1. Where is Bodh Gaya and why is it famous?

Ans:- Bodh Gaya lies 11 kilometres to the south of Gaya in the state of Bihar. It is the place where Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism attained enlightenment. There is a Bodhi tree (Pipal tree) under which the Buddha meditated and attained supreme knowledge. The famous Mahabodhi temple is there, which is now in its renovation form. The present temple having a tower rising to a height of 52 metres in the form of a straight-edged pyramid of seven storeys was completely restoreed in 11th century. Inside the temple there is a great gilded figure of the Buddha touching the earth.

2. Which is the largest animal in the world?

Ans:-  The largest living animal in the world is the blue whale, which flourish in the ocean. It is a very large creature of 120 feet in length and its weight is 120 tons. Although the blue whale spends its whole life in the water of ocean, it is not a fish. It is a warm-blooded mammal. It gives birth to baby whales and feeds them with its own milk inside water. It breathes air just like other sea animals and eats fishes and other sea animals.

3. Where is world’s only perfumed minaret?

Ans:- The world’s only perfumed minaret named Koutoubiya, a tall and slender tower, is at Marrakesh in Morocco, in North Africa. It has been famous over 800 years for its sweet smell. Its story had begun in 1195, when Sultan Yakub Al Mansur defeated Alphonso VIII, King of Castille in Spain. The Sultan built this minaret in his capital Marrakesh to thank Prophet Mahammad, the founder of Islam for his great victory. 960 sacks of musk mixed into the mortar were used in the construction of the minaret, which is still giving fragrance from the wall of the minaret.

4. Which is the native place of Dates? When did Dates come to India?

Ans:- The native places of Dates are the deserts of Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Baluchistan of Pakistan. Dates came to India with Emperor Alexander of Macedonia, Greece in 326 BC. In Arab, Dates are called Khurma and in India it is called as Khajur in Hindi.

5. What are Komondo dragons?

Ans:- Komondo dragons are not really dragons, but are three metres long lizards- the biggest lizards alive. They mainly live in the islands of Komondo in Indonesia. They are meat eaters, living chiefly on wild pigs, deer and other smaller animals. They use their long, forked tongues to pick up the scent of their prey. When stirred up to anger they reared up on their hind legs making a terrific sight. The Komondo dragons sometimes live 100 years. Now they are found in many zoos throughout the world.

6. What is an iceberg?

Ans:- Glaciers are slow moving rivers of ice and they drain out their surplus snow to cold countries. The glaciers of Polar Regions meet the sea in some places and are broken into pieces during the spring and summer heat. These Broken pieces are called icebergs. Most of the huge icebergs are found in North Atlantic Ocean, which come from Greenland, the country of snowfields and glaciers. The vast icebergs in Greenland have been known to raise 6000feet above the sea surface. But eight-ninths of the floating iceberg is sunk under water and only one-ninth is seen above sea-water. The famous English passenger ship-the Titanic was smashed and sunk by collision with an iceberg on 14th April 1912. The Titanic was a large and heavy ship of 46,000 tons, but the iceberg was 5,000 times heavier than Titanic.

7. What is Potala Palace? Why is it so famous?

Ans:- The Potala Palace is the palace of Dalai Lama- the Tibetan self-exiled spiritual leader, who is now residing in India. It is a masterpiece of architecture and is situated at Lhasa in Tibet. It is a gigantic building made from huge stones rises out of the rocks. It was built over 300 years ago by the 5th Dalai Lama. On the roof of the palace there are 7 shrines in front of which the Buddhist monks used to sit and pray. The largest shrine is the shrine of the 13th Dalai Lama. The walls of his shrine are covered with gold plates.

8. What is the difference between our National Anthem and National Song? Ans. National Anthem is a song of loyalty or   devotion to one’s country. Our National    Anthem, Jana-Gana-Mana was composed by Rabindranath Tagore. It was adopted by our constitution on 24th January 1950. It is generally sung at the time of hoisting our National Flag on Independence Day and Republic Day. National song is a source of       Inspiration to the people. Our   National song Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. It is sung to commemorate events of national importance like in the Martyr’s Day or in the death anniversaries of those who have sacrificed their life for country.

9. Who was the first playback singer in Indian Cinema?    

Ans. W .M Khan was the first playback singer in Indian cinema. He had sung in the first Indian talkie film ‘Alam Ara’ in 1931. He had also achieved great      success in Srilanka and Myanmar.  At that time only a Harmonium and Tabla were used for the recordings and the singer sang into a hidden microphone. The song by WM Khan ‘De De Khuda ke Nam par Pyare’ was very popular.                     

10. Which Award is called as the Nobel Prize of Asia?                   

Ans. Raman Magasaysay Award is considered as the Asian award equivalent of the Nobel Prize. This award was instituted in 1957 to commemorate the first Philippines president Ramon Magasaysay. This award is given to individual or group in Asia who have demonstrated outstanding serve to their country and to the people. Worth of $ 50,000 the award is given in five categories (1) Public service, (2) Government Service (3) Community Leadership, (4) Journalism, Literature and creative Arts (5) International Understanding.

11. When was Delhi declared as the capital of India during British rule?          

Ans.    During British rule Kolkata was the capital of India. But on December 12, 1911 the historic announcement was made about the transfer of the capital of India from Kolkata to Delhi in the presence of King Emperor George V of Britain.

12. Who is the father of Nuclear Physics ?                                        

Ans. Earnest Rutherford (1871-1937) is called as the father of nuclear physics. He discovered and named   alpha and beta radiation, named the nucleus, and    proposed a theory of radioactive transformation of atoms. He received Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1908.                                        

13. Where was Mahatma Gandhi on Independence Day ?            

Ans.    India became free from British rule in the midnight of August 14, 1947. India celebrated her hard won    freedom on August 15, 1947. But the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi was in Kolkata. Saddened by the partition of the country, Gandhiji spent the day fasting and in prayer. This was in stark contrast with the celebrations in Delhi where Nehru gave his speech as Indians rejoiced in their new-found Independence.

14. Where was volleyball originated?

Ans. Volley ball is a game was   invented as Minnonette in 1895 by William G. Morgan at YMCA gymnasium at Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA. The international Volleyball Association was formed in Paris in April 1947. The World Championships were instituted in 1949. The sport was introduced to the Olympic Games for both men and women in 1964.

15. How much blood is taken from a donor during blood transfusion?

Ans. In most countries including India, the volume of blood taken during transfusion is 450 milllitres. It is less than 10 percent of a person’s total blood volume, as the average adult has 4.5 to 5.5 litres of blood. The donor’s body will replace the lost fluid in about 36 hours and the red cell count will return to normal in 21 days.

16 Who ordered to drop the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ?     

Ans. Harry S. Truman, the President of USA ordered for the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and on Nagasaki after 2 days on August 9. The Hiroshima bomb caused the death of 2 lakh out of 3.5 lakh of population. The Nagasaki death toll was 1.4 lakhs out of 2.7 lakh. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima was called ‘The Little Boy’ and the B-2nd that dropped the first atomic bomb in the world was called the “Enola Gay’

17. Where is the cellular Jail in India ?

Ans. The cellular Jail is in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It was built in 1906 and was called cellular because it is made of individual cells where a    prisoner was staying alone without seeing others. Before independence, the Britishers were sending our freedom fighters to this jail. Today the cellular jail has become a pilgrim centre.

18.Why is mother’s milk considered the best for infants ?

Ans. Breast feeding is considered the best because human milk contains easily digestible oleic acid. A cow’s milk contains excess butyric acid which may give rise to fatty diarrhoea. Carbohydrate in milk is in the form of lactose and it is more in mother’s milk than in cow’s milk.  Mother’s milk has an adequate amount of Vitamin A and B complex. Again mother’s milk could be a shield against respiratory and gas to intestinal disorders and tooth    decay.

19. Which place on earth has never received any rainfall ?

Ans.  The Atcama desert spread between the Pacific Ocean and the Andens mountains in northern Chile has not    experienced any rain in its entire recorded history. Made up of salt basins, sand and lava flows, it lacks vegetation or animal life. The Quillagua metrological station located there has recorded an average annual rainfall of only 0.5 mm during 1964-2001.

20. Where is the Charminar? Who had built it ?

Ans. The Charminar is in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. It was built by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 shortly after he had sifted his capital from Golkonda to present Hyderabad. The Charminar is a rectangular structure with four arches and minarets of 84 feet high and its architecture is Indo-Saracenic of the Deccani pattern. It is built of stone and lime and is full of fine stucco decorations of plaster of lime and sand. The height of each minar from the ground level is 160 feet. On the top storey of the Charminar there is a beautiful mosque and another structure, which looks like a temple that signifies the religious tolerance of the Qutab Shahi kings.

21. What is the Great Sphinx of Egypt?

Ans. The great Sphinx of Egypt is a representation of a very large and amazing winged monster of ancient Egypt. It has a human or animal head, the body and paws of a lion and the tail of a serpent. The Great Sphinx is at Giza near the Great Pyramid of Egypt. It is a gigantic female-headed monster carved out of solid limestone rock. It is 189 feet long and about 60 feet in height. Between its front paws there is the entrance to a temple. It is believed to have been built 6,000 years ago as guardian to the tomb of the Pharaoh, the king in ancient Egypt.

22. Where is the Lake Baikal, the deepest lake of the world?

Ans. Lake Baikal, the deepest lake of the world is in Russia. It is 1,620 metres deep and it lies at the heart of Eastern Asia and stretches 636 kilometres north to south. It has 2,500 varieties of animals. The lake has special importance because its water is free from chemical impurities. It covers an area of 31,499 square kilometers and consists of over 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water.

23. Which lions are called Asiatic lion? Where do they live now ?

Ans. Asiatic Lion are the subspecies of lion once lived in the semi-dry lands from Greece to north-east India. Today the Gir forest of Gujarat in Western India is the last refuge of the Asiatic lions. Due to shooting their population had dipped to an alarming low of only 15 animals. But after the implementation of Wild Life Act, its population started growing and now stands at more than 300.

24. What is Cocoa? Which was the original native place of Cocoa?

Ans. Cocoa is used in preparing chocolates and it comes from the fruits of Cocoa tree. The Cocoa tree produces pods of Cocoa beans (seeds) throughout the year. Cocoa tree were originally grown in tropical Central America. The Aztecs who lived in Mexico over 455 years ago were the first Cocoa drinkers. Cocoa was brought to Europe from Central America by Spanish conquerors. Now West African countries are the largest producer of Cocoa.

25. When was Billiards first played as a game?

Ans. Billiards is a game played with a tapering rod and balls on a table with pockets at the sides and corners. It was first played as a game in 1429 in France. After that it was played as a game in many places in Europe. In 1850 it became a popular game and many Billiards Clubs were established. The first Billiards Championship match was held in 1870 at St. James Hall in London, England.

26. What is the traveller’s tree? Where are these trees found ?

Ans. The traveller’s tree is a palm like tree with gigantic leaves strtching from the stems on two opposite sides like a giant fan. The leaves pointed from north to south, store quantities of liquid at their base. So when cut, the leaves pour forth-large supplies of watery fluid that a thirsty traveller may take in order to quench his thirst. Hence, it is called as traveller’s tree. These trees are found in Madagascar Island of Indian Ocean near Africa. Groves of this tree   are cultivated in the island of Mauritius and Java. This tree only grows in marshy area or well-watered soil.

27. Why do we salute our National Flag?

Ans. National Flag symbolizes the past history of a nation and its glory. By saluting it we declare our unflinching loyalty to it and pledge our allegiance to it. The flag’s history written in letters of gold inspires us to put in good work for the sake of our beloved motherland. The flag’s course shall be our course and that each individual among us shall make genuine efforts to add to its glory and make it fly overhead or at great height in the association of nations for mutual benefit.

28. How is picture tube of a computer different from that of a TV?

Ans:- A person working on a computer has to view the monitor screen from a close distance. There fore, the foremost differences lies in the amount of light transmitted through the glass screen. The glass-shell used for computer monitors has less transparency for light. These tubes are, therefore, coated with Anti-Glare, Anti-Static coating to reduce excessive brightness and static electrical charge. Again, computer tubes are more flat than conventional television tubes.

29. What is hacking in computer?

Ans:- Hacking is a term used for destroying or folding up a computer programme or Website that has been already established by someone else. Those who indulge in such types of activities are called hackers. They are brilliant  programmers who are able to pick anybody’s lock or codeword on the network gates. A hacker traditionally, is someone who uses his skills and knowledge to find out flaws in a system and gains control over a computer or a network of computers.

30. What is Heart attack?

Ans:- Heart attack is one of the major causes of death everywhere in the world. All most all heart attacks result from the sudden blockage of a coronary artery. The blockade cuts of the blood supply due to the part of the heart and so a portion of the heart muscle dies. Most blockages are caused by arteriosclerosis, which hardens and narrows the artery. After a heart attack, a blood clot is also found in the artery. Some heart attacks may result from a Vasospasm, the constriction of muscles in the artery wall. It narrows the artery and could shut off the blood flow.

31.What is the difference between deportation and extradition?

Ans:- Both deportation and extradition are closely linked in the working of international and political crime. They involve so many similar and identical issues and their definitions vary slightly. Deportation involves legally removing a foreigner from the territory of a country. Extradition involves the transferring of a national or foreign prisoner from one country to another to be tried for a criminal offence.

32. Who was Hippocrates? What is Hippocratic oath?

Ans:- Hippocrates was a Greek physician born in 406 B.C. He laid the foundation of modern medicine and is regarded as the ‘Father of medicine’. He insisted that every disease has a natural cause and without natural cause, nothing ever happens. It is because of his dedication to medical science that even today the rules of conduct for doctors are based on Hippocratic Oath. The doctors have to undertake an oath to observe the medical code of ethical and professional behaviour after they become qualified doctors and enter their profession.

33. When did the first domestic airline service begin in India ?

Ans: - In India the domestic airline service began on 15th Oct. 1932. At first Karachi (now in Pakistan) was connected with Chennai via Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bellary. Mr. J.R.D. Tata, the founder of present TATA Company, piloted the first leg of the flight- Karachi-Ahmedabad-Mambai.

34. Why are small pieces of stones laid between railway tracks?

Ans.- The small pieces of stone used on railway tracks are known as ballast. It is used to disperse the vibration triggered by trains traveling at high speed. In case we use solid base, the vibration will travel long distance causing cracks on the base and in the building adjacent to the tracks. The stone pieces also firm up the foundation of the sleepers.

35. In which continent Russia is located?

Ans. Russia occupies the largest area in the world and is spread over most of Eastern Europe and north Asia. It stretches from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east and from the Artic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus, the Altai and Sayan Mountains, and the Amur and the Ussuri rivers in the south. It is bordered by Norway and Finland in the northwest, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, and Ukraine in the west, Georgia and Azerbaijan in the southwest, and Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China along the southern border.

36. When was the Postal Pin Code introduced in India? What do the different digits indicate?

Ans. The Postal Index Number (PIN Code) was introduced on 15th August 1972. Under the scheme, every Head Post Office and sub-post office, which delivers mail, has been allotted an individual six-digit number. Pin code has eased the shorting problems because in India there are towns having same names.

The PIN code digits from left to right indicate and locate the geographical position of the post office. In India there are 8 postal zones. The first digit indicates the zone, the first three taken together indicate the shorting unit, and the last three specify the particular delivery post office.

37. What is RDX. ?

Ans. RDX is a soft pliable, odourless, and highly explosive chemical-chemically known as cycloptrimethylene trinitramine. It is one and a half times more powerful than TNT used in military explosives. Pure RDX is so explosive that it explodes on impact or by friction. Because of its plastic nature and lack of odour, RDX is extensively used by terrorists in different parts of the world.

38. Which were the first three Indian films nominated for Oscar?

Ans. The first Indian film to be nominated for Oscar was Mehboob Khan’s Mother India in 1957; the second was Mira Nair’s Salam Bombay in 1988 and the third was

Aamir Khan’s Laagan.

39. How is the rainbow formed?

Ans. Rainbows are formed when the sun shines after a shower of rain, producing an arc of colours in that part of the sky opposite to the sun. Rainbow is caused by the reflection and refraction of the sun’s rays as they fall on the drops of rain with the water acting as a prism as rays enter raindrops. There are seven colours in each bow-violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. As the colour merge, we see more than four or five colours clearly.

40. When and where was tea introduced?

Ans. Tea grows best in areas of moderate to high rainfall, equable temperatures and highly humidity. The tea plant has been cultivated for thousands of years in China. From China it was introduced into European countries in 17th century. Tea was extremely scare and costly until the 19th century. But in 19th century tea was found growing in the northeastern states of India, particularly in Assam. In 1870, tea was planted in Sri Lanka.

41. Which Mughal Emperor granted the site for the Sikhs to build the Golden Temple?

Ans. Mughal Emperor Akbar-The Great granted the Sikh Guru Ram Das 500bighas of land on payment of Rs 700 to the Zamindars of Tung, who owned the land in 1577. The Guru dug a tank there and started building a new town around it. The town became the religious capital   of the Sikhs and became known as Ram Das Pur. After that Sikh Guru Arjun laid the foundation of the Hari Mandir by inviting Muslim divine, Mian Mir of Lahore, Pakistan. After the temple was constructed, the tank was filled with water and the town was given the name Amritsar. The present temple of marble and gold was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

42. How do ants locate their food?

Ans. The colony of ant is divided into three classes: the queen, winged males and wingless infertile females. Infertile females are also called as workers. The worker class include a few scouting ants and scouts always move randomly in search of food. As soon as a scout locates food such as sugar, it returns to the nest, lying down a scent trail by repeatedly pressing its abdomen to the ground. The other ants sense the secretions with the help of their smell organs and follow the scent trail towards the food discovered by the scout ant.

43. Why is Turkey nicknamed “The Sick man of Europe”?

Ans- The Ottaman Empire known as Turkey was one of the most powerful empires of Europe in the 16 century. But, after the death of Emperor Sulieman, the empire began to decline. The policy of religious intolerance pursued by the sultans created numerous problems and greatly undermined the position and prestige of Turkey in the eyes of other powers. During the next century most of its possessions in Europe were whittled down by Austrians, Poles, and Russians. In 1852, the Russian czar suggested the division of Turkey among various European powers by saying “We have on our hands a sick man -a very sick man… Turkey”.

44. Where is Kaziranga National Park?

Ans- Kaziranga one of the famous national parks of India is in Assam, 217km away from Guwahati. It is famous for one-horned rhinoceros. The area lies between the river Brahmaputra in the north, the Mikir hills in the south, the Bokakhat Township in the east and the Boro hills in the west. The landscape of Kaziranga is one of the Marshy lands with elephant grass and thick bushes of tall brown reeds, surrounded by dense forests. Kaziranga was declared a Wild Life Sanctuary in 1908 and a National Park in 1973. Besides one-horned rhino, other animals like elephants, wild buffaloes, swamp deer, samber, tiger etc. are found there.

45. Who started the Guinness Books of World Records?

Ans. Norris Mc Whirter and his twin brother, Ross Mc Whirter edited and compiled the first Guinness Book of World Records in 1954. Ross saw murdered in 1975, but Norris continued as editor until 1986. After that he remained as the Advisory editor until 1996. He died in 2004.

46. When was the House of people of Indian Parliament named as ‘Lok  Sabha’?

Ans. The House of the People of Indian Parliament named as Lok Sabha on May 14, 1954. The then speaker of Lok Sabha , G.V. Mavlankar had proposed for  a name in Hindi- our national language instead of ‘The House of People’ an English expression.

47. What is CD?

Ans. CD, short name for compact disc is a disc on which audio or video sequences or other data are recorded digitally and replayed using a laser. The standard CD is a 12 cm diameter aluminium disc on which data is recorded as a spiral pattern of pits and bumps. To replay it the disc is read by a laser beam inside a CD player. The CD launched in 1982.

48.When was hockey introduced in India?

Ans. As per records, the Beighton Cup of hockey was officially started in India in 1895 and the Aga Khan Cup was held in 1896. But, initially they were local matches and later became regular tournaments. The All India Hockey Federation was formed in 1925. In 16th century the people of Holland were playing hockey like games on ice. The game probably was first played in North America in 1855.

49. What is a Banana Republic?

Ans. Ecuador, a country in the continent of South America is called the banana republic. It is the world’s leading exporter of bananas and one out of ten of its 12 million people depend on the banana industry. 70 % of Ecuador’s bananas are produced by small family farms.

50. What is the difference between Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC)?

Ans. The line of control demarcates the part of the valley that is India and the Pak occupied Kashmir following the tribal intrusion in October 1947. The Line of Actual Control came into being after the Chinese aggression in October 1962 in the north-east, particularly Arunachal Pradesh, separating India from the territory under Chinese Occupation.

51. Who founded the Indian National Army (INA)?

Ans. Indian National Army (INA) was formed by Ras Bihari Bose after the Bangkok conference of 1942. Mohan Singh, a former British Army officer was its first Commander-in-chief. Netaji Subash Chandra Bose assumed leadership of INA in 1943 at Singapore conference.

52. What is the real height of Mt. Everest and when was it established?

Ans. The official height of Mt. Everest was established in 1954 as 8, 848 metres by Indian geologists who measured the mountain from 12 different points. But, The National Geographic Society announced in 1999 that it’s accurate height is 8,850 metres, two metres more than the previously thought height.

53. Why an iron nail sinks in water, where as iron ship floats on it?

Ans. The specific gravity of an iron nail which is a solid piece is decidedly greater than water and it, therefore, sinks in water; where as an iron ship is so designed that the total weight of water displaced by it is greater than the weight of the ship itself. The ship, therefore, floats by upward thrust of water.

54. How do bats fly in the dark?

Ans. The bats produce ultrasonic waves while flying. These waves are reflected back from the obstacle to them and thus help them find their way.

55. Why rainwater is soft but river water is hard?

Ans. Rain water during its course in the mountainous terrain –dissolve the calcareous matter or lime compounds and thus becomes hard. But during evaporation only the molecules of water go up and the minerals are left behind; hence the rainwater is soft.

56. Why fanning produces a sense of coolness in the body?

Ans. By fanning the moisture on the body is evaporated due to rapid renewal of the air coming in contact with the body. During this evaporation the moisture absorbs its heat of vaporization from the body, which provides coolness.

57.Where is the Meenakshi Temple?

Ans. The Meenakshi temple is in Madurai of Tamil Nadu. It is a lovely example of the Dravidian architecture and sculpture. There are nine majestic towers over the gateway around the temple and the main entrance is from the east. Inside the temple there are two shrines-one dedicated to Lord Siva as Sundareswara and the other to his wife, Meenakshi. The court of a thousand pillars has several elegant sculptures. Each pillar in the outer corridor of the hall produces a musical note when tapped.

58. What is the Pentagon in Washington D.C?

Ans.The Pentagon is a five sided building in Washington D.C. is the Headquarters of the armed forces of the United States of America. It takes its name from its shape and was constructed in 19 months during World War II with a cost of 83 million Dollars. It has three times as much office space as New York’s 102  storey Empire State Building. The Pentagon is just like a small city within itself with hospital, cafeterias, food storage area, shopping centre, heliport etc. Television cameras monitor the entrances to the military operations rooms.

59. What is Ballet?

Ans. Ballet is a dance performance. It is a play in which no words are spoken and the actions tell the story. Ballet began as a theatrical show in Italy in the 15th century for the entertainment of the royal family and nobles. In due course it spread to France and other European countries. The Ballet is performed by two partners.

60. Who is the First Indian to reach the South Pole?

Ans. Col. J.K. Bajaj was the first Indian to reach the South Pole in Antarctica. He was the only Indian member of an eleven member team of international overland expedition of five nations. The expedition reached the South Pole on 17th January in 1989. Col. Bajaj skied over snow and ice in winds blowing 40 to 45 miles per hour and in temperature -31degree F. He covered 1200 kms in 50 days to reach the pole and hoist the Indian flag there.

61. Which is the First  Indian talkie film?

Ans.’Alam Ara’ is the first talkie film of India. It was shot at Jyoti Studio in Mumbai by Ardeshir M. Irani under the banner of Imperial Movietone. It was released in Mumbai,s Majestic Cinema on 14th March 1931. It was the first Indian feature film with talk, song and dance. Master Vithal was the hero, Miss Zubeida was the heroine and Prithviraj Kapoor was the villain of the movie.

62. Which is the oldest naturally preserved body in the world?

Ans. The body of St. Francis Xavier, kept in a silver casket in the Basilica of Bom Jesus church in Goa, India, is the oldest naturally preserved body in the world. St. Xavier was born in 1506 in Spain. As a Catholic missionary he went to the Portuguese colonies of East Indies and arrived in Goa in 1542. He worked there and converted many people to christianity. He went to Japan and established a Christian mission there. He came back to Goa and then went to China where he died in 1552. His body was first buried in an island near the coast of China. From there it was taken to Malaysia and finally brought to Goa according to his wish before his death. During the last 453 years his body has been preserved naturally at the Church of the Bom Jesus.

63.What is Cat language?

Ans. This term has varied meanings. When a lady is called a cat, it means a woman showing ill-will or desire to hurt. To let the cat out means to reveal a carefully guarded and hidden secret. To bell the cat means to take a bold job. To serve as a cat’s paw refers to do an unpleasant work. A cat on the wall means the policy of the opportunist who is ready to jump to the winning side. A cat burglar is a house breaker who enters the house by climbing on the top. A cat eyed fellow is one who can see even in the dark.

64. Who invented the Laptop ?

Ans.The laptop was invented by Adam Osborne in 1981. It had a tiny computer and its cost was $ 1,795. In 1988, Compaq computer launched the first laptop PC with VGA graphics. But in 1989, NEC released Ultralite, which was the first ‘Laptop’ computer.

65.Which country has the largest Railway network in the world ?

Ans. The USA has the largest railway network in the world about 240,000km connecting its 48 continental states. Russia has 154,000 km. followed by Canada 72,901 km and China; India is in fifth position having 62, 658 km. of railroad.

66. When was the calendar system introduced ? ?

Ans.The calendar system was first introduced by the great Roman ruler Julius Caesar. Its name was Julian Calendar and was based on calculations of the phases of the moon and seasonal movement of the sun. It continued in Western Europe for 1500 years, and was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in 1582.

67. When was the Jantar Mantar (Delhi) built ?

Ans.The Jantar Mantar in Delhi was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur. He was a astronomer and had built the Jantar Mantar in 1724 A.D. It contains interesting masonry instruments ranging from a few feet to 90 feet in height. The Samrat Yantra is the largest one.

68. How many foreigners have received the award Bharat Ratna. ?

Ans.The first foreigner to receive the Bharat Ratna was Mother Teresa in 1980. But she can not be called a foreigner as she became an Indian citizen. The other foreigners who have received Bharat Ratna are Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Known as Forntier Gandhi in 1987 and Dr. Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

69. Who added ‘Zero’’in Mathmatics?

Ans:- The invention of zero, and the idea which it represents, is a great achievement. In  our modern civilisation all discoveries and inventions are possible only because of the mathematical use of zero. Pingalacharya, a great scholar of ancient India was the inventor of ‘Zero’ in 200B.C. But the great Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhatta was the first to add zero to the science of mathematics some 1500 years ago in 499AD.

70. Who is the founder of International Red Cross?

Ans:-Red Cross is an international society for relief of suffering in time of war or disaster. Every national Red Cross society carries on its own programmes. But Red Cross workers all over the world are united in time of need. They serve people worldwide and esspecially carry on extensive medical and health programmes regardless of race, religion and nationality. The name Red Cross has come from its flag which is a red cross on a white background. Red Cross was founded in Switzerland in 1863 by Jean Henry Dunant, a Swiss philanthropist. During his Italy tour in 1859, Dunant saw thousands of people killed and wounded in the battlefield due to Austro-Sardinian War. He was socked by that sight and served the wounded with a group of volunteers. In 1963 he establishe the International Red Cross.

71. Why the iron Pillar of Delhi is so famous?

Ans:- Every body knows that any thing made of iron rusts with the passage of time. But the Mehrauli Iron pillar at the Quwaat-ul-Islam mosque near Qutb Minar, Delhi has not rusted though exposed to sun, wind and rain since its construction around 400 AD. The pillar is 7.20 metre high and it weighs 6 tonnes with 42 cm circumference. It has not formed rust for the last 1600 years. This pillar is believed to be built by Chandragupta II of the Gupta dynasty whose capital was Ujjain of Madhya Pradesh. Originally the pillar was installed on the Vishnupada hill of Ujjain. Anangpal Tomer, a Rajput chief brought it to Delhi and erected at its present site. The most astonishing fact about the pillar is that it is rust proof.

72. Wgere is the Western Ghats? why is it so famous?

Ans:- Western Ghats are a narrow stretch of hills. They run between the rivers Tapti (Gujarat) in the west to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) in the south. They cover a total area about 160,000 sq km. and are one of the oldest hills on the earth. Their underlaying rocks have been dated to be more than 2000 millions years. The highest hill in Southern india (2695 metres high)  is also in Western Ghats. With an average rainfall of 2500mm, tropical evergreen rainforests form the primary vegetation of the Western Ghats which is about 45% of the rain forests in India. Now there are 117 species of land and water animals, 167 species of creeping animals, 508 species of birds, 80 species of mammals, 300 species of butterflies, 150 species of ants, 193 species of fresh water fishes found there. Many National Parks like the Bandipur National Park and the Silent Valley are in the Ghats.

73. What is Gorilla?

Ans:- Gorillas are the largest  of the apes. They live in the forests. A male Gorilla weighs about 160 kg. While the female Gorilla weighs 90 kg. Gorillas are mostly vegetarians and eat large amounts of vegetation from over 70 different types of plants. A male Gorilla can eat upto 30 kg food and a female about 20 kg. They also eat termites and ants. Gorillas spend 30% of their day in eating, 30% in travelling and 40% in resting and sleeping. They live in groups that consist of 5 to 10 members.

