General Studies Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2008

1. Consider the following statement :
1. Dead Sea is the saltiest body of water in the world.
2. Dead Sea lies at the mouth of the river Jordan.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only.
(b) 2 only.
(c) Both 1 an 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2
ANS (c) 2. Consider the following statement :
1. Mangolia is the hand-locked country.
2. Bolivia ia a land-locked country.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only.
(b) 2 only.
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANS (d) 3. Consider the following statement :
1. Eucalyptus forest make up the majority of the woodland and forest areas of the Australian continent.
2. Mallees is a specie of eucalyptus.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANS (C) 4. Consider the following statement :
1. The world geography comes from the Latin world geographia.
2. Hippalus, a geographer and historian, wrote a 17-volume Geography in early century BC.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANS (d) 5. Consider the following statement :
1. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
2. Mahabodhi Temple Complex.
3. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka.
4. Champaner-Pavagadh Archeological Park.
Which of these sites are included in the World Heritage Sites? (a) 1 and 2
(b) 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
ANS (d) 6. Who among the following has won the Femina Miss India World 2008 crown?
a) Parvathy Omanakuttan
b) Sindhura Gadde
c) Niharika Singh
d) Amrita Singh
ANS (a) 7. What does CECA stands for?
A) Community-Enabled Cooperative Arrangement.
B) Comprehensive Ecological Cooperation Agreement.
C) Comprehensive Ecological Cooperation Arrangement
D) Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
ANS (d) 8. Sania Mirza became the first Indian woman to win which of the following titles?
A) Hyderabad Open Singles.
B) Dubai Open Singles.
C) Paris Indoor Open.
D) Chennali Open Singles.
ANS (a)
9. Where is Tala Hydrochloric Project, which is expected to generate 1020 MW power, located?
A) Arunachal Pradesh.
B) Nepal
C) Himachal Pradesh
D) Bhutan
ANS (d) 10. Who among the following is the winner of the man Booker Prize 2007?
A) Doris Lessing
B) Nadine Gordimer
C) Milan Kundera
D) Anne Enright
ANS (d) 11. Who hold the record of Fastest Man on Earth?
A) Tim Montgomery
B) Justin Gatlin
C) Donovan Bailey
D) Asafa Powell
ANS (d)
12. The newly constituted National Knowledge Commission is headed by :
A) C Rangarajan
B) Prof. R.S. Sharma
C) Sam Pitroda
D) Ms. Girija Vyas
ANS (c)
13. Pope Benedict XVI belongs to which country?
A) Italy
B) Germany
C) France
D) Poland
ANS (b)
14. The Sethusamudram Project connects :
A) Gulf of Manner and Palk Strait
B) Bay of Bangal and Palk of Strait
C) Gulf of Manner Bay of Bangal
D) Arabian Sea and Bay of Bangal
ANS (c)
15. Who is the author of the book "My Life"?
A) Bill Clinton
B) Hillary Clinton
C) Dalai Lama
D) Imran Khan
ANS (a)
16. Where is the famous Meenakshi Temple situated?
A) Mysore
B) Bhubaneswar
C) Madurai
D) Pune
ANS (c)
17. Indian enacted an important event of Indian National Movement celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary. Which was it?
A) Quit India Movement
B) Delhi Chalo Movement
C) Civil Disobedience Movement
D) Non-Cooperation Movement
ANS (c) 18. Who among the following is the Director-General of World Trade Organisation?
A) Thaksin Shinawatra
B) Liang Guanglie
C) Pascal Lamy
D) Paul Wolfowitz
ANS (c)
19. The Indian Navy's online sailing ship which returned to Kochi after a 10-month voyage around the globe, is:
A) INS Vibhuti
B) INS Trangini
C) INS Prabhat
D) INS Viraat
ANS (b)
20. Which of the following statements related to Reliance Group is not correct?
A) Mr. Mukesh Ambani is the head of Reliance Infocom.
B) Mr. Anil Ambani is the head of Reliance Energy Limited.
C) Reliance Group is the largest business house of India.
D) The revenue of the Reliance Group is equivalent to nearly 3.5 percent of India's GDP.
ANS (a)
21. Who among the following is the Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes?
(a) Prasanna Kumar Misra
(b) P.C.Jha
(c) Indra Noyee
(d) Sam Pitroda
ANS (a)

UPSC (PT) Current events of April 2008

April 1, 2008 (2008-04-01) (Tuesday)

A human rights group in Sri Lanka has blamed local security forces for the massacre of 17 aid workers in 2006 and accused the government of a cover-up.
The Swedish national postal service will merge with its Danish counterpart, the new group will be based in Stockholm.
Finland's Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva is forced to resign after a scandal involving 200 text messages sent to a stripper.
India warns the Dalai Lama not to anger the People's Republic of China.
Delays in releasing the official results of parliamentary and presidential elections in Zimbabwe are met with widespread speculation and concerns over possible vote rigging.
Current events of April 2, 2008 (2008-04-02) (Wednesday)

Leader of the House of Commons Harriet Harman becomes the first Labour woman ever to answer Prime Minister's Questions.
A cross human-cow embryo survives a third straight day after being fertilized at Newcastle University, England. A director for embryonic stem cell laboratories at the Australian Stem Cell Centre said that the "99 per cent human" embryo could improve research within the field of human diseases. The Catholic Church in England however said that the creation was "monstrous" and says that the later destruction of it is unethical.
The United States House of Representatives votes to provide $50 billion over five years to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa and other third world areas.
Suspended Serb prison workers from Lipljan, Kosovo, claim that Serbia has not paid them money promised for leaving the Kosovo institutions.
Talks begin in Priština on demarcation of the border between Macedonia and Kosovo.
Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern announces he will resign on 6 May after 11 years of rule.
A strong cold front sweeps across south-eastern Australia, bringing destructive winds to South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. In Melbourne, a woman died when part of a wall collapsed in the suburb of Mentone.
The European Union announces an investigation into the bailout of the Northern Rock bank in the United Kingdom.
The President of the United States George W. Bush supports the bids by Georgia and Ukraine to become members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Cuban citizens now have access to what were formerly "tourist-only" hotels and cellphones.
Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change defeats Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF in the Zimbabean parliamentary elections.
Current events of April 3, 2008 (2008-04-03) (Thursday)
An Antonov An-28 operated by Blue Wing Airlines crashes upon landing in Benzdorp, Suriname. All nineteen on board are presumed dead.
Zimbabwean presidential election, 2008:
Police in riot gear surround a hotel in Harare housing foreign journalists. New York Times correspondent Barry Bearak, Daily Telegraph correspondent Stephen Bevan, and two others are arrested.
MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti reports that police have begun raiding opposition party offices in an apparent "crackdown".
Bagatur is named the acting Chairman of Inner Mongolia, succeeding Yang Jing, who is the new minister in charge of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.
Jules Verne, the first European Automated Transfer Vehicle, successfully performs a fully automated docking with the International Space Station.
In a procedural decision, the European Court of Justice overturns the addition of the Kurdish rebel organization PKK to the EU's terrorist blacklist.
Serbian Minister on Kosovo Slobodan Samardžić submits to UNMIK a plan suggesting Kosovo's division into cantons along ethnic lines.
Greek and Turkish Cypriots open a crossing at Ledra Street, a main shopping street in Cyprus' divided capital Nicosia that has come to symbolize the island's ethnic partition.
The Iraqi military says a suicide bomber has attacked a checkpoint near Mosul, killing 7 people and wounding 12.
At its summit in Bucharest, NATO invites Albania and Croatia to join the alliance.
CURRENT EVEENTS of April 4, 2008 (2008-04-04) (Friday)
Former commander of the rebel Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1998–99 war Ramush Haradinaj is acquitted of war crimes charges by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
United States airline Skybus announces that it will be shutting down Saturday and cancels all flights.
The United States Department of State renews the contract of Blackwater Worldwide to provide security in Iraq despite a number of ongoing investigations.
A suicide bomb attack kills three policemen and a civilian in southern Afghanistan.
The luxury yacht Le Ponant is seized by pirates off the Somalian coast.
Current events of April 5, 2008 (2008-04-05) (Saturday)
A bus carrying high school band students tips over on Interstate 94 northwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, killing one person and leaving three others in critical condition.
183 women and children are taken into protective custody from the YFZ Ranch compound linked to polygamist Warren Jeffs.
Comply or Die ridden by Timmy Murphy, wins the 2008 Grand National at Aintree by four lengths.
The 4th series of Sci Fi phenomenon Doctor Who started drawing 9.5 million viewers on BBC1 at 6:20 PM.
Current events of April 6, 2008 (2008-04-06) (Sunday)
Mark Penn resigns as chief strategist for the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign. This comes in the wake of revelations that he performed lobbying work for the Colombian government, regarding a free trade pact that Senator Clinton opposes.
One man grabs the Olympic torch before police wrestle him to the ground as thousands of anti-China protesters disrupt the Olympic torch relay through London.
Gunmen kidnap 42 university students near the Iraqi city of Mosul. They are later released unharmed.
Twenty people are killed and 50 injured in overnight clashes in Sadr City in Baghdad.
A rocket attack on the Green Zone in Baghdad results in the death of two United States Army soldiers and 17 injuries.
President of the United States George W. Bush and President of Russia Vladimir Putin hold their final talks in their current positions.
At least ten people including Government minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle are killed in an explosion near Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Vandals desecrate 148 Muslim graves in France's biggest WWI cemetery at Notre Dame de Lorette outside Arras in northern France.
Current events of April 7, 2008 (2008-04-07) (Monday)
The European Commission approves the use of mobile phones on European flights.
The Kansas Jayhawks defeat the Memphis Tigers in overtime, 75-68, to win the 2008 U.S. Division I men's college basketball championship.
The Washington Post wins six Pulitzer Prizes including the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for a series of articles of poor conditions for veterans at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
2008 Summer Olympics
The Olympic torch is extinguished by officials as police are confronted by protesters during the Olympic torch relay through Paris.
U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton calls on President George W. Bush to boycott the opening ceremony at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.
The head of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge says he's "very concerned" about unrest in Tibet and other issues associated with the Summer Olympics.
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the Summer Olympiad claims that the "Olympic torch has received a warm welcome worldwide." (Beijing 2008)
China and New Zealand sign a free trade agreement. This is China's first trade agreement with a developed nation.

