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Published on Apr 13, 2017
IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Geography and Current Affairs [Day 16]

Hello Friends

So, here we are with the 16th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :)

We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do.

Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days!


Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year

Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile.

It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes.

The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice.

So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise.

How you can make the best use of it?

Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only. 

Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then?

The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P

Baba's Gyan for REVISION

Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any?

Let us tell you something Baba does :D 

You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable.

What to do?

Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness.

Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not!

Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity.

For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day.

Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done.

This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it.

REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D 

Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here

Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement!

Are you ready? Let's start

[Day 16]: GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS 

ARCHIVES

TOPICS:
  • Indian Geography– Soil
  • Soils in India –Alluvial, Black, Red, Laterite – Its location (availability); Characteristics; Crops grown.
  • Example: Laterite soil contains iron oxide which imparts red colour to the soil. Its poor in humus and nitrogen due to heavy leaching. It’s found in Western Coastal plain
  • Factors which control the formation of soil
  • Soil Erosion – Sheet erosion, gully erosion etc.- causes
  • Impact of salinization, alkalinity , acidification of soil
  • Soil Conservation methods – crop rotation, Contour farming, Terracing, cover crops, conservation tillage and planted windbreaks

PRELIMS MCQ’s:

Q.1) Which of the below phenomenon help in soil formation?

  1. Parent Material
  2. Time
  3. Climate
  4. Biological activity

Select the correct code:

  1. 1, 2 and 3 only
  2. 2, 3 and 4 only
  3. 1, 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q.2) Consider the following about different stages of soil:

  1. The soils of the young stage are poorly developed and do not have the characteristic horizons.
  2. The soils of the mature stage have a well-developed profile of horizons which remains constant through time.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. None

Q.3) Which of the statements given below are correct about desert soils?

  1. Desert soils are suitable for cultivation along the flood plains and on the terraces where their texture is fine.
  2. They are usually poor in organic matter.
  3. The phosphate and nitrate content of these soils are very poor.

Choose the appropriate answer:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3 only

Q.4) Consider the following statements:

  1. The soils are covered with a thick brown mantle which inhibits soil growth.
  2. They are coarse and alkaline, rich in soluble salts.
  3. They are poor in organic matter and have a varying percentage of lime.
  4. These soils are derived from the adjoining rocks and the coastal regions.

Which of the soil possess the above characteristics?

  1. Laterite soil
  2. Peaty soil
  3. Desert soil
  4. Loamy soils

Q.5) Which among the following are statements is/are true?

  1. Pedocals are soils that are found in humid climates extending from high-latitude coniferous forests, mid latitude deciduous forest lands to low-climate tropical forests and grasslands
  2. Pedalfers are soils that are found in arid, semi-arid and the sub-humid zones in the world
  3. Pedocals are very rich in calcium and mineral salts

Choose the appropriate code:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.6) Which of the statements given below are true about Chernozems?

  1. These soils are called black earths.
  2. They are rich in humus, rich in calcium, unleached and have a crumby or nut-like structure.
  3. These are fertile soils requiring little fertilizing even when used year after year.

Choose the appropriate code:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.7) Consider the following:

  1. Subsistence agriculture is one where the farming areas consume all or nearly so of the products locally grown.
  2. Intensive Subsistence agriculture is dominated by wet paddy cultivation involves limited use of machinery and low labour productivity and farm yard manure used for fertility retention.
  3. Mixed farming – found in highly developed parts of the world and farms are moderate in size.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.8) Consider the following statements:

  1. Cropping intensity refers to raising of a number of crops during one agriculture year by expanding the net area under cultivation.
  2. Crop combination refers to the quantum or diversity of crops entering a region in a given period.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are incorrect?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. None

Q.9) Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists:

List I                                                    List II

(Weathering type)                              (Landform/Process)

  1. Chemical weathering                         1. Till
  2. Mechanical weathering                      2. Oxidation
  3. Glacial deposits                                   3. Plant roots
  4. Deposition by ground water               4. Stalactite

Code:

A-B-C-D

  1. 4-3-2-1
  2. 2-3-1-4
  3. 1-3-2-4
  4. 2-1-3-4

Q.10) Which of the statements given below are true about Black soil?