74. What is No. 10 Downing Street?

Ans:- No.10 Downing Street is in London. It is the official residence of the Prime Minister of England. It is a five minute walk from the Houses of Parliament. The name Drowning Street owes its origin to Sir George Downing, an English Statesman who lived in England in the 17th century. It was Downing who named the street as Downing Street. A portrait of George Drowning still adorns the living room of this building. Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Britain was the first resident of this beautiful mansion in1735 AD. King George I offered Walpole this building-No. 10 Downing Street. Walpole resigned in 1742 and the building was occupied by many high government officials. But in 1902 it became the official residence of the British Prime Minister during the time of Arthur Balfour.

75. Which is the original native place of Chilli?

Ans:- Chilli was originally grown in South America.From there it was taken to Europe. The Portuguese from Portugal brought chilli plant to India. India is now the biggest producer of chillies in the world. Chillies are known by different names in India. It is called Lal Mirch in Hindi, Lal Morich in Bengali, Milagai in Tamil, Mirapa Kaya in Telugu and Lanka Maricha in Oriya. Chillies give hotness when they are added to pickles, curry, masala, chutney etc. It also provides colour to the food product.

76. What is Statue of Liberty?

Ans:-  The Statue of Liberty that towers above the New York harbour in America is a structural wonder. It was erected by the people of France and America to symbolise the long standing friendship between the two countries. The Statue of Liberty is placed on 12 acres in Liberty Island in the middle of New York Harbour. It is a 152 feet high figure of a woman in long robes holds high above her head a lighted torch. The pedestal which adds about another 150 feet gives the monuments a total height of 302 feet. Visitors climb to the top of the pedestal in the elevator. From there they reach at the lady’s crown by climbing a narrow staircase.

77. Where is Kathmandu? Why is it so famous?

Ans:- Kathamandu is the capital of India’s neighbouring country Nepal. The city was founded in 723 AD by Raja Gunakama Deva. It was earlier known as Kantipur upto the 17th century. The word Kathamandu is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Kastha’ -mandap which means a wooden temple.The temple is said to have been built from the wood of a single tree in the 16th century by Raja Lakshmi Narsing Malla. Kathamandu is a big city with a large population, wide roads, modern buildings, beautiful temples and Buddhist shrines. The city is surrounded by hills. The  temple of Pashupatinath on the Bagmati river is world famous. The Swayambhunath temple is a famous Buddhist shrine.

78. What is Judo?

Ans:- The word ‘Judo’ literally means ‘the way of softness’. It is a form of unarmed combat. It was developed as a sport by Prof. Jigoro Kano of Japan. He founded Kodokan Judo in 1882 as an art of physical and mental training as well as an art of self-defence. The International Judo Federation was founded in 1952.

79. Who is called the ‘Father of Medicine’?

Ans:- Hippocrates, a physician of ancient Greece is called as the ‘Father of Medicine’. He was the first to separate medicine from the bonds of superstition, magic and prejudices of a religious nature. Born in 460 BC, he introduced scientific principles for the cure of the human body.  His curative methods involved the careful observation of the symptoms of illness and a logical approach to diagnosis. He insisted that every disease has a natural cause and without natural cause, nothing ever happens.  He says, the doctor is a helper of nature, the patient is a vibrant whole and the disease is governed by rules. He established the ethical rules of the medical profession, which is followed even today. The doctors have to undertake an oath to observe the medical code of ethical and professional behaviour after they become qualified doctors and enter their profession. This oath is called ‘Hippocrates Oath’.

80. Where is the famous Rock Garden in India?

Ans:-The famous Rock Garden is at Chandigarh in the state of Haryana. It is made of pieces of scrap, broken glass and cut ceramic. The garden is fashioned almost entirely from natural rock formations and comprises about 20,000 shapes and figures made out of unwanted non-biodegradable materials. The garden was made by Nek Chand, an environmentalist in true sense. The Rock Garden consists of bears and horses studded with clinker, terracotta monkeys, peacocks made of broken glass bangles, birds and snakes. There are vast courtyards filled with human figures. Out of them school children and young men in parade are very attractive.

81. Where is Rameswaram? Why is it so famous?

Ans:- Rameswaram is a renowned pilgrim town of India. It stands on an island in the Palk Straits at the extre- eme south-eastern limit of the Indian Peninsula. It is in the state of Tamil Nadu, well connected with bus routes and railways. It is one of the great religious centers of India and the Hindu pilgrim pays his homage here after a visit to Varanasi. The famous Rameswaram Temple at Rameswaram is said to have taken 350 years to complete. It dates back to 17th century and is one of the finest examples of South Indian architecture. In the temple premises there are holy bathing ghats whose water is said to have medicinal properties to cure several diseases. After bathing in the holy water pilgrims visit the holy sanctum of Lord Shiva. The deity here constitutes one of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India. Again the pilgrimage to Rameswaram is completed only with a bath in the sea at Dhanushkodi, the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal and The Indian Ocean, which is 39 km from Rameswaram. Lord Rama had built the Setu Bandha (Bridge) to Sri Lanka from this place.

82. Which is the largest deer species in India?

Ans:- The Sambhar is the largest and most widely distributed deer in India. It is found in the forest from the southern reaches of the Western Ghats to the Himalayan foothills. A full-grown stag (male deer) stands to 150 cm at the shoulder and weighs about 300 kg. Females are smaller. The coarse, shaggy brown coat of Sambhar darkens with age and turns to almost black in old age. The three horns of the stags reach full size in four years.  Stags usually remain alone without companion and are more active at night. They associate with female deer only during the mating season.

83. How is Soya bean useful to us?

Ans:- Soya bean is widely cultivated for seeds that are rich in protein and oil. It was first cultivated in China about 7,000 years ago. It contains about 40% protein and 20% oil high in calories and minerals. Soya bean is a perfect substitute for fish and meat. Its oil is used in cooking and is very useful for human health.

84. Why the sunlight is most essential for our body?

Ans:- The Sun is an indispensable part of life on Earth. The sunlight is most essential for the existence of life. It has great health giving power and valuable properties. The sun’s ray is the largest source of vitamin D available to man and other living beings. Vitamin D is necessary for our sound bones and strong teeth. It is absolutely required to make sure of proper absorption and digestion of calcium and phosphorous which are most important for building strong bone structure and nerves. So, to get adequate quantities of vitamin D, sun is the only source of all light and that is in free cost. Our body’s requirement of vitamin D can be met through exposure to the sun’s ray for just 10 to 15 minutes.

85. Why can’t we call a spider an insect?

Ans:- We cannot call a spider an insect because an insect has six legs while spider has eight. Again, the body of a spider is divided into two parts whereas an insect’s body has three parts. The spiders have simple eyes not compound eyes as the insects and unlike insects the spiders do not go through larva and pupa stages. The body of spider has holes called spinnerets through which it produces a protein packed fluid. The fluid sets when it is pulled in fine strands and it is these strands that make up a spider’s web. So, spiders and insects are two different classes of animals. The group to which the spiders belong is called ‘arachnids’. Scorpions, mites and ticks also belong to this spider’s class.

86. What are the medicinal values of the neem tree?

Ans:- The neem tree is a common sight on roadsides and near our dwelling. The neem holds many medicinal properties, which are most essential to cure many harmful diseases. Many medicines are prepared from the gum that obtained from the tree. The oil got by pressing the neem seeds cures ringworms and is used for developing the resistance power of our body. The bark is also used for medicinal purposes. Extract from the leaves of the tree are used to treat ulcers and skin diseases. The extract of neem fruit is an excellent insecticide without any harmful effects. Neem is used in making chemical compounds that combat about 200 species of insects. Neem twigs are used as tooth brush to clean teeth. Even toothpastes and soaps are being prepared from the neem.

87. What are sea-cows?

Ans:- Sea cows are aquatic animals that live in seas and oceans. They are Dugongs, a distant relative of the elephant. They are bulky resembling the seal.  Their heavy bones and enlarged upper incisors are the features that are shared with the elephant. The male dugong has a pair of miniature tusks, which protrude from the upper jaws. They weigh from 140 kg to 200 kg and their length is 2 ½ metres to 3 metres. Dugongs are called sea cows because of their placid nature and grazing habits. They feed on sea grass. The sea cows spend their day in deep water and rise above water to breathe. They come to land very rarely as their dry body suffers from sunburn. A female dugong gives birth to 5 or 6 young ones. The newborn follow its mother in water soon after bath and suck milk from the mother. Dugongs live 50 years. The largest numbers of dugongs are found in India and Sri Lanka in the Gulf of Mannar and in the Palk Straits. They have also been sighted in the Gulf of Kachchh, the coast of Malabar and around Andaman Islands. They also live in the tropical coasts of the Pacific Ocean, and from Madagascar to the northeast coast of Australia and to the Persian Gulf.

88. What is Gol Gumbaz? Why is it so famous?

Ans:- Gol Gumbaz is the tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah. It is at Bijapur in the Karnataka state in South India. It is famous because it is the second largest tomb in the world. It is an octag-onal tower with four corners consisting a great hall covered by a dome. The area of this hall is greater than even that of the Pantheon of Rome. The height of the Gol Gumbaz excluding the vault where the real tombs are built is 206 feet 6 inches. There is a whispering gallery around interior of the dome. The slightest whisper made by a person standing here is heard upto a distance of 124 feet. A single loud clap is echoed more than 10 times in distinctly in the whispering gallery.

89. What is salt made of?

Ans:- Salt is very essential for all living beings, especially for humans as it adds great taste to the food that we take. It is also required for human body for so many medicinal points. Salt is made of Sodium and chlorine and its chemical name is Sodium chloride. Chlorine is a yellowish-green gas and sodium is a metal that looks like silver but as soft as wax. Chlorine was first produced by Karl Wilhelm Scheele, a chemist of Sweden in 1774. Sir Humphry Davy, a great British scientist, first isolated sodium. He used electricity in the experiment. So salt is the result of these two unlikely elements- Sodium and Chlorine.

90. Which is the oldest Public school in India?

Ans:- The oldest public school in India is St. George’s School and Orphanage at Shenoy Nagar in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was set up in 1715 in the vestry of St. Mary’s Church, Fort St. George, Chennai with 30 children. Later it was known as St. Marry’s Church Charity School. In 1904 it was shifted to its present location. Again it was renamed as St. George’s School and Orphanage 1954.

91. Why is Turkey nicknamed “The Sick man of Europe”?

Ans- The Ottaman Empire known as Turkey was one of the most powerful empires of Europe in the 16 century. But, after the death of Emperor Sulieman , the empire began to decline . The policy of religious intolerance pursued by the sultans created numerous problems and greatly undermined the position and prestige of Turkey in the eyes of other powers. During the next century most of its possessions in Europe were whittled down by Austrians, Poles, Russians. In 1852, the Russian czar suggested the division of Turkey among various European powers by saying “We have on our hands a sick man -a very sick man… Turkey”.

92. Where is Kaziranga National Park?

Ans- Kaziranga one of the famous national parks of India is in Assam, 217km away from Guwahati. It is famous for one-horned rhinoceros. The area lies between the river Brahmaputra in the north, the Mikir hills in the south, the Bokakhat Township in the east and the Boro hills in the west. The landscape of Kaziranga is one of the Marshy lands with elephant grass and thick bushes of tall brown reeds, surrounded by dense forests. Kaziranga was declared a Wild Life Sanctuary in 1908 and a National Park in 1973. Besides one-horned rhino, other animals like elephants, wild buffaloes, swamp deer, samber, tiger etc. are found there.

93.  Where is the Lake Baikal, the deepest lake of the world?

Ans. Lake Baikal, the deepest lake of the world is in Russia. It is 1,620 metres deep and it lies at the heart of Eastern Asia and stretches 636 kilometres north to south. It has 2,500 varieties of animals. The lake has special importance because its water is free from chemical impurities. It covers an area of 31,499 square kilometers and consists of over 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water.

94.  Who was the first Indian to enter Olympic Athletic Final?

Ans. Milkha Singh, known as Flying Sikh, was the first Indian to enter an Olympic Athletic Final. On September 6, 1960, he ran in the 400 metres final of the Rome Olympics. He completed it in 45.6 seconds and missed the 3rd place by one-tenth of a second. He brought the first gold medal for India in the 440 yards of Commonwealth Games in 1958. He also won 4 gold medals in Asian Games of 1958 and 1962

95. From where do we get the pearl?

Ans- The pearl is considered as one of the most beautiful of all jewels. But it is the gem that is not dug up from the mine. It is obtained from the sea. Pearl is grown in the shell of an oyster. The oyster does not manufacture the pearl for the purpose of adorning the necks of women. It makes it only as a means of self-protection. Sometimes, a hard, tiny object such as a grain of sand gets inside the shell and irritates the soft sensitive flesh of the oyster. As a protection the oyster begins to cover the object with a thick fluid from its own body. When this layer hardens, the irritation begins again and the oyster adds another layer. After many years the oyster produces a beautiful pearl by this process.

96. Why the baya is called as the weaver bird ?

Ans- Baya is a bird with thicker beak and shorter tail. It resembles the female house sparrow. The female and the male bayas look alike. But during the breeding season, by the time the monsoon sets in, the male bayas acquire a rich yellow plumage and a dark mask. Baya is called as the weaver bird because it is famous for constructing intricately woven nests that hang from tree branches. The baya’s nest is a retort shaped structure with a tubular    entrance. The dome shaped interior is plastered with mud. The nest is so skillfully secured that it is rainproof. Even severe wind can not destroy it. The baya lives in wooded areas. So it finds strips of millet leaves and certain reeds to build its nest. The male bayas gather in flocks and     select their nest sites in thorny areas with trees overhanging roads, water or fields. The male bayas start the building of the nests and when these nests are completed the females visit them.

97. What are the medicinal properties of potato?

Ans. Potato is the most common vegetable in our country. Any curry tastes odd without potato. Potato has many medicinal properties. Russian folk use medicine baked potatoes as a remedy for heart disease. Stomach ulcers are treated with the fresh juice of pink potatoes. Potato juice also relieves gastritis and constipation. Potato starch is used as anti-inflammatory remedy foe gastrointestinal diseases and poisoning. Raw potatoes are applied to affected skin areas in cases of burns and eczema. An infusion of    potato flowers reduces blood pressure. Solanine, a substance isolated from    potato sprouts work as a powerful anti-allergen.

98. Where is Mahabalipuram? Why is it so famous?

Ans. Mahabalipuram, a famous tourist place of southern India is in Tamil Nadu, 60 kms from Chennai. It is a treasure-house of ancient art of India. It is famous for its beautiful rock-cut temples of the Pallava kings which were carved between 600 and 750 AD.  Among the carvings the ‘rathas’ carved out of huge rocks    resemble temple chariots. Most charming carvings are the life size bull, lion and   elephant of granite. One can see the fight between the buffalo demon Mahishasura and goddess Durga. ‘Arjuna’s penance’ is also a masterpiece of stone carving. The Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram on the shore of Bay of Bengal, facing the fury of its water is very beautiful.

99. What is Millennium Dome? Where is it?

Ans: - Millennium Dome is a system which makes easier to understand the complicated details of the human brain.  The amazing powers of the human brain are portrayed in the Millennium Dome. It is in London, Britain and it opened to the public on 1st January 2000. It was designed by Zaha Hadid. The structure has several levels, with different decks curving and interweaving with each other as they ascend towards the Dome’s roof. Visitors enter the mind zone by passing under its giant central projection screen. They see how brain-imaging can show many areas of the brain respond to different senses. They also see its tremendous recovery power and how it can    rewire   itself following an accident in   order to carry on functioning.

100. When was the first Pizza made ?

Ans. The first Pizza was made in 17th century. One day a peasant woman in Italy was baking some bread. Her hungry children were standing around her for food. So her motherly instinct forced her  to speed up the baking process. She put some cheese and meat on the bread and baked it for few minutes. That tasted good and     everybody followed her process. So, by  this the world’s first Pizza was made.

101. When was parachute built?

Ans. Parachute came into thought with the rise of ballooning towards the end of 18th century. In 1785,   Blanchard made a parachute from a balloon and   attached a basket to it containing a dog. It returned to the earth without any injury. Andre Garnerin, a French man was the first person to fly in parachute and to come down safely. In 1797 he descended from a height of one mile and a quarter. He fully succeeded when he thrilled a vast crowd in London by dropping 800 feet in 1802.

102. Why does the peacock display its feathers?

Ans. People generally believe that the peacock displays its feathers when it rains. But the real fact is not so. The beautiful bird displays its beautiful feathers to attract the female-the peahen during its mating season which falls in rainy season. The peacock’s feathers are attached to the lower part of its back and not to its tail. The tail acts as support only to the feathers. The peacock on seeing the peahen open out its charming feathers and dances to make the peahen feel that he is very hand some and attractive.

103.  How did the word ‘Police’ come?

Ans. The word ‘Police’ is derived from the Greek word ‘Politeia’ or from the Latin word ‘Politia’. The Greek word ‘Politeia’ means for citizenship or state or admini- stration of govern- ment.   The Latin word ‘Politia’ stands for state or administration or civilization. Similarly the French word ‘Plois’ means city or town. Now the meaning of the word police is quite clear and well known to every body.  It is the duty of the police to maintain law and order and to protect the life and property of the people.

104.  What is White House? Where is it?

Ans. The White House is the official residence of the president of the United States of America. It is in Washington DC, the capital of America. The building was originally called the President’s House. The White House became its official name in 1902. This oldest building of Washington built of sand stones on a plot of 18 acres. It was designed by James Hoban at a cost of 400,000 Dollars. It contains the offices of the US president and his staff.

105. Who designed Jeans- the wonderful pants?

Ans. Jeans pants are popular all over the world. In India its demand has been increasing day by day. The first Jeans-rugged pants made of canvas were first sold by Levi Strauss, a German born Jew to an American boy. Strauss was selling canvas for setting up tents to the residents of San Francisco in the USA. The boy approached Strauss for sturdy pants that would suit up the rigours of the diggings. The first Jeans came out in the 1850s and was sold for six dollars. Since then Strauss’s company started manufacturing jeans and sold millions of Jeans. Still now the brand ‘Levi’ carrying the name of Levi Strauss is a popular brand all over the world.

106. When was the first postage stamp officially issued?

Ans. The first postage stamp was officially issued on May 6, 1840 in Britain. It was an adhesive stamp named ‘Penny Black’. The stamp did not have the country’s name. More than 68 million ‘Peny Black’ stamps were printed. The engraves for the stamps were Charles and Frederick Heath.

107. Which is India’s first National Park?

Ans. Corbett National Park, named after famous hunter and conser- vationist Jim Corbett is India’s first National Park. It is now in the state of Utarakhand and was set up in 1935. Its first name was Hailey national Park and in the year of 1957 it got its new name Corbett National Park. It covers an area of 1,300 square kilometres at the foothills of the Himalayas. The park is the home of  tigers, leopards, wild elephants and birds of many species.

108. Who introduced popcorn in India?

Ans. Gerhart Martin Jacoby, German national introduced popcorn in India. He came to India on the eve of World War II from Nazi Germany to manage hotels. When the war started he became India’s security prisoner and was held at Lahore fort in Punjab. After independence he and his family sifted to Canada. But he again returned back to India with special maize seeds for doing popcorn business. Popcorn is the roasted product of maize. He planted his special maize seeds in Bangalore and started his popcorn business.

109. How the people of Bharat became known as Indians?

Ans-  The people of ancient Persia (modern Iran), which was one of  our neighbouring  country (presently of  Pakistan) used to call the ‘Sindhu’ river as Hindu.  The Sanskrit word ‘S’ is ‘H’ in their Arabic language. So, the river Sindhu became river Hindu and Bharat for them became popular as Hindustan.  Then the Greeks came Bharat and it was difficult for them to pronounce the river Hindu. Instead they called it ‘Indu’ and then Hindustan became India and the people of Hindustan called Indians.

110. What is the emblem of World Wildlife Fund?

Ans-  The  Giant Panda is the emblem of World Wild life Fund. The animal is found only in the bamboo forests of Western China and parts of Tibet. It was known to the Chinese for over 4,000 years. But only after 1869 it was known to the people of the world. The Giant Panda weighs 90 kg and is 1.8 metres long. It has thick  yellowish  white fur in most parts of its body expect the legs, shoulders which are black. It feeds on bamboo shoots and lives about 15 years.

111. Which is the largest church in the world?

Ans.  The Church of St. Peter’s at the Vatican, Rome, Italy is the largest church in the world. It was dedicated in 1626, after a 120 years long construction. Its roof is as high as a 15 storey building and there are 44 altars in it.

112. Where is the famous Sanchi Stupa?

Ans- The world famous Sanchi Stupa is at Sanchi, near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. It was a busy centre of Buddhism in olden days. Mauryan Emperor Ashok-The Great constructed this beautiful monument. It displays the greatest and perfect examples of Buddhist art in India. The Sanchi Stupa is a dome like structure with large and bold small row of pillars joined by a rail. It has four imposing gateways called ‘toranas’. These gateways are richly caved with columns and super structures.

113. What is the Hubble Telescope?

Ans.  The Hubble Telescope is one of the most precise astronomical instruments. It was placed in the orbit by the space shuttle of USA about 590 kms above the earth. This space telescope would improve visual accuracy by 10 times and the sensitivity to faint light by 50 times. It is 13 metres long with the mirrors of 2.4 metres. It has revolutionized knowledge on stars and planets as well as on the structures of galaxies and the universe.

114. What is a desert?

Ans: - A desert is a dry region with a very little or no rain fall.   There is no vegetation in a desert and the surface of the land is bare, filled with sand. Deserts are usually situated at the centre of larger masses of land. Most of the winds that blow from the large land masses are dry wind and the damp winds from the sea are robbed of their moisture by the high mountains before reaching the desert. The large deserts like the Sahara and Kalahari are in Africa, the Gobi is in Asia, the Great Desert is in Central Australia, and some others are in the North and South America. In India there is the Thar Desert in the state of Rajasthan and also in a part of Gujarat.

115. Which is the highest waterfall of the world?

Ans. The Angel Falls in the dense forest of Venezuela, South America is the highest waterfall of the world. In Venezuela, there is a plateau which is 9,000 feet high. The river Caroni which flows through this plateau, at one point plunges over the cliff forming this waterfall. Jimmy Angel, an American discovered this waterfall in 1937 while flying over this forest. Hence, it is named as Angel Falls according to his name. The Angel Falls is 20 times high as Niagara Falls in USA. Its estimated height is  3,300 feet.

116. When was the ‘pencil’ born?

Ans-The word ‘pencil’ is derived from a Latin word which means finely tipped brush. The modern pencil was born in 1564 in England. In that year a huge oak tree revealing a huge deposit of pure graphite blew down. Local shepherds used the graphite for branding their flocks of sheep. The ordinary pencil used by students is made of graphite and clay. It does not contain the lead but is wrongly called as lead pencil. This is so because the finders of graphite noted at that time that it was marked like lead.

117. What are hurricanes?

Ans. Hurricanes are sea storms. When the winds of a tropical storm reach 110 kmph, then the storm is classified as a hurricane. Hurricanes are formed when large areas of the ocean become heated, and the air pressure over that area drops. Hurricanes start as a band of thunderstorms that begin spinning when they collide with trade wings. Hurricanes move along at speeds between 25 and 50 kms per hour. Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around its centre. When a hurricane hits land; strong winds, heavy rains and waves damage buildings, trees, vehicles and other structures. Hurricanes do not last long when they hit the land.

118. How many types of rivers are there?

Ans- A River is a body of water that flows down from the hill towards the ocean. Rivers are broad and placid, narrow and fast moving, winding or straight. Broadly speaking there are three types of rivers- the Perennial Rivers, Seasonal Rivers and Ephemeral rivers. Perennial rivers are rivers that flow all the year round. They are found in regions where there is rain throughout the years. The smelting of snow and glacier is also a source of their water. Seasonal rivers flow only during the rainy season. The dry rivers of the desert area are called Ephemeral Rivers.

119. How were the pigeons carrying messages in ancient times?

Ans- About 3000 years ago pigeons were used for carrying messages by the Egyptians and Persians.  King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba exchanged messages by carrier pigeons. These pigeons are specially trained pigeons which are capable of finding the places  to reach and returning back to their original home. First message was written on a piece of paper. Then the paper was neatly folded and secured in a small canister attached to the pigeon’s leg. The most famous pigeon of all the carrier pigeons was ‘Cher Ami’, a French Pigeon. It saved the life of 200 Americans soldiers, though it was badly wounded by the enemy fire.

120. Which is the second largest bird in the world?

Ans. The Cassowary is the second largest bird in the world after Ostrich. It is a flightless bird found in Australia and New Guinea. It grows upto a height of 2 metres and weighs about 60 kg. The largest known Cassowary found in Australia was 83 kg, bigger than an adult human. The Cassowary lives around 40 to 50 years. The females are bigger and brighter than the males. These birds have powerful legs and a helmet like crest on the head. They can run at a speed of 50 kms per hour and jump to a height of 5 feet.

121. How do birds produce their melodious sounds?

Ans. Different birds produce different sounds. Some birds produce melodious sounds which are very pleasant to hear. The bird’s song actually comes from an organ in the throat called the syrinx, which has two vibrating sides. Changes in tones and melodies are created because birds have muscles that contract and relax as they force air through the passage differently to form multiple sounds and tones.

123. How does an astronaut ‘walk’ in the space ?

Ans. An astronaut cannot walk the ordinary way once he leaves his spacecraft during a journey. Nothing is there all around but only empty space. There is not even any gravity to pull him in one particular direction. He can only guide himself by the same means as the spacecraft itself-by rocket propulsion. So in the space, when an astronaut leaves his spacecraft perhaps to help in  docking operations with another spacecraft- he carries specially  designed hand rockets with him. When he points the rocket exhaust in one direction, and gives the engine a burst of power, he moves in the opposite direction.

124. What is ‘Cyber war’ ?

Ans. Cyber war is the information warfare waged over the Internet. It is a creation of modern information and communication technology. It is recognized in government, military and business circles as a potential grave threat. Cyber war involves distributing information through websites or e-mail to raise awareness, mobilize support and create global networks. It can also include infiltrating and disrupting an enemy’s computer networks and databases. Cyber war has introduced a host of new weapons such as viruses, worms and Trojan horses, which can wreck havoc on computer systems.

125. What is Radar ?

Ans. Radar is a system for determining the direction, range or presence of moving objects, by sending out pulses of high     frequency   radio waves and detecting the echo. The principle of radar was    established in 1886, when Heinrich Hertz showed the radio waves could be reflected from solid objects. In 1922 Marconi suggested that radio echoes could be used to detect ships in bad visibility. So in 1930s radar systems for air and sea navigation and for detecting enemy air crafts and ships were developed in Britain, France, Germany and USA.

126. What is Fibre glass?

Ans. Fibre glass is the glass in the form of fine filaments. It is used widely for heat insulation as glass wool for fabrics, and with a plastic resin to make a construction and repair material called GRP (glass- reinforced plastic). GRP is a rigid composite material, commonly referred to as glass fibre or fibre glass. It is a popular medium for car bodies, boats, aircraft parts and containers. It resists heat, corrosion and rot and can be stronger than steel. Most forms of fibre glass are made by forcing molten glass through fine metal nozzles and spinnerets.

127. What is ‘safe’ blood ?

Ans. ‘Safe’ blood is the blood which is free from any infection. It does no harm to the person to whom it is given and can save his life. Unsafe blood can cause serious illness or even death to the recipient. Blood is unsafe if any type of infection is present in the donor’s blood. The infection can be transmitted by transfusion or through any blood products that have been manufactured from the blood. Infections that can be caused by blood include- HIV, which leads to AIDS, Hepatitis B & C, and Malaria etc.

128. What is a test tube baby ?

Ans. A test tube baby is the baby which is born after being conceived outside the body. When normal pregnancy is not possible a couple goes in for what is called in vitro fertilization. Here the woman is given hormones that cause her ovary to release many ova instead of the usual single ovum. These ova are carefully removed from her body and maintained on nutritive medium in a glass dish. They are then fertilized by sperms taken from either her husband or a donor. Up to three of the fertilized ova are then implanted in the womb of either the woman herself or that of a surrogate mother who bears the fetus till the delivery.

129. What makes blood clot?

Ans. Blood is most valuable for life and a steady loss of blood can be very dangerous. So, nature has protected us against this danger by giving blood the capacity to clot. If this clotting take place inside the circulatory system, it can be equally dangerous. Hence blood does not clot when it comes in contact with the smooth walls of the blood vessels. Blood takes a rough surface or an injury to the blood vessels for        clotting. Before clotting, first very fine threads of a material called fibrin appear in the blood. These threads form a kind of network which entangle all the blood cells like spider’s web. The blood stream stops moving at this point and is transformed into a kind of swamp of blood cells. The fibrin threads are very firm and elastic and they hold the blood cells together in a clot. A clot of blood is thus like a piece of    absorbent cotton which nature creates to protect us from the loss of blood.

130. Why do we blink?

Ans. When we blink, our eyes become lubricated and help us in sweeping away foreign particles. Lubrication helps in maintaining the transparency of the      cornea. The tiny glands along the edge of each eyelid release a watery fluid each time the eyelid closes. So each time we blink, the tear glands release some fluids. The fluids flush out the eye and keep it moist. Blinking, therefore, is  indeed a natural safety device that protects our eyes.

131. How did the Titanic ship face the disaster ?

Ans. Titanic was a British passenger liner, which was unsinkable and the   largest ship in the world when it was built. The ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean on its maiden voyage in April 1912 and sank with the loss of 1,490 lives. The disaster led to new regulations for ships to carry sufficient lifeboats for all on broad.

