UPSC IAS-IPS EXAM QUIZ-APRIL 2021-PART-I

Q. The rivers of North-West Europe are good examples of

(a) Parallel pattern of drainage.

(b) Radial pattern of drainage.

(c) Barbed pattern of drainage.

(d) Trellis pattern of drainage

ans. a

Parallel Drainage Pattern

• The tributaries seem to be running parallel to each other in a uniformly sloping region.
• Example: Rivers of lesser Himalayas and The small and swift rivers originating in the Western Ghats that flow into the Arabian Sea.

Q. Which one of the following ocean currents is a cold current?

(a) South Atlantic Drift

(b) Mozambique Current

(c) East Australian Current

(d) Caribbean Current

ans. a

• Ocean currents are continuous movements of water in the ocean that follow set paths, kind of rivers in the ocean.
• There are two types of Ocean Currents, based on depth, viz. surface currents (surface circulation- which make up about 10% of all the water in the ocean) and deep water currents (thermohaline circulation- which makes up the other 90% of the ocean).
• Based on temperature, Ocean currents are classified into two types: cold currents (Labrador Current) and warm currents (Kuroshio current)

Q. Which among the following struggles, based on Gandhi’s philosophy of Satyagraha, involved the industrial working class?

(a) Champaran

(b) Kheda

(c) Ahmedabad

(d) Bardoli

ans. c

• Ahmedabad is an industrial city in the British India. In 1918 Gandhiji helped the mill workers of Ahmedabad in increasing their wages.
• Gandhiji returned to India in 1915 from South Africa. The main principle of Gandhiji is Satyagraha i.e the truth will eventually triumph over bad and there is no need to use force and violence for this.
• Gandhiji intervened in a dispute between Ahmedabad’s mill workers and owners in 1918. He told the employees to be on protest and seek a pay rise of 35 percent. But he also suggested that the workers should not use violence against the owners during the striking, they must strictly adhere to the principle of satyagraha.
• Gandhiji undertook a fast unto death to support the workers. This put pressure on the mill owners and ultimately they agreed to increase the wages by 35% on the fourth day. Thus Gandhiji helped the industrial working class of Ahmedabad with his principle satyagraha.

Q. Which one of the following land territories of Indonesia is not touched by the Equator?

(a) Sumatra 

(b) Sulawesi

(c) Java

(d) Kalimantan

ans. c

• The Java island of Indonesia is not touched by the Equator.
• It is located in the Malay Archipelago and is a major economic region of Indonesia.

Q. Which one of the following statements about the Suez Canal is not correct?

(a) The Suez Canal was constructed in 1869

(b) It links the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

(c) It has a six lock system and ships cross the different levels through these locks.

(d) It has given Europe a new gateway to the Indian Ocean.

ans. c

About Suez Canal

• The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway running north to south across the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt, to connect the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
• The canal separates the African continent from Asia.
• It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
• It is one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes, carrying over 12% of world trade by volume.
• It provides a crucial link for oil, natural gas and cargo being shipped from East to West.
• As per Suez Canal Authority (SCA) data, in 2020, nearly 19,000 ships, or an average of 51.5 ships per day, with a net tonnage of 1.17 billion tonnes passed through the canal.
• The canal is a major source of income for Egypt’s economy, with the African country earning USD 5.61 billion in revenues from it last year.
• In 2015, Egypt announced plans to further expand the Suez Canal, aiming to reduce waiting times and double the number of ships that can use the canal daily by 2023.

History:

• The Suez Canal is actually the first canal that directly links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. It was opened for navigation in November 1869.
• The 150-year-old canal was controlled by British and French interests in its initial years but was nationalized in 1956 by Egypt.
• Suez Crisis, an international crisis in the Middle East, precipitated in July 1956, when the Egyptian president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, nationalized the Suez Canal. The canal had been owned by the Suez Canal Company, which was controlled by French and British interests.
• The Canal was closed five times; the last time was the most serious one since it lasted for 8 years. The Canal was then reopened for navigation in June 1975.

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