1. Which of the following are two works of Kalidasa?
[A] Raghuvamsha and Kiratarjuniya
[B] Kumara Sambhav and Raghuvamsha
[C] Malti Madhava and Kumara Sambhava
[D] Malti Madhav and Kumara Sambhava
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Kumara Sambhav and Raghuvamsha ]
Notes:
Kalidasa was one of the gems of the court of Gupta king Chandragupta II (375–415 CE). The poems he wrote were usually of epic proportions and were written in classical Sanskrit. He wrote two epic poems called Kumara sambhava, which means birth of Kumara and the Raghuvamsha, which means dynasty of Raghu. There are also two lyric poems written by Kalidasa known as Meghadutta that stands for cloud messenger and the Ritusamhara that means description of the seasons. Meghadutta is one of the finest works of Kalidasa in terms of world literature. The beauty of the continuity in flawless Sanskrit is unmatched till date. The most famous and beautiful work of Kalidasa is the Shakuntalam. It is the second play of Kalidasa after he wrote Malavikagnimitra. The Shakuntalam tells the story of king Dushyant who falls in love with a beautiful girl Shakuntala, who happens to be the daughter of a saint.
2. International Biodiesel Day (IBD) is celebrated on which date?
[A] August 11
[B] August 12
[C] August 10
[D] August 9
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [August 10]
Notes:
August 10 is International Biodiesel Day. This day spreads awareness about the benefits of biodiesel as an alternative fuel. Biodiesel is made from renewable sources like vegetable oils and animal fats. It is biodegradable and cleaner for the environment compared to fossil fuels. Celebrating International Biodiesel Day promotes the production and use of this eco-friendly fuel option.
3. ASEAN Plus Three is a forum that functions as a coordinator of cooperation between Association of Southeast Asian Nations & three more countries. Which among the following option represents these 3 countries?
[A] India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka
[B] India, Australia & New Zealand
[C] China, Japan,& South Korea.
[D] China, US and Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [China, Japan,& South Korea.]
Notes:
ASEAN Plus Three is a forum that functions as a coordinator of cooperation between Association of Southeast Asian Nations & three more countries. They are China,Japan and South Korea. ASEAN-The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic. Its headquarters is in Jakarta, Indonesia.
4. ECB is the central bank of Eurozone which was established by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1998.
Headquarters of ECB is located at?
[A] London
[B] Rome
[C] Paris
[D] Frankfurt
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Frankfurt]
Notes:
ECB is the central bank of Eurozone which was established by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1998. Its headquarters is in Frankfurt. Frankfurt is a city n Germany.
5. The Jasmine Revolution of late 2010, is related to which among the following countries?
[A] Egypt
[B] Myanmar
[C] Poland
[D] Tunisia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Tunisia]
Notes:
The Tunisian Revolution is also called the Jasmine Revolution. It was an intensive 28-day campaign of civil resistance. It led to the ousting of longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011.
6. Ping Pong Diplomacy of early 1970s is related to which among the following two countries?
[A] China and Russia
[B] China & Japan
[C] China & United States
[D] China & India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [China & United States]
Notes:
Ping pong diplomacy refers to the brief thaw in relations between the United States and China in the early 1970s, which was facilitated in part by the exchange of table tennis players between the two countries. In April 1971, a group of American table tennis players visited China for a tournament, and the Chinese government invited them to stay for several days. This marked the first time in more than 20 years that Americans had been allowed to visit China. The visit was followed by several high-level diplomatic meetings between the two countries, which ultimately led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China in 1979.
7. Which among the following dates in December has been fixed as celebration of National Mathematics Day, to be observed as birthday of great mathematician Ramanujan?
[A] December 17
[B] December 20
[C] December 22
[D] December 25
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [December 22]
Notes:
National Mathematics Day is celebrated on December 22 in India to honor the birth of the renowned mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, born on December 22, 1887. Ramanujan made important contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, and continued fractions. His work has influenced various fields, and he is celebrated for his intuitive grasp of mathematics despite having little formal training. The day aims to promote the importance of mathematics in education and society.
8. Which among the following missiles is called the Indian Patriot?
[A] Nag
[B] Akash
[C] Triushu
[D] Sagarika
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Akash]
Notes:
he Akash missile is considered the Indian Patriot. The Akash is India’s first indigenously produced medium-range surface-to-air missile. It can target aircraft up to 30 km (19 mi) away. The Akash can neutralize aerial targets such as fighter jets, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and ballistic missiles. It is in operational service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
The Akash was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The Akash’s technology is close to the system of American patriot missiles.
The Patriot is an American missile system that was used successfully in neutralising the Iraqi Skud missiles during the first Gulf War in the 90s.
9. Who among the following was the author of Nuh Sipihr?
[A] Abul Fazal
[B] Gulbadan Begum
[C] Inayat Khan
[D] Amir Khusrau
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Amir Khusrau]
Notes:
The famous Sufi poet, Amir Khusrau wrote a masnavi on the Tughlaq dynasty ruler, Mubarak Shah as “Nuh Sipihr” (Nine Skies), relating the events of Mubarak Shah’s rule. Excerpts of the works done by him are Tughluq Nama, Wast-ul-Hayat, Ashiqa, Khamsa, Baqia-Naqia, etc. He was the court poet of Alauddin Khilji and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya, Delhi.
10. The book “Kathasaritsagar” was written by whom?
[A] Somadeva
[B] Padmagupta
[C] Kshemendra
[D] Padma Shankar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Somadeva]
Notes:
The Kathasaritsagara ( or Ocean of the Streams of Stories) is a famous 11th-century collection of Indian legends, fairy tales and folk tales as retold in Sanskrit by Somadeva, a Shaiva Brahmin. It was a translation of Brihat katha and was compiled between 1063-81 AD for the entertainment of the queen Suryamati, wife of king Anantadeva of Kashmir.