132. Where is the volcano in India ?

Ans. In India, there is the volcano in Barren Island, located 110 km north east of Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. It is the only active volcano in India. Its central core is about 300 metres high.  On April 10, 1991, the   volcano erupted after a gap of two hundred years.

133. Which is the largest mosque in India ?

Ans. Jama Masjid in Delhi is the largest mosque in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. Its foundation was laid on October 6, 1650 AD under the supervision of his Prime Minister, Sadullah Khan. At that time a huge amount of Rs. 14 lakhs was spent on it. Ustad Khalil was the chief architect of the masjid. Five thousands workers were daily employed on it and it was completed in six years.

134. Who was the most prolific painter of the world?

Ans. Spanish-born French painter Pablo Picasso was the most prolific of all painters. He was born in 1881 in Spain but was settled in France. During his life time of 78 years from birth to his death in 1973, he produced about 13,500 paintings or designs, 100, 000 prints or engravings, 34, 000 book  illustrations, and 300 sculptures and     ceramic plus drawings and tapestries. His lifetime work has been valued at well over 1 billion Dollars. 

135. When was badminton originated ?

Ans. Badminton is believed to be originated in ancient China. A game similar to badminton was played in ancient China in the 2000 BC. The modern game of badminton evolved around 1870 AD, at Badminton Hall in Avon, England, a  seat of Dukes of Beaufort. It is also said that badminton is an Indian game and the Britishers learned it from India during their rule. The first modern rules of badminton were codified in Pune, India in 1876 by the Britishers.

136. Which are the oldest civilizations in the world?

Ans. The Egyptian civilization, dawned on the bank of river Nile of Egypt, and the Sumerian civilization emerged between Tigris and Euphrates rivers of      modern Iraq were the oldest civilizations in the world. Both these civilizations are said to have flourished around 4000 BC. The Greeks called the region where the Sumerian civilization flourished as Mesopotamia because in their language, ‘Meso’ means between and ‘Patomos’ means rivers. The Sumerian civilization was highly literate and short-lived, flourished only for 18 centuries before its extinction. The Sumerians left an indelible mark on world culture. They gave the world writing, schools, the two party legislature, poetry etc. The Egyptian civilization was a coherent, conservative civilization that continued unchanged nearly for 4000 years.

137. Which is the largest flower in the world?

Ans. The largest flower in the world is Rafflesia Arnoldii. It is found in the Sumatran forest and can have a diameter of over a yard. It is around 0.75 inch thick and weighs about 7 kg. The Rafflesia flower can grow to 91 cm or 3 ft wide. It flowers for five to seven days. It is reddish or orange brown in colour and has an unpleasant smell which fascinates flies. These flies bring about the pollination process. Rafflesia is a parasitic plant and fed on the sap of trees. It does not have any leaves.

138. Where is Washington D.C? Why is it so famous?

Ans. Washington D.C is the capital of United States of America. It is an important business and financial city. It is located on the bank of Potomac river, between the States of Maryland and Virginia. The city covers the same area as the Federal district of Columbia. Washington is one of the most beautifully    designed and landscaped cities in USA. Major Pierre Charles L’ Enfant , a French engineer planned and created the city. The White House, the official home of the President of America and his family is at Washington DC.

138. What is the difference between X-ray, CT Scan and MRI ?

A.    X-rays are high frequency beams of the electromagnetic spectrum; it can pass more easily through material with low density than through those with higher density. Hence, solids in the body such as bones, kidney, and stones show up easily in an X-ray image. A CT-Scan (computerised Tomography) is effectively a more developed version of using X-ray. It uses a highly sensitive X-ray beam focussed on specific parts of the body and a detector picks up the beam as it passes through the body. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) uses a rapidly oscillating magenetic field perpendicular to a very strong principal magnetic field along which the organ to be scanned is kept. The oscillating field causes hydrogen atoms within the organ to get magnetised in a direction perpendicular to that of the principal magnetic field.

139. How was the city of Kolkata formed ?

Ans. On 24th August 1690 Job Charnock, a British official landed in the village of Sutanati at the mouth of the Hoogly river in present West Bengal. He combined the three villages of Sutanati, Gobindpur and Kalikata into one and developed into a township that took the name of Kolkata. Kolkata was the capital of India during British rule.           

140. When did boxing originate ?

Ans. Boxing with gloves was depicted on a fresco from the  Isle of Thera, Greece around 1520 B.C. The code of rules was formulated in England on August  16, 1741 by the champion Pugilist Jack Broughton who reigned from 1729 to 1750.

142. When did Harry Potter make his debut ?

A.    Harry potter, created by J. K Rowling, made his debut in ‘Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone’ which was published on June 30, 1997. This was a part of a series of seven books and the sixth book ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blooded prince’ was released in July 2005.

143. Where was coriander originated ?                                              

Ans.The coriander or popularly known as Dhaniya was originated from the North-East and the Mediterranean regions. The people of ancient Rome were cultivating it before 2000 years in order to make breads. From Rome, it came to Europe and Morocco, an African country and was grown there. The plant generally having a life cycle of a year grows in places with a cool climate and moderate rains. Now in India, coriander is cultivated in large scale. In Indian household it is used as green leafy vegetable. It is added in dal and curry as a flavouring agent and also used in preparing chutneys, salads, medicines etc. The dry seed of coriander is used as ‘Masalas, and it leaves are also used as soups.

144. How do some animals show the warning when an earthquake is likely to happen very soon ?                  

Ans.Some animals show some warning guidelines just before the earthquake. Cattle, sheep and horses refuse to get into thei enclosures. Dogs bark without any reason.  Rats run out of their hiding places. Chickens fly up to the trees and ducks refuse to go to the water. Snakes come out from their holes in large number and cockroaches go round and round without any reason. Fish jump out of water.

145. What is the Marathon Race ?    

Ans. The Marathon is a road race just over 26 miles and 385 yards. It is a part of the Olympic Games which are held every four years. The history of Marathon race began with the story of a Greek soldier Pheidippides, who ran the distance from Marathon to Athens in Greece to give   information to the people of Athens of the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 B.C. But because of tiresomeness he fell in the ground and died. The Marathon Race was not a part of ancient Olympics. It was introduced in modern Olympics in 1896. The winner of the first Marathon was a Greek athlete, Spyros Louis.

146. When was the First volume of the Oxford English Dictionary published?                 

Ans.  The first volume of Oxford English Dictionary was published by James Murray of Scotland in 1884. Murray was the son of a poor tailor. He worked as a school teacher and then joined in a bank. From his early childhood he had a keen interest in language and dialects. So, he became a member of the Philological Society. With the help of the Philological Society, Murray started preparing the dictionary in a shed near his home in 1879. It named as Oxford Dictionary as the Oxford University Press published it.

147. Where is Bhadrachalam, the famous pilgrim centre of India?             

Ans. Bhadrachalam, one of the famous pilgrim centres of India, is on the bank of river Godavari, 161 km from Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. It is well known for the temple of Sri Rama which was built by the famous Saint Ramdas. It is the second richest temple in Andhra Pradesh, next to Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. The temple lies on a hill and commands a grand view of the river Godavari. The temple can be reached by climbing a hundred steps built on all the three sides of the hill.

148. Where is Pushkar - the famous pilgrim centre of India?

Ans- Lake Pushkar, one of the holiest of Hindu places of pilgrimage is in Rajasthan, eleven kilometres to the northwest of Ajmer. According to the Padma Puranas, Lord Brahma, the supreme creator was in search of a place where he could perform a Yagna without being disturbed. While passing through the place now called Pushkar, the lotus flowers slipped from his hand in three places from where water began to flow. Brahma performed his Yagna there and   called the place Pushkar, named after lotus. In Mahabharat it is said that the Pandavas spent a few years of their exile in the hills around Pushkar. Every year, a big fair is held at Pushkar on Kartik Purnima and lakhs of pilgrims assemble. Among the temples at Pushkar, the Brahma temple is most prominent.

149. Where is Nalanda, the most renowned ancient international university?

Ans- Nalanda, the most renowned international university of ancient world is in Bihar. It is towards the south-east 92 kms from Patna. It occupies a unique position among the places where Gautam Buddha preached his Dharma.  Emperor Ashok built a monastery here. The famous Chinese pilgrim, Hieuen-Tsang visited this place in 7th century AD. He recorded the details about this great ancient university in his book.The Nalanda University was established in 5th century AD. It attracted a large number of foreign scholars from distant countries like China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Afghanistan,   Tibet, Sri Lanka etc. The    university fell into decline in 12th century AD.

150. Which is the original home of coffee?

Ans. Coffee, originally found in Arab countries. It has many Arabic names such as ‘Caova’, ‘Cova’ or ‘Kahwah’ meaning bitter. The Latin name is ‘Coffee’. Now Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the world followed by Colombia, Indonesia, Venezuela, Guatemala, Salvador and Haiti. In India coffee is grown in the Himalayas from Garhwal in Uttaranchal to Sikkim and Assam. In south coffee plantation is done in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The species of coffee ranges from small woody shrubs and bushes to medium sized trees. Coffee plants reach at a height of between 4.5 to 9 metres. A three year old coffee plant bears fruits from which we get the coffee. The plants survive for 30 to 40 years.

151. How Amla fruit is useful to us?

Ans. Amla which is also called Indian Gooseberry is light yellow in colour and is about 1.25 cm to 2.5 cm in diameter. It is the richest known natural source of Vitamin-C, which is readily absorbed by our body system. It possesses anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Amla is a good liver stimulant, has a cooling action and a mild laxative. It is also useful in anemia, diabetes, chronic lung disease, colds, influenza and hyper tension. Amla is also used as hair tonic. When the raw fruit is not available the dried amla or its power is also of equal beneficial.

152. Which bird walks on the surface of water?

Ans: - The Jacana, which is also called the water-pheasant, gets its name from Brazil in South America. It lives in the tropics-very hot lands and found in Brazil, India, Sri Lanka or Australia. It has long and thin legs with very long toes. These long toes make the bird able to move across the surface of lake. It does not walk on the water itself, but uses the waterlilies and other aquatic plants as stepping stones for walking. The Jacana builds its nest on the water, in a tiny island of grass.

153. Where is the Elephanta Caves? Who had built it ?

Ans. The famous Elephanta Caves lie in the Elephanta or Gharapuri Island of Mumbai, eleven kilometres from the Gateway of India. From 1st century BC to 7th century AD it was an important port on the Western Coasts with trade links upto far Rome. Initially Elephanta was a Buddhist centre.  But later it became a seat of Shaivism. It     became famous for its rock-cut caves of 6th century AD. The great cave covers a large area almost 1330 sq. feet.

154. How did the Mercedes Benz Car get its name?

Ans. Mercedes Benz car was a product of Germany. Its initial name was Daimler Benz. The new name ‘Mercedes’ was used by Emil Jellinek, who had been awarded Benz Car’s sales’s right for Austria, Hungary, France and USA.  In France at that time there was the strong dislike towards German products. So, Emil named the car ‘Mercedes’ after the name of his daughter Mercedes Jellinek in order to avoid the dislike. Later the name ‘mercedes’ was adopted by Daimler Benz for their whole variety of motor    vehicles.

155. Where is Amazon, the largest river of the world?

Ans. Amazon, the largest river of the world is in Brazil, South America. In Brazilian literature, it is referred as the ‘Sea River’. The mouth of Amazon yawns to a width of 200 statue miles. The river has 1,100 known tributaries. Put the mouth of the Amazon at New York and its arm would reach up into Canada and down into Mexico and almost to California.

156.  Which is the largest diamond ever found?

Ans. The Cullinan Diamond is the largest diamond in the world.  It is named after the owner of the mine in South Africa, Sir Thomas Cullinan. Its weight is 0.6 kg and it was discovered in 1905. As a birthday gift it was presented to Edward VII, the king of United Kingdom.

157.  What is Census? When was it started?

Ans. The word ‘Census’ is derived from the Persian word ‘Khana’ which means house and ‘Sumeri’ which means counting. Census generally means counting the number of people. Besides this, it provides information on births, deaths, diseases etc. Census dates back to 4000 BC when the Babylonians in West Asia set up a system for collection of revenues. Egyptians too collected labour statistics in 3000 BC in order to construct pyramids. Romans, Greeks and Chinese also conducted census in ancient times for registering citizenship. In India Emperor Ashok-The Great conducted census in 3rd century BC for counting the total number of people in each village, number of cultivators, merchants, artisans, labourers and animals. In modern age the first census in India was conducted by the Britishers in 1872. However, regular census began in India in 1881. In India census is conducted in every ten years. The last census was in 2001.

158.  What is Acid Rains?

Ans. When rain falls, it becomes polluted in the atmosphere with two poisonous gases namely sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. These gases are mostly emitted from power plants and factories. The falling rain and snow react with these oxides and bring on suddenly new chemical properties. This mixture, often of sulphuric acid, nitric acid and water is being described as ‘Acid Rains’ by scientists. Acid Rains cause widespread harm to the environment.

159. How do ants locate their food?

Ans. The colony of ant is divided into three classes: the queen, winged males and wingless    infertile females. Infertile females are also called as workers. The worker class   include a few scouting ants and scouts always move randomly in search of food. As soon as a scout locates food such as sugar, it returns to the nest, lying down a scent trail by repeatedly pressing its abdomen to the ground. The other ants sense the secretions with the help of their smell organs and follow the scent trail towards the food discovered by the scout ant.

160. When was the Postal Pin Code introduced in India? What do the different digits indicate?

Ans. The Postal Index Number (PIN Code) was introduced on 15th August 1972. Under the scheme, every Head Post Office and sub-post office, which delivers mail, has been allotted an individual six-digit number. Pin code has eased the shorting problems because in India there are towns having same names. The PIN code digits from left to right indicate and locate the geographical position of the post office. In India there are 8 postal zones. The first digit indicates the zone, the first three taken together indicate the shorting unit, and the last three specify the particular delivery post office.

161.  When and where was tea introduced?

Ans. Tea grows best in areas of moderate to high rainfall,  equable temperatures and highly    humidity. The tea plant has been cultivated for thousands of years in China. From China it was introduced into European countries in 17th century. Tea was extremely scare and costly until the 19th century. But in 19th century tea was found growing in the northeastern states of India, particularly in Assam. In 1870, tea was planted in Sri Lanka.

162. Who translated the Bhagvad Gita into English from Sanskrit?

Ans-  The Bhagvad Gita originally was written in Sanskrit. It was known to Europe in 1785, when Sir Charles Wilkins translated it into English from Sanskrit. He learnt Sanskrit from the pandits in Varanasi and rendered Gita into English. The English translation carried a preface by Warren Hastings, the first Governor General of India.

163. When was the Howrah bridge of Kolkata built?

Ans-  The  famous Howrah bridge across the river Hooghly at Kolkata was completed in 1943. It was designed by Hurbert Shirley Smith, a distinguished British engineer. The bridge is built in a single cantilever span, about 1,500 feet long. It is said that it stretches 4 feet in the heat at the noon and becomes smaller in the evening.

164. Who is the highest selling Hindi author of India?

Ans.  Gulshan Nanda is the highest selling Hindi author of India. His novels, stories translated into many regional and    international languages. This made him the highest selling Hindi author. Two of his books ‘Kati Patang’ and ‘Jheel Ki Us Par’ made record sales of over 5 and 4 lakhs respectively in one year. ‘Kati Patang’, translated into Chinese was a best seller in China with sales of about 2 lakhs copies in a year.

165. How the word ‘Boycott’ is named?

Ans.  The word ‘Boycott’ means refusal of a group of persons to do any work or to deal with something or some body. In a very peaceful way it imposes pressure. It is named after the name of an Irish land agent Charles Cunning Boycott. Boycott’s evictions of tenants without mercy led the Land League in 1880 to forbid any social or business   interaction with him.

166. How were the week days named?

Ans: -  Sunday is named after the Sun, Monday means the Moon, Tuesday  derives its name from Tiu-the Norse god of war, Wednesday is after Woden-the Anglo-Saxon chief of gods, Thursday comes from Thor-the Norse god of thunder, Friday gets its name from Frigg, Norse mother goddess worshipped as deity of household and love, and Saturday from Saturn-Roman god of harvests.

167. Which is the most colourful bird of the world?

Ans. The most colourful bird of the world is the Kingfisher. It is an expert fisherman. It uses to sit on branches over streams, lakes and rivers watching for fish. Seeing a fish it rushes with all its force on it to capture it. Both the male and female Kingfishers build their nests in holes that they dig in river banks. Their home starts with a tunnel entrance ranging from 3 to 10 feet. The bones of the fish that they eat are used to make nests. There are nearly 84 living species of Kingfisher. The largest kingfisher is the Australian Kookaburra or laughing jackass that produces a loud sound like laughter.

168.  What is Tarantula?

Ans-Tarantula is a large poisonous hairy spider. It is found in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is mostly seen in the south-western part of United States and in the surrounding    areas of the Mediterranean Sea in Europe and Africa. Tarantula lives in holes in the ground and eats insects. The body of the largest Tarantula is 5 cm long and its leg spreads 12.5 cm. It’s bite is very painful.

169. What is Bamboo?

Ans. Bamboo is the longest and largest grass. It is a tall grass mostly grown in tropical countries of Asia. It has a hollow stem and it sometimes resembles wood. Almost 500 varieties of bamboos are seen. The bamboo often grows to a height of 36 metres and can have stems almost 0.3 metre in diameter. Bamboo is used in a number of purposes from house construction to industry, from bamboo net to toys, from baskets to various instruments. The bamboo seeds are used as medicine by the tribal people.

170. When was Rome founded?

Ans. The Romans were originally farmers living in central Italy. Since their land was very fertile, they grew prosperous and built the grand city of Rome. Historian says that Rome grew up from a cluster of tribal villagers on the seven hills beside river Tiber.  The legend says that Rome was built by two brothers named Romulus and Remus. First it was ruled by the kings and became a republic in 509 BC. The Romans became powerful by fighting with and conquering their neighbours. They also invaded Greece and conquered it. In 27 BC, the Romans grew mightier as the Roman Empire came under the rule of Emperor Augustus.

171. Who discovered Antarctica?

Ans- Antarctica is the southernmost continent of the Earth. It is the fifth largest as well as the coldest, driest and windiest continent. It has no permanent inhabitants. Cold adapted animals like penguins, fur seals and some plants only survive there. Famous explorer Captain Cook circled the continent first in 1775. But he could not sight the land. The first confirmed sighting of the continent occurred in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Mikhail Lazarev and Fabian Gottlieb. The continent remained largely neglected because of its hostile environment. The French under JCS Dumont planted their flag on an island in 1840. The Americans, under Charles Wilkes discovered Wilkes Land in the same year. In 1841, James Ross of Britain discovered Ross Island.

172. When was the first film made?

Ans- Today film has become a craze, almost a part of life. But before 1891 there was no film. In 1891, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison introduced a film showing device. Sequences of pictures were shown on this device and one had to turn a handle to go to the next sequence. The first film shown by a projector was made in 1895 by two brothers of France called the Lumiere brothers. The first public screening of movies by paying money was held on December 28, 1895 by them at a Paris cafe.

173. How did the word ‘umpire’ come to be used in cricket?

Ans. The word ‘umpire’ was used in cricket in the 18th century. It is a modified term of the old English word ‘noumpere’, which is derived from the French word ‘nomper’. ‘Noumpere’ means a person who decides disputes between parties and ‘nomper’ means not a peer or not equal.  Accordingly the umpire has the respectable and authoritative position of to taking decisions and giving judgements.

174. When were the Olympic Games started?

Ans. Olympic Games held every four years, are the greatest sports competition among the countries of the world. The history of Olympic games dates back to 900 BC, when athletic events were organized at the foot of Mount Olympia in ancient Greek. It included racing, wrestling and all kinds of contests, ending on the fifth day with processions, sacrifices and banquets. In 776 BC   King Iphitos of Elis had organised the games in the plains of Olympia in order to bring peace to the war-ravaged Greece.  In the course of time as the Greek civilization declined, the Olympic Games became corrupt. So in 394 A.D. Emperor Theodosius I of Rome put an end to the Olympic by an official order. So from 395 A.D. the Olympic Games were not held for 1503 years. Flood water of river Alpheus rose and covered the Olympic stadium with silt and mud. In 1878, the buried ruins of the ancient Olympic stadium at Olympia in Greece were dug out and brought to light. Later in 1892, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a French Scholar and educator, during his travels in Greece came across these ruins which made a deep impression on his mind. So on November 25, 1892 Coubertin called for the restoration of the Olympic Games.  In Coubertin established the International Olympics Committee (IOC) in 1894. The first modern Olympic games were thus, held on 6th April 1896 in Athens- the capital of Greece.

175. When was circus originated?

Ans-  Circus is a form of entertainment in which acrobats, clowns and trained animals perform various shows. The   circus owes its origin to the amphitheater in ancient Rome where a large crowd was seeing gladiator fights and other shows. In 17th and 18th centuries acts of acrobatics and animal training were performed in fairs and similar events through out Europe. But only in the later part of 17th century all these entertainments were brought under one roof by an Englishman named Philip Ashley. He is called the ‘Father of the circuses.

176. When was tattooing started?

Ans. Tattooing is the art of making a picture on the skin of a person by pricking it and putting in pigments for colo- uring. Tattooing is as old the 4000 years old ancient Egyptian civilization. The bodies of Egyptian Pharaos kept as mummies contained tattoos of the symbol of Goddess Neith. In ancient Greek tattooing was also there only for the noble men. Greeks used to send coded messages through marks on the shaven heads of messengers. In ancient time lamp black mixed wit linseed oil or a paste of turmeric blended with herbal extracts were used for tattooing. But now days indelible inks which can not be rubbed out have been used.

177. Where are the famous Ajanta Paintings?

Ans- The world famous Ajanta Paintings are in the state of Maharashtra, in Aurangabad district. These 30 rock cut caves at Ajanta are renonown- ed for their architecture, sculpture and painting. The early paintings in Ajanta were drawn in the Hinayana Buddhism caves between 200 to 100 B.C.  during the reign of Satavahana dynasty. The later paintings are between 400-600 A.D during the Vakatakas’ reign. They are found in the Mahayana Buddhism caves. The Ajanta paintings illustrate scenes of Buddha’s life, Buddhist deities   and Jataka tales.

178.Which is the First Indian printed book? When was it published?

Ans- The First Indian printed book is ‘Catechism of Christian Doctrine’ written by St. Francis Xavier. It was published in 1557. Printing presses in India were established by the Christian missionaries from Portugal and Holland. The earliest presses were set up in Goa, Cochin Tarangambadi of Tamil Nadu, Fort William of Kolkata etc.

179. Which is the second largest island in the world?

Ans.  The bird-shaped island of New Guinea, situated in southwest Pacific Ocean is the second largest island in the world. This island has nearly 1,000 tribes speaking 700 different languages. The population of the island is about 3 million and the people are scattered over 600 islands that are rich in natural resources.

180.What is Hawa Mahal?  Where is it?

Ans: -  Hawa Mahal or the palace of winds is in Jaipur, the pink city in Rajasthan. It is a 208 years old magnificent structure built by the poet king Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799. It was constructed by the king dedicated to Lord Krishna and is shaped like a crown that adorns the lord’s head. This unusual structure has more than 900 niches.

181. Which is the biggest leaf in the world ?

Ans. The biggest leaf in the world is found around the Amazon River in South America. It belongs to a royal water lily and is known as ‘Victoria Regia’. The leaves are 12 feet across and are turned upwards at the margins, and are able to bear the weight of a child.

182.  Where is India’s first marine National Park?

Ans-The Marine National Park and Sanctuary situated in the Gulf of Kachchh next to Jamnagar district of Gujarat is India’s first marine national park. This park consists of an intricate network of islands with coral reefs, mangroves and sea weeds. About 108 species of algae, 70 species of sponges, 37 species of hard and soft corals, 150 to 200 species of fish, 27 species of prawns, 30 species of crabs, 200 species of phylum Mollusca, 3 species of sea turtles, sea snakes and sea mammals, 94 species of water birds and 78 species of terrestrial birds are found there.

183. Who is Yeti?

Ans. Yeti is the snow man of the Himalayas. It is said to be an elusive ape like creature who is tailless and covered with long shaggy hair.  Its height is said to vary from 5.5  to 9 feet. There are no known photographs of these mystery creatures. However most of the people living in the Himalayan region say to have seen a Yeti. According to them the yeti is occasionally spotted leaping through the high peaks above the snow line.

184.  Which insect has finest eyes?

Ans. The beautiful dragonfly has the finest eyes in insect world. It has a spear-like body and when threatened curls this up and down as if it meant to sting. By this it frightens an enemy. The dragonfly can not sting. It flies in the air for its prey.  Children catch it when it takes rest on a flower or leaf.

185. Who is known as the father of modern cricket?

Ans- English cricketer Dr. William Gilbert Grace, popularly known as W.G. Grace is considered to be the father of modern cricket.  Born in England in 1848, he played a very important role in popularizing the game of cricket. He started his cricketing career at the age of 17 and officially retired at the age of 60. Grace scored 54,818 runs and took 2876 wickets in 872 First Class cricket matches. He has scored 126 first class centuries. He has also 3 triple centuries, 13 double centuries and 105 times not out to his credit.

186. Who were the main gods and goddesses of ancient Greece?

Ans. Ancient Greece had many gods and goddesses. The king of the gods was Zeus.   He was the god of weather, justice and was the protector of strangers. Athena, the daughter of Zeus was the goddess of the city Athens, as well as the goddess of war and handicrafts. Apollo was the god of light, poetry and music. His twin sister Artemis was the goddess of hunting. Other important gods were Ares, the god of war, Aphrodite, the god of love, Poseidon, the god of sea.

187. Who were the first inhabitants of North America?

Ans. The Clovis people were the first inhabitants of North America. They were successful and efficient hunters and foragers. They were hunting large animals like mammoth and bison. There is no proof from where the Clovis came from. Some believe that they came from Alaska regions, other say that they were from South America. Some of the tools they used were similar to those found in Europe.

188. Where do volcanoes form?

Ans- Volcanoes form the place where the earth crust is cracked or very thin. They can be formed both on land and on sea bed. Volcanoes can also be formed when the tectonic plates move away from each other. The magma pushes up and forms lava. These types of volcanoes are found on the ocean floor. The places where volcanoes are found are over hot spots. These hot spots volcanoes can be anywhere, even in the middle of a plate.

189. Who was the most brutal military leader in history?

Ans.  Genghis Khan, the warlord of Mongol, was the most brutal military leader in the history of the world.  The Mongols were a nomadic people who lived in the plains of Central Asia. Genghis Khan became the ambitious leader of Mongols in the last part of 12th century. Soon he started his campaign and by 1214 captured the whole china. Then he turned his attention towards westwards. His huge army with heavily armed horsemen swept across vast territories, reaping victory wherever they went. Russia, Persia (modern Iran), Poland and Hungary fell under them. They killed lakhs of people. Over the next eight years, Genghis Khan accumulated the largest contiguous empire that the world had seen so far. However, like Alexander and Julius Caesar, Genghis had no idea of ruling over other peoples  and conquered territories. His main aim was only to loot and destroy everything in his path.  So, the cruelty and lack of concern for human life made Genghis Khan the most dreaded figure in Asia and Europe.

190. Who translated Kalidas’s Sanskrit plays ‘Shakuntala’ and Jayadeva’s ‘Gita Govinda’ into English?

Ans- Sir William Jones, a great British-Indian scholar, translated Mahakabi Kalidas’s Sanskrit plays ‘Shakuntala’ and ‘Ritu Samhara’ into English. He also translated Kabi Jayadeva’s ‘Gita Govinda’ into English from Sanskrit. William Jones was a British Judge in India. In 1782 he was appointed as a judge by the British East India Company. He became the judge of the Supreme Court at Kolkata, the then capital of   British territory in 1783. Within months of his arrival in India, Sir Jones studied Sanskrit considering it as a very rich    language. He completed Master Degree in Sanskrit. First he translated the ‘Manusmriti’ (Laws of Manu) in English from Sanskrit. Then he translated the famous works of Kalidas and Jayadeva.

191. Who had designed our Parliament House in New Delhi?

Ans. The ‘Parliament House’ or ‘Sansad Bhawan’ in New Delhi was designed by two famous architects-Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Barker. The foundation stone of this huge circular building was laid by the Duke of Connaught on 12th February 1921. It was completed in six years and was inaugurated by Lord Irwani, the then Governor General of India on January 18, 1927. This three storeyed building was constructed at a cost of Rs. 83 lakhs in that time.

192. Who collected thousands of Indian palm leaf and paper manuscripts for preservation?

Ans-Colonel Colin Mackenzie of Scotland, the first Surveyor of India, collected thousands of Indian palm leaf and paper manu scripts for preservation. He collected manuscripts of Pali, Oriya, Telgu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Urdu. He also copied a large number of stone inscriptions. His collections are now preserved at the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Chennai.

193.When was the first Pyramid built in Egypt?

Ans- The Pyramids of Egypt were built over 5,000 years. The Egyptians built Pyramids as royal tombs in which great treasures were placed along with the dried and wrapped bodies of the rulers.  More than eighty Pyramids were built in Egypt in   ancient times, out of which only a part are seen today. The Pyramids are found all over the east bank of Nile river and particularly in Giza. The first Pyramid was built at Saqqara about 2650 BC. It was built by King Djosar. The three big Pyramids are at Giza, near Cairo, the capital of Egypt. They were built for the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.

