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

Explanation

List-I (Name) List-II (Designation) Harold Pinter Literature: most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that spanned more than 50 years Jacques Diouf Former Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization Jose Manuel Barroso Former President of the European Commission Raymond Lafitte World Bank appointed expert for adjudicating on the Baglihar Hydel Project

Explanation

Pair (1) is correctly matched: Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis, emphasized the unconscious mind and early childhood in shaping personality.

Pair (2) is correctly matched: Anna Freud, his daughter, contributed to child psychoanalysis, focusing on ego defense mechanisms.

Pair (3) is correctly matched: Milton Friedman, a key figure in the Chicago school of economics, advocated free markets and contributed to monetary theory.

Pair (4) is incorrectly matched: Eric R. Kandel, a neuroscientist, studied molecular mechanisms of learning and memory, not psychology.

Explanation

Netherlands holds the distinction of being the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia. This landmark legislation, enacted in 2002 and taking effect in 2002, established a regulated framework under which physicians can administer euthanasia or assisted suicide to patients who meet specific criteria. These criteria typically include unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement, a voluntary and well-considered request from the patient, and consultation with another physician.

Explanation

Pair (1) is correctly matched: Sir Christopher Cockerell, a British engineer, is credited with the invention of the hovercraft. His innovative design utilized a cushion of air to lift the craft above the surface of both land and water, allowing for high-speed travel.

Pair (2) is correctly matched: David Bushnell, an American inventor, designed and built an early submarine known as the Turtle during the American Revolutionary War. This vessel, while rudimentary by modern standards, was a significant advancement in underwater technology.

Pair (3) is incorrectly matched: J. C. Perrier, a self-taught French engineer and businessman who, with his brother, founded the Compagnie des eaux de Paris doing a period of great stock market speculation under Louis XVI. He is known for having introduced James Watt’s steam engine to France in 1779 and for having built the first double-acting engine in 1789.

Explanation

Davos, the venue of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, is located in Switzerland. It is a town nestled in the Swiss Alps, specifically within the canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland. It’s renowned for its picturesque setting, surrounded by majestic mountains and offering stunning views.

Explanation

Statement (1) is correct: The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale. An increase of 1 unit in magnitude corresponds to 10 times the increase in amplitude of seismic waves.

Statement (2) is incorrect: The energy released in an earthquake increases approximately by a factor of 32 for each 1 unit increase in magnitude, not 100 times.

Explanation

The United Kingdom is not a member of the Nordic Council.

Explanation

Estonia, along with Latvia and Lithuania (Baltic States), never joined the CIS. These countries prioritized European Union (EU) and NATO membership over integration with former Soviet states. Estonia officially joined the EU and NATO in 2004, distancing itself from Russian influence. Armenia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Belarus is a founding member of the CIS and remains one of its strongest supporters. Georgia Joined CIS in 1993 but officially left in 2009 due to tensions with Russia (after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War).

Explanation

Bangladesh is not a member of ASEAN. The current members of ASEAN are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Explanation

Chandra Kochhar was a prominent banker and former CEO of ICICI Bank, one of India’s largest private banks. Amrita Patel is known for her work in dairy development and served as the chairperson of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). Indra Nooyi is the former CEO of PepsiCo, a global food and beverage company. Piyush Pandey is a renowned figure in the field of advertising and serves as the Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy India.