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Question 81

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

Which one of the following animals is known as a 'living fossil'?

  1. AOption (a)

    Peripatus

  2. BOption (b)

    Amoeba

  3. COption (c)

    Prawn

  4. DOption (d)

    Apple snail

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

Peripatus

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Peripatus. 

Key Points

  • Peripatus is a living fossil because the living members appear similar to fossil species as much as 570 million years old.
  • Peripatus is a primitive arthropod. It also has jointed legs and appendages and has compound eyes present. It also has the presence of tracheas.
  • These traits show their link to the arthropods. The body is segmented with nephridia as an excretory organ.
  • The surrounding layer present on the outer side of an organism is non-chitinous in nature. All these traits show that the Peripatus is linked with the Annelida.

Living Fossil

  • The term "living fossil" is meant to describe an organism that has remained relatively unchanged over millions of years, or one that has no, or very few, close surviving relatives.
  • It was originally used by Charles Darwin to describe ancient species, like the ginkgo tree or horseshoe crab that appeared little changed over millions of years.
  • If a species does not constantly have to adapt to survive, it will have little need to change.
  • The coelacanth (a fish) is the most famous and widely recognized species of "living fossil".

Protection Status:

  • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
  • Sulawesi Coelacanth is listed as ‘vulnerable’.
  • CITES Status: Appendix I

Question 82

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

Choose the correct chronological order of the following dynasties of Delhi Sultanate:

  1. AOption (a)

    Lodi, Ilbari Turks, Tughluq, Khilji

  2. BOption (b)

    Ilbari Turks, Khilji, Tughluq, Lodi

  3. COption (c)

    Tughluq, Khilji, Lodi, Ilbari Turks

  4. DOption (d)

    Khilji, Lodi, Tughluq, Ilbari Turks

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Ilbari Turks, Khilji, Tughluq, Lodi

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Ilbari Turks, Khilji, Tughluq, Lodi.

Key Points

 Delhi Sultanate

  • The establishment of Delhi Sultanate began with the invasion of Muhammad Ghori.
  • He had brought a large number of slaves and appointment them as officers.
  • When he died in AD 1206 resulted in a scramble for supremacy among his three generals- Qutub-ud-din Aibak (Commander of his army), Tajuddin Yalduz (ruled Karman and Sankuran between Afghanistan and Sind) and Nasiruddin Qubacha (held).

Timeline of Delhi Sultanate

Ilbari Dynasty (AD 1206-1290)

  • The Ilbari Dynasty was founded by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak who slave of Muhammad Gori and commander of his army.
  • The assumption of sovereign powers by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1206 is regarded as the foundation of the Sultanate of Delhi and the first dynasty of the Sultanate.

Khilji Dynasty (AD 1290-1320)

  • The Khiljis served under the Ilbari dynasty of Delhi. Malik Firuz was the founder of the Khilji Dynasty who was originally the Ariz-I-Mumalik appointed by Kaiqubad during the days of the decline of the Ilbari Dynasty.
  • He took advantage of the political vacuum that was created due to the incompetence of the successors of Balban.
  • On June 13, 1290, Malik Firuz ascended the throne of Delhi as Jalal-ud-din Firuz Khilji.

Tughlaq Dynasty (AD 1320-1412)

  • Tughlaq dynasty emerged during the period of medieval India and was of Turk-Indian Origin.
  • The dynasty majorly ruled over the Sultanate of Delhi.
  • The Tughlaq dynasty emerged in 1320 and ended in 1413 and was ruled by many rulers like Ghazi Malik, Muhammad-bin-Tughluq, etc.

Lodhi Dynasty (AD 1451- 1526)

  • The Lodhi Dynasty under the Delhi Sultanate was the first Afghan Pashtun Dynasty in India who ruled from AD 1451 to 1526.
  • This dynasty replaced the Sayyid Dynasty and it was a period of reforms in administration, strengthening the army, gearing up the machinery of land revenue administration, expansion and improvement of the cultivation and welfare of the people.

Additional Information Reasons for the Success of Sultans of Delhi Sultanate

  • Local kings lacked unity and organization; divided by rivalries’
  • There was no central government
  • Kingdoms were small and scattered
  • Turks were better organized and took advantage of the lack of mutual cooperation among the Rajputs.