Current events of April 8, 2008 (2008-04-08) (Tuesday)
The first Korean astronaut, Yi So-yeon and two Russian Expedition 17 cosmonauts are launched towards the International Space Station on board Soyuz TMA-12. Movement for Democratic Change Secretary General Tendai Biti calls for international intervention to thwart violence in the wake of the Zimbabwean presidential election.
Current events of April 9, 2008 (2008-04-09) (Wednesday)
The Olympic torch relay through San Francisco descends into confusion as the first runner in the elaborately planned relay disappears into a warehouse on a waterfront pier. The body representing all National Olympic Committees says it had deleted a mention of Tibet in its Beijing Games declaration after a debate among its members. American Airlines cancels more than 1,000 flights in order to make sure some wiring on its fleet of 300 MD-80 jetliners was secured correctly inside wheel wells. Police in Nepal shoot dead six Maoists the day before the holding of Constituent Assembly elections. (ABC Radio Australia) Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council approves changes to the system of government on Sark, ending about 450 years of feudalism on the Channel Island.
Current events of April 10, 2008 (2008-04-10) (Thursday)
Mayor Anders Lago of Södertälje, Sweden, says that his small city of about 80,000 is currently home to nearly 6,000 Iraqis. "More refugees than the United States and Canada together". Frontier Airlines files for bankruptcy protection. 2008 Summer Olympics: The European Parliament passes a resolution in favor of a boycott of the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympiad. IOC president Jacques Rogge calls for China to respect its commitment to improve human rights ahead of the Beijing Games. The Olympic torch arrives in Buenos Aires for the Olympic torch relay under heavy security. A suicide car bomber attacks a NATO convoy in Kandahar, resulting in the death of eight citizens. Nepal prepares for an election that will decide the new Constituent Assembly, tasked with rewriting the constitution. The fate of the monarchy is also at stake.
Current events of April 11, 2008 (2008-04-11) (Friday)
The President of Cuba Raúl Castro allows thousands of renters to gain title to their own houses. A fire destroys the campaign office of Senator Hillary Clinton in Terre Haute, Indiana. Somalian pirates release 30 hostages (mostly French) kidnapped aboard Le Ponant in the Gulf of Aden a week ago.
Current events of April 12, 2008 (2008-04-12) (Saturday)
The National Assembly of Haiti removes the Prime Minister of Haiti Jacques-Edouard Alexis following a week of food riots in which six deaths had occurred. The President of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao meets with the Vice-President-elect of Republic of China (Taiwan) Vincent Siew in the highest level talks between the two sides since 1949. The Herald, a government-run newspaper, reports that Robert Mugabe, the President of Zimbabwe, will not attend the regional crisis meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, to discuss the crisis over the 2008 presidential election. International reaction to the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence: Russia threatens to block Ban Ki Moon from serving a second term as United Nations Secretary-General because of his stance on Kosovo's recent independence. The Kremlin is pressing Ban to ignore, or at least prolong, a proposed 120-day transition period to Kosovo independence from Serbia that expires on 16 June. Renewal of Serbia-Kosovo talks is possible. A Sudanese cargo plane crashes in Moldova, killing eight people. A call to boycott French hypermart Carrefour from 1 May began spreading through mobile text messaging and online chat rooms amongst the Chinese over the weekend from 12 April, accusing the company's major shareholder, the LVMH Group, of donating funds to the Dalai Lama. There were also calls to extend the boycott to include French luxury goods and cosmetic products.According to the Washington Times on April 15, however, the Chinese government was attempting to "calm the situation" through censorship: "All comments posted on popular Internet forum Sohu.com relating to a boycott of Carrefour have been deleted.
Current events of April 13, 2008 (2008-04-13) (Sunday)
Trevor Immelman of South Africa wins the 2008 Masters Tournament. Robert Zoellick, the president of the World Bank, calls for immediate action to tackle rising food prices which have caused rioting in several countries. Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Hajredin Kuçi announces that the newly independent country plans to open 20 embassies abroad. The Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd announces that current Governor of Queensland Quentin Bryce will become Australia's next Governor-General. Ms Bryce will be the first woman appointed to the role. Thousands of pro-China demonstrators gathered in front of the Canadian Parliament Building in Ottawa to show their support for the Chinese government and 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Current events of April 14, 2008 (2008-04-14) (Monday)
The Nevado del Huila volcano erupts in Colombia, causing thousands to evacuate. Delta Air Lines reaches an agreement with Northwest Airlines to take over Northwest and create the world's biggest airline. The United States begins occupying its new US$736 million embassy in Iraq, one of the largest embassies in the world. Presently under construction, it is approximately as large as the Vatican City and will permanently employ thousands of Americans, including a Marine detachment. Silvio Berlusconi is re-elected for the third time as the Prime Minister of Italy. (AP via The International Herald Tribune) Nabucco Pipeline: Turkmenistan agrees to supply 10 billion cubic metres of natural gas to the European Union per annum, to reduce the bloc's dependence on gas from Russia. Passenger trains resume between Dhaka in Bangladesh and the Indian city of Calcutta, after 43 years. Taliban insurgents attack a checkpoint in southern Afghanistan killing 11 police officers. The World Bank announces a package of emergency measures to tackle the dramatic rise in basic food prices which has led to civil unrest throughout much of the developing world.
Current events of April 15, 2008 (2008-04-15) (Tuesday)
A five-year ban preventing prominent Malaysian Opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim from running for office in Malaysia effectively expires midnight . A plane from Hewa Bora Airways crashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least 44. War in Iraq: Two separate bombings in Baquba and Ramadi kills at least 60. (CNN) Six students and a teacher from Manukau City's Elim Christian College die in a canyoning trip on the Mangatepopo Stream in the North Island's Tongariro National Park in New Zealand.
Current events of April 16, 2008 (2008-04-16) (Wednesday)
A Zimbabwean judge clears two British journalists of reporting on the 2008 presidential election without accreditation. Around 44 people, mostly children, die after a bus plunges into the Narmada River in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The United States Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of lethal injection as a form of capital punishment over Eighth Amendment "cruel and unusual punishment" challenges.
Current events of April 17, 2008 (2008-04-17) (Thursday)
South Korean special prosecutors investigating Samsung Group indict the Chairman Lee Kun-hee for tax evasion and breach of trust. In Malta held the casual election to elect 12 other parliament members, 6 for the Malta Labour Party (MLP) and 6 for the Partit Nazzjonalista (PN), before opening the new parliament of Malta on 11 May, 2008.
Current events of April 18, 2008 (2008-04-18) (Friday)
CNN news anchor Richard Quest is arrested for possession of methamphetamine in New York's Central Park. Texas judge rules that 418 children taken from the YFZ Ranch should remain in state custody for 60 days South Korea agrees to open its market to beef from the United States ahead of trade talks. A magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurs at 04:37 Central Standard Time with its epicenter six miles (10 km) from West Salem, Illinois. Effects are felt as far off as Evansville, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Detroit and Cleveland. While shaking was reported in Chicago, St. Louis and Cincinnati, there are few reports of damage.
Current events of April 19, 2008 (2008-04-19) (Saturday)
Muqtada al-Sadr threatens a new rebellion if a United States-Iraqi crackdown against his followers continues. Soyuz TMA-11 lands safely outside Arkalyk, 475 kilometers (295 mi) short of the planned landing site in Kazakhstan, due to a computer glitch. 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay: Chinese nationalists boycott the French-owned retail chain Carrefour in cities including Kunming, Hefei and Wuhan, accusing the French people of racism. Protesters block customers with large flags and throw water bottles. In Hefei, a Carrefour store was vandalized and looted by protesters. A South African court blocks unloading of the An Yue Jiang, a Chinese cargo ship carrying 77 tonnes of small arms bound for Zimbabwe, purportedly from the Chinese Ministry of Defense. According to reports, the ship has since left for Mozambique.

Current events of April 20, 2008 (2008-04-20) (Sunday)
Former bishop Fernando Lugo is elected as the President of Paraguay. (AFP via Google News) Radio Television of Kosovo wants to participate as soon as possible in the Eurovision Song Contest and therefore aims to join the European Broadcasting Union. Some EBU members such as Serbia, Russia and Greece may object, as they don't recognise the new Republic of Kosovo. Danica Patrick becomes the first woman to win a race in any top-flight American motor racing series with her victory in IndyCar's 2008 Indy Japan 300. The New York Times publishes an exposé on the Pentagon message machine. (The New York Times) Brazilian priest Adelir Antonio de Carli goes missing after cluster ballooning to raise money for truck drivers in Paranaguá, Paraná.
Current events of April 21, 2008 (2008-04-21) (Monday)
Rioting breaks out in Montreal after the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL win their first round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. Several police cars are torched, but there are no reports of any serious injuries. A missile hits the headquarters of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council political party in Baghdad. No one is reported injured. A boat carrying Haitian immigrants capsizes off the coast of the Bahamas. At least 20 deaths are reported by the United States Coast Guard.
Current events of April 22, 2008 (2008-04-22) (Tuesday)
Costa Rica rejects an application for political asylum by former Colombian Senator Mario Uribe following orders for Uribe's arrest on charges of ties with paramilitary groups. Uribe is then arrested. A U.S. federal grand jury in Las Vegas, Nevada, indicts a man on charges of possessing the toxin ricin and on weapons charges. Ben-ami Kaddish, a former U.S. Army mechanical engineer, is arrested on charges of disclosing national defense information to Israel. The United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says that former President of the United States Jimmy Carter was advised not to hold talks with Hamas. Zimbabwe churches claim that people are being tortured, abducted and some murdered in a campaign of political retribution against the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Current events of April 23, 2008 (2008-04-23) (Wednesday)
Sri Lankan Civil War: In fighting in the North of Sri Lanka, the military claims victory with 43 soldiers killed and 33 missing while killing over 100 Tamil Tigers. The rebels also claim victory, saying that they killed 100 soldiers and wounded 500 while only losing 16 of their own. Former President of the United States Jimmy Carter reiterates that no person from the United States Department of State ever asked him not to meet with representatives from Hamas or Syria.
Current events of April 24, 2008 (2008-04-24) (Thursday)
Operation Orchard: The United States claims North Korea helped Syria build a nuclear reactor at a site destroyed by Israeli forces in September 2007. Final results in the Nepal Constituent Assembly election show that the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) won double the number of seats of the next largest party.
Current events of April 25, 2008 (2008-04-25) (Friday)
Some forty people are injured when the floor of a Mennonite church collapses during a Christian rock concert in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Two people are killed and more than a dozen injured after a semitrailer crashes into a Chicago Transit Authority station during rush hour. Sri Lankan Civil War: At least 24 people are killed by a blast on a bus near Colombo. (BBC News) Actor Wesley Snipes is sentenced to three years in prison for tax violations. (The New York Times) A United States military-contracted vessel fires warning shots in front of two boats in the Persian Gulf, causing the boats to leave. Students and their families in various locations across the United States participate in the nationally-recognized 13th annual Day of Silence.
Current events of April 26, 2008 (2008-04-26) (Saturday)
The death toll from a fire in a mattress factory in the Hay Hassani district of Casablanca rises to 55. The 26 members of the Spanish FV Playa de Bakio are released by Somali pirates. The sole provider of public transport in Toronto, Canada, the Toronto Transit Commission, is shut down by a strike. 2008 Turkish incursion into northern Iraq: The Turkish Armed Forces attack Kurdistan Workers Party positions in northern Iraq. Nauruan elections are held after the dissolution of Parliament on April 18.
Current events of April 27, 2008 (2008-04-27) (Sunday)
Dignitaries including the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai take cover as automatic gunfire breaks out at a ceremony in Kabul. A father-and-son duo who owned and managed the factory that burnt down with 55 deaths yesterday in Casablanca have been arrested over serious safety violations.

