DAY – 45 ( INSTA REVISION TEST – 45)INSTA REVISION PLAN 3.0, 2021

Solution: D

• Dihing Patkai is Assam’s 7th National Park.
• Assam now has the third most National Parks after the 12 in Madhya Pradesh and nine in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• It has 47 species each of reptiles and mammals, including tiger and clouded leopard.
• National Parks in Assam: Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, Orang, Dibru-Saikhowa and Raimona National Park. Kaziranga and Manas are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They are also tiger reserves along with Nameri and Orang.
• Raimona adjoins the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal to its west, Phipsoo Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan to its north and the first addition to Manas National Park to the east

Solution: A

The report was published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in late May 2020. For the first time it was produced in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and technical input from the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Solution: A

In-situ conservation, the conservation of species in their natural habitats. It includes National parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves and sacred groves

Ex-situ conservation is the preservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats. It includes Gene banks, Captive breeding of animals and artificial propagation of plants, zoos, aquaria, and botanic gardens.

Solution: C

Seaweed, any of the red, green, or brown marine algae that grow along seashores. Seaweeds are generally anchored to the sea bottom or other solid structures by rootlike “holdfasts,” which perform the sole function of attachment and do not extract nutrients as do the roots of higher plants.

A number of seaweed species are edible, and many are also of commercial importance to humans. Some are used as fertilizers or as sources of polysaccharides.

Brown algae (class Phaeophyceae) commonly found as seaweeds include kelps and Fucus. They are widely distributed in colder zones and are absent from tropical waters. The kelps are among the largest algae; certain species of Macrocystis and Nereocystis of the Pacific and Antarctic regions exceed 33 metres (100 feet) in length. Laminaria, another kelp, is abundant along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Gulfweed (Sargassum) is common as free-floating masses in the Gulf Stream and Sargasso Sea

Solution: C

Olive Ridley turtle is one of the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtle found in the world.

It is found in warm waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans.

It commences its journey from Indian Ocean towards Bay of Bengal during their mating season in October and November every year.

The Gahirmatha Beach in Kendrapara district of Odisha (India), which is now a part of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, is the largest breeding ground for these turtles.

Green turtles and olive ridleys are known to nest in Maharashtra in small numbers. Goa has records of three species of sea turtles: olive ridley, leatherback and green turtles.

Solution: D

Key facts about Gharials:

1. The Gharial or fish eating crocodile is native to the Indian subcontinent. 2. The gharial is listed in schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and also described as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
2. They are genetically weaker than salt water crocodiles and muggers.
3. Small released populations are present and increasing in the rivers of the National Chambal Sanctuary, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Son River Sanctuary and the rainforest biome of Mahanadi in Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary, Odisha.

Solution: A

A waterspout is a spinning column of air and mist that forms on lakes, rivers, and at sea. Waterspouts fall into two categories: fair weather and tornadic. Tornadic waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water, or move from land to water. They are associated with severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and dangerous lightning. The tornadic variety are more dangerous than fair weather waterspouts, which generally are not associated with thunderstorms, and usually form along the dark flat base of a line of developing cumulus clouds. While tornadic waterspouts develop downward in a thunderstorm, a fair-weather waterspout develops on the surface of the water and works its way upward. Fair weather waterspouts form in light wind conditions so they normally move very little.

Solution: D

Mutualism: Termites (white ants) are not capable of digesting wood, which they ingest as food. A multi flagellate protozoan Trichonympha campanula, which lives in the intestine of white ant secretes ‘cellulase’ enzyme to digest the cellulose of wood. In return, the ant provides food and shelter to the protozoan.

Commensalism: Epiphytes are small green plants found growing on other plants for space only. They absorb water and minerals from the atmosphere by their hygroscopic roots and prepare their own food. The plants are not harmed in any way.

Amensalism: A good example is the antibiotic juglone which is secreted by Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) trees. This substance is known to inhibit the growth of trees, shrubs, grasses, and herbs found growing near Black Walnut trees.

Solution: A

The term megadiverse country refers to any one of a group of nations that harbor the majority of Earth’s species and high numbers of endemic species. Conservation International identified 17 megadiverse countries in 1998. Many of them are located in, or partially in, tropical or subtropical regions. They are:

Australia

Brazil

China

Colombia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ecuador

India

Indonesia

Madagascar

Malaysia

Mexico

Papua New Guinea

Peru

Philippines

South Africa

United States

Venezuela

Solution: D

The NGT has the power to hear all civil cases relating to environmental issues and questions that are linked to the implementation of laws listed in Schedule I of the NGT Act.

These include the following:

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977;

The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;

The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

This means that any violations pertaining only to these laws, or any order / decision taken by the Government under these laws can be challenged before the NGT. Importantly, the NGT has not been vested with powers to hear any matter relating to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and various laws enacted by States relating to forests, tree preservation etc. Therefore, specific and substantial issues related to these laws cannot be raised before the NGT.

