General Science & Ability MCQs (Natural Hazards and Disasters, Set-II)

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An example of a shield volcano is
(a) Mount Fuji
(b) Mount Pinatubo
(c) Puy de Dome
(d) Mauna Loa
Answer: (d)
Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.Mauna Loa is a shield volcano that has erupted some three dozen times since its first well-documented eruption in 1843

Volcanoes that have erupted in historic times and are still likely to erupt, are known as
(a) Active volcanoes
(b) Dormant volcanoes
(c) Extinct volcanoes
(d) Instinct volcanoes
Answer: (b)

Top of magma is forced onto Earth’s surface is known as
(a) Vent
(b) Cone
(c) Pipe
(d) Crater
Answer: (d)
A volcanic crater is a roughly circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity. It is typically a bowl-shaped feature within which occurs a vent or vents

Volcano that forms from column of magma is called a/an
(a) underwater volcano
(b) convergent volcano
(c) divergent volcano
(d) hot spot volcano
Answer: (d)

Reference to how thick a liquid is known as
(a) density
(b) conductivity
(c) viscosity
(d) volatility
Answer: (c)

Fluidity of lava is determined by amount of
(a) copper
(b) iron
(c) nickel
(d) silica
Answer: (d)

A flash flood is a flood that:
(a) is caused by heavy rain rather than from the flooding of a river
(b) occurs in urban areas
(c) occurs suddenly and unexpectedly and for a short duration
(d) is caused by the blocking of drains.
Answer: (c)
Flash floods are defined by the speed of flooding, not the source or location of flooding. While flash floods are often caused by heavy rainfall, they can also result from other events, such as drain blockages and bursts or the flooding of a river.

Monsoon is caused by: (CSS-2009)
(a) Seasonal reversal of winds
(b) Revolution of earth
(c) Movement of clouds
(d) Rise in temperature
(e) Rain forests
Answer: (a)
The monsoon, which is essentially the seasonal reversal in wind direction, causes most of the rainfall received in Pakistan and some other parts of the world. The primary cause of monsoons is the difference between annual temperature trends over land and sea. The apparent position of the Sun with reference to the Earth oscillates from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn. Thus the low pressure region created by solar heating also changes latitude. The northeast and southeast trade winds converge in this low pressure zone, which is also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ. This low pressure regions sees continuous rise of moist wind from the sea surface to the upper layers of the atmosphere, where the cooling means the air can no longer hold so much moisture resulting in precipitation. The rainy seasons of East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Australia and the southern parts of North America coincide with the shift of ITCZ towards these regions.

A flood can vary in:
(a) size
(b) speed of water flow
(c) duration
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
The size, duration and water flow speed of floods can vary. The volume, rate of rise and areal extent (i.e. the total area under flood waters) of flooding can also vary.

When a river’s water level reaches 10 meters, this means that:
(a) the water level is 10 meters above an arbitrary ‘zero’ level
(b) the water level is 10 meters above mean sea level
(c) the water level is 10 meters above mean sea level or an arbitrary ‘zero’ level
(d) it will flood.
Answer: (c)
River height is the level of water in a river as measured by a river gauging station and is expressed in meters above either the Australian Height Datum (i.e. mean sea level) or an alternative arbitrary ‘zero’ level, depending on the location.

The size of a flood is measured by:
(a) the rate of flow of water in a waterway or river
(b) the level of water in a waterway or river
(c) a river gauging station
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
The size of a flood can be measured by the highest level that water in a waterway reaches, referred to as the ‘peak water level’ or ‘flood peak’. It can also be measured by the maximum water flow rate in a waterway, referred to as the ‘peak flow rate’ or ‘peak water flow’. Each of these variables can be measured using a river gauging station.

Which of the following is associated with a La Niña event?
(a) The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is strongly negative.
(b) The ocean surface off the coast of South America is warmer than usual.
(c) There is an increased chance of above average rainfall in eastern Australia.
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (c)
In a La Niña event, the equatorial ocean surface off the coast of South America is abnormally cool, and the SOI is strongly positive. Trade winds blow strongly across the warm Pacific, picking up plenty of moisture and increasing the likelihood of above average rainfall in eastern Australia.

Which of the following potentially affects the size of a flood?
(a) bridges and other structures in waterways
(b) the size and windiness of a river
(c) vegetation in and around a river
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
Many factors can affect the size of a flood, including rainfall intensity, weather conditions prior to a rainfall event, tidal and storm surges, dams and other man-made and natural water storages, catchment size and shape, soil types in a catchment, vegetation in and around a waterway, the size and windiness of a waterway, levees, bridges and other structures in waterways and catchments, and urbanization.

Seasons are generated by (CSS-2012)
(a) The movement of sun around the Milky Way
(b) The movement of the earth around the sun
(c) Relativistic Quantum
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

The 2010 floods had cost the Pakistan’s economy around
(a) $17b
(b) $11b
(c) $10b
(d) $13b
Answer: (c)
It estimates that just a little less than 1pc of Pakistan’s GDP is exposed to river floods every year. It is ranked 16th by the WRI on the list of the top 20 countries with the highest GDP exposure to river floods.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) says Pakistan falls 5th on the list of top 15 countries that account for 80pc of the population exposed to river-flood risk worldwide.

In Pakistan, the most expensive natural disaster is:
(a) Drought
(b) Floods
(c) Bushfires
(d) Cyclones.
Answer: (b)
Pakistan faces a major financing challenge arising from natural catastrophes, with flooding causing an estimated annual economic impact of between three and four per cent of the federal budget,” adds the report. It estimates the annual economic impact of flooding at between $1.2bn and $1.8bn, or 0.5-0.8pc of GDP.

Which of the following is an environmental consequence of floods?
(a) dispersal of weed species
(b) erosion of soil
(c) release of pollutants into waterways
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
Floods can have negative environmental consequences, such as soil erosion, release of pollutants and excess sediments and nutrients into waterways and the ocean, dispersal of weed species, and negative impacts on fish and other aquatic life. Floods can also have positive environmental consequences, such as recharging groundwater systems, filling wetlands, moving useful nutrients around the landscape, and triggering breeding events (for example, of water birds).

Which of the following is used to estimate which areas will be inundated during a flood, based on river height information?
(a) satellite and radar images
(b) flood maps / floodplain hydraulic models
(c) river gauging stations
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (b)
Floodplain hydraulic models and flood maps are used to estimate which areas will be inundated based on river height information. Satellite and radar images, rain gauges and river gauging stations are used to estimate river heights.

Which of the following statements is false?
(a) Weather forecasts for a small region are more accurate than those for a large region.
(b) Weather forecasts are more accurate in Melbourne than in Darwin.
(c) Forecasts of temperature are more accurate than forecasts of rainfall.
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (a)
The accuracy of weather forecasts varies depending on lead time, the size of the region of interest, the weather variable being forecast, and the latitude of the region. Generally, temperature forecasts are more accurate than rainfall forecasts; the mid-latitudes are easier to forecast than the tropics; and it is generally easier to forecast rainfall over a large area (for example, a large catchment) than local rainfall (for example, a reservoir).

Which of the following is true? Flood warnings:
(a) should not be released until the information is certain
(b) should indicate what the threat is, what
(c) action should be taken, by whom and when
(d) are best if they come from a single source
(e) all of the above.
Answer: (b)
Flood warnings should provide information on what the threat is, what action should be taken, by whom and when. While it is desirable for flood warnings to be accurate, warnings are predictions about the future, so there is inevitably some uncertainty. Accuracy needs to be balanced with timeliness, to allow enough time for appropriate action. Warnings are most likely to reach different audiences and to be heeded if they come from multiple trusted sources.

