UPSC 2010 Prelims Questions with Answers

Explanation

Golden rice is a genetically modified variety of rice specifically engineered to address vitamin A deficiency. The grains of Golden rice are biofortified with beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A (pro-vitamin A). When consumed, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in the human body, making golden rice an important dietary intervention to combat vitamin A deficiency, particularly in developing countries where this deficiency is prevalent and can lead to serious health issues like blindness.

Explanation

Biodiversity hotspot concept is promoted by Conservation international. Each biodiversity hot spot represents a remarkable universe of extraordinary floral and faunal endemicity struggling to survive in rapidly shrinking ecosystems. To qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria:

Species endemism: It must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (> 0.5% of the world’s total) as endemics, and Degree of threat: It has to have lost at least 70% of its original habitat. Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect:

Biodiversity hotspots aren’t limited to tropical regions; examples include the Mediterranean Basin and California Floristic Province. While India is home to significant biodiversity but it has only three recognized hotspots. These hotspots are the Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Western Himalayas are not considered as a separate biodiversity hotspot.

Explanation

Tropical rainforests, also known as Evergreen forests, thrive in regions receiving substantial rainfall, typically exceeding 150-200 cm annually. These forests maintain temperatures within the range of 15-30°C throughout the year, conditions that match the given data. They are found in India’s Western Ghats and Northeast, boasting diverse flora (rosewood, mahogany, rubber) and fauna (elephants, monkeys, sloths). This combination of factors creates a complex and thriving ecosystem.

Explanation

El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. El Niño Modoki is a distinct phase of El Niño with a different spatial pattern of warming in the Pacific Ocean.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Because it reverses the typical locations of El Niño and El Niño Modoki. Normal El Niño occurs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, where sea surface temperatures be-come unusually warm, typically around the equator off the coast of South America. El Niño Modoki, on the other hand, forms in the Central Pacific Ocean, with warming concentrated between the dateline and the central Pacific, distinct from the usual location of normal El Niño.

Statement 2 is correct: During normal El Niño events, the atmospheric changes (increased wind shear and cooler waters in the Atlantic) tend to suppress hurricane formation in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to fewer hurricanes. In contrast, El Niño Modoki causes different atmospheric conditions that have been linked to a greater frequency and intensity of hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. The shift in warming in the Pacific Ocean results in a different pattern of atmospheric circulation that enhances hurricane formation in the Atlantic.

Explanation

The reflectivity of a surface, known as albedo, determines how much sunlight is reflected back. Surfaces with higher albedo reflect more sunlight, while those with lower albedo absorb more.

Option (c) is correct: Land covered with fresh snow has the highest albedo amongst the options given above. Snow reflects approximately 80-90% of the sunlight that strikes it. This makes snow-covered surfaces highly reflective compared to others. Options (a), (b) and (d) are incorrect:

Sand deserts have a lower albedo, generally ranging between 30-40%. This means they absorb more sunlight and reflect less compared to snow-covered land. Paddy crop land, similar to prairie land, has a lower albedo of 22-24% due to its vegetation, which absorbs more sunlight rather than reflecting it. The albedo of these areas can change based on vegetation type, moisture levels, and the season. Prairie land, like paddy crop land, typically has a lower albedo of 20-25 % as it is covered with grasses and other vegetation that absorb sunlight rather than reflecting it.

Explanation

Option (a) is correct: The Mediterranean region is characterized by a warm and dry climate with mild, wet winters and is home to evergreen oak trees. The region, including parts of Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia (e.g., Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey), aligns with these climatic and vegetative features, making it distinct compared to other areas. The Mediterranean climate is marked by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, supporting this unique vegetation. Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect:

Eastern China, including the Yangtze River Basin and Shanghai, has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and cold winters. It features deciduous forests and bamboo groves, with year-round rainfall, unlike the warm, dry Mediterranean climate with evergreen oaks. Central Asia, covering countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, has a continental climate with hot summers and very cold winters. The region is dominated by grasslands (steppes) and desert vegetation, with minimal tree cover, and lacks the evergreen oak trees and mild, wet winters associated with Mediterranean climates. The Atlantic coast of North America, stretching from the Southeastern United States to the Mid-Atlantic states, features a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild to cool winters. Vegetation includes pine forests, deciduous trees, and wetlands, but it does not exhibit the evergreen oak trees or the warm, dry climate typical of Mediterranean regions.

Explanation

The Coriolis force, which is caused by the Earth’s rotation, is responsible for the deflection of wind patterns. This force influences moving objects, such as winds, and causes them to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. The Coriolis effect is strongest at the poles and diminishes towards the equator. In the Southern Hemisphere, the wind is deflected to the left due to the Earth’s rotation, which results in the clockwise movement of cyclones and alters global wind patterns like trade winds, westerlies, and polar easterlies.

Explanation

The Champaran Satyagraha was a significant event in India’s freedom struggle, marked by Mahatma Gandhi’s efforts to address the exploitation of indigo farmers.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Dr. Rajendra Prasad was not the one who persuaded Gandhi to visit Champaran. It was Raj Kumar Shukla, a local farmer and indigo cultivator, who approached Gandhi and urged him to look into the plight of the peasants suffering under the oppressive indigo cultivation system.

Statement 2 is correct: Acharya J.B. Kriplani was one of the leaders who supported Gandhi during the Champaran investigation. As a nationalist leader, Kriplani actively worked alongside Gandhi to address the grievances of the oppressed farmers and contribute to the success of the movement.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The Sugarcane price in India is determined by statutory provisions of the Sugarcane (Con-tro) Order, 1966 issued under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955. Until 2009, the Union Government fixed the Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) for sugarcane under the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966. However, from the 2009-10 sugar season onwards, the SMP was replaced by the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), which continues to be fixed by the Union Government based on recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). FRP is the minimum price that is determined by the government of India on the recommendation of CACP.

Statement 2 is correct: Both sugar and sugarcane are classified as essential commodities under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, which allows the government to regulate their production, supply, and distribution to ensure availability and control prices.

Explanation

The Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1906 was significant for its adoption of four key resolutions that defined the strategies of the Congress during the Swadeshi movement. These resolutions were: boycotting British goods, resolution on nationalist education system independent of British control, resolution on Swadeshi, adoption of the demand for Swaraj or self-rule. However, the "Annulment of partition of Bengal" was not among these resolutions.