2010 Archives

41. Which of the following is/are coastal cities ? Hamburg Washington

Which of the following is/are coastal cities ?

Hamburg
Washington
Berlin
Cairo

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1, 2 and 3

2, 3 and 4

1 and 4

1 only

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The correct option is D) 1 only.

1. **Hamburg:** A major port city in Germany, located on the River Elbe about 100 km from its mouth on the North Sea. It is considered a coastal city due to its significant port and direct access to the sea for large vessels.
2. **Washington D.C.:** Located on the Potomac River, significantly inland from the Atlantic coast (approx. 200 km). While it has a port, it is not typically classified as a coastal city in the same way as ports directly on the coast.
3. **Berlin:** The capital of Germany, located inland on the Spree River. It is a landlocked city.
4. **Cairo:** The capital of Egypt, located on the Nile River, far inland from both the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. It is a landlocked city.
Based on the common understanding of “coastal city” (situated on the coast or with immediate access to the sea facilitating a major port), only Hamburg fits the description among the given options.

A coastal city is generally defined as a city adjacent to a coast or shore, or one whose economy and development are significantly tied to maritime activities facilitated by proximity to the sea. Port cities located on estuaries or rivers close to the sea are often included, provided they handle significant sea-going traffic. Hamburg is a prime example of this.

42. The lake Ontario and St. Lawrence of USA and Canada lie to the south-e

The lake Ontario and St. Lawrence of USA and Canada lie to the south-east of :

Hudson Bay

Labrador Sea

Atlantic Ocean

New Foundland

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The correct option is A) Hudson Bay.

Lake Ontario is the southernmost of the Great Lakes, located on the border between the United States and Canada. The St. Lawrence River flows from Lake Ontario eastward towards the Atlantic Ocean. Hudson Bay is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada, located significantly to the northwest of the Great Lakes region. Therefore, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River lie to the south-east of Hudson Bay.

The Labrador Sea is northeast of the region. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east, where the St. Lawrence River empties. Newfoundland is an island off the eastern coast of Canada, also east of the St. Lawrence estuary. Geographically, the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence system is situated southeast relative to the vast expanse of Hudson Bay.

43. Plants that behave as a Xerophyte in one season and as hydrophyte in a

Plants that behave as a Xerophyte in one season and as hydrophyte in another season is known as :

Saprophytes

Tropophytes

Heliotrophytes

Virotophytes

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The correct option is B) Tropophytes.

Tropophytes are plants adapted to tropical climates with distinct alternating wet and dry seasons. They exhibit characteristics that allow them to survive during the dry period (e.g., shedding leaves) and thrive during the wet period, effectively behaving as xerophytes in one season and hydrophytes in another in terms of their physiological and morphological adaptations to water availability.

Saprophytes obtain nutrients from dead organic matter. Heliotropism is the growth or movement of a plant in response to sunlight. Xerophytes are plants adapted to very dry environments, and Hydrophytes are plants adapted to grow in water or very wet conditions.

44. Which one of the following statements relating to time is not correct

Which one of the following statements relating to time is not correct ?

The local time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh is around two hours

Gujarat saves about one hour time over the IST

Arunachal Pradesh loses about two hours time over the IST

The IST is advanced by five hours 30 minutes against the GMT

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The correct option is C) Arunachal Pradesh loses about two hours time over the IST.

Let’s analyze each statement:
A) The longitudinal extent of India is approximately from 68.5°E (Gujarat) to 97.5°E (Arunachal Pradesh). The time difference between these longitudes is (97.5 – 68.5) * 4 minutes/degree = 29 * 4 = 116 minutes, which is close to two hours. Statement A is correct.
B) The Indian Standard Time (IST) is based on 82.5°E. Gujarat is to the west of IST. The time difference between Gujarat (approx 68.5°E) and IST (82.5°E) is (82.5 – 68.5) * 4 = 14 * 4 = 56 minutes. Gujarat’s local time is about 1 hour *behind* IST. The phrasing “saves about one hour time over the IST” is ambiguous but could be interpreted in terms of utilizing morning daylight, where sunrise happens earlier by local time than by IST clock. With this interpretation, it can be considered broadly correct in magnitude (~1 hour).
C) Arunachal Pradesh is to the east of IST. The time difference between Arunachal Pradesh (approx 97.5°E) and IST (82.5°E) is (97.5 – 82.5) * 4 = 15 * 4 = 60 minutes. Arunachal Pradesh’s local time is about 1 hour *ahead* of IST. Statement C claims it “loses about two hours time over the IST” and the magnitude is incorrect (it’s about 1 hour ahead, not 2 hours behind/losing). This statement is factually incorrect regarding both magnitude and relation to IST.
D) IST (82.5°E) is east of GMT (0°). The time difference is 82.5 * 4 minutes/degree = 330 minutes = 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT. Statement D is correct.
Comparing B and C, statement C is clearly incorrect regarding the magnitude (2 hours) and the implied direction (loses time suggests behind, while it’s ahead of IST). Statement B’s phrasing is awkward but the magnitude is approximately correct (1 hour) and a possible interpretation makes it arguably correct. Therefore, C is the most definitively incorrect statement.