194. Where are the magnificent Dilwara temples?

Ans. Dilwara temples are in Mount Abu in Rajasthan state. These are 1000 years old and are built wholly on pure white marble at cost of Rs. 18 crores. Out of the five Dilwara temples, only the Vimal Vasahi and the Tajpal are famous.  Vimal Vasahi was built in 1031 AD dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar.

195. Which is the oldest tree of the world?

Ans: - Bristlecone pine a tree in North America is the oldest tree of the world. Its age is estimated to be 4,500 years. The Giant Sequoia tree in North America is also 3,200 years old.

196. When the first Cross Word was made ?

Ans. The first Cross Word was published on December 21, 1913. Arthur Wynne while devising the weekly puzzle page of the ‘New year World’ created the first Cross Word. After that a world wide craze for cross word started all over the world. Wynne sketched out a diamond shaped frame and wrote FUN-the name of the comic section, across the top squares, and started filling in the rest of the frame. He numbered the squares at the start and ends of each word, and wrote definition clues for the words he had filled in. This puzzle was printed with the instruction to the solver. Thus was born the first crossword.

197.  What are flying squirrels? Where are they found in India?

Ans. Flying squirrels are longer than the ordinary squirrels. They live in the trees. When ever they jump off a tree, they stretch out their limbs. Flying squirrels have a long bushy tail. Their busy tail acts as a rudder and controls the direction of the flight. They have strong teeth. They eat fruits and nuts from different trees. They call each other in a loud, sharp and shrill cry or sound. Flying squirrels are found in the forest areas of the Himalayas from Kashmir to Assam. Travancore, one species of the flying squirrel is also found in the southern region of Western Ghats. Flying squirrels are divided into two groups-the large flying squirrels and small flying squirrels. The red flying squirrels-the commonest of the larger squirrels are found in the Western Himalayas.

198. Which is India’s largest crane?

Ans. India’s largest crane is Sarus. It is found in pairs all over India. But a large number of this bird lives in Gujarat, eastern Rajasthan and in the Gangetic plain. The male sarus is nearly 160 cm in height and the females are slightly smaller.  Sarus is primarily a fish eater. It also eats frogs, crustaceans, lizards and insects. Its other diets include grain, tubers and groundnut pods.

199.  Which is the original home of jasmine-the sweet scented flower?

Ans. The hot lands of South-east Asia, Africa and Australia are the original home of jasmine. It is one of the most favoured flowers of India. In Hindi it is called ‘mogra’. In 1548, jasmine reached in Europe, when Britain’s manor houses were beautified with beautiful flower gardens. Jasmines thrive in at least four hours of direct sunlight a day.

200.  How was gas named?

Ans. Van Halmont, a chemist of Belgium was experimenting with solid fuels in Brussels in 1609. He named the wraiths of white smoke coming out from the pipes attached to his glass flasks as ‘Geist’ meaning ghost. The word gas is derived from the Dutch word ‘geist’. The func- tions of gas were not recognized be- fore 19th century. Only in the 19th century attempts were made to put gas to work. Today gas has more than 1,000 uses for industrial purposes.

201. Why do we yawn?

Ans. Yawning is a reflex action. It occurs without any conscious effort on our part.  The main purpose of yawning is to increase the supply of oxygen into the lungs.   When a person is tired and suffers from stress, a long period of shallow breathing occurs. The body then gets less amount of oxygen. At this point, the yawning process is started automatically instructed by the brain. Yawning immediately increases the amount of oxygen in the blood which helps in relieving tiredness.

202. When was cotton cultivated and used in the manufacturing of clothes?

Ans. Cotton is one of the most important crops of the world. The word cotton has been derived from the Arabic word ‘Kutun’. The English word is cotton and it denotes both the plant and the raw produced from it. Cotton has been known in India since 3000 BC. Cotton finds place in the Rig Veda.  The people of the Indus Valley civilization were using cotton for clothing. In Hindi cotton is called ‘rui’. Cotton was cultivated and used in the manufacturing of clothes in the world in 1492.  Today the major cotton producing countries are India, Pakistan, China, Egypt, Sudan, Uganda, Congo, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and the USA. In India cotton is cultivated in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka etc.

203. When was the first blood transfusion process started?

Ans. The first blood transfusion was started in 1654 by Francesco Folli, an Italian physician. He transfused blood from one animal to another. The first ever known case of blood transfusion into the body of a human being was performed by Jean Denys of Montpellier in 1667. The patient was a 15 years old boy and the blood was from the body of a calf. But that method was considered very disgraceful due to the death of the patients. In 1825, James Blundell of Britain discovered the process of blood transfusion. But only after the discovery of blood groups in 1900 by K. Landsteiner, blood transfusion became a successful one.

204. What is the meaning of ‘Ashes’ in the Cricket world?

Ans:- The term, ‘Ashes’ pertains to the mythical prize contended for in the Cricket Test matches between England and Australia. When England was beaten at the Oval in 1882 a mock obituary of English cricket appeared in the Sporting Times. The ashes of a burnt cricket stump were subsequently placed in an urn and given to the English team when it next won.

205. Why a convex mirror is used by the motorists to see the road behind them?

Ans:- Motorists to get a view of the traffic behind the vehicle always use convex mirrors. The image formed by a convex mirror is always erect and diminished in size thus producing a large field of view. It may be noted that it is not always possible for the driver to get a correct idea about the size and distance of the object.

206. When was the Olympic flag created?

Ans:- The Olympic flag, created in 1913 at the suggestion of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, was solemnly inaugurated it Paris in June 1914, but, it was raised over an Olympic stadium for the first time at the Antwerp Games in 1920. There is also a second Olympic flag is made of white silk and contains five intertwined rings. From left to right the rings are blue yellow, black, green and red. The rings are meant to recall the five continents. At least one of these colours is found on the flag of every country.

207. What are the viruses and bacteria?

Ans:- Viruses and bacteria are the smallest living things. Viruses have no cell walls and can only work properly inside the cells of other living organisms. Bacteria are larger than viruses and can exist by themselves. A virus is made up of a protein coat wrapped around a small amount of DNA or RNA. It can reproduce itself only when it is inside a living cell. Viruses are, there fore, on the borderline between living and non-living things.

Bacteria are tiny, single-celled organisms. Some are round, others are rod-shaped.  Some bacteria cause disease but many others are useful. A large number decompose dead plant and animals. They release chemicals into the soil that can be used by plants.

208. Why is it harmful to see solar eclipse with naked eye?

Ans:- Doctors always warn people, especially children, against watching the solar eclipse, either directly or through smoking glasses or even in shallow water as in utensil. The harmful rays in the     sunlight (infrared rays) are at the maximum during the eclipse and it burns the most sensitive part of retina, forea and macula, leading to irreversible loss of eyesight. The lens or cornea in our eyes acts like a burning-glass. If one looks straight at the sun, the lens will be destroyed for life. Even if we look at the sun through smoked glass, the sun may look dim, but the dangerous heat rays can still pass through. Whenever there is an eclipse of the sun, some people are blinded because they take foolish risks of this sort.

209. Which is the largest muscle in human body?

Ans:- Muscles normally account for 40 percent of human body weight and the bulkiest of the 639 named muscles in the human body is usually the “gluteus maximus” or buttock muscle, which extends the thigh.

210. What is synthetic rubber?

Ans:- Synthetic rubber made of certain kinds of hydrocarbons. Of these butadiene is the most important. These hydrocarbons are obtained from coal, crude petroleum and alcohol. Synthetic rubber is more oil resistant than natural rubber. In the international market, natural rubber is facing severe competition from synthetic rubber.

211. Who became the first woman to sail around the world?

Ans:- The first woman to sail around the world single-handed was a 28-year old New Zealander, Naomi James. In September 1977, she set sail from Dartmouth on the south coast of England. Her 16-metre yacht, named Express Crusador, was fitted with all modern navigation aids and steering gear. Her 48,000-kilometre journey was full of adventure. In June 1978, she successfully completed the sail and was made Dame Commander of the British Empire. She set another record of becoming the first woman to cross Atlantic single-handed in 1980.

212. Who fought World War I?

Ans:- The World War I started in August 1914, went on for 4 years and end in November 1918. On one side were the two empires of Germany and Austria-Hungary, later joined by Bulgaria and Turkey. They were called the Central Powers. Against them were Allies-the Russian Empire to the east, the French to the west, the British and the Belgium. Later the Italy, the Japan, United States, and many smaller nations joined the Allies. Because so many countries were involved, it later came to be called a World War. More than ten million soldiers had been killed. By coming fresh into the struggle, the United States tipped the scale, and the Central powers collapsed in defeat.

213. Who invented the stethoscope and when?

Ans:- In 1816, the French physician Rene Theoplhie Laennec introduced a perforated wooden cylinder which concentrated the sounds of air flowing in and out of the lungs, and described the sound which it revealed. The modern form of stethoscope, with flexible tubes connecting the earpieces to a circular piece placed against the chest, was developed later in the nineteenth century.

214. Where is the famous Harvard University?

Ans:- :-  Harvard University is ranked No 3. Harvard College was established in 1636 and was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard of Charlestown. Harvard was a young minister who, on his death in 1638, left his library and half his estate to the newly established institution. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Seven presidents of the United States (John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Theodore and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Rutherford B Hayes, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and George W Bush) were graduates of Harvard. Its faculty has produced 40 Nobel laureates.

215. How much would seas rise if the Antarctic Ice Sheet melted?

Ans:- The Antarctic Ice Sheet holds nearly 90 percent of the world's ice and 70 percent of its fresh water. If the entire ice sheet were to melt, sea level would rise by nearly 220 feet, or the height of a 20-story building. Scientists know there's a melting trend underway. The United Nations has said that in a worst-case scenario - depending on how much global air temperatures increase -- seas could jump 3 feet (1 metre) by 2100.

216. What causes a landslide?

Ans:- Intense rainfall over a short period of time can trigger shallow, fast-moving mud and debris flows. Slow, steady rainfall over a long period of time may trigger deeper, slow-moving landslides. Different materials behave differently, too. Every year as much as $2 billion in landslide damage occurs in the United States. In a record-breaking storm in the San Francisco area in January 1982, some 18,000 debris flows were triggered during a single night! Property damage was over $66 million, and 25 people died.

217. Who was Paramahansa Yogananda?

Ans:-  Paramahansa Yogananda was born on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur, India. His original name was Mukunda Lal Ghosh. He hailed from a well-to-do Bengali family. From his early childhood, his parents were well aware of the spiritual significance of his birth. As a boy he was driven by an intense urge to seek the Divine and develop a friendly attitude towards God in all his forms and aspects. He went through many personal experiences that strengthened his faith in the Divine and propelled him to find a Guru who would help him reach the Highest Truth. At the age of 17 he met Swami Yukteswar Giri and became his disciple. He spent the next ten years under the guidance of his Guru, practicing Kriya Yoga and exploring the inner worlds. To prepare him for his future mission in the western world, his Guru encouraged him to join a college and receive modern education. After he completed his education in 1915, Swami Yukteswar initiated him into monk hood and gave him the name Yogananda. The Swami became very popular both in the east and the west through his teachings and his speeches. His autobiography entitled ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’, which was published in 1943, attracted the attention of many. After spreading the message of love in many parts of the world and proving beyond doubt that through sustained self efforts human beings can ascend to extraordinary transcendental heights, he passed away on March 7, 1952.

218. Where do most earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur on Earth?

Ans:-The majority earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur along boundaries of the dozen or so major plates that more or less float on the surface of Earth. One of the most active plate boundaries where earthquakes and eruptions are frequent, for example, is around the massive Pacific Plate commonly referred to as the Pacific Ring of Fire. It fuels shaking and baking from Japan to Alaska to South America.

218. Where are the Elephanta Caves?

Ans:- The Elephanta Caves are a great tourist attraction in the vicinity of the large Mumbai metropolis. The Elephanta Island is located 10 kms away from the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The Elephanta Caves are the focal point of Gharapuri Island located in the Mumbai harbour off the coast of Mumbai. It was renamed the Elephanta Island by the Portuguese. In 1987, the caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The caves are thought to date back to the Silhara kings of the 9th to 13th centuries. Some of the sculptures of this site are also attributed to the imperial Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta (in present day Karnataka). The Trimurti of Elephanta showing the three faces of Shiva almost akin to the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh was the royal insignia of the Rashtrakutas. The rock-cut temple complex covers an area of 60,000 sq feet.

219. Where is Sambhar Lake?

Ans:- Sambhar Salt Lake, India’s largest salt lake, sits 96 km south west of the city of Jaipur and 64 km north east of Ajmer along the National highway 8 in Rajasthan. It is located in Nagaur and Jaipur districts and it also borders the Ajmer district.  The lake is actually an extensive saline wetland, with water depths fluctuating from just a few centimetres as 60 cms during the dry season to about 3 metres after the monsoon season. It occupies 190 to 230 square kilometres area based on season. It is elliptically shaped lake with 35.5 km long and the breadth varying between 3 to 11 kms. The circumference of lake is 96 kms and surrounds in all side of Aravali hills. It is India’s largest saline lake and made the Rajasthan, the third largest salt producing state in India.

220. When was Asian Games started?

Ans:- The Asian Games, also called the Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The games are regulated by the Olympic Council of Asia under the supervision of the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold for first place, silver for second and bronze for third. The first Asian Games were held in 1951 in New Delhi, the capital of India. The 15th Asian Games were held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. The 16th Asian Games will be held in Guangzhou, China from November 12, 2010 to November 27, 2010.

221. Which is the largest sea in the World?

Ans:- The South China Sea,  the  sea in the  south of China is the largest sea of the world.  It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the Strait of Taiwan of around 3,500,000 square km. It is one of the largest sea bodies after the five oceans. States and territories with borders on the sea include: the mainland of China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia andVietnam.

223. Where was Kuchipudi Dance originated?

Ans:- Kuchipudi Dance is the classical dance style that receives its name from the village of Kuchipudi in Andhra Pradesh, South India. In the 17th century, this village was presented by a local ruler to several families of Brahmin performers in appreciation for the dance dramas they were staging. These dramas were devotional enactments of the life of Krishna, performed only by men who took the roles of both male and female characters. However, the dance has undergone a revival as both a solo and dance drama tradition and is now performed on the modern stage around the world by both man and women. Kuchipudi blends the sensuousness and fluidity of Odissi with the geometric line of today’s Bharata Natyam.

224. Where is the Cambridge University?

Ans:- University of Cambridge, the best university in the world for science is in Britain. Having more than 100 departments, faculties and schools; Cambridge is the largest university in the United Kingdom.  In 2009, the university will celebrate its 800th anniversary, making it one of the world’s oldest universities.  Cambridge has produced more than 60 Nobel Laureates.

225. What is a Hydrogen Bomb?

Ans:-Hydrogen Bomb is the nuclear weapon that produces a large amount of its energy through nuclear fusion reactions. It is called thermonuclear bomb. Historically it has been called hydrogen bomb as it relys on fusion reactions between isotopes of hydrogen (deuterium and tritium).   The Hydrogen Bomb is more powerful than fission bombs. Only six countries—United States, Russia, United Kingdom, People’s Republic of China, France and India—have detonated hydrogen bombs.

226. Who founded the Hotmail?

Ans:- Windows Live Hotmail, formerly known as MSN Hotmail and commonly referred to simply as Hotmail, is a free webmail service of the Windows Live brand provided by Microsoft. The Hotmail web-based email service was founded by Jack Smith of US and Sabeer Bhatia of India in 1996. Hotmail was one of the first free webmail services. Hotmail was acquired in 1997 by Microsoft for an estimated $400M, and rebranded it as “MSN Hotmail”. The current version, “Live Hotmail” was officially announced on November 1, 2005 as an update to Microsoft’s existing MSN Hotmail service. After a period of beta testing, it was officially released all over the world on May 7, 2007.  It has over 260 million users worldwide and is available in 35 different languages.

227. Where is Fiji?

Ans:- Fiji, officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country occupies an archipelago of about 322 islands, of which 106 are permanently inhabited and 522 islets. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of the population. The first people of Fiji arrived long before contact with European explorers in the seventeenth century. Pottery excavated from Fijian towns shows that Fiji was settled before or around 1000 BC. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman visited Fiji in 1643 while looking for the Great Southern Continent.  The islands came under British control as a colony in 1874, and the British brought over Indian contract labourers. It was granted independence in 1970.

228. When was aluminium used for the first time?

Ans:- Aluminium  is a silvery white and ductile member of the poor metal group of chemical elements. Its symbol is Al.  Aluminium is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust, and the third most abundant element overall, after oxygen and silicon.  Aluminium is found combined in over 270 different minerals. The chief source of aluminium is bauxite ore.  Ancient Greeks and Romans used aluminium salts as dyeing mordants and as astringents for dressing wounds; alum is still used as a styptic. In 1761 Guyton de Morveau suggested calling the base alum alumine. In 1808, Sir Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium and later aluminum. Friedrich Wohler generally credited with isolating aluminium in 1827 by mixing a hydrous aluminium chloride with potassium.

229. Why is number 13 considered unlucky?

Ans:- 13 is considered unlucky because: 1. Several mass murderers have 13 letters in their names (e.g. Harold Shipman; Charles Manson; Jeffrey Dahmer). 2. Judas Iscariot was the 13th person to sit at Christ’s table. 3. Norse mythology tells of 12 deities sitting down for a banquet, when Loki, the god of mischief, crashed the party, resulting in the death of one of the gods. 4. Witches, to oppose themselves to Christian superstition, often make up groups of 13, called covens. 5. In a deck of Tarot cards, the number 13 card is called Death.

230. Why is Friday considered unlucky?

Ans:-Friday is considered unlucky because: 1. Friday was execution day in ancient Rome. 2. Christ is thought to have been crucified on a Friday. 3. Friday used to be Hangmans Day in Britain. 4. Some believe it was the day God threw Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden.  5. Friday is Friggas Day (ancient Scandinavian love & fertility goddess). Yet Christians called Frigga a witch, and Friday the ‘Witches Sabbath’.

231. Where is Istanbul?

Ans:-Istanbul later called Constanti- nople is Europe’s most populous city and 21st largest urban area and Turkey’s cultural and financial center.  It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European Thrace and on the Asian Anatolia side of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world which is situated on two continents. In its long history, Istanbul served as the capital city of the Roman Empire, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire. The city is chosen as joint European Capital of Culture. The historic areas of Istanbul were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

232. Who is the longest serving President of America?

Ans:- Franklin Delano Roosevelt has the honor of being the longest serving U.S. President.  Roosevelt was elected into office on March 04, 1933 and served for 4 terms, becoming the only president to serve more than two terms. He passed away during his 4th term on April 12, 1945 from a cerebral hemorrhage. In all Franklin D. Roosevelt served 12 years 1 month and 8 days as the president of the United States.

233. Which is the coldest place in India?

Ans:- Drass in western Ladakh is the coldest place in India. It is also the 2nd coldest place in the world after Siberia. Temperatures drop down to about -40 degrees Celsius in winters. However, summers in Drass are balmy and many trekkers and campers visit Drass during the summer time. Drass has an altitude of 3230 m and lies 60 km west of Kargil on the road to Srinagar. The Drass valley starts from the base of the Zojila pass, the Himalayan gateway to Ladakh.

234. Which was the first Nuclear Power Plant in India?

Ans:- Tarapur Atomic Power Station located in Maharashtra was the first nuclear power plant in India. The construction of the plant was started in 1962 and the plant went operational in 1969. The 320 MW Tarapur nuclear power station housed two 160 MW boiling water reactors, the first in Asia. The Tarapur Plant was originally constructed by the American companies Bechtel and GE, under a Agreement between India, the United States, and the IAEA. The Tarapur Atomic Power Station is under the control of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.

235. What are termites?

Ans:- Termites, sometimes incorrectly called “white ants”, are a group of social insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera. As truly social animals, they are termed eusocial along with the ants and some bees and wasps. Termites mostly feed on dead plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung, and about 10% of the estimated 4,000 species are economically significant as pests that can cause serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation forests. As eusocial insects, termites live in colonies that, at maturity, number from several hundred to several million individuals.

236. Where is the Dal Lake?

Ans:- The Dal Lake is a famous lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of the   state of Jammu & Kashmir. The lake itself is connected to a number of other lakes of the Kashmir valley. It is well known for its approximately 500 Victorian-era wooden houseboats, originally built as vacation homes for landless British administrators during the Raj. The lake covers 18 square kilometers.  Along most of the shore of the lake is a boulevard, lined with Mughal-era gardens, parks, and hotels. During the winter season the lake sometimes freezes over. The lake has some interesting flora like lotus, water lillies and water chestnuts and fauna which include kingfishers and heron.

237. Which is the oldest medical college of India?

Ans:- The Madras Medical College located in Chennai is the oldest medical college of India. It was established on February 2nd, 1835. First on 16th November 1664, it was started as a small hospital to treat the sick soldiers of the British East India Company.  By 1820, the institution had the recognition as the model hospital of the East India Company. Then it was regularized into a medical school in 1835. Indians were admitted into the school in 1842, and since then the school started expanding.

238. When was the World Bank established?

Ans:- World Bank  is an internationally supported bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs like bridges, roads, schools, etc. The World Bank was formally established on December 27, 1945. The concept was originally conceived in July 1944 at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference. .

239. What is the international Space Station? When was it established?

Ans:- The International Space Station (ISS) is a research facility currently being assembled in space. The on-orbit assembly of ISS began in 1998. The space station is in a low Earth orbit and can be seen from Earth with the naked eye. It has an altitude of 350-460 km above the surface of the Earth, and travels at an average speed of 27,700 km per hour, completing 15.77 orbits per day. The ISS is a joint project among the space agencies of the United States (NASA), Russia (RKA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA) and eleven European countries (ESA). The ISS has been continuously inhabited since the first resident crew entered the station on November 2, 2000, thereby providing a permanent human presence in space.

240. What is a crocodile?

Ans:-A crocodile is a species belonging to the family Crocodylidae. The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i.e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans and the gharials. Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, Americas and Australia. Crocodiles tend to congregate in freshwater habitats like rivers, lakes, wetlands and sometimes in brackish water. They feed mostly on vertebrates like fish, reptiles, and mammals, sometimes on invertebrates like mollusks and crustaceans, depending on species. They are an ancient lineage and are believed to  be 200 million years old.

241. Which are the largest selling greetings cards in the world?

Ans:- A greeting card is an illustrated, folded card featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feeling. Hallmark Cards and American Greetings are the largest producers of greeting cards in the world. In the United Kingdom, it is estimated that one billion pounds are spent on greeting cards every year, with the average person sending 55 cards per year.

242. What is Konkan Railways?

Ans:-The Konkan Railway is a company of the Indian Railways which operates along the Konkan coast of India. It has connected the two important port cities Mangalore and Mumbai by the railway network. The region through which the railway track passed was geographically very tough and was an engineering challenge. Due to the uneven terrain of the region, railway lines were not laid for many years. The Railway Ministry in 1988 named it as the Konkan Railway after the coastline along which it runs. It was constituted as a separately incorporated railway, with its headquarters at CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai. By May 1999, the Konkan Railway had laid a 760km broad gauge route from Roha to Mangalore along the western coast of India. This project was substantially completed by October 1997 under the supervision of  E. Sreedharan its first Chairman and Managing Director.

243. Where is the Niagara Falls?

Ans:- Niagara Falls is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The falls are located 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York, 75 miles south-southeast of Toronto.  Niagara Falls is composed of two major sections parted by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side of the border and American Falls on the United States side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls also is located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island. Niagara Falls was formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation and water from the newly-formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment enroute to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls is very wide. More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water fall over the crest line every minute in high flow, and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average.

244. Which was the oldest News Paper in the world?

Ans:- There is some debate over which was the first newspaper because the definition of a newspaper has been flexible. The World Association of Newspapers recognizes Johann Carolus’s Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien, published in 1605, as the world’s first newspaper. The Dutch Courante uyt Italien, Duytslandt, &c. of 1618 is also considered by some to be the first modern newspaper since the Relation looks more like a book than what is now considered a newspaper. The newspaper Opregte Haarlemsche Courant from Haarlem, first published in 1656, is considered by some to be the oldest continuously published newspaper. In the English-speaking world, Nathaniel Butter is often credited with the creation of the first news periodical in 1622. In 1702, the first daily newspaper called The Daily Courant was published.

245. What is Bharatanatyam?

Ans:-Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu.  This popular South Indian dance form called Bharatanatyam is a 20th century reconstruction of Cathir, the art of temple dancers. Cathir in turn, is derived from ancient dance forms. The word Bharata, some believe, signifies the author of the famous Sanskrit treatise on stagecraft, called NatyaShastra, and the word Bharatanatyam is sometimes given a folk etymology as follows: Bha for Bhava or abhinaya and expression, Ra for raga or melody, and Ta for tala or rhythm. Bharata refers to the author of the Natya Shastra, and natya is Sanskrit for the art of sacred dance-drama brought to the stage at the beginning of the 20th century.

246. What is the meaning of chocolate?

Ans:- The word “chocolate” comes from the Aztecs of Mexico, and is derived from the Nahuatl word xocolatl (pronounced, which is a combination of the words, xocolli, meaning “bitter”, and atl, which is “water”. The Aztecs associated chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility. Chocolate is also associated with the Mayan god of fertility.  However, it is more likely that the Aztecs themselves coined the term, having long adopted into Nahuatl the Mayan word for the “cacao” bean. The chocolate residue found in an early classic ancient Maya pot in Río Azul, northern Guatemala, suggests that Mayans were drinking chocolate around 400 AD

247. Who was Ramanujan?

Ans:- Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar (22 December 1887 – 26 April 1920) was an Indian mathematician and one of the greatest mathematical geniuses of the 20th century. With almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made substantial contributions in the areas of mathe matical analysis, number theory, infinite series and continued fractions. Ramanujan, born and raised in Erode, Tamil Nadu, India, first encountered formal mathematics at age ten. He demonstrated a natural ability at mathematics, and was given books on advanced trigonometry which he mastered by age thirteen, and even discovered theorems of his own. By the age of seventeen, Ramanujan was conducting his own mathematical research on Bernoulli numbers and the Euler–Mascheroni constant. In 1912-1913, Ramanujan was called to study at Cambridge. Ramanujan independently compiled nearly 3900 results (mostly identities and equations) during his short lifetime.

248. Where is Wellington?

Ans:- Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. It is the country’s second largest urban area and the most populous national capital in Oceania. Wellington was named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo. The Duke’s title comes from the town of Wellington in the English county of Somerset. Wellington is New Zealand’s political centre, housing Parliament and the head offices of all government ministries and departments, plus the bulk of the foreign diplomatic missions based in New Zealand.

249. Who was ‘the Great Gama’?

Ans:- The “Great” Gama (1882-1960), also known as Rustam-e-zaman Gama Pahelvan, was born in Amritsar. He was a renowned wrestler and a practitioner of Pehlwani wrestling. He was awarded the Indian version of the World Heavyweight title on October 15, 1910. To this date he is the only wrestler in history who remained undefeated his whole life; his career spanned more than 50 years.

250. What are the medicinal values of Amla?

Ans:- Amla, or Indian gooseberry, has been traditionally used for many chronic conditions including diabetes. Research has been done with amla evaluating its role as an antioxidant in ulcer preve- ntion, for people with diabetes, for mental and memory effects, and its anti-inflammatory properties. Amla is the Hindi name while in Sanskrit, the term used is Amalaki.

251. Who invented Ambulance?

Ans:- The ambulance was invented in 1792 by Baron Larrey, personal doctor of Napoleon Bonaparte.  He was worried about the way in which wounded men were being carried from a battlefield. They were simply put into an open cart and taken away, being jolted all the time over the rough ground. Baron Larrey designed a cart with special springs mounted into it to make them more comfortable, and then a cover erected over the top to protect the patients from the weather. So in 1796 a special French Army unit was established to remove the wounded from battlefields, equipped with 12 of these ‘one-horse flying ambulances’. The first ambulance for civilian was used on the streets of Margate, Kent, in 1878 –pulled by hand, and with just one wheel! However, in 1883 one appeared with four wheels, rubber tires and was pulled by a horse. The first ambulance to have its own engine – fitted with a Daimler engine – was demonstrated in Paris in 1895 and was used in 1900.

252.  Which is the tallest mountain of the world?

Ans:-Everyone knows that Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. But if you want to get technical about it, the answer is no. Mount Everest stands 29,028 feet tall. From top to bottom, it’s taller than any other mountain—whose bottom is the surface of the earth. If we add what’s underneath, then Mount Everest isn’t the tallest mountain. The tallest mountain then is Mauna Kea, a huge, very tall volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.  Mauna Kea stretches 13,796 above water and 19,680 underwater, for a total of 33,476.

253.  When did India  achieve its First Test victory?

Ans:- India made its Test debut in 1932. But India had to wait for 20 long years in order to taste the charm of victory. India achieved its first ever Test victory in 1951-52 under the captaincy of legendary batsman Vijay Hazare when it beat England in Madras in the Final Test.The England team  was bowled out for 266 as Vinoo Mankad grabbed 8 wickets. India with fine centuries by Pankaj Roy and Polly Umrigar replied a mammoth total of 457.   India bowled out England for 183 in the second innings, to win the Test by an innings and 8 runs.

254.  How do the astronauts write in the space?

Ans:- The  astronauts write in the space by the  Space Pen  known as the Zero Gravity Pen. It is also called the   Fisher Space Pen as it was invented by American industria- list and pen manufa- cturer Paul C. Fisher. The Space Pen uses pressurized ink cartridges and can write in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, over wet and greasy paper, at any angle, and in extreme temperature ranges.There are two prominent styles of the Space Pen:- the AG7 “Astronaut pen”, a long thin retractable pen shaped like a common ballpoint, and the “Bullet pen” which is non-retractable, shorter than standard ballpoints when capped.