Solution: A

The International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) is an international forum for governments and public authorities that have implemented or are planning to implement emissions trading systems (ETS).

Founded in 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal, by leaders of more than 15 governments, ICAP provides the opportunity for member jurisdictions to share best practices and discuss ETS design elements with a view to creating a well-functioning global carbon market through linking ETS.
The work of ICAP focuses on the three pillars of technical dialogue, ETS knowledge sharing and capacity building activities.

India is neither a member nor observer to this partnership.

Solution: D

Blackbuck:

Protection status:

• The blackbuck is a Schedule-1 animal according to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended in 1992) and is considered as ‘Vulnerable’ according to the Red Data Book.
• The blackbuck is known in Odisha and Ganjam as Krushnasara Mruga.
• Other related facts:
  • Bishnoi community of Rajasthan is known worldwide for their conservation efforts to blackbuck and Chinkara.
  • State animal of Andra Pradesh, Haryana & Punjab.
  • Protected Areas:
    • Velavadar Blackbuck Sanctuary — Gujarat.
    • Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary.
    • Nilgiri biosphere reserve.
    • Corbett national park

Solution: A

Researchers have found an aquatic environment on the Earth with a complete absence of any forms of life, an advance that may lead to an improved understanding of the limits of habitability.

The study, published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, revealed that any form of microbial life was absent in the hot, saline, hyper acid ponds of the Dallol geothermal field in Ethiopia.

Solution: C

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered all encroachments to be removed from Gujarat’s Banni grasslands within six months and directed a joint committee to prepare an action plan.

• The court also said the Maldharis will continue to hold the right to conserve the community forests in the area, granted to them as per the provisions in Section 3 of Forest Rights Act, 2006.

What’s the issue?

• The Maldhari community had filed a case against the rampant encroachment in the ecologicallysensitive grassland in May, 2018.
• Who are Maldharis?
  • Maldharis are a tribal herdsmen community in Gujarat, India.
  • Maldhari community breeds Banni Buffaloes, a species endemic to the region. The buffaloes are adaptive to Kutch’s hot weather conditions.

About Banni Grasslands:

• Banni grassland is spread over 2,618 kilometres and accounts for almost 45 per cent of the pastures in Gujarat.
• It comprises 48 hamlets / villages organised into 19 panchayats, with a population of about 40,000.
• Two ecosystems, wetlands and grasslands, are juxtaposed in Banni.
• The area is rich in flora and fauna, with 192 species of plants, 262 species of birds, several species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

Solution: A

The Odisha government has proposed a second biosphere reserve in the southern part of the state at Mahendragiri, a hill ecosystem having rich biodiversity.

• The 5,569-square kilometre Similipal Biosphere Reserve is Odisha’s first such reserve and was notified May 20, 1996.

About the proposed Mahendragiri Biosphere Reserve:

• It is around 470,955 hectares and is spread over Gajapati and Ganjam districts in the Eastern Ghats.
• The hill ecosystem acts as a transitional zone between the flora and fauna of southern India and the Himalayas, making the region an ecological estuary of genetic diversities.
• Mahendragiri is inhabited by the Soura people, a particularly vulnerable tribal group as well as the Kandha tribe.

Solution: C

Vijayanagar was founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka of the Sangama dynasty. They were originally served under the Kakatiya rulers of Warangal.

The chief characteristics of the Vijayanagara architecture were the construction of tall Raya Gopurams or gateways and the Kalyanamandapam with carved pillars in the temple premises. The sculptures on the pillars were carved with distinctive features. The horse was the most common animal found in these pillars.

Solution: C

Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBAR-DHAN) scheme would focus on managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste in farms to compost, biogas and bio-CNG. It will help in keeping the village clean while increasing the income of farmers and cattle herders.

Under this scheme, one village in every district of the country would be selected for its implementation.

Solution: A

Spring tides: The position of both the sun and the moon in relation to the earth has direct bearing on tide height. When the sun, the moon and the earth are in a straight line, the height of the tide will be higher. These are called spring tides and they occur twice a month, one on full moon period and another during new moon period.

Neap tides: Normally, there is a seven-day interval between the spring tides and neap tides.

At this time the sun and moon are at right angles to each other and the forces of the sun and moon tend to counteract one another. The Moon’s attraction, though more than twice as strong as the sun’s, is diminished by the counteracting force of the sun’s gravitational pull.

Solution: B

Trade Winds

• The trade winds are those blowing from the sub-tropical high-pressure areas towards the equatorial low pressure belt.
• Therefore, these are confined to a region between 30°N and 30°S throughout the earth’s surface.
• They flow as the north-eastern trades in the northern hemisphere and the south-eastern trades in the southern hemisphere.
• This deflection in their ideally expected north-south direction is explained on the basis of Coriolis force and Farrel’s law.
• Trade winds are descending and stable in areas of their origin (sub-tropical high-pressure belt), and as they reach the equator, they become humid and warmer after picking up moisture on their way.
• The trade winds from two hemispheres meet at the equator, and due to convergence, they rise and cause heavy rainfall.
• The eastern parts of the trade winds associated with the cool ocean currents are drier and more stable than the western parts of the ocean.

