National (Current Affairs – UPSC) (Part-II)

Total Questions: 50

41. Which one of the following Himalay an Passes was reopened around in the middle of the year 2006 to facilitate trade between India and China? [2007]

(a) Chang La
(b) Jara La
(c) Nathu La
(d) Shipki La

Correct Answer: (c) Nathu La

Solution:Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Himalayas. It connects the Indian state of Sikkim with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Nathu La is a trading border post between China and India. It was sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Nathu La was re-opened in 2006.

42. Consider the following statements: [2007]

1. In the year 2006, India successfully tested a full fledged cryogenic stage in rocketry.

2. After USA, Russia and China, India is the only country to have acquired the capability for use of cryogenic stage in rocketry.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 & 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: (a) 1 only

Solution:In October 2006, ISRO achieved a major milestone in the development of indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage for GSLV when the stage was tested for duration of 50 seconds. Cryogenic technology is used by countries like United States, Russia, Japan, China, and France.

43. For which one of the following books did Kiran Desai win the Man Booker prize 2006? [2007]

(a) The Secret River
(b) In the Country of Men
(c) The Inheritance of Loss
(d) Mother's Milk

Correct Answer: (c) The Inheritance of Loss

Solution:The Inheritance of Loss is the second novel by Indian author Kiran Desai. It won the Man Booker Prize for that year 2006.

44. What was the purpose of the Operation Sukoon launched by the Government of India? [2007]

(a) Helping Indonesia in its efforts to rehabilitate the victims of earthquake in that country.
(b) Evacuating the Indian Nationals from Lebanon during the conflict in the Middle East.
(c) Assisting United Nations in its efforts to help the civil war victims in the Darfur region of North Africa.
(d) Providing a relief package to farmers after a spate of suicides by other farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

Correct Answer: (b) Evacuating the Indian Nationals from Lebanon during the conflict in the Middle East.

Solution:Operation Sukoon was an operation launched by the Indian Navy to evacuate Indian, Sri Lankan and Nepalese nationals, as well as Lebanese nationals with Indian spouses, from the conflict zone during the 2006 Lebanon War.

45. Which one of the following organizations won the CSIR Award for Science and Technology (S&T) Innovations for Rural Development, 2006? [2007]

(a) CLRI
(b) IARI
(c) NDDB
(d) NDRI

Correct Answer: (a) CLRI

Solution:Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), received the first ever CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development in 2006.

46. Consider the following statements: [2007]

1. China has the observer's status at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

2. India has the observer's status at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 & 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: (c) Both 1 & 2

Solution:States with observer status include Australia, China, the European Union, Iran, Japan, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea and the United States. India has observer status in the SCO.

Iran has recently joined the group, which already comprises Russia, India, China, Pakistan and 4 Central Asian countries as full members, SCO is likely to play a key role in the efforts for a political and diplomatic solution to the situation in Afghanistan.

47. MCA-21 is a major initiative taken up by the Government of India in which one of the following areas? [2007]

(a) Foreign direct investment in India
(b) Attracting international tourists
(c) E-governance
(d) Modernization of airports

Correct Answer: (c) E-governance

Solution:The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has introduced the MCA21 e-Governance programme with a view to providing all services relating to ROC offices on-line in e-Governance mode.

48. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists: [2007]

List-I (Person)	List-II (Known As)
A. John C Mather	1. Co-founder of Microsoft
B. Michael Griffin	2. Space Walker
C. Paul G Allen	3. Administrator of NASA
D. Piers Sellers	4. Nobel Prize Winner, 2006 in Physics

Codes:

	A	B	C	D
(a)	4	2	1	3
(b)	3	1	2	4
(c)	3	2	1	4
(d)	4	1	2	3

Correct Answer: (c)

Solution:

List-I (Person)	List-II (Known As)
John C. Mather	Nobel Prize Winner-2006 (Physics)
Michael Griffin	NASA Administrator
Paul G Allen	Microsoft Co-founder
Piers Sellers	Space Walker

49. Basel II relates to which one of the following? [2007]

(a) International standards for safety in civil aviation.
(b) Measures against cyber crimes.
(c) Measures against drug abuse by sportspersons.
(d) International standards for measuring the adequacy of a bank's capital.

Correct Answer: (d) International standards for measuring the adequacy of a bank's capital.

Solution:Basel II is the second of the Basel Accords, which are recommendations on banking laws and regulations issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

The purpose of Basel II, which was initially published in June 2004, is to create an international standard that banking regulators can use when creating regulations about how much capital banks need to put aside to guard against the types of financial and operational risks banks face.

50. Tarapore Committee was associated with which one of the following? [2007]

(a) Special Economic Zones.
(b) Fuller capital account convertibility.
(c) Foreign exchange reserves.
(d) Effect of oil-prices on the Indian economy.

Correct Answer: (b) Fuller capital account convertibility.

Solution:The Tarapore committee was setup by the Reserve Bank of India in 1997 under the chairmanship of former RBI deputy governor S S Tarapore to "lay the road map" to capital account convertibility.

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