GS PAPER I

Series D answers with explanation

1. 2. d c Exp: Moulds are common name of fungus. Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins that are produced by many species of Aspergillus, a fungus, the most notable ones being Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Their name is derived from the early work that discovered Aspergillus Flavus toxins. Aflatoxins are toxic and among the most carcinogenic substances known. They can colonize and contaminate grain before harvest or during storage. b b. Exp: Plutonium is a radio active waste. Heptachlor is used as an insecticide. d a d. Exp: Ramganga flows through Corbett National Park. Diphlu river flows through Kaziranga National Park. Kunthipuzha river flows through Silent Valley National Park. b Exp: A biofertilizer is a substance which contains living microorganisms which, when applied to seed, plant surfaces, or soil, colonizes the interior of the plant and promotes growth through the natural processes of nitrogen fixation, solubilizing phosphorus, and stimulating plant growth through the synthesis of growth-promoting substances. Bio-fertilizers are eco friendly organic agro-input and more cost-effective than chemical fertilizers. Bio-fertilizers such as Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum and blue green algae (BGA) have been in use a long time. Blue green algae belonging to a general cyanobacteria genus, Nostoc or Anabaena fix atmospheric nitrogen. Agaricus is an edible fungus while Spirogyra is a green alga. 9. c Exp: Excretion of urea by animal as well as death of vegetation are the important steps of nitrogen cycle which add nitrogen in soil while burning of coal is the main source of atmospheric CO2 a b. Exp: Vihara is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a Buddhist monastery. Chaitya is a Buddhist or jain shrine including a stupa. In modern text of Indian architecture, the term Chaitya-griha often used to denote an assembly or prayer hall. a. Exp: Nirvana is the extinction of the flame of desire (trishna), which is the root cause of all misery. c. Exp: Article 37 says that Directive Principles are not justiciable but are Fundamental to the governance of the country and the state has the duty in applying DPSPs. c. Exp: Simon Commission was an all whitemember commission, which enraged Indians. b. Exp: Cripps proposals 1942, Cabinet Mission plan 1946, Simon Commission Report 1927, Wavell Plan 1945. After the failure of the Cripps Mission, there was no negotiating point between Indians and English. a. Exp: The balance of payments of country is a systematic record of transaction between a country and rest of the world. It is not only exports. It is also not the transaction between the governments only. It is also not the capital movement only. d. Exp: The RBI regulates banks in all the above mentioned matters in India. Banks have been given some autonomy in the post reform period but this autonomy is within the specified limits.

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18. d. Exp: An increase in bank rate means that the banks will get loan from the central bank at higher rate which will increase the cost of funds for the banks forcing them to raise their lending rates. It is called monetary tightening. 19. a. Exp: The government borrows for various purposes but in India most of the borrowing by the government is for financing development. 20. b. Exp: Unlike the Mesopotamians and Egyptians, the Harappans did not build great palaces and temples. And unlike the Aryans, they did not have horse-drawn chariots. Instead, they had bullock-drawn carts. 21. b Exp: There is strong evidence for the transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and syphilis by tattooing. Tattooing may also transmit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), although convincing evidence is still lacking. 22. c. Exp: Jains believed in extreme penances and austerities to liberate the soul from the karmic impurities, so that the liberated soul attains kaivalya or perfect knowledge. But the universe consists of both jiva (animate) and ajiva (inanimate), which is explained by the Jaina philosophy of Syadvada or dualism. So, all objects do not have souls. 23. b 24. a 25. d. Exp: Sodium plays essential roles in muscle contraction because of their importance in nerve function. Nervous system communicates with your muscles through structures called neuromuscular junctions, and the activation of a nerve triggers muscle contraction. Sodium help nerve cells send electrical signals, called action potentials that signal for muscles to contract. Calcium and magnesium work together to control muscle contraction. Both minerals interact with the proteins actin and myosin structural proteins that shorten with each muscle

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contraction, and then lengthen to relax your muscles. Actin and myosin rely on calcium to shorten and contract muscles, then rely on magnesium to relax after a contraction. Iron also helps to muscles contract. Each muscle contraction uses up energy as well as oxygen. Iron helps support continued muscle function by supporting energy production in the muscle cells; so that muscle fibers always have the energy they need to contract properly. a c b. Exp: Abyssinian plateau Ethiopia, Guiana Highlands Ornicco basin, Okavango basin South West Africa. c. Exp: The Barabar Caves are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India. These rock-cut chambers date back to 3rd century BC, Maurya period of Ashoka and his Son Dasaratha. b Exp: Recombinant DNA technology is joining together of DNA molecules from two different species that are inserted into a host organism to produce new genetic combinations that are of value to science, medicine, agriculture, and industry. It involves transfer of gene from plant to plant, from bacteria to plant or animals, from plant to animals. b. Exp: First statement is incorrect, because Yuan himself was robbed. Second and third statements are correct. a. Exp: Spider monkeys are naturally found in Tropical forest of Central and South America. c. Exp: Sorbitol is sugar alcohol. c. Exp: Members of the Constituent Assembly were indirectly elected by the members of the Provincial Legislatures through single transferable votes. b Exp: The Sirenia (commonly referred to as sea cows) are an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit swamps, rivers, estuaries, marine wetlands, and