Flood risk refers to:
(a) the chance of a flood occurring
(b) the number of people and properties exposed to floodwaters if a flood occurs
(c) the vulnerability of people and properties that are exposed to floodwaters
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
Flood risk includes both the chance (or probability) of a flood occurring, and the consequences if a flood occurs. The consequences of a flood are in turn affected by the number of people and properties exposed to floodwaters for a flood of a particular size, and the vulnerability of those people and properties. For example, a river might burst its banks regularly, but if this flooding occurs in an isolated area where there are no people or infrastructure, then the risk is low. Similarly, a river might flood very rarely, but if many people and properties are located near this river and they live in dwellings that are vulnerable to water damage, then the flood risk will be greater.

Which of the following can reduce the risk of flooding?
(a) zonings and building regulations for new developments
(b) dams, detention basins and levees
(c) flood awareness and education programs
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
Flood risk in new developments can be reduced by restricting the location of development (zonings) and placing controls (regulations) on development. In existing developed areas, risk can be reduced by modifying flood behaviour (for example, through dams, detention basins, levees, waterway modifications), property modification measures (for example, land filling, flood proofing, house raising, removing developments), and response modification measures (for example, upgrading flood evacuation routes, flood warnings, flood evacuation planning, flood education programs).

The Probable Maximum Flood is:
(a) an estimation of the largest possible flood that could occur at a particular location
(b) the maximum flood experienced in the last 100 years
(c) the maximum flood experienced in the last 200 years
(d) the maximum flood experienced since flood records have existed.
Answer: (d)
The Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) is an estimate of the largest possible flood that could occur at a particular location, under the most severe meteorological and hydrological conditions as they are currently understood.

In the future, which of the following is expected to increase the risk of flooding?
(a) population growth
(b) urbanization
(c) climate change
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
In the future, climate change is likely to result in an increased chance of flash floods and coastal inundation. Australia’s growing population and urbanization are likely to place increased pressure on our waterways and to increase the chance of flooding in cities and the number of properties and people exposed to floodwaters.

In the future, which of the following is unlikely?
(a) There will be an increased chance of flash flooding and coastal inundation.
(b) Flood risk will increase due to population growth and urbanization.
(c) Improvements in flood forecasting and warning technologies will reduce the impacts of floods.
(d) We will be able to eliminate the risk of flooding.
Answer: (d)
It is not possible to eliminate the risk of flooding. Indeed, it is likely that flood risk will increase in the future due to climate change, population growth and urbanization. However, we can better manage flood risk through improvements in flood forecasting and warning technologies, as well as improved land use planning, floodplain management and integrated water management.

Higher level of floods and droughts are led by
(a) sand storms
(b) lower precipitation
(c) higher precipitation
(d) none of the above
Answer: (c)

Approximately how fast do tsunami waves travel in the open ocean?
(a) 100 km/hour
(b) 1600 km/hour
(c) 200 km/hour
(d) 400 km/hour
(e) 800 km/hour
Answer: (e)

Tsunami waves travel between 500 and 950 km/hour.
What can cause a tsunami?
(a) Landslide
(b) Underwater earthquake
(c) Volcanic eruption
(d) All of the above
Tsunamis are usually generated by undersea earthquakes at tectonic plate boundaries, but they can also be triggered by underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions, or even a giant meteor impact with the ocean.

Do all undersea earthquakes trigger a tsunami?
(a) Yes
(b) No
Answer: (b)
An undersea earthquake creates a tsunami only if it is of sufficient force and there is a violent enough movement of the seafloor to displace a massive amount of water.

What does the word “tsunami” mean in Japanese?
(a) Tidal wave
(b) Harbor wave
(c) Killer wave
(d) Century wave
Answer: (b)
English word “tsunami” comes from the Japanese term for “harbor wave.” Tsunamis are not the same things as tidal waves and actually consist of a series of waves.

Witnesses have said that an approaching tsunami sounds like what?
(a) Firecrackers exploding
(b) A freight train
(c) Ice cracking
(d) Nothing—there is absolute silence
Answer: (b)
Many witnesses have described the sound of an approaching tsunami as being similar to a freight train’s.

What is the most active tsunami area?
(a) Pacific Ocean
(b) Caribbean Sea
(c) Indian Ocean
(d) North Atlantic Ocean
Answer: (a)
Most tsunamis, about 80 percent, happen within the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, a geologically active area where tectonic shifts make volcanoes and earthquakes common.

What is the deadliest tsunami ever recorded?
(a) The 1782 South China Sea tsunami
(b) The 1868 northern Chile tsunami
(c) The 1883 South Java Sea tsunami
(d) The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
Answer: (d)
In 2004 more than 200,000 people—the most ever recorded—died in an Indian Ocean tsunami that was triggered by an earthquake off Sumatra, Indonesia.

How fast can a tsunami travel?
(a) Up to 100 miles an hour (160 kilometers an hour)
(b) Up to 200 miles an hour (320 kilometers an hour)
(c) Up to 500 miles an hour (800 kilometers an hour
(d.) Up to 1,000 miles an hour (1,600 kilometers an hour)
Answer: (c)
Tsunamis race across the sea at up to 500 miles (805 kilometers) an hour—about as fast as a jet airplane. At that pace they can cross the entire expanse of the Pacific Ocean in less than a day.

Can you detect a tsunami in the open ocean?
(a) Yes
(b) No
Answer: (b)
No. In the open ocean, the wave length of a tsunami is hundreds of miles long and only a few feet high. Boaters are safer out at sea during a tsunami than close to shore or tied up at port.

Where was the largest tsunami in history recorded?
(a) India
(b) Philippines
(c) Chile
(d) Japan
Answer: (d)
In 1971 a wall of water 278 feet (84.7 meters) high surged past Ishigaki Island, Japan. It moved a 750-block of coral 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) closer to shore but did little other damage.

What is frequently a warning sign of an impending tsunami?
(a) Winds suddenly change direction
(b) The sky suddenly clears
(c) Seawater suddenly retreats from the shore
(d) All of the above
Answer: (c)
If the tsunami’s trough reaches shore first, it sucks the water seaward, exposing the seafloor suddenly. The wave’s crest usually hits shore about five minutes later. Recognizing this phenomenon—and getting to higher ground immediately—can save lives.

Which one of the following is an example of non-renewable resources?
(a) Wind
(b) Water
(c) Vegetation
(d) Coal and minerals
Answer: (d)

Which of the following is a renewable resource?
(a) Soil
(b) Water
(c) Flora and fauna
(d) All the above
Answer: (d)

_____ of stratosphere provides protection to our life.
(a) Nitrogen
(b) Hydrogen
(c) Ozone
(d) Argon
Answer: 3

The life supporting gases such as O2, CO2 and N2 are chiefly concentrated in the_______.
(a) Troposphere
(b) Exosphere
(c) Homosphere
(d) Stratosphere
Answer: (a)

Which of the following soil is the best for plant growth?
(a) Sandy soil
(b) Clay
(c) Gravel
(d) Loamy soil
Answer: (d)

Both power and manure are provided by _______.
(a) Thermal plants
(b) Nuclear plants
(c) Biogas plants
(d) Hydroelectric plants
Answer: (c)

In the atmosphere, the layer above the troposphere is _____.
(a) Stratosphere
(b) Exosphere
(c) Mesosphere
(d) Thermosphere
Answer: (a)

______ is the major raw material for biogas.
(a) Plant leaves
(b) Cow dung
(c) Mud
(d) Grass
Answer: (b)

A biosphere reserve conserves and preserves_______.
(a) Wild animals
(b) Wild land
(c) Natural vegetation
(d) All the above
Answer: (d)

Atomic energy is obtained by using ores of_______.
(a) Copper
(b) Uranium
Answer: (b)

Sanctuaries are established to_______.
(a) Rear animals for milk
(b) Entrap animals
(c) Protect animals
(d) None of the above
Answer: (c)
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death. At present there are 99 Wildlife Sanctuaries in Pakistan

The death of the last individual of a species is called_______.
(a) Extinction
(b) Clad
(c) Neither (a) nor (b)
(d) Species diversity
Answer: (a)
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms (taxon), normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point.

