General Awareness: World: UPSC Previous Year Questions (General Knowledge)

Explanation

Option (a) is incorrectly matched: Seikan Rail Tunnel is located in Japan and not China. It is one of the longest railway tunnels in the world, connecting the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido. The world’s longest railway tunnel is the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland. Options (b), (c) and (d) are correctly matched:

The Petronas Towers are iconic skyscrapers located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Appalachian Trail is a long-distance hiking trail in the eastern United States. The Rogun Dam is a hydroelectric dam under construction in Tajikistan.

Explanation

The official language of the Republic of Congo is French. It has four national languages: Swahili, Tshiluba (Kiluba), Lingala, and Kongo. French is the official language and the language of instruction, business, administration, and international communications. The Republic of Congo, like many countries in Africa, was colonized by European powers. Specifically, it was a French colony, and as a result, French became the official language. Thus, Spanish is not an official language in the Republic of Congo due to its colonial history with France.

Explanation

The Komagata Maru was a Japanese steamship that gained historical significance due to an incident in 1914 involving Indian immigrants attempting to immigrate to Canada. The ship carried 376 passengers, mostly Sikhs, Punjabis, and other Indians, who were seeking a new life in Canada. Upon arrival in Vancouver, the passengers were denied entry due to Canada’s discriminatory Continuous Journey Regulation, which aimed to restrict immigration. After being stranded for two months, the ship was forced to return to India. Upon arrival in Calcutta, the passengers faced arrest and violence from British colonial authorities.

Explanation

Harold Wilson served as the Prime Minister of the UK (1964-1970 and 1974-1976) and was a member of the Labour Party. John Major served as the Prime Minister of the UK from 1990 to 1997 and was a member of the Conservative Party. James Callaghan served as the Prime Minister of the UK from 1976 to 1979 and was a member of the Labour Party. Margaret Thatcher served as the Prime Minister of the UK from 1979 to 1990 and was a member of the Conservative Party.

Explanation

The Parliament of South Africa is located in Cape Town. While South Africa has three capital cities, each serving a different purpose, Cape Town is the legislative capital and houses the Parliament. Pretoria is the Administrative capital (seat of the executive branch). Cape Town is the Legislative capital (seat of the Parliament). Bloemfontein is the Judicial capital (seat of the Supreme Court of Appeal).