Top 10 Countries by Literacy

Rank /Country /Literacy (%)
1 Finland 100
2 Georgia 100
3 Greenland 100
4 Luxembourg 100
5 Latvia 99.8
6 Estonia 99.8
7 Barbados 99.7
8 Poland 99.7
9 Samoa 99.7
10 Lithuania 99.6

Top 10 Countries by HIV/AIDS - deaths

Rank/Country/HIV/AIDS - deaths
1 South Africa 370,000
2 Nigeria 310,000
3 India 310,000
4 Zimbabwe 170,000
5 Tanzania 160,000
6 Kenya 150,000
7 Ethiopia 120,000
8 Mozambique 110,000
9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 100,000 10 Zambia 89,000

Top 10 Countries by HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

Rank /Country/ HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
1 South Africa 5,300,000
2 India 5,100,000
3 Nigeria 3,600,000
4 Zimbabwe 1,800,000
5 Tanzania 1,600,000
6 Ethiopia 1,500,000
7 Mozambique 1,300,000
8 Kenya 1,200,000
9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,100,000
10 United States 950,000

Top 10 Countries by Life expectancy at birth

Rank /Country/ Life expectancy at birth (years)
1 Andorra 83.52
2 Macau 82.27
3 Japan 82.02
4 San Marino 81.8
5 Singapore 81.8
6 Hong Kong 81.68
7 Sweden 80.63
8 Switzerland 80.62
9 Australia 80.62
10 France 80.59

Rank Country Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births)
1 Angola 184.44
2 Sierra Leone 158.27
3 Afghanis an 157.43
4 Liberia 149.73
5 Niger 116.83
6 Somalia 113.08
7 Mozambique 109.93
8 Mali 105.65
9 Guinea-Bissau 103.5
10 Chad 102.07

Top 10 Countries by Death rate

Rank Country Death rate (deaths/1,000 population)
1 Swaziland 30.35
2 Angola 24.81
3 Sierra Leone 22.64
4 Lesotho 22.49
5 South Africa 22.45
6 Liberia 22.24
7 Zimbabwe 21.76
8 Zambia 21.46
9 Niger 20.59
10 Mozambique 20.51

Top 10 Countries by Birth rate

Rank Country Birth rate (births/1,000 population)
1 Niger 50.16
2 Mali 49.61
3 Uganda 48.12
4 Afghanistan 46.21
5 Sierra Leone 45.41
6 Burkina Faso 45.28
7 Somalia 44.6
8 Angola 44.51
9 Liberia 43.75
10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 42.96

Top 10 Countries by Population growth rate

Rank Country Population growth rate (%)
1 Liberia 4.83
2 United Arab Emirates 3.99
3 Gaza Strip 3.66
4 Mayotte 3.61
5 Burundi 3.59
6 Uganda 3.57
7 Kuwait 3.56
8 Yemen 3.46
9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.39
10 Oman 3.23

Top 10 Countries by Population

Rank Country Population
1 China 1,321,851,888
2 India 1,129,866,154
3 United States 301,139,947
4 Indonesia 234,693,997
5 Brazil 190,010,647
6 Pakistan 164,741,924
7 Bangladesh 150,448,339
8 Russia 141,377,752
9 Nigeria 135,031,164
10 Japan 127,433,494

BANK PO REASONING QUESTIONS

1. Before going for a party Dr. Dolittle ordered the three musketeers, Tom, Jerry and Donald – to keep watch onthe three gluttonous pets - the cat, the dog and the bear. After the party got over, Dr. Dolittle reached backhome to find that three items viz, milk, meat and honey were missing from the refrigerator. He then asked themusketeers what happened to the three items. Following were the replies of the three musketeers.Tom : The cat drank the milk. The dog ate the meat. The bear had the honey.Jerry : The dog ate the meat. The bear had the honey. The cat did not drink the milk.Donald : The dog did not have the honey. The bear did not drink the milk.The cat did not eat the meat.The statements made by each of the musketeers were alternately true and false but which comes first is uncertain.
1.If each pet ate exactly one of the three items, can you help Dr. Dolittle find who had the honey?(1) The cat
(2) The dog
(3) The bear
(4) Cannot be determined
2. There are exactly four married couples among four men - Pradeep, Pavan, Kamal and Ranjeet − and fourwomen − Radha, Puja, Leena and Rama. Each couple owns a car of a different colour from among Yellow,Green, Red and Blue. Pradeep’s car is not painted Red or Yellow. Ranjeet is Puja’s husband. Leena owns aGreen car. Neither Radha’s car nor Rama’s car is painted Yellow. Neither Pavan’s car nor Rama’s car ispainted Blue. Which of the following additional information is required to know the names of the pair ofspouses and colours of the cars owned by them?
(1) Radha’s car is painted Blue.
(2) Ranjeet’s car is painted Yellow.
(3) Leena is Kamal’s wife.
(4) Pradeep is Radha’s husband.
3. Five persons - Krishna, Rahim, John, Joseph and Ram - are standing in a line for a photograph. If Ram isexactly between Joseph and John, then Krishna is to the immediate right of John. If John is exactly betweenRahim and Joseph, then Ram is to the immediate left of Rahim. If Ram is to the right of John, then John isexactly between Rahim and Joseph. If John is to the right of Krishna, then Ram is to the right of John. Rahimis at one end of the row and Krishna is next to neither Rahim nor Joseph.Which of the following statements is true?I. Joseph is between Ram and Rahim.II. Krishna is at one of the ends.III. John is to the immediate right of Ram.
(1) Only I and II
(2) Only II and III
(3) Only I and III
(4) I, II and III
4. In the business street of a town, there are five buildings in a row, each of which is occupied by a differentcompany. The total number of floors that five buildings have are 9, 10, 13 and 14 in such a way that all thebuildings have different total number of floors, except the two buildings which have 13 floors each.Names of the companies which have occupied these buildings are Hutch, Airtel, BPL, BSNL and Tatatel. Sumof the number of floors of two adjacent buildings is 23, in two instances. No two adjacent buildings have thesame number of floors. Tatatel, which has 14 floors, is at the extreme left end of the street. The office of Airtelis exactly between the offices of Hutch and BSNL. Neither Hutch nor BSNL is in the building which has 9floors. What is the number of floors of the building in which Airtel has its office?
(1) 13
(2) 9
(3) 10
(4) Cannot be determined
5. Four persons A, B, C and D participated in two races [Race-I and Race-II]. Neither Race-I nor Race-II had twoor more persons finishing the race at the same time. One person finished first in one race, and fourth in theother race. Exactly one person finished in the same position in both the races. Between B and C, whoeverfinishes later in Race-I finishes Race-II in the first position. Between A and D, whoever finishes later in Race-II finishes Race-I in the first position. B finished ahead of A in exactly one race. The position of A was not thesame in both the races. Based on the information given above, can you find out the name of the person whofinished first in Race-I?
(1) A
(2) B
(3) Either A or B
(4) Either C or D
6. Each of the five friends - Vijay, Vinay, Vikas, Vilas and Venkat − owns a different car among - Uno, Indica,Matiz, Maruti and Santro. Each car has a different colour among Black, Blue, Green, Yellow and Red. Thecolour of Vijay’s car is Red. Vikas owns neither Maruti nor Matiz. Vinay owns neither Maruti nor Matiz. Thecolour of Vikas’s car is Green. Venkat owns an Uno. Indica’s colour is Black. Matiz is painted neither Yellow norRed.Which of the following statements must be false?
(1) Vijay owns a Maruti.
(2) Vikas owns a Santro.
(3) Venkat owns the Yellow car.
(4) Vilas owns the Green car.
7. Every time Grant the Ant hears a whistle from her maternal uncle, she takes a right turn and continues travelling.After she travels twice as much distance as she just covered in the previous direction, her uncle blows the whistleagain. Grant started at a point and proceeded in a northerly direction. She heard the first whistle from her uncle aftershe covered 1 km. How far is Grant from the starting point immediately after she heard the sixth whistle from heruncle?
(1) 6 km to the West and 13 km to the North.
(2) 26 km to the East and 13 km to the North.
(3) 26 km to the East and 3 km to the North.
(4) 5 km to the West and 3 km to the North.
8. How am I related to my father’s mother’s only daughter-in-law’s sister’s father’s only son?
(1) Nephew
(2) Niece
(3) Uncle
(4) Cannot be determined
9. Given below are three logical statements:
(A) If all Dogs are Cats, then some Dogs are Rats.
(B) No Dog is a Cat, unless some Cats are Rats.
(C) Only if some Cats are Rats, some Dogs are Rats.
If all the above three statements are true, then which of the following need not be true?
(1) All Cats are Rats
(2) No Dog is Rat
(3) All Dogs are Rats
(4) All Dogs are Cats
10. After their dismal performance in the World Cup, the rejected and the dejected foursome Tendu, Gangu, Dravid andViru decide to play a few games among themselves . They play Tippy Tippy Tap, Hide and Seek, Pillar Pillar andKabaddi. All four of them play all the four games mentioned above. No two persons are ranked the same in anysingle game and no person gets the same rank in any two games. Further, the following information is known;
(A) Tendu is neither the winner nor the 3rd runner-up in Hide and Seek, and Gangu isneither the 1st runner-up nor the 3rd runner-up in Tippy Tippy Tap.
(B) Dravid is neither the 3rd runner-up nor the winner in Pillar Pillar and Viru is neitherthe 3rd runner-up nor the winner in Kabbadi.
(C) Gangu is neither the winner nor the 2nd runner-up in Pillar Pillar and Dravid is neitherthe winner nor the 2nd runner-up in Hide and Seek.
(D) Viru is neither the winner nor the 3rd runner-up in Tippy Tippy Tap and Tendu isneither the 3rd runner-up nor the 1st runner up in Kabaddi.
If Dravid’s rank is better then Tendu’s rank in Kabaddi, then which of the following statements must be false?
(1) Tendu is the winner in Pillar Pillar.
(2) Gangu is the 2nd runner-up in Hide and Seek.
(3) Dravid is ranked higher than Viru in Tippy Tippy Tap.
(4) None of the above.
DIRECTIONS for questions 11 and 12: Five items – Geyser, Cooking Range, Fridge, Washing Machine and an AC– are each manufactured by a different company among Godrej, LG, Videocon, Samsung and Hitachi. The followinginformation is also known about them.
(i) Each of the items has a distinct warranty period ranging from 1 to 5 years.
(ii) Geyser is not manufactured by LG, does not have the maximum or minimum warranty and it is also not the costliest.
(iii)AC has the maximum warranty of 5 years, is cheaper than 3 of the items and ismanufactured by Hitachi.
( iv) Cooking Range is not manufactured by Godrej or Videocon, it has a warranty of 2years and is priced at Rs.6,000.
(v) Washing Machine is manufactured by Samsung, and it has a warranty of 3 years and i scheaper than the Fridge.
(vi) Geyser costs Rs.2000 more than the Cooking Range and its cost is the average of allthe items put together.
(vii) The Washing Machine and the AC cost 90% and 70% of the Fridge, respectively, andit is known that the item manufactured by Videocon is the costliest.
11. Which company manufactures the Geyser?
(1) Godrej
(2) Videocon
(3) Samsung
(4) Cannot be determined
12. What is the cost of the item having the least warranty?
(1) Rs.10,000
(2) Rs.9,000
(3) Rs.8,000
(4) Cannot be determined
DIRECTIONS for questions 13 to 15: Praful and Karan have a bad habit each. Praful tells lies on Mondays,Tuesdays and Wednesdays (but speaks the truth on the other days of the week) whereas Karan tells lies on Thursdays,Fridays and Saturdays (but speaks the truth on the other days of the week). Umesh is a common friend ofPraful and Karan.
13. On one day, when Umesh wanted to find out what day of the week was it, he met only Praful who made thefollowing two statements:I. I lied yesterday. II. I will lie two days after tomorrow.What day of the week was it on this day?
(1) Monday
(2) Tuesday
(3) Wednesday
(4) Thursday
14. On what day(s) of the week is it possible for Praful to make the following two statements?I. I lied yesterday . II. I will lie tomorrow.
(1) Monday (2) Wednesday
(3) Either (1) or (2)
(4) No such day is possible
15. One day Umesh met two cousins of Praful - Archna and Rachna. One of them behaves similar to Praful, who tellslies on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays (and speaks the truth on the other days of the week) and the otherbehaves sililar Karan, who tells lies on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (and speaks the truth on the other daysof the week). But Umesh does not know who behaves similar to Praful and who behaves similar to Karan. Healso does not know what day of the week it is. They introduced themselves to him one by one:First One : I am Archna Second One : I am Rachna
Which of the following statements is true?
(1) The first one is Archna.
(2) The first one is Rachna.
(3) Insufficient data to deduce.
(4) Inconsistent data.
DIRECTIONS for questions 16 to 18: In a laboratory, four animals are tested, each with a different medicine outof four kinds of medicinal formulae − P, Q, R and S. The animals available for the test are a rat, a rabbit, a cat anda monkey. S cannot be tested on rats. P cannot be tested on rabbits. R cannot be tested on cats. Q cannot be testedon monkeys.16. Which of the following additional information will not be sufficient to decide the medicinal formulae to beused on different animals?
(1) P and S cannot be tested on cats and monkeys.
(2) Q and R cannot be tested on rabbits and rats.
(3) P and S cannot be tested on rats and rabbits.
(4) P and S cannot be tested on rabbits and cats.
17. If neither rats can be tested with Q or S nor cats can be tested with Q or S, then which of the following can beused on neither rabbits nor cats?
(1) Only P
(2) Only Q
(3) P and Q
(4) S
18. Either R and Q or P and R are used to test on the cats and the rabbits, then which of the following can be testedon cats?
(1) Only P
(2) Only Q
(3) Only R
(4) Either P or Q
DIRECTIONS for questions 19 to 21: Deeptha comes to college on her scooter or in her father’s Ambassador orin her friend’s Maruti. She has college from Monday through Saturday and Sunday is a holiday. The modes ofconveyance she uses satisfy the following conditions.
I. She does not use the same mode of conveyance for more than two consecutive working days.
II. Every Monday, she comes in her friend’s Maruti.
III. On Saturdays, her father’s Ambassador is not available.
IV. If she comes in her friend’s Maruti on one day, she has to use her scooter the next day shegoes to college.
V. If Deeptha uses any mode of conveyance on two consecutive working days, the mode ofconveyance she uses immediately after these two days cannot be the same as the one sheused on the day immediately preceding these two days.
19. If Deeptha used the Ambassador on Thursday and her Scooter on Friday, then which of the following is not true?
(1) She must have used her scooter on Wednesday.
(2) She must used her scooter on Saturday.
(3) She could have used the Ambassador on Wednesday.
(4) None of the above
20. If Deeptha used her scooter on a particular Friday, then which of the following statements is/are true?I. She must have used the Ambassador on Thursday.II. She must have used her scooter on Wednesday.III. She must have used the Ambassador on Wednesday.
(1) Only I
(2) Only I and II
(3) Only I and III
(4) Only II
21. In how many different ways can Deeptha select her weekly conveyance schedule?
(1) 7
(2) 8
(3) 9
(4) None of these
Answers
FROM QUESTION NUMBER 1 TO 21.
1 3 4 3 1 4 2 4 1 4 1 1 1 4 1 3 4 4 3 2 1