Which one of the following is not a fossil fuel?
(a) Natural gas
(b) Petrol
(c) Coal
(d) Uranium
Answer: (d)
Fossil fuels are sources of energy that have developed within the earth over millions of years. Because fossil fuels – oil, natural gas, and coal – take so long to form, they are considered nonrenewable

Biogas generation is mainly based on the principle of_______.
(a) Fermentation
(b) Degradation
(c) Putrification
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer: (a)
The biogas plant operating on the principle of a wet anaerobic fermentation process was selected for the determination of the composition of in-put raw material which is determinative for the final biogas quality. The biogas plant is designed as an accumulation through-flow device. The biogas production takes place during the wet fermentation process in the mesophile operation (average temperature 40°C). The produced biogas is used in a cogeneration unit. The biogas plant operates in automatic mode.

Floods can be prevented by_______.
(a) Afforestation
(b) Cutting the forests
(c) Tilling the land
(d) Removing the top soil
Answer: (a)
Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no forest. Reforestation is the reestablishment of forest cover, either naturally (by natural seeding, coppice, or root suckers) or artificially (by direct seeding or planting).
Afforestation Trees are planted near to the river. This means greater interception of rainwater and lower river discharge. This is a relatively low cost option, which enhances the environmental quality of the drainage basin.

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Environmental Science MCQs | Sustainable Development Issues

MCQs / Q&A, Test, World / admin

1) The expansion on PQLI is
(a) Physical Quality of Life index
(b) Physical Quantity of Life Index
(c) Product Quality Lifecycle Implementation
(d) None of these
Answer: (a)

2) Birth rate is called
(a) Mortality
(b) Vital index
(c) Natality
(d) Viability
Answer: (c)

3) Death rate of the population
(a) Mortality
(b) Viability
(c) Natality
(d) Vitality
Answer: (a)

4) The Anthrax disease is caused by
(a) Virus
(b) Bacteria
(c) Protozoa
(d) Helminthes
Answer: (b)

5) Superbugs are
(a) Synthetic bug
(b) Bacteria
(c) Radio nucleotide
(d) Industries
Answer: (b)

6) Salmonellosis is a disease related to consumption of
(a) Chicken
(b) Eggs
(c) Mutton
(d) Fish
Answer: (d)

7) Causative organisms of Malaria
(a) Bacteria
(b) Fungus
(c) Plasmodium
(d) Virus
Answer: (c)

8) What is ‘Black Lung?”
(a) Occupational Hazard to the miners
(b) Occupational Hazard to navigators
(c) Occupational Hazard to pesticide applicators.
(d) None of these
Answer: (a)

9) What is Carcinogen?
(a) Drugs for curing infectious disease
(b) Drugs used for curing cancer
(c) Cancer causing agent
(d) Food colorants
Answer: (c)

10) Infection of HIV is usually detected by which test
(a) Elisa test
(b) Hybridization
(c) Gram staining
(d) None
Answer: (a)

11) The destruction of habitat of plants and animals is called
(a) Endemism
(b) Endangered species
(c) Habitat loss
(d) Flood
Answer: (c)

12) Zoos are examples for
(a) In-situ conservation
(b) in-vivo conservation
(c) ex-situ conservation
(d) ex vivo conservation
Answer: (c)

13) The first national park of Pakistan
(a) Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park
(b) Shandure-Phander National Park
(c) Lal Suhanra National Park
(d) Pir Lasura National Park
Answer: (c)

14) Earth summit of Rio de Janeiro (1992) resulted in
(a) Compilation of Red list
(b) Establishment of biosphere reserves
(c) Conservation of biodiversity
(d) IUCN
Answer: (c)

15) Some species of plants and animals are extremely rare and may occur only at a few locations are called
(a) Endemic
(b) Endangered
(c) Vulnerable
(d) Threatened
Answer: (b)

16) The drug morphine is extracted from …………… plant
(a) Cocoa
(b) Belladonna
(c) Opium Poppy
(d) Tannin
Answer: (c)

17) …………….. species is known as Azadirachta Indica
(a) Neem
(b) Mango
(c) Jackfruit
(d) Banana
Answer: (a)

18) ……………….. tree is known as ‘flame of the forest’?
(a) Ziziphus
(b) Butea monosperma
(c) Jackfruit
(d) Pongamia
Answer: (b)

19) Which tree is known as Coral tree?
(a) Quercus
(b) Dipterocarps
(c) Erythrina
(d) Ziziphus
Answer: (c)

20) Which plants die after flowering?
(a) Lotus
(b) Bamboo
(c) Chrysanthemum
(d) Butea
Answer: (b)

21) Out of 4,100 mammal species in the world, Pakistan is home to
(a) 209
(b) 188
(c) 319
(d) 566
Answer: (b)

22) The four mammals known to have so far disappeared from Pakistan are the tiger (Panthera Tigris), swamp deer (Cervus duvaucelii), lion (Panthera Leo) and the.
(a) White Rhinoceros
(b) One-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
(c) Elephant
(d) Hog deer
Answer: (b)

23) ……………….. is a marine tortoise which shows the unique phenomenon ‘Arribada’
(a) Olive Ridley
(b) Star Tortoise
(c) Travancore Tortoise
(d) b & c
Answer: (a)

24) Largest reptile in the world
(a) Dragon
(b) Anaconda
(c) Crocodile
(d) Python
Answer: (b)

25) In which year Broghil Valley (KPK) was declared as National Park?
(a) 1988
(b) 1996
(c) 2010
(d) 2011
Answer: (c)

26) The total population of Snow Leopard in Pakistan is estimated around
(a) 400
(b) 500
(c) 300
(d) 188
Answer: (c)

27) In Pakistan, mangroves forests covered 600,000 hectares but now that has been reduced to
(a) 185,000 hectares
(b) 75,000 hectares
(c) 85,000 hectares
(d) 115,000 hectares
Answer: (b)

28) In which year Kala Chitta was declared as National Park?
(a) 2008
(b) 2009
(c) 2010
(d) 2012
Answer: (b)

29) The Red Data book which lists endangered species is maintained by
(a) UNO
(b) WHO
(c) IUCN
(d) WWF
Answer: (c)

30) The largest national park in the world meeting the IUCN definition is the Northeast Greenland National Park, which was established in
(a) 1973
(b) 1974.
(c) 1976
(d) 1999
Answer: (b)

31) In which year Lal Suhanra was declared as National Park?
(a) 1972
(b) 1988
(c) 1995
(d) 2008
Answer: (a)

32) Flag ship species of Deosai National Park (Skardu) sanctuary
(a) Tiger
(b) Peacock
(c) Brown Bears
(d) Rhino
Answer: (c)

33) Herpetology is a branch of Science which deals with
(a) Aves
(b) Mammals
(c) Reptiles
(d) Fishes
Answer: (c)

34) “Silent Spring” is a well-known book written by
(a) John Miller
(b) Charles Darwin
(c) Rachel Carson
(d) None of these
Answer: (c)

35) First Biosphere reserve in Pakistan
(a) Lal Suhanra National Park
(b) Kirthar National Park
(c) Chitral Gol National Park
(d) Chiltan Hazarganji, National Park
Answer: (a)

36) Bears are usually hunted and killed for their
(a) Teeth
(b) Skin
(c) Gall bladder
(d) Nails
Answer: (b)

