Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs – March 16, 2023 [Mock Test]
March 31, 2023 March 31, 2023
1. Consider the following aquatic organisms:
- Nekton live at the air-water interface.
- Periphyton remain attached to stems and leaves of rooted plants.
- Planktons have limited locomotory power.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 2
[B] Only 3
[C] Only 2 & 3
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Only 2 & 3]
Notes:- The aquatic organisms are classified on the basis of their zone of occurrence.
- Neuston live at the air-water interface, e.g. floating plants.
- Periphyton are organisms which remain attached to stems and leaves of rooted plants or substances emerging above the bottom mud such as sessile algae.
- Plankton are microscopic floating organisms such as algae, diatoms, protozoans and larval forms are called plankton. This group includes both microscopic plants like algae (phytoplankton) and animals like crustaceans and protozoans (zooplankton). The locomotory power of the planktons is limited so that their distribution is controlled, largely, by currents in the aquatic ecosystems.
- Nekton are the group of animals which are powerful swimmers that can overcome the water currents.
- The benthic organisms are those found living at the bottom of the water mass.
2. Consider the following statements with respect to the ‘dragon fruit’:
- Gujarat is the largest producer of dragon fruit.
- It is native to China.
- Vietnam is the largest producer worldwide.
- It requires less water and can be cultivated on dry lands.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[A] Only 1 & 3
[B] Only 3 & 4
[C] Only 1, 2 & 4
[D] 1, 2, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 3 & 4]
Notes:- Dragon fruit grows on theHylocereus cactus, also known as the Honolulu queen.
- The plant is native to southern Mexico and Central America.
- Mizoram tops among the States that cultivate this fruit.
- It goes by many names, including pitaya, pitahaya, and strawberry pear.
- The fruit is considered good for diabetic patients, low in calories and high in nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium and zinc.
- The world’s largest producer and exporter of dragon fruit is Vietnam, where the plant was brought by the French in the 19th The Vietnamese call it thanh long, which translates to “dragon’s eyes”, believed to be the origin of its common English name.
- Its flowers are hermaphrodites(male and female organs in the same flower) in nature and open at night.
- As per the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, the fruit plant doesn’t need much water and can be cultivated on dry land.
3. With respect to the ‘Tharu’ tribe, consider the following statements:
- They belong to the terai lowlands, amid the Shivaliks or lower Himalayas.
- They speak dialects of Indo-Aryan subgroup.
- Uttar Pradesh’s first tribal museum has been opened at Balrampur district.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 2
[B] Only 1 & 3
[C] Only 2 & 3
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [1, 2 & 3]
Notes:- The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government is working to connect Tharu villages in the districts of Balrampur, Bahraich, Lakhimpur and Pilibhit bordering Nepal, with the home stay scheme of the UP-Forest Department. Uttar Pradesh’s first tribal museum – the ‘Tharu Janjati Museum’ is located at Tharu-populated area in the Balrampur district.
- The word tharu is believed to be derived from sthavir, meaning followers of Theravad Buddhism.
- The Tharu community belongs to the Terai lowlands, amid the Shivaliks or lower Himalayas.
- Tharu is a scheduled tribe in the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
- They speak various dialects of Tharu, a language of the Indo-Aryan subgroup, and variants of Hindi, Urdu, and Awadhi.
- Tharus worship Lord Shiva as Mahadev, and call their supreme being “Narayan”, who they believe is the provider of sunshine, rain, and harvests.
