1. Consider the following statements:
- Euchromatin is rich in genes and produces proteins.
- Heterochromatin does not produce proteins.
- A human genome helps to study genetic variation between individuals or between populations.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Correct Answer: D [1, 2 & 3]
Notes:
- A complete human genome makes it easier to study genetic variation between individuals or between populations.
- A genome refers to all of the genetic material in an organism, and the human genome is mostly the same in all people, but a very small part of the DNA does vary between one individual and another.
- The genetic sequence made available in 2003 from the Human Genome Project, contained information from a region of the human genome known as the euchromatin. Here, the chromosome is rich in genes, and the DNA encodes for protein.
- The 8% that was left out was in the area called heterochromatin. This is a smaller portion of the genome, and does not produce protein.
- The fully sequenced genome is the result of Telomere-2-Telomere (T2T) project. This project will complement the standard human reference genome, known as Genome Reference Consortium build 38 (GRCh38).
2. Which of the following components form a part of capital account?
- External Commercial Borrowing
- Foreign Direct Investment
- Remittances from Indians living abroad
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Correct Answer: A [Only 1 & 2]
Notes:
- Balance of Payments is a statement of every recorded transaction made between entities or business unit in one country with that of the rest of the world over a defined period of time, such as the quarter of the year. The BoP has two parts: capital account and current account
- Capital account includes all types of trading in capital. It shows a capital expenditure and income for a country. External Commercial Borrowing (ECB), Foreign Direct Investment, Foreign Portfolio Investment etc form a part of capital account.
- All the trade in goods and services is noted down in Current account. The Current Account, then, has two specific sub-parts: Import and Export of goods — this is the “trade account”. Import and export of services — this is called the “invisibles account”. Invisibles include services, transfers and income travel, transportation and insurance, interest on loans given and other investment income and private transfers such as remittances from Indians living abroad.
- The net effect of surplus (or deficit) on the invisibles account and the deficit (or surplus) on the trade account is called the current account balance. A current account deficit occurs when the total value of goods and services a country imports exceeds the total value of goods and services it exports.
- CAD implies that the demand for the foreign currency is more than the demand for the Indian rupee. That, in turn, implies that the rupee will depreciate.
3. Consider the following statements:
- Branching acropora corals are more sensitive to bleaching events.
- Corals use fluorescent pigments to shield themselves from excessive ultraviolet radiation.
- When corals bleach, they eject their zooxanthellae multi-celled algae.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Correct Answer: A [Only 1 & 2]
Notes:
- The Great Barrier Reef is suffering its fourth mass bleaching event since 2016.
- Coral reefs that suffer widespread bleaching can still recover if conditions improve. Survival depends on each individual coral’s own resilience: its ability to cope with higher temperatures and increased ultraviolet stress.
- Fast growing branching corals are the most susceptible to bleaching and are generally the first to die. Long-lived massive corals, such as porites, may be less susceptible to bleaching, show minimal effects of bleaching and recover quicker. Coral species such as branching acropora corals are more sensitive than other.
- Corals can use fluorescent pigments to shield themselves from excessive ultraviolet radiation, a bit like sunscreen that lets coral manage, filter and attempt to regulate the incoming light.
- When corals bleach, they eject their zooxanthellae single-celled algae that gives coral colour and energy.