255. Where is Kodaikanal, the beautiful hill station of India?

Ans:-Kodaikanal is a city in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu. It is sometimes referred to as the “Princess of Hill stations” and is a popular tourist destination. It was established by American missionaries around 1845. It stands in a 7,202 ft high basin at the southern edge of the central part of the Palani Hills in the Western Ghats. Kodaikanal has a beautiful lake and numerous scenic mountain views of the plains below. There are several waterfalls in the area, which are popular attractions. The nearest airports are Madurai (135 km), Trichy (200km) and Coimbatore (170 km). The nearest Railway stations are Palani Railway Station (64 km), Kodai Road Station (80 km) and Dindigul Railway Junction (100 km). Due to its high altitude, Kodaikanal has a temperate subtropical climate.  During the summer average temperature is 11 - 20°C and during the winter it is 8 - 17°C. In January, night temperatures sometimes drop to freezing, and thin ice is seen on the lake edges. The best times for traveling there are from April to June and from September to October.

256. Which is the longest running film in India?

Ans:- “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” also known as DDLJ  is the longest-running movie of India.  The film has marked more than 600th week of shows. Starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol the movie released in 1995, run more than a decade after its release. Directed by Yash Chopra’s son Aditya Chopra, the film became one of Hindi cinemas biggest blockbusters sweeping 10 Filmfare awards and the National award for popular and wholesome entertainment.  Earning over Rs 580 million in India and Rs 175 million overseas, the film became the biggest Bollywood hit of all time.

257. What are Musk deer?

Ans:- Musk deer are a group of even-toed ungulate mammals. They form the family Moschidae and are more primitive than true deer. There are four species of musk deer, but they are all very similar. They are –Himalayan, Siberian, Black and Dwarf Musk Deer. Musk deer are about 90 centimeters long and about 60 centimeters high. They weigh about 10 kilograms. They mostly have a dark brown fur. Males have tusks which can be up to 7 cm long and also a musk gland. The female gives birth to 1-2 babies.  Musk deer live in the mountains, mostly at heights of 2500 to 3500 meters. They eat grass and moss; in winter they also eat twigs and lichen. Musk deer are now found in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Northern Myanmar, Tibet, South-West China, India and Eastern Russia.

258.How many languages are spoken in the world?

Ans:- Today, there are more than 2 700 different languages spoken in the world, with more than 7 000 dialects. In Indonesia alone, 365 different languages are spoken. More than 1,000 different languages are spoken in Africa. The most difficult language to learn is Basque, which is spoken in north-western Spain and south-western France. It is not related to any other language in the world. Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world, followed by English. But as home language, Spanish is the second most spoken in the world. The youngest language in the world is Afrikaans, spoken by South Africans.

259. What is a cyclone?

Ans:- In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of low atmospheric pressure characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere of the Earth.  There are a number of structural characteristics common to all cyclones. Their center is the area of lowest atmospheric pressure, often known in mature tropical and subtropical cyclones as the eye. Near the center, the pressure gradient force and the Coriolis force must be in an approximate balance, or the cyclone would collapse on itself as a result of the difference in pressure. The wind flow around a large cyclone is counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

260. How did arithmetical numbers come into existence?

Ans:- The arithmetical numbers, which are universal today, were first invented  in India. This system is known as Hindu numeral system. It simplified calculations by marking the values of a number depend on its position as well as the number itself. In the number 444, the single figure 4 represents 400, 40 and 4, and the whole number is the sum of these values. In contrast, the Romans used symbols whose values were the same irrespective of their positions.

261. Who is the first Woman Prime Minister of the world?

Ans:- Sirimavo  Bandaranaike (April 17, 1916 - October 10, 2000), a politician of Sri Lanka was the  first women Prime Minister of a country. She was Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for three times, from 1960-1965, 1970-1977 and 1994-2000. She was a leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. She was the wife of a previous Sri Lankan prime minister, Solomon Bandaranaike and the mother of Sri Lanka’s third president, Chandrika Kumaratunga.

262. Who is the first Woman Chief Minister of an Indian state?

Ans:- Sucheta Kriplani (June 25, 1908- December 1, 1974)  a freedom fighter and politician was the first woman to be elected as a Chief Minister of a Indian state. She was the first women Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.   Educated at Indraprastha College and St.Stephen’s College, Delhi she became a lecturer at the Banaras Hindu University. In 1936, she married socialist, Acharya Kriplani and became involved with the Indian National Congress. She was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1952 and 1957 and served as a Minister of State for Small Scale Industries. In 1962, she was elected to the U.P Assembly from Kanpur and served in the Cabinet in 1962. In 1963, she became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

263. Which state of India produces largest number of coconuts?

Ans:- Coconut is grown in more than 90 countries world wide.  Coconut has been a part of the Indian culture and has been produced in India since a very long time. Currently India stands third in the list of the maximum coconut producing countries of the world below Indonesia and the Philippines. The coconut produce in India was 14811.1 million nuts in the year 2006. Kerala is the largest producer of coconuts in India contributing to around 45% share in the country’s produce.  Kerala (6326 million nuts), Tamil Nadu (4867.1 million nuts) , Karnataka (1209.8 million nuts), Andhra Pradesh (892 million nuts), West Bengal (323.5 million nuts), Orissa (274.6 million nuts).

264. When was Utkal University established?

Ans:- Utkal University, the 7th oldest university of India, was established in 1943. The present campus of the university is located in Bhubaneswar at Vani Vihar campus. The campus of the Utkal University spreads over 399.9 acres of land. The Utkal University holds about 26 post-graduate departments, which takes care of post-graduate studies and researches in a number of courses such as Social Science, Commerce, Humanities, Science, Business Administration and Law. With about 263 affiliated colleges affiliated to it, its jurisdiction spreads over nine districts, namely, Angul, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri.

265. Wen was the Qutab Minar built?

Ans:- The Qutab Minar, a marvel in itself is the first monument of Muslim rule in India.  It was built in Delhi in the year 1192 by Emperor Qutub-ud-din Aibak of Slave Dynasty. It heralded the beginning of a new style of art and architecture that came to be known as the Indo -Islamic style. The Qutab Minar is not only an important tourist spot in Delhi, it is also an excellent example of early Islamic architecture in India.

266. What is a Visa?

Ans:- A visa is a document that has been issued by a country giving an individual permission to formally request entrance to the country during a given period of time and for certain purposes and usually stamped or glued inside of a passport, or sometimes issued as separate pieces of paper. Many countries require possession of a valid passport and visa as a condition of entry for foreigners, though there exist exemptions.  Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter or exit a country, and are thus, for some countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country. Some countries require that their citizens, and sometimes foreign travelers, obtain an exit visa in order to be allowed to leave the country.

267. What is ISRO?

Ans:- The Indian Space Research Organization  or ISRO is India’s national space agency. With its headquarters in Bangalore, the ISRO employs approximately 20,000 people, with a budget of around Rs. 65 billion.  Its mandate is the development of technologies related to space and their application to India’s development. The current Chairman of ISRO is G. Madhavan Nair. In addition to domestic payloads, it offers international launch services. ISRO successfully launched its first unmanned moon mission-Chandraayan 1, at 0622 hrs IST on October 22 2008.

268. What are the functions of CBSE?

Ans:-The Central Board of Secondary Education famous as CBSE is an eminent board of school education in India. The CBSE prepares the syllabus for Class 9 to Class 12 in schools affiliated with it. It conducts two major examinations every year, the All India Secondary School Examination (AISSE) for Class 10 and the All India Senior School Certificate Examination (AISSCE) for Class 12, which is a school-leaving examination. Many private schools within and outside India are affiliated to CBSE. The medium for education prescribed by CBSE is either English or Hindi. The CBSE also conducts the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) which is a common entrance examination conducted on all-India basis for admission to engineering and architecture/planning programmes in the country. Similarly Pre-medical and Pre-dental Tests AIPMT (PMT/PDT) are conducted for medical and dental colleges. In 1952, the CBSE was established was finally reconstituted in the year 1962. There are a total of 9,689 schools from India and outside India affiliated to CBSE.

269. What is a condor?

Ans:- Condor is the name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. They are:- The Andean Condor which inhabits the Andean mountains and the California Condor nowadays restricted to western coastal mountains of the United States. Condors are part of the family Cathartidae, whereas the 15 species of Old World vultures are in the family Accipitridae that also includes falcons, hawks, and eagles. The New World and Old World vultures evolved from different ancestors. However, they both are carrion-eaters and have distinctive bare heads. Both condors are very large broad-winged soaring birds, the Andean Condor being 5 cm shorter (beak to tail) on average than the northern species, but larger in wingspan. California Condors are the largest flying land birds in North America.

270. Which is the fastest growing plant?

Ans:- Bamboo is a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family. Some of its members are giant bamboo, forming by far the largest members of the grass family. Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world. Their growth rate is up to .5-1 feet/day.  There are 91 genera and about 1,000 species of bamboo. They are found   across East Asia to Northern Australia, and west to India and the Himalayas. They also occur in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Americas from the Southeastern United States south to Argentina and Chile. Major areas with no native bamboos include Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, Canada, most of Australia, and Antarctica.

271. What is Squash?

Ans:- Squash is a racquet sport that was formerly called squash racquets, a reference to the squashable soft ball used in the game.  The game is played by two players or four players for doubles with standard rackets in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball. Squash is characterized as a high-impact exercise that can place strain on the joints, notably the knees. Squash is recognized by the IOC and remains in contention for incorporation in a future Olympic program and is for consideration for the 2016 Summer Games. The game of squash was developed by boarders at London’s Harrow School, in the early 19th century. By the end of the century it had spread to Britain’s other private schools as well as Oxford and Cambridge universities. In 1908 a squash sub-committee of the Tennis and Rackets Association was formed to regulate the sport, followed in 1928 by the British Squash Rackets Association.

272. Where is Saint Petersburg?

Ans:- Saint Petersburg  is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city’s other names were Petrograd and Leningrad. It is often called just Petersburg. Founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia on 27 May, 1703, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713–1728, 1732–1918). Saint Petersburg ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution of 1917.  It is Russia’s second largest and Europe’s fourth largest city after Moscow, London and Paris. Saint Petersburg is a major European cultural center, and an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea.

273. When was the legendary film Sholay made?

Ans:-  Sholay  is an Indian Hindi Western film by Ramesh Sippy. It is the biggest hit in the history of Bollywood, India’s Hindi film industry. Released on August 15, 1975, it starred Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri and Amjad Khan. The movie, set in the lawless and rugged terrain of central India, is the story of two hired hands, trying to capture a ruthless dacoit by the name of Gabbar Singh. Sholay is the highest grossing film of all time in India. It has earned Rs. 2,36,45,00,000.   It ran for 286 weeks straight or more than five years in one Mumbai theatre, the Minerva. Sholay racked up a still record 60 golden jubilees across India and doubled its original gross over reruns during the late 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.

274. Who was Sir Thomas More?

Ans:- Sir Thomas More (7 February 1478 – 6 July 1535) was an English lawyer, author, and statesman who in his lifetime gained a reputation as a leading humanist scholar.  He occupied many public offices, including Lord Chancellor. He was beheaded in 1535 when he refused to sign the Act of Supremacy that declared Henry VIII Supreme Head of the Church in England. In 1935, four hundred years after his death, Pope Pius XI canonized More in the Roman Catholic Church; More was declared Patron Saint of politicians and statesmen by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

275. Which is the largest insect?

Ans:- Goliath beetles are the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of size, bulk and weight. They are members of subfamily Cetoniinae, within the scarab beetle family. Goliath beetles can be found in many of Africa’s tropical forests, where they feed primarily on tree sap and fruit. Little appears to be known of the larval cycle in the wild, but in captivity, Goliathus beetles have been successfully reared from egg to adult using protein-rich foods such as commercial cat and dog food. Goliath beetles measure from 60–110 millimetres for males and 50–80 millimetres for females, as adults, and can reach weights of up to 80–100 grams (2.8–3.5 oz) in the larval stage, though the adults are only about half this weight. The females range from a dark brown to silky white, but the males are normally brown/white/black or black/white.

276. Where is the Amazon River?

Ans:- The Amazon River of South America is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the next top ten largest rivers flowing into the ocean combined. The Amazon, which has the largest drainage basin in the world, accounts for approximately one fifth of the world’s total river flow. While the Amazon is clearly the largest river in the world by most measures, the current consensus within the geographic community holds that the Amazon is the second longest river, just slightly shorter than the Nile. The Amazon basin, the largest drainage basin in the world, covers some 40 percent of South America, an area of approximately 6,915,000 square kilometers.

277. Where are Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar?

Ans-Mount Kailash and Lake Mansaro- var are the two most sacred places of pilgrimage for the Hindus. Both lie in Tibet and the pilgrimage route to these places was opened to the people of India by the Chinese Government in 1981, after a lapse of nearly two decades. Pilgrims have to go through barren mountains, icy-cold streams, miles of thick snow and fierce blizzards to reach there. The Pilgrimage is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs with the help of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. Mansarovar Lake is situated at a height of 14,950 feet above sea level.

278. Which is the richest nation in the Arab World?

Ans-  Oil and gas rich Qatar is the richest nation in the Arab world. Qatar became the no.1 by replacing the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Qatar’s Per-capita income was estimated as $ 29,000 in the year 2000. This is due to the mega gas projects. UAE is the second wealthiest member of the 22 nation Arab league.  Although Saudi Arabia controls a quarter of the World’s oil wealth but Bahrain and Oman are ahead of it.

279. Who founded the city of Jaipur?

Ans.  Jaipur- the pink city was founded by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728. The city was laid out in rectangular blocks and divided by cross streets into six portions, which in turn were intersected by narrow paths. The city was     designed under Jai Singh’s inspiration by Vidyadhar to whom was entrusted the   supervision of the execution.

280. What is RDX?

Ans- RDX is a soft pliable, odourless, highly explosive chemical chemically known as cycloptrimethylene trinitramine. It is one and a half times more powerful than TNT used in military explosives. Pure RDX is so explosive that it explodes on impact or by friction. Because of its plastic nature and lack of odour, RDX is extensively used by terrorists in different parts of the world.

281. What is hacking in computer?

Ans:- Hacking is a term used for destroying or folding up a computer programme or Website that has been already established by someone else. Those who     indulge in such types of activities are called hackers. They are brilliant   programmers who are able to pick anybody’s lock or code word on the network gates. A hacker traditionally, is someone who uses his skills and knowledge to find out flaws in a system and gains control over a computer or a network of computers.

282. Which is the world’s first airport built on man-made island?

Ans. Kansai International Airport of Japan is the world’s first airport built on a man-made island. It was built on Osaka Bay southwest of Osaka city of Japan and was opened on 4th September 1994. The sea where the airport was built was an average of 18 metres deep. Huge amounts of earth and sand equivalent to 70 pyramids of Egypt were used to recover land from the sea. The airport contains land of 510 hectare of land and its runway is 3,500 metres. The runway can handle 160,000 landings and takeoffs in a year. The design of the passenger terminal building is the world’s largest single structure. It can handle 30 million air travellers in a year.

283. What is Cocoa? Which is the original native place of Cocoa?

Ans. Cocoa is used in preparing chocolates and it comes from the fruits of Cocoa tree. The Cocoa tree produces pods of Cocoa beans (seeds) throughout the year. Cocoa tree were originally grown in tropical Central America. The Aztecs who lived in Mexico over 455 years ago were the first Cocoa drinkers. Cocoa was brought to Europe from Central America by Spanish conquerors. Now West African countries are the largest producer of Cocoa.

284. Where is Bodh Gaya and why is it famous ?

Ans:- Bodh Gaya lies 11 kilometres to the south of Gaya in the state of Bihar. It is the place where Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism attained enlightenment. There is a Bodhi tree (Pipal tree) under which the Buddha meditated and attained supreme knowledge. The famous Mahabodhi temple is there, which is now in its renovation form. The present temple having a tower rising to a height of 52 metres in the form of a straight-edged pyramid of seven storeys was completely restored in 11th century. Inside the temple there is a great gilded figure of the Buddha touching the earth.

285.  Which is the largest deer species in India?

Ans:- The Sambhar is the largest and most widely distributed deer in India. It is found in the forest from the southern reaches of the Western Ghats to the Himalayan foothills. A full-grown stag (male deer) stands to 150 cm at the shoulder and weighs about 300 kg. Females are smaller. The coarse, shaggy brown coat of Sambhar darkens with age and turns to almost black in old age. The three horns of the stags reach full size in four years.  Stags usually remain alone without companion and are more active at night. They associate with female deer only during the mating season.

286. Where is Nanda Devi National Park situated?

Ans:- Nanda Devi National Park is situated in Chamoli district of Uttaranchal. Spread over an area of 630 sq km, it is just next to the Nanda Devi Peak.  It was established in 1980.  This Park has been declared a world heritage site.  The first men on record to have reached this Sanctuary were the British Mountaineers Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman in 1936. The area had largely remained undisturbed till then.  A unique mix of flora and fauna is characteristic of this park. The fauna includes the brown and Himalayan black bears, Himalayan thar, snow leopards, and serow and chir pheasants.

287. What type of plant is spinach?

Ans:- Spinach  is a flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant (rarely biennial), which grows to a height of up to 30 cm. Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions. The leaves are alternate, simple, and ovate to triangular-based, very variable in size from about 2-30 cm long and 1-15 cm broad, with larger leaves at the base of the plant and small leaves higher on the flowering stem. The flowers are inconspicuous, yellow-green, 3-4 mm diameter, maturing into a small hard dry lumpy fruit cluster 5-10 mm across containing several seeds. Primitive forms of spinach are found in Nepal and that is probably where the plant was first domesticated. Other than the Indian subcontinent, it was unknown in the ancient world. After the early Muslim conquests the plant spread to other areas.  Spinach is a rich source of iron.

288. Which was the first Quartz watch?

Ans:- The Japanese had the first quartz watch on the market.  Although the Swiss were the first to make a quartz watch prototype, the Japanese Seiko 35SQ Astron was the first analog quartz watch to reach the market. While continuing to produce mechanical watches, Seiko turned its attention to quartz timekeeping in 1958 with the development of a quartz crystal clock. A team was assembled in 1959 to develop a quartz watch. The primary objectives of the project were to reduce the size to that of conventional mechanical watches, and to achieve reasonable prices through volume production. The result of this project was the world’s first quartz watch, the Seiko 35SQ Astron, introduced to the Japanese market on Christmas Day, 1969.

289.Which is the tallest flying bird in the world?

Ans:- Sarus Crane is the tallest flying bird in the world. A large adult male may approach 1,8 m (six feet) in height.  In the rural areas of Northern India, one can see these birds. In the 19th century the Sarus was a common sight.  More than 1, 00,000 birds soared over the northern plains. Since then, the numbers have been falling drastically, and today there are less than 10, 000 birds left in India. As is often the case, the loss of habitat is mostly to blame; the wetlands have been converted to agricultural use, under the increasing pressure from the human population growth. The worldwide population has dwindled under 20,000 cranes, of which there are perhaps less than 10,000 breeding, adult birds left.

290. Which is the first metro in the world?

Ans:- A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated or metro system is a railway, usually in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency of service and grade separation from other traffic. 162 cities of the world have rapid transit systems, totaling more than 8,000 km of track and 7,000 stations. 25 cities have new systems under construction. The oldest metro system in the world is the London Underground, which opened in 1863 and was then called the Metropolitan Railway.

291.What is INTERPOL?

Ans:- INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 186 member countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime. INTERPOL aims to facilitate international police co-operation even where diplomatic relations do not exist between particular countries. Action is taken within the limits of existing laws in different countries and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

292.What is limestone?

Ans:- Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate: CaCO3). Limestone often contains variable amounts of silica in the form of chert or flint, as well as varying amounts of clay, silt and sand as disseminations, nodules, or layers within the rock. The primary source of the calcite in limestone is most commonly marine organisms. These organisms secrete shells that settle out of the water column and are deposited on ocean floors as pelagic ooze or alternatively are conglomerated in a coral reef. Secondary calcite may also be deposited by supersaturated meteoric waters (groundwater that precipitates the material in caves). This produces speleothems such as stalagmites and stalactites. Another form taken by calcite is that of oolites (oolitic limestone) which can be recognized by its granular appearance. Limestone makes up about 10% of the total volume of all sedimentary rocks.  Limestones may also form in both lacustrine and evaporite depositional environments.

293.What is Ranji Trophy?

Ans:- The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides. The competition is named after Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji (Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, also known as “Ranji”). The competition was launched as “The Cricket Championship of India” by the BCCI in July 1934.  The trophy was donated by Bhupinder Singh, the Maharajah of Patiala. The first Ranji Trophy Championship was won by Bombay after they defeated North India in the final. Syed Mohammed Hadi of Hyderabad was the first batsman to score a century in the tournament.

293. Which is the native place of coconut?

Ans:- The coconut  is grown throughout the tropical world. The origins of this plant are the subject of controversy. Most authorities claim that it is native to South Asia, particularly the Ganges Delta, while others claim its origin is in northwestern South America. Fossil records from New Zealand indicate that small, coconut-like plants grew there as long as 15 million years ago. Even older fossils have been uncovered in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra of India and the oldest known so far in Khulna, Bangladesh.

294. Where is Lima?

Ans:- Lima, is the capital city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, on a coast overloo looking the Pacific Ocean. It forms a contiguous urban area with the seaport of Callao. Lima was founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535, as the City of the Kings. It became the most important city in the Spanish Viceroy- alty of Peru and, after the Peruvian War of Independence, the capital of the Republic of Peru. Today around one-third of the Peruvian population lives in its metropolitan area.

295. Where do the Eskimos live ?

Ans:- Eskimos are the indigenous people of the Arctic and sub-arctic regions of Greenland, Canada, the Alaska region of  North America, and Siberia of  Russia . The self-designations of Eskimo peoples vary with their languages and dialects. “Eskimo” is an American Indian word which translates to “eaters of raw meat.” Ironically, scientists put the Indians in a separate anthropological category while the Eskimos are considered more closely related to the natives of northern Asia. People we call Eskimos originally came from Asia across a land bridge into northern North America, now called Alaska. They gradually spread across the Arctic regions of the continent.

296. When was the “one-day cricket” started?

Ans:- Limited overs  matches, also known as “One-Day crickets”, were introduced in the English domestic season of 1962 in response to demands for a shorter and more dramatic form of cricket. One-day, single-innings, matches often took place before this, but the innovation was the limiting of each side’s innings to an agreed number of overs (nowadays usually 40 or 50).  The first One-Day International (ODI) match was played between England and Australia in Melbourne in 1971. The first World Cup of One-Day cricket started in 1975.  Innovations have included the introduction of coloured clothing, distinct tournaments, and “day-night” matches.

297. When was the Supreme Court of India established?

Ans:- The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. According to the Constitution of India, the role of the Supreme Court is that of a federal court, guardian of the Constitution and the highest court of appeal. Articles 124 to 147 of the Constitution of India lay down the composition and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court of India came into being on January 28, 1950, two days after India became a sovereign democratic republic. The inauguration took place in the Chamber of Princes in the Parliament building. The Court moved into the present building in 1958. The building is shaped to project the image of scales of justice with the Central Wing of the building corresponding to the centre beam of the Scales. In 1979, two New Wings—the East Wing and the West Wing—were added to the complex. In all there are 15 Court Rooms in the various wings of the building.

298. Where is the Sahara Desert?

Ans:-  The Sahara  or “The Great Desert”,  is the world’s  largest hot desert. At over 9,000,000 square kilometres, it covers most parts of north- ern Africa; an area stretching from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. It is almost as large as the continental United States, and is larger than Australia. The Sahara covers huge parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia. It is one of three distinct physiographic provinces of the African massive physiographic division. The desert landforms of the Sahara are shaped by wind (eolian) or by occasional rains, and include sand dunes and dune fields or sand seas (erg), stone plateaus (hamada), gravel plains (reg), dry valleys (wadi), and salt flats (shatt or chott). Unusual landforms include the Richat Structure in Mauritania. Several deeply dissected mountains and mountain ranges, many volcanic, rise from the desert, including the Aïr Mountains, Ahaggar Mountains, Saharan Atlas, Tibesti Mountains, Adrar des Iforas, and Red Sea Hills. The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi, a shield volcano in the Tibesti range of northern Chad. Most of the rivers and streams in the Sahara are seasonal or intermittent, the chief exception being the Nile River, which crosses the desert from its origins in central Africa to empty into the Mediterranean. Underground aquifers sometimes reach the surface, forming oases, including the Bahariya, Ghardaïa, Timimoun, Kufrah, and Siwah. Most of the people of Sahara are nomads.

299. Who was saint Tukaram?

Ans:- Bornin 1598 AD in Dehu village eighteen miles away from Pune, Tuka or Tukaram is one among the most popular saints of India.  His life is a favorite topic for Keertankars who recite and  tell stories  in praise of God. He spent much of his spare time in contemplation and studying works of Jnaneswar, Namdev and Eknath, other famous saints of India.  After a period of contemplation in isolation and sadhana of severe kind, he started Bhakti( devotion) moment.  A Sadhaka according to him is one who has subdued all passions.   He had learnt the hard way that material world and spiritual life could never coexist. Singing and chanting of God’s glory was a surest path of god-realization to Tukaram. Caste and class do not come in the way of God-realization, he declared.

300. When was the ball-pen invented?

Ans:- A ballpoint pen  is a modern writing instrument. It has a rotating small steel ball, held in place by a socket. A ballpoint pen has an internal chamber filled with a viscous ink. Its ink is dispensed at the tip during use by the rolling action of a small metal sphere (0.7 mm to 1.2 mm in diameter) of brass, steel or tungsten carbide. The ink dries almost immediately after contact with paper. Inexpensive, reliable and maintenance-free, the ballpoint has replaced the fountain pen as the most popular tool for everyday writing. The first patent on a ballpoint pen was issued on 30 October 1888, to John J Loud.

301. Which country is the native of the sunflower?

Ans:- The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant native to the Americas in the family Asteraceae, with a large flowering head (inflorescence). The stem of the flower can grow as high as 3 metres tall, with the flower head reaching up to 30 cm in diameter with the “large” seeds. The term “sunflower” is also used to refer to all plants of the genus Helianthus, many of which are perennial plants.  Sunflowers are native to the Americas.  The earliest known examples of a fully domesticated sunflower were found at the Hayes site in Tennessee and date back to around 2300 B.C. There were also other remains found at the Olmec site of San Andrés dating some time before 2100 B.C. The Incas used the sunflower as an image of their sun god. Gold images of the flower, as well as seeds, were taken back to Europe early in the 16th century.

302. Where is The Gulf of Mannar?

Ans:- The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay  of the Laccadive Sea  in the Indian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka with widths between 160 km and 200 km. A chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam’s Bridge, also called ‘Ramsethu’, separates the Gulf of Mannar from the Palk Strait. The Tambaraparani River of south India and Aruvi Aru of Sri Lanka drain into the Gulf. The Gulf of Mannar is known for 3,600 species of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest coastal regions in Asia.

303. Where is the Vindhya Range?

Ans:- The Vindhya Range is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent.  It geographically separates the Indian subcontinent into northern India and Southern India. The western end of the range is in the state of Gujarat and the eastern side borders with the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The range runs east and north nearly to the Ganges River at Mirzapur. The area to the north and west of the range are arid and inhospitable. The southern slopes of the range are drained by the Narmada River, which proceeds westward to the Arabian Sea. The northern slopes of the range are drained by tributaries of the Ganges, including the Kali Sindh, Parbati, Betwa, and Ken. The Son, a tributary of the Ganges, drains the southern slopes of the range at its eastern end.

304. Where was the Mesopotamia civilization?

Ans:- Mesopotamia  means “land between the rivers”.  This civilization was developed between the Tigris- Euphrates region in the eastern Mediterranean, largely corresponding to Iraq, as well as northeastern Syria, some parts of southeastern Turkey, and some parts of the Khuzestan Province of southwestern Iran. Widely considered as the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires. In the Iron Age, it was ruled by the Neo-Assyrian Empire and Neo-Babylonian Empire, and later conquered by the Achaemenid Empire. It mostly remained under Persian rule until the 7th century.

395. What is Devanagari script?

Ans:- Devanagari is an alphabet of India and Nepal. It is written from left to right and lacks distinct letter cases.  It is recognizable by a distinctive horizontal line running along the tops of the letters that links them together. Devanagari is the main script used to write Hindi, Marathi, and Nepali. Since the 19th century, it has been the most commonly used script for Sanskrit. Devanagari is also employed for Gujari, Bhili, Bhojpuri, Konkani, Magahi, Maithili, Marwari, Newari, Pahari, Santhali, Tharu, and sometimes Sindhi, Punjabi, and Kashmiri. Devanagari is part of the Brahmic family of scripts of Nepal, India, Tibet, and South-East Asia. It is a descendant of the Gupta script.

306. Who was Cleopatra?

Ans:- Cleopatra was a beautiful and ambitious queen of the Macedonian Dynasty ruling Ancient Egypt. In her struggles to win the crown and keep her country free, she sought the support of Julius Caesar, bearing him a son. For a time she lived in Rome. Later, she won the protection of Rome through an affair with Mark Anthony, and had three children with him. Financing his failing military campaigns, both she and Anthony were defeated in a battle against Octavian in 31 B.C. A lesser known fact is that Cleopatra was highly educated and possessed an impressive intellect, being a student of philosophy and international relations.

