Test 22 1 Solutions

7/26/2019 Test 22 1 Solutions.

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1. Solution: b)

In Indian religions and Indian philosophy, mokshaalso

called vimoksha, vimuktiand mukti, means emancipation, liberation or release. In

the soteriological and eschatological sense, it connotes freedom from sa!s"ra, the

cycle of death and rebirth. In the epistemological and psychological sense, moksha

connotes freedom, self-realization and self-knowledge.

In Hindu traditions, mokshais a central concept and included as one of the four

aspects and goals of human life; the other three goals are dharma(virtuous, proper,

moral life), artha(material prosperity, income security, means of life),

and kama(pleasure, sensuality, emotional fulfillment). Together, these four aims of

life are called Puru!"rtha in Hinduism.

2. Solution: d)

Miniature painting developed During the 10th century in western part of India that is

modern state of Rajasthan.These paintings are seen in hastprat [mini books written

by hands ] of Vaishnav sect and Jain cult. This paintings were made to make the

subject of the book more interested and to decorate the books.

Particular manuscript miniature painting developed in the western part of India that

is modern state of Rajasthan. The subjects of these miniature paintings are in

relation to the subjects of the manuscripts mostly religious and literary. Manypaintings are from Sanskrit and folk literature. It is on the subject of love stories.

Some paintings from Vaishnav sect of Hindu religion and some are from Jain cult.

The Paintings of Vaishnav sect are regarding various occasions of the life of Lord

Krishna and Gopies. Vaishnav paintings of "Gita Govinda" is about Lord Krishna.

The paintings of Jain cult is concerning to Jain Lords and religious subjects.

The earliest examples of miniature painting in India exist in the form of illustrations

to the religious texts on Buddhism executed under the Palas of the eastern India and

the Jain texts executed in western India during the 11th-12th centuries A.D.

The origin of the Mughal School of Painting is considered to be a landmark in the

history of painting in India. With the establishment of the Mughal empire, the

Mughal School of painting originated in the reign of Akbar in 1560 A.D.

3. Solution: d)

There does not appear to be any connection between the cities built in the 3rd

millennium B.C., with an astonishing civic sense, of first rate well-fired brick

structures, and the architecture of subsequent thousand years or so, of Indian arthistory, after the decline and decay of the Harappan civilization and the beginning of


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the historic period of Indian history, mainly the time of the great Mauryas of

Magadha. These thousands years or so were a period of tremendous, intellectual and

sociological activity and could not be barren of any artistic creations. However, due

to the fact that during this time sculpture and architecture was utilising organic and

perishable materials such as mud, mudbrick, bamboo, timber, leaves, straw andthatch, these have not survived the ravages of time.

We know it for a fact that stone masonry and stone carving were imported in

Ashoka's times from Persia. There is abundant evidence of stone masons marks

similar to those at Persepolis. However, wood was still the dominant material and in

architectural remains of Ashokan times, the gradual transition from wood to stone is

apparent.

4.

Solution: d)

A typical example of early cave architecture is the most datable cave of all, the so-

called Lomas Rishi cave in the Barabar Hills of Bihar. An inscription proves that this

was excavated for the Ajivika sect in the time of Ashoka himself. The cave carved out

of the living rock, measures 55'x22'x20'. The entrance is a representation in stone of

a hut entrance, with the end of the roof constructed of bent timber supported by

cross beams, the ends of which are shown protruding. A carved frieze of elephants is

a stone imitation of similar work in wood along with a stone imitation of trellis work

made of small stick of bamboo. This is an excellent example showing the

development from earlier shapes in timber translated into stone. The period is the

3rd century B.C.

5. Solution: b)

The Buddhist Stupa is another form of architecture, comprising a hemispherical

dome, a solid structure into which one cannot enter. The stupa is a glorified,

beautified, enlarged funerary mound: what was once the resting place of the bones

and ashes of a holy man. Tradition has it that after the great demise of Lord Buddha,


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Emperor Ashoka decided to construct a large number of stupas throughout his

dominion in memory of the Master and enshrine in them relics such as pieces of

bones, teeth, hair etc., over which the Stupas were constructed.

The railing and gateways at Bharhut, Sanchi and Bodh Gaya are the most famous in

the north and at Amravati and Nagarjunakonda in the South. Upright pillars and

cross bars, based on wooden construction, were made and provided the occasion for

dome of the finest low relief carvings to be found anywhere in Indian art. On these

surfaces are carved the favourite symbols of Buddhism, the lotus, elephant, bull, lion

and horse and some of the Jataka stories of the previous births of Buddha, depicted

in low relief.

6. Solution: b)

In a balanced condition, ecosystem functioning is self- regulating and self-sustaining.

This dynamic nature of ecosystem is dependent upon a number of factors including

flow of energy, cycling of materials and perturbations, both intrinsic and extrinsic.

Ecosystem is now recognized as a dynamic concept with structural heterogeneity

based on at least four functional compartments or phases.

Biosphere constitutes vast network of all ecosystems, hence, itself acts as a large

ecosystem.

According to Britannica encyclopedia, thebiosphere is a global ecosystemcomposedof living organisms (biota) and the abiotic (nonliving) factors from which they

derive energyand nutrients.

7. Solution: d)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aihole_inscriptions

Aihole is a village having a historic temple complex in the Bagalkot

district of Karnataka,It is known for Chalukyan architecture, with about 125 stonetemples dating from 5th century CE. With its collection of architectural structures,

Aiho#e has the potential to be included as a UNESCO World heritage site.

8. Solution: d)

Apart from structural temples the other variety of temples are rock cut, found at

Mahabalipuram, about 38 miles down south of Madras on the sea shore, datable to

the 5th century A.D. In local parlance they are known asRatha or chariots and are

named after the five Pandava brothers and Draupadi but they neither have anythingto do with chariots nor probably with the Pandavas and these associations are purely


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of a local character. The great Pallava rulers of Kanchipuram, were great builders and

the Pallava craftsmen, seized upon the long outcrop or rocks and boulders available

on the sea shore, carved them and gave to them the shape of temples (monolithic) as

well as colossal statues of lions, elephants and bulls, etc. carved out of smaller

boulders.

9. Solution: d)

According to literary tradition, Nalanda, 10 kilometres north of Rajgir and a suburb

of the ancient city, was visited by Buddha and Mahavira. Ashoka is said to have

worshipped at the chaitya-niches of Sariputra, Buddha's disciple, and erected a

temple. By the time of Harsha A.D. 606-648, Nalanda had become the principal

centre of Mahayana learning and a famed University town with numerous shrines

and monasteries which attracted scholars from far and near. The Chinese Pilgrims

Huien Tsang and Fa-hien studied at Nalanda and have left account of the settlement

and its life.

Temple 3 was more than 31 m. high and consisted of seven successive accumulations

of which the two latest belonged to the 11th and 12th centuries and the fifth one,

dating from circa 6th century, was notable for its sculptural wealth. The monasteries

were imposing rectangular buildings, each with an open courtyard, enclosed by a

covered verandahwhich leads into cells, arranged on the four sides. The cell facing

the entrance served as a shrine. Nalanda was an important centre of Pala sculptures

and bronzes and has also yielded seals and sealings of great historical significance.

10. Solution: a)

Till about the 6th century A.D., the style of temple architecture was similar both in

the north as well as in the south. It is only after this date that each began to evolve in

its own different direction. For the present let it be understood clearly that the two

areas where temple architecture developed most markedly were the Deccan and

Orissa and in both these areas the northern and southern style temples can be found

side by side. The Vimana, the temple tower over the main shrine in Orissa is one of

the most glorious inventions of architecture in India and is functionally a much finerconception than the south Indian Gopuram,where the barrel-shaped tower does not

crown the sanctum sanctorum or thegarbha-grihabut is a glorified entrance gate.

We had suggested in our introduction that the architect wanted to impart to the

temple more importance, prominence than the other buildings in the

neighbourhood, because here lived his God in the garbha griha or the womb-house.

For more read the Introduction of

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga_architecture


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11.Solution: c)

Go through the introduction part and the different styles of architecture cursorily

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_temple_architecture

12.Solution: d)

Dravidian style temples consist almost invariably of the four following parts,

differing only according to the age in which they were executed:

The principal part, the temple itself, is called the Vimana (or Vimanam). It is

always square in plan and surmounted by a pyramidal roof of one or more

stories; it contains the cell where the image of the god or his emblem is placed.