UPSC (PT) CURRENT GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 2008

1. K Malleswari, the lone medal winner for India in the millenium Olympics, and the first woman from India to ever win a medal, is employed at which Central Government Corporation?
2. First there was Bridgestone, and then Mitsubishi; What giant automaker of Japan was embroiled, recently, in a quality-related (again!) controversy?
3. The Times of India launched its latest edition in which city?
4. Which famous fashion accessories House first started as leather goods shop in Florence in 1921?
5. Uncle Pai is associated with which once roaringly successful publishers of children’s literature?
6. Which international airline uses the slogan “Smooth As Silk” in its advertisements?
7. Which TV programme currently aired in India, is sponsored by a) Colgate b) Bajaj c) Dettol and d) LG?
8. Who are the maker of the soft contact lens “Accuvue”?9. Named “Manager of the Century” by the business magazine ‘Fortune’, he was recently in India? Who is he?10. The “Three Golden Balls” is the traditional symbol of which class of businessmen, especially in Europe?11. Which is the largest ‘unlisted’ company in India in terms of turnover?12. What watchmaker sells an environment-friendly brand of watches called “Eco Drive”?
13. The useful thumb rule in Economics, “Bad money drives out the good” goes by what name?14. What is film Production Company owned by the Hollywood star Dustin Hoffman?
15.What famous place in New York gets its name from the original location of a stockade built by the Dutch in 1653 to keep out the attacking English colonists and Red Indians?16. Which famous TV personality owns a film production company called Harpo Films? Look hard at the name, may be you can decipher the answer.17. The person next-in-command to the CEO is often referred to as the ‘Upper Roger’. From what Indian (Sanskrit) word does this phrase come?18. Some aeroplanes of which airline sported Meera Mehta’s “Paithan Sari Motif”on their tails for sometime?
19. Who or what is a MAMBA?
20. Under what brand name is the compound “sidenafil citrate’ sold by the pharma company, Pfizer?
21. What ‘social expression’ company (if I may coin a phrase) was started by the 18 year old Joyce Hall in 1910?
22. Which is the biggest toy retail chain in the world?
23. Here’s a Dot-buster: Which award-winning net-based furniture selling company, despite being backed by Amazon.com, filed for bankruptcy, recently?
24. What is the name given to software developed exclusively for use by infants and toddlers?
25. What major currency is known as ‘Greenbacks’ in slang?
26. Who is the only Asian to be included in Sunday Times list of ” The Wealthiest 200 in Britain since 1066″?
27. R Gopalan who is basking in the limelight for his role as a the official emissary in the Raj Kumar Kidnapping case, is the editor of which Tamil Magazine?
28. What we know as Maruti Zen was launched worldwide by Suzuki in the 90’s under what name?
29. Zee Movies is contemplating a co-branding exercise in collaboration with which major Hollywood Film studio?
30. Ashok H Advani is the publisher of which business magazine?
31. Lord Raj Kumar Bagri is the first non-Briton Chairman of what mercantile organization32. You’ve heard of BSA motorcycles and surely seen BSA bicycles on Indian roads. What does BSA stand for?33. What brand of Firestone tyres is creating an uproar in the USA, for causing many fatalities on the highway because of a manufacturing defect?34. He appears in a series of books which made publishing history, and he is the most famous pupil of the “Hogwart’s Witchcraft School”. Who is this fictional character?35. To which fashion house did the minister Maneka Gandhi address her remark, “The skin of the python is no less precious to the snake than fur is to the fox”?36. The ‘Calatrava Cross’ is the emblem of which coveted brand of Swiss watch?37. What famous sports goods company did Phil Knight and Bill Boweman launch in 1964?
38. Which Indian textile brand proudly proclaims “Since 1925″in its advertisements?39. Which famous hospital chain of India sells an accident insurance cover called “Dost’?40. What product is associated with the Colombian mascot “Juan Valdez”?
41. Which newspaper baron started his career by launching the “Adelaide Herald” when he was just 23years old?42. The Hollywood horror flick “Crocodile 2 – Death Roll” was recently shot in which film studio in India?43. ‘The Striding Man’ is the logo of which best selling brand of scotch whiskey?44. In his recent visit to New Delhi, in which 5 star Hotel did Bill Gates stay?45. What automobile, still seen on the roads with minor variations, did Ferdinand Porsche develop under the behest of Adolf Hitler?46. Mumbai-born Fareed Zackaria has been appointed the editor of which international newsmagazine?
47. Which textile company of India is head quartered at “Neville House”?
48. What useful and innovative computer accessory did Douglas Engelbert invent in 1968?
49. At long last the Department of Telecommunications (DoT, for short) has been transformed in to a corporation. What is its name in its new avatar?
50. What ingredient of chewing gum comes from the South American sapodilla tree?
51. Which Indian confectioneries brand and Times Warner are involved in a legal wrangle over the ‘Bunny’ logo?
52. What is the consulting firm recently acquired by the electronics giant Hewlett-Packard?
53. What pharma company markets the ‘Ayurvedic Concepts’ range of health products?
54. What Hyderabad based company has been contracted by Cantor Index plc to supply giant- sized, inflatable images of the latest contenders to American Presidency-Bush and Gore?
55. What internationally famous sports apparel company was started in the 1930’s by a champion tennis-player of France?
56. Prime Minister AB Vajpayee under went knee surgery in which Mumbai hospital?
57. According to ‘BBC’s Moneytalk’ which German brand is ranked No. 1 amongst car audio products?
58. Who was chosen to be the first and only recipient in India of the choicest, limited edition champagne ‘Espirit du Siecle’?
59. Which Hollywood star and brand ambassador of Omega watches was recently in India to meet the Dalai Lama?
60. What tourist attraction in London, designed by Sir Richard Rogers especially for the millennium, is in grave financial crisis because of its failure to attract enough visitors?
61. OM Gruppen of Sweden is in the news for wanting to takeover of all things which European stock exchange?
62. Carlos Ghosn, living up to his sobriquet of ‘Le Cost-Killer’, is putting which ailing Japanese carmaker on the road to recovery?
63. In the mesmerically popular TV Game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, the prize money is issued on the cheques of which bank?
64. What redoubtable Swiss watchmaker markets a range of metal-cased watches under a clever and ironic name of “Irony”?
65. In the world of Food and Agriculture what does the acronym GM stand for?
66. The indigenously produced Hepatitis b vaccine called Shanvac B, which is giving the multinationals a run for their money, is produced by which company?
67. Sierra Leone is now always in the news for the bloody civil war which is raging there. Otherwise it was known for its highly lucrative export trade in which mineral?
68. What ‘wireless’ technology, which has almost become a buzzword, is named after an ancient Viking chief?
69. What is the new name of the TV channel TNT, after its recent rechristening?
70. Sumantra Ghoshal has been appointed the founding Dean of which fledgling Business School?
71. Arun Bajoria’s takeover threat was targeted at which company?
72. Which Bank has launched the “India Millennium Deposits” to mobilize resources of NRI’s?
73. The quality enforcing technique of ‘Six Sigma’ was first introduced by which American company?
74. Which airline uses the slogan “Be Good to Yourself” in its ads?
75. What is the expensive delicacy obtained from the fish sturgeon especially found in the Caspian Sea?
76. What is the name of the new generation fuel cell car recently developed by GM?
77. Which large chaebol, now in dire straits, was started by five friends in 1979 to manufacture and export garments?
78. Which Dutch brewery is ranked as the biggest producer of beer in Europe?
79. What prized and exclusive cars are manufactured in Malvern Link, North west of London?
80. In collaboration which Bollywood star is ‘Emami’ proposing to launch a range of Ayurvedic personal care products?
81. What is the name of the alliance formed by airlines such as Delta, Air France, Aero Mexico and Korean Air?
82. Which Budapest-born American CEO’s biography is entitled “Swimming Across”?
83. Who is the ‘person of Indian origin’ who was hailed by the online magazine ‘Valley Talk’ as “the most successful Venture Capitalist of all time”? 84. Consequent upon a long drawn out family feud, what is the new name assumed by Andersen Consulting?
85. Italy’s Monte Paschi di Seine, established in 1472, has the distinction of being the oldest of its kind. What is it?
86. Which advertising legend is supposed to have advised, “If you have nothing to say, sing it!”
87. Hans Wilsdorf, a German who set up his business in Switzerland, and later moved to London became the founder of which famous brand of watches?
88. Touted as one of the most useful inventions of this century, it was invented by George Mestral after he noticed burr sticking to his clothes on his return from a walk in the woods. What is it?
