Environmental Studies PYQs

The correct answer is A - IV, B - III, C - II, D - I.

Key Points

• Cumin is a spice that is commonly used in cooking.
• It has a warm and earthy flavor and is often used in Indian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern cuisines.
• Cumin is known for its digestive benefits and can also be used as a natural remedy for various ailments.
• Saffron is a highly prized spice that is known for its vibrant color and unique flavor. It is derived from the crocus flower and has a rich history dating back thousands of years.
• Saffron is often used in cooking to add a distinct aroma and taste to dishes. It is commonly used in various cuisines, including Indian, Persian, and Mediterranean.
• Chillies are believed to have originated in the Americas, specifically in the region that is now Mexico.
• Chillies, also known as chili peppers or hot peppers, are a popular ingredient in many cuisines around the world. They come in various shapes, sizes, and levels of spiciness.
• Chillies contain a compound called capsaicin, which gives them their heat.
• Clove has a strong, warm, and aromatic flavor with a slightly sweet and peppery taste.
• It is commonly used in both sweet and savory dishes, adding depth and richness to recipes.
• Clove is often used in spice blends like garam masala and pumpkin spice. It pairs well with flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and citrus.

​Thus,

The correct answer is Odisha.

Key Points

• India is a country of vast geographical expanse.
• In the north, it is bound by the lofty Himalayas.
• The Arabian Sea in the west.
• The Bay of Bengal in the east.
• The Indian Ocean in the south.

Explanation:

Indian States / Union Territories with the coast on the Bay of Bengal:

• West Bengal.
• Odisha.
• Andhra Pradesh.
• Tamil Nadu.
• Puducherry.
• Andaman and Nicobar Island

Additional Information 

Indian States / Union Territories with the coast on the Arabian Sea:

• Gujarat.
• Maharashtra.
• Goa.
• Daman and Diu.
• Karnataka.
• Kerela.
• Lakshwadeep.
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The correct answer is A and D.

Key Points'Kuduk' is a Dravidian language spoken by nearly two million Oraon and Kisan tribal people of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal in India.

Torang means Forest in the Kuduk language.

• Adivasis are the people who live in the forest.
• They lead a very simple life and depend on the forest for their survival.
• Kuduk–It is a special community of people who live in the forest.
• The language they speak is also called Kuduk.

Lottery farming:

• This type of farming is practiced in Mizoram.
• In the village council (panchayat) the lottery system is organized for which family will get how much land for farming. They believe that the land belongs to the whole village and not to separate people.
• ​According to the Right to Forest Act 2007, people who have been living in the forest for at least 25 years have the right over the forest land and its produce.
• ​About three-fourth people in Mizoram are linked to the forests.

​

The correct answer is 144g.

Key Points Mass = Density x Volume

In this case, the density is given as 24 g/mL, and the volume is given as 6 mL.

Mass = 24 g/mL x 6 mL

Mass = 144 g

Therefore, the mass of the object is 144 grams.

The correct answer is They chew up their prey.

Key PointsSnakes:

• Snakes have sharp curved teeth, but they do not chew their prey.
• Snakes always swallow their food whole.
• Snakes can't hear the sounds but respond only by feeling the vibrations through their skin.
• They do not have external ears.
• They only feel the vibrations on the ground.
• Of the many kinds of snakes found in our country, only four types of snakes are poisonous.
• They are Cobra, Common Krait, Russel’s Viper (Duboiya), Saw-scaled Viper (Afai).
• A snake has two hollow teeth (fangs).
• When it bites, the poison enters the person's body through the fangs.
• There is a medicine for snake bites.
• The medicine is made from the snake's poison and is available in all government hospitals.
• Snakes are friends of the farmers.
• They eat the rats in the fields, otherwise, rats would eat the crops.​

The correct answer is Tin and Copper.

Key Points

• Bronze is an alloy of tin and copper. It is composed of approximately 88% copper and 12% tin.
• This metal alloy has a reddish-brown colour with a melting point that ranges from 950°C – 1050°C.
• Due to its corrosion resistance and unique coloring, bronze is commonly used in the manufacture of coins, hardware mounts, furniture trim, ceiling or wall panels, ship hardware, and all sorts of automobile parts.

​ 

Additional Information

Brass:- 

• Brass is a non-ferrous, red metal and an alloy that is composed of copper and zinc.
• The proportions of copper and zinc can be varied in order to achieve different desired mechanical and electrical properties.
• Brass contains atoms of the two constituent elements that may replace each other within a single crystalline structure and hence is referred to as a substitutional alloy.