The porches or Mandapas (or Mantapams), which always cover and precede

the door leading to the cell.

Gate-pyramids, Gopurams, which are the principal features in the

quadrangular enclosures that surround the more notable temples.

Pillared halls or Chaultrisproperly Chawadis -- used for various purposes,and which are the invariable accompaniments of these temples.

Besides these, a temple always contains temple tanks or wells for water (used for

sacred purposes or the convenience of the priests), dwellings for all grades of the

priesthood are attached to it, and other buildings for state or convenience.

Thanjavur Temple, Trichy, Tamilnadu


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13.Solution: d)

All are Abiotic components:

In biology, abiotic factors can include water, light, radiation, temperature, humidity,

atmosphere, and soil. The macroscopic climate often influences each of the above.

Pressure and sound waves may also be considered in the context of marine or sub-

terrestrial environments.[4]

All of these factors affect different organismsto different extents. If there is little or

no sunlight then plants may wither and die from not being able to get enough

sunlight to complete the cycle of photosynthesis. ManyArchearequire very high

temperatures, or pressures, or unusual concentrations of chemical substances, such

as sulfur, because of their specialization into extreme conditions. Certain fungi have

evolved to survive mostly at the temperature, the humidity, and stability of their

environment.

14.Solution: b)

From the eighth to twelfth centuries, the eastern portion of India was host to a

florescence of artistic activity. Under the Pala dynasty, which ruled large portions of

Eastern-South Asia for nearly four hundred years span, many centres of Buddhism

and Hinduism flourished.

The Pala dynasty came to power around 750 A.D. The Pala school of art first

flourished in the Magadha region of Southern Bihar, the homeland of Buddhist

religion. Not surprisingly, the majority of early Pala-period remains are Buddhist.

Due to intense religious activity during Pala Sena period, many religious structures

were built or renovated. Most of these buildings have vanished leaving no extant

architecture from this period and making it very difficult to reconstruct a systematic

overview of the architectural development. Inspite of non-availability of any building,

a huge corpus of sculpture and a few paintings survive from this period.

During the Pala-period, a number of monasteries and religious sites that had been

founded in earlier periods grew into prominence. The large cruciform stupa at

Paharpur (ancient Somapura) in Bengal (now Bangladesh), for example, measures

more than one hundred meters from North to South. It was built around the late

eighth or early ninth century. The walls of the courtyard contain 177 individual cells

that served as shrines.

Although the first two hundred or so years of Pala-period art were dominated by

Buddhist art, the Hindu remains also exist in some quantities in that phase and

clearly dominate in the last two hundred years of the Pala-period.


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15.Solution: d)

In the Hindu style of construction spaces were spanned corbels, held together by

making courses project, each further than the one below, so that the open span wasgradually reduced to a size which could be covered with a single slab or brick.

Although there exists some evidence to suggest that the true arch may have been

known in India earlier, it is the Muslims who are believed to have brought the

principle of building a true arch so as to hold up the roof or ceiling or a top part of a

structure, the bricks or stones laid to reproduce a curve, held together by the key-

stone on the top of the rise. In many cases even if the true arch was familiar to

indigenous architects in ancient times, it was re-introduced by the Muslims. The

result was that flat lintels or corbelled ceilings were replaced by arches or vaults, and

the pyramidal roof or spire by the dome.

Among the architectural features introduced by them mention may be made of

arches, domes, minars and minarets, the pendentive, squinch arch, half domed

double portals, kiosks (chhatris) and the use of concrete as a factor of construction.

They also introduced gilding and painting in varied colours and designs. Muslim

decorative elements are usually of the nature of embroidery. Even though lime was

known and to certain extent used in construction work in India fairly early, mud was

generally used for brick work and large blocks of stones were laid one on top of the

other and held by means of iron clamps. The Muslims, like the Romans, were also

responsible for making extensive use of concrete and lime mortar as an importantfactor of construction and incidentally used lime as plaster and a base for decoration

which was incised into it and held enamel work on tiles.

16.Solution: a)

http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_humayuntomb_char.asp

The introduction of decorative brackets, balconies, pendentive decorations, etc in the

architecture is an example in this regard. The other distinguishing features of Indo-Islamic architecture are the utilisation of kiosks (chhatris), tall towers (minars) and

half-domed double portals. As human worship and its representation are not allowed

in Islam, the buildings and other edifices are generally decorated richly in

geometrical and arabesque designs. These designs were carved on stone in low relief,

cut on plaster, painted or inlaid. The use of lime as mortar was also a major element

distinct from the traditional building style.

17.Solution: b)

The first distinct example of proper Mughal architecture inspired by Persianarchitecture, is the tomb of Humayun, in Delhi, built by his widow, Begha Begum.


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This tomb is important for a proper study of the development of later Mughal

architecture and has provided the prototype, followed by architects who designed the

Mausoleum of Jahangir at Shahdara, Lahore, as well as the celebrated Taj Mahal, at

Agra. Although Sikander Lodi's tomb as the first garden tomb built in India, it is

Humayun's tomb which strikes a new note. It is a memorial erected by a devoted wifefor her imperial husband and is magnificent, grand and impressive. Raised on a vast

platform, the tomb proper stands in the centre of a square garden, divided into 4

main parts by causeways (Charbagh) in the centre of which ran shallow water-

channels.

The square, red, sandstone, double storeyed structure of the mausoleum rises over a

high square terrace, raised over a series of cells which are like a musical composition.

The octagonal form of the central chamber containing the cenotaph, is inspired by

Syrian and earlier Islamic models. It is for the first time that pink sandstone and

white are used with admirable effect, the white is used cleverly to emphasise,surround and underline doors and windows, strengthening the design.

There is a certain rhythmic quality in the whole structure in its symmetrical design

and the repetition of the large dome in the similar pavillions with small but similar

domes.

18.Solution: c)

Animal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individuals, usually ona seasonal basis. It is found in all major animal groups, including birds,

mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and crustaceans.[1]The trigger for the

migration may be local climate, local availability of food, the season of the year or for

mating reasons.[2]To be counted as a true migration, and not just a local dispersal

or irruption, the movement of the animals should be an annual or seasonal

occurrence, such as birds migrating south for the winter; wildebeest migrating

annually for seasonal grazing; or a major habitat change as part of their life, such as

young Atlantic salmon leaving the river of their birth when they have reached a few

inches in size.

19.Solution: a)

The beginning of stone sculpture in India goes back to a very remote age. The

excavations carried out in 1924, at the ruins of Mohenjodaro on the Indus river and

Harappa in the Punjab, brought to light a highly developed urban civilization,

archaeologically known as the Indus Valley or Harappan Culture. It flourished from

C.2500 B.C. to 1500 B.C. These ancient cities had a systematic lay-out, wide roads,

spacious houses made of bricks, and an underground drainage system, somewhatlike our own. People worshipped the Mother Goddess or Goddess of fertility. Trade


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and cultural contacts existed between these cities and those of Mesopotamia of which

the evidence is the occurrence of the seals, as well as similar carnelian beads,

knobbed pottery, etc., at both places. Clay was the earliest medium in which man

began to mould and we have discovered a large number of terracotta figurines from

these Indus Valley sites.

20. Solution: b)

The great Buddhist Emperor Ashoka caused the erection of monolithic pillars of

sandstone, 30 to 40 feet high, crowned by animal figures like the bull, lion and

elephant, and had them inscribed with the Buddhist concepts of morality, humanity

and piety, which he wished his people to follow. Famous Ashokan pillars are from

Lauriya Nandangarh in Bihar, Sanchi and Sarnath.

The most remarkable of them all is the highly polished monolithic lion-capital found

at Sarnath, which is now the Emblem of the Government of India. It represents four

roaring lions back to back facing the four cardinal directions. The round abacus is

decorated with four dharmachakras or wheels of law, alternating with an elephant, a

bull, a horse and a lion, all carved with masterly skill. The abacus is supported by a

bell-shaped base consisting of a lotus with dharmachakra, which perhaps

symbolized the victory of righteousness over physical force. The superb modelling of

the figures executed in a realistic manner with a certain stylization, is invested with a

great power and dignity, and reveals the aristocratic and international nature of

Mauryan art.