89. What is the ‘highest scoring partnership’ in cricket, which became a world famous brand of cigarettes?
90. Unit Trust’s recent intention of terminating what scheme has caused public outcry and a lot of litigation?
91.Which mobile phone manufacturer is popularizing mobile-telephone etiquette with its ‘mobile manners’ campaign?92.Which Indian TV channel owned the transmission rights for the 50th Miss World contest held in the Millennium Dome in London?
93. Bajaj auto is setting up a two wheeler assembly line in which South American country?
94.Merino, one of the finest types of wool, is associated with which country?
95.In the heyday of nationalization, which PSU emerged from the amalgamation of ESSO and Caltex?
96.What biscuit in McVittie’s range was originally developed by Sir Alexander Grant in the 1890’s?
97.In the world of TV transmission technology, what does the much-talked about acronym DTH stand for?
98.With what product would you associate the well-known designs such as ‘American Tank’ and ‘TankFrancaise’?
99.Which Indian packaging company has taken over a firm called ‘Propack’ in China?
100.What is the internationally known brand of ice-cream co- promoted by an ex-hippie named Ben Cohen?
101.In what make of car did the couple from Calcutta, MS Choudhary and his wife Neena, achieve the record for first circumnavigation of the world?
102.What international brand of cigarette is named after a ritzy street in London?
103.Which is the biggest Petroleum Company in the world?
104.Nazomi 503, is the fastest of its kind in the world. What is it?
105.Dhunji Rana was the model for what enduring and macho icon in Indian advertising?
106. Who is the hotshot executive of Indian origin with PepsiCo, who appears in the Fortunes list of 50 most powerful women in corporate America? 107. What is the prized sports drink in the Quaker Oat’s portfolio which makes merger with it so desirable to suitors like Coke, Pepsi or Danone?
108. What is the Danish Electronics Company famed for producing ‘haute couture’ stuff in areas like Stereos, Televisions and Telephones?
109. What internationally famous brand of shoes is named whimsically after a rural American dish made from corn, fed to pet dogs?
110. “Beeps” and “Peeps’ were the experimental prototypes of what legendary hard terrain vehicle?
111. Tidel Park, yet another of those prestigious complexes housing software firms, is associated with which city?
112. What invention was called the Lover’s Telegraph” when first exhibited in Philadelphia, 1876?
113. What now universally popular food item was called “Food of the Gods”, by Linnaeus the eminent naturalist of the nineteenth century?
114. Which aircraft manufactures the A3XX superjumbo, slated to be the biggest civilian aircraft?
115. What international brand of shirts, marketed in India too, is observing 150 years of existence?
116. The Dynatac made in the1970’s was the first of its kind. What is this product which became extremely visible in India only in the mid 90’s?
117. What was the epoch-making book written in the 60’s by Rachel Carson, which awakened the world to the dangers of environmental pollution but incurred the wrath of industrial giants like Dupont?
118. What car being sold in India celebrated its first birthday recently with a birthday song sung especially for it by Shankar (Breathless) Mahadevan?
119. What hard liquor traditionally made from potatoes, literally means ‘Little Water’ in the native tongue?
120. What French sports fashion house has begun to sell India inspired knitwear kurta-pajamas successfully?
121. What large India retail chain proudly describes itself as ‘The Family Store’ in its advertisements?
122. Everyone has heard of the catchphrase “Intel Inside”. But who authored a book entitled “Inside Intel”?
123. What brand of ‘cold cream’, also available in India, derives its name from a latin word meaning ’snow white’?
124. In Mumbai’s underworld slang the word ‘kavva’ refers to what handy communication device?
125. With what cigarette brand (now gone up in smoke, I’m afraid), would you associate the once ubiquitous slogan “For Men of Action– Satisfaction”?
126. What do you call the style of selling where the bid price goes down progressively until the deal is closed?
127. With which Management Guru of Indian Origin would you most associate the phrase “Core Competence”?
128. What is the popular (though not available in India) low calorie soft drink produced by Coca Cola, having a three letter name?
129. What expensive and legendary brand of cars is supposedly named after the founder of Dertroit - the car manufacturing capital of the world?
130. Which company started by Jim Clark has its headquarters at ‘Mountain View’?
131. What is name of the range of bestselling digital cameras manufactured by Sony?
132. In UK, what brand of beer is most preffered as an accompaniment to India food?
133. What potent liquor, also known a ‘the Green Fairy’, is extracted from wormwood?
134. What invention, in its early years, was described as ‘the horse that never says nay’?
135. Back to acronyms. What does the first three letters of ‘Sun Microsystems’ stand for?
136. A Navigator could mean many things. But a company has launched a toothbrush called Navigator. Which company are we talking about?
137. Tata Finance has launched a credit card with a tie up with which credit card company?
138. Kabhi Dekha Hai Aisa TV? Big Picture! Big Sound! …. Onida. Which ad agency created this award winning advertisement?
139. Which company has the advertising punchline, “The Power To Create”?
140. The movies Mohabbatein, Raju Chacha and Mission Kashmir had breath-taking special effects. Name the company that created these effects. 141. Which company makes Ujala?
142. If you can’t beat them, join them. Which clock company has decided to shift base to China so that it remains competitive?
143. An Indian businessman has been named among Businessweek’s top entrepreneurs for 2000. Name him.
144. The beautiful Ekta Kapoor, daughter of film star Jeetendra, is a highly successful producer of television serials. Name her company.
145. We all know what bulls and bears do. What would sheep do in the stock market?
146. Which media group (you have to name the company, not the newspaper) has launched India’s first electronic newspaper, or e-paper?
147. Nescafe has two coffee brands. One is Nescafe Classic and the other is?
148. The Human Genome Project has been in the news because government agencies and private sector companies have been racing to become the first to decipher the human genome. Name the private sector company which was in this race?
149. For which electronics brand does Rahul Dravid model?
150. Ceat. This tyre company gives the cricket ratings. To which group does this company belong? ANSWERS
1. Food Corporation of India2. Toyota 3. Hyderabad 4. Gucci 5. Amar Chitra Katha6. Thai 7. Kaun Banega Crorepati8. Johnson & Johnson 9. Jack Welch 10. Pawnbrokers 11. Maruti Udyog 12. Ciitizen13. Greshams Law 14. Punch Productions 15. Wall Street 16. Oprah Winfrey 17. Yuva Raja 18. British Airways19. Middle Aged Middlebrow Acheiver20. Viagra21. Hallmark22. Toys R US23. Living.Com24. Lapware25. US Dollars26. L. N. Mittal27. Nakkheeran28. Alto29. MGM30. Business India31. London Metal Exchange 32. Birmingham Small Arms 33. Wilderness 34. Harry Potter 35. Calvin Klein 36. Patek Phillippe 37. Nike38. Raymond’s 39. Apollo 40. Coffee41. Rupert Murdoch 42. Ramoji Film City 43. Johnny Walker 44. Maurya Sheraton 45. Volkswaggen 46. Newsweek47. Bombay Dyeing48. The Mouse49. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited50. Chicle51. Nutrine52. Pricewaterhouse Coopers53. Himalaya Drugs Company54. Unique Inflatables55. Lacoste56. Breach Candy57. Blaupunkt58. Prannoy Roy59. Pierce Brosnan60. Millennium Dome61. London Stock Exchange62. Nissan Motors63. ICICI Bank64. Swatch65. Genitically Modified66. Shantha Biotechnics67. Diamonds68. Bluetooth69. TCM70. Indian School Of Business, Hyderabad71. Bombay Dyeing72. State Bank Of India73. Motorola74. The Emirates75. Caviar76. Hydrogen 77. Daewoo 78. Heinneken79. Morgan 80. Madhuri Dixit81. Sky Team 82. Andy Grove 83. Vinod Khosla 84. Accenture 85. Bank 86. David Ogilvy 87. Rolex 88. Velcro 89. 555 90. Rajyalakshmi 91. Nokia 92. Zee93. Brazil94. Australia95. Hindustan Petroleum96. Digestive97. Direct To Home98. Watches99. Essel100. Ben & Jerry101. Contessa Classic102. Pall Mall103. Shell104. Train105. Zodiac Man106. Indra Nooyi107. Gatorade 108. Bang & Oluffsan109. Hush Puppies110. Jeep111. Chennai112. Telephone113. Chocolate114. Airbus Industry115. Arrow116. Mobile (Cell) Phone117. The Silent Spring118. Ford Ikon119. Vodka120. Lacoste121. Pantaloon’s122. Tim Jackson123. Nivea124. Cellular Phone125. Scissors126. Dutch Auction127. C. K. Prahlad128. Tab129. Cadillac130. Netscape131. Mavica132. Cobra133. Absinthe134. Bicycle135. Stanford University Network 136. Colgate137. American Express138. Oglivy And Mather (O&M)139. Epson140. Western Outdoor141. Jyothi Labs142. Ajanta Quartz143. Sunil Mittal (Bharti Telecom)144. Balaji Telefilms145. Follow The Leader146. Living Media India Ltd147. Sunrise148. Celera Genomics149. Thomson150. RPG Enterprises

upsc (pt) cureent affairs

1. What was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Park?
1. Nagarhole

2. She was the first woman president of the INC and the first woman Governor of India. Who?
2. Sarojini Naidu

3. He was the first Indian to be the member of the British Parliament and President of INC thrice. Who?
3. Dadabhai Naoroji