The significant time difference between the eastern and western extremities of India has led to discussions about the need for multiple time zones or adjusting working hours in the northeast to better align with local solar time.

45. Which one of the following is not an important reason behind the preva

Which one of the following is not an important reason behind the prevailing variation in cropping patterns in the country ?

Variation in rainfall

Variation in soil type

Variation in irrigation facilities

Variation in altitude

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The correct option is D) Variation in altitude.

While variation in altitude certainly affects local cropping patterns (e.g., tea, coffee, specific fruits/vegetables grown in hills), it is generally considered less significant as a primary driver of the overall *country-wide* variation in cropping patterns compared to the other three factors. Rainfall, soil type, and irrigation facilities fundamentally determine what crops can be grown, where, and at what intensity across the vast agricultural areas of India (plains, plateaus), which constitute the majority of cultivated land.

Variation in rainfall dictates the choice between rain-fed and irrigated crops, and which crops are suitable for different precipitation levels. Variation in soil type determines the nutrient availability and water-holding capacity, suitability for different crops. Variation in irrigation facilities enables cultivation in areas with low or erratic rainfall, allowing for different cropping intensities and crop types than would otherwise be possible. Altitude plays a role regionally but is not the *most important* or as pervasive a reason for variation across the entire country compared to the others listed.

46. Which one among the following is the most important reason behind the

Which one among the following is the most important reason behind the prevalence of extreme type of climate in different parts of India ?

The long latitudinal extent

The east-west alignment of the Himalayas

The peninsular location of the country

The significant variation in altitude

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The correct option is B) The east-west alignment of the Himalayas.

The Himalayas, acting as a formidable barrier, prevent the extremely cold winds from Central Asia from entering the Indian subcontinent during winter. This leads to milder winters in North India compared to similar latitudes elsewhere. In summer, they trap the monsoon winds, causing widespread rainfall. However, the *east-west* alignment across the north means that the vast Indo-Gangetic Plain to the south is largely open to influences from the interior of the continent, leading to a significant variation between summer and winter temperatures (continentality), which is a key characteristic of an “extreme type of climate” in parts of India. The absence of a high mountain range running north-south across the northern plains allows these continental air masses to penetrate.

Factors like the long latitudinal extent cause variation in temperature received from the sun, but don’t necessarily cause *extremes* across the country in the same way as continentality. The peninsular location has a moderating influence on climate due to the proximity of the sea, preventing extremes. Variation in altitude causes local climatic variations (e.g., cooler in mountains, hotter in plains) rather than being the primary reason for extreme climate across different regions.

47. Although the extents of latitude and longitude are same, i.e., 30° why

Although the extents of latitude and longitude are same, i.e., 30° why is India’s north-south length longer than the east-west length by 300 km ?

The alignment of the country is such that the north-south length is longer than its east-west length

The north-south length, which is measured along the meridian (great circle) is longer than the east-west length which is measured along the parallel close to the tropic of cancer (small circle)

The north-south and east-west lengths can not be compared, as the former is measured along the meridian and the latter along the parallel

The difference in length is due to variation in scale error along the meridian and parallel

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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India’s approximate north-south extent is from about 8°N to 37°N (a difference of 29°), and the east-west extent is from about 68°E to 97°E (a difference of 29°). While the degrees of latitude and longitude are similar, the actual ground distance differs. The north-south distance is measured along meridians, which are effectively great circles, where 1 degree of latitude is approximately constant at 111 km. So, 29° latitude is about 29 * 111 km = ~3200 km. The east-west distance is measured along parallels of latitude. The length of a degree of longitude decreases with increasing latitude. At the Equator, 1 degree of longitude is about 111 km. At the Tropic of Cancer (around 23.5°N), which is close to the center of India’s east-west extent, 1 degree of longitude is significantly less than 111 km (~102 km). Further north, it is even less. Thus, 29 degrees of longitude across India’s width (which is primarily above the equator and around the Tropic of Cancer) covers a shorter distance than 29 degrees of latitude along its length. Option B correctly explains this by stating that the north-south length is measured along meridians (great circles) while the east-west length is measured along parallels (small circles) where the distance per degree of longitude is smaller than per degree of latitude.