21.Solution: a)

Saprotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular

digestion involved in the processing of dead or decayed organic matter. It occurs in

saprotrophs or heterotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi (for

exampleMucorandRhizobium) and soil bacteria. Saprotrophic microscopic fungi

are sometimes called saprobes; saprotrophic plants or bacterial flora arecalled saprophytes (sapro- + -phyte, "rotten material" + "plant"). The process is most

often facilitated through the active transport of such materials

through endocytosis within the internal mycelium and its constituent hyphae.

22.

Solution: d)


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Though it may seem strange, Buddha is never represented in human form in

Buddhist art before the Christian era, as his spirituality was considered too abstract

for the purpose. The adherents of the Buddhist faith followed the Hinayana path as a

means of attaining salvation. Buddha's presence in early Indian art is, therefore,

suggested by symbols like the Bodhi tree under which he attained enlightenment, thewheel of law, his foot prints, the royal umbrella, the stupa and an empty throne, etc.

The relief-medallion from the fragment of a railing pillar of the stupa at Bharhut

datable to the 2nd Century B.C., shows the worship of the Bodhi tree by four figures.

Buddha had attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. Here the

tree symbolizes the presence of Buddha.

23. Solution: d)

The first century of the Christian era's revolutionary change, had far-reaching effects,

not only on the art of India, but also on the artistic development of Buddhist

countries of Asia. Buddha who was hitherto designated only by a symbol, was

conceived in human form. His person was given some of the 32 suspicious bodily

signs associated with the Mahapurushalakshana, such as the protuberance of the

skull, the hair-knot, bindi between the eyebrows and elongated ears. This change

came about as a result of the new changes that had crept into the religious outlook of

Buddhism due to the influence of the Devotional School of Hindu Philosophy,

requiring the worship of personal gods.

It must have exercised profound influence on the religious approach of the masses

towards Buddhism. The image becomes henceforth the main element of sculpture

and worship. Possibly, the emergence of the image of Buddha in Gandhara and in

Mathura was a parallel development. In each case, it was produced by the local artist

craftsmen working in the local tradition. At Mathura it clearly emerges from

the Yaksha tradition. The Gandhara image might seem to resemble Apollo in some

extraneous forms and does look characteristically Greco-Roman in drapery, but even

there most of the images represent Buddha as seated in the typically Indian Yogic

posture, a feature completely unknown to the Hellenistic tradition of art.

24. Solution: c)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva#Bodhisattva_ideal

The Buddhist religion greatly flourished under the patronage of Kushan emperors,

and several images of the Buddha and Bodhisattavas were produced after the

earlier Yaksha types. Here, we may point out the difference between a Buddha and

Bodhisattava. Buddha is one who has attained the enlightenment of supremeknowledge, while the Bodhisattava is still a candidate for it. A typical example of the


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image of Buddha, as it was evolved by the Kushan sculptor in the 2nd century A.D.

shows him seated cross-legged on a

25.

Solution: a)

Medieval sculpture style came right after Gupta sculpture style.

The characteristic of this new form of style of art is the difference with classical art in

attitude, if not in skill and aptitude. Loveliness and idealisation are still the artist's

passion as they were for artists in the early classical period, but love of the ornate,

decorative details is now dominant over classic simplicity. There is more

complication, ornamentation and enrichment. There is an erroneous view that the

Indian artist was a strict conformist with the rules laid down in

the shilpasastras specifying how the gods of the Indian pantheon are to be shown inimages. One look at the variety and individuality of Indian sculpture will clearly

demonstrate that as styles went on developing the sculptors frequently departed

from the texts and rules laid down, and delighted in those departures and the

liberties they took with the bodies of humans and even of gods and goddesses.

26. Solution: d)

In the middle of the 8th century the Rashtrakutas wrested power from the

Chalukyas. They created the greatest wonder of medieval Indian art in their Kailasa

temple at Ellora. Quarried out of a hill and solid rocks, it is sculptured on a grand

scale. The bold and magnificent carving in this temple shows the Rashtrakuta style of

tall and powerfully built figures, reflecting with spiritual and physical poise. The

beautiful architectural rock sculpture from Cave No.29 at Ellora shows the marriage

of Siva and Parvati. Siva holding the hand of the bashful Parvati occupies the centre

of the composition. To the right Brahma, the creator, is actively engaged in stirring

up the flames of the sacred fire. The parents of Parvati stand behind her to offer their

daughter to the great god. A number of gods assembled to witness the function are

shown hovering above the principal figures. The dignified grace of the divine coupleand the gentle solemnity of the occasion have been portrayed by the sculptor with a

masterly skill.

Since its an important part of Indian architecture, you may also consider reading the

introduction of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kailasa_temple,_Ellora


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27. Solution: a)

Another magnificent sculpture at Ellora is a panel depicting Ravana shaking mount

Kailasa. In this remarkable scene the quivering of the mountain can be felt, and

Parvati is shown greatly agitated, turning to Siva, grasping his hand in fear while her

maid takes to flight but the Great God is unmoved and holds on fast, pressing down

the mountain with his foot. The lower half of the composition exhibits Ravana

exerting all the force of his twenty arms against the mountain.

A classic panel showing the king of the Naga and his queen, belonging to Ajanta, 5th

century A.D. shows them seated on a throne attended by a hand maiden. The

sculptural work at Ajanta merits as great attention as the world famous wall

paintings.

The Vakataka traditions are derived from the earlier Satavahana which can be clearly

seen in the many carvings of Ajanta and in the painted and carved figures at Ajanta.It is only the decorative elements, chiefly composed of pearls and ribbons, so

characteristic of the Gupta-Vakataka age, that distinguishes them from the simpler,

but notable sculpture of Amravati.

28. Solution: d)

The earliest examples of miniature painting in India exist in the form of illustrations

to the religious texts on Buddhism executed under the Palas of the eastern India andthe Jain texts executed in western India during the 11th-12th centuries A.D.

The Pala painting is characterised by sinuous line and subdued tones of colour. It is a

naturalistic style which resembles the ideal forms of contemporary bronze and stone

sculpture, and reflects some feeling of the classical art of Ajanta. A fine example of

the typical Buddhist palm-leaf manuscript illustrated in the Pala style exists in the

Bodleian Library, Oxford, England. It is a manuscript of theAstasahasrika

Prajnaparamita, or the perfection of Wisdom written in eight thousand lines. It was

executed at the monastery of Nalanda in the fifteenth year of the reign of the Pala

King, Ramapala, in the last quarter of the eleventh century. The manuscript hasillustrations of six pages and also on the insides of both wooden covers.

The Pala art came to a sudden end after the destruction of the Buddhist monasteries

at the hands of Muslim invaders in the first half of the 13th century. Some of the

monks and artists escaped and fled to Nepal, which helped in reinforcing the existing

art traditions there.

29. Solution: b)


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Within an ecological food chain, consumers are categorized into three

groups: primary consumers, secondary consumers, and the tertiary

consumers.[2]Primary consumers are usually herbivores, feeding on plants and

fungus. Secondary consumers, on the other hand, are mainly carnivores, and prey on

other animals. Omnivores, who feed on both plants and animals, can also beconsidered a secondary consumer. Tertiary consumers, sometimes also known

as apex predators, are usually at the top of food chains, capable of feeding on

secondary consumers and primary consumers. Tertiary consumers can be either fully

carnivorous or omnivorous. Humans are one such example of a tertiary consumer.

30. Solution: d)

The Pala period (750 A.D. to the middle of the 12th century) witnessed the last great

phase of Buddhism and of the Buddhist art in India.

The Buddhist monasteries (mahaviharas) of Nalanda, Odantapuri,Vikramsila and

Somarupa were great centres of Buddhist learning and art. A large number of

manuscripts on palm-leaf relating to the Buddhist themes were written and

illustrated with the images of Buddhist deities at these centres which also had

workshops for the casting of bronze images. Students and pilgrims from all over

South-East Asia gathered there for education and religious instruction. They took

back to their countries examples of Pala Buddhist art, in the form of bronzes and

manuscripts which helped to carry the Pala style to Nepal, Tibet, Burma, Sri Lanka

and Java etc. The surviving examples of the Pala illustrated manuscripts mostly

belong to the Vajrayana School of Buddhism.

