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The popular question for the coming week: How to read News, Editorials and Explainers from the ‘5Ws and 1H’ perspective, and more… (Other general queries will also be taken up)
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UPSC Weekly Quiz is a current affairs-based quiz on relevant topics from the past week, curated for the aspirants of competitive examinations. Attempt the weekly quiz every Saturday and find answers to the MCQs with explanations at the end of the article.
QUESTION 1
With reference to the Artemis Accords, consider the following statements:
1. It is a US-led international partnership on planetary exploration and research.
2. It is a binding bilateral arrangement.
3. India and Japan are the only countries who have signed this Accord.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
QUESTION 2
With reference to the “Instagram Threads”, consider the following statements:
1. It is a spin-off application from Instagram that focuses on conversations rather than visual content.
2. It does not offer features for replying and re-sharing posts.
3. The length of the post cannot be more than 500 characters.
4. The threads can’t be edited.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
QUESTION 3
“Cluster Munition” was in the news recently. With reference to the Cluster Munition, consider the following statements:
1. It is a bomb that opens in the air and releases smaller bomblets across a wide area.
2. It is designed to hit a single target at a time.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
QUESTION 4
With reference to data protection, consider the following statements:
1. An estimated 137 out of 194 countries have still not put in place legislation to secure the protection of data and privacy, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
2. The GDPR of US focuses on a comprehensive data protection law for processing of personal data.
Which of the above statement(s) is are true?
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
QUESTION 5
With reference to the following lines, answer the question below:
It is India’s heaviest rocket, with a gross lift-off weight of 640 tonnes, an overall length of 43.5m and 5m-diameter payload fairing (nose-shaped equipment to protect the rocket from aerodynamic forces). It made its first journey into space in 2014 and also carried the Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. Most recently, in March this year, it placed 36 OneWeb satellites, weighing about 6,000kg, in LEO, showing its capabilities to deliver multiple satellites into space. This was the second time that it made a commercial launch — the first one came in October 2022 when it delivered the OneWeb India-1 mission.
It refers to:
(a) LVM3
(b) GSLV
(c) PSLV
(d) None of the above
QUESTION 6
“CMV and ToMV” were recently in the news. Consider the following statements about CMV and ToMV:
1. These are plant pathogens that damage the crop partially or completely.
2. ToMV spreads mainly through aphids, which are sap-sucking insects while CMV is spread by infected seeds, saplings and agricultural tools.
3. When the foliage of plants is infected with ToMV, it shows alternating yellowish and dark green areas, which often appear as blisters on the leaves.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
QUESTION 7
“Ambergris” was recently in the news. With reference to the Ambergris, consider the following statements:
1. It is a waxy substance that originates from the digestive system of protected sperm whales.
2. It is a rare substance, which contributes to its high demand and high price in the international market.
3. It is used to produce perfumes.
4. In India, possession and trade of ambergris is allowed as per The Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 .
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
QUESTION 8
In the recently concluded SCO summit, India did not sign off
(a) the paragraph supporting Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
(b) the SCO Economic Development Strategy
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) and (b)
ANSWER TO MCQs
1. (a)
FYI:
During the state vist of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s to the United States, India signed the three-year-old Artemis Accords, a US-led international partnership on planetary exploration and research. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The Accords have been signed by 26 countries till now, including Japan, Australia, the UK, France, and Canada. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
The Artemis Accords is closely linked to the Artemis Program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface, build a space camp there, and carry out deep space exploration.
The Artemis Accords are a non-binding bilateral arrangement based on the political understanding of the participating countries. This means the Accords do not have the status of a multilateral treaty or a contract nor does it set out legal principles or rules by any stretch of imagination. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
The Accords agreement makes no mention of economic exploitation or mining of lunar and asteroid resources.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
2. (c)
FYI:
Instagram Threads is a spin-off app from Instagram that focuses on conversations rather than visual content. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The app resembles the Instagram comment section in its design but offers the features of Twitter, such as replying and re-sharing posts. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
You can create posts with up to 500 characters (more than Twitter’s 280), links, up to 10 photos, and videos up to 5 minutes long. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
You can’t edit threads. Hence, statement 4 is correct.
Unlike Twitter, Threads does not seem to use hashtags and does not have a trending section.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
3. (a)
FYI:
The United States has decided to send cluster munitions to Ukraine to help its military push back Russian forces entrenched along the front lines.
A cluster munition is a bomb that opens in the air and releases smaller “bomblets” across a wide area. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The bomblets are meant to destroy tanks, equipment, and troops while simultaneously striking several targets. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
The explosives are launched using the same artillery weaponry that the United States and its allies have already supplied to Ukraine for the war, such as howitzers.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
4. (d)
FYI:
Nearly six years after the Supreme Court held privacy to be a fundamental right, the Centre has made a second attempt at framing legislation for protection of data.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 is expected to be tabled in Parliament’s Monsoon Session.
The Bill, once it becomes law, will play a crucial role in India’s trade negotiations with other nations, and especially regions like the European Union, whose General Data Protection Rules (GDPR) are among the world’s most exhaustive privacy laws. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022, is a crucial pillar of the overarching framework of technology regulations the Centre is building, which also includes the Digital India Bill — the proposed successor to the Information Technology Act, 2000, the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022, and a policy for non-personal data governance.
The proposed law will apply to the processing of digital personal data within India; and to data processing outside the country if it is done for offering goods or services, or for profiling individuals in India.
It requires entities that collect personal data — called data fiduciaries — to maintain the accuracy of data, keep data secure, and delete data once their purpose has been met.
How does India’s proposal compare with other countries?