The correct answer is C and D only.

Key PointsThe following are the key points related to the elephant:

Elephants Herd:

• A three-month-old baby elephant generally weighs about 200 kg.
• An elephant herd has mainly females and baby elephants.
• The oldest female is the leader of the herd.
• A herd may have 10 to 12 female elephants and young ones.
• Male elephants live in the herd till they are 14 –15 years old.
• Then they leave their herd and move around alone.
• An adult elephant can eat up to 100kgs of leaves and things in one day.
• Elephant's big ears also work like fans, they flap these to keep themselves cool.
• Elephants do not rest very much; they sleep for only two to four hours in a day.
• Elephants like to play with mud and water.

The correct answer is  A is incorrect, but B is correct.

Key Points

• Every region has a different house.
• The type of house depends on the climatic conditions in the region.
• Houses are built specially to suit the needs of the people.

​Explanation:

Manali (Himachal Pradesh):-

• Manali is a hilly area.
• It rains heavily and snows as well there.
• The houses are made of stone or wood with slanting roofs.

​Houses in Assam:-

• It rains heavily in Assam.
• The houses are made almost 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3-5 metres) above the ground.
• This avoids flooding the house during rain.
• They are made on strong bamboo pillars.
• The insides of the houses are also made of wood.

​Thus statement A is incorrect, but B is correct.

Additional Information 

Description of houses of different places:

The correct answer is Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

 

Key Points

• On applying pressure, gas can be compressed easily.
• ​This statement is true.
• The gaseous state is the simplest state of matter.
• Gases are highly compressible.
• Gases exert pressure equally in all directions.
• Gases have a much lower density than solids and liquids.
• When we apply pressure to a gas, the intermolecular space between gaseous particles decreases and it gets compressed.
• ​This statement is correct.
• Intermolecular forces are the forces of attraction and repulsion between interacting particles (atoms and molecules).
• Increasing the amount of space available will allow the gas particles to spread farther apart, but this reduces the number of particles available to collide with the container, so pressure decreases.
• Decreasing the volume of the container forces the particles to collide more often, so the pressure is increased.
• A good example of this is when you fill a tire with air. As more air goes in, the gas molecules get packed together, reducing their volume. As long as the temperature stays the same, the pressure increases.

The correct answer is Only B and C.

Key Points

The main function(s) of the stem include:

• To give strength and support to the plant.
• To transport water and minerals from roots to other parts of the plant.
• The stem of a plant serves as a structural support, holding up leaves, flowers, and fruits.
• It provides stability to the plant and keeps it upright.
• Additionally, the stem contains vascular tissues, such as the xylem and phloem, which are responsible for the transport of water, minerals, and nutrients from the roots to various parts of the plant, including leaves, flowers, and fruits.

​ 

Additional Information

• Plants serve various important roles in the ecosystem and interact with their surroundings in multiple ways.
• Plants play a crucial role in preventing soil erosion.
• The root systems of plants help hold the soil in place, reducing the risk of erosion caused by wind or water.
• By anchoring themselves in the ground, plants bind the soil particles together, making it less susceptible to being washed away.
• Furthermore, plants provide us with seeds, many of which are edible and serve as a valuable food source.
• They contain the necessary nutrients and genetic material for the growth of new plants.

Concept:

• Every region has a different house.
• The type of house depends on the climatic conditions in the region.
• Houses are built specially to suit the needs of the people.

Explanation:

​Assam:

• It rains heavily in Assam.
• The houses are made almost 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3-5 metres) above the ground.
• This avoids flooding of the house during rain.
• They are made on strong bamboo pillars.
• They have a slanting roof.
• The insides of the houses are also made of wood.

​Thus, the village must be Assam.

Additional Information

Description of houses of different places: 

The correct answer is Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

Key Points

• Sammakka Saralamma Jatara is a Hindu tribal deity festival observed in the Indian state of Telangana.
• This Jatara is famous for hosting one of the world's biggest gatherings of people.
• People offer Bangaram: The Jatara starts in Medaram, Tadvai Mandala, Mulugu district.
• Saralamma Sammakka Jathara recalls the battle of a mother and daughter, Sammakka and Saralamma, against an unfair legislation with the governing monarchs.
• After Kumbha Mela, it is thought that Medaram Jathara gets the greatest number of worshippers in the country.
• It is celebrated in Medaram during a period when indigenous goddesses are said to visit them.