31.Solution: d)

The Western Indian style of painting prevailed in the region comprising Gujarat,

Rajasthan and Malwa. The motivating force for the artistic activity in Western India

was Jainism just as it was Buddhism in case of the Ajanta and the Pala arts. Jainism

was patronised by the Kings of the Chalukya Dynasty who ruled Gujarat and parts ofRajasthan and Malwa from 961 A.D. to the end of the 13th century. An enormous

number of Jain religious manuscripts were commissioned from 12th to 16th

centuries by the princes, their ministers and the rich Jain merchants for earning

religious merit. Many such manuscripts are available in the Jain

libraries (bhandaras)which are found at many places in Western India.

32. Solution: d)

Though no pre-Mughal painting from the Deccan are so far known to exist, yet it cansafely be presumed that sophisticated schools of painting flourished there, making a


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significant contribution to the development of the Mughal style in North India. Early

centres of painting in the Deccan, during the 16th and 17th centuries were

Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda. In the Deccan, painting continued to develop

independently of the Mughal style in the beginning. However, later in the 17th and

18th centuries it was increasingly influenced by the Mughal style.

Painting in Hyderabad started with the foundation of the Asafjhi dynasty by Mir

Qamruddin Khan (Chin Qulick Khan) Nizam-ul-Mulk in 1724 A.D. Influence of the

Mughal style of painting on the already existing early styles of Deccani paintings,

introduced by several Mughal painters who migrated to the Deccan during the period

of Aurangzeb and sought patronage there, was responsible for the development of

various styles of painting in the Deccan at Hyderabad and other centres.

33.

Solution: d)

Unlike Mughal painting which is primarily secular, the art of painting in Central

India, Rajasthani and the Pahari region etc. is deeply rooted in the Indian traditions,

taking inspiration from Indian epics, religious texts like the Puranas, love poems in

Sanskrit and other Indian languages, Indian folk-lore and works on musical themes.

The cults of Vaishnavism, Saivism andSakti exercised tremendous influence on the

pictorial art of these places. Among these the cult of Krishna was the most popular

one which inspired the patrons and artists.

The themes fromtheRamayana., theMahabharata, theBhagavata, theSiva Purana,

theNaishadacarita, the Usha Aniruddha, the GitaGovinda of Jayadeva,

theRasamanjari of Bhanudatta, theAmaru Sataka, theRasikapriya of Kesavadasa,

theBihari Satasayee and theRagamala etc., provided a very rich field to the painter

who with his artistic skill and devotion made a significant contribution to the

development of Indian painting.

34.

Solution: d)

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous institution under the Ministry

of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

WII carries out wildlife research in areas of study like Biodiversity, Endangered

Species, Wildlife Policy, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Forensics, Spatial Modeling,

Ecodevelopment, and Climate Change.

launches initiative for allowing PSU and Companies to adopt endangered species

such as Great Indian bustard, Gharial, Lesser Florican, Snow Leopard etc. Spendings

will be counted under CSR in Companies Act 2013. This is because Budget 2015 hasreduced its funding by 25%.


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35. Solution: c)

http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/grassland.html

36. Solution: d)

Under several personal laws of all religions, leprosy for more than two years serves as

a legitimate ground for divorce or separation between spouses. Under the State

Beggary Acts, persons with leprosy are put under the same category as those with

mental ailments, and medical examination, arrest and detention of persons affected

by leprosy is allowed.

The Life Insurance Corporation Act charges higher premium rates from persons with

leprosy. Several State Municipal and Panchayat Raj Acts bar persons with leprosy

from holding or contesting civic posts.

In its 256th report submitted to the Law Ministry on Tuesday, the commission listed

many laws that discriminate against leprosy patients.

The commission has prepared a draft Bill to eliminate discrimination against persons

affected with leprosy.

The commission recommended the repeal or amendment of all laws carrying

discriminatory provisions. The panel recommended an end to the segregation of

persons with leprosy, many of whom live in 850 leprosy colonies across India.

The Rehabilitation Council of India Act and the Persons with Disabilities Act do not

include all categories of persons with leprosy.

Recommendations are here:

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=118021

Also go through http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprosy_in_India

This is an important topic. Properly go through it.

37. Solution: c)

Eligibility: Available to people in the age group of 18 to 50 and having a bank

account. People who join the scheme before completing 50 years can, however,

continue to have the risk of life cover up to the age of 55 years subject to payment of

premium.

Premium: Rs.330 per annum. It will be auto-debited in one instalment.


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Payment Mode: The payment of premium will be directly auto-debited by the bank

from the subscribers account.

Risk Coverage: Rs.2 Lakh in case of death for any reason.

Terms of Risk Coverage: A person has to opt for the scheme every year. He can alsoprefer to give a long-term option of continuing, in which case his account will be

auto-debited every year by the bank.

Who will implement this Scheme?: The scheme will be offered by Life Insurance

Corporation and all other life insurers who are willing to join the scheme and tie-up

with banks for this purpose.

Government Contribution:

(i) Various other Ministries can co-contribute premium for various categories of

their beneficiaries out of their budget or out of Public Welfare Fund created in this

budget out of unclaimed money. This will be decided separately during the year.

(ii) Common Publicity Expenditure will be borne by Government.

38. Solution: a)

The Internal Working Group of the Reserve Bank of India under the Chairmanship of

Shri B Mahapatra had submitted the final Report on the implementation of

Countercyclical Capital Buffer (CCCB) in July, 2014. The Report made

recommendations in areas such as indicators that may be used for CCCB decisions,

thresholds for activating the buffer, lead time for announcement of buffer, etc.

The aim of the Countercyclical Capital Buffer (CCCB) regime is twofold. Firstly, it

requires banks to build up a buffer of capital in good times which may be used to

maintain flow of credit to the real sector in difficult times. Secondly, it achieves the

broader macro-prudential goal of restricting the banking sector from indiscriminate

lending in the periods of excess credit growth that have often been associated with

the building up of system-wide risk.

39. Solution: d)

Most desert species have found remarkable ways to survive by evading drought.

Desert succulents, such as cacti or rock plants (Lithops) for example, survive dry

spells by accumulating moisture in their fleshy tissues. They have an extensive

system of shallow roots to capture soil water only a few hours after it has rained.

Additionally, many cacti and other stem-succulent plants of hot deserts present

columnar growth, with leafless, vertically-erect, green trunks that maximize light


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interception during the early and late hours of the day, but avoid the midday sun,

when excessive heat may damage plant tissues.

One of the most effective drought-survival adaptations for many species is the

evolution of an ephemeral life-cycle. An ephemeral life cycle is characterized by ashort life and the capacity to leave behind very hardy forms of propagation. This

ability is found not only in plants but also in many invertebrates. Desert ephemerals

are amazingly rapid growers capable of reproducing at a remarkably high rate during

good seasons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larrea_tridentata#Desert_adaptation

40. Solution: a)

Carbon dioxide readily dissolves in water and the oceans provide a huge reservoir of

carbon. Across the world's oceans there is a continual cycle of equilibration of

dissolved carbon dioxide in water with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Around 88 thousand million tonnes of carbon is released from the surface of the

world's oceans each year, with an annual uptake by the oceans of 90 thousand

million tonnes. Consequently, the net uptake of carbon dioxide by oceans is

estimated to be approximately 2 thousand million tonnes annually.

The carbon dioxide which dissolves in our oceans occurs in three main forms. Asidefrom the normal carbon dioxide form, it is also found as bicarbonate and carbonate

ions. Most, about 90 percent, exists as bicarbonate with carbonate ions acting as the

link between carbon dioxide and bicarbonate. As concentrations of carbon dioxide

increase the supply of carbonate ions becomes limited and so the oceans become less

and less able to take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

41.Solution: a)

One way to increase the carbon sequestration efficiency of the oceans is to addmicrometre-sized iron particles in the form of either hematite (iron oxide) or

melanterite (iron sulfate) to certain regions of the ocean. This has the effect of

stimulating growth of plankton. Iron is an important nutrient for phytoplankton,

usually made available via upwelling along the continental shelves, inflows from

rivers and streams, as well as deposition of dust suspended in the atmosphere.

