11. Which is the world’s second-largest rainforest after the Amazon?
[A] Congo
[B] Western Ghats
[C] Australiasia
[D] Sundland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Congo]
Notes:
The Congo, which is the world’s second-largest rainforest after Amazon, continues to retreat according to recent report.
The forest is spread across six African countries, the largest of which is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has lost half a million hectares (mha) of forest last year, according to the report.
12. The Amazon Fund is maintained by which financial institution?
[A] World Bank
[B] IMF
[C] New Development Bank
[D] Brazilian Development Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Brazilian Development Bank]
Notes:
The Amazon Fund was created to raise donations for investments in efforts to prevent deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. The Fund is managed by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), which performs raising and investing funds.
The UK government recently announced the contribution of more than 101 million USD to this initiative.
13. Consider the following statements:
- Amazon fund was created under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
- It is a public fund managed by the Brazilian Development Bank.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 & 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Neither 1 nor 2]
Notes:- The Amazon Fund is a mechanism focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+).
- The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) manages the fundraising, manages the fund’s finances, promotes the fund’s development, financial management and fund development, manages project selection, contracting, monitoring, and ex-post evaluation, among other activities.
- Amazon Fund Guidance Committee (COFA) is responsible for establishing the guidelines of the Amazon Fund, monitoring information, and ensuring that all the initiatives supported by the Amazon Fund are in line with those established in the PPCDAm and ENREDD+
- Amazon Fund Technical Committee (CTFA) validates the official figures regarding carbon emissions from deforestation, as calculated by the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), in order to determine how much funding may be raised for the next year.
14. What penalty has been imposed by the Reserve Bank of India on Amazon Pay (India) Private Limited?
[A] Rs 3.06 Lakh
[B] Rs 3.06 Crore
[C] Rs 30.6 Lakh
[D] Rs 30.6 Crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rs 3.06 Crore]
Notes:
Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of Rs 3.06 crore on Amazon Pay (India) Private Limited for non-compliance of certain directions related to Prepaid Payment Instruments and Know Your Customer.
15. What is the name of the Indian government’s digital commerce platform that Amazon is joining?
[A] Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)
[B] Indian Digital Commerce Network (IDCN)
[C] Digital India Commerce Platform (DICP)
[D] Indian Online Marketplace (IOM)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)]
Notes:
E-commerce giant Amazon announced that it will join the Indian government’s ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) platform, and as part of its initial collaboration will integrate its Smart Commerce and logistics services with the ONDC network. Amazon logistics services include pickup and delivery, while Smart Commerce is a suite of SaaS (software-as-a-service) products hosted on AWS that can assist MSMEs to build and scale their business and integrate it with the ONDC network.
16. As per a recent report, direct link was found between deforestation of Amazon rainforest and the temperature changes in which country?
[A] India
[B] Japan
[C] Tibet
[D] Indonesia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Tibet]
Notes:
A new report ‘Teleconnections Among Tipping Elements in the Earth System’ Report, has found a direct link between deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and the temperature changes in Tibet.
Tibet is situated more than 15,000 km from the rainforest. It revealed the strong link between climate tipping elements. A tipping point is a threshold beyond which major, irreversible changes occur in a specific region.
17. ‘Parler App’ was in news recently, consider the following statements about it:
- It is a Russian alt-tech microblogging and social networking service that has been banned by Apple, Amazon and Google.
- It is favoured by left-wing extremists.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2
[C] Both 1 & 2
[D] Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Neither 1 nor 2]
Notes:- Apple, Amazon and Google have suspended the social network called Parler as the platform has not taken enough measures to make sure that content inciting violence remains in check.
- Parler is an American alt-tech microblogging and social networking service.
- It markets itself as a free speech and unbiased alternative to mainstream social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.
- The platform is favoured by right-leaning users and as per media reports was actively used by supporters of US President Donald Trump, including several of those who participated in the Capitol Hill siege.
18. Consider the following statements about various satellites launched by India:
- Amazonia-1 of Brazil was launched using the PSLV DL C51.
- FACSAT-1 of the French Air Force was launched using the PSLV-C43.
- KITSAT-3 of Japan was launched using PSLV-C2.
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?
[A] Only 1 & 2
[B] Only 1 & 3
[C] Only 1
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Only 1]
Notes:
Amazonia-1 is an earth observation satellite launched by ISRO for Brazil using PSLV DL C51 in February 2021. FACSAT-1, a nanosatellite for the Colombian Air Force, was launched by ISRO via PSLV-C43 in 2018. KITSAT-3, a South Korean remote sensing minisatellite, was launched by ISRO in 1999 using PSLV-C2 and later renamed Uribyol-3.
19. With reference to various underwater cable projects, consider the following pairs:
- Blue Raman – Google
- Firmina – Facebook
- Echo – Amazon
- Bifrost – Microsoft
Which of the above is / are correct?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 1 & 2
[C] Only 1, 2 & 3
[D] 1, 2, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Only 1 ]
Notes:
Firmina is a Google subsea cable project connecting the USA’s east coast to Argentina, with landings in Brazil and Uruguay. The Blue Raman, also by Google, links India to Europe via the Middle East, with Mumbai as a landing point. The Echo cable, a collaboration between Facebook and Google, connects the USA’s west coast to Singapore and Indonesia. The Bifrost project, involving Facebook, connects the USA’s west coast to the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Guam.
20. Amazon river flows through which of the following countries?
[A] USA
[B] France
[C] Brazil
[D] Canada
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Brazil]
Notes:
Amazon river flows through the tropical forests of South America, mainly in Brazil. The Brazilians call the Amazon the “River Sea”. Its headwaters are in the Andes Mountains in Peru, on the western edge of South America. It is the largest river in the world by the amount or volume of water it carries.
