November 20 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

• Silicon-carbon batteries are an advanced type of battery technology that uses a silicon-carbon composite for the anode instead of the traditional graphite used in lithium-ion batteries.
• This allows for higher energy storage capacity and improved performance.

Options 1 and 2 are correct, and options 3 and 4 are incorrect

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Both the statements are correct

• Coal India Ltd (CIL) received the Green World Awards 2024 in London in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) category along with the distinguished title of Green World Ambassador.
• This award has been given to CIL for exemplary work in the field of CSR, i.e. Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojna for permanent curative treatment of more than 600 Thalassemia patients through stem cell transplant, also known as Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT).
• Green World Awards:
  • Launch Year: 1994
  • Organiser: The Green Organisation.
  • Purpose: To recognise and reward environmental best practices and CSR efforts.
  • Categories: Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards in various environmental categories.
  • Green World Champion: The highest scorer in each category is declared a Green World Champion.
  • Champion of Champions: The overall highest scorer is declared the Green World Champion of Champions and gets the honour of hosting the next year’s awards in their country at no cost.
  • Eligibility: Open to companies, organisations, governments, ministries, departments, agencies, and individuals who have made significant contributions to the environment.
  • Entry Process: Entries are invited from anyone working within commerce, industry, national, regional, or local government. Multiple entries can be submitted in different categories.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Cicadas belong to the order Hemiptera and the superfamily Cicadoidea. They are known as true bugs, featuring mouthparts designed for piercing and sucking, along with two pairs of wings.
• Geographic Distribution: Cicadas are present on every continent except Antarctica. India and Bangladesh exhibit the highest genetic diversity of cicadas, followed by China.

Statement 2 is correct

• Emergence: Cicadas have intricate life cycles involving prolonged underground development and brief adult emergence. Three species emerge every 17 years, and three species that emerge every 13 years.
• Life Cycle: Cicadas spend the majority of their lives underground, where they develop and feed on plant sap. Their underground phase can last for many years.
• Habitat: Most cicadas are canopy dwellers found in natural forests with large trees.

Statement 3 is correct

• Cicadas don’t bite or sting, nor do they carry any diseases.
• The bugs are beneficial to the environment, acting as natural tree gardeners.
• The holes they leave behind when they emerge from the ground help aerate the soil, allow rainwater to get underground, and nourish tree roots in summer.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• India’s Agricultural Exports:
  • Growth: Agri-exports rose from $8.7 billion in 2004-05 to $53.1 billion in 2022-23, a six-fold increase.
  • Global Share: 2.4% of global agricultural exports in 2022 (WTO Trade Statistical Review).
  • Major Commodities: Rice, wheat, sugar, spices, and cotton dominate exports.
  • Export Markets: United States, UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal and Malaysia.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• India is the second-largest producer and fourth-largest exporter of tea globally.
• Tea exports stood at 188.76 million kg, valued at $793.78 million in 2022-23.
• Export Destinations: UAE, Russia, Iran, USA, and UK.

Statement 3 is correct

• India is the second-largest sugar producer, contributing 34 million metric tonnes annually.
• Exports grew 64.9%, generating ₹1 lakh crore in 2021-22.
• Key Markets: Exported to 121 countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia and UAE.

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

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• AroTrack, a portable device for detecting harmful pollutants in water like phenol, benzene, and xylenols, addressing water pollution concerns.
• Features:
  • Biosensor Technology: AroTrack utilises proteins from bacteria that thrive in polluted environments to identify aromatic pollutants.
  • Chemical Reaction Mechanism: The protein in the biosensor undergoes ATP hydrolysis when aromatic compounds are present, resulting in a colour change detectable by the device.
  • MopR Biosensing Module: Developed from the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus bacteria, MopR is a sensitive sensor for detecting phenol. Modified MopR detects other benzene and xylenol pollutants.
  • Detection Range and Efficiency: AroTrack detects aromatic pollutants in concentrations as low as 10-200 parts per billion, matching the accuracy of modern spectrophotometers.
  • ATP Hydrolysis is A chemical reaction where the energy from ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is released by breaking the bonds, crucial for various cellular processes.

Answer: (a) Detecting harmful aromatic pollutants in water like phenol, benzene, and xylenols; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Aphantasia is a phenomenon where individuals cannot form or use mental images during their thinking or imagination processes.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• It is not categorised as a medical condition, disorder, or disability but rather a characteristic similar to being right or left-handed.
• Imagination involves the brain simulating experiences based on knowledge or past events. This can involve seeing, hearing, tasting, and more.
• In Aphantasia, the mind’s eye doesn’t visualise things, so the imagination functions differently.
• Aphantasia isn’t a medical or mental health condition, so it doesn’t need treatment.

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

Explanation

• China is growing its trade power in South America by building a new port in Chancay, Peru.

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Location of Peru: Located in western South America, entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Borders: Shares borders with Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia to the southeast, Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct

• Economy: Peru is the world’s second-largest copper producer and also produces gold, zinc.
• Main import goods: Petroleum oils, transmitter equipment, automobiles.
• Main import partners: China (23.3%), United States (21.3%), Brazil (5.6%).

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Statements 1 and 3 are correct

• The Hindon River is a tributary of the Yamuna River and primarily relies on rainfall.
• Source: Originates from the lower Shivalik ranges in Saharanpur District, Uttar Pradesh.
• Flow: Travels across the industrial belt of Western Uttar Pradesh for approximately 400 kilometres before merging with the Yamuna River in Noida.
• Main Tributaries: Kali (West) River and the Krishni River.
• Pollution Issue: Urban, agricultural, and industrial wastes are released into the river without adequate treatment. It is one of the most polluted sections of the Ganga basin.
• 2015 CPCB Report: The Central Pollution Control Board declared the Hindon a ‘dead river’ in 2015 due to its severe pollution levels, rendering it ‘unfit’ even for bathing in several sections.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• It is a statutory body established under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. 
• It was later empowered with responsibilities under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
• CPCB provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests in line with the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Medium