37) Coral reefs in Pakistan can be seen in
(a) Atcola Island
(b) Churna (near Karachi coast)
(c) Pasni and near Jevani
(d) All of the above
Answer: (d)

38) Which of the following is an extinct species?
(a) Tiger
(b) Lion
(c) Dodo
(d) Ostrich
Answer: (c)

39) Black Buck is a
(a) Goat
(b) Deer
(c) Butterfly
(d) Bird
Answer: (b)

40) Gharial is a
(a) Crocodile
(b) Cobra
(c) Tortoise
(d) Frog
Answer: (a)

41) ——— is one of the most endangered species of Pakistani birds
(a) Bee eater
(b) Chakoor
(c) Owl
(d) Houbara bustard
Answer: (d)

42) Pangolins feed on
(a) Ants
(b) Fruits
(c) Leaves
(d) Roots
Answer: (a)

43) Many wild plant and animals are on the verge of extinction due to
(a) Habitat destruction
(b) Climatic changes
(c) Non availability of food
(d) None of the above
Answer: (a)

44) The first global environmental protection treaty “The Montreal Protocol” was signed on Sept. 26.
(a) 1985
(b) 1990
(c) 1981
(d) 1987
Answer: (d)

45) Animals and plants are best protected in
(a) Zoos
(b) Botanical Gardens
(c) National Parks
(d) Sanctuaries
Answer: (c)

46) The Native Place of Redwood trees?
(a) Australia
(b) Amazon
(c) California
(d) Thailand
Answer: (c)

47) Which of the following pulls people to urban areas?
(a) Declining agricultural jobs
(b) Lack of land to grow food
(c) Better health care
(d) None of these
Answer: (c)

48) Due to the urban population exploding in developing countries, they will need to build the equivalent of a city with more than 1 million people every __ for the next 25 years.
(a) Day
(b) Week
(c) Month
(d) Three months
(e) Year
Answer: (b)

49) Which of the following statements is false?
(a) The shift in poverty is moving rapidly from the city to the country.
(b) Developing countries are currently urbanizing faster than developed countries.
(c) Urbanization varies throughout the world but is increasing everywhere
(d) The general population growth also contributes to urban growth
(e) The shift in poverty is moving rapidly from the country to the city
Answer: (a)

50) Those who migrate and find jobs in cities can expect all of the following, except
(a) Long hours and low wages
(b) Dangerous machinery
(c) Health and retirement benefits
(d) Noise pollution
(e) High crime rate
Answer: (c)

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World General Knowledge MCQs (Solved) Geographical Epithets (Countries and Cities)

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A, World / admin

Geographical MCQs (Countries)

