UPSC Prelims 2008

150 questions, in the order they were asked.

2008 · Q51 GeographyIndian Rivers & Water Resourcesmoderate

Which of the following pairs are correctly matched? Waterfalls — River 1. Kapildhara Falls : Godavari 2. Jog Falls : Sharavati 3. Sivasamudram Falls : Cauvery Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a)1 and 2 only
(b)2 and 3 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3

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Official answer(b) 2 and 3 only

2008 · Q52 GeographyAstronomy & Earth–Sun Systemeasy

Which one of the following straits is nearest to the International Date Line?

(a)Malacca Strait
(b)Bering Strait
(c)Strait of Florida
(d)Strait of Gibraltar

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Official answer(b) Bering Strait

2008 · Q53 Indian EconomyInfrastructure & Industrymoderate

Which of the following pairs in respect of current power generation in India is/are correctly matched? (Rounded Figure) 1. Installed electricity generation capacity : 100000 MW 2. Electricity generation : 660 billion kWh Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

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Official answer(b) 2 only

2008 · Q54 GeographyIndian Rivers & Water Resourcesmoderate

Which of the following pairs are correctly matched? Irrigation Project — State 1. Damanganga : Gujarat 2. Girna : Maharashtra 3. Pamba : Kerala Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a)1 and 2 only
(b)2 and 3 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3

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Official answer(d) 1, 2 and 3

2008 · Q55 Modern HistoryEarly Nationalism & Indian National Congress (1885-1915)easy

Who among the following rejected the title of Knighthood and refused to accept a position in the Council of the Secretary of State for India?

(a)Motilal Nehru
(b)M. G. Ranade
(c)G. K. Gokhale
(d)B. G. Tilak

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Official answer(c) G. K. Gokhale

2008 · Q56 Medieval HistoryEuropean Powers & Early Colonial Contactseasy

During the time of which Mughal Emperor did the English East India Company establish its first factory in India?

(a)Akbar
(b)Jahangir
(c)Shahjahan
(d)Aurangzeb

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Official answer(b) Jahangir

2008 · Q57 Indian EconomyNational Income & Economic Growtheasy

The term “Prisoner’s Dilemma” is associated with which one of the following?

(a)A technique in glass manufacture
(b)A term used in shipping industry
(c)A situation under the Game Theory
(d)Name of a supercomputer

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Official answer(c) A situation under the Game Theory

2008 · Q58 Modern HistoryRevolutionary & Communist Movementseasy

During the Indian Freedom Struggle, who of the following raised an army called ‘Free Indian Legion’?

(a)Lala Hardayal
(b)Rashbehari Bose
(c)Subhas Chandra Bose
(d)V. D. Savarkar

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Official answer(c) Subhas Chandra Bose

2008 · Q59 Modern HistoryConstitutional Developments & British Plans (1909-1947)moderate

Which one of the following suggested the reconstitution of the Viceroy’s Executive Council in which all the portfolios including that of War Members were to be held by the Indian leaders?

(a)Simon Commission
(b)Simla Conference
(c)Cripps Proposal
(d)Cabinet Mission

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Official answer(b) Simla Conference

2008 · Q60 Science & TechnologyChemistryeasy

What is Agent Orange?

(a)An ace spying group trained by the Police in London
(b)A weed-killing chemical used by the US Military in the Vietnam War
(c)A technique used in the advanced railway safety procedure
(d)A special chemical used in making alloy steel

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Official answer(b) A weed-killing chemical used by the US Military in the Vietnam War

2008 · Q61 GeographyWorld Political Geography & Borderseasy

Which of the following countries share borders with Moldova? 1. Ukraine 2. Romania 3. Belarus Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a)1 and 2 only
(b)2 and 3 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3

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Official answer(a) 1 and 2 only

2008 · Q62 Indian EconomyInternational Institutions & Reportsmoderate

India is a member of which of the following? 1. Asian Development Bank 2. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 3. Colombo Plan 4. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a)1 and 3 only
(b)2 and 4 only
(c)1, 2 and 3 only
(d)1, 2, 3 and 4

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Official answer(a) 1 and 3 only

2008 · Q63 GeographyWorld Political Geography & Bordersmoderate

Consider the following statements: 1. Ajman is one of the seven Emirates of the UAE. 2. Ras al-Khaimah was the last Sheikhdom to join the UAE. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

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Official answer(c) Both 1 and 2

2008 · Q64 GeographyWorld Political Geography & Bordersmoderate

Which one of the following is the largest (area-wise) Lok Sabha constituency?