An estimated 137 out of 194 countries have put in place legislation to secure the protection of data and privacy, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), an intergovernmental organisation within the United Nations Secretariat. Hence,statement 1 is not correct.
Africa and Asia show 61% (33 countries out of 54) and 57% (34 countries out of 60) adoption respectively. Only 48% of Least Developed Countries (22 out of 46) have data protection and privacy laws.
EU model: The GDPR focuses on a comprehensive data protection law for processing of personal data. It has been criticised for being excessively stringent, and imposing many obligations on organisations processing data, but it is still the template for most of the legislation drafted around the world.
US model: Privacy protection is largely defined as “liberty protection” focused on the protection of the individual’s personal space from the government. It is viewed as being somewhat narrow in focus, because it enables collection of personal information as long as the individual is informed of such collection and use.
China model: New Chinese laws on data privacy and security issued over the last 12 months include the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), which came into effect in November 2021. It gives Chinese data principals new rights as it seeks to prevent the misuse of personal data.
The Data Security Law (DSL), which came into force in September 2021, requires business data to be categorised by levels of importance, and puts new restrictions on cross-border transfers.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
5. (a)
FYI:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully integrated the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft with the launch vehicle, Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3), at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota.
The Chandrayaan-3, which consists of a lander, rover and propulsion module, can’t travel to space on its own. It needs to be attached — like any satellite — to launch vehicles or rockets, like the LVM3 in this case.
Rockets have powerful propulsion systems that generate the huge amount of energy required to lift heavy objects like satellites into space, overcoming the gravitational pull of the Earth.
LMV 3
LVM3 is India’s heaviest rocket, with a gross lift-off weight of 640 tonnes, an overall length of 43.5m and 5m-diameter payload fairing (nose-shaped equipment to protect the rocket from aerodynamic forces).
The launch vehicle can carry up to 8 tonnes of payload to the lower earth orbit (LEO), which is about 200 km from the Earth’s surface. But when it comes to the geostationary transfer orbits (GTO), which lie much further ahead, up to about 35,000 km from the Earth, it can carry much less, only about four tonnes.
LVM3 made its first journey into space in 2014 and also carried the Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. Most recently, in March this year, it placed 36 OneWeb satellites, weighing about 6,000kg, in LEO, showing its capabilities to deliver multiple satellites into space. This was the second time that LVM3 made a commercial launch — the first one came in October 2022 when it delivered the OneWeb India-1 mission.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer
6. (b)
FYI:
Tomato growers in Maharashtra and Karnataka have blamed two different viruses for the loss of yields earlier this year. Farmers in Maharashtra have said their tomato crop was impacted by attacks of the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), while growers in Karnataka and other South Indian states have blamed the tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) for crop losses.
The current sharp increase in the price of tomato is due to lower production of the vegetable.
These two plant pathogens have similar names and cause similar damage to crops, but they belong to different viral families and spread differently. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
ToMV
ToMV belongs to the Virgaviridae family and is closely related to the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). ToMV hosts include tomatoes, tobacco, peppers, and certain ornamental plants.
ToMV spreads mainly through infected seeds, saplings, agricultural tools and often, through the hands of nursery workers who have failed to sanitise themselves properly before entering the fields. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
The foliage of plants infected with ToMV shows alternating yellowish and dark green areas, which often appear as blisters on the leaves. The other symptoms are distortion of leaves and twisting of younger leaves. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
The fruit develops necrotic spots, which leads to overripening. Younger plants are dwarfed, and fruit setting is affected.
CMV
CMV has a much larger host pool that includes cucumber, melon, eggplant, tomato, carrot, lettuce, celery, cucurbits (members of the gourd family, including squash, pumpkin, zucchini, some gourds, etc.), and some ornamentals.
CMV is spread by aphids, which are sap-sucking insects. CMV too can spread through human touch, but the chances of that are extremely low.
CMV too causes distortion of leaves, but the pattern is different.
In cucumbers, the virus causes a mosaic-like pattern of alternating yellow and green spots. In tomatoes, fruit formation is affected, and in some cases, the fruit is distorted and small.
Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
7. (c)
FYI:
Ambergris, which means grey amber in French, is a waxy substance that originates from the digestive system of protected sperm whales. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The freshly passed ambergris is a light yellowish substance and is fatty but as it ages it turns waxy and gets red-brownish.
Ambergris is a rare substance, which contributes to its high demand and high price in the international market. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Traditionally, it is used to produce perfumes that have notes of musk. While there are records of it being used to flavour food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco in some cultures in the past, it is rarely used for these purposes presently. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
There is a ban on the possession and trade of ambergris in countries like the USA, Australia and India. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
8. (c)
FYI:
In the New Delhi Declaration issued at the end of the leaders’ summit, India refused to sign off on the paragraph supporting Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). India had refused to sign on a similar formulation in the Samarkand Declaration of 2022 as well. India has always opposed the BRI, because the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is part of the Initiative, violates India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
India also did not sign off on the SCO Economic Development Strategy, which had Beijing’s imprint.
On terrorism, the New Delhi Declaration used language similar to that of the Samarkand Declaration, with a single word, “ultranationalism”, replaced with “chauvinism”.
Thus, the New Delhi Declaration said it was important to “build up joint coordinated efforts by the international community” against terrorist groups, “paying special attention to preventing the spread of religious intolerance, aggressive nationalism, ethnic and racial discrimination, xenophobia, ideas of fascism and chauvinism”.
Like in Samarkand, there was no mention of the Ukraine war. The member states reaffirmed their “commitment to peaceful settlement of disagreements and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultations”. In Samarkand, the word “conflicts” was used in place of “disagreements”.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
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