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coastal marine waters. Seahorse is the title given to 54 species of marine fish in the genus Hippocampus. Sea lions are mammals characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short, thick hair. d. Exp: An Amendment of the Constitution can be initiated only by the introduction of a bill for the purpose in either house of Parliament and not in the State Legislature. If the bill seeks to amend the federal provisions of the Constitution, it must also be ratified by the legislatures of half of the states by a simple majority of members of house present and voting. d d d a c c d d. Exp: National Development Council (NDC) was established in 1952 by an executive resolution of the Government of India on the recommendation of the first 5 year plan (draft outline). Planning Commission was established in 1950 by an executive resolution of the Government of India on the recommendation of Advisory Planning board under KC Neogi. The Idea of creation of zonal councils was mooted by Nehru during the course of debate of state re-organization commission. a. Exp: The word tebhaga itself means onethird. The share-croppers of Bengal wanted the share of the zamindars to be reduced to one-third. d. Exp: Article 253- Parliament has the power to make any law for the whole or any part of the territory of India for implementing any treaty, agreement or convention with any other country. Should be noted that the consent of state is not needed.

47. c 48. c. Exp: Mangroves are the most productive eco-system of the earth followed by ocean. 49. d 50. c. Exp: Autonomous council that exists in most of the north eastern states under sixth schedule are not covered by PESA. PESA extended the provisions of Panchayats to the tribal areas of nine states that have fifth schedule areas. 51. d. Exp: Areas under priority sector lending are notified by the RBI in India. As per the current guidelines of RBI, all the above areas are included in the list of priority sector lending. 52. d. Exp: In India for every 1000 kwh power, Indian Thermal Power Plant consumes as much as 80 cubic metres of water. In developed countries, the water consumption is 10 cubic metres for every 1000 kwh. The major reason for this atrocious figure is the widespread prevalence of once-through cooling systems. 53. a. Exp: Demographic dividend means getting the benefit of high percentage of working age population in the process of economic development. But it is possible only if youth and working age population is skilled and trained to take up economic activities. 54. a. Exp: Tribhanga consists of three bends in the body at the neck, waist and knee. Hence the body is oppositely curved at waist and neck which gives it a gentle S shape. It is the favourite pose of Lord Krishna as shown in literature and sculpture. 55. c. Exp: Annie Besant was not a founder member of the Theosophical Society founded at New York in 1875. She became a member later when it was functioning from Adyar and finally became the third President of the society after Blavatsky and Olcott. 56. c. Exp: Its original purpose was to enable Indian judges to sit in judgment over any white accused.

57. d. Exp: Increase in money supply will reduce the purchasing power of money as more money will be chasing lesser goods and will cause prices to rise. It is a monetary reason of price rise. Less availability of goods due to lower output or faster increase in demand without increase in supply causes demand pull inflation/price rise. 58. b. Exp: Indias foreign exchange reserves comprise Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs), gold, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and Reserve Tranche Position (RTP) in the IMF. 59. d. Exp: New money into the economy will increase the money supply which will be inflationary. In case deficit financing without creating money, the money supply remains the same. 60. b. Exp: In case of any financial or physical asset, if demand increase without corresponding increase in supply, the price increases. Interest is the price of money which will increase if there is increase in demand for it without corresponding increase in supply. 61. c. Exp: In cold chambers the relative humidity remains more than 95% and the temperature is reduced by 6 to 100C than the ambient temperature. This cool chambers retard the ripening process by reducing the rate of respiration and thus, increases the shelf life of both fruits and vegetables. 62. d. Exp: Gharial is critically endangered. Leatherback turtle is critically endangered. Swamp deer is vulnerable. Endangered: It is in danger but not very soon. Critically endangered: The specie has a very high risk of being extinct and could be soon. Vulnerable: They are not endangered yet but numbers are dropping continuously. 63. d Exp: It reduces the rotational friction between the vehicle and the surfaces it runs on, such as cemented roads. Friction force is independent of area of contact and proportional to normal force.