  1. Black Soils are highly argillaceous.
  2. Black soil is highly retentive of moisture.
  3. It is a soil group typical to the dry and hot regions of the Peninsula.
  4. These soils are best suited for cotton crop, tobacco, castor, sunflower and millets.

Choose the appropriate answer:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1, 2 and 3 only
  3. 2, 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q.11) Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists:

List I                            List II

(Farming area)                                    (State)

  1. Doab                                        1. Assam
  2. Char                                        2. Karnataka
  3. Maidan                                    3. Punjab
  4. Terai                                        4. Uttar Pradesh

Code:

A-B-C-D

  1. 4-3-2-1
  2. 2-3-1-4
  3. 3-1-2-4
  4. 2-1-3-4

Q.12) We know that all rocks whether igneous or sedimentary may become metamorphic or changed rocks under great heat and pressure. Consider the below lists and match List I with List II based upon the alteration they undergo:

List I                List II

  1. Clay                 1. Slate
  2. Sandstone        2. Schist
  3. Limestone       3. Marble
  4. Granite            4. Gneiss
  5. Shale               5. Quartzite

Code:

A-B-C-D-E

  1. 1-5-3-4-2
  2. 1-2-5-3-4
  3. 2-1-5-3-4
  4. 2-1-5-4-3

Q.13) Consider the following statement about soil forming processes:

  1. Cheluviation is the downward movement of material, under the influence of organic complex compounds.
  2. Illuviation is the accumulation of the washed down material in the lower horizons.
  3. Leaching is the removal and downward movement of material from a horizon in solution.

Which of the above statements are correct?

  1. 2 and 3 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.14) Choose the incorrect pair from the below: 

            (Zone)                                     (Soil)

  1. Boreal : : Tundra (dark brown) soils
  2. Subtropical and tropical : : Laterite or red soil
  3. Steppe : : Light grey podzolized soils
  4. Desert-steppe : : Chestnut and brown soils

Q.15) Consider the below statements:

  1. Peaty – Marshy Soils are soils with large amount of organic matter and considerable amount of soluble salts.
  2. The most humid regions have this type of soil.
  3. Since they are not acidic, this type of soil is good for paddy cultivation.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3 only

Q.16) Consider the following statements about Hangul

  1. It is listed as ‘critically endangered’ under IUCN Red List
  2. It is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir
  3. It is listed under Schedule-I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and J&K Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1978

Select the correct statements

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. All of the above

Q.17) Consider the following statements about ‘Neerdhur’

  1. It is developed by National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (Neeri)
  2. It is a multi-fuel domestic cooking stove
  3. It has been approved and certified by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)

Select the correct statements

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. All of the above

Q.18) Consider the following statements about Green train corridors (GTC)

  1. They are sections of the railways which will be free of human waste on the tracks
  2. Okha-Kanalus stretch of Western Railway is India’s first GTC

Which of the following statements is/are true?

  1. Only 1
  2. Only 2
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.19) Global Conference on Voter Education titled “Voter Education for Inclusive, Informed and Ethical Participation” is being organized by

  1. Election Commission of India and Amnesty International
  2. Election Commission of India and International Foundation for Electoral Systems
  3. Election Commission of India and United Nations Development Programme
  4. Election Commission of India and The Association of World Election Bodies

Q.20) Consider the following statements about Biotech-KISAN

  1. It is a Farmer centric scheme launched by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
  2. The scheme includes the Mahila Biotech- KISAN fellowships, for training and education in farm practices, for women farmers

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. Only 1
  2. Only 2
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.21) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Snow Leopards’

  1. It categorised as an endangered species in the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list
  2. India is a signatory to Bishkek Declaration - global agreement signed for the protection of the snow leopard

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. Only 1
  2. Only 2
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.22) The “Sajha Abhiyan” of the Rajasthan Government is concerned with

  1. Complete elimination of child marriages
  2. Open jails
  3. 24/7 electrified villages
  4. None of the above

Download The Solution : Click here