4. Her real name was Agnes Gonha Bojaxhiu. She won a Nobel Prize in 1979 and died in 1997 and before her death said ‘Love others as I have loved you’.Who?
4. Mother Teresa

5. The foremost Maratha patriot, his real name was Ramachandra Pandurang. He got his nickname from the fact that he was in charge of the firing of cannons. Who?
5. Tantya Tope

6. This place gets its name because it was here that Lakshmana cut of the nose of Shurpanakha. Which place?
6. Nasik

7. When Ravana set fire to Hanuman’s tail, he set fire to entire Lanka. How was the fire put out?
7. Ravana played the Amruthavarshini raga on his Veena and brought forth rain

8. What was the principle of peace and friendship enunciated by Nehru called?
8. Panchsheel

9. Two famous Indian cricketers starred in a movie called ‘Kabhi Ajnabi The’. Who?
9. Syed Kirmani and Sandeep Patil

10. According to Hindu myth who was the first mortal to die?
10. Yama

11. In the Mahabharatha other than the Kauravas who else had a 100 brothers?
11. Shakuni

12. Whose residence is called ‘Matushri’?
12. Bal Thackeray

13. What does the M.F. in M.F.Hussain’s name stand for?
13. Maqbool Fida

14. What well known verse is actually part of an over all poem titled ‘Bharat Vidhatha’?
14. Jana Gana Mana

15. Who sang the theme song of France’98?
15. Ricky MArtin

16. Whose last words were ‘Don’t worry, relax’?
16. Rajiv Gandhi

17. Who is the only Indian to win a Grand Slam title?
17. Mahesh Bhupati

18. Which place would be the Indian equivalent of the Pakistani Chagai Hills?
18. Pokhran

19. What is common to Clinic All Clear, Pepsi, Nippo, Reebok?
19. Rahul Dravid endorses all of them

20. Who made the popular T.V. serial Malgudi Days?
20. Shankar Nag

21. Who owns a little known software company in Bangalore called D’n’A Systems?
21. Anil Kumble

22. He calls his dog Chewbacca Khan. He won the Sword of Honour in the 12th std. At St. Columbus, Delhi. He made his debut on television as a soldier. Who?
22. Shahrukh Khan

23. In restaurants today, the computerised bill is heavily in use. The items are often abbreviated. If you found MS Dos written on your bill what would you have eaten?
23. Masala Dosa

24. Created by Tnoshiro Honda and Eiji Tsukusuya it was named after a workman at Toho studios in Tokyo. Radioactive and 164 foot high, it breathes fire and made its way to the cover of TIME and Newsweek in the 60s. What?
24. Godzilla

25. If you went to Ooty and asked for a “Filmi Chakkar” what would you get?
25. A tour of the locations where movies are shot in Ooty

26. This man’s first direct contribution to the test field was a leg-break over where he gave nine runs. The place was Port of Spain in 1971. Who?
26. Sunil Gavaskar

27. Which vehicle has the registration no. NCC 1701?
27. Star Trek Enterprise

28. It is called the Hoysala in Bangalore. What is it in Mysore?
28. Garuda

29. What is the duck that appears on Channel 9’s cricket scorecards called?
29. Waddles

30. What would you find at 1600, Pennsylvania Avenue?
30. The White House

31. Who is the daughter of Fred and Wilma Flintstone?
31. Pebbbles

32. It made its first appearance in the New York Times supplement in 1913. What?
32. The Crossword

33. He is the son of accomplished choreographer Sundaram Master. He made his first on screen appearanceas an extra in a song in the movie ‘Agni Nakshatram’. Who?
33. Prabhudeva

34. What does the 31 in Baskin Robbins 31 signify?
34. That it is available in 31 favours

35. His residence is called “Neverland Ranch’. His autobiography is titled Moonwalk. Who?
35. Michael JAckson

36. What is common to Rajnikanth, Johnny Walker, John Major?
36. All were bus conductors at some point of time

37. In the Bofors case who was nicknamed ‘Lotus’?
37. Rajiv Gandhi

38. His heir apparent Baby was killed a year ago. His brother Arjunan and his two associates Ayyandorai and Karanangalur Ramaswamy committed suicide. Who?
38. Veerappan

39. Which brand’s new adline is ‘I Can’?
39. Nike

40. Which cricketer is nicknamed ‘Jammy’ because his father used to work in Kissan?
40. Rahul Dravid

41. His middle name is Fauntleroy. His father’s name is Quackmore. Who?
41. Donald Duck

42. He made his debut as a stunt double for Bruce Lee because Lee refused to jump from 30 feet for a sequence. Who?
42. Jackie Chan

43. Who is the only real life character to appear in Tintin comics?
43. Al Capone

44. Who was the target of the Jackal in the ‘Day of the Jackal’?
44. Charles De GAulle

45. One of the two main components of the dowry given by Catherine Braganza to Charles I was the Moroccan city of Tangiers. What was the other?
45. Bombay

46. Abandoned in front of a cathedral, he was brought up by a priest. His name in Latin means ‘half formed’. He became the church bell ringer by the age of 14 and lost his hearing as a result. He was dubbed the’Pope of Fools’. Who?
46. Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame

47. Which animal gets its name, from Tamil, because it supposedly has the strength to kill an elephant?
47. Anaconda

48. What does the NE in the Premier 118 NE stand for?
48. Nissan Engine

49. Under what category does the Guinness Book of Records enter itself?
49. As the most stolen book from Libraries

50. This linguist knows 13 languages. He recently released a semi-autobiography titled ‘The Insider’. Who?
50. P.V. Narasimha Rao

51. The video of which recent chartbuster is based on Indiana Jones?
51. Aqua’s Dr. Jones

52. Who represents the constituency of Gurdaspur in the current Lok Sabha?
52. Vinod Khanna

53. His father was the dreaded dacoit Bhairav Singh. He is the founder chief of the Citizens Security Force. Who?
53. Bahadur

54. Who would you find with Raveena Tandon on the cover of the latest issue(Aug 9 of Filmfare?
54. Ricky MArtin

55. Which popular comic character made his first appearance in Pep Comics No. 22 in Dec 1941?
55. Archie

56. What did the Romanian Govt. ban in 1935 saying that it frightened children?
56. Mickey Mouse

57. Who wrote romantic novels under the pen name Mary Clarissa Westmacott?
57. Agatha Christie

58. What was the football world cup trophy called before it was renamed the FIFA trophy?
58. Jules Rimet Cup

59. If you were ‘oscitating’ what would you be doing?
59. Walking backwards

60. Who, at a Nobel awards banquet, wished that the dinner could have been packed and carried to the more needy back home?
60. Mother TEresa

61. India is developing an ICBM called Surya and also an underwater missile. What is it called?
61. Sagarika

62. Who is the host of a new Star Plus chat show called “Not a nice man to know” which is also the title ofhis autobiography?
62. Kushwant Singh

63. In Hindu myth it is referred to as the Pralaya, in Christianity as Armageddon. What is it referred to as in Islam?
63. Qayamat
64. A famous lexicographer upon being approached by a lady thanking him for omitting 4-letter words from his dictionary, is said to have replied with consternation “ So you have been looking for them madam”. Who?
64. Noah Webster

65. What is the German word for ‘store’ or ‘storehouse’?
65. Lager, therefore Lager beer

66. If your IQ is below 20, you are an ‘idiot’, if it is between 20 and 49 you are an ‘imbecile’. What are you if it is between 50 and 69?
66. Moron

67. What is a ‘Mexican breakfast’?
67. A glass of water with a cigarette

68. In the world of Indian fiction, who won the ‘All India Rifle Competition’ in 1975?
68. Feluda

69. “We contemplate the ultimate reality which is in the earth, the sky, the heaven,Let us bring our minds to meditate in the glory of the divine earth. May truth inspire our reflection“. This is the last prayer of a cult. Which one?
69. Heaven’s Gate

70. Which sportsman’s name is a corruption of the title ‘Ayo Dele’ which means ‘Joy in the house’ and was bestowed upon him by his Nigerian father while it got corrupted due to a mispronunciation by his Scottish mother?
70. Daley Thompson
71. In Greek myth when Theseus offered to kill the Minotaur, Ariadne, Daughter of the King of Crete gave him a thread to help him find his way back from the Minotaur’s dwelling. What word came into English language from this?
71. Clue

72. What commodity was originally called a ‘delirious drug’ in France and ‘a product that causes the shrivelled look of the orient’ in Germany?
72. Tea

73. Where in the world would you find the only digital Rolex clock?
73. Wimbledon Centre Court

74. She works 10-12 hours a day. She smokes 5 packets of cigarettes a day while working. She is the daughter of the renowned poet, Manish Ghatak and niece of director Ritwik Ghatak. She runs a tribal welfare organisation called ‘Paschim Bangla Keriya Sabar Kalyan Samiti’. Who?
74. Mahashweta Devi

75. ‘RUPTUREWORT’ is the largest word that can be made from the letters on the first row of a typewriter. What is the second largest?
75. Typewriter

76. What is the female equivalent of a ‘runway’?
76. Catwalk

77. The fusion of the Chinese ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ is the symbol of which organisation in India?
77. Doordarshan

78. Who is the first Indian to be appointed the Master of the Trinity College at Oxford?
78. Amartya Sen, now Nobel laureate

79. What did Winston Churchill describe as ‘an ineffectual attempt to direct an uncontrollable object into an inaccessible hole with instruments ill-adapted for the purpose’?
79. Golf

