August 02-2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Both statements are correct

• A sudden movement of rock, boulders, earth, or debris down a slope under the impact of gravity is termed a landslide.
• Comparison between landslides in the Western Ghats and the Himalayas:

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• The Legal Advisory Council (LAC) objective would be to anticipate the impact, challenges, and gaps in forthcoming laws and policies that the government is deliberating and/or finalizing.

Option (a) is incorrect

• The objective of the LAC is to anticipate the impact, challenges, and gaps in forthcoming laws and policies, not to oversee the implementation of existing laws.

Option (c) is incorrect

• The composition of the LAC includes legal luminaries, eminent jurists, prominent academicians, and researchers with specializations in varied fields, not representatives from various government ministries.

Option (d) is incorrect

• The LAC is proposed to address legal issues of national and social importance and to examine the legal viability and impact assessments of policies and laws, not to replace the Law Commission of India.

Answer: (b) The Legal Advisory Council (LAC) was established to anticipate the impact, challenges, and gaps in forthcoming laws and policies that the government is deliberating and/or finalizing; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 2 is correct, Statements 1 and 3 are incorrect

• An open natural ecosystem is characterized by a grassy understory and scattered native tree species, which are maintained by disturbance regimes such as grazing and fire.
• More trees in open ecosystems like savannahs and grasslands have significantly reduced native grassland bird populations.
• As per a study, high woody encroachment in several national parks in India had shrunk grassland habitats by 34%, and tree cover increased by 8.7%.
• Threats to open ecosystems include
  • Woody Encroachment: Leads to significant declines in grassland birds and specialist rodents. For example, the Banni grasslands of Kutch.
  • Woody encroachment involves the conversion of open habitats into areas with greater tree cover or shrub density, resulting in ecosystem homogenization.
  • Invasive Species: Planted to combat desertification and provide firewood. For example, the introduction of Prosopis Juliflora, in the Banni grasslands, has transformed large areas into Prosopis woodland.
  • Plantations: Plantations of non-native species have caused significant ecological changes. For example, eucalyptus in the Shola grasslands and Malabar silk-cotton trees in the wet terai grasslands of the Himalayas, cause disruptions in the region.
  • Large-scale infrastructure and Development Projects: Often encroach on open ecosystems, leading to habitat loss and fragmentation.
  • Overgrazing: In the Sahel region of Africa, overgrazing by livestock has resulted in soil degradation, loss of native vegetation, and increased susceptibility to invasive species.
  • Climate Change: Increased atmospheric CO2 levels due to climate change promote the growth of deep-rooted woody plants in grasslands.
  • Intensive Agriculture: This leads to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss, soil erosion, water depletion, and pollution.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

• FSSAI has taken steps like Eat Right School Programme to promote healthy food habits among school students.
• It launched as part of the Eat Right India Initiative, it aims to educate school children on food safety, nutrition, and hygiene.
• The Eat Right School Programme includes:
  • Eat Right School Certification.
  • Eat Right matrix, a monitoring and evaluation tool that promotes a safe and wholesome environment for children.
  • Eat Right resource materials are integrated into school curricula for students and utilized for teacher training programs to ensure a robust and informed approach to food safety and nutrition education.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body established by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to set science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

Answer: (c) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Both statements are correct

• Retroviruses are unique viruses with RNA as their genetic material.
• Reverse Transcriptase: Once inside a host cell, retroviruses use an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to convert their RNA into DNA allowing the viral genetic material to be integrated into the host’s genome.
• Integration: The newly synthesized viral DNA is integrated into the host cell’s DNA by another viral enzyme called integrase. This integrated DNA is referred to as a provirus.
• Cancer Links: Some retroviruses carry oncogenes, which are genes that can induce cancer in host cells. These viruses are known as oncogenic retroviruses.
• Genetic Variability: The reverse transcription process is prone to errors, leading to a high mutation rate. This variability helps retroviruses evade the host immune system and adapt to different environments.
• Persistent Infections: Because of the integration into the host genome, retroviruses can establish long-term infections. The provirus can remain dormant for long periods, making eradication challenging.

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Article 200 addresses the Governor’s powers regarding assent to bills passed by the State legislature, allowing the Governor to reserve the bill for the President’s consideration.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct

• In one case such reservation is obligatory, that is, where the bill passed by the state legislature endangers the position of the state high court.
• In addition, the governor can also reserve the bill if it is of the following nature:
  • Ultra-vires, that is, against the provisions of the Constitution.
  • Opposed to the Directive Principles of State Policy.
  • Against the larger interest of the country.
  • Of grave national importance.
  • Dealing with compulsory acquisition of property under the Constitution.

Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium