April 19 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Fort Emmanuel, located at Fort Kochi Beach in Kochi, Kerala, was built by the Portuguese as a testament to their presence and influence in the region.
• In September 1503, Afonso de Albuquerque received permission from the King of Kochi to build Fort Emmanuel along the Arabian Sea waterfront.
• The fort served as a strategic point for trade and defense, facilitating the alliance between the local ruler Unni Ramman Koyil and the Portuguese monarchy.
• This alliance allowed the Portuguese to establish control over the lucrative spice trade routes along the Malabar Coast.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• After the decline of Portuguese power, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) sought to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean region.
• In 1683, the Dutch captured Fort Kochi, displacing the Portuguese.
• During their rule, the Dutch made significant changes to the fort’s structure and administration.
• However, in 1795, the British forces defeated the Dutch, leading to the transfer of Fort Kochi and other Dutch possessions to British control.

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• South China Sea is an arm of the western Pacific Ocean that borders the Southeast Asian mainland.
• Bordered by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
• It is connected by the Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by the Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea (both marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean).

  

Statement 2 is correct

• China asserts its claim to approximately 90% of the South China Sea based on the historical U-shaped nine-dash line drawn on a map in the 1940s.
• The Nine-Dash Line is not an international boundary between China and Vietnam.
• It pertains to territorial claims in the South China Sea, not geographical divisions between continents.
• This line encompasses several islands, notably the Paracels and Spratlys.
• However, the Permanent Court of Arbitration under the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) has determined that China’s claim in this region lacks a legal foundation.

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Composite volcanoes, also called stratovolcanoes, are named for their composition. These volcanoes are built from layers, or strata, of pyroclastic material, including lava, pumice, volcanic ash, and tephra. The layers stack on each other with each eruption.
• The volcanoes form steep cones, rather than rounded shapes, because the magma is viscous.
• Composite volcano magma is felsic, which means it contains silicate-rich minerals rhyolite, andesite, and dacite.

  

Statement 2 is correct

• Composite volcanoes tend to occur in chains, with each volcano several kilometers from the next.
• The “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific Ocean consists of stratovolcanoes.

  

• Famous examples of composite volcanoes include Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in Washington State, and Mayon Volcano in the Philippines.

Statement 3 is correct

• To date, composite volcanoes have only been found on one other body in the solar system: Mars.
• Zephyria Tholus on Mars is believed to be an extinct stratovolcano.

Answer: (d) None; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is not a Constitutional body; it is a statutory body established under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.
• The maximum tenure of the Chairperson and other members of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is 5 years.

Statement 2 is correct

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has jurisdiction over all civil cases where a substantial question relating to the environment is involved, including the enforcement of any legal rights related to the environment.
• It does not handle criminal cases.
• The Chairperson of the NGT is appointed by the Central Government of India after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, as per the provisions of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The National Framework of Early Childhood Stimulation, 2024, titled “Navchetana” is designed to guide early childhood development from birth to three years.
• This framework emphasizes the importance of starting a child’s learning process from month zero.
• The curriculum outlined in the framework is activity-based and aligns with the National Education Policy, 2020.
• The activities focus on stimulating all senses, especially sight and touch, to help children reach developmental milestones and foster early language, literacy, and numeracy skills.
• The framework provides detailed month-by-month activities for parents, anganwadi staff, and ASHA workers.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The framework focuses on responsive caregiving and play, not integrating technology.
• For instance, in the first year, activities involve reaching for objects, imitating sounds, and exploring different textures using household items like cups, bottles, and fabric pieces.
• As the child grows, activities progress to more complex tasks such as feeding themselves, playing with dough, and sorting objects.
• By emphasizing the importance of early learning and providing practical guidance, the framework aims to lay a strong foundation for children’s future learning and success.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• An RCT typically compares a proposed new treatment (called the experimental treatment) against an existing standard of care (called the control treatment).
• Participants in RCTs differ from one another in known and unknown ways that can influence study outcomes.
• By randomly allocating participants to different treatments, an RCT enables statistical control over these influences.
• If no generally accepted treatment exists, a placebo may be used in the control group to blind participants to their treatment allocations. Effective blinding isolates physiological effects from psychological biases.
• Examples of RCTs include clinical trials that compare the effects of drugs, surgical techniques, medical devices, diagnostic procedures, diets, or other medical treatments.
• Why RCTs Matter:
  • RCTs are considered the gold standard for clinical trials because they rigorously control for confounding factors and selection bias.
  • Blinding helps reduce experimenter and subject biases.
  • Well-designed and properly conducted RCTs provide compelling evidence about treatment efficacy and potential adverse effects.

Answer: (b) Evaluate the efficacy and safety of a treatment or intervention; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• A trade deficit occurs when a country’s imports exceed its exports, which can lead to a negative impact on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• This is because GDP is calculated as the sum of a nation’s domestic production and its net exports (exports minus imports).
• When imports are greater than exports, the net exports figure is negative, which can reduce the overall GDP.

Answer: (d) Gross Domestic Product (GDP); Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) is a component of GDP that reflects the Value of Acquisitions of new or existing fixed assets by the business sector, governments, and households, minus Disposals of fixed assets.
• It indicates the amount of resources invested in fixed assets rather than consumed.
• GFCF is crucial as it contributes to the production capacity of an economy, which in turn influences economic growth and living standards.
• It measures the additions to the capital stock of buildings, equipment, and inventories, i.e., additions to the capacity to produce more goods and income in the future.
• In national accounting, GFCF is considered a form of investment expenditure.
• It includes outlays on additions to the fixed assets of the economy plus net changes in the level of inventories, indicating investment in the productive capacity of the economy.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Purchases of stocks and bonds are not included in GFCF.
• GFCF measures investment in physical assets and does not include financial assets such as stocks and bonds.
• It is concerned with the value of net additions to fixed assets, excluding financial assets.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• Cloud seeding is a fascinating technique used in weather modification.
• Its goal is to alter precipitation patterns by introducing specific substances into clouds.

  

• How It Works:
  • Substances (such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, and dry ice) are dispersed into the air.
  • These substances act as cloud condensation nuclei or ice nuclei.
  • They encourage the formation of cloud droplets or ice crystals, which can lead to precipitation.
• Methods:
• Static Seeding: Promotes ice particle formation in supercooled clouds to enhance precipitation.
• Dynamic Seeding: Aims to stimulate convective cloud development by releasing latent heat.
• Agents: Commonly used agents include silver iodide, potassium iodide, and dry ice.
  • Recently, hygroscopic materials like table salt have gained popularity due to their moisture-attracting properties.

Answer: (d) They act as ice nuclei, providing surfaces for water vapor to condense and freeze, forming snowflakes or hail; Difficulty Level: Medium