 

Additional Information

• Kumbha Mela is celebrated in Uttar Pradesh.
• Kharchi Festival is celebrated in Tripura.
• Gangaji Fair is celebrated in Daman and Diu, West Bengal.

The correct answer is cleaned by manual scavengers. 

Key Points

• In many cities in India, there is a problem with how sewage (human waste) is cleaned.
• It is still done by people called manual scavengers, who clean and handle the waste by hand.
• This is a dangerous and degrading job that puts the workers at risk of health problems.
• The bigger issue is that manual scavenging is associated with discrimination.
• It often affects people from lower castes or marginalized communities who are forced into this work.
• This unfair treatment creates social inequality and denies them better opportunities in life.
• To solve this problem, we need to find better ways to clean sewage that don't involve manual scavenging.
• Using machines and improving the infrastructure can help.
• But it's also important to change society by ending caste-based discrimination and treating everyone with equality and dignity.
• Efforts are being made to eliminate manual scavenging and promote safer methods of sewage management.
• It's a complex issue, but it's necessary for the well-being and respect of all people.

Explanation:

• Pochampally sarees are a type of silk and cotton sarees from Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana)
• This saree is named after the place Pochmapally in Telangana where most people are involved in weaving these sarees
• These sarees are known for their lustre and bright colours
• They are made out of very fine threads that are first washed and stained to remove dirt
• After that, it is dyed with bright colours, dried and rolled into bright bundles
• Sarees are then weaved out of these bundles using looms
• These sarees can be identified by unique geometrical patterns and lightweight
• Pochampally Ikat or resist dyeing involves a sequence of tying and dyeing sections of bundled yarn to a predetermined colour scheme before weaving.
• During the Nizam era, they were exported to Burma (Myanmar) and West Asia, and East Africa, where they were known as Asia rumals.
• The term `Ikat’ stems from the Malay-Indonesian expression, mangikat, meaning to bind, knot, or wind.
• It has now been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) status.

Thus, Pochampalli is the name of sarees with traditional geometric patterns of dying.

Explanation:

Wahida Prism:

• Lieutenant Commander Wahida Prism is a doctor in the Indian Navy.
• She is one of the few women who has worked on a naval ship.
• She is the first woman to lead a parade.
• This is considered to be a very big honour in the armed forces.
• She comes from a very small village called Thannamandi.
• This is in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• She did her schooling from a government school.
• During her school days she climbed mountains and was a ‘Girl Guide’.
• She always wanted to study more be have a successful career, however it was difficult for her to achieve her dreams.
• She studied for five years and did her M.B.B.S. from Jammu Medical College.
• After that she became a doctor.
• She appeared for an interview to join the Armed Forces and got selected there and received a training for six months.
• Her sister is in the Jammu Police Force.

​Thus,

(A) Lieutenant Commander Wahida Prism is a doctor in the Indian Navy: Correct

(B) Wahida Prism comes from a very small village and has done her schooling from a government school: Correct

(C) Wahida Prism is the first woman to lead a parade: Correct

(D) Wahida Prism is a medical officer and just gives medicine to the patients: Incorrect

Concept:

Embroidery:

• Embroidery is done for making a fabric beautiful with colourful designs with the help of needles and threads.
• It is an art to express creativity using different types of techniques.
• Like beadwork, metal threadwork, applique work, decorative threadwork, cutwork, patchwork, zardozi work, etc.

Explanation:

Zari:

• The term is used for silver and gold metal embroidery.
• The embroidery technique known as zari zardozi was introduced to India from central Asia in the 12^th century.
• Varanasi is the place where ancient weaving traditions are preserved the best.
• Brocades and Zari Work from Varanasi, are very famous.
• The majority of the weavers responsible for these exquisite works of art are known as "karigars," which means "artists."
• It was a lavish and ornate craft that was popular with the wealthy and courtly classes.
• It has recently experienced a resurgence in popularity and is a favourite at weddings and on fashion runways.

Thus, the unique art of embroidery of Varanasi is Zardozi.

Additional Information Lucknow:

• An ancient form of embroidery from Lucknow, India, is called chikan.
• It is among the most well-known textile decoration motifs from Lucknow.
• Chikan-work from Lucknow has many different stitches worked on cotton mull, creating a textured relief of flowers, paisleys and stars etc.