(a)Kangra
(b)Ladakh
(c)Kachchh
(d)Bhilwara

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Official answer(b) Ladakh

2008 · Q65 GeographyPopulation & Demographymoderate

For India, China, the UK and the USA, which one of the following is the correct sequence of the median age of their populations?

(a)China < India < UK < USA
(b)India < China < USA < UK
(c)China < India < USA < UK
(d)India < China < UK < USA

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Official answer(b) India < China < USA < UK

2008 · Q66 Current AffairsNotable Personalitieseasy

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists: List-I (Person) A. Sabyasachi Mukherjee B. Aniruddha Bahal C. Vikram Akula D. Yusuf Hamied List-II (Area) 1. Microfinance loans 2. Pharmaceuticals 3. Fashion designing 4. Investigative journalism

(a)A-1 B-2 C-3 D-4
(b)A-3 B-4 C-1 D-2
(c)A-1 B-4 C-3 D-2
(d)A-3 B-2 C-1 D-4

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Official answer(b) A-3 B-4 C-1 D-2

2008 · Q67 Indian PolityJudiciaryeasy

Consider the following statements: 1. Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer was the Chief Justice of India. 2. Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer is considered as one of the progenitors of public interest litigation (PIL) in the Indian judicial system. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

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Official answer(b) 2 only

2008 · Q68 Art & CultureTheatre & Cinemaeasy

Ebrahim Alkazi is an eminent personality in which one of the following areas?

(a)Heart surgery
(b)Civil aviation
(c)Theatre training
(d)Transport engineering

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Official answer(c) Theatre training

2008 · Q69 GeographyIndian Agriculture & Land Useeasy

Consider the following statements: 1. Chikmagalur is well-known for sugar production. 2. Mandya is well-known as a coffee-producing region. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

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Official answer(d) Neither 1 nor 2

2008 · Q70 Art & CultureClassical Dance Formseasy

Bimbavati Devi is a well-known dancer of which type of dance?

(a)Manipuri
(b)Bharat Natyam
(c)Kuchipudi
(d)Odissi

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Official answer(a) Manipuri

2008 · Q71 Current AffairsNotable Personalitieseasy

How is Sarosh Zaiwalla well-known as?

(a)A leading theatre personality
(b)A leading wildlife photographer
(c)A leading international legal expert
(d)A leading orthopaedic surgeon

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Official answer(c) A leading international legal expert

2008 · Q72 GeographyIndian Rivers & Water Resourceseasy

Where are Tapovan and Vishnugarh Hydroelectric Projects located?

(a)Madhya Pradesh
(b)Uttar Pradesh
(c)Uttarakhand
(d)Rajasthan

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Official answer(c) Uttarakhand

2008 · Q73 Art & CultureLiterature & Languagesmoderate

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists: List-I (Author) A. Bankimchandra B. Dinabandhu Mitra C. Premchand List-II (Work) 1. Shatranj Ke Khilari 2. Debi Chaudhurani 3. Nil-Darpan 4. Chandrakanta

(a)A-2 B-4 C-1
(b)A-3 B-4 C-2
(c)A-2 B-3 C-1
(d)A-3 B-1 C-4

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Official answer(c) A-2 B-3 C-1

2008 · Q74 Modern HistoryEarly Nationalism & Indian National Congress (1885-1915)moderate

Who among the following gave a systematic critique of the moderate politics of the Indian National Congress in a series of articles entitled New Lamps for Old?

(a)Aurobindo Ghosh
(b)R. C. Dutt
(c)Syed Ahmad Khan
(d)Viraraghavachari

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Official answer(a) Aurobindo Ghosh

2008 · Q75 Modern HistoryBritish Administration & Economic Policieseasy

Who among the following used the phrase ‘Un-British’ to criticize the English colonial control of India?

(a)Anandmohan Bose
(b)Badruddin Tyabji
(c)Dadabhai Naoroji
(d)Pherozeshah Mehta

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Official answer(c) Dadabhai Naoroji