UPSC 2005 Prelims Questions with Answers

Explanation

Option (d) is correct: Mount St. Helens is in Washington State, USA, within the Pacific Ring of Fire. Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Washington State, USA. It is part of the Cascade Range and is known for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980, which was one of the most destructive volcanic events in U.S. history. Options (a), (b) and (c) are incorrect:

Chile has several active volcanoes, including Villarrica and Llaima. Japan has famous volcanic mountains like Mount Fuji and Sakurajima. The Philippines has Mount Pinatubo and Mayon Volcano.

Explanation

Option (b) is correct: Lithuania is a Baltic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and Russia (Kaliningrad) to the west. Ukraine does not share a border with Lithuania. Belarus lies between them.

Explanation

Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is the northernmost among these cities. Moving southward, Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, comes next. Further south lies Gujranwala, a major industrial city in Punjab province. Finally, Multan, known for its Sufi shrines, is located in southern Punjab, making it the southernmost in the given options. Therefore, the correct north-to-south order is Peshawar Islamabad Gujranwala Multan.

Explanation

The cities and their respective rivers are: A-4; B-3; C-2; D-1 A is correctly matched with 4: The Potomac River, flowing through the eastern United States, serves as a boundary between Maryland and Virginia and passes through notable cities like Washington, D.C., Alexandria, and Harpers Ferry. B is correctly matched with 3: The Spree River, a tributary of the Havel River, flows through Berlin and is central to the city’s waterways, connecting it to other regions like Cottbus and Spandau. C is correctly matched with 2: The Seine River is one of France’s major rivers, flowing through Paris and other cities like Rouen and Le Havre. It is famous for its iconic landmarks along its banks in Paris, including the Eiffel Tower and numerous historic bridges. D is correctly matched with 1: The Manzanares River, though relatively small, flows through Madrid and plays an important role in local recreation and urban development. Each of these rivers holds cultural, historical, or economic significance for their respective cities.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Great Britain consists of England, Scotland, and Wales. It does not include Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom (UK) comprises Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Statement 2 is correct: England covers approximately 53% of the total area of the UK (130,279 km2 out of 242,495 km2), making the statement accurate.

Explanation

The Itaipu Dam, located on the Parana River at the border of Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), is one of the largest hydroelectric plants in the world. Completed in 1984, it is managed by Itaipu Binacional, equally owned by Brazil and Paraguay. The dam generates over 14,000 MW of electricity, supplying nearly 90% of Paraguay’s energy needs and about 15% of Brazil’s consumption. It remains a symbol of successful binational cooperation and a major contributor to renewable energy production globally.

Explanation

Wally Grout - Australian cricketer, renowned as a wicketkeeper for Australia in the 1950s and 60s, playing 51 Test matches (Cricket). Eusébio - Portuguese footballer, famous for winning the Golden Boot in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, and widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players (Football). Rod Laver - Australian tennis legend, the only player to win the Grand Slam (all four major tournaments) twice, in 1962 and 1969 (Lawn Tennis). Mark Spitz - American swimmer, won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics, setting world records in each event (Swimming).

Explanation

The correct match is given below:

French Open 2004 - Anastsia Wimbledon 2004 - Maria Sharapova U.S Open - Svetlana Kuznetsova Australian Open 2004 Justine Henin Hardenne

Explanation

Statement (c) is correct: The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is an international agreement aimed at regulating the safe transfer, handling, and use of living modified organisms (LMOs), or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), to protect biodiversity and human health. Statements (a), (b) and (d) are incorrect:

The first Meeting of the Parties (MOP 1) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from February 23-27, 2004, not in the Philippines. India is a signatory to both the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It ratified the protocol on January 23, 2003, and actively participates in its implementation. The United States is not a party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, as it has not ratified the agreement.

Explanation

Shanmugham Venkatesh is an outstanding player in the game of football. He is a well-known former Indian footballer who played for the Indian national football team and was considered one of India’s best midfielders during his time. Venkatesh was also a key player for various clubs, including East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, and he earned many accolades for his contribution to Indian football.