 

Causes of Decline of Delhi Sultanate

  • The rulers of the Delhi Sultanate came into power with the help of a sword and army, so there was no definite law of succession.
  • There were many revolts during his reign; Bihar declared its independence under Dariya Khan Lohani.
  • His repressive policy towards the Lohani, Formuli and Lodhi tribes and his unsympathetic treatment of Dilawar Khan, the governor of Lahore, turned the nobles against him.
  • Daulat Khan Lodhi (father of Dilawar Khan) and Alam Khan invited Babu, the Timurid ruler of Kabul, to invade India.

In the first battle of Panipat (AD 1526), Babur defeated Ibrahim and killed him. He became the master of Delhi and Agra. This puts an end to the Sultanate and the rise of Mughal dynasty in India.

Question 83

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee is

  1. AOption (a)

    a member of the Ruling Party

  2. BOption (b)

    a member of the Opposition Party

  3. COption (c)

    Union Finance Minister

  4. DOption (d)

    Deputy Speaker of the Parliament

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

a member of the Opposition Party

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is a member of the Opposition Party.

Key PointsPublic Accounts Committee

  • The PAC is the oldest parliamentary committee in Indian legislative affairs and has been crucial in upholding the principle of accountability as it exercises oversight of public expenditure.
  • First set up in 1921 in the wake of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms.

Members: 

  • The Public Accounts Committee consists of 22 members elected according to the principle of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote: 
  • Fifteen members elected by Lok Sabha every year from amongst its members.
  • Seven members of Rajya Sabha elected by that House in like manner are associated with the Committee.

Appointment of Chairperson

  • The Chairperson of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst the members of Lok Sabha elected to the Committee.
  • As a convention, starting from the Public Accounts Committee of 1967-68, a member of the Committee belonging to the main opposition party/group in the House is appointed as the Chairperson of the Committee.
  • Present, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee is Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

Role & Functions

  • Check on the government especially with respect to its expenditure bill.
  • Examines the audit report of C&AG after it is laid in the Parliament.
  • PAC promotes the basic principle that parliament embodies the will of the people by exercising check over the executive.
  • Keeps a check on the money spent on any service during a financial year.
  • It examines the accounts of State corporations, Trading concerns and Manufacturing projects.

Question 84

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

The vitamin which helps in clotting of blood is

  1. AOption (a)

    A

  2. BOption (b)

    D

  3. COption (c)

    B

  4. DOption (d)

    K

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (d)D.

K

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is K.

Key PointsVitamin K

  • Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that comes in two forms.
  • Vitamin K is a group of vitamins that the body needs for blood clotting, helping wounds to heal.

Good sources of vitamin K

Vitamin K is found in:

  • green leafy vegetables – such as broccoli and spinach
  • vegetable oils
  • cereal grains

Small amounts can also be found in meat and dairy foods.

How much vitamin K do I need

  • Adults need approximately 1 microgram a day of vitamin K for each kilogram of their body weight.
  • For example, someone who weighs 65kg would need 65 micrograms a day of vitamin K, while a person who weighs 75kg would need 75 micrograms a day.
  • A microgram is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram (mg). The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol μ followed by the letter g (μg).
  • You should be able to get all the vitamin K you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
  • Any vitamin K your body does not need immediately is stored in the liver for future use, so you do not need it in your diet every day.

Question 85

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

Koel is a tributary of

  1. AOption (a)

    Son

  2. BOption (b)

    Chambal

  3. COption (c)

    Yamuna

  4. DOption (d)

    Ganga

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

Son

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Son. 

Key Points

  • The North Koel is a tributary of the Sone river, which feeds into the Ganga. It flows along the southern and then western boundary of the Palamu Tiger Reserve.

NORTH KOEL RESERVOIR PROJECT

  • The North Koel Reservoir is located in the Palamau and Garhwa districts of Jharkhand State. It is situated on the North Koel river which is a tributary of the Sone river finally joining the river Ganga.
  • The major components of the project are –
  • Mandal dam
  • Mohammadganj barrage (located 96 km downstream of the dam)
  • and two canals originating from Mohammadganj Barrage with a distributary system for irrigation.
  • The project aims to provide irrigation to drought-prone areas of Palamu & Garhwa districts in Jharkhand and Aurangabad & Gaya districts in Bihar.

South Koel River, a tributary of the Brahmani River.

Question 86

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

What is the chromosome number in human ovum?

  1. AOption (a)

    36

  2. BOption (b)

    23

  3. COption (c)

    48

  4. DOption (d)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

23

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is 23 .