307. Which is the second highest waterfall in the world?

Ans:- Tugela Falls is the world’s second highest waterfall. The total drop in five free-leaping falls is 3,110 feet high. They are located in the Drakensberg in the Royal Natal National Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province, Republic of South Africa. The water is pure and safe to drink above the falls. There are 2 stunning trails to the Tugela Falls. The most spectacular trail is to the top of Mount-Aux-Sources, which starts at the Sentinel car park at Witsieshoek via Phuthadjhaba.  Another trail to the foot of the Tugela Falls starts at Royal Natal National Park.

307. How much area of the earth does the Pacific Ocean cover?

Ans:- The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth’s oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east. It covers 169.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World Ocean which is about 46% of the Earth’s water surface and about 30% of its total surface. The equator subdivides it into the North Pacific Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, with two exceptions. The Mariana Trench in the western North Pacific is the deepest point in the Pacific and in the world, reaching a depth of 10. 911 km.

309. Where is Fiji?

Ans:- Fiji, officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands, is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country comprises an archipelago of about 322 islands, of which 106 are permanently inhabited. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of the population. The population of Fiji is mostly made up of native Fijians (54.3%), although a few also have Polynesian ancestry, and Indo-Fijians (38.1%). The descendants of Indian contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century. Most of these Indo-Fijians are or are descendants of Bhojpuri-speaking Biharis. Indigenous Fijians are mostly Christian (97.2%), and the Indo-Fijians mostly Hindu (70.7%) and Muslim (17.9%).

310. When was the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre established?

Ans:- The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is India’s primary nuclear research centre. It has a number of nuclear reactors, all of which are used for India’s nuclear power and research programme. The BARC was started in 1954, as the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET). It became India’s primary nuclear research centre, taking over charge of most nuclear scientists that were at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. After great scientist Homi J. Bhabha’s death in 1966, the centre was renamed as the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

311.Where was the ancient Gandhara kingdom?

Ans:- Gandhara was the name of an ancient kingdom, located in northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara was located mainly in the vale of Peshawar, the Potohar plateau and on the Kabul River. Its main cities were Purushapura (modern Peshawar) and Takshashila (modern Taxila). The Kingdom of Gandhara lasted from the 6th century BC to the 11th century AD. It attained its height from the 1st century to the 5th century under the Buddhist Kushan Kings. The Hindu kings ruled the region during the 10th and 11th centuries. After it was conquered by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1021 AD, the name Gandhara disappeared.

312. Who was Cyrus the Great?

Ans:- Cyrus the Great (600 BC – 530 BC), also known as Cyrus II of Persia and Cyrus the Elder, was the first Zoroastrian Persian  Emperor. He was the founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty, a world empire of major historical importance. It was under his own rule that the empire embraced all previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly, and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia, from Egypt and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, to create the largest empire the world had yet seen. The reign of Cyrus lasted 29 years. Cyrus built his empire by fighting and conquering first the Median Empire then Lydian Empire and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Cyrus died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in 530 BC.

313. Which is the largest river of Asia?

Ans:- The Yangtze River or Chang Jiang, is the longest river in China and Asia, and the third-longest in the world, after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. The river is about 6,385 km long and flows from its source in Qinghai Province, eastwards into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It acts as a dividing line between North and South China.   The Three Gorges Dam on the river, is the largest hydro-electric power station in the world.

31 4. Which is the fourth largest mountain in the world?

Ans:- Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain on Earth after Mount Everest, K2 and Kangchenjunga. It is connected to Everest via the South Col. Its main summit is at 8,516 metres above sea level. It is located at the border between Tibet and Nepal. Lhotse is best known for its proximity to Mount Everest.  An early attempt of climbing on Lhotse was by the 1955 International Himalayan Expedition, headed by Norman Dyhrenfurth.

315. Which is the largest spoken language in the world?

Ans:- Mandarin, traditional Chinese or simplified Chinese, is a category of related Chinese dialects spoken across most of northern and south-western China. The Mandarin language has more native speakers than any other language. Standard Mandarin functions as the official spoken language of the People’s Republic of China, the official language of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and one of the four official languages of Singapore.  Standard Mandarin—is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. It is spoken by 873,014,298 people.

316. What is the Goldfish?

Ans:- Goldfish is a small ornamental freshwater fish that is commonly kept as pet. Goldfish was one of the earliest breed of fish to be domesticated and is still one of the most commonly kept fish in aquariums and outdoor water gardens. Goldfish was originally domesticated from the Prussian carp, a dark grayish brown carp native to Asia. It was first bred for color in China over 1,000 years ago. Due to selective breeding, goldfish has been developed into many distinct breeds and is now found in various colors, color patterns, forms and sizes far different from those of the original domesticated carp.

317. Which is the native place of jackfruit?

Ans:- The jackfruit  is a species of tree in the mulberry family is native to parts of South and Southeast Asia. It is well suited to tropical lowlands. Its fruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the world.  The fruits can reach 36 kg in weight and up to 90 cm long and 50 cm in diameter. The jackfruit is something of an acquired taste, but it is very popular in many parts of the world.

318. which is the largest National park in the world?

Ans:- A national park is a reserve of land, declared or owned by a national government. It is protected from most human development and pollution. According to The World Conservation Union, there are now 6,555 national parks worldwide. The largest national park in the world is the Northeast Greenland National Park, which was established in 1974.

319. Where is the Gwalior Port?

Ans:- Gwalior Fort or Gwalior Qila is in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. It stands on an isolated rock and contains a number of historic buildings. Its greatest length from north-east to south-west is 2.4 km, and the greatest breadth 820 metre. The rock attains its maximum height of 342 ft  at the northern end. A rampart, accessible by a steep road, and farther up by huge steps cut out of the rock, surrounds the fort.  Gwalior fort is one of the biggest forts in India. It was built by Raja Man Singh Tomar in 10th century.

320 . How are colors produced in fireworks?

Ans:- Mineral elements taken from Earth provide the colors. Strontium yields deep reds, copper produces blue, sodium yields yellow, and iron filings and charcoal pieces produce gold sparks. Bright flashes and loud bangs come from aluminum powder.

321. Which volcano killed the most people in the world?

Ans:- The eruption of Tambora volcano in Indonesia in 1815 is estimated to have killed 90,000 people. Most died from starvation after the eruption, though, because of widespread crop destruction, and from water contamination and disease.

322. Which is the smallest island nation in the world?

Ans:- Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean,  is the world’s smallest island nation. It covers just 21sq km and is the smallest independent republic. Initially inhabited by Micronesian and Polynesian peoples, Nauru was annexed and designated as a colony by Germany in the late 19th century. After World War I, Nauru became a mandate territory administered by Australia, New Zealand, and the U K. During World War II, it was occupied by Japan, and after the war entered into trusteeship again. It achieved independence in 1968. Nauruans are among the most obese people in the world.

323. Where is the Bering Sea?

Ans:- The Bering Sea is a body of water in the Pacific Ocean.  It comprises a deep water basin which rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves. The Bering Sea is separated from the Gulf of Alaska by the Alaska Peninsula. It covers over two million square kilometers, bordered by Alaska on the east, on the west by Siberia, on the south by the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands.  On the far north, the Bering Strait separates the Bering Sea from the Arctic Ocean’s Chukchi Sea. The Bering Sea is named after the first discoverer to sail its water, the Russian navigator Vitus Bering. The Bering Sea ecosystem includes resources within the jurisdiction of the United States and Russia, as well as international waters.

324. Why is the Keoladeo Ghana National Park so famous?

Ans:- Keoladeo Ghana National Park  formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is in Rajasthan.  It is a famous avifauna sanctuary that sees thousands of rare and highly endangered birds such as the Siberian Crane coming here during the winter season. Over 230 species of birds are known to have made the National Park their home. The sanctuary was created 250 years ago and is named after a Keoladeo (Shiva) temple within its boundaries. It was declared a protected sanctuary in 1971. It is also a declared World Heritage Site.

325. What is the Shark Bay?

Ans:- The Shark Bay is a world heritage site in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. It is an area over 800 kilometres north of Perth, on the western most point of Australia. An expedition led by Dirk Hartog visited the area in 1616. The area has a population of fewer than 1,000 people and a coastline of over 1,500 kilometres. The half dozen small communities making up this population occupy less than 1% of the total area. The bay itself covers an area of 10,000 km², with an average depth of 10 metres. It is divided by shallow banks and has many peninsulas and islands.

326. Which is the largest desert of South-America?

Ans:- The Patagonian Desert, a cold winter desert, is the largest desert in South- America. It is the 7th largest desert in the world by area, occupying 260,000 square miles. It is located primarily in Argentina with small parts in Chile.  It is bounded by the Andes, to its west, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. In the Patagonian cold winter desert, the temperature rarely exceeds 12°C and averages  just 3°C. The region experiences about 7 months of winter and 5 months of summer.

327. What are LCD televisions?

Ans:- LCD TVs (Liquid-crystal display televisions) are color television sets that use LCD technology to produce images. LCD televisions are thinner and lighter than CRTs of similar display size, and are available in much larger sizes as well. In 2007, LCD televisions surpassed sales of CRT-based televisions worldwide for the first time, and its sales figures relative to other technologies are accelerating. LCD TVs are quickly displacing the only major competitors in the large-screen market, the plasma display panel and rear-projection television. LCDs are, by far, the most widely produced and sold television technology today, pushing all other technologies into niche roles.

328. Where is Malda?

Ans:- Malda  is a city and a municipality in the Malda district in the state of West Bengal. It serves as the district headquarters. It has an average elevation of 17 metres (56 feet). It is located on the Western bank of the river Mahananda.  As of 2001 India census, Malda has a population of 161,448. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Malda has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%.  Malda is famous for mangoes.

329. What makes thunder?

Ans:- The air around a lightning bolt is superheated to about five times the temperature of the Sun. This sudden heating causes the air to expand faster than the speed of sound, which compresses the air and forms a shock wave; we hear it as thunder.

330. How long is the average Martian day?

Ans:- A Martian can sleep or work and extra half-hour every day compared to people of our Earth. Mars days are 24 hours and 37 minutes long, compared to 23 hours, 56 minutes on Earth. A day on any planet in our solar system is determined by how long it takes to spin once on its axis, making the Sun appear to rise in the morning and sending it down in the evening.

331. Does Earth have the worst weather in the solar system?

Ans:-  No, our  Earth does not have the worst weather. There are lots of wilder weather else- where. Mars can whip up hurri- cane like storms four times bigger than the biggest on our Earth, at Texas, US. Dust storms on the red planet can obscure the entire globe. Jupiter has a hurricane twice the size our entire planet and it’s lasted for at least three centuries.  Venus is a living hell, with frequent and bigger storms and Pluto is routinely more frigid than the coldest place on Earth (though may change one day, and Pluto may in fact become the last oasis for life).

332. Where is Eden Gardens?

Ans:- Eden Gardens cricket ground is in Kolkata, India. It is the home of the Bengal cricket team and the Indian Premier League’s Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as being a Test and One Day International ground. Established in 1864, Eden Gardens currently holds 90,000 people after its renovations, reducing the previous capacity 120,000.  It is the 2nd largest stadium in India. It recorded its first Test in 1934 and its first ODI in 1987.

333. Where is Hampi?

Ans:- Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state of  India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, this village continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple. The village of Hampi contains several other monuments belonging to the old city. The Vijayanagara ruins are listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is 353 km from Bangalore, 254 km from Bijapur and 74km away from Bellary.

334. What is in Chewing Gum?

Ans: Originally, chewing gum was made from the latex sap of the sapodilla tree, native to Central America. This sap was called chicle. Other natural gum bases may be used, such as sorva and jelutong. Sometimes beeswax or paraffin wax is used as a gum base. After World War II, chemists learned to make synthetic rubber e.g., polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate, which came to replace most natural rubber in chewing gum.  In addition to the gum base, chewing gum contains sweeteners, flavorings, and softeners. Softeners are ingredients such as glycerin or vegetable oil that are used to blend the other ingredients and help prevent the gum from becoming hard or stiff.

335. Where is Taiga?

Ans:- Taiga is a biome characterized by conifer forests. The taiga can be described as rather cold, almost like the tundra, with many trees.  Covering most of inland Alaska, Canada, Sweden, Finland, inland Norway, Highland Scotland and Russia (especially Siberia), as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States (Northern Minnesota, Michigan, Upstate New York, New Hampshire, and Maine), northern Kazakhstan and Japan (Hokkaido), the taiga is the world’s largest terrestrial biome. Boreal forest is the term used to refer to the southern part of this biome, while “taiga” is used to describe the more barren northern areas of the Arctic tree line.

336. Which is the second highest mountain in India?

Ans:-Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India. It is part of the Garhwal Himalaya, and is located in the state of Uttarakhand, between the Rishiganga valley on the west and the Gori- Ganga valley on the east. Its name means Bliss-Giving Goddess. The peak is regarded as the patron-goddess of the Uttarakhand Himalaya. Nanda Devi is a two-peaked massif, forming a 2kms long high ridge, oriented east-west. Together the peaks are referred to as the twin peaks of the goddess Nanda. The main summit stands guarded by a barrier ring comprising some of the highest mountains in the Indian Himalayas.

337. Where is Brindavan Garden?

Ans:- The Brindavan garden is located in the Indian state of Karnataka. The park is adjoined to the Krishnarajasagara dam that is built across the river Kaveri. The foundation of the garden was laid in 1927 and was completed in 1932. This garden is one of the major attractions of the city of Mysore. The garden is maintained by the Cauvery Irrigation Department of Karnataka. The garden is laid out in 3 terraces which contain water fountains and has topiary works, pergolas and gazebos. One of the main attractions of this garden is the musical fountain. A lake is also constructed that offers boating facilities to the visitors.

338. Where is Manas National Park?

Ans:- Manas National Park is situated in Kamrup-Golapara district, along the Assam- Bhutan border. It was declared a sanctuary on October 01, 1928 and was designated as a World Heritage site in December 1985. The major fauna found here include the rhino, wild buffalos, elephants, gaur, swamp deer, capped langur and clouded leopard. The main highlight of the park is the giant hornbill, two subspecies of which, the pied and grey varieties are to be found here. Butterflies and reptiles are also found in large numbers in the Manas National Park. The ideal time to visit the Manas national park is during the months of November to April. One can also enjoy the rides on boats, elephants or on jeeps.

339. What is Garba?

Ans:- Garba is a popular dance form of Gujarat. It is a circular form of dance performed by women on the Navaratri, Sharad Purnima, Vasant Panchami, Holi and similar other festivals. The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term ‘Garba Deep’. In this dance form, ladies place the pot with the lamp on their heads and sway in circles. The Garba celebration starts at night time. Women assemble at one place. Traditionally, a photograph of the deity or a lamp is placed centrally and a circle is formed around it followed by dancing around it. The rhythm is maintained by a drummer. Garba songs are usually sung to invoke the blessings of Mother Goddess Amba.

340. Where is Macau?

Ans:-The Macau Special Administrative Region, commonly known as Macau is a special administrative regions of the People’s Republic of China. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east and south. The territory has thriving industries such as textiles, electronics and toys, and a notable tourist industry. This makes it one of the richest cities in the world. Macau was both the first and last European colony in China. Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century. The region was handedover to China in 1999.

341. When did the Constitution of India come into effect?

Ans:- The Constitution of India  is the supreme law of the country. Passed by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, it came into effect on January 26, 1950.  It declares the Union of India to be a sovereign, democratic republic, assuring its citizens of justice, equality, and liberty.  The words “socialist”, “secular” and “integrity” were added to the definition in 1976 by constitutional amendment. India celebrates the adoption of the constitution on January 26 each year as Republic Day.

342. Which is the 3rd most spoken language of the world?

Ans:- Spanish is the 3rd most spoken language of the world. It was originated in northern Spain and gradually spread. It was taken most notably to the Americas as well as to Africa and Asia Pacific with the expansion of the Spanish Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. Today, 329 million people speak Spanish as a native language. Mexico contains the largest population of Spanish speakers. Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. It is estimated that the combined total of native and non-native Spanish speakers is between 470 and 500 million, making it the 3rd most spoken language by total number of speakers (after Chinese and  English.

343. Who is the inventor of the photocopier?

Ans:- A photocopier or copier is a machine that makes paper copies of documents and other visual images quickly and cheaply. Most current photocopiers use a technology called xerography, a dry process using heat. Xerographic photocopying was introduced by Xerox in the 1960s, and over the following 20 years it gradually replaced copies made by carbon paper, and other duplicating machines.  Chester Carlson is the inventor of photocopying. Carlson after conducting many “electrophotography” experiments, applied for its patent in 1938.

344. Which the 2nd most traded currency in the world after the U.S. dollar?

Ans:- The euro (€) is the 2nd largest reserve currency and the 2nd most traded currency in the world after the U.S. dollar. It is the official currency of 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union. The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. The currency is also used in a further 5 European countries.  It is consequently used daily by some 327 million Europeans. Over 175 million people worldwide use currencies which are pegged to the euro, including more than 150 million people in Africa.

345. What are asteroids?

Ans:- Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets  are small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun, especially in the inner Solar System.  They are smaller than planets but larger than meteoroids. The first named minor planet, Ceres, was discovered in 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi. This was followed by the discovery of other similar bodies, which appeared to be points of light, like stars, showing little or no planetary disc. This prompted the astronomer Sir William Herschel to propose the term “asteroid”, in Greek, which means star-like, star-shaped.

346. What are the functions of the CSIR?

Ans:- The CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research)  is a premier industrial Research & Development  organization in India. It was constituted in 1942 by a resolution of the then Central Legislative Assembly. CSIR is an autonomous body aims to provide industrial competitiveness, social welfare, strong S &T base for strategic sectors and advancement of fundamental knowledge. Today CSIR is recognised as one of the world’s largest publicly funded R&D organisations having linkages to academia, R&D organisations and industry.

347. Where is Guyana?

Ans:-  Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Discovered by Europeans in 1498, Guyana’s past is punctuated by battles fought and won, possessions lost and regained as the Spanish, French, Dutch and British wrangled for centuries to own the land. It is the only state of the Commonwealth of Nations on mainland South America. Guyana is bordered to the east by Suriname, to the south and southwest by Brazil, to the west by Venezuela, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean.

348. What is Water hyacinth?

Ans:- Water hyacinth is a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical South America. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in height. The leaves are 10-20 cm across, and float above the water surface. They have long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The feathery, freely hanging roots are purple-black. An erect stalk supports a single spike of 8-15 conspicuously attractive flowers, mostly lavender to pink in colour with six petals.  One of the fastest growing plants known, water hyacinth reproduces primarily by way of runners, which eventually form daughter plants.

349. How Coca-Cola was produced for the first time?

Ans:-Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines worldwide.  It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia and is often referred to simply as Coke or as Cola.  Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft drink market throughout the 20th century. The company produces concentrate, which is then sold to various licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The bottlers, who hold territorially exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate in combination with filtered water and sweeteners.

350. Who is Gulzar?

Ans:- Sampooran Singh Kalra  (born in August 18, 1936), better known by his pen name Gulzar is a noted Indian poet, lyricist, director, and playwright, who works primarily in Hindi and Urdu languages. He has been awarded the Padma Bhushan and Sahitya Academy Award.   Gulzar is best known as a lyricist and director.   He was born in Dina, Jhelum District, British India, located in the current-day West Punjab, Pakistan. He is a clean-shaven Sikh. Before becoming an established writer, Gulzar worked as a car mechanic in a garage. As a Director his famous movies are  Maachis, Lekin, Kinara, Khushboo, Mausam, Aandhi, Parichay. His famous songs are Mera Kuchh Saaman’ - Ijaazat, ‘Do diwane shahar mein’ - Gharonda, ‘Aanewala pal jaane wala hai’ - Golmaal, ‘Hazar rahen mud ke dekhi’ - Thodi Si Bewafai, ‘Tujhse naraaz nahin zindagi’ - Masoom, ‘Chal Chhaiyya Chhaiyya Chhaiyya’ - Dil Se.

351. What are cereals?

Ans:- Cereals, or cereal grains, are mostly grasses cultivated for their edible barns or fruit seeds. Cereal grains are grown in greater quantities and provide more energy worldwide than any other type of crop; they are therefore staple crops. They are also a rich source of carbohydrates. The word cereal is derived from Ceres, the name of the pre-Roman goddess of harvest and agriculture. Cereal grains are members of the monocot family Poaceae. Maize, Rice, Wheat, Barley, Sorghum, Millets, Oats are some important cereals.

352. What is a boomerang?

Ans:- A boomerang is a simple instrument used for various purposes. It is primarily associated with Australian Aborigines, but has been found amongst people of North East Africa, Sardinia, Arizona, southern California Native Americans, and in India. Boomerangs come in many shapes and sizes depending on their geographic/tribal origins and intended function. The most recognizable type is the returning boomerang, a kind of throwing stick that, when thrown correctly, travels in a curved path and returns to its point of origin.  Boomerangs can be variously used as hunting weapons, percussive musical instruments, battle clubs, fire-starters, decoys for hunting waterfowl, and as recreational play toys. The smallest boomerang may be less than 10 cm from tip-to-tip, and the largest over 2 metres in length.

353. What is Kabaddi?

Ans:- Kabaddi, sometimes written Kabbadi or Kabadi is a team sport originally from the Indian subcontinent. Two teams occupy opposite halves of a field and take turns sending a “raider” into the other half, in order to win points by tagging or wrestling members of the opposing team; the raider then tries to return to his own half, holding his breath during the whole raid. The name, sometimes chanted during a game, derives from a Hindi word meaning “holding of breath”, which is a part of the game. In the team, or transnational, style of Kabaddi, two teams of seven members each, occupy opposite halves of a field of 12.5m × 10m. Each has five supple- mentary players held in reserve. The game is in 20-minute halves, with a five-minute half-time break during which the teams switch sides. Tagged members are “out” and sent off the field.

354. What is a gaur?

Ans:- The gaur is a large, dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The biggest populations are found today in India. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger even than the Cape buffalo, water buffalo and bison. It is also called seladang or in context with safari tourism Indian bison, although this is technically incorrect. The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal or mithun. The gaur is easily recognized by the high convex ridge on the forehead between the horns, which bends forward, and thus causes a deep hollow in the profile of the upper part of the head. In colour, the adult male gaur is dark brown.  The cows and young bulls are paler.

355. What is a saxophone?

Ans:- The saxophone, commonly referred to simply as sax  is a conical-bored transposing musical instrument considered a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and are played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax, a Belgian-born instrument-maker in 1841 and patented in 1846 in two groups of seven instruments each. Each series consisted of instruments of various sizes in alternating transposition. The series has proved extremely popular and most saxophones encountered today are from this series. While proving very popular in its intended niche of military band music, the saxophone is most commonly associated with popular music, big band music, blues, early rock’n’roll and particularly jazz.

356. Where is the North Pole?

Ans:- The North Pole is the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth’s axis of rotation meets the Earth’s surface. The North Pole is the northernmost point on Earth, lying diametrically opposite the South Pole. It defines latitude 90° north, as well as the direction of True North. While the South Pole lies on a continental land mass, the North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, amidst waters that are almost permanently covered with constantly shifting sea ice. This makes it impractical to construct a permanent station at the North Pole. However, former Soviet Union, and later Russia, has constructed a number of manned drifting stations, some of which have passed over or very close to the Pole. Recently, scientists have predicted that the North Pole may become seasonally ice-free by 2050 due to Arctic shrinkage. The sea depth at the North Pole has been measured at 4,261 metres.  The nearest land is usually said to be Kaffeklubben Island, off the northern coast of Greenland about 700 kms away.  The conquest of the North Pole was for many years credited to American Navy engineer Robert Edwin Peary, who claimed to have reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909.

357. What are Oscar Awards?

Ans:- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was established in May 1927 as a non-profit corporation to promote the art of movie making. The first Academy Awards, now better known as the Oscars, were presented at a private dinner in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with less than 250 persons attending. Today, the Oscar Awards are viewed by more than a billion people on television. The first television broadcast of the Oscars took place in 1953 telecasted throughout the US and Canada. Since 1969, the Oscars have been telecast throughout the world.

358. What is the hardest natural substance on earth?

Ans:- A diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth, but if it is placed in an oven and the temperature is raised to about 763 degrees Celsius, it will simply vanish, without even ash remaining. Only a little carbon dioxide will have been released. Diamonds are formed over a period of a billion or more years deep within earth’s crust - about 150 km deep and is pushed to the surface by volcanoes. Most diamonds are found in volcanic rock, called Kimberlite, or in the sea after having been carried away by rivers when they were pushed to the surface. A diamond is 58 times harder than the next hardest mineral on earth, corundum, from which rubies and sapphires are formed.

359. Why was the India Gate constructed?

Ans:- India Gate was constructed as a memorial in the memory of 90,00 soldiers who laid down their lives during World War I. Located at Rajpath, New Delhi,  India Gate is 42 m high and is a popular relaxation area during the summer evenings. India Gate also acts as a popular picnic spot during winter. Also known as the All India War Memorial, India Gate was designed and constructed by Lutyens, who is considered the chief proclaimer in designing the New Delhi plans. The foundation stone was laid by HRH, the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and the monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin.

360. What are orangutans?

Ans:- The orangutans are a species of great apes. Known for their intelligence, they live in trees and are the largest living arboreal animals. They have longer arms than other great apes, and their hair is reddish-brown, instead of the brown or black hair typical of other great apes. Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, they are currently found only in rain forests on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, though their fossils have been found in Java, the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Vietnam and China.

361. How long is a Martian year?

Ans:- It’s a year long, if you’re from Mars. To an earthling, it’s nearly twice as long. The red planet takes 687 Earth days to go around the Sun  compared to 365 days for Earth.

362. What was the deadliest known earthquake?

Ans:- The world’s deadliest recorded earthquake occurred in 1557 in central China. It struck a region where most people lived in caves carved from soft rock. The dwellings collapsed, killing an estimated 8, 30,000 people. In 1976, another deadly temblor struck Tangshan, China. More than 2, 50,000 people were killed.

363. Where is the Salt Lake Stadium?

Ans:- The Salt Lake Stadium is a multiuse stadium in Bidhannagar, Salt Lake, Kolkata. The stadium has the second largest non-auto racing capacity in the world & largest in the Indian sub-continent. It is currently used for football matches and athletics. The stadium was built in 1984 and holds 1, 20,000 in a three-tier configuration. The total covered area of the stadium is 76.40 acres. It is situated approximately 10 km from the heart of the city. It is elliptical in shape. The roof is made of strong tubes and aluminum sheets and concrete. There are two electronic score boards and control rooms. The lighting is uniformly distributed to facilitate nocturnal sports. There are special arrangements for TV broadcasting.  This Stadium also hosts different kind of cultural programmes like Dance, Music Concerts etc.

364. When was the Reserve Bank of India established?

Ans:-The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. The Central Office of the Reserve Bank was initially established in Kolkata(Calcutta) but was permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937. The Central Office is where the Governor sits and where policies are formulated. Though originally privately owned, since nationalisation in 1949, the Reserve Bank is fully owned by the Government of India. The Preamble of the Reserve Bank of India describes the basic functions of the Reserve Bank as: “...to regulate the issue of Bank Notes and keeping of reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in India and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its advantage.”

365. Which is the only Indian fish to migrate from the seas into river for breeding?

Ans:- Hilsa is the only Indian fish to migrate from the seas into river for breeding. It is popular in Assam, Bengal, Gujarat and Orissa. Hilsa is an economically important tropical fish. It is the National Fish of Bangladesh. This fish exists and is caught in the delta of Narmada river of Gujarat and Padma river of Bangladesh and in Bay of Bengal. Like Bengal or Orissa, this fish is not well known in Gujarat because fish eaters in Gujarat are mostly Muslims and Hindu fisherman of the coastal areas. The Hilsa lives in the sea for most of its life, but migrates up to 1,200 km inland through rivers in the Indian sub-continent for spawning. Hilsa is mainly available in the major Bangladesh Rivers of the Padma (lower Ganges), Meghna, and Jamuna (lower Brahmaputra). Those from the Padma are considered to be the best in taste. In India, the rivers Rupnarayan and Ganga are famous for their tasty breeds. However, Hilsa is also caught from the sea. But those caught from the sea are not considered to be so tasty as those caught from the river. Hilsa is an oily fish rich in essential fatty acids.  Recent experiments have shown its beneficial effects in decreasing cholesterol level in rats and insulin level.

366. Which is the most ancient of all musical instruments?

Ans:- Timpani (also known commonly as kettledrums or kettle drums) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper, and more recently, constructed of more lightweight fibre glass. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick or timpani mallet. Unlike most drums, they are capable of producing an actual pitch when struck, and can be tuned, often with the use of a pedal mechanism to control each drum’s range of notes. Timpani evolved from military drums to become a staple of the classical orchestra by the last third of the 18th century. Today, they are used in many types of musical ensembles including concert, marching percussion, and even some rock bands. Timpani is an Italian plural, the singular of which is timpano. However, in informal English speech the instruments are rarely called a timpano: they are more typically referred to as kettledrums, timpani, or simply timps. They are also often incorrectly termed timpanis. A musician who plays the timpani is known as a timpanist.

367. What is plaster of Paris?

Ans:- The term plaster can refer to plaster of Paris, lime plaster, or cement plaster. This article deals mainly with plaster of Paris. Plaster of Paris is a type of building material based on calcium sulphate hemihydrate. It is created by heating gypsum to about 150 °C. A large gypsum deposit at Montmartre in Paris is the source of the name. When the dry plaster powder is mixed with water, it reforms into gypsum. Plaster is used as a building material similar to mortar or cement. Like those materials plaster starts as a dry powder that is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after drying, and can be easily manipulated with metal tools or even sandpaper. These characteristics make plaster suitable for a finishing, rather than a load-bearing material.

