UPSC NDA-1 Archives

21. Which one of the following is the driest desert of the world ?

Which one of the following is the driest desert of the world ?

Atacama

Gobi

Sahara

Kalahari

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UPSC NDA-1 – 2018

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The Atacama Desert in Chile is widely recognized as the driest non-polar desert in the world.

The extreme aridity of the Atacama is primarily caused by the rain shadow effect from the Andes mountains to the east and the influence of the cold, nutrient-rich Humboldt Current along the coast, which stabilizes the atmosphere and inhibits cloud formation and precipitation.

Other large deserts listed are Gobi (Central Asia), Sahara (North Africa), and Kalahari (Southern Africa), all known for their aridity, but the Atacama is typically cited as the driest.

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22. Consider the following statements : 1. The doldrums is a low pressur

Consider the following statements :

1. The doldrums is a low pressure area around Equator where the prevailing winds are calm.
2. Chinook is a hot and dry wind that blows in winter and therefore raises the temperature in a short time.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

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Both statements 1 and 2 are correct. The doldrums are indeed a low-pressure belt around the equator with calm winds, and the Chinook is a hot, dry wind that can cause rapid temperature increases, often occurring in winter.

– The doldrums correspond to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), where air converges and rises, leading to low surface pressure and light winds.
– The Chinook is a type of Foehn wind resulting from adiabatic warming as air descends the leeward side of a mountain range. It is known for its ability to melt snow rapidly, hence the name “snow eater”.

Foehn winds like the Chinook occur when moist air is forced up a mountain, releases moisture as precipitation on the windward side, and then descends dryly and warms adiabatically on the leeward side. This can lead to significant temperature rises in valleys and plains below.

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23. Consider the following statements about Roaring Forties : 1. They ar

Consider the following statements about Roaring Forties :

1. They are strong Westerly winds found in the oceans of Southern Hemisphere.
2. The strong east to west air currents are caused by the combination of air being displaced from the Equator towards the South Pole and the earth’s rotation and abundance of landmasses to serve as wind breaks.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

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Answer is Wrong!

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UPSC NDA-1 – 2018

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Statement 1 is correct. The Roaring Forties are strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, predominantly over the oceans between approximately 40°S and 50°S latitude.

– Westerly winds blow from west to east.
– The strength of the Roaring Forties is due to the large temperature gradient between the pole and the equator, the Coriolis effect, and importantly, the relative absence of large landmasses in the Southern Hemisphere at these latitudes, which allows winds to circulate with less interruption.

Statement 2 is incorrect because the winds blow from west to east (Westerly), not east to west. Also, the *absence* of significant landmasses in the Southern Hemisphere is crucial to their strength, as landmasses would act as wind breaks, reducing wind speed.

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24. Which one of the following Union Territories has the highest female li

Which one of the following Union Territories has the highest female literacy rate ?

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Chandigarh

Lakshadweep

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Puducherry

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Based on the Census of India 2011 data, Lakshadweep had the highest female literacy rate among the given Union Territories.

Census 2011 female literacy rates for the options were approximately: Lakshadweep (88.25%), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (81.84%), Chandigarh (81.38%), Puducherry (81.22%).

Literacy rate data is typically collected during national censuses. The 2011 Census is the most recent comprehensive data publicly available and frequently used in such questions.

25. Which one of the following statements about meristematic tissues in pl

Which one of the following statements about meristematic tissues in plants is correct ?

These are dead tissues and form wood

They provide flexibility to plant due to their thickened walls

These are present in the bark of a tree only

Growth occurs in plants due to division of cells of these tissues

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Statement D is correct. Meristematic tissues are composed of actively dividing cells responsible for plant growth, both in length (primary growth from apical meristems) and in girth (secondary growth from lateral meristems).

– Meristematic tissues are characterized by thin-walled, actively dividing cells.
– They are found in regions of active growth like root and shoot tips (apical meristems) and cambium layers (lateral meristems).

– Statement A is incorrect; meristematic tissues are living. Wood is primarily composed of secondary xylem, much of which consists of dead cells.
– Statement B is incorrect; meristematic cells have thin walls. Tissues like collenchyma provide flexibility due to thickened walls.
– Statement C is incorrect; meristematic tissues are found at various growing points, not just in the bark (though lateral meristems contribute to bark formation).

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26. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of levels of hierar

Which one of the following is the correct sequence of levels of hierarchy of classification of organisms from higher to lower ?

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Phylum - Class - Order - Family - Genus

Phylum - Class - Family - Order - Genus

Family - Order - Class - Species - Genus

Class - Family - Order - Species - Genus

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Option A presents the correct sequence of classification levels from higher to lower among the given choices: Phylum – Class – Order – Family – Genus.