1. Which country is called the ‘Buffer state of Asia’?
(a) Afghanistan
(b) Pakistan
(c) India
(d) China
Answer: a

2. Which country is called ‘Land of fertile fields’?
(a) Algeria
(b) Sri Lanka
(c) Pakistan
(d) England
Answer: a

3. Which country is called ‘Island continent’?
(a) Austria
(b) Australia
(c) US
(d) England
Answer: b

4. Which country is called ‘Land of golden fleece’?
(a) US
(b) England
(c) Australia
(d) Germany
Answer: c

5. Which country is called ‘Remnant of a mighty empire’?
(a) Australia
(b) Austria
(c) India
(d) Iraq
Answer: b

6. Which country is called ‘Isle of June’?
(a) Bahamas
(b) Bahrain
(c) Belgium
(d) Cuba
Answer: a

7. Which country is called ‘Isle of pearls’?
(a) Egypt
(b) Iraq
(c) Iran
(d) Bahrain
Answer: d

8. Which country is called the ‘Land of Golden Fibre’?
(a) Sri Lanka
(b) Bangladesh
(c) Iran
(d) Pakistan
Answer: b

9. Which country is called ‘Cockpit of Europe’?
(a) Belgium
(b) Canada
(c) Colombia
(d) England
Answer: a

10. Which country is called ‘Crossroads of Europe’?
(a) Belgium
(b) Canada
(c) France
(d) Egypt
Answer: a

11. Which country is called ‘Land of lilies’?
(a) Canada
(b) Belgium
(c) Norway
(d) Sweden
Answer: a

12. Which country is called ‘Land of contrasts’?
(a) Canada
(b) Cuba
(c) Colombia
(d) England
Answer:. c

13. Which country is called ‘Pearl of Antilles’?
(a) England
(b) Cuba
(c) Egypt
(d) Denmark
Answer: b

14. Which country is called ‘Homeland of the Viking Empire’?
(a) Cuba
(b) England
(c) Denmark
(d) US
Answer: c

15. Which country is called ‘Gift of the Nile’?
(a) Iran
(b) Egypt
(c) Finland
(d) Iraq
Answer: b

16. Which country is called ‘Land of the Queen of Sheba’?
(a) Egypt
(b) Yemen
(c) Ghana
(d) Austria
Answer: b

17. Which country is called ‘Land of thousand lakes’?
(a) France
(b) Finland
(c) China
(d) Iraq
Answer: b

18. Which country is called ‘Key to the Mediterranean?
(a) Gibraltar
(b) Egypt
(c) Indonesia
(d) Iraq
Answer: a

19. Which country is called ‘Pillars of Hercules’?
(a) Gibraltar
(b) China
(c) Egypt
(d) Afghanistan
Answer: a

20. Which country is called ‘Whiteman’s grave’?
(a) Guinea
(b) Haiti
(c) Iraq
(d) Afghanistan
Answer: a

21. Which country is called ‘Island of Hispaniola?
(a) Hong Kong
(b) Haiti
(c) Iceland
(d) Malta
Answer: b

22. Which is called ‘The sorrow of China’?
(a) Hwang Hoo
(b) Beijing
(c) Peking
(d) Shangai
Answer: a

23. Which country is called ‘Land of thousand islands’?
(a) China
(b) Nepal
(c) Indonesia
(d) Cyprus
Answer: c

24. Which country is called ‘Site of ancient civilisations’?
(a) Iraq
(b) Iran
(c) Egypt
(d) India
Answer: a

25. Which country is called ‘Emerald Island’?
(a) Japan
(b) Ireland
(c) Iraq
(d) Iran
Answer: b

26. Which country is called ‘Great Britain of the Pacific’?
(a) Ireland
(b) Japan
(c) Korea
(d) China
Answer: b

27. Which country is called the ‘Land of rising sun’?
(a) Japan
(b) China
(c) Norway
(d) Sweden
Answer:. a

28. Which country is called the ‘Land of morning calm’?
(a) China
(b) South Korea
(c) Pakistan
(d) Nepal
Answer: b

29. Which country is called the ‘Land of milk and honey’?
(a) Iran
(b) Iraq
(c) Lebanon
(d) Nepal
Answer: c

30. Which country is called the ‘Land of amber’?
(a) Korea
(b) Lithuania
(c) Lebanon
(d) Nepal
Answer: b

31. Which country is called ‘George Cross Island’?
(a) Korea
(b) Malta
(c) China
(d) Nepal
Answer: b

32. Which country is called ‘Land of rice and teak’?
(a) Myanmar
(b) Korea
(c) China
(d) Nepal
Answer: a

33. Which country is called the ‘Land of mountains’?
(a) US
(b) Nepal
(c) China
(d) Korea
Answer: b

34. Which country is called ‘Land of Druk-yul’?
(a) Korea
(b) China
(c) Bhutan
(d) Malta
Answer: c

35. Which country is called the ‘Flower garden of Europe’?
(a) Netherlands
(b) Switzerland
(c) US
(d) England
Answer: a

36. Which country is called the ‘Britain of the South’?
(a) Norway
(b) New Zealand
(c) Canada
(d) Austria
Answer: b

37. Which country is called the ‘Land of Cakes’?
(a) Scotland
(b) England
(c) Netherlands
(d) None of these
Answer: a

38. Which country is called ‘Land of the midnight sun’?
(a) Sweden
(b) Norway
(c) Denmark
(d) Canada
Answer: b

39. Which country is called the ‘Land of pure people’?
(a) Norway
(b) Pakistan
(c) China
(d) Korea
Answer: b

40. Which country is called ‘Horn of Africa’?
(a) Norway
(b) China
(c) Ghana
(d) Somalia
Answer: d

41. Which country is called ‘Switzerland of Africa’?
(a) Swaziland
(b) Mozambique
(c) South Africa
(d) Somalia
Answer: a

42. Which country is called the ‘Playground of Europe’?
(a) Switzerland
(b) Thailand
(c) Egypt
(d) China
Answer: a

43. Which country is called the ‘Land of white elephants’?
(a) Korea
(b) Thailand
(c) US
(d) Russia
Answer: b

44. Which country is called the ‘Land of free people’?
(a) Thailand
(b) Korea
(c) China
(d) Japan
Answer: a

45. Which country is called the ‘Land of Smiles’?
(a) Thailand
(b) US
(c) India
(d) South Africa
Answer: a

Geographical MCQs (Cities)

46. Which city is called the ‘Granite city’?
(a) Aberdeen (Scotland)
(b) London
(c) Tehran
(d) Baghdad
Answer: a

47. Which city is called the ‘City of Eagles’?
(a) Sialkot
(b) Lahore
(c) Karachi
(d) None of these
Answer: a

48. Which city is called the ‘City of Golden Temple’?
(a) Amritsar
(b) Lahore
(c) Delhi
(d) Hassanabdal
Answer: a

49. Which city is called the ‘City of Water’?
(a) Venice
(b) Tehran
(c) Cairo
(d) Dhaka
Answer: a

50. Which city is called the ‘City of Angels’?
(a) Los Angeles
(b) London
(c) Delhi
(d) Baghdad
Answer: a

51. Which city is called the ‘Gateway to the East’?
(a) Beirut
(b) Bangkok
(c) Amritsar
(d) Cairo
Answer: a

52. Which city is called the ‘Little Pakistan’?
(a) Jeddah
(b) Bradford
(c) Chicago
(d) Dhaka
Answer: b

53. Which city is called the ‘City of bazaars’?
(a) Cairo
(b) Chicago
(c) Dhaka
(d) Amritsar
Answer: a

54. Which city is called the ‘Pyramid city’?
(a) Chicago
(b) Cairo
(c) London
(d) New York
Answer: b

55. Which city is called ‘City of space flights’?
(a) Cairo
(b) Lahore
(c) Cape Kennedy
(d) London
Answer: c

56. Which city is called the ‘Manchester of Pakistan’?
(a) Lahore
(b) Karachi
(c) Faisalabad
(d) Peshawar
Answer: c

57. Which city is called the ‘City of Conferences’?
(a) Mumbai
(b) Geneva
(c) Moscow
(d) London
Answer: b

58. Which city is called ‘City of Rams’?
(a) Guangzhou
(b) Multan
(c) Amritsar
(d) Colombo
Answer: a

59. Which city is called ‘Brasilia of Pakistan’?
(a) Karachi
(b) Islamabad
(c) Faisalabad
(d) Quetta
Answer: b

60. Which city is called the ‘Gateway of Pakistan’?
(a) Islamabad
(b) Karachi
(c) Multan
(d) Lahore
Answer: b

61. Which city is called the ‘City of Canals’?
(a) Venice
(b) Paris
(c) London
(d) None of these
Answer: a

62. Which city is called the ‘City of Palaces’?
(a) Lahore
(b) Mexico City
(c) Kiev
(d) Paris
Answer: b

63. Which city is called ‘Forbidden city’?
(a) Lhasa
(b) Moscow
(c) Rome
(d) Beruit
Answer: a

64. Which city is called the ‘Gateway of India’?
(a) Mumbai
(b) Agra
(c) Kolkata
(d) Hyderabad
64. a

65. Which city is called the ‘City of Cosmonauts’?
(a) New York
(b) Moscow
(c) Lahore
(d) Karachi
Answer: b

66. Which city is called the ‘City of skyscrapers’?
(a) Washington
(b) New York
(c) London
(d) Rome
Answer: b

67. Which city is called the ‘City of eternal spring’?
(a) New York
(b) Quito
(c) Rome
(d) Paris
Answer: b

68. Which city is called the ‘City of Popes’?
(a) Rome
(b) Vatican City
(c) London
(d) Cairo
Answer: b

69. Which city is called the ‘Land of seven hills’?
(a) Rome
(b) Venice
(c) Shiraz
(d) Baghdad
Answer: a

70. Which city is called the ‘The Golden Gate City’?
(a) San Francisco
(b) New York
(c) London
(d) Venice
Answer: a

71. Which city is called the ‘City of roses and nightingales’?
(a) Shiraz
(b) Rome
(c) Mumbai
(d) New York
Answer: a

72. Which city is called the ‘Queen of the Baltic’?
(a) Rome
(b) Stockholm
(c) Paris
(d) Karachi
Answer: b

73. Which city is called the ‘City of Gondolas’?
(a) Venice
(b) Rome
(c) Shiraz
(d) Lahore
Answer: A

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General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A, World

Day by Day Current Affairs (March 30, 2019)

Current Affairs, Sports, World / admin

March 30, 2019
National Current Affairs

1. Pakistan, China warns against politicizing UN anti-terrorism regime

• Pakistan has warned that politicising the UN counterterrorism machinery would only compromise the integrity of the regime, as China also warned against `forcefully moving` a resolution in the UN Security Council.
• Speaking in a Security Council debate on `Preventing and Combating the Financing of Terrorism` on March 29, 2019, Pakistan`s Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi said that current structures like FATF and the 1267 Sanctions regimes should not be used as political tools by some to advance their geopolitical goals.
• `There is also a need to make these institutions more inclusive of the wider membership in their decision-making processes,` she added.
• On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing in Beijing that `forcefully moving` a resolution directly in the UNSC undermined the authority of the UN anti-terrorism committee.

2. Ex-IB chief Ijaz made federal minister

• Former chief of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Brigadier (Retd) Ijaz Ahmed Shah MNA has been inducted as Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
• President Dr. Arif Alvi on March 29, 2019 accepted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s request to appoint Ijaz as the federal minister for parliamentary affairs
• He was elected MNA on PTI ticket from NA-118, Nankana Sahib-II in the last general elections held last year.
• The national security adviser’s position has been lying vacant since the PTI came to power.
• Ijaz Shah had served as Director General of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) from 2004 to 2008 in the government of former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf.

3. World Bank suspends water resource development project for Balochistan

• The World Bank on March 29, 2019 suspended the Integrated Water Resources Management and Development project for Balochistan over lack of progress in management and funds disbursement.
• In a statement, the WB offered to work with the Balochistan government over the next 30 days to restructure the scope and governance arrangements to more realistically deliver sustainable water management to the province.
• On June 28, 2016, the bank had approved a $200 million credit to strengthen the Balochistan government`s initiative for community-based water management for irrigation in the province.
• The project was designed to boost farmers` incomes through a new irrigation infrastructure and improved on-farm management and rangeland management. An associated objective was building the province`s capacity for long-term water resources planning.

4. Revised disaster response plan launched

• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on March 29, 2019 launched National Disaster Response Plan in collaboration with Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre the under Pakistan Resilience Partnership.
• The target of NDRP 2019is to mitigate damages from natural disasters. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Engineer Ali Mohammad Khan said the government was well cognisant of the threats and challenges posed by climate change and impending disasters.