368. Who has written the patriotic poem Saare Jahan Se Achchha?

Ans:- Saare Jahan Se Achchha is one of the enduring patriotic poems of the Urdu language. Written originally for children in the ghazal style of Urdu poetry by poet Muhammad Iqbal, the poem was published in the weekly journal Ittehad on 16 August 1904.  Iqbal was a lecturer at the Government College, Lahore.  Recited by Iqbal the following year at Government College, Lahore, now in Pakistan, it quickly became an anthem of opposition to the British rule in India. The song, an ode to Hindustan- the land comprising present-day Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan-both celebrated and cherished the land even as it lamented its age-old anguish. Also known as Tarana-e-Hindi “Anthem of the People of Hindustan”, it was later published in 1924 in the Urdu book Bang-i-Dara. At that time, he was invited by student Lala Har Dayal to preside over a function. Instead of delivering a speech, Iqbal sang Saare Jahan Se Achcha.

369. What is the thyroid?

Ans:- The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. This gland is found in the neck inferior to (below) the thyroid cartilage (also known as the Adam’s apple in men) and at approximately the same level as the cricoid cartilage. The thyroid controls how quickly the body burns energy, makes proteins, and how sensitive the body should be to other hormones. The thyroid participates in these processes by producing thyroid hormones, principally thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones regulate the rate of metabolism and affect the growth and rate of function of many other systems in the body. Iodine is an essential component of both T3 and T4. The thyroid also produces the hormone calcitonin, which plays a role in calcium homeostasis. The thyroid is controlled by the hypothalamus and pituitary.  Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) are the most common problems of the thyroid gland.

370. What is horsepower?

Ans:- Horsepower (hp or HP) is the name of several non-SI units of power. It was originally defined to allow the output of steam engines to be measured and compared with the power output of draft horses. The horsepower was widely adopted to measure the output of piston engines, turbines, electric motors and other machinery. Different regions adopted different definitions of the unit. Most countries now use the SI unit watt for measurement of power. The definition of a horsepower unit is different in different applications; application outside of the context of a particular definition will be inaccurate. One mechanical horsepower of 550 foot-pounds per second is equivalent to 745.7 watts.

371. What is Sumo?

Ans:-  Sumo  is a competitive contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practised professionally. The Japanese consider sumo a gendai budô (a modern Japanese martial art), though the sport has a history spanning many centuries. The sumo tradition is very ancient and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt for purification, from the days sumo was used in the Shinto religion. Life as a rikishi is highly regimented, with rules laid down by the Sumo Association. Professional sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal “sumo training stables” known in Japanese as heya where all aspects of their daily lives- from meals to their manner of dress- are dictated by strict tradition.

272. Who is the first aircraft hijacker?

Ans: The first aircraft to be hijacked was a Pan Am Fokker F7 aircraft carrying mail. On February 21, 1931, the plane while on the ground in Peru was seized by armed Peruvian revolutionaries. They wanted to be taken to Lima, so that they could drop their propaganda leaflets over it. The pilot refused and the deadlock in their negotiation lasted for ten days, after which the hijackers released the plane.

373. Why is Wimbledon dress coded white?

Ans: Traditionally, white is considered the colour of sports since it stands for purity. Since the Wimbledon championships placed great emphasis on tradition, it insists that the players wear only white. Of course thanks to some players, flamboyant outfits, most notably Andre Agassi, the all white dress code was relaxed to “almost white”.

374. Why does the surface of table tennis racquets have different colours?

Ans: The International Table Tennis Federation mandates that the surface of the racquets blade must be bright red on one side and black on the other, so that the players can tell which side the opponent has used to hit the ball. Many players use different type of rubber on each side of the paddle of ten having very different characteristics. Prior to this rule, a player could surreptitiously flip his or her paddle during play to change which rubber was on the forehand side, making it difficult for opponent to judge how the ball would be returned. By forcing the two sides to be coloured differently, this rule allows a player to more easily tell which rubber the opponent has used for any given return.

375. Has any goal keeper ever scored a goal directly from his 18 yard box?

Ans: Luis Matinez, a Colombian goal keeper achieved this feat in a match against Poland on May 30, 2006 in a world cup warm up match with Poland.

376. When was the water cannon invented?

Ans: It was invented in the 19th century. Water cannons were originally created for use on fire boats. The first fire boat was deployed in New York City on Feb 1, 1891. Truck based water cannons were used for riot control in the US during the 1960s.

377. Who are Javanese?

Ans:- Javanese is a member of the largest ethnic group in the republic of Indonesia. There are more than 50 million speakers of Javanese which belonged to the western branch of the Austronesia family. Although the Javanese have a Hindu-Buddhist heritage, they are today predominantly Muslims practicing a branch of Islam Jawa, which contains many Sufi features.

378. Which are the coldest places on the earth?

Ans:-  Antarctica takes  number one position among the coldest places on earth. Mostly inhabited except for penguin and seal colonies found along the coast, Antarctica has practically no match on the temperature department. At the Plateau Station, temperatures can easily plummet to -84°C and the annual average temperature barely reaches -36°C. The record as the coldest place, however, goes to Vostok Station, Antarctica, where the temperature reached -89 Celsius on 21 July 1983. Of all inhabited areas, one of the coldest places in the world is Siberia. It’s normal temperatures to reach -51.1°C in January. Oymyakon, in Eastern Siberia, has an average winter temperature of is - 71.2°C. The little village is home to 900 permanent residents, who endure winter for 9 months out of the year. The area is so cold that empty plastic bags taken outside will freeze within minutes and then crack like glass.

379. What is a satellite phone?

Ans:- A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites. Depending on the architecture of a particular system, coverage may include the entire Earth, or only specific regions. The mobile equipment, also known as a terminal, varies widely. Early satellite phone handsets had a size and weight comparable to that of a late 1980s or early 1990s mobile phone, but usually with a large retractable antenna. More recent satellite phones are similar in size to a regular mobile phone while some prototype satellite phones have no distinguishable difference from an ordinary smartphones. Satphones are popular on expeditions into remote areas where terrestrial cellular service is unavailable.

380. What is meant by the term, Chinaman, in cricket?

Ans:- The term, Chinaman, denotes an off break bowled by a left-handed bowler to a right-handed batsman. The expression is said to have derived from the blower Ellis Achong, who although played for the West Indies, was actually Chinese and who practiced this kind of bowling, although he was not the first to do so. This term should not be confused with the other cricket term, Googly.

381. Who invented insulin?

Ans:- Insulin is a very useful drug for diabetes and was discovered by the Canadian physician and Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Federik Grant Banting in 1921.

382. Where is Fatehpur Sikri?

Ans:- Fatehpur Sikri monument is 40 km from Agra. Sikri was a decrepit little village till the Mughal Emperor Akbar came visiting in 1568. Despite marrying the Amber princess Jodhabai in 1562, and having over 300 concubines, the monarch was childless. Desperate for an heir, Akbar visited the saint, Shaikh Salim who was encamping here and who predicted that Akbar would have a son within 3 years. As fate had willed it, Jodhabai bore him a son the next year. The emperor named him after the mystic. Not only that, he decided to move lock stock and barrel to the place and named it Fatehpur, or the ‘City of Victory’. His military conquest of Gujarat might also have persuaded him to shift base as must have the local abundance of red sandstone. In fact, apart from the marble-white mausoleum of Salim, nestling in one corner of the Jami Masjid – the city is entirely built out of red sandstone.

383. Who discovered America?

Ans:- Amerigo Vespucci (1451 – 1512) was the explorer who discovered America, and after whom it was named. He was a merchant and banker from Florence in Italy, living in Spain. He met Christopher Columbus, became interested in exploration, and made several voyages.

384. Who named the Pacific Ocean?

Ans:- Ferdinand Magellan was the person who gave the Pacific Ocean its name. Pacific means peaceful. Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to circumnavigate the world.

385. Who invented the alphabet?

Ans:- Archaeologists have pointed that the first workable alphabet was Phoenician in origin, and written as a crude script. However, each letter stood for a sound, and had a symbol of its own. This alphabet, dating from 1600 BC, is the ancestor of all modern Western alphabets. When introduced, it spread rapidly through the Middle East and finally, people of the time were able to write out complete words. The first Greekalphabet was developed from the Phoenician one during the fifth century BC. It became known as the Ionicalphabet and had 24 characters. When the Romans smashed the Greek Empire, they adopted this alphabet and adapted it to their own needs.

386. What is LPG?

Ans:- Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a mixture of hydrocarbons, which are in gaseous state at ambient temperature and pressure. These are liquefied under pressure for easy storage, handling and transportation in pressurized vessels. It is obtained through Crude Oil refining or from Natural Gas through fractionation. Butane and Propane are the main constituent hydrocarbons in LPG. Others present in traces or small fractions are Iso-butane, butylene, n-butane, propylene etc.

387. What is an oasis?

Ans:- An oasis is a fertile green patch of land in the desert. Plants grow there by drawing water with their long roots from a well or an underground spring. The water is trapped deep down in the rocks beneath the desert. Palm trees and vegetables can be grown in an oasis. Some oasis is large enough to support a town.

388. What makes the earth rotate?

Ans:- The Solar System, and indeed the Galaxy, were formed by the condensation of a rotating mass of gas. Hence, any bodies formed from the gas would be rotating. As frictional and other forces in space are very small, so the Earth and other planents and their satellites rotate.

389. When was iron discovered?

Ans:- About 4000 years ago iron was first discovered in South East Asia. At that time it was considered more valuable than gold.  By around 1200 BC, the Iron Age had begun. The ways of extracting it and working with it improved. Since iron is hard to melt, early users had to invent new techniques such as shaping it by hammering rather than casting.

390. When did writing begin?

Ans:- Actual writing took a very long time to develop. For thousands of years, men drew pictures of their activities and sent their messages in the form of pictures, representing events. This system developed into a form of writing around 3, 500 B. C. Archaeologists believed that the earliest form of writing was born in Erech, a city of the Sumerians, which flourished around 3500 B.C. They discovered hundreds of clay tablets, all inscribed with symbols, pictures and number markings from its ancient ruins. The Sumerian inscriptions contained some pictures, but they were surrounded with other markings and signs forming words.

391. Where did formal agriculture first take place?

Ans:-  It is  believed that the first farming of land began in the Middle East, on the slopes of the Zagros Mountains I Kurdistan. Modern dating methods prove that the Middle Eastern site is the oldest. There is evidence, too, of permanent settlements in this part of Kurdistan. At this particular site, there were found remains of the first formal farms in the entire history of man.

392. Where is the city of Atlantis?

Ans:- Legends tell us that there was a beautiful kingdom called Atlantis near the Greek or Canary islands.  It sank to the bottom of the sea after a massive volcanic eruption.

393. Why is fire hot?

Ans:- Chemical reactions is either exothermic(heat liberation) or endothermic (heat absorption). Oxidation reactions are exothermic and reduction reactions are endothermic. Combustion is an oxidation reaction and hence is exothermic. All liquid, solid and gaseous fuels contain any one of the three combustibles constituents viz, carbon, hydrogen and sulphur. When a fuel is burnt the heat liberated makes the products of combustion hot. The products of combustion are carbon dioxide, water vapour ans sulphur dioxide. Along with these, the unused oxygen in the atmospheric air supplied for combustion and also the entire quantity of nitrogen which is the major constituent in the air are also heated. That is why fire is hot.

394. Why does sea water not erode coastal areas in all places?

Ans:- The main cause of coastal erosion is the kinetic energy of wind. The main medium of transmission of wind energy is through wind generated water waves. Occasionally waves are also generated by other forms of energies such as earthquakes at sea beds. The waves cause     erosion upon breaking on the shoreline.

395. How is the Earth Magnetic?

Ans:- Movements inside the core of the Earth  create electrical currents that make the magnetic field of the Earth. Like a planet sized bar magnet, the Earth's magnetic field is oriented to give a magnetic North Pole and the magnetic South Pole. The Earth's magnetic field structures far into space for about 60,000 kilometers. All the members of the Solar System have magnetic fields.

396. Where is Daringbadi ?

Ans:- Daringbadi dubbed as the ‘Kashmir of Odisha’, is a pretty hill station situated in   Kandhamal District of Odisha. It can be reached from Bhubaneswar (211 km) and other important places of the state by regular bus services. The nearest railway station is at Berhampur (127 km). Hill View point has been developed at Daringbadi where from a visitor could watch and enjoy the beauty of valley. Tourist complex has been built at Daringibadi for accommodation of the tourists. Vast patch of Coffee plantation attract a large number of visitors to Daringibadi all through the year.

397. Where is the Kingdom of Bhutan?

Ans:- The Kingdom of Bhutan is a small landlocked country in South Asia. It is located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by India and to the north by China. Bhutan is separated from the nearby state of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim. The total area of the country is currently 38,816 square kilometers.  Bhutan’s state religion is Buddhism. Hinduism is the second-largest religion. The capital and largest city of Bhutan is Thimphu. After centuries of monarchy, democratic elections were held in Bhutan in 2008.

398.Where is the Eastern Ghats?

Ans:- The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along the eastern coast of India. The Eastern Ghats run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south. They are eroded and cut through by four major rivers of India, the Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri. The mountain ranges run parallel to the Bay of Bengal.

399. What were Mahajanapadas?

Ans:- Mahajanapadas were kingdoms in ancient Indian. There were 16 great kingdoms called Mahajanapadas which had evolved and flourished in a belt stretching from Gandhara in the northwest to Anga in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent and included parts of the trans-Vindhyan region, prior to Buddhism in India. The term “Janapada” literally means the foothold of a tribe. Each of these Janapadas was named after the Kshatriya tribe who had settled therein. The 16 Mahajanapadas were Kashi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kamboja.

400. What is Mohiniyattam?

Ans:- Mohiniyattam is a traditional dance form of South India especially of Kerala. It is one of the eight Indian classical dance forms.  It is considered a very graceful dance meant to be performed as a solo recital by women. It was developed by the great Tamil dance exponent Vadivelu. The term Mohiniyattam comes from the words “Mohini” meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and “aattam” meaning graceful and sensuous body movements. The word “Mohiniyattam” literally means “dance of the enchantress”. The costume includes white sari embroidered with bright golden brocade at the edges.

401.Which period is called the Hellenistic period ?

Ans:- The Hellenistic period describes the era which followed the conquests of Alexander the Great. During this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its zenith in Europe and Asia. It is often considered a period of transition, sometimes even of decline or decadence, between the brilliance of the Greek Classical Era and the emergence of the Roman Empire. Usually taken to begin with the death of Alexander in 323 BC, the Hellenistic period may either be seen to end with the final conquest of the Greek heartlands by Rome in 146 BC  or the final defeat of the last remaining successor-state to Alexander’s empire, the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt in 30 BC. The Hellenistic period was characterized by a new wave of colonists which established Greek cities and kingdoms in Asia and Africa.

402. What is Biogeography?

Ans:- Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species. It aims to reveal where organisms live, and at what abundance. The patterns of species distribution across geographical areas can usually be explained through a combination of factors such as speciation, extinction, continental drift, glaciations.  Modern biogeography often employs the use of Geographic Information Systems, to understand the factors affecting organism distribution, and to predict future trends in organism distribution.  Often it is also employed to solve ecological problems that have a spatial aspect to them.

403. Where is Mussoorie, the famous hill station of  India ?

Ans:- Mussoorie is a famous hillstation of northern India, about 34 km from Dehradun, Uttarakhand.  This hill station, known as the Queen of the Hills, is situated in the foothills of the Himalaya ranges. Being at an average altitude of 6,170 ft above the sea level, Mussoorie, with its green hills and varied flora and fauna, is a fascinating hill resort. The snow ranges and glittering views of the Valley attract tourists.

404. When did the British occupy Odisha?

Ans:- The British occupied the southern coast of Odisha in the 1750s and incorporated them into the Madras Presidency. In 1803, the British under the British East India Company annexed the Maratha province of Odisha. The northern and western districts of Odisha were incorporated into Bengal Presidency. The coastal section was separated from Bengal and made into the Province of Bihar and Orissa in 1912, in response to local agitation for a separate state for the Odia-speaking people. In 1936, Bihar and Odisha were split into separate provinces.

405.Who was Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray?

Ans:- Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, popularly known as P. C. Ray was a Bengali scientist, academician and chemist.  He was born on August 2, 1861 in the Khulna District now in Bangladesh and died on June 16, 1944. He obtained the B.Sc. degree in 1886 and the D.Sc. degree in 1887 from Edinburgh University, United Kingdom. He returned to India in 1889 and joined Presidency College, Calcutta as Assistant Professor of Chemistry. In 1936, at the age of 75, he retired from active service and became Professor Emeritus.  He was the founder of Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, India’s first pharmaceutical company. He had written 107 papers in all branches of Chemistry.

406. Where is the Charminar? Who had built it ?

Ans. The Charminar is in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. It was built by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 shortly after he had sifted his capital from Golkonda to present Hyderabad. The Charminar is a rectangular structure with four arches and minarets of 84 feet high and its architecture is Indo-Saracenic of the Deccani pattern. It is built of stone and lime and is full of fine stucco decorations of plaster of lime and sand. The height of each minar from the ground level is 160 feet. On the top storey of the Charminar there is a beautiful mosque and another structure, which looks like a temple that signifies the religious tolerance of the Qutab Shahi kings.

407. When did boxing originate?          

Ans. Boxing with gloves was depicted on a fresco from the Isle of Thera, Greece around 1520 B.C. The code of rules was formulated in England on August 16, 1741 by the champion Pugilist Jack Broughton who reigned from 1729 to 1750.

408. Who was Harshavardhana?

Ans:- Harshavardhana (606-647AD) was a great ruler of India, the only consolidated rule after the Guptas. He was the younger son of Prabhakara Vardhana, Raja of Thaneshwar. His sister Rajyasri was married to the king Grahavarman. Sasanka the king of Gauda, with the help of the king of Malwa defeated Grahavarman and imprisoned Rajyasri. Rajyavardhan his brother who then ruled Kannauj advanced against Sasanka to avenge his sister’s fate. But he was killed by Sasanka. Thus Harshavardhana had to ascend the throne. Harshavardhana pursued a policy of conquest and Punjab, Kannauj, parts of Bihar and Bengal formed a part of his kingdom by 612 AD. To honour Huien Tsang, the Chinese pilgrim, Harshavardhana organised the Kannauj Assembly in 643 AD which included a large congregation of Brahmans, Buddhist monks and Jains, who were involved in religious discourses.

409. From where do we get the pearl?

Ans- The pearl is considered as one of the most beautiful of all jewels. But it is the gem that is not dug up from the mine. It is obtained from the sea. Pearl is grown in the shell of an oyster. The oyster does not manufacture the pearl for the purpose of adorning the necks of women. It makes it only as a means of self-protection. Sometimes, a hard, tiny object such as a grain of sand gets inside the shell and irritates the soft sensitive flesh of the oyster. As a protection the oyster begins to cover the object with a thick fluid from its own body. When this layer hardens, the irritation begins again and the oyster adds another layer. After many years the oyster produces a beautiful pearl by this process.

410.  What is Acid Rain?

Ans. When rain falls, it becomes polluted in the atmosphere with two poisonous gases namely sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. These gases are mostly emitted from power plants and factories. The falling rain and snow react with these oxides and bring on suddenly new chemical properties. This mixture, often of sulphuric acid, nitric acid and water is being described as ‘Acid Rains’ by scientists. Acid Rains cause widespread harm to the environment.

411. In which Indian villages, all inhabitants speak Sanskrit natively since childhood?

Ans:- In these Indian villages, Mattur in Karnataka, Jhiri in Rajgadh District of  Madhya Pradesh, Ganoda in Banswada District of Rajasthan, Bawali in Bagapat District of  Uttar Pradesh and Mohad in Narasinhpur District  of  Madhya Pradesh inhabitants of all castes speak Sanskrit natively since childhood.

412. Which period is called the Middle Ages ?

Ans:- The Middle Ages is a period of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The period followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, and preceded the Early Modern Era. The term “Middle Ages” reflects the view that this period was a deviation from the path of classical learning  and reconnected by Renaissance scholarship.

413. What is Confucianism?

Ans:- Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–478 BC). It is a complex system of moral, social, political, philosophical, and quasi-religious thought that has had tremendous influence on the culture and history of East Asia. It might be considered a state religion of some East Asian countries, because of governmental promotion of Confucian philosophies. Cultures and countries strongly influenced by Confucianism include mainland China, Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam, Singapore and Japan.

414. Where is the Giant Panda found?

Ans-  The  Giant Panda is  found only in the bamboo forests of Western China and parts of Tibet. It was known to the Chinese for over  4,000 years. But only after 1869 it was known to the people of the world. The Giant Panda weighs 90 kg and is 1.8 metres long. It has thick  yellowish  white fur in most parts of its body expect the legs, shoulders which are black. It feeds on bamboo shoots and lives about 15 years.

415. Where is Mongolia?

Ans:- Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and the People’s Republic of China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only 38 kilometres from Kazakhstan’s eastern tip. Ulaanbaatar is its capital.  Mongolia’s political system is a parliamentary republic. The area of what is now Mongolia has been ruled by various nomadic empires. The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan in 1206. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Mongolia came under the influence of Tibetan Buddhism. Mongolia declared independence in 1911, but had to struggle until 1921 to firmly establish de-facto independence from the Republic of China, and until 1945 to gain interna- tional recognition. At 1, 564, 116 square kilometres, Mongolia has around 2.9 million people. The country contains the Gobi Desert.

416. Where was the Lighthouse of Alexandria?

Ans:- The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, was a tower built between 280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt to guide sailors into the harbour at night. With a height variously estimated at between 393 and 450 ft, it was for many centuries among the tallest man-made structures, and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  The tower erected on the island guided mariners at night using fire and reflective mirrors, and acted as a landmark by day. It was said that the light could seen from up to 47 km away, and legends claim that the light from Pharos could burn enemy ships before they reached shore. The lighthouse was badly damaged in the earthquakes of 956, 1303 and 1323. Even the stubby remnant disappeared in 1480, when the then-Sultan of Egypt, Qaitbay, built a medieval fort – the Citadel of Qaitbay – on the site of the lighthouse.

417. Where is the Red Sea?

Ans:- The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. It connects to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez leading to the Suez Canal. The Red Sea is a Global 200 ecoregion. It has a surface area of roughly 438,000 km².  It is about 2250 km long and, at its widest point, is 355 km  wide. It has a maximum depth of 2211 metres in the central median trench, and an average depth of 490 metres. The sea is the habitat of over 1,000 invertebrate species, and 200 soft and hard corals.

41 8. What is Oceania?

Ans:- Oceania is a geographical, and often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands—mostly islands in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. The term “Oceania” was coined in 1831 by French explorer Dumont d’Urville. The term is also sometimes used to denote a continent comprising Australia and proximate Pacific islands,  and is one of eight terrestrial ecozones. The boundaries of Oceania are defined in a number of ways. Most definitions include Australia, New Zealand and all or part of the Malay Archipelago.

41 9. Where is the Siachen Glacier located?

Ans:- The Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalaya Mountains, just east of the Line of Control between India-Pakistan. India controls all of the Siachen Glacier itself, including all tributary glaciers. At 70 km long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world’s non-polar areas. It falls from an altitude of 5,753 m above sea level at its head at Indira Col (pass) on the China border down to 3,620 m at its terminus. The Siachen Glacier lies immediately south of the great watershed that separates China from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram.  The Siachen Glacier boasts the world’s highest helipad, built by India. The world’s highest battlefield is also located on the glacier at a height of 6400 m above the sea level.

420. Which is the second largest bird in the world?

Ans. The Cassowary is the second largest bird in the world after Ostrich. It is a flightless bird found in Australia and New Guinea. It grows upto a height of 2 metres and weighs about 60 kg. The largest known Cassowary found in Australia was 83 kg, bigger than an adult human. The Cassowary lives around 40 to 50 years. The females are bigger and brighter than the males. These birds have powerful legs and a helmet like crest on the head. They can run at a speed of 50 kms per hour and jump to a height of 5 feet.

421. What is a pelican?

Ans:- A pelican is a large water bird with a large throat pouch. Modern pelicans, of which there are only eight species, are found on all continents except Antarctica. They primarily inhabit in warm regions. The largest pelican is the Dalmatian Pelican which weighs up to 15 kg. Pelicans swim well with their short, strong legs and feet.  The diet of a Pelican usually consists of fish. But they also eat amphibians and also smaller birds.

422. Where are Snow leopards found?

Ans:- The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. They live between 9,800 and 18,000 ft above sea level in the rocky mountain ranges of Central Asia. Snow leopards are smaller than the other big cats, but like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 27 and 54 kilograms. Body length ranges from 30 to 50 in, with a tail of 75 to 90 percent of that length. Snow leopards have long thick fur, the base colour of which varies from smoky grey to yellowish tan, with whitish under parts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their body with small spots of the same color on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tail. Unusually among cats, their eyes are pale green or grey in colour.

423. Who was James Watt?

Ans:- James Watt (19 January 1736 – 25 August 1819) was a Scottish inventor whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine brought revolution in the world. He introduced a design which improved the power, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of steam engines. The official SI unit of power, the watt, is named in his honour.

424. In which countries rice is grown in the world?

Ans:-  Rice, a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world’s human population. It is the grain with the second highest worldwide production, after maize (corn). Rice is grown especially in East, South, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies. Rice is normally grown as an annual plant. Rice cultivation is well-suited to countries and regions with low labour costs and high rainfall.

425. Which was the first man-mad satellite orbiting the Earth?

Ans:-  Sputnik 1 of former USSR or present Russia was the first Earth-orbiting artificial satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957. The satellite travelled at 29,000 kilometers per hour, taking 96.2 minutes to complete an orbit. Sputnik 1 burned up on 4 January 1958, as it fell from orbit upon reentering Earth’s atmosphere, after travelling about 60 million km and spending 3 months in orbit. Sputnik provided data on radio-signal distribution in the ionosphere.

426. Which nations are bounding the Arabian Sea?

Ans:-  The Arabian Sea  is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south by a line between Cape Guardafui, the north-east point of Somalia, Socotra, and Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) in India. The Arabian Sea’s surface area is about 3,862,000 km2. The maximum width of the Arabian Sea is approximately 2,400 km and its maximum depth is 15,262 ft. The river flowing directly into this sea  are Indus River, the largest river in Pakistan (also known as the Sindhu river), Netravathi, Sharavathi, Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, and the numerous rivers of Kerala in India. The countries with coastlines on the Arabian Sea are India, Yemen, Oman, Iran, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Somalia.

427. Why did the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 take place?

Ans;- The Indo-Pakistani War was took place between April  and September 1965 between India and Pakistan. This War was fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir. The war began following Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar, which was designed to infiltrate forces into Jammu and Kashmir to precipitate an insurgency against rule by India. The five-week war caused thousands of casualties on both sides. It ended in a United Nations (UN) mandated ceasefire and the subsequent issuance of the Tashkent Declaration.

428. When was cement invented?

Ans:-  Builders in Greek cities on the coast of Turkey evolved cement in about 200 BC as a construction material, in place of gypsum plaster used in Egypt or bitumen in Mesopotamia. The secret of the new material was the lime which binds sand, water and clay.  The Romans subsequently use finely ground volcanic lava in place of clay. Their cement, known for this reason was the strongest until the development of Portland cement.

429. Where is the Aravalli Range?

Ans:- The Aravalli Range literally means ‘line of peaks’.  It is a range of mountains in western India and eastern Pakistan running approximately 800 km from northeast to southwest across states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat and Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. The northern end of the range continues as isolated hills and rocky ridges into Haryana state, ending near Delhi. The southern end is at Palanpur near Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The highest peak is Guru Shikhar in Mount Abu. Rising to 5653 feet, it lies near the southwestern extremity of the range, close to the border with the Gujrat District. Numerous rivers arises amidst the ranges including, Banas River, Luni River, Sakhi, Sabarmati River.

430. Which areas are called Central Asia ?

Ans:- Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north. Central Asia has historically been closely tied to its nomadic peoples and the Silk Route.  As a result it has acted as a crossroads for the movement of people, goods, and ideas between Europe, West Asia, South Asia, and East Asia. Now Central Asia includes the 5 former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Other areas are the Republic of Mongolia, Afghanistan, northern and western Pakistan, north-eastern Iran, Jammu and Kashmir, and western parts of the People’s Republic of China as well as southern parts of Siberia.

431. Who was Nirad C. Chaudhuri?

Ans:- Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1897-1999) was a renowned English writer and cultural commentator. He was born in 1897 in Kishoreganj of present Bangladesh, which was a part of India. Nirad C. Chaudhuri’s famous books in English are The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian, A Passage to England, The Intellectual in India, To Live or Not to Live, Culture in the Vanity Bag, The East is East and West is West. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award. In 1992, he was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom with the title of Commander of Order of the British Empire. His work The Continent of Circe earned him the Duff Cooper Memorial Award, becoming the first and only Indian to be selected for the prize.

432. Who are the Koyas?

Ans:- The Koyas are a tribe inhabiting the hills in the north of the Godaviri district of Andhra Pradesh and Malkangiri district of Odisha. They are said to belong to the great Gond family. The Koyas have a tradition that about two hundred years ago they were driven from the plateau in the Baster countary by famine and disputes.

433. What is fast bowling in cricket?

Ans:- Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling. Practitioners are usually known as fast bowlers, fastmen, pace bowlers, or pacemen, although sometimes the label used refers to the specific fast bowling technique the bowler prefers, such as swing bowler or seam bowler. Fast bowling is classification in the following types taking the speed mp/h or km/h. Express -145+, Fast- 135+, Fast-medium -130 to 135, Medium-fast-113 to 130, Medium-97 to 113.