The distance covered by a degree of latitude along a meridian is approximately constant, while the distance covered by a degree of longitude along a parallel decreases as latitude increases. India’s east-west extent is across latitudes where the distance per degree longitude is less than at the equator.

The approximate north-south distance of India is about 3214 km, and the east-west distance is about 2933 km, showing a difference of nearly 300 km. This difference is a direct consequence of the Earth’s spherical shape and how latitude and longitude lines relate to it.

48. The irregularity in the amount of rainfall in different parts of north

The irregularity in the amount of rainfall in different parts of north Indian plains is mainly due to :

irregular intensity of low pressure in the north-western parts of India.

variation in the location of the axis of low pressure trough.

difference in frequency of cyclones.

variation in the amount of moisture carried by winds every year.

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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During the Indian monsoon, rainfall over the North Indian plains is heavily influenced by the position of the monsoon trough, an elongated low-pressure area. The axis of this trough oscillates north and south. When the trough is located over the central plains, it brings widespread rain. When it shifts towards the foothills of the Himalayas (known as a “break” in the monsoon), rainfall decreases significantly over the plains and concentrates in the Himalayan region. Variations in the location and movement of this trough axis from year to year, and even within a season, are the primary reason for the irregularity in the amount and distribution of rainfall across different parts of the North Indian plains.

The shifting position of the monsoon trough axis is the main factor causing spatial variations in rainfall across the North Indian plains.

Other factors like the passage of monsoon depressions forming in the Bay of Bengal also contribute to rainfall, but the general pattern of distribution across the plains during the season is most strongly linked to the dynamic position of the monsoon trough.

49. The antipodal position of a place located at 35° south and 80° west is

The antipodal position of a place located at 35° south and 80° west is :

55° north and 80° east

35° north and 100° east

100° north and 80° east

55° south and 10° east

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The antipodal point of a location (Latitude X, Longitude Y) is found by taking the opposite latitude in the other hemisphere (X in opposite hemisphere) and the longitude that is 180 degrees away in the opposite direction ((180 – Y) in opposite direction). For a point at 35° South and 80° West: The latitude opposite to 35° South is 35° North. The longitude opposite to 80° West is (180° – 80°) = 100° East. Thus, the antipodal position is 35° North and 100° East.

To find the antipodal point: flip the hemisphere of the latitude and subtract the longitude from 180°, flipping the East/West direction.

The antipodal point is the point on the Earth’s surface that is diametrically opposite to a given point. If you were to drill a straight tunnel from one point through the Earth’s center, you would emerge at its antipodal point.

50. From the passage, what would you consider the best option for a succes

From the passage, what would you consider the best option for a successful dialogue between two conflicting actors?

(Passage: Dialogue is one of the most important tools of conflict resolution. It implies a sense of creating meaning through talking or reasoning together. The idea behind a dialogue is to bring together diverse groups of actors with differences in personal experiences, perceptions, and at times, a history of violent conflict between them. The aim of dialogical conflict resolution mechanisms is to create conditions for coordinated action towards a common goal : the end of violence and the emergence of an inclusive and peaceful society.)

Domination of the strong party in arriving at a negotiated settlement

Work on building a meaningful relationship

Use it as a means to buy time

Create an asymmetric relationship

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UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The passage describes dialogue as “creating meaning through talking or reasoning together” and bringing together diverse groups with differences, sometimes a history of conflict, towards a common goal: the end of violence and a peaceful society. This process, focusing on shared understanding (“creating meaning”) and collaboration (“coordinated action towards a common goal”), is essentially about building a foundation for a meaningful relationship where parties can communicate constructively despite their differences. Options A, C, and D describe outcomes or approaches (domination, buying time, asymmetry) that contradict the collaborative, meaning-making, and goal-oriented nature of dialogue as presented in the passage.

According to the passage, dialogue involves creating shared meaning and working towards a common goal among diverse groups, which facilitates building a meaningful relationship.

Effective dialogue in conflict resolution requires mutual respect, active listening, empathy, and a genuine willingness to understand the other’s perspective, all of which are components of building a meaningful relationship aimed at finding common ground and solutions.