Current Affairs MCQs Quiz for UPSC, IAS, UPPSC/UPPCS, MPPSC. BPSC, RPSC & All State PSC Exams
Date: 21 December 2023
1. With reference to James Webb Space Telescope, consider the following statements:
1. The telescope is the result of an international collaboration between NASA and ROSCOSMOS.
2. It is currently at a point in space known as the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, approximately 1.5 million km beyond Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
3. It will examine every phase of cosmic history from the Big Bang to the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets to the evolution of our own Solar System.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (B)
Explanation:
Recently, the NASA has unveiled an image of the Christmas Tree Galaxy Cluster, situated 4.3 billion light-years away, captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The Christmas Tree Galaxy Cluster is a composite image that combines visible light from Hubble and infrared light from James Webb Space Telescope. The image shows the MACS0416 galaxy cluster, which is about 4.3 billion light-years from Earth.
James Webb Space Telescope is the result of an international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency which was launched in December 2021. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
It is currently at a point in space known as the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, approximately 1.5 million km beyond Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The Lagrange Point 2 is one of the five points in the orbital plane of the Earth-Sun system. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
It's the largest, most powerful infrared space telescope ever built. It's the successor to Hubble Telescope. It can see backwards in time to just after the Big Bang by looking for galaxies that are so far away that the light has taken many billions of years to get from those galaxies to our telescopes. It will examine every phase of cosmic history from the Big Bang to the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets to the evolution of our own Solar System. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
2. Consider the following statements regarding Greenawashing:
Statement I - Greenwashing is the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information about how a company’s products are environmentally sound.
Statement II - Greenwashing can degrade customer satisfaction, erode brand loyalty and potentially affect repeat purchases.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Answer: (B)
Explanation: The term greenwashing was first used in 1986 by Jay Westerveld, an American environmentalist and researcher. Greenwashing is the practice in which firms and governments mark all kinds of activities as climate-friendly, as something that would lead to emissions reduction, or avoidance of emissions. Developed countries are often accused of greenwashing their normal business investments in developing countries by highlighting climate co-benefits of the financial flows, sometimes with very little justification. Greenwashing can degrade customer satisfaction, erode brand loyalty and potentially affect repeat purchases. Several multinational corporations, including oil giants like Shell and BP, and Coca Cola have faced accusations of greenwashing. Hence, both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.
3. Consider the following statements regarding Punaura Dham Temple:
1. Punaura Dham is a Hindu pilgrimage temple in the Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh.
2. The destination of Punaura Dham has been recently included under PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Explanation:
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar recently launched a Rs 72-crore development plan for Goddess Sita’s birthplace at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi. Punaura Dham is a Hindu pilgrimage temple in the Sitamarhi district of Bihar. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
The destination of Punaura Dham has been recently included under PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism. Punaura Dham, considered to be the birthplace of Hindu Goddess Sita. The shrine compound has a Ram Janki temple, a pond called Sita Kund and a hall. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
4. Consider the following passage:
This tiger reserve is located at the India-Nepal border on the bank of river Gandak. It is situated in the Gangetic Plains bio-geographic zone of the country. It forms the easternmost limit of the Himalayan Terai forests in India. It includes rich flora like, Sal, rohini, sihor, teak, bamboo, semal, Mandar, shisham, Jamun, Gular, and various other species. This reserve hosts tigers, leopards, smaller cats, deer species, wild boar and unique birds like Kaleej Pheasant, hill myna, paradise fly catcher, and Himalayan bulbul.
The above passage is related to which of the following tiger reserve?
(a) Valmiki Tiger Reserve
(b) Corbett Tiger Reserve
(c) Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
(d) Rajaji Tiger Reserve
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Recently, the authorities in Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve have credited the rise in the protected area (PA)’s big cat numbers to a reduction in human activities, including restrictions on illegal mining in its eco-sensitive zone. o Valmiki tiger reserve is located at the India -Nepal border in the West Champaran district of Bihar. It is bordered by Nepal's Royal Chitwan National Park in the north and the Gandak River in the west, it encompasses Valmiki National Park and Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary. It includes rich flora like, Sal, rohini, sihor, teak, bamboo, semal, Mandar, shisham, Jamun, Gular, and various other species. This reserve hosts tigers, leopards, smaller cats, deer species, wild boar and unique birds like Kaleej Pheasant, hill myna, paradise fly catcher, and Himalayan bulbul. As per the Tiger Census of 2018, the reserve is home to 32 tigers. Hence, option (a) is correct.
5. Consider the following statements regarding Tempo Satellite:
1. It is NASA’s first Earth-observation satellite in geostationary orbit.
2. It will allow scientists to monitor air pollutants and their emission sources from space more comprehensively than ever before.
3. TEMPO is a space-based ultraviolet–visible spectrometer designed to monitor air pollution across greater North America.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (C)
Explanation: NASA's new satellite to hourly measure air pollution hourly has shown significant progress and now the space agency officials are already thinking about ways to extend its life. TEMPO is NASA’s first Earth-observation satellite in geostationary orbit and has developed further from previous polar-orbiting satellites provided daily observations to provide 10 to 12 daily scans. TEMPO is a space-based ultraviolet–visible spectrometer designed to monitor air pollution across greater North America. It provides high-resolution, hourly data on atmospheric pollutants like ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and formaldehyde. Hence, all statements are correct.