Key Points

  • Egg and sperm cells have just 23 chromosomes each. That's half as many chromosomes as regular cells.

  • Through the process of fertilization, egg and sperm join to make a cell with 46 chromosomes (23 pairs), called a zygote.

  • For each chromosome pair, one homologous chromosome came from each parent.

  • They have the same genes arranged in the same order, but there are small variations in the DNA letters of those genes.

  • From here, the process begins again. Mitosis builds a person with an identical set of chromosomes in every cell.

  • And meiosis generates reproductive cells with new combinations of gene variations.

Question 87

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

'Seahorse' is a

  1. AOption (a)

    Mammal

  2. BOption (b)

    Plant

  3. COption (c)

    Fish

  4. DOption (d)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

Fish

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Fish .

Key PointsSeahorse

  • A seahorse is a type of fish closely related to pipefishes and belonging to the scientific family Syngnathidae. Roughly 35 species of seahorse occur worldwide. 
  • The seahorse's scientific genus name, Hippocampus, is Greek for "bent horse."
  • The seahorse may appear as if it wears armor; its body is covered with bony rings and ridges.
  • Seahorses are well camouflaged among the relatively tall eelgrasses and seaweeds in which they make their homes. A seahorse often moors itself in the water by curling its prehensile tail around seagrass and coral branches.
  • The seahorse's small mouth, located at the end of its tube-like snout, sucks up tiny plankton and fish larvae.

Question 88

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

Earliest fossil remains of archaic Homo sapiens has been found in

  1. AOption (a)

    Siwalik hills

  2. BOption (b)

    Narmada valley

  3. COption (c)

    Nallamalai hills

  4. DOption (d)

    Chotanagpur Plateau

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Narmada valley

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Narmada Valley.

Key Points

  • The earliest evidence of existence of human in India had been found the banks of the Narmada at Madhya Pradesh’s Hathnora village.
  • ​ It was discovered in 1982.
  • Narmada Human also known as Narmada Man belongs to the category of Homo erectus, preceding Homo sapiens, the modern human species.
  • Geologist Arun Sonakia was the main person involved in this most tantalising fossil discovery of a human ancestor.

Question 89

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

Which country recently replaced Russia in the UN Human Rights Council?

  1. AOption (a)

    Poland

  2. BOption (b)

    Czech Republic

  3. COption (c)

    Syria

  4. DOption (d)

    Chile

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Czech Republic

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Czech Republic .

Key Points

  • The U.N. General Assembly voted for the Czech Republic to replace Russia in the UN Human Rights Council.
  • Russia was earlier suspended over allegations of human rights violations by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
  • Seats on the council are divided among regional groups and a replacement for Russia had to come from an East European country.
  • The Czech Republic was the only candidate for the seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council.

UN Human Rights Council

About: 

  • It is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system.

History:

  • The UNHRC replaced the former UN Commission on Human Rights.
  • It was created by the UNGA on March 15, 2006, and the body met in its first session in June, 2006.

Functions:

  • It is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the world.
  • It also addresses and makes recommendations on situations of human rights violations.
  • It can discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations.
  • The Council also works with the UN Special Procedures established by the former Commission on Human Rights, consisting of special rapporteurs, special representatives, independent experts, and working groups. 
  • Their work is to monitor, examine, advise and report on thematic issues or human rights situations in specific countries.

The Council is made up of 47 UN Member States who are elected by majority vote through a direct and secret ballot at the UNGA.

Question 90

West Bengal Civil Service (Exe.) Examination (WBCS) 2022• Full Test

Who is the director of the film 'The Kashmir Files'?

  1. AOption (a)

    Farhan Akhtar

  2. BOption (b)

    Karan Johar

  3. COption (c)

    Vivek Agnihotri

  4. DOption (d)

    Anurag Kashyap

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

Vivek Agnihotri

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Vivek Agnihotri .

Key Points The Kashmir Files

The film 'The Kashmir Files' is based on the historical incident of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s.

  • It is said that to remove the Pandits from Kashmir, they were massacred there. According to the Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti, in the year 1990 there were 75,343 Kashmiri Pandit families within the valley. But between 1990 and 1992, more than 70,000 families left the valley due to fear of terrorists. Between 1990 and 2011, terrorists killed 399 Kashmiri Pandits. Barely 800 Hindu families in the valley during the last 30 years.

A special screening was held for Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu before the release of the film, starring actors like Anupam Kher and Mithun Chakraborty.