5. Ex-CJP Jillani wins exceIIence award for promoting justice

• Former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, who is officiating as an ad hoc judge at the International Court of Justice in The Haque, has been awarded `International Justice Excellence Award` for promoting justice at home and around the world.
• The ceremony to give the award was held at the International Institute for Justice, Netherlands. Mr Jillani was decorated for his outstanding contribution to the elevation of the principles of justice in Pakistan and the international community.
• Mr. Jillani came to prominence as the 21st chief justice of Pakistan for his landmark judgment on a Suo Motu notice on the Sept 22, 2013 bomb attack on a Peshawar church in which 81 people died.

March 30, 2019: International Current Affairs

6. Fears of no-deal BREXIT rise as MPs sink May`s proposal

• Lawmakers rejected Prime Minister Theresa May`s BREXIT deal for a third time on March 29, 2019, sounding its probable death knell and leaving Britain`s withdrawal from the European Union in turmoil on the very day it was supposed to quit the bloc.
• The decision to reject a stripped-down version of May`s divorce deal has left it totally unclear how, when or even whether Britain will leave the EU, and plunges the three-year BREXIT crisis to a deeper level of uncertainty.
• Within minutes of the vote, European Council President and summit chair Donald Tusk said EU leaders would meet on April 10 to discuss Britain`s departure from the bloc.
• A succession of European leaders said there was a very real chance Britain would now leave without a deal, a scenario that businesses fear would cause chaos for the world`s fifth-biggest economy.

7. KSA frees three women’s rights activists

• Saudi Arabia has temporarily released three of the women’s rights activists held in custody for almost a year, state media has said, following a court hearing in which the detainees alleged torture and sexual harassment during interrogation.
• The announcement by the SPA news agency on March 29, 2019 did not identify the three women but several reports named them as blogger Eman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Youssef, a retired lecturer at King Saud University, and academic Rokaya al-Mohareb.

8. Chinese telescope collects more than 11M spectra

• China has released 11.25 million spectra of celestial objects acquired by the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) to astronomers worldwide, according to the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences March 29, 2019.
• As the world’s largest spectral survey telescope, LAMOST marks the world’s first spectral survey project to obtain more than 10 million spectra. Spectra are key for astronomers to read celestial bodies’ chemical compositions, densities, atmospheres and magnetism. Among the released spectra, there are 9.37 million high-quality spectra, which is twice the total number of other astronomic surveys internationally. There are also 6.36 million stellar spectra, creating the largest stellar parameter catalog in the world. Finished in 2008, LAMOST began regular surveys in 2012. The telescope is located in NAOC’s Xinglong Observatory, in north China’s Hebei Province.The telescope can observe about 4,000 celestial bodies at one time. It can also help calculate the age of more than a million stars, providing basic data to study the evolution of our galaxy

9. Earth Hour being marked today

• ‘Earth Hour’ being marked all over the world on 30th March (today).
• People are on the frontlines of climate change. The Earth Hour reminds us that individual and global community actions can prove to be a milestone to transform the climate challenges and protect the generations to come.
• The lights of the Parliament will be switched off between 8:30pm to 9:30pm to show Parliament’s commitment of joining hands with the world for energy conservation, combating climate change and global warming.
• Pakistan’s Vision 2025 considered climate change as one of the top national priorities and provided a sound basis to integrate climate change budgeting into national development planning.

March 30, 2019: Sports Current Affairs

10. Australia win fourth ODI by six runs

• Australia pulled off a sensational last-over, six-run win despite a debut hundred by Pakistan`s Abid Ali and second career century by Mohammad Rizwan in the fourth one-day international in Dubai on March 29, 2019.
• Needing 278 to win, Pakistan came close to their target through Ali`s 112 and Rizwan`s 104 but in the end, the two hundred were in vain as they failed to score the required 17 runs off Marcus Stoinis`s last over.
• The win gives Australia a 4-0 lead with the last match to be played in Dubai on March 31, 2019.

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Current Affairs, Sports, World

General Science & Ability MCQs (Natural Hazards and Disasters, Set-I)

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A / admin

1) What is the point of origin of an earthquake?
(a) Epicenter
(b) Focus
(c) Foreshock
(d) Scarp
(e) Seismograph
Answer: (b)
The exact point where the earthquake actually starts deep inside the earth’s crust (the point of origin) is called the focus, or hypocenter.

2) What is the point on the surface nearest the earthquake?
(a) Epicenter
(b) Focus
(c) Foreshock
(d) Scarp
(e) Seismograph
Answer: (a)
The epicenter is the point on the earth’s surface vertically above the hypocenter (or focus), point in the crust where a seismic rupture begins

3) Places experiencing equal impact of an earthquake are called (CSS-2012)
(a) Snowlines
(b) seismic belts
(c) Seismic lines
(d) None of these
Answer: (c)

4) Where do most earthquakes occur?
(a) Along dikes
(b) Along faults
(c) Along folds
(d) Along joints
(e) Along unconformities
Answer: (b)
Earthquakes can also occur far from the edges of plates, along faults. Faults are cracks in the earth where sections of a plate (or two plates) are moving in different directions. Faults are caused by all that bumping and sliding the plates do. They are more common near the edges of the plates.

5) What is the standardized distance from an earthquake epicenter for measuring Richter magnitudes?
(a) 0 km
(b) 10 km
(c) 100 km
(d) 500 km
(e) 1000 km
Answer: (c)
Richter established 100 km as the standard distance from an earthquake epicenter to measure Richter magnitude with a Wood-Anderson seismograph.

6) What was the magnitude of the Earthquake that shook Northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir on October, 8, 2005? (CSS-2006)
(a) 5.7
(b) 7.5
(c) 7.6
(d) None of these.
Answer: (d)
A major earthquake shook Pakistan on Saturday, October 8, 2005, at 8:50 a.m. The epicenter of this magnitude 7.6 quake was about 65 miles north-northeast of Islamabad, the country’s capital. At least 86,000 people were killed, more than 69,000 were injured, and extensive damage resulted in northern Pakistan. The heaviest damage occurred in the Muzaffarabad area of Kashmir.

7) In what country did the highest magnitude earthquake ever measured take place?
(a) Chile
(b) Pakistan
(c) Japan
(d) Afghanistan
(e) United States
Answer: (a)
The Chilean earthquake of 1960 is the most powerful ever recorded at 8.6 on the Richter scale or 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale.

8) What is the immediate energy source for earthquakes?
(a) Stored elastic energy in bent rock
(b) Stored elastic energy in compressed rock
(c) Stored heat energy from the earth’s interior
(d) Stored heat energy from the sun
Answer: (a)
Sudden elastic rebound of bent rock that has reached the breaking point is what causes nearly all earthquakes

9) What is the strongest magnitude earthquake ever measured on the Richter scale?
(a) 5.5
(b) 6.3
(c) 6.8
(d) 7.5
(e) 8.6
Answer: (e)
Several earthquakes have been measured with a magnitude close to 8.6 on the Richter scale, but none higher.

10) Which region of the earth has the most frequent earthquakes?
(a) Antarctic region
(b) Arctic region
(c) Atlantic region
(d) Indian region
(e) Pacific region
Answer: (e)
The Pacific region has the greatest number of earthquakes because this is where most of the earth’s convergent plate boundaries lie.

11) Japan is called: (CSS-2008)
(a) Land of earthquakes
(b) Land of rising sun
(c) Land of rivers
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

12) How does shaking ground cause soft sediment to liquify?
(a) It breaks the sediment particles into smaller pieces
(b) It evaporates water in the pores of the sediment
(c) It makes sediment particles fit more tightly together
(d) It melts the sediment
(e) It melts water in the pores of the sediment
Answer: (c)
Shaking ground helps particles to settle more tightly together, thus reducing interstitial space and releasing pore water.