Natural sources of ocean iron have been declining in recent decades, contributing to

an overall decline in ocean productivity (NASA, 2003) Yet in the presence of iron

nutrients plankton populations quickly grow, or 'bloom', expanding the base

of biomass productivity throughout the region and removing significant quantities ofCO2from the atmosphere via photosynthesis.


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42. Solution: d)

The ocean plays an important part in the carbon cycle. Overall, the ocean is called a

carbon sink because it takes up more carbon from the atmosphere than it gives up.

Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolves in the surface waters of the ocean.

Some of the carbon dioxide stays as dissolved gas, but much of it gets turned into

other things. Photosynthesis by tiny marine plants (phytoplankton) in the sunlit

surface waters turns the carbon into organic matter. Many organisms use carbon to

make calcium carbonate, a building material of shells and skeletons. Other chemical

processes create calcium carbonate in the water. The using up of carbon by biological

and chemical processes allows more carbon dioxide to enter the water from the

atmosphere.

43. Solution: d)

The common name given to the atmospheric gases used

in breathing and photosynthesis is air. By volume, dry air contains 78.09% nitrogen,

20.95%oxygen,[1]0.93% argon, 0.039% carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other

gases. Air also contains a variable amount of water vapor, on average around 1% at

sea level, and 0.4% over the entire atmosphere.

Stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which is the part of Earth's atmosphere thatcontains relatively high concentrations of that gas.

44. Solution: a)

Critically Endangered Great Indian Bustards (GIB) is the State bird of Rajasthan.

Total 150 GIB live in India out of them almost 100 are in Rajasthan alone, and

remaining in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.

But the new census says only 50 GIB left in Rajasthan. And zero GIB left in Uttar

Pradesh and Bihar. Thar desert of Rajasthan is the breeding ground for GIB.

Officially its called Desert National Park but legally its only a sanctuary (therefore

human activities permitted). Even Supreme court permitted school constructions

here. Other dangers are installation of windmills and shortage of forest guards.

45. Solution: d)

The principle fuel used as a petrol substitute for road transport vehicles is

bioethanol. Bioethanol fuel is mainly produced by the sugar fermentation process,


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although it can also be manufactured by the chemical process of reacting ethylene

with steam.

The main sources of sugar required to produce ethanol come from fuel or energy

crops. These crops are grown specifically for energy use and include corn, maize and

wheat crops, waste straw, willow and popular trees, sawdust, reed canary grass, cord

grasses, jerusalem artichoke, myscanthus and sorghum plants. There is also ongoing

research and development into the use of municipal solid wastes to produce ethanol

fuel.

Other sources are grass, rice straw, sea weed (macro algae) etc.

46. Solution: d)

Using bio-refining, It is possible to turn macro algae (sea weeds) into bio-ethanol

(fuel), and byproducts like agar, pigment, lipids and fertilizers are added benefits.

Important seaweed species are Gelidiella acerosa and Gracilaria dura from Western

coast of India, and Gelidium pusillum collected from southeast coast.

But the challenge is that we need to grow millions of tones of sea weed. But the good

thing is seaweed farming can provide large scale employment to many fishermen,

and reduce coastal eutrophication and global warming.

Eutrophication is a common phenomenon in coastal waters. In contrast tofreshwater systems, nitrogen is more commonly the key limiting nutrient of marine

waters; thus, nitrogen levels have greater importance to understanding

eutrophication problems in salt water. Estuaries tend to be naturally eutrophic

because land-derived nutrients are concentrated where run-off enters a confined

channel. Upwelling in coastal systems also promotes increased productivity by

conveying deep, nutrient-rich waters to the surface, where the nutrients can be

assimilated by algae.

Sea grass can consume the extra mineral and consume carbon dioxide in

photosynthesis to reduce coastal eutrophication.

47. Solution: a)

NGT can deliver justice only in matters pertaining to following acts- Water Act, The

Water Cess Act, The Forest Conservation Act, The Air Pollution Act, Environment

Protection Act, Public Liability Insurance Act and The Biological Diversity Act. Forest

ministry contends that NGT cant deliver any Verdict on matters related to climate

change. Because climate change subject is covered under international conventions

and protocols.


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About NGT: The National Green Tribunal has been established in 2010 under the

National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases

relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural

resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and

giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for mattersconnected therewith or incidental thereto. It is a specialized body equipped with the

necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary

issues.

48. Solution: a)

Relative Humidity is the ratio between amount of water vapour present in air vs. the

amount of water vapour the air can hold. During high temperature high relative

humidity scenario, human body tries to control temperature by evaporating moistureas per commands from hypothalamus. But since outside air already has high relative

humidity, it cannot hold any more moisture, hence sweat doesnt evaporate quickly,

therefore it appears as if we are sweating more profusely during high humid climate.

49. Solution: a)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing#Bio-printing

3D printing (or additive manufacturing, AM) is any of various processes used to

make a three-dimensional object. In 3D printing, additive processes are used, in

which successive layers of material are laid down under computer control. These

objects can be of almost any shape or geometry, and are produced from a 3D

model or other electronic data source. A 3D printer is a type of industrial robot.

50. Solution: a)

The Rights of Transgender Persons Bill 2014 seeks to provide framework for theformulation and implementation of a comprehensive national policy for ensuring

overall development of the transgender persons and their welfare. Moreover,

Two percent reservation in primary, secondary and higher education and in

government jobs.

Establishment of Employment Exchange, National and State Commissions for

Trasngender Persons and Special Transgender Rights Courts.

No child who is transgender will be separated from his or her parents on the

grounds of being a transgender except on an order of competent court.

Penalty for hate speech against transgender persons includes imprisonmentextending upto one year and with fine.


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This bill will help government take necessary steps in order to ensure that

transgender persons enjoy the right to life with dignity and to personal liberty

guaranteed by the Constitution.

It should be noted that 29 nations and leading democracies in the world including

US, UK, Canada, France, Australia, Italy and Singapore have legislations protecting

rights of transgender persons.

51.Solution: c)

A lake ecosystem includes biotic (living) plants, animals and micro-organisms, as

well as abiotic (nonliving) physical and chemical interactions.

Lake ecosystems are a prime example of lentic ecosystems.Lenticrefers to stationary

or relatively still water, from the Latin lentus, which means sluggish. Lentic waters

range from ponds to lakes to wetlands, and much of this article applies to lentic

ecosystems in general. Lentic ecosystems can be compared with lotic ecosystems,

which involve flowing terrestrial waters such as rivers and streams. Together, these

two fields form the more general study area of freshwater or aquatic ecology.

Lentic systems are diverse, ranging from a small, temporary rainwater pool a few

inches deep to Lake Baikal, which has a maximum depth of 1740 m.The general

distinction between pools/ponds and lakes is vague, but Brownstates that ponds and

pools have their entire bottom surfaces exposed to light, while lakes do not. Inaddition, some lakes become seasonally stratified (discussed in more detail below.)

Ponds and pools have two regions: the pelagic open water zone, and the benthic

zone, which comprises the bottom and shore regions. Since lakes have deep bottom

regions not exposed to light, these systems have an additional zone,

the profundal.[3]These three areas can have very different abiotic conditions and,

hence, host species that are specifically adapted to live there.

Bacteria are present in all regions of lentic waters. Free-living forms are associated

with decomposing organic material, biofilm on the surfaces of rocks and plants,

suspended in the water column, and in the sediments of the benthic and profundalzones. Other forms are also associated with the guts of lentic animals as parasites or

in commensal relationships.Bacteria play an important role in system metabolism

through nutrient recycling,which is discussed in the Trophic Relationships section.

52. Solution: d)

E-Samiksha is designed by National Informatics Centre (NIC). It has been developed

to make it a highly interactive web-based, user-friendly and customised system.


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E-Samiksha will be used to monitor budget-related projects and also for monitoring

the infrastructure target and board meeting follow-up.

Currently, it is being used by Cabinet Secretariat, Prime Ministers Office and other

Ministries for monitoring progress implementation of various programmes and

follow-up of meetings.

It is not mandatory for states to follow this system.