​Patna:

• Sujni, from Patna, Bihar, is a form of quilted embroidery with mainly narrative themes.

Bengal:

• Kantha, embroidery from Bengal, is made of thousands of fine stitches, giving the fabric a puckered quilted look.

Kasmir:

• There are shawls from Kashmir that are magically two-sided with the same design embroidered in different colours on each side.
• This is known as do-rukha.

Concept:

• Space travel involves venturing beyond Earth's atmosphere.
• Various modes of transport enable this remarkable feat.

Explanation:

Rockets:

• Rockets are specially designed vehicles used for space travel.
• They are built for the purpose of carrying spacecraft and astronauts into space.
• They provide the necessary propulsion and power to overcome Earth's gravity and propel the spacecraft into space.
• They employ a combination of liquid or solid propellants, engines, and guidance systems for controlled ascent and orbital insertion.
• Rockets serve as the primary means of launching satellites, spacecraft, and astronauts into space.

Thus, a rocket is used to travel into space.

Additional Information

• Satellites assist in space missions by providing capabilities for communication, weather monitoring, and scientific research.
• Airplanes are designed for atmospheric flight and cannot reach space due to their limitations.
• Meteoroids are small objects in space but are not used for human space travel.

Concept:

Migration:

• Apart from birth and death, there is another way by which the population size changes.
• When people move from one place to another, the place they move from is called the Place of Origin and the place they move to is called the Place of Destination.
• The place of origin shows a decrease in population while the population increases in the place of destination.
• Migration may be permanent, temporary or seasonal.
• It may take place from rural to rural areas, rural to urban areas, urban to urban areas and urban to rural areas.
• Migrants who move into a new place are called immigrants.
• Migrants who move out of a place are called emigrants
• People migrate for a better economic and social life.

There are two sets of factors that influence migration:

• The Push factors make the place of origin seem less attractive.
• This is for reasons like unemployment, poor living conditions, political turmoil, unpleasant climate, natural disasters, epidemics and socio-economic backwardness.
• The Pull factors make the place of destination seem more attractive than the place of origin.
• This includes reasons like better job opportunities and living conditions, peace and stability, security of life and property and a pleasant climate.

Explanation:

Pull Factors:

• Pulling the people means pulling the people to the area of destination.
• The area which is attracting them is an area that has a lot of jobs or a large amount of freedom.
• Sometimes, migrations may be accidental, maybe due to attraction for a lot of natural resources, like engineers looking for work.

Factors:

• For better job opportunities people migrate.
• People need more wealth so they move to urban areas.
• Good climate conditions also cause urban migration.
• In urban areas, people can get better security and face less crime.
• More fertile land means more food which also causes urban migration.
• The urban area most of the time politically stable so, people move there.

Thus, migration is due to a better lifestyle, better job opportunities, and more wealth.

Concept:

• The supply of groundwater is not unlimited, nor it is always available in good quality.
• Groundwater is accessed by wells.

Explanation:

The reasons for the drying up of water in wells are:

• A lot of boring pumps in the nearby area.
• Increase in usage.
• The soil around the trees, well and nearby area is now covered with cement.
• The increase in population also needs more use of water.
• Wells are dumped with waste as they do not contain any more water.
• The lakes in which rainwater used to collect are no longer there.
• Fewer trees in the nearby areas, means less rainfall, meaning less surface infiltration.

Thus,

(A) No one wants to use well as there are taps in every home: Incorrect 

(B) People love to draw underground water using electric motor: Correct

(C) The soil around the trees, wells and nearby areas is now covered with cement/coal tar to make the surroundings clean: Correct 

(D) The lakes (ponds) in which rainwater used to collect are no longer there. Tall buildings may be seen in those places: Correct

The correct answer is Rishikesh.

Key Points 

 Yoga Capital of the World

• ​Rishikesh is also the self-styled "yoga capital of the world," considered to be the birthplace of this widely popular practise that's said to benefit both mind and body.
• It is known as Tapo Bhumi, meaning the place for yoga and meditation of the Gods.
• Rishikesh is a peaceful temple town where the Ganges River flows clear and is full of spiritual energy.
• Rishikesh is a holy place that acts as the beginning of the path leading to the sacred places deep in the Himalayas.
• Rishikesh translates to “city of saints”.
• Rishikesh is also known for its connection with The Beatles.
• In February 1968, members of the legendary English rock band visited Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram (now popularly known as the Beatles Ashram) to learn transcendental meditation.