64. c 65. d. Exp: A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection and refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets in the Earths atmosphere, resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicolored arc. Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the sun. In a rainbow, the arc shows red on the outer part and violet on the inner side. This rainbow is caused by light being refracted while entering a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it. Splitting of color is due to dispersion of color. 66. C Exp: Roots are the organ of absorption of water and minerals required for growth and development of the plants. During transplantation most of the root and root hairs are damaged so transplanted seedlings do not grow well. 67. C. Exp: Technical progress in the world may not benefit the country X. Similarly, trade growth in the world economy may not benefit the country X if it is not able to export more. Even growth in population without growth in other resources necessary for growth will not support economic growth. But most likely, capital formation in the country will induce economic activities and economic growth in the country X. 68. C Exp: A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of an organism because it is a living chemical and always used host energy and enzymes for its multiplication. It can transmitted by any mediums like water, air, or biological. 69. d 70. a. Exp: Gravity, the weakest of the four forces, is about 10-36 times the strength of the strong force. This weakness is easily demonstrable - on a dry day, rub a comb

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across your shirt to give it static electricity, then hold it over a piece of paper on a desk. If you were successful, the piece of paper lifts off the desk. It takes an entire planet to keep the paper on the desk, but this force is easily overcome with everyday materials employing the electromagnetic force. a c Exp: A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic (generally mutualistic, but occasionally weakly pathogenic) association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant. Plant roots alone may be incapable of taking up phosphate ions that are demineralized in soils with a basic pH. The mycelium of the mycorrhizal fungus can, however, access these phosphorus sources, and make them available to the plants they colonize. Mycorrhizal plants are often more resistant to diseases, such as those caused by microbial soil-borne pathogens and are also more resistant to the effects of drought. b. Exp: 1. Prime Minister, 2. All Union Cabinet Ministers (since 1967), 3. Chief Ministers of all states, 4. Chief Ministers/ administers of all union territories, 5. Members of Planning Commission. a. Exp: National income of a country is the money value of all final goods and services produced by the nationals. In the question, options (a) and (d) may be correct but both the options give half the definition each. But out of the two possible answers, (a) is more probable. c. Exp: NABARD gives indirect credit assistance to rural households. c. Exp: PAC consist of 22 members, 15 from Lok Sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha. b. Exp: Dadu Dayal belonged to the late 16th century, while Tyagaraja lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Only Guru Nanak was preaching in the early 16th century. b c d

81. b. Exp: Private remittances are included in the current account 82. b. Exp: In addition to the world famous Ajanta mural (wall) paintings, the Lepakshi temple in Andhra Pradesh has excellent frescos belonging to the Vijayanagar rulers. Sanchi is famous for only architecture and sculpture. 83. c. Exp: Samkhya does not accept the Vedic or Hindu theory of rebirth, since it recognizes not one absolute purusha, but a multitude of purushas or individual souls who are uncreated, unchanging and eternal beings of pure consciousness. 84. a. Exp: Cabinet is headed by Prime Minister (President is the head of the state). 85. a 86. a. Exp: Majority of Indian coal have high fusion temperature. 87. c. Exp: Laterite soils lack nitrogen, and they are well developed in western coastal plain. 88. a 89. c. Exp: Wheat is a rabi crop. 90. b 91. a. Exp: Inflation reduces the actual value of money repaid by the debtor. So, in real terms, the debtor is the gainer as he is repaying less in real terms to the lender. Bondholders get a fixed return and inflation reduces the real value of the money that the bondholders get at the time of redemption of the bond. So, the bondholder is a looser during higher inflation rates. 92. c. Exp: Disguised unemployment refers to a situation where more people are employed that required. So the extra people are actually not contributing to the work. Technically speaking, their marginal productivity is zero. 93. b. Exp: Council of Ministers in the centre shall be collectively responsible to Lok Sabha only. Art 75(3) 94. b 95. b. Exp: Deputy Chairman is a member of Rajya Sabha.

For detailed explanation, refer Wizard July 2013 issue

96. c they are least liquid among the options 97. a given. Demand deposits include savings bank 98. a. Exp: Karbi tribe belongs to Karbi deposits as well as current account deposits. Angalong district of Assam. Current account deposits are more liquid Bonda tribe belongs to Orissa. than savings bank deposits. 99. d. Exp: Liquidity means cash or near cash. 100.c. Exp: Open Market Operations is an act Closer to the cash more is the liquidity. of buying and selling of securities by the Currency is in the form of cash and it is the RBI. Generally, the government securities most liquid. Time deposits with banks can are used for open market operations by the not be immediately converted into cash, so RBI.