53. Solution: d)

The ship is designed by the Directorate of Naval Design, Indian Navys in-house

design organization and made of entirely of Indian steel. It is 163-metre-long vessel

and weighs approximately 3,000 tons. It is Propelled by four gas turbines, and

capable to achieve maximum speed of over 30 knots at a displacement of

approximately 7,300 tons. It is fitted with state-of-the-art weapons, advance Action

Information System (AIS), Integrated Platform Management system (IPMS),

sophisticated Power Distribution System (PDS) and a Combat Management System.

It is also equipped with the Israeli Multi-Function Surveillance Threat Alert Radar

(MF-STAR). MF-STAR will provide it with targeting information to 32 Barak 8 long-

range surface-to-air missiles on board the warship. It will also be carrying 8 BrahMos

missiles. It has four 30 mm rapid-fire guns which will provide the ship with close-in-

defence capability and also has an MR gun that will enable ship to provide effectivenaval gunfire support.

54. Solution: c)

Commensalism, in biology, a relationship between individuals of two species in

which one species obtains food or other benefits from the other without either

harming or benefiting the latter.

The commensalthe species that benefits from the associationmayobtainnutrients, shelter, support, or locomotion from the host species, which is

unaffected. The commensal relation is often between a larger host and a smaller

commensal. The host organism is essentially unchanged by the interaction, whereas

the commensal species may show great morphological adaptation. This relationship

can be contrasted with mutualism, in which both species benefit.

One of the best-known examples of a commensal is the remora (family Echineidae)

that rides attached to sharks and other fishes. Remoras have evolved on the top of

their heads a flat oval sucking disk structure that adheres to the bodies of their hosts.

Both remoras and pilot fishes feed on the leftovers of their hosts meals. Acommensal relationship based on shelter is seen in anemone fishes, such


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asAmphiprion percula, which live unharmed among the stinging tentacles of sea

anemones, where they are protected from predators. Other examples of commensals

include bird species, such as the great egret (Ardea alba), that feed on insects turned

up by grazing mammals or on soil organisms stirred up by plowing. Various

biting lice, fleas, and louse flies are commensals in that they feed harmlessly onthe feathers of birds and on sloughed-off flakes ofskin from mammals.

55. Solution: d)

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/astra-missile-launched-

successfully/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astra_(missile)

56. Solution: d)

The profundal zone is a deep zone of an inland body of freestanding water, such as

a lake or pond, located below the range of effective light penetration. This is typically

below the thermocline, the vertical zone in the water through

which temperature drops rapidly. The lack of light in the profundal zone determines

the type of biological community that can live in this region, which is distinctly

different from the community in the overlying waters. The profundal zone is part of

the aphotic zone.

The limnetic zone is the well-lit, open surface waters in a lake, away from the shore.

The vegetation of the littoral zone surrounds this expanse of open water and it is

above the profundal zone. This is the main photosynthetic body of the lake. This zone

produces the oxygen and food that support the lake's consumers.

It can be defined as the lighted surface waters in the area where the lake bottom is

too deep and unlit to support rooted aquatic plants. This area is occupied by a variety

of phytoplankton, consisting of algae and cyanobacteria, as well as zooplankton,

smallcrustaceans, and fish. Most photosynthesis takes place in this part of the lake.

57.Solution: a)

The Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) was a flagship program of the

government of India introduced in 2010 under the Ministry of Women and Child

Development. It is a conditional cash transfer scheme.pregnant and lactating women

19 years of age and older for first two live births are eligible for the scheme.Its goal is


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to partly compensate them for wage-loss during childbirth and childcare and to

provide conditions for safe delivery and good nutrition and feeding practices.

It envisions the achievement of its objectives by:

Promoting appropriate practice, care and institutional service utilizationduring pregnancy, delivery and lactation

Encouraging the women to follow (optimal) nutrition and feeding practices,

including early and exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months; and

Providing cash incentives for improved health and nutrition to pregnant and

lactating mothers.

IGMSY provides financial assistance as grant-in-aid to state governments

58. Solution: c)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Indradhanush

59. Solution: c)

This recent earthquake in Nepal may have occurred because of two converging

tectonic plates, the India plate and the overriding Eurasian plate. These tectonicplates are the large, thin, relatively rigid and are moving relative to one another on

the outer surface of the Earth. Both of these plates are slowly moving and sometimes

get stuck at their edges due to friction. Earthquake might have occured because of

these overriding plates after the stress on the edge overcomes the friction. It releases

tremendous energy in form of waves that travel through the Earths crust and causes

earthquake on the surface.

60. Solution: a)

Antibiosis is a biological interaction between two or more organisms that is

detrimental to at least one of them; it can also be an antagonistic association between

an organism and the metabolic substances produced by another.Examples of

antibiosis include the relationship between antibiotics and bacteria and the

relationship between animals and disease-causing pathogens.

Antibiosis is commonly found and studied in host plants and the insects which feed

upon them.


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"Antibiosis resistance affects the biology of the insect so pest abundance and

subsequent damage is reduced compared to that which would have occurred if the

insect was on a susceptible crop variety. Antibiosis resistance often results in

increased mortality or reduced longevity and reproduction of the insect."

61.Solution: d)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 April 2015 inaugurated Indias Healthcare

Tourism Portal www.indiahealthcaretourism.com at the SAAARC Trade Mart in the

Global Exhibition on Services (GES). It was inaugurated on the occasion of three-day

Global Exhibition on Services (GES)

The portal is developed by the Union Governments Department of Commerce and

the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC). It is a comprehensive one-pointinformation site that covers hospital and travel-related information in India.

Presently, it covers 124 accredited medical facilities. It includes 93 medical centers,

30 Ayurveda and Wellness centers and 1 special category center. Among these

medical facilities 74 facilities are located in Tier I cites and the rest are in Tier II

cities. These covered accredited medical facilities on portal are easily locatable. It is

also easy to find by search options by location, medical specialty, key procedures,

language options etc. Details such as costs related to treatment in hospitals, visa and

travel formalities, tariff options on stay etc are also mentioned on the portal.

62. Solution: c)

An estuaryis a partly enclosed coastal body ofbrackish waterwith one or more rivers

or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea.

Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime

environments. They are subject both to marine influences - such as tides, waves, and

the influx of saline water - and to riverine influences - such as flows of fresh water

and sediment. The inflows of both sea water and fresh water provide high levels ofnutrients both in the water column and in sediment, making estuaries among the

most productive natural habitats in the world

Most existing estuaries formed during the Holoceneepoch with the flooding of river-

eroded or glacially scoured valleys when the sea level began to rise about 10,000-

12,000 years ago.[4]Estuaries are typically classified according to

their geomorphologicalfeatures or to water-circulation patterns. They can have

many different names, such as bays, harbors, lagoons, inlets, or sounds, although

some of these water bodies do not strictly meet the above definition of an estuary andmay be fully saline.


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http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/estuaries/media/supp_estuar04_delta

.html

63.

Solution: a)

These conservation efforts will be taken to protect this species of Langur found in

Patharia Hills Reserve Forest on either side of the fenced border along both nations

in Karimganj district of Assams Barak Valley. Decision in this regard was taken into

effect at the meeting of higher officials of both countries.

The primary focus of this conservation effort is to preserve the habitat for the

survival of the primates in the Patharia Hills Reserve Forest that is posing a major

threat to the wildlife present in the forest. It also seeks to spread awareness

campaigns which will be conducted in the fringe villages to urge people not todestroy the forests for firewood. Spectacled Monkey is popularly known as the

Chasme vala bandar. They have white spectacle like patches around the eyes. The

Patheria Hills reserve Forest is spread over an area of around seven thousand

hectares on the Indian side and consists of two blocks Patheria A and B.

It is only the forest in Assam, where the Spectacled Monkey is found while Mizoram

and Tripura are the other two states in the country where it inhabits. Apart from

spectacled Langur, the reserve forest is also home to the endangered Hoolock Gibbon

and Golden Langur.

64. Solution: c)

Both are correct. Please refer the book.

65. Solution: b)

The report was published by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development

Solutions Network (SDSN).

Key facts from report: Top five countries: Switzerland (1st), Iceland (2nd), Denmark

(3rd), Norway (4th) and Canada (5th).