13) Which of the following is not associated with earthquake destruction?
(a) Fires
(b) High winds
(c) Mass wasting
(d) Trembling earth
(e) Tsunamis
Answer: (b)
Earthquakes do not generate high winds.

14) Pakistan/Kashmir earthquake of October, 2005 was result of: (CSS-2006)
(a) Volcanic activity
(b) Tectonic dislocation
(c) Severe flooding
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

15) Which waves are called shear waves because of the shear forces that they subject the rock to?
(a) P-waves
(b) S-waves
(c) Surface waves
(d) All of the above
Answer: (b)
S-waves are also called shear waves because they subject the medium to shear forces, and they only pass through solids because only solids have elastic rebound to shear forces.

16) Which waves are called compression waves because they compress and extend the material they pass through?
(a) P-waves
(b) S-waves
(c) Surface waves
(d) All of the above
Answer: (a)
P-waves are also called compression waves because they compress and extend the medium.

17) In what order do earthquake waves arrive at seismic stations?
(a) P-waves, then S-waves, then surface waves
(a) S-waves, then P-waves, then surface waves
(b) S-waves, then surface waves, then P-waves
(c) Surface waves, then P-waves, then S-waves
(d) Surface waves, then S-waves, then P-waves
Answer: (a)
Primary and secondary waves are named after their arrival sequence.

18) Which of the following earthquake waves is first recorded on the Seismograph?
(a) P-waves
(b) Rayleigh waves
(c) S-waves
(d) Love waves
Answer: (a)

19) The Intensity scale of the earthquake is called?
(a) Mercalli scale
(b) Ritcher scale
(c) Number scale
(d) None of the above
Answer: (a)

20) The point where the energy is released during the earthquake is called?
(a) Epicentre
(b) Hypocentre
(c) Circumcentre
(d) None of the above
Answer: (b)

21) The type of plate- boundary interaction along the Himalayas is known as?
(a) Continent-continent convergence
(b) Divergent boundary
(c) Transform boundary
(d) Ocean-continent convergence
Answer: (a)

22) Which of the following describes the build up and release of stress during an earthquake?
(a) the Modified Mercalli Scale
(b) the elastic rebound theory
(c) the principle of superposition
(d) the travel time difference
Answer: (b)

23) Approximately what percentage of earthquakes occur at plate boundaries?
(a) 25%
(b) 50%
(c) 75%
(d) 90%
Answer: (d)

24) Where is the focus with respect to the epicenter?
(a) directly below the epicenter
(b) directly above the epicenter
(c) in the P wave shadow zone
(d) in the S wave shadow zone
Answer: (b)

25) Point A, where slip initiated during the earthquake, is called the ________.
(a) dip
(b) epicenter
(c) focus
(d) scarp
Answer: (c)

26) Point B is called the earthquake ________.
(a) dip
(b) epicenter
(c) focus
(d) scarp
Answer: (b)

27) Point C is called the _________
(a) epicenter
(b) fault scarp
(c) Seismic wave
(d) Dip of the earthquake
Answer: (b)
A fault scarp is a small step or offset on the ground surface where one side of a fault has moved vertically with respect to the other. It is the topographic expression of faulting attributed to the displacement of the land surface by movement along faults.

28) What type of faulting is illustrated in this diagram?
(a) normal (b) Reverse
(c) Thrust (d) Abnormal
Answer: (a)

29) Which one of the following earthquake waves is more destructive?
(a) P-waves
(b) Surface waves
(c) S-waves
(d) Body waves
Answer: (b)
Earthquake waves can be divided into two types – body waves and surface waves. There are two types of body waves – P-wave and S-wave. The surface waves are more destructive as they displace rocks, and hence results in collapse of structures.

30) When a volcano ejects acid lava, eruption is usually
(a) Light and less violent
(b) Soft and less violent
(c) Loud but less violent
(d) Loud and more violent
Answer: (d)

31) In some eruptions, mudflows are forced over the
(a) Earth’s mantle
(b) Ocean bed
(c) Earth’s surface
(d) Earth’s core
Answer: (c)

32) Magma which is forced onto Earth’s surface is known as
(a) Vent
(b) Cone
(c) Lava
(d) Magma Chamber
Answer: (c)

33) An example of composite volcanoes is
(a) Mount Everest
(b) Puy de Dôme
(c) Mauna Loa
(d) Mount Merapi
Answer: (d)

34) ‘Flash-floods’ are associated with
(a) Thunderstorms
(b) Cyclonic storms
(c) Tsunami
(d) Tornado
Answer: (a)
A flash flood is a sudden flood event caused by a hydrologic response of the drainage basin. Flash floods are normally strongly localized and associated with extreme showers or thunderstorm activity, when high rates of precipitation occur in a short period of time.

35) During eruption, volcanic material is
(a) Blown to some meters
(b) Blown to many kilometers
(c) Blown to some inches
(d) Blown to some feet
Answer: (b)

36) When volcanos ejects basic lava, eruption is mainly
(a) Loud
(b) Violent
(c) Quite
(d) Hard
Answer: (c)

37) A reference to process by which materials such as magma and gases from inside Earth are forced onto Earth’s surface is
(a) Eruption
(b) Lava
(c) Volcanism
(d) Earthquake
Answer: (c)

38) Movement of crustal plates result in formation of
(a) a huge island
(b) Small volcanic islands
(c) a small island
(d) Huge volcanic islands
Answer: (b)

39) Ice can be changed to water by: (CSS-2011)
(a) Adding more water molecules
(b) Changing the motion of the water molecules
(c) Rearranging the atoms in water molecules
(d) Destroying the atoms in water molecules
(e) None of these
Answer: (b)

40) Composite volcanoes are made up of alternate layers of
(a) Ash and cinder only
(b) Dense lava and ash
(c) Viscous lava, ash and cinder
(d) pyroclastic lava, ash and cinder
Answer: (c)

41) Lava that contains high amounts of iron and magnesium, but low amount of silica is known as
(a) Acid Lava
(b) Basic Lava
(c) Composite Lava
(d) Component Lava
Answer: (b)

42) Number of classifications of volcanoes is
(a) three
(b) Six
(c) nine
(d) twelve
Answer: (a)

43) Acid lava is sticky or ‘viscous’ because it contains high amounts of
(a) Copper
(b) Iron
(c) nickel
(d) Silica
Answer: (d)

44) Eruptions from composite volcanoes are usually
(a) Light and less violent
(b) Soft and less violent
(c) Loud but less violent
(d) Loud and more violent
Answer: (d)

45) As volcano is carried along by plate, a new volcano is formed over the
(a) Ocean bed
(b) River bed
(c) Original hot spot
(d) Virtual hot spot
Answer: (c)

46) Cavity in Earth’s crust below vent that holds magma is known as
(a) Vent
(b) Cone
(c) Lava
(d) Magma Chamber
Answer: (d)

47) Most common type of volcano is the
(a) Acid Lava Volcano
(b) Basic Lava Volcano
(c) Composite Lava Volcano
(d) Component Volcano
Answer: (c)

48) Composite Lava Volcano is also known as
(a) Cinder volcano
(b) Ash volcano
(c) Pyroclastic volcano
(d) Stratovolcanoes
Answer: (d)
Composite volcanoes (also called stratovolcanoes) are much more explosive than shield volcanoes, the other important type of volcano.