The standard hierarchical levels of classification are Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species, from highest to lowest.

Taxonomic hierarchy is a system used to group organisms based on shared characteristics. Each level is called a taxon. The sequence provided in option A is a correct subset of this hierarchy. Other options show incorrect arrangements of these levels.

27. Which one of the following statements about classification of plants i

Which one of the following statements about classification of plants is correct ?

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Thallophytes have well differentiated body design

Funaria is a fungus

All Pteridophytes are Phanerogams

Vascular system is not found among Bryophytes

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Statement D is correct. Bryophytes are non-vascular plants, meaning they lack specialized vascular tissues like xylem and phloem for the transport of water and nutrients.

– Bryophytes (like mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) are the first plants to colonize land but lack true vascular tissues, stems, roots, and leaves.
– Vascular tissue first evolved in Pteridophytes.

– Thallophytes (Algae, Fungi, Lichens) have a relatively undifferentiated body design (thallus), unlike the statement A suggests.
– Funaria is a genus of moss, belonging to the Bryophyta, not a fungus. Fungi are heterotrophic organisms belonging to a separate kingdom.
– Phanerogams are seed-bearing plants (Gymnosperms and Angiosperms). Pteridophytes (ferns, horsetails) reproduce by spores and are classified as Cryptogams. Therefore, not all Pteridophytes are Phanerogams.

28. Which one of the following parts of body does NOT take part in the pro

Which one of the following parts of body does NOT take part in the process of breathing ?

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Bronchi

Bowman's capsule

Diaphragm

Trachea

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The correct answer is B) Bowman’s capsule.

The process of breathing involves the respiratory system, which includes organs like the trachea, bronchi, lungs, and muscles like the diaphragm.
A) Bronchi: Tubes that carry air from the trachea into the lungs; they are part of the respiratory system.
B) Bowman’s capsule: A cup-like structure that surrounds the glomerulus in the nephron of the kidney. It is the site of filtration in the process of urine formation, which is part of the excretory system, *not* the respiratory system.
C) Diaphragm: A large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the chest cavity that plays a crucial role in inhalation and exhalation, making it an essential part of the breathing mechanism.
D) Trachea: Also known as the windpipe, it is a tube that connects the larynx (voice box) to the bronchi, allowing the passage of air into the lungs. It is part of the respiratory system.
Therefore, Bowman’s capsule is the only option not involved in breathing.

Breathing involves the movement of air into and out of the lungs (ventilation) to facilitate gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the air and the blood. The kidneys, where Bowman’s capsule is located, are primarily involved in filtering waste products from the blood and producing urine.

29. Which one of the following is an organelle that is NOT found in prokar

Which one of the following is an organelle that is NOT found in prokaryotic cells?

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Cell wall

Mitochondria

Plasma membrane

Ribosome

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The correct answer is B) Mitochondria.

Prokaryotic cells (like bacteria and archaea) are structurally simpler than eukaryotic cells. A key difference is the absence of membrane-bound organelles in prokaryotes.
A) Cell wall: Many prokaryotes have a cell wall (though different in composition from eukaryotic cell walls like those in plants or fungi).
B) Mitochondria: Mitochondria are membrane-bound organelles responsible for cellular respiration and ATP production in eukaryotic cells. They are *not* found in prokaryotic cells. In prokaryotes, respiration occurs in the cytoplasm and across the cell membrane.
C) Plasma membrane: The plasma membrane (cell membrane) surrounds the cytoplasm and is present in *all* cells, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic.
D) Ribosome: Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis and are found in the cytoplasm of *all* cells, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic (though prokaryotic ribosomes are 70S, and eukaryotic ribosomes are 80S).

Besides mitochondria, other membrane-bound organelles like the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and chloroplasts are also absent in prokaryotic cells. Their genetic material (DNA) is typically a single, circular chromosome located in a region called the nucleoid, without a nuclear membrane.

30. AIDS is caused by a virus whose genetic material is

AIDS is caused by a virus whose genetic material is

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single stranded circular DNA

double stranded DNA

single stranded RNA

double stranded RNA

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The correct answer is C) single stranded RNA.

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV is a retrovirus, and retroviruses are characterized by having their genetic material in the form of RNA, specifically single-stranded RNA. This RNA is then converted into double-stranded DNA inside the host cell using an enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which is unique to retroviruses.

HIV has two copies of its single-stranded RNA genome. These RNA molecules are encapsidated along with enzymes like reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease within the viral particle. This allows the virus to infect human cells and replicate its genetic material by incorporating a DNA copy into the host cell’s genome.