80. In Table Tennis a ball is so spun on the table that the opponent does not reach it. This inspired a person named Bosanquet to invent something. What?
80. The Googly in cricket

81. He was recently in India to inaugurate the India Internet World exhibition in Delhi. Originally from Bangalore, he was the co-founder of the popular Hotmail free e-mail service which he sold to Microsoft for $400 million last year. Who?
81. Sabeer Bahtia

82. It’s official name is ‘The Albert Victor Conservatory’ and is spread over an area of 2180 sq.m. What are we talking about?
82. The Glass House at lalbagh, Bangalore

83. This person originally had the surname ‘Little’. Influenced by Elijah Mohd., he joined the Nation of Islam. After a pilgrimage to Mecca, he returned under the name G Haj Malik el Shahbazz, a Sunni Muslim. Who?
83. Malcolm X

84. In a fit of madness this person killed his wife Megara and their children. In order to atone for his sins he did something. Who and what?
84. Hercules and he performed the 12 tasks

85. He was named so because he was born in the same year as that his father first tasted success, in the movie ‘Choti Behan’. He cleaned carpets, worked on an oil rig and on a horse farm. He is now settled as a farmer in New Zealand. Who?
85. Lucky Ali

86. Its predecessor was codenamed ‘Chicago’. Its codename was ‘Memphis’. It was released about two months ago after a delay of nearly a year. What are we talking about?
86. Windows 98

87. A 2 word answer: The first word is the common name for a South American shrub whose dried leaves are chewed as a stimulant. The second word is a West African tree whose seed is used as a condiment and tonic.
87. Coca Cola

88. ‘The god of wind brought about the winds of change in India’. What was once advertised thus?
88. Maruti

89. Which literary personality’s last work was ‘The Phoenix and the Turtle’?
89. William Shakespeare

90. In Phantom comics what are the names of the Phantom’s two pet dolphins?
90. Solomon and Nefertiti

91. Who recently won the “Businessperson of the Year” Award for 1998 instituted by The Economic Times newspaper?
91. N. Chandrababu NAidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

92. About which music group did the legendary Phil Spector remark “ The only difference between a pornographic movie and them is that the pornographic movie has better music”
92. The Spice Girls

93. In the film Mr. And Mrs. 55 Guru Dutt was a cartoonist. Who actually drew the cartoons?
93. Bal Thackeray

94. His wife said of him “he is frightened of the titles and degrees on peoples visiting cards” and his card reads ‘ senior shoe salesman’. Who?
94. Thomas J. Bata
95. It is called ‘deuce’ in English, ‘egalite’ in French. What is it in German?
95. Einstein

96. So sure were the distributors of the success of this film , that they split up the film into 20 minute segments for a kids morning show. Which film?
96. Star Wars

97. If you were engaged in an altercation with a friend and he gave you a ‘circum orbital Hemotopo’ what would you have?
97. A black eye.

98. What is referred to as ‘blue sky research’?
98. Spending enormous amounts of money on futile projects like finding out why the sky is blue etc.

99. What do psychologists define as ‘a disorder in which strongly felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longing often of a perverse nature’?
99. Love

100. Locals affectionately refer to it as ‘bobby’. It is 90 ft long, has a sinuous body, tail, snake like head and a long neck. What?
100. The Loch Ness Monster.

101. According to legend Allah has 1001 names. To be good men, men need know only 1000 names. Who is the only one to know all 1001 names?
101. The Camel

102. What contribution did a vague movie by name ‘Rooplekha’ make to Indian cinema?
102. First movie with a flashback sequence.

103. The word ‘stadium’ comes from ‘stade’ a unit of distance. What was the unit?
103. The distance that Hercules could walk holding his breath.

104. In Asterix comic Unhygienix buys a plot of land from Obelix. How do we supposedly know this land today?
104. As Stonehenge.

105. Which day to day medical term is derived from the Latin for Cow?
105. Vaccination.

106. Based on Hamlet, it was the first English movie to be dubbed into Zulu and was also the first English movie not to feature a single human. Which movie?
106. The Lion King

107. It was believed that the devil was present at all important occasions during the medieval period. What practice arose from this?
107. The practice of clinking glasses to toast. They believed that the sound made was similar to church bells which scared the Devil away.

108. When King George first met him he asked him ‘Tell me , how did you pee’? Who are we talking about?
108. Sir Charles Lindbergh

109. She is a graduate of the National School of Drama . She replaced Mita Vashist in her most celebrated role to date. She is also starring in Kamal Hassan’s under-production film ‘Ladies Only’. Who
109. Seema Biswas.

110. What is common to hearty, Patiala, silent, cocktail, open heart, dancing and round?
110. All are types of laughter.

111. If you were playing with the Devil’s Book what would you be doing?
111. Playing cards.

112. In medieval times, in Europe, 1/3 of taxes went to the King, 1/3 to the nobility and 1/3 to the common man. How is this immortalised?
112. Through the nursery rhyme ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’

113. Born with the body of a mastiff, looks of a lamb, teeth of a bunny rabbit and is one of those mutations that happen when God plays dice. Who or What are we talking about?
113. Ronaldo

114. Following the demolition of the Babri Masjid, there were many debates in Parliament regarding what to be done with the disputed land. One of the most popular suggestions came from a first time M.P. from Uttar Pradesh who suggested that a sweet shop be built there. What was his logic?
114. Rama + Babri = Rabri which was a sweetmeat.

115. This bird has the unique distinction of being called by the names of two different countries in different parts of the world. Give both names.
115. Turkey and Peru in Latin America.

116. “There was neither non-exist nor exist. There was neither the realm of space nor the sky beyond”. Opening lines of what?
116. The Rig Veda.

117. In February 1935, the superpolyamide formed from hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid was made by Du Pont. How do we know this compound better?
117. As Nylon

118. This person wrote about himself thus :”Principal virtues : keeps his nails clean. Principal faults : that he has no family, is bad tempered and has a poor digestion. One and only wish : Not to be buried alive. Greatest sin : that he does not worship Mammon. Important events in his life : None”. Who?
118. Alfred Nobel

119. There’s a story that, around 1600, two children were playing with lenses in a shop in Middleburg. What resulted, according to the story, from the game?
119. The telescope. They were playing in Hans Lippershey’s shop. Lippershey is considered to be the probable inventor of the telescope. By holding together the two lenses, the children found, they could magnify the objects kept in the shop. This led Lippershey to construct the telescope.

120. What was patented by Hippolyte Mege Mouries in 1869, after he was commissioned by the Victualing Department of the French Navy to find an alternative for butter at a time of acute butter shortage?
120. Margarine

121. They began to appear in quantities in the 1860s. “I hate those redbreasts”, cried “Punch” in 1869. In 1877 “The Times” magazine declared them a great social evil, and it was following difficulties with them in 1879 that the London Post Office in 1880 cried out “Post Early”. What are we talking about?
121. Christmas Cards
122. His first voyage, in 1607, was intended to find a quick way to China by way of the North Pole, but resulted instead in the establishment of the Spitzbergen whale fisheries. In 1608, in the service of the Dutch East India Company, he sailed 150 miles past the site of New York, but returned back. In 1610, he explored the site that is now known by his name and was frozen in it. Who?
122. Henry Hudson, of Hudson Bay

123. A man by name Friedrich Froebel, walking with two of his disciples over the Steiger Pass on the way to the village of Blankenburg, scratched his head for the right name to give the institution, and then suddenly shouted out “Eureka ! I have it ! It shall be called _______________!”. Fill in the blank.
123. Kindergarten. Froebel, the German educational reformer was the inventor of the Kindergarden system of education.

124. Back in 1890, Johnson & Johnson put together the first of its kind in response to a plea from railroad workers who needed treatment on the scene as they toiled to lay tracks across America. What?
124. First Aid kits

125. To the Hopi Indians, who feared it and filled it with frightening myths, it was the trail made by the God Ta-Vwoats when he took a mourning chief to find his wife in the other world; the river associated with it, according to them was an addition to hold back the unworthy. What?
125. The Grand Canyon and the River Colorado.

126. An author, as a sign of gratitude to the nurse who had cared for his firstborn child, gave a script and asked her to sell it when she was in need of money. Years later, when the nurse was really in want of money, she sold it and lived in comfort for the rest of her life. The manuscript was the first part of a famous work of this author Name the book and author?
126. Rudyard Kipling and the Jungle Book

127. Though Magellan is regarded as the first person to circumnavigate the world, technically he was not, and it was a person by name Juan Sebastian del Cano, who is technically the first circumnavigator. Why?
127. Magellan, while on the expedition, was killed in a squabble with the natives in the Philippines, and it was Cano who assumed command of the expedition and sailed the expedition through the rest of its journey

128. In the United States, currently a small stock of this exists at only one location - at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. Some additional stocks are available in Great Britain, Russia and China. Stocks of what?
128. The Small pox virus

129. Masaru Ibuka, after graduating in engineering, failed the entry examination for lifetime employment at Toshiba, and decided to start his own small business. He was fortunate to find a partner who had a flair for finance and salesmanship. Who was this partner?
129. Akio Morita. They together started the company that later became Sony.

130. US banned her entry calling her ‘a communist good’. She was kept in On her journey to the USA from China she got into trouble when the London for time’s sake and became a major attraction there. Who?
130. Chi-Chi the Panda, who became the mascot of the WWF

131. The comic character Yogi Bear lives in a national park that takes its name from the world’s first national park. Name both.
131. Jellystone and Yellowstone

132. The byline of which company, rather ironically went ‘What we do will touch your lives in some way everyday’?
132. Union Carbide Limited (Bhopal Gas Tragedy)

133. Cubatao, in Brazil has certain epithet because it is the world’s most polluted place. What epithet?
133. The Valley of Death

134. Which popular brand takes its name from a particular species of deer native to South Africa?
134. Reebok

135. Which metal was responsible for the fatal brain disease that affected people eating fish caught from the Minamata Bay off the Japanese island of Kyushu?
135. Mercury

136. What is the claim to fame of a body called the Dasohli Gram Swarajya Mandali?
136. Pioneered the Chipko movement

137. A certain kind of bird called Storm Petrels are named after St. Peter. Why?
137. Because they can walk on water

138. The largest flower in the world is named after the person who forced Lord Minto to occupy Java and was at one time the keeper of the London Zoo. We know him best for a city that he founded. Name him and the flower?
138. Sir Stamford Thomas Raffles and the Rafflesia arnoldi

139. In which book would you find the lines ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal’.
139. George Orwell’s ‘Animal farm’

140. The Indian television series ‘Living on the edge’ was the first in Asia to win the prestigious Panda Award. By what popular name is this award known?
140. The Green Oscar

