UPSC Insta–DART (Daily Aptitude and Reasoning Test) 4 Jan 2025

A research team examined a long-term owl roost. Owls prey on small mammals and the excreted remains of those meals that accumulated over the time, provide us an insight into the composition and structure of small mammals over the past ‘millennia. The research suggested that when the Earth went through a period of rapid warming about 13,000 years ago, the small mammal community was stable and resilient. But, from the last quarter of the nineteenth century, human-made changes to the environment had caused an enormous drop in biomass and energy flow. This dramatic decline in energy flow means modern ecosystems are not adapting as easily as they did in the past.

On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

1. Global warming is a frequently occurring natural phenomenon.
2. The impending global warming will not adversely affect small mammals.
3. Humans are responsible for the loss of the Earth’s natural resilience.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

The whole biosphere, like the individual organisms that live inside it, exists in a chemically dynamic state. In this homeostatic system, a great number of organic compounds are synthesized, transformed, and decomposed continuously; together, these processes constitute the major parts of the carbon cycle. For the smooth operation of this cycle, degradation is just as important as synthesis: the green plants produce great quantities of polymers, such as cellulose, and innumerable other compounds like alkaloids, terpenes, and flavonoids, that green plants cannot use as sources of energy during respiration. The release of the carbon in these compounds for recycling depends almost entirely on the action of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and certain types of fungi. Some bacteria and fungi possess the unique and extremely important biochemical asset of being able to catalyse the oxidation of numerous inert products, thereby initiating reaction sequences that produce carbon dioxide and so return much carbon to a form that actively enters into life cycles once again.

The passage contains information that would answer which of the following questions about the carbon cycle?

1. What are some of the compounds that are broken down in the carbon cycle?
2. Why are some compounds that are involved in the carbon cycle less reactive than others?
3. What role do bacteria and fungi play in the carbon cycle?

In an economic sense, cultivation of high-value crops can potentially increase farm incomes, especially in a country like India where demand for high-value food products has been increasing more quickly than that for staple crops. Keeping this hope, diversification towards horticultural crops has been suggested as a viable option to stabilize and raise farm income, enhance agricultural growth and increase employment opportunities. It also provides an opportunity for small land-holders to enhance their income and escape poverty, as the demand for high-value food crops is expected to accelerate. It was affirmed that viability of small farmers can be improved through diversification towards high value rops like fruits and vegetables.

What is the most logical, rational and crucial message conveyed by the passage above?

Netaji was the early champion of women’s rights and women’s empowerment, who strongly believed that participation of women in freedom struggle was very important . Being a great devotee of goddess Durga, his ideas about women’s empowerment were not simply lip service, instead he proved the fact by establishing the world’s first all women regiment within the Indian National Army. He strictly instructed the trainers to avoid inadvertent use of rough and vulgar language, while training the ladies, whom Netaji referred as ‘Ranis’. The Indian National Army had a separate women’s unit, the ‘Rani of Jhansi Regiment’ (named after Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, who fought against Britishers) headed by Capt. Lakshmi Swaminathan, which is seen as a first of its kind in Asia. This was remarkably one of the greatest achievements to induct traditional home bound Indian girls and women as combat soldiers. Known for his motivational speeches, Bose’s most famous quote was “Give me blood and I shall give you freedom”. This motivated many youngsters to be a part of the freedom movement against British imperialism.

What is the most important implication made in the passage given above?

Today, India’s strong base of skilled software manpower is a beacon for software customers. The advantages offered by this significant pool can never be over-emphasized. As of March 2001, India had over 410,000 working software professionals. Out of a total of 122,000 engineers trained each year, almost 75,000 new software engineers are ready to join the industry on an annual basis. Others migrate overseas or join end-user organizations. Educational universities, as well as the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), are the principal sources of newly-qualified personnel. In addition, thousands of other technical personnel are trained by private sector institutes. The demand for Indian skilled manpower is also on the rise among countries outside of the U.S.

What is the best explanation of the passage given above?