31. Which type of animal is called ‘water bears or moss piglet’ and are known for its ability to survive extreme conditions?
[A] Spider mite
[B] Tardigrade
[C] Rotifers
[D] Loricifera
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Tardigrade]
Notes:
Tardigrades are a group of microscopic invertebrates that are known for their ability to survive extreme conditions. It was first discovered in 1773.
It is also known as ‘water bears or moss piglets’ and they can live for up to 60 years, and grow to a maximum size of 0.5 mm. Recently a species named ‘Cornechiniscus mystacinus’ was founded in Kyrgyztan. The species is yellow to dark orange in color, has a large body, , round, black crystalline eyes, long peribuccal cirri, and smooth claws.
32. Who has been recommended as the MD of National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID)?
[A] G Rajkiran Rai
[B] K V Kamath
[C] Urjit Patel
[D] V K Singh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [G Rajkiran Rai]
Notes:
The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has recommended G Rajkiran Rai for the position of Managing Director at the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID).
This is the first ever recommendation by FSIB, after it was recently set up.
33. Mairaj Ahmad Khan, who was seen in the news recently, is associated with which sports?
[A] Weight lifting
[B] Shooting
[C] Wrestling
[D] Tennis
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Shooting]
Notes:
Two-time Olympian and India’s ace Skeet shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan won the country’s first ever individual gold in the ISSF World Cup at Changwon, Korea.
India stays on top of the medal standings with five gold, five silver and three bronze medals with two more days of competitions left. India also won a bronze with the 50m Rifle women’s team of Anjum Moudgil, Sift Kaur Samra and Ashi Chouksey.
34. NTPC has partnered with which company for a new a joint venture company in Renewable Energy?
[A] SAIL
[B] GAIL
[C] ONGC
[D] IOC
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [IOC]
Notes:
NTPC and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) have signed an agreement to set up a joint venture company for meeting the power requirements of projects of IOC refineries.
NTPC Green Energy (NGEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC, will form the JV Company for supplying RE-RTC power to Indian Oil Corporation.
35. Sierra de Mijas mountain range, which was seen in the news, is located in which country?
[A] UK
[B] Spain
[C] Australia
[D] Egypt
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Spain]
Notes:
The Sierra de Mijas is a mountain range located in southern Spain. Recently the wildfire in the mountains has caused severe damages.
The fires across France, Greece, Portugal and Spain destroyed thousands of hectares of land, forced thousands from their homes and killed several emergency personnel.
36. Which neighbouring country of India abolished the presidential flag and ‘His Excellency’ title of the President?
[A] Nepal
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Sri Lanka
[D] China
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Sri Lanka]
Notes:
Sri Lanka’s interim President Ranil Wickremesinghe prohibited the use of the word ‘His Excellency’ to address the President and abolished the presidential flag.
He was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s acting president until a successor is elected to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who resigned after protests against his government for mishandling the economy.
37. The government slashed the newly-introduced windfall tax on which products?
[A] Pharmaceuticals
[B] Petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and crude oil
[C] Electronic Goods
[D] Semiconductor Chips
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and crude oil]
Notes:
The government slashed the newly-introduced windfall tax on petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and crude oil, after a global oil price ease.
The move, which is effective from July 20, will give relief to top fuel exporters like Reliance Industries, and oil explorers like Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). A windfall tax is levied on companies deemed to have made unreasonably high profits, normally due to unusually favourable market factors.
38. Which Indian state recently conducted its first-ever survey of blackbucks?
[A] Kerala
[B] Karnataka
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Goa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Andhra Pradesh]
Notes:
The Andhra Pradesh State Wildlife Department has commenced the first-ever survey of blackbucks along a stretch of islands in the Godavari between Dowleswaram and Yanam.
The survey aims of drawing up a conservation plan to protect the endangered species.
39. Which tech company funds the ‘DigiVaani Call Center’ set up recently by NASSCOM?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Google
[C] Twitter
[D] Meta
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Google]
Notes:
Nasscom Foundation has set up a call centre to help women farmers scale up their business called the “DigiVaani Call Center”.
It has been set up in collaboration with non-profit Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP). The project is run on a pilot basis to initially reach out to 20,000 rural women entrepreneurs across six states- Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan. The project has been funded by Google.
40. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) demonstrated ‘Desalination plants’ in which state/UT?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Lakshadweep
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Lakshadweep]
Notes:
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through its autonomous Institute National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has developed Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology for conversion of sea water to potable water.
Three desalination plants using the technology have been developed and demonstrated at Kavaratti, Agati and Minicoy Islands of Lakshadweep