World Panorama (UPSC) Part-II

Total Questions: 50

1. For which one of the following countries is Spanish not an official language? [2005]

Correct Answer: (c) Republic of Congo
Solution:

French is the official language of Republic of Congo, not Spanish. But spanish is the official language of chile, Columbia and Cuba.
About Democratic Republic of the Congo
• It is located in Central Africa with the equator passing through the country.
• Bordering countries: Angola, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia.
• The country also has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest.
• High Point: The highest point in the Republic of the Congo is Mount Nabemba.
• Major River: Congo River
• Important plateau region: Katanga. The plateaus are mostly covered in savanna grasslands, with patches of forests in the valleys and lower areas.
• Lakes: It has famous lakes like Lake Tanganyika, Lake Albert, Lake Edward, Lake Kivu
• Volcanoes: Mount Nyiragongo which is an active volcano located in Virunga Mountains.
• Natural Resources: The DRC is rich in natural resources such as industrial diamonds, cobalt, and copper, and it has large forest reserves and significant hydroelectric potential.
• Capital city: Kinshasa.

2. What was Komagata Maru? [2005]

Correct Answer: (c) A naval ship on yoyage to Canada.
Solution:Komagata Maru was a Japanese ship carrying passengers from Singapore to Vancouver. The ship was anchored at Calcutta in September 1914.

Komagata Maru incident of 1914 marked a pivotal moment in the Indian freedom struggle, highlighting racial discrimination against Indian immigrants. Gurdit Singh chartered the Japanese ship to transport 376 passengers to Canada, but they were denied entry due to Canada’s discriminatory immigration laws. The ship was forced to return to India, underscoring the injustices of colonial rule.

Komagata Maru incident fueled the Ghadar Movement, with revolutionaries highlighting colonial injustices and mobilizing support for Indian independence. It ignited unrest in Punjab, strengthening anti-colonial sentiment and becoming a powerful symbol of resistance against racial discrimination. The incident’s legacy inspired future generations to continue the fight for India’s freedom.

3. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? [2005]

British PrimePolitical Party
(a) John MajorConservative Party
(b) James CallaghanLabour Party
(c) Harold WilsonConservative Party
(d) Margaret ThatcherConservative Party
Correct Answer: (c)
Solution:John Major Conservative Party 1990 James Callaghan Labour Party - 1976 Margaret Thatcher Conservative Party 1979 Edward Heath Conservative Party - 1970 Harold Wilson Labour Party - 1964

4. Which one of the following cities is the seat of Parliament of South Africa? [2005]

Correct Answer: (d) Cape Town
Solution:Since, 1910 as the seat of Parliament, Cape Town has been the legislative capital of South Africa, Pretoria the Administrative capital and Bloemfontein the Judicial Capital.

5. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? [2006]

Correct Answer: (a) Slovenia - Bratislava
Solution:Slovenia's Capital is Ljublijana, and Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia.

6. What is the Universal Product Code (UPC) adopted for? [2006]

Correct Answer: (c) Bar code
Solution:

The Universal Product Code (UPC) is a barcode symbology (i.e., a specific type of barcode) that is widely used in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and in other countries for tracking trade items in stores.

• Barcode was co-developed by George Laurier and Norman Joseph Woodland in 1973.

Types of Barcode:
One-dimensional barcode:

  • Numeric-only barcodes: barcodes consisting of only numbers.
  • Alpha-numeric barcodes: contain a combination of numbers and alphabetic characters.

Two-dimensional Barcode: It is in the shape of a square or rectangle and contains many small dots arranged in a unique pattern. It is also known as Quick Response (QR) code.

7. What is the new administrative capital proposed for Myanmar? [2006]

Correct Answer: (d) Pyinmana
Solution:Pyinmana is a logging town and sugarcane refinery center in the Naypyidaw Union Territory of Myanmar. The administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a militarized greenfield site two miles west of Pyinmana on November 6, 2005.

8. Consider the following statements: [2006]

1. Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General is from Nigeria.

2. Kofi Annan is the First UN Secretary General to be appointed from the ranks of the United Nations Staff.

3. Kofi Annan was appointed for a second term to the office of the UN Secretary General.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only
Solution:Kofi Annan of Ghana is the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations. The first Secretary-General to be elected from the ranks of United Nations staff, he began his term on 1 January 1997. On 29 June 2001, acting on a recommendation by the Security Council, the General Assembly appointed him by acclamation to a second term of office, beginning on 1 January 2002 and ending on 31 December 2006.

9. Consider the following statements: [2006]

1. The Nobel Prize Awarding Ceremony takes place on December 10, of every year.

2. The Nobel Prize for Literature was added later on to the other five areas: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology of Medicine, Peace and Economics.

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

Correct Answer: (a) 1 only
Solution:Since 1901, the Nobel Prizes have been presented to the Laureates at ceremonies on 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. As stipulated in the will of the Swedish-born inventor and international industrialist Alfred Nobel, which was opened after his death in 1896, the Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine and Literature are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, while the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway.

10. In which one of the following films did the Nobel Laureate Pearl S. Buck collaborate? [2006]

Correct Answer: (b) Guide
Solution:The screenplay of the film 'The Guide' had been written by Nobel Laureate Pearl S Buck.