141. Which animal is mentioned as the teacher of Yudhishthira in the Mahabharatha?
141. The Mongoose

142. Which comic character cannot stand trees being cut down?
142. Dogmatix of Asterix

143. Which Banking and Finance corporate major recently tied up with the WWF to issue special WWF branded credit cards wherein the company would donate a certain amount of money on the customer’s behalf to WWF everytime he used the card?
143. Citibank

144. A few years ago a certain insect called the Mexican Beetle was imported into Bangalore in large numbers. Why?
144. To eradicate the weed Parthenium

145. India’s premier environmental magazine is edited by activist Bittu Sahgal. Name it.
145. Sanctuary

146. Who said ‘A nation’s wealth, its real wealth can be gauged by its tree cover ‘?
146. Richard St. Barbe Baker, ‘The Man of Trees’

147. Who is the patron saint of ecology?
147. St. Francis

148. Of which media powerhouse is the Discovery Channel a division?
148. Disney

149. Who authored a bestseller ‘Overload’ which is concerned with a fight between environmentalists and an engineer over the building of a thermal power station?
149. Arthur Hailey

150. This American industrialist donated about 1/5th of his property to WWF in return for which the WWF gives an annual Wildlife Conservation Prize to individuals and organisations for distinguished service to the cause of conservation, in his name. Who?
150. J. Paul Getty

List of World's Billionaires

Rank Name Citizenship Age Net Worth ($bil) Residence
1. Warren Buffett United States 77 62.0 United States
2 Carlos Slim Helu & family Mexico 68 60.0 Mexico
3 William Gates III United States 52 58.0 United States 4 Lakshmi Mittal India 57 45.0 United Kingdom
5 Mukesh Ambani India 50 43.0 India
6 Anil Ambani India 48 42.0 India
7 Ingvar Kamprad & family Sweden 81 31.0 Switzerland
8 KP Singh India 76 30.0 India
9 Oleg Deripaska Russia 40 28.0 Russia
10 Karl Albrecht Germany 88 27.0 Germany

ASM Railway receuitment Board Solved Papers

1. ‘Destination India’, conference on commerce and trade was organised at:
(a) Zurich (b) Bangalore (c) Singapore (d) Tokyo
2. According to a survey by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry which of the following countries tops the list on labour productivity:
(a) India (b) Luxembourg (c) Belgium (d) France
3. India’s first Asset Reconstruction Company’s road map was prepared by
:(a) SBI (b) IDBI (c) ICICI (d) HDFC
4. Which of the following country is the new member of International Coffee Organisation?
(a) India (b) Sri Lanka (c) Kenya (d) Vietnam
5. Who among the following headed the Indo-UK Round Table conference held at London to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries?
(a) Swaraj Paul (b) Jaswant Singh(c) K.C. Pant (d) Yashwant Sinha
6. ‘Diva’ a specially ! ! designed women’s international credit card has been launched by:
(a) Federal Bank (b) Standard Chartered Bank(c) Dresdner Bank (d) ABN-Amro Bank
7. Richard Grasso is the head of:
(a) NASDAQ(b) London Stock Exchange(c) New York Stock Exchange(d) Dubai Stock Exchange
8. ‘Indiva’ is the multipurpose vehicle, launched by____at the international motorshow in Geneva.
(a) TELCO (b) BAJAJ and SIL (c) LML (d) HONDA
9. Match the following Company/organisation Chief Executive Officer
I. General Electricals A. Harvey PittII. Star Alliance B. S. DevarajahIII. Securities and C. Jeff Immelt Exchange Commission D. Cheong Choong KongIV. Manufacturer’s Association of Information Technology Code:I II III IV
(a) A B C D(b) B A C D(c) C D B A(d) D C A B
10. Nokia Corporation, the leading mobile phone makers is a___based company.
(a) USA (b) Japan (c) Philippines (d) Finland! !
11. ICENET is the network connecting the offices of the:
(a) Central Board of Excise and Customs(b) State Bank of India(c) Human Resource Ministry(d) External Affairs Ministry
12. Geographical Information System Software known as ‘Gram Chitra’ was unveiled by:
(a) C-DAC (b) Media Labs Asia(c) Satyam Infoway (d) Honda
13. The Kofi Annan Institute for IT Excellence, has been set by India at____:(a) Kenya (b) Guatemala (c) Ghana (d) Durban
14. India’s first Defence Intelligence Agency became operational in___2002.
(a) June (b) March (c) April (d) May
15. The first hydel project in Andaman and Nicobar islands has been commissioned by:
(a) NHPC (b) Dabhol Power Corporation(c) BHEL (d) NTPC
16. First Indian Laboratory (and India to be the 26th country) to be accredited by the College of American Pathology is:
(a) Cipla lab (b) Speciality Ranbaxy Ltd(c) Zydu! ! s Cadila Ltd (d) Sun Pharma lab

17. Smart Kid Insurance policy has been launched for students by:
(a) Tata-AIG (b) SBI-Cardif(c) ICICI Prudential (d) LICI
18. Who among the following has been appointed as the chairman of Central Electricity Authority:
(a) J.L. Bajaj (b) H.L. Bajaj(c) Y.N. Prasad (d) J.L. Raina
19. Chilka Development Authority, the first organisation in the Asian subcontinent to receive Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award for the year 2002 is in:
(a) Kerala (b) Orissa (c) Assam (d) Uttaranchal
20. The chief architect of Ganga Action Plan, an environmentalist and recipient of various awards died recently. Name him.
(a) Md. Bazzi (b) Arshad-uz-Zaman(c) Dr T.N. Khoshro (d) George Soros
21. CBE-2002 a NATO exercise by Canada, Greece, Hungary, Turkey, UK and US was launched in____, for NATO peace programme.
(a) Georgia (b) Angola (c) Durban (d) Ireland
22. 2002 MN is the name of:
(a) Supercomputer (b) Asteroid(c) Spacecraft (d) Star
23. ‘Orange Prize’ is given in the field of:
(a) literature (b) sports (c) medicine (d) acting
24. In the global tea production, India accounts for____per cent of tea production.
(a) 27 (b) 26.7 (c) 24.3 (d) 27.7
25. USA has signed a legislation to protect the country from biological terrorist attack worth:
(a) $ 4.6 billion (b) $ 6 billion(c) $ 7 billion (d) $ 8 billion
26. World day to combat desertification and drought is observed on:
(a) June 17 (b) June 20 (c) April 17 (d) July 20
27. Name the robot spacecraft, launched by NASA to observe frozen core of comets.
(a)! ! Contour (b) Odyssey (c) Dumar (d) Columbia
28. Blue Ocean, the World’s most powerful Supercomputer, is specifically designed for:
(a) NASA(b) US Naval Oceanographic office(c) US Federal Reserve Bank(d) US Intelligence Agency
29. To review the disclosure and investor protection guidelines, a committee was constituted by SEBI under:
(a) T.N. Chaturvedi (b) A.K. Basu(c) N.J. Reddy (d) Y.H. Malegam
30. First State to introduce a life insurance scheme covering 1.2 crore students and three lakh teachers is:
(a) Karnataka (b) Madhya Pradesh(c) Maharashtra (d) Rajasthan
31. Hrithik Roshan has turned down an offer to act in the Warner Brother’s film,____due to unavailability of dates.
(a) Escape from Taliban(b) Hamlet(c) Three Wall(d) Hey Ram! Genocide in the land of Gandhi
32. “The Shade of Swords” is a book written by:
(a) M.J. Akbar (b) Manil Suri(c) Urmila Lanba! ! (d) Vasant Potdar
33. India’s first Jan Shatabdi Express between Mumbai-Goa was commenced on:
(a) April 16, 2002 (b) April 20, 2002(c) June 20, 2002 (d) June 16, 2002
34. Who among the following has been appointed as the chairman of IIM Ahmedabad:
(a) Y.C. Deveshwar (b) N.R. Narayana Murthy(c) Sanjiv Gupta (d) M. Damodaran
35. Automobile Industry’s man of the year 2002 is:
(a) Carlos Ghoshn (Japan) (b) Dr Mark Faber(c) Dr Doom (d) Lious Haochuang
36. Who among the following has been named as the White Lightning in the cricket?
(a) Adam Parore (New Zealand)(b) Allan Donald (South Africa)(c) Ben Hollioake (Australia)(d) Dion Nash (New Zealand)
37. Which Indian cricketer has bagged a deal with ESPN?
(a) Md Kaif (b) Yuvraj(c) Sachin Tendulkar (d) Anil Kumble
38. Who among the following is the official sponsors of the Indian team at the Asian Games to be held ! ! in Busan, South Korea?
(a) Phillips (b) Sahara (c) LG (d) Samsung
39. ‘24 Brand Mantras’, is a book written by:
(a) Bimal Chowdhary (b) Shiv Khera(c) Arindam R. Chowdhary (d) Jagdeep Kapoor
40. Ist developing country in the world to make use of fire optics technology is:
(a) China (b) Japan (c) India (d) Vietnam
41. Defence Research and Development Organisation was formed in the year:
(a) 1980 (b) 1958 (c) 1956 (d) 1975
42. Who among the following has been appointed as the President of the flagship channel Zee TV:
(a) Apurva Purohit (b) Pritish Nandi(c) Jitendra K. Singh (d) Raghu Rai
43. India’s first commercially manufactured sports car is:
(a) Reeva (b) Indigo (c) Sedan (d) Fibro
44. How many new railway zones have been notified by the Railway Ministry in July 2002:
(a) 10 (b) 8 (c) 14 (d) 5
45. Name the quarterly magazine, launched by The Time Grou! ! p.
(a) Bindia (b) b-drive(c) businessdrive.com (d) none of these
46. According to Economic Intelligence Unit, maximum amount of FDI is received by:
(a) India (b) China (c) South Korea (d) Brazil
47. European Union Summit was held in Slovenia at:
(a) Bled (b) Geory (c) Repti (d) Ottowom
48. Transport Research and Injury Prevention Programme was awarded the Stockholm award and is unveiled by:
(a) IIT, Kanpur (b) IIT, Delhi(c) IIT, Kharagpur (d) IIT, Chennai
49. Alvaro Silva Calderon was appointed as the Secretary General of:
(a) OPEC (b) FIEO (c) NACO (d) AIMPLB
50. ASEAN was set up in the year:
(a) 1985 (b) 1975 (c) 1967 (d) 1958
ANSWERS
1. (a)2. (b)3. (c)4. (d)5. (c)6. (b)7. (c)8. (a)9. (c)10. (d)11. (a)12. (b)13. (c)14. (c)15. (a)16. (b)17. (a)18. (b)19. (b)20. (c)21. (a)22. (b)23. (a)24. (d)25. (a)26. (a)27. (a)28. (b)29. (d)30. (a)31. (b)32. (a)33. (a)34. (b)35. (a)36. (b)37. (c)38. (d)39. (d)40. (c)41. (c)42. (a)43. (a)44. (d)45. (b)46. (c)47. (a)48. (b)49. (a)50. (c)