it was forbidden and worked on women’s empowerment during her three-decade reign, regarded among the most prosperous periods of the central Indian region.

— She is known to have renovated several temples across the country, most importantly the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

5. (c)

FYI:

— Three Bangladeshi nationals were arrested at the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Agartala.

— The official said the Bangladeshi nationals admitted to having entered India through the Comilla-Sonamura border in Tripura’s Sepahijala district.

— According to state police sources, dozens of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas cross the India-Bangladesh border illegally each month. Later, they are transported to other parts of the country using bogus documents.

— Using digital surveillance and tracking, the NIA and BSF caught 29 touts across the country in November and December last year. Five were arrested in Tripura.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

6. (a)

FYI:

— India successfully test-fired a Rudra air-to-surface missile from a Su-30 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) off the coast of Odisha.

— RudraM-II is an indigenously-developed solid-propelled air-launched missile system. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It is meant for air-to-surface role to neutralise several types of enemy assets. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The flight-test met all the trial objectives, validating the propulsion system and control and guidance algorithm.

— The missile has been validated from the flight data captured by range tracking instruments like electro-optical systems, radar and telemetry stations deployed at various locations, including the on-board ship.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

7. (d)

FYI:

— The Colombo Process is a regional consultative forum comprising 12 member states of Asia. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— India has become chair of regional grouping Colombo Process for the first time since its inception in 2003. India assumed the Chair of Colombo Process for 2024-26. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Colombo Process is a Regional Consultative Process of migrant workers origin countries from South and SE Asia. It serves as a forum for exchange of best practices on overseas employment.

— The Colombo Process addresses five thematic priority areas:

(a) Skills and Qualification Recognition Processes

(b) Fostering Ethical Recruitment Practices

(c) Pre-departure Orientation and Empowerment

(d) Promote Cheaper, Faster and Safer Transfer of Remittances

(e) Labor Market Analysis

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.iom.int)

8. (a)

FYI:

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

9. (a)

FYI:

— The seventh edition of the India- France Joint Military Exercise SHAKTI concluded, at the Umroi Joint training node in Meghalaya. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 3 is correct.

— It is a biennial training event conducted alternatively in both India and France. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The Indian Army contingent comprising of 90 personnel was represented by the 22nd Battalion of the Rajput Regiment.

— The exercise was primarily focused on operations in the semi-urban and mountainous terrain. Two sides shared their best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for conducting joint operations.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

10. (d)

FYI:

— The Government of India extended an immediate relief assistance of $1 million to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the Papua New Guinea, in the wake of a devastating landslide.

— Papua New Guinea is a close friend and partner in the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), and in a show of solidarity with the friendly people of Papua New Guinea, the Government of India has extended an immediate relief assistance of $1 million to support relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts.

— On May 24, 2024, a devastating landslip destroyed dozens of homes and buried entire families in a distant community in Papua New Guinea’s isolated Enga province.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

11. (c)

FYI:

— A NASA polar mission will soon fill the gaps in knowledge of two of the most remote regions on Earth — the Arctic and Antarctic — and how it is shedding heat upward into space.

— The first of NASA’s tiny twin satellites as part of the PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) polar mission is set to be launched from New Zealand on May 22.

— The second CubeSat is targeting a launch two weeks following the first launch, according to the space agency.

— Here are 5 things the mission is expected to achieve:

(i) Provide new information on how Earth’s atmosphere and how ice influences the amount of heat being radiated out to space from the Arctic and Antarctic.

(ii) Understand why the Arctic has warmed more than 2½ times faster than the rest of the planet since the 1970s. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

(iii) Give scientists a better idea of how efficiently far-infrared heat is emitted by matter like snow and sea ice, and how clouds influence the amount of far-infrared radiation that escapes to space.

(iv) Help researchers better predict how the heat exchange between Earth and space will change in the future, and how those changes will affect phenomena like ice sheet melting, atmospheric temperatures, and global weather.

(v) Provide answers to critical questions on climate change using a platform that costs less than a full-size satellite.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

12. (b)

FYI:

— Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos on Thursday successfully launched its first sub-orbital test vehicle powered by the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine, after calling off its launch at least four times previously. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Agnibaan SOrTeD (Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator) lifted off at 7.15 am on Thursday in a mission of many firsts. While it is the second launch by a private startup in India, it is the first to use a private launchpad that the company has set up at the country’s only operational spaceport at Sriharikota. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

13. (d)

FYI:

— To address its long-standing economic instability, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has launched a new gold-backed currency called the ZiG, short for Zimbabwe Gold, replacing the Zimbabwean dollar on April 5, 2024.

— This innovative legal tender aims to provide stability and restore confidence in the country’s financial system after years of crippling hyperinflation and exchange rate volatility.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

14. (d)

FYI:

What does the ‘onset of monsoon’ mean?

— The onset of the monsoon over Kerala marks the beginning of the four-month, June-September southwest monsoon season over India, which brings more than 70% of the country’s annual rainfall. The onset of the monsoon is a significant day in India’s economic calendar.

— According to the IMD, the onset of the monsoon marks a crucial transition in the large-scale atmospheric and ocean circulations in the Indo-Pacific region, and the Department announces it only after certain defined and measurable parameters, adopted in 2016, are met. Broadly, the IMD checks for the consistency of rainfall over a defined geography, its intensity, and wind speed.

— Rainfall: The IMD declares the onset of the monsoon if at least 60% of 14 designated meteorological stations in Kerala and Lakshadweep record at least 2.5 mm of rain for two consecutive days at any time after May 10. In such a situation, the onset over Kerala is declared on the second day, provided specific wind and temperature criteria are also fulfilled.

— The 14 enlisted stations are: Minicoy, Amini, Thiruvananthapuram, Punalur, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Thalassery, Kannur, Kasaragod, and Mangaluru.

— Wind field: The depth of westerlies — prevailing winds that blow from the west at midlatitudes — should be up to 600 hectopascals (1 hPa is equal to 1 millibar of pressure) in the area bound by the equator to 10ºN latitude, and from longitude 55ºE to 80ºE. The zonal wind speed over the area bound by 5-10ºN latitude and 70-80ºE longitude should be of the order of 15-20 knots (28-37 kph) at 925 hPa.

— Heat: According to IMD, the INSAT-derived Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) value (a measure of the energy emitted to space by the Earth’s surface, oceans, and atmosphere) should be below 200 watt per sq m (wm2) in the box confined by 5-10ºN latitude and 70-75ºE latitude.

— In general, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands start receiving monsoon rainfall between May 15 and May 20 every year, and it usually starts raining along the Kerala coast in the last week of May. However, the onset is not officially declared until the prescribed conditions (above) are met.

Hence, (d) is not the parameter.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

15. (c)

FYI:

— The Cannes Film Festival, held from May 14 to 25 this year, saw several Indian artists win major prizes and receive critical acclaim for their works. Director Payal Kapadia’s debut feature film, All We Imagine As Light, won the coveted Grand Prix prize.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

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