Solution: C

Indian Social Conference was founded by M.G. Ranade and Raghunath Rao, the conference met annually from its first session in Madras in 1887 at the same time and venue as the Indian National Congress.

It focused attention on the social issues of importance; it could be called the
social reform cell of the Indian National Congress. It launched the “Pledge Movement” to inspire people to take a pledge against child marriage

Solution: B

Seva Bhoj Yojana is a Central Sector Scheme under which the CGST and Central Government‘s share of IGST paid by Charitable Religious Institutions on purchase of specific raw food items shall be reimbursed to them. The charitable religious institutions include Temples, Gurudwara, Dharmik Ashram, Mosques, Dargah, Church, Matth, Monastries etc.

The objective of the scheme is to lessen the financial burden of such Charitable Religious Institutions who provide food at free of cost without any discrimination. Such institutions applying for financial assistance are required to produce a certificate from District Magistrate indicating that they are involved in charitable religious activities

Solution: D

Rashtriya Gokul Mission is launched for conservation and development of indigenous breeds in a focused and scientific manner.

It is a project under National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development.

Rashtriya Gokul Mission is being implemented through State Implementing Agencies (SIA) viz Livestock Development Boards

Solution: B

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana is to promote organic farming and the products will be linked with the market.

There is no liability for farmers for expenditure on certification.

It will be implemented in a cluster based approach and farmers will be funded to meet the expenditure from farm to market.

Solution: A

Sarraf an Arabic word meaning money changers, brokers, bankers, coin sorters, creditors etc in the Mughal and post-Mughal periods.

Solution: C

NISHTHA is the world’s largest teachers’ training programme of its kind in the world. The basic objective of this massive training programme is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students.

It has been launched to improve Learning Outcomes at the Elementary level.

The initiative is first of its kind wherein standardized training modules are developed at national level for all States and UTs. However, States and UTs can contextualize the training modules and use their own material and resource persons also, keeping in view the core topics and expected outcomes of NISHTHA.

Solution: A

Figure (i) shows that faces with 6 dots and 4 dots are adjacent to face with three dots

Figure (ii) shows that faces with 1 dot and 4 dots are adjacent to face with three dots

Figure (iv) shows that faces with 1 dot and 2 dots are adjacent to face with three dots

Therefore, remaining face with five dots are opposite to the face with three dots.

Solution: B

Area of Trapezium= 1/2 × Sum of parallel sides × Distance between them

Or (24+20) * 15/2 = 44 * 15/2

= 22 * 15 = 330 sq cm

Solution: A

Given that,
(Robin + Mani + Sabi)/3 = 63
Robin’s score = Arun – 15
And, Robin’s score = Mani + 10
Arun’s score = (Robin + Mani + Sabi)/3 + 30
= 63 + 30 = 93
Robin’s score = 93 – 15 = 78
The sum of Mani’s and Sabi’s score,
(Robin + Mani + Sabi)/3 = 63
78 + Mani + Sabi = 189
Mani + Sabi = 189 – 78 = 111
Therefore, the sum of Mani’s and Sabi’s score = 111

Solution: C

Amount = simple interest + principal
9200 = simple interest + 8000
simple interest = 9200-8000 = Rs 1200
If r % be the rate of interest ,
Then from, simple interest = ((principal * rate% * time)/100)
1200 = ((8000 * r * 3)/100)
r = 5%
If 2% more interest that is 7% interest
simple interest = ((8000 * 7 * 3)/100)
= Rs 1680
Thus, amount she will get is Rs 8000 + Rs 1680 = Rs 9680

Solution: A

Multiples of 3 between 100 and 200 are 102, 105, 108,.. 198.
Here, the first term = 102
last term = 198
Let the number of Multiples of 3 between 100 and 200 = n
Arithmetic Progression Formula:
a_n = a₁ + (n – 1)d
Where, a_n = last term = 198
a₁ = first term = 102
d = common difference = 105 – 102 = 3
—> 198 = 102 + (n – 1) * 3
—> 198 – 102 = (n – 1) * 3
—> 96 = (n – 1) * 3
—> (n – 1) = 96/3 = 32
—> n = 32 + 1
—> n = 33
Formula:
Sum of n terms = S_n = (n/2) * (a1 + an )
where n = number of elements = 33
a1 = first term = 102
an= last term = 198
Thus, using the above formula, Sum of all natural numbers between 100 and 200 which are multiples of 3 = (33/2) * (102 + 198)
= (33/2) * 300
= 33 * 150
= 4950