49) Mid-Atlantic ridge is so tall that it actually rises above sea in many places forming
(a) Icy islands
(b) Ice lands
(c) Volcanic islands
(d) Rocky islands
Answer: (c)

50) Basic lava erupts out of volcano, throwing out mainly
(a) Ash
(b) Dust
(c) CO
(d) CO2
Answer: (a)

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General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A

Day by Day Current Affairs (December 08, 2018)

Current Affairs, Sports, Test, World / admin

December 7, 2018: National Current Affairs

1. Pakistan wants `proper ties` with US like its relations with China

• Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his desire to have a proper relationship with the United States akin to Islamabad`s ties with Beijing rather than the one where Pakistan is treated like a `hired gun`.
• The prime minister, in his first interview to The Washington Post after assuming office, said: `I would never want to have a relationship where Pakistan is treated like a hired gun given money to fight someone else`s war. It not only cost us human lives, devastation of our tribal areas, but it also cost us our dignity.
• When asked to elaborate on the ideal nature of relationship that he would like to have with Washington, Mr Khan said: `For instance, our relationship with China is not one-dimensional. It`s a trade relationship between two countries. We want a similar relationship with the US.
• The prime minister explained that the country was not `hedging` towards China, but it was rather Washington`s attitude that had brought a change in the Pakistan-US relationship. He clarified that disagreeing with US policies did not equate to him being `anti-American` when he was asked why he harboured `anti-US sentiments`. `This is a very imperialistic approach: you`re either with me or against me,` he observed.

2. `Only 1pc of the population are tax filers, 70pc of the economy is undocumented`

• Economists and energy experts on December 7, 2018, called for structural, legal and fiscal reforms to bring the country out of the crisis.
• They suggested increasing the tax base, improving the capacity of state institutions, inclusiveness and creating a technology-friendly environment to create jobs and harnessing the talents and skills of the younger generation, who comprise 60pc of the population.
• During a panel discussion on `The Dynamic Global Economy: Fostering the Pakistan Advantage` organised by a public diplomacy initiative, RAABTA, experts attempted to address some of the tricky questions such as population growth, fiscal and financial imbalances, the direction of the government for steering the country out of economic crisis, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout and its impact on the citizens. The discussion was moderated by broadcast journalist Sidra Iqbal.

3. SBP to issue Rs50 coin for anti-graft day

• The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on December 7, 2018 said it will issue a commemorative coin of Rs50 from Monday, Dec 10, to mark the International Anti Corruption Day.
• On Oct 31, 2003, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the convention against corruption and designated Dec 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day to raise public awareness about it.
• The government has now authorised SBP to issue Rs50 commemorative coin which will be available through exchange counters of all the field offices of SBP Banking Services Corporation from Dec 10

4. Two new SECP commissioners appointed

• The federal cabinet on December 7, 2018 issued notification for the appointment of two new commissioners at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
• According to the Finance Division notification, the federal government has appointed Executive Director/ Spokesperson SECP Aamir Khan and Farrukh H Sabzwari as commissioners in SECP for a period of three years with immediate effect.
• Following the new appointments, the number of commissioners now stands at five, completing the commission.
• Mr Khan has extensive experience spanning almost 30 years covering banking, capital markets, structuring of financial solutions/products, leading national initiatives, business transformation, and regulatory reform. Since 2012, he has been serving as an executive director at the SECP.

5. Ban on hiring of doctors lifted

• The Punjab government allowed the health department on December 7, 2018 for ad hoc appointment of doctors and paramedics.
• According to a notification of Services and General Administration Department, regulations wing, the cabinet, in its meeting held on Aug 31, had decided to impose a ban on all recruitments from BPS-01 to BPS-16 in all administrative departments except on the posts from BPS-17 and above which fell under the preview of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).

December 8, 2018: International Current Affairs

6. Over half of global population now online: UN

• Some 3.9 billion people are now using the Internet, meaning that for the first time more than half of the global population is online, the United Nations said on December 7, 2018.
• The UN agency for information and communication technologies, ITU, said that by the end of 2018 a full 51.2 per cent of people around the world will be using the Internet.
• `By the end of 2018, we will surpass the 50/50 milestone for Internet use,` ITU chief Houlin Zhou said in a statement.
• `This represents an important step towards a more inclusive global information society,` he said, adding though that `far too many people around the world are still waiting to reap the benefits of the digital economy.` He called for more support to `technology and business innovation so that the digital revolution leaves no one offline.

7. China prepares mission to land spacecraft on moon`s far side

• China was preparing to launch a ground-breaking mission to soft-land a spacecraft on the largely unexplored far side of the moon, demonstrating its growing ambitions as a space power to rival Russia, the European Union and US.
• With its Chang`e 4 mission, China hopes to be the first country to ever successfully undertake such a landing. The moon`s far side is also known as the dark side because it faces away from Earth and remains comparatively unknown, with a different composition from sites on the near side, where previous missions have landed.
• If successful, the mission scheduled to blast off aboard a Long March 3B rocket will propel the Chinese space programme to a leading position in one of the most important areas of lunar exploration.

8. Australia passes new data encryption laws

• Australia has passed controversial laws designed to compel technology companies to grant police and security agencies access to encrypted messages. The government says the laws, a world first, are necessary to help combat terrorism and crime.
• However critics have listed wide-ranging concerns, including that the laws could undermine the overall security and privacy of users.
• The laws were rushed through parliament on its final day of the year. The Labor opposition said it had reluctantly supported the laws to help protect Australians during the Christmas period, but on December 7, 2018 it said that “legitimate concerns” about them remained.
• Cyber-security experts have warned the laws could now create a “global weak point” for companies such as Facebook and Apple.
• Australia already has laws which require providers to hand over a suspect’s communication to police. This may already be possible if a service provider uses a form of encryption that allows them to view a user’s message.

9. Tool designed to track steps of cells’ development

• Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis have developed a new tool described as a “flight data recorder” for developing cells, illuminating the paths cells take as they progress from one type to another.
• Using the flight data recorder, the researchers performed experiments that uncovered some surprising details about the specific routes taken by cells that successfully completed their flight paths.
• The technique harnesses the natural properties of a virus that inserts tiny DNA “barcodes,” called “CellTags,” into each cell. As the cells divide, their unique barcodes are passed down to all their descendant cells. The CellTagging technique keeps track of which cells share common ancestors and how far back that common ancestor is found in the lineage. The researchers found that if a certain gene, called Mettl7a1, was turned on in cells, they were three times as likely to successfully reprogram compared with cells in which this gene is inactive. Another interesting finding was that the cells that were not successful in their reprogramming didn’t just end up all over the map. They appeared to converge at the same dead end, tending to revert back to look like the original cell type. The tool could reveal cellular “reprogramming” routes that might involve reverting skin cells back to different types of stem cells that could then mature into a new liver or other vital organ.
• Among many potential uses, the tool also could be applied in cancer research, recording the wrong turns normal cells might take to develop into tumors, according to the researchers.

December 8, 2018: Sports Current Affairs

10. New Zealand crush Pakistan to win Test series

• Debutant Will Somerville grabbed three key wickets to guide New Zealand to their first away series win over Pakistan in 49 years with a crushing 123-run win in the third and final Test on December 7, 2018.
• The off-spinner took 3-52 and was aided by fellow spinner Ajaz Patel`s 3-42 as Pakistan came up well short after being set a daunting 280-run target in 79 overs.
• They crumbled to 156 in 56.1 overs on a weary pitch at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
• The victory gave New Zealand a 2-1 series win after they had taken the first Test by a narrow four-run margin at the same venue. Pakistan bounced back with an innings and 16-run win in the second Test in Dubai.
• New Zealand`s last away series win against Pakistan was a 1-0 victory in matches played in Pakistan in 1969-70.
• It was New Zealand`s fifth Test series win in their last six played since November 2016. They beat Pakistan, Bangladesh, the West Indies and England all at home with the single loss came against South Africa.

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Current Affairs, Sports, Test, World