Bottom five countries: Rwanda (154th), Benin (155th), Syria (156th), Burundi (157th)

and Togo (158th).

Other countries: United States (15th), United Kingdom (21th), Japan (46th) and

China (84th). India is ranked below countries like Pakistan (81st), Bangladesh

(109th), Ukraine (111th) and Iraq (112th).


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The report aims at influencing government policy. The report is prepared based upon

study undertaken by Gallup World Poll. The data is used to ranked nations based

upon variables such as real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, corruption levels

and social freedoms.

66. Solution: a)

Micronutrients are nutrientsrequired by humans and other organismsthroughout

life in small quantities to orchestrate a range of physiological functions.[1]For people,

they include dietary trace mineralsin amounts generally less than 100

milligrams/day - as opposed to macromineralswhich are required in larger

quantities. The microminerals or trace

elements includes..atleast iron,cobalt, chromium, copper, iodine, manganese, seleniu

m, zincand molybdenum. Micronutrients also includevitamins, which are organic

compoundsrequired as nutrients in tiny amounts by an organism,[2]as well

as phytochemicals.

There are about seven nutrients essential to plant growth and health that are only

needed in very small quantities. Though these are present in only small quantities,

they are all necessary:

Boron is believed to be involved in carbohydrate transport in plants; it also

assists in metabolic regulation. Boron deficiency will often result in bud

dieback.

Chlorine is necessary for osmosis and ionic balance; it also plays a role

in photosynthesis.

Copper is a component of some enzymes. Symptoms of copper deficiency

include browning of leaf tips and chlorosis.

Iron is essential for chlorophyll synthesis, which is why an iron deficiency

results in chlorosis.

Manganese activates some important enzymes involved

in chlorophyll formation. Manganese deficient plants will

develop chlorosis between the veins of its leaves. The availability of

manganese is partially dependent on soil pH.

Molybdenum is essential to plant health. Molybdenum is used by plants to

reduce nitrates into usable forms. Some plants use it for nitrogen fixation,

thus it may need to be added to some soils before seeding legumes.

Zinc participates in chlorophyll formation, and also activates many enzymes.

Symptoms of zinc deficiency include chlorosis and stunted growth.


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67. Solution: c)

Calbuco volcano in southern Chile erupted on 23 April 2015 for the first time after

more than 42 years. It had erupted twice in the space of a few hours which led to

billowing of huge ash cloud over a sparsely populated, mountainous area in southern

Chile.

Calbuco Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes of the Southern Chilean Andes.

It should be noted that Chile has the second largest chain of volcanoes in the world

after Indonesia which has about 500 that are potentially active. Both countries fall on

the Ring of Fire.

68. Solution: d)

In ecology, energy flow, also called the calorific flow, refers to the flowof energy through a food chain. In an ecosystem,ecologists seek to quantify the

relative importance of different component species and feeding relationships.

A general energy flow scenario follows:

Solar energy is fixed by the photoautotrophs, called primary producers, like

green plants. Primary consumers absorb most of the stored energy in the plant

through digestion, and transform it into the form of energy they need, such

as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), through respiration. A part of the energy

received by primary consumers, herbivores, is converted tobody heat (aneffect of respiration), which is radiated away and lost from the system. The

loss of energy through body heat is far greater in warm-blooded animals,

which must eat much more frequently than those that are cold-blooded.

Energy loss also occurs in the expulsion of undigested food (egesta)

by excretion or regurgitation.

Secondary consumers, carnivores, then consume the primary consumers,

although omnivores also consume primary producers. Energy that had been

used by the primary consumers for growth and storage is thus absorbed into

the secondary consumers through the process of digestion. As with primaryconsumers, secondary consumers convert this energy into a more suitable

form (ATP) during respiration. Again, some energy is lost from the system,

since energy which the primary consumers had used for respiration and

regulation of body temperature cannot be utilised by the secondary

consumers.

Tertiary consumers, which may or may not be apex predators, then consume

the secondary consumers, with some energy passed on and some lost, as with

the lower levels of the food chain.


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A final link in the food chain are decomposers which break down the organic

matter of the tertiary consumers (or whichever consumer is at the top of the

chain) and release nutrients into the soil. They also break down plants,

herbivores and carnivores that were not eaten by organisms higher on the

food chain, as well as the undigested food that is excreted by herbivores andcarnivores. Saprotrophic bacteria and fungi are decomposers, and play a

pivotal role in the nitrogen andcarbon cycles.

The energy is passed on from trophic level to trophic level and each time about 90%

of the energy is lost, with some being lost as heat into the environment (an effect

of respiration) and some being lost as incompletely digested food (egesta). Therefore,

primary consumers get about 10% of the energy produced by autotrophs, while

secondary consumers get 1% and tertiary consumers get 0.1%. This means the top

consumer of a food chain receives the least energy, as a lot of the food chain's energy

has been lost between trophic levels. This loss of energy at each level limits typicalfood chains to only four to six links.

69. Solution: d)

India has emerged as the fourth largest supplier of generic medicines to the United

States. It was announced by Minister of State (MoS) for Chemicals and Fertilizers

Hansraj Ahir gave this information in the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question. Indias

generic medicines exports have touched over US 4 billion dollars in 2013-14 in spiteof stringent regulatory measures imposed by US. Union Government also announced

that Indian pharmaceutical companies are already exporting generic medicines to

Africa, West Asia and European countries.

70. Solution: a)

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/hfc-regulation-countries-yet-reach-

consensus

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an

international environmental treaty (currently the only international climate policy

venue with broad legitimacy, due in part to its virtually universal membership)

negotiated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

(UNCEDinformally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14

June 1992. The objective of the treaty is to "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations

in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent

dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system"


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71.Solution: c)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deciduous

72. Solution: d)

In the past, several studies have explored why some people are found to be mosquito

magnets while others remain relatively unattractive. Carbon dioxide and octenol in

exhaled air, amount of lactic acid emitted, body heat, secretor status, moisture,

physical movements and the colour of clothing are some factors that lead to

differences in attractiveness to mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide that humans exhale and it has been

observed that adults are more susceptible to mosquito bites than children due to the

larger amounts of carbon dioxide exhaled. Octenol, a chemical found in the human

breath, also attracts mosquitoes and forms a potent combination with carbon dioxide

in alluring mosquitoes. Additionally, the presence of larger amounts of lactic acid

that is emitted through the skin of humans and the production of which is linked

with physical activity as well as consumption of certain foods, are other factors

associated with an increased attractiveness for mosquitoes. This is why people who

sweat profusely tend to be ambushed by mosquitoes. A study of these three factors

was conducted in 2007 and was led by D F Hoel. It was published in the journal of

the American Mosquito Control Association.

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/why-mosquitoes-are-more-attracted-some-

us-others

73. Solution: a)

The monsoon, which is essentially the seasonal reversal in wind direction, causes

most of the rainfall received in India and some other parts of the world. The primary

cause of monsoons is the difference between annual temperature trends over land

and sea. The apparent position of the Sun with reference to the Earth oscillates fromthe Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn. Thus the low pressure region created

by solar heating also changes latitude.

The northeast and southeast trade winds converge in this low pressure zone, which is

also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ. This low pressure regions

sees continuous rise of moist wind from the sea surface to the upper layers of the

atmosphere, where the cooling means the air can no longer hold so much moisture

resulting in precipitation. The rainy seasons of East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa,

Australia and the southern parts of North America coincide with the shift of ITCZ

towards these regions.


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For more read http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Learning-with-the-Times-

What-causes-the-monsoon/articleshow/6156778.cms

74.

Solution: d)

The bottom of the pyramid represents the primary producers (autotrophs). Theprimary producers take energy from the environment in the form of sunlight orinorganic chemicals and use it to create energy-rich molecules such ascarbohydrates. This mechanism is called primary production. The pyramid thenproceeds through the various trophic levels to the apex predators at the top.

When energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, typically only tenpercent is used to build new biomass. The remaining ninety percent goes tometabolic processes or is dissipated as heat. This energy loss means that productivity

pyramids are never inverted, and generally limits food chains to about six levels.However, in oceans, biomass pyramids can be wholly or partially inverted, with more

biomass at higher levels.

75.Solution: b)

Western Disturbance is the term used in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal to

describe an extratropical storm originating in the Mediterranean, that brings sudden

winter rain and snow to the north-western parts of the Indian subcontinent. This is a

non-monsoonal precipitation pattern driven by the Westerlies. The moisture in thesestorms usually originates over the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Extratropical storms are a global, rather than a localized, phenomena with moisture

usually carried in the upper atmosphere (unlike tropical storms where it is carried in

the lower atmosphere). In the case of the subcontinent, moisture is sometimes shed

as rain when the storm system encounters the Himalayas.

Western Disturbances are important to the development of the Rabi crop in the

northern subcontinent, which includes the locally important staple wheat.

76. Solution: a)

This type of climate is experienced along the eastern coasts of tropical lands,

receiving steady rainfall from the Trade Winds all the time. The rainfall is both

orographic where the moist trades meet upland masses as in eastern Brazil and

convectional due to intense heating during the day and in summer. Its tendency is

towards a summer maximum as in monsoon lands, but without any distinct dry

period. The rhythm of climate as experienced in Cairns, on the eastern coast ofQueensland, under the constant influence of the South-East Trade Winds. and in


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summer also affected by the tropical monsoons. Its wettest months are in January

(15.8 inches), February (16.4), March (17.7) and April (12.1), which is summer in the

southern hemisphere.

Approximately 70 per cent of the annual rainfall is concentrated in the four summer

months. There is not month without any rainfall. The range of temperature is typical

of the tropical latitudes with a maximum of 82 degree F. in January and a minimum

of 70degreeF. in July- a range of 12degree F for the year. Due to the steady influence

of the trades. the Tropical Marine Climate is more favourable for habitation, but it is

prone to severe tropical cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons.

77.Solution: c)

The warm current dwelling at the eastern coasts in the tropics makes the areawarmer and prepares it for more evaporation; low pressure zone and high rainfall.

The same phenomenon is found at the western coasts in higher latitudes where warm

currents dwell at the western coasts.

Cyclonic disturbances have nothing to do with the differences in temperature over

such a vast area 20 degrees to 35 degrees.

78.

Solution: a)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmese_pythons_in_Florida

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/06/us/the-burmese-python-snake-thats-eating-

florida.html?_r=0

79. Solution: b)

The Sudan type of climate is characterized by an alternate hot, rainy season and cool,dry season. In the northern hemisphere, the hot, rainy season normally begins in

May and lasts until September, as in Kano, Nigeria.

The rest of the year is cool and dry. The annual rainfall for Kano, which is located at a

height of 1,539 feet above sea level, 34 inches and is most entirely concentrated in the

summer. But the amount varies from 48 inches at Bathurst, in Gambia on the coast

to only 5 inches at Khartoum, in Sudan in the interior.

Both the length of the rainy season and the annual total rainfall decrease appreciably

from the equatorial region polewards towards the desert fringes. On the whole, the

annual precipitation is less than that of the Tropical Monsoon Climate and the length


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of the wet and dry seasons differs with the locality. In the southern hemisphere, the

rainy season is from October to March (the southern summer). Its annual

precipitation of 32 inches also varies much from year to year.

80. Solution: a)

Deserts are regions of scanty rainfall which may be hot like the hot deserts of the

Saharan type; or temperate as are the mid-latitude deserts like the Gobi. The aridity

of the hot deserts is mainly due to the effects of off-shore Trade Winds, hence they

are also called Trade Wind Deserts. The temperate deserts are rainless because of

their interior location in the temperate latitudes, well away from the rain-bearing

winds.

The major jot deserts of the world are located on the western coasts of continentsbetween latitudes 15degree and 30degreeN. and S. They include the Sahara Desert,

the largest single stretch of desert, which is 3,200 miles from east to west and at least

1,000 miles wide. Its total area of 3.5 million square miles is larger than all the 50

states of U.S.A. put together. The next biggest desert is the Great Australian Desert

which covers almost half other continent. The other hot deserts are the Arabian

Desert, Iranian Desert, Thar Desert, Kalahari and Namib Deserts. In North America,

the desert extends from Mexico into U.S.A. and is called by different names at

different places, e.g. the Mohave, Sonoran, Californian and Mexican Deserts. In

south America, the Atacama or Peruvian Desert is the driest of all desert with less

than 0.5 inches of rainfall annually.

81.Solution: d)

The Patagonian Desert is more due to its rain-shadow position on the leeward side of

the lofty Andes than to continentality.

The major jot deserts of the world are located on the western coasts of continents

between latitudes 15degree and 30degree N and S. They include the Sahara Desert,

the largest single stretch of desert, which is 3,200 miles from east to west and at least

1,000 miles wide. Its total area of 3.5 million square miles is larger than all the 50

states of U.S.A. put together.

82. Solutions: b)

Climatic Conditions in the Mid-Latitude deserts is in many ways similar to those of

the hot deserts aridity is the keynote. These inland basins lie hundreds of miles from

the sea, and are sheltered by high mountains all around them. As a result they are cutoff from !he rain-bearing winds. Ocassionally depressions may penetrate the Asiatic


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continental mass and bring light rainall in winter, or unexpected convectional may

bless the parched lands with brief showers in summer. For example Cashiar in

western China in the Gobi Desert has most of its 3.5 inches of annual precipitation in

summer. Due to their coldness and elevation snow falls in winter.

83. Solution: a)

They are entirely confined to the western portion of continental masses, between 30

and 45 north and south of the equator. The basic cause of this type of climate is the

shifting of the wind belts. Though the area around the Mediterranean Sea has the

greatest extent of this type of ' 'winter rain climate', and gives rise to, the more

popular name Mediterranean Climate, the best developed form of this peculiar

climatic is found in Chile. Other regions include California, the south-western tip of

Africa (around Cape Town), southern Australia (in southern Victoria and aroundAdelaide, bordering the St. Vincent and Spencer Gulfs), and south-west Australia

(Swanland).

84. Solution: d)

In general, each trophic level relates to the one below it by absorbing some of the

energy it consumes, and in this way can be regarded as resting on, or supported by,

the next lower trophic level. Food chains can be diagrammed to illustrate the amountof energy that moves from one feeding level to the next in a food chain. This is called

an energy pyramid. The energy transferred between levels can also be thought of as

approximating to a transfer inbiomass, so energy pyramids can also be viewed as

biomass pyramids, picturing the amount of biomass that results at higher levels from

biomass consumed at lower levels.

The efficiency with which energy or biomass is transferred from one trophic level to

the next is called the ecological efficiency. Consumers at each level convert on

average only about 10% of the chemical energy in their food to their own organic

tissue (the ten-percent law). For this reason, food chains rarely extend for more than

5 or 6 levels. At the lowest trophic level (the bottom of the food chain), plants convert

about 1% of the sunlight they receive into chemical energy. It follows from this that

the total energy originally present in the incident sunlight that is finally embodied in

a tertiary consumer is about 0.001%[

85. Solution: d)

http://www.1yachtua.com/Medit-marinas/Mediterranean_Sailing/mediterranean_winds.shtm


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86. Solution: d)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_forests,_woodlands,_and_scrub

This is a medium sized article contains all the important details of the

Mediterranean region vegetation.

87. Solution: b)

On the eastern slopes of the Rockies in Canada and USA, a local wind similar to the

Fohn in Switzerland called the Chinook comes in a south-westerly direction to the

Prairies and has a considerable effect on the local pastures. It actually comes with the

depressions in winter or early spring from the pacific coast ascending the Rockiesand then descending to the Prairies. It is a hot wind and may raise the temperature

by 40F within a matter of 20 minutes. It melts the snow-covered pastures and

animals can be driven out of doors to graze in the open fields. The agricultural year is

thus accelerated. Local farmers welcome the Chinook for frequent Chinooks mean

mild winters.

88. Solution: d)

http://www.brighthubeducation.com/science-homework-help/109894-examples-of-

autotrophs-plants-algae-and-bacteria/

89. Solution: d)

The robust external-sector outcome in the current year of moderate trade and

current account deficits, abundant financial flows, a build-up of foreign exchange

reserves and broadly stable exchange rate movement points to a return to the path ofstrength and resilience that was in evidence before the global financial crisis o

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Test 22 1 Solutions