434. When did Muslim rule begin in Indian sub-continent?

Ans:- Muslim rule in Indian sub-continent began in 712 AD when the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab in modern day Pakistan. Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Thaqafi (695–715) was a Syrian Umayyad general who, at the age of 17, began the conquest of the Sindh and Punjab regions along the Indus River (now a part of Pakistan) for the Umayyad Caliphate. He was born in the city of Taif (in modern day Saudi Arabia). Qasim’s conquest of Sindh and Punjab laid the foundations of Islamic rule in the Indian subcontinent.

435. Where is Balochistan?

Ans:- Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by area.  It consists of approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. Balochistan has a population of roughly 9 million. The neighbouring regions of Balochistan are Iran to the west; Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the north; and Punjab and Sindh to the east. To the south lies the Arabian Sea. The main languages in the province are Balochi, Brahui, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu. The provincial capital is Quetta and Gwadar is the developing port city. Balochistan is rich in mineral resources; it is the second major supplier of natural gas in Pakistan.

436. Where was ancient Magadha situated?

Ans:- Magadha was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas or regions in ancient India. The core of the kingdom was the area of Bihar south of the Ganga. Its first capital was Rajagriha (modern Rajgir) and then Pataliputra (modern Patna). Magadha, in due course when expanded included most of Bihar, Bengal, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Orissa. Two of India’s major religions, Buddhism and Jainism, had roots in Magadha. Two of India’s greatest empires, the Maurya Empire and Gupta Empire, were originated from Magadha.

437. Which is the only place in the universe where a flag flies all day, never goes up or comes down?

Ans:- The only place in the universe where a flag flies all day, never goes up or comes down, never flies half-mast and does not get saluted, is the moon. It is, of course, the American flag, the only country to have landed people on the moon.  When the Apollo 11 landed on moon on July 20, 1969, the American astronauts walked on the moon planting 6 flags in total.

438. Which spice is called as the “Queen of Spices”?

Ans:- Cardamom is called as the “Queen of Spices. It is the dried ripe fruit of cardamom plant and is parrot green in colour. Cardamom is called as the “Queen of Spices” because of its very pleasant aroma and taste. Cardamom is a perennial, herbaceous, rhizomatous plant. Based on the nature of panicles, three varieties are recognized viz. Malabar with prostrate panicle, Mysore with erect panicle, and Vazhukka with semi erect panicle. Cardamom plants are of medium size, 2 to 3 mtr height with pubescent and fruits. The Indian cardamom is unique-in aroma, flavour and size.

439. Why is blue for boys and pink for girls?

Ans:- In ancient times, it was believed that certain colors could combat the evil spirits that lingered over nurseries. Because blue was associated with the heavenly spirits, boys were clothed in that color, boys then being considered the most valuable resource to parents. Although baby girls did not have a color associated with them, they were mostly clothed in black. It was only in the Middle Ages when pink became associated with baby girls.

440. How was the word ‘OK’ originated?

Ans:- There is no linguistic and historical evidence regarding the exact origin of the word ‘OK’.  It is said that the word has come from the Greek ola kala (‘it is good’) or the French aux Cayes.  But the most likely explanation is that the term originated as an abbreviation of orl korrekt, a jokey misspelling of ‘all correct’ in the US in the 1830s. ‘OK’ was very popular in the US during the mid-19th century. The oldest written references result from its use as a slogan by the Democratic Party during the American Presidential election of 1840.

441. Where is the Indus River?

Ans:- The Indus River is the longest river of Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India. Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir. It then enters Pakistan flowing through the North in a southerly direction, to merge into the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi. The total length of the river is 3,180 kilometers. Indus is the 21st largest river in the world.

442. Where is the world’s longest freshwater shoreline?

Ans:- The longest freshwater shoreline in the world is located in the state of Michigan, USA. Michigan is the eighth most populous state in the United States. It has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair. The state has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds.

443. Which is the largest island in a fresh water lake in the world?

Ans:- Manitoulin Island is the largest island in a fresh water lake. It is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, in the province of Ontario. The island has an area of 2,766 km2. Manitoulin Island itself has 108 freshwater lakes.

444. What is a swordfish?

Ans:- The Swordfish is a large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. It is a popular sport fish of the billfish category. The Swordfish is elongated, round-bodied, and loses all teeth and scales by adulthood. These fishes can live close to shore. They reach a maximum size of 15 ft and weigh upto 650 kg. A swordfish can live as long as 25 years.

445. What are Flamingos?

Ans:- Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds. There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the World. Flamingos often stand on one leg, the other tucked beneath the body. Their beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they eat. The pink or reddish color of flamingos comes from carotenoid proteins in their diet of animal and plant plankton. Flamingos are able to fly at a speed of approximately 55 kilometers an hour. In one night they can travel about 600 km.

446. Which is the most intelligent breed of dog?

Ans:- Border collie is the most intelligent breed of dog. The Border collie is a herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It is the most widespread of the collie breeds. Typically extremely energetic, acrobatic, and athletic, the dogs frequently compete with great success in dog sports, in addition to their success in sheepdog trials.

447. Which is the most common rock on Earth?

Ans:- The most common rock on Earth is basalt. Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey. On Earth, most basalt magmas have formed by decompression melting of the mantle.

448. Which is the largest circulated sports magazine in the world?

Ans:- ‘Sports Illustrated’, an American sports magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner is the largest circulated sports magazine in the world. It has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million.

449. Who was the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance?

Ans:- Bertha Benz was the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance. Bertha Benz was the wife of inventor Karl Benz, who developed the first patented automobile.  On August 5, 1888 Bertha Benz drove in one of the newly-constructed Patent Motorwagen automobiles—from Mannheim to Pforzheim—becoming the first person to drive an automobile over a real distance. This pioneering tour had a one-way distance of about 106 km. She brought the Benz Patent-Motorwagen worldwide attention and got the company its first sales.

450. Which is the only country in the world with a jaguar preserve?

Ans:- Belize, a northernmost country in Central America is the only country in the world with a jaguar preserve. Belize is bordered to the north by Mexico, south and west by Guatemala, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Belize’s mainland is about 290 kilometers long and 110 kilometers wide. Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. With 22,960 square kilometers of land it has a population of only 333,200 people. The world’s first sanctuary created specifically for the elusive jaguar is there.

451. Which part of Asia is called Southeast Asia?

Ans:- Southeast Asia is a sub-region of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic and volcanic activity. Southeast Asia consists of two geographic regions: Mainland Southeast Asia which comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, and Maritime Southeast Asia comprising Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, the Philippines, Christmas Island and Singapore.

452. Who was the first woman music director in Indian film industry?

Ans:- Jaddan Bai, mother of famous actress Nargis Dutt, was the first woman music director in Indian film industry. Jaddan Bai composed the music for the film Talash-e-Haq in the year 1935. It was the legendary singer K.L. Saigal who noticed her talent and encouraged her. So, from a gramophone singer, Jaddan Bai became an actress, music director and film producer.

453. Which is the longest Hindi Film Song?

Ans:- The song ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon’ in the film by the same name ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon’ is the longest Hindi film song. The length of the song is 20 minutes and the song is featured in three installments in the film. The song is sung by Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, and Kailash Kher and is written by Sameer. The music of the song is composed by Anu Malik. The movie is directed by Anil Sharma and the star cast of the film includes Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, and Divya Khosla.

454. When was the House of people of Indian Parliament named as ‘Lok  Sabha’?

Ans:- The House of the People of Indian Parliament named as Lok Sabha on May 14, 1954. The then speaker of Lok Sabha, G.V. Mavlankar had proposed for  a name in Hindi- our national language instead of ‘The House of People’ an English expression.

455. Which is the original native place of Chilli?

Ans:- Chilli was originally grown in South America. From there it was taken to Europe. The Portuguese from Portugal brought chilli plant to India. India is now the biggest producer of chillies in the world. Chillies are known by different names in India. It is called Lal Mirch in Hindi, Lal Morich in Bengali, Milagai in Tamil, Mirapa Kaya in Telugu and Lanka Maricha in Oriya. Chillies give hotness when they are added to pickles, curry, masala, chutney etc. It also provides colour to the food product.

456. Where is the famous Rock Garden in India?

Ans:-The famous Rock Garden is at Chandigarh in the state of Haryana. It is made of pieces of scrap, broken glass and cut ceramic. The garden is fashioned almost entirely from natural rock formations and comprises about 20,000 shapes and figures made out of unwanted non-biodegradable materials. The garden was made by Nek Chand, an environmentalist in true sense. The Rock Garden consists of bears and horses studded with clinker, terracotta monkeys, peacocks made of broken glass bangles, birds and snakes. There are vast courtyards filled with human figures. Out of them school children and young men in parade are very attractive.

457. Why can’t we call a spider an insect?

Ans:- We cannot call a spider an insect because an insect has six legs while spider has eight. Again, the body of a spider is divided into two parts whereas an insect’s body has three parts. The spiders have simple eyes not compound eyes as the insects and unlike insects the spiders do not go through larva and pupa stages. The body of spider has holes called spinnerets through which it produces a protein packed fluid. The fluid sets when it is pulled in fine strands and it is these strands that make up a spider’s web. So, spiders and insects are two different classes of animals. The group to which the spiders belong is called ‘arachnids’. Scorpions, mites and ticks also belong to this spider’s class.

458. Which were the first three Indian films nominated for Oscar?

Ans:- The first Indian film to be nominated for Oscar was Mehboob Khan’s ‘Mother India’ in 1957; the second was Mira Nair’s ‘Salam Bombay’ in 1988 and the third was Aamir Khan’s ‘Laagan’.

459.    When  was the first Davis Cup tennis competition held ?

Ans:-  The first Davis Cup Tennis competition was held at Long wood cricket club in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA in 1900. US had won it.

460.    Who was the first playback singer in Indian Cinema?

Ans:-  WM Khan was the first playback singer in Indian cinema. He had sung in the first Indian talkie film ‘Alam Ara’ in 1931. He had also achieved great success in Srilanka and Myanmar. At that time only a harmonium and tabla were used for the recordings and the singer sang into a hidden microphone. The song by WM Khan ‘De De Khuda ke Nam par Pyare’ was very popular.

461. Where the largest religious structure in the world?

Ans:-  Angkar wat, the largest religious structure in the world is in Cambodia. It covers an area of 402 acres of which the entire temple complex has a total area of 15 by 5 miles. It consists of 200 monuments and was built around 900 A.D. by king Suryavarman of Cambodia in honour of Lord Vishnu.

462. Which is the oldest written language in the world?

Ans:-  The oldest written language is the ‘Chinese’ extending over more than 6,000 years from the Yangshao culture of China. Writing was on pottery in 5000—4000 BC.

463. Who ordered to drop the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Ans:-  Harry S. Truman, the President of USA ordered for the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and on Nagasaki after 2 days on August 9. The Hiroshima bomb caused the death of 2 lakh out of 3.5 lakh of population. The Nagasaki death toll was 1.4 lakhs out of 2.7 lakh. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima was called ‘The Little Boy’ and the B-2nd that dropped the first atomic bomb in the world was called the “Enola Gay’.

464. Who have won most French open Tennis Titles?

Ans:-  Henri Co Chet leads the tally of most title winners of French open with 9 titles. He won four singles, three doubles and two mixed titles. But Bjorn Brog of Sweden and Rafael Nadal of Spain hold the record of winning highest individual titles with 6 men’s single.

465. When was the CBI establi- shed ?

Ans:-  The CBI (The Central Bureau of Investigation) was created in April 1963. The organisation was originally known as special police establishment created and functioning under the Delhi special police Establishment Act, 1946. In 1963, the CBI was created with special functions. Besides investigation, the function of CBI covered the role of the National Central Bureau for India Under INTERPOL (International criminal police organisation) as also the Central Forensic Science Laboratory. Big cases of fraud, embezzlement and other cases committed by organised gangs of professional criminals having inter-state or international ramifications are investigated by the CBI.

466. Which was the first Quartz watch?

Ans:- The Japanese had the first quartz watch on the market.  Although the Swiss were the first to make a quartz watch prototype, the Japanese Seiko 35SQ Astron was the first analog quartz watch to reach the market. While continuing to produce mechanical watches, Seiko turned its attention to quartz timekeeping in 1958 with the development of a quartz crystal clock. A team was assembled in 1959 to develop a quartz watch. The world’s first quartz watch, the Seiko 35SQ  Astron, introduced to the Japanese market on Christmas Day, 1969.

467. What is Ballet?

Ans:- Ballet is a dance performance. It is a play in which no words are spoken and the actions tell the story. Ballet began as a theatrical show in Italy in the 15th century for the entertainment of the royal family and nobles. In due course it spread to France and other European countries. The Ballet is performed by two partners.

468. When was the Jantar Mantar (Delhi) built?

Ans:- The Jantar Mantar in Delhi was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur. He was an astronomer and had built the Jantar Mantar in 1724 A.D. It contains interesting masonry instruments ranging from a few feet to 90 feet in height. The Samrat Yantra is the largest one.

469. Where is Kakinada ?

Ans:- Kakinada is a port city in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located 465 kilometres east of the state capital, Hyderabad. It is also the headquarters of East Godavari district. It is called “Fertilizer City” owing to the large concentration of fertilizer plants. The city is the eighth largest city in Andhra Pradesh, by population. It is spread over an area of 190 square km, making it the fifth largest city in the state by area. Kakinada is part of a Special Economic Zone and a proposed “Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region.

470. What is coal ?

Ans:- Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock normally occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds. Coal is composed primarily of carbon along with variable quantities of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, with smaller quantities of sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen. Coal is primarily used as a solid fuel to produce electricity and heat through combustion. Now China is the top producer of coal with 38% share followed by the USA and India.

471. Which is the grain with the 2nd highest worldwide production, after maize?

Ans:- Rice is the grain with the 2nd highest worldwide production, after maize. Rice, as a cereal grain, is the most important staple food for a large part of the world’s human population, especially in East and South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies. China is the largest producer of rice, followed by India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand.

472. Which was the first colour film made in India?

Ans:- The first Color film made in India was ‘Kisan Kanya’ in the year 1937, although the trend of colour films began very late. The film was produced by Imperial Film Co and was directed by Moti B. Gidwani. The film had 10 songs, which were released by Gramophone Records. The storyline of the film featured an exploitative landlord and a good peasant who is accused of murdering the landlord. The film was colored using the Cinecolour process imported by Imperial Film Co. ‘Kisan Kanya’’s main starcast included Padmadevi, Jillo, Ghulam Mohammed, Nissar, Syed Ahmed, and Gani.

473. When was the world’s first organized navy created?

Ans:- In 2300 BC, the Egyptians created the world’s first organized navy. Oar-powered ships were developed by the Sumerians in 3500 BC. Sails were first used by the Phoenicians around 2000 BC.

474. When was the world’s first public television pictures transmitted?

Ans:- The first public television pictures were transmitted in 1926. The first TV interview was made with Irish actress Peggy O’Neil in April 1930. The first televised sporting event was a Japanese elementary school baseball game, broadcasted in September 1931. The first daily broadcast was started by the BBC in November 1936. The first TV commercial was a 20-second ad for a Bulova clock, broadcasted by WNBT, New York.

475. Which was the world’s first travel book?

Ans:- The first book on travel, aptly called “Travel” was published by Jehan de Mandeville  in 1357. It became a best seller and was translated into 9 languages. In 1758, Cox & Kings became the world’s first travel agency.

476. When was the nontoxic wax crayon developed ?

Ans:- The first crayons consisted of a mixture of charcoal and oil. In the early 1900s, Edwin Binney and Harold Smith developed a nontoxic wax crayon. Their first box of crayons was sold in 1903. The first crayons came in a box of eight colors: black, blue, brown, green, orange, purple, red and yellow. By 1957, 40 new colors were introduced.

477. How did the dollar get its name?

Ans:- The mountains of Bohemia produced so much silver, it became the official source of coinage for the entire Holy Roman Empire. The mine was in a valley called Joachimsthal, and the coins came to have the same name: ‘Joachimstalers.’ Over time this became shortened to ‘Talers’ and over more time, the American pronunciation of the word became ‘dollar’ for the currency.  The $ sign was designed in 1788 by Oliver Pollock, a New Orleans businessman, using a combination of Spanish money symbols.

478. When was the first decimal system introduced?

Ans:- The first decimal system was introduced in the 4th Century BC by the Sumerians of Mesopotamia. They based their numerical system on powers of 60 subdivided into multiples of 10. It was from this system that Sumero-Babylonians developed the time system that we use today: each hour is divided into 60 minutes, which are divided into 60 seconds.

479. How long

WHO..WHAT..WHEN..WHERE..WHY & HOW

DO YOU KNOW

1. Where is Bodh Gaya and why is it famous?

Ans:- Bodh Gaya lies 11 kilometres to the south of Gaya in the state of Bihar. It is the place where Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism attained enlightenment. There is a Bodhi tree (Pipal tree) under which the Buddha meditated and attained supreme knowledge. The famous Mahabodhi temple is there, which is now in its renovation form. The present temple having a tower rising to a height of 52 metres in the form of a straight-edged pyramid of seven storeys was completely restoreed in 11th century. Inside the temple there is a great gilded figure of the Buddha touching the earth.

2. Which is the largest animal in the world?

Ans:-  The largest living animal in the world is the blue whale, which flourish in the ocean. It is a very large creature of 120 feet in length and its weight is 120 tons. Although the blue whale spends its whole life in the water of ocean, it is not a fish. It is a warm-blooded mammal. It gives birth to baby whales and feeds them with its own milk inside water. It breathes air just like other sea animals and eats fishes and other sea animals.

3. Where is world’s only perfumed minaret?

Ans:- The world’s only perfumed minaret named Koutoubiya, a tall and slender tower, is at Marrakesh in Morocco, in North Africa. It has been famous over 800 years for its sweet smell. Its story had begun in 1195, when Sultan Yakub Al Mansur defeated Alphonso VIII, King of Castille in Spain. The Sultan built this minaret in his capital Marrakesh to thank Prophet Mahammad, the founder of Islam for his great victory. 960 sacks of musk mixed into the mortar were used in the construction of the minaret, which is still giving fragrance from the wall of the minaret.

4. Which is the native place of Dates? When did Dates come to India?

Ans:- The native places of Dates are the deserts of Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Baluchistan of Pakistan. Dates came to India with Emperor Alexander of Macedonia, Greece in 326 BC. In Arab, Dates are called Khurma and in India it is called as Khajur in Hindi.

5. What are Komondo dragons?

Ans:- Komondo dragons are not really dragons, but are three metres long lizards- the biggest lizards alive. They mainly live in the islands of Komondo in Indonesia. They are meat eaters, living chiefly on wild pigs, deer and other smaller animals. They use their long, forked tongues to pick up the scent of their prey. When stirred up to anger they reared up on their hind legs making a terrific sight. The Komondo dragons sometimes live 100 years. Now they are found in many zoos throughout the world.

6. What is an iceberg?

Ans:- Glaciers are slow moving rivers of ice and they drain out their surplus snow to cold countries. The glaciers of Polar Regions meet the sea in some places and are broken into pieces during the spring and summer heat. These Broken pieces are called icebergs. Most of the huge icebergs are found in North Atlantic Ocean, which come from Greenland, the country of snowfields and glaciers. The vast icebergs in Greenland have been known to raise 6000feet above the sea surface. But eight-ninths of the floating iceberg is sunk under water and only one-ninth is seen above sea-water. The famous English passenger ship-the Titanic was smashed and sunk by collision with an iceberg on 14th April 1912. The Titanic was a large and heavy ship of 46,000 tons, but the iceberg was 5,000 times heavier than Titanic.

7. What is Potala Palace? Why is it so famous?

Ans:- The Potala Palace is the palace of Dalai Lama- the Tibetan self-exiled spiritual leader, who is now residing in India. It is a masterpiece of architecture and is situated at Lhasa in Tibet. It is a gigantic building made from huge stones rises out of the rocks. It was built over 300 years ago by the 5th Dalai Lama. On the roof of the palace there are 7 shrines in front of which the Buddhist monks used to sit and pray. The largest shrine is the shrine of the 13th Dalai Lama. The walls of his shrine are covered with gold plates.

8. What is the difference between our National Anthem and National Song? Ans. National Anthem is a song of loyalty or   devotion to one’s country. Our National    Anthem, Jana-Gana-Mana was composed by Rabindranath Tagore. It was adopted by our constitution on 24th January 1950. It is generally sung at the time of hoisting our National Flag on Independence Day and Republic Day. National song is a source of       Inspiration to the people. Our   National song Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. It is sung to commemorate events of national importance like in the Martyr’s Day or in the death anniversaries of those who have sacrificed their life for country.

9. Who was the first playback singer in Indian Cinema?    

Ans. W .M Khan was the first playback singer in Indian cinema. He had sung in the first Indian talkie film ‘Alam Ara’ in 1931. He had also achieved great      success in Srilanka and Myanmar.  At that time only a Harmonium and Tabla were used for the recordings and the singer sang into a hidden microphone. The song by WM Khan ‘De De Khuda ke Nam par Pyare’ was very popular.                     

10. Which Award is called as the Nobel Prize of Asia?                   

Ans. Raman Magasaysay Award is considered as the Asian award equivalent of the Nobel Prize. This award was instituted in 1957 to commemorate the first Philippines president Ramon Magasaysay. This award is given to individual or group in Asia who have demonstrated outstanding serve to their country and to the people. Worth of $ 50,000 the award is given in five categories (1) Public service, (2) Government Service (3) Community Leadership, (4) Journalism, Literature and creative Arts (5) International Understanding.

11. When was Delhi declared as the capital of India during British rule?          

Ans.    During British rule Kolkata was the capital of India. But on December 12, 1911 the historic announcement was made about the transfer of the capital of India from Kolkata to Delhi in the presence of King Emperor George V of Britain.

12. Who is the father of Nuclear Physics ?                                        

Ans. Earnest Rutherford (1871-1937) is called as the father of nuclear physics. He discovered and named   alpha and beta radiation, named the nucleus, and    proposed a theory of radioactive transformation of atoms. He received Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1908.                                        

13. Where was Mahatma Gandhi on Independence Day ?            

Ans.    India became free from British rule in the midnight of August 14, 1947. India celebrated her hard won    freedom on August 15, 1947. But the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi was in Kolkata. Saddened by the partition of the country, Gandhiji spent the day fasting and in prayer. This was in stark contrast with the celebrations in Delhi where Nehru gave his speech as Indians rejoiced in their new-found Independence.

14. Where was volleyball originated?

Ans. Volley ball is a game was   invented as Minnonette in 1895 by William G. Morgan at YMCA gymnasium at Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA. The international Volleyball Association was formed in Paris in April 1947. The World Championships were instituted in 1949. The sport was introduced to the Olympic Games for both men and women in 1964.

15. How much blood is taken from a donor during blood transfusion?

Ans. In most countries including India, the volume of blood taken during transfusion is 450 milllitres. It is less than 10 percent of a person’s total blood volume, as the average adult has 4.5 to 5.5 litres of blood. The donor’s body will replace the lost fluid in about 36 hours and the red cell count will return to normal in 21 days.

16 Who ordered to drop the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ?     

Ans. Harry S. Truman, the President of USA ordered for the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and on Nagasaki after 2 days on August 9. The Hiroshima bomb caused the death of 2 lakh out of 3.5 lakh of population. The Nagasaki death toll was 1.4 lakhs out of 2.7 lakh. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima was called ‘The Little Boy’ and the B-2nd that dropped the first atomic bomb in the world was called the “Enola Gay’

17. Where is the cellular Jail in India ?

Ans. The cellular Jail is in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It was built in 1906 and was called cellular because it is made of individual cells where a    prisoner was staying alone without seeing others. Before independence, the Britishers were sending our freedom fighters to this jail. Today the cellular jail has become a pilgrim centre.

18.Why is mother’s milk considered the best for infants ?

Ans. Breast feeding is considered the best because human milk contains easily digestible oleic acid. A cow’s milk contains excess butyric acid which may give rise to fatty diarrhoea. Carbohydrate in milk is in the form of lactose and it is more in mother’s milk than in cow’s milk.  Mother’s milk has an adequate amount of Vitamin A and B complex. Again mother’s milk could be a shield against respiratory and gas to intestinal disorders and tooth    decay.

19. Which place on earth has never received any rainfall ?

Ans.  The Atcama desert spread between the Pacific Ocean and the Andens mountains in northern Chile has not    experienced any rain in its entire recorded history. Made up of salt basins, sand and lava flows, it lacks vegetation or animal life. The Quillagua metrological station located there has recorded an average annual rainfall of only 0.5 mm during 1964-2001.

20. Where is the Charminar? Who had built it ?

Ans. The Charminar is in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. It was built by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 shortly after he had sifted his capital from Golkonda to present Hyderabad. The Charminar is a rectangular structure with four arches and minarets of 84 feet high and its architecture is Indo-Saracenic of the Deccani pattern. It is built of stone and lime and is full of fine stucco decorations of plaster of lime and sand. The height of each minar from the ground level is 160 feet. On the top storey of the Charminar there is a beautiful mosque and another structure, which looks like a temple that signifies the religious tolerance of the Qutab Shahi kings.

21. What is the Great Sphinx of Egypt?

Ans. The great Sphinx of Egypt is a representation of a very large and amazing winged monster of ancient Egypt. It has a human or animal head, the body and paws of a lion and the tail of a serpent. The Great Sphinx is at Giza near the Great Pyramid of Egypt. It is a gigantic female-headed monster carved out of solid limestone rock. It is 189 feet long and about 60 feet in height. Between its front paws there is the entrance to a temple. It is believed to have been built 6,000 years ago as guardian to the tomb of the Pharaoh, the king in ancient Egypt.

22. Where is the Lake Baikal, the deepest lake of the world?

Ans. Lake Baikal, the deepest lake of the world is in Russia. It is 1,620 metres deep and it lies at the heart of Eastern Asia and stretches 636 kilometres north to south. It has 2,500 varieties of animals. The lake has special importance because its water is free from chemical impurities. It covers an area of 31,499 square kilometers and consists of over 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water.

23. Which lions are called Asiatic lion? Where do they live now ?

Ans. Asiatic Lion are the subspecies of lion once lived in the semi-dry lands from Greece to north-east India. Today the Gir forest of Gujarat in Western India is the last refuge of the Asiatic lions. Due to shooting their population had dipped to an alarming low of only 15 animals. But after the implementation of Wild Life Act, its population started growing and now stands at more than 300.

24. What is Cocoa? Which was the original native place of Cocoa?

Ans. Cocoa is used in preparing chocolates and it comes from the fruits of Cocoa tree. The Cocoa tree produces pods of Cocoa beans (seeds) throughout the year. Cocoa tree were originally grown in tropical Central America. The Aztecs who lived in Mexico over 455 years ago were the first Cocoa drinkers. Cocoa was brought to Europe from Central America by Spanish conquerors. Now West African countries are the largest producer of Cocoa.

25. When was Billiards first played as a game?

Ans. Billiards is a game played with a tapering rod and balls on a table with pockets at the sides and corners. It was first played as a game in 1429 in France. After that it was played as a game in many places in Europe. In 1850 it became a popular game and many Billiards Clubs were established. The first Billiards Championship match was held in 1870 at St. James Hall in London, England.

26. What is the traveller’s tree? Where are these trees found ?

Ans. The traveller’s tree is a palm like tree with gigantic leaves strtching from the stems on two opposite sides like a giant fan. The leaves pointed from north to south, store quantities of liquid at their base. So when cut, the leaves pour forth-large supplies of watery fluid that a thirsty traveller may take in order to quench his thirst. Hence, it is called as traveller’s tree. These trees are found in Madagascar Island of Indian Ocean near Africa. Groves of this tree   are cultivated in the island of Mauritius and Java. This tree only grows in marshy area or well-watered soil.

27. Why do we salute our National Flag?

Ans. National Flag symbolizes the past history of a nation and its glory. By saluting it we declare our unflinching loyalty to it and pledge our allegiance to it. The flag’s history written in letters of gold inspires us to put in good work for the sake of our beloved motherland. The flag’s course shall be our course and that each individual among us shall make genuine efforts to add to its glory and make it fly overhead or at great height in the association of nations for mutual benefit.

28. How is picture tube of a computer different from that of a TV?

Ans:- A person working on a computer has to view the monitor screen from a close distance. There fore, the foremost differences lies in the amount of light transmitted through the glass screen. The glass-shell used for computer monitors has less transparency for light. These tubes are, therefore, coated with Anti-Glare, Anti-Static coating to reduce excessive brightness and static electrical charge. Again, computer tubes are more flat than conventional television tubes.

29. What is hacking in computer?

Ans:- Hacking is a term used for destroying or folding up a computer programme or Website that has been already established by someone else. Those who indulge in such types of activities are called hackers. They are brilliant  programmers who are able to pick anybody’s lock or codeword on the network gates. A hacker traditionally, is someone who uses his skills and knowledge to find out flaws in a system and gains control over a computer or a network of computers.

30. What is Heart attack?

Ans:- Heart attack is one of the major causes of death everywhere in the world. All most all heart attacks result from the sudden blockage of a coronary artery. The blockade cuts of the blood supply due to the part of the heart and so a portion of the heart muscle dies. Most blockages are caused by arteriosclerosis, which hardens and narrows the artery. After a heart attack, a blood clot is also found in the artery. Some heart attacks may result from a Vasospasm, the constriction of muscles in the artery wall. It narrows the artery and could shut off the blood flow.

31.What is the difference between deportation and extradition?

Ans:- Both deportation and extradition are closely linked in the working of international and political crime. They involve so many similar and identical issues and their definitions vary slightly. Deportation involves legally removing a foreigner from the territory of a country. Extradition involves the transferring of a national or foreign prisoner from one country to another to be tried for a criminal offence.

32. Who was Hippocrates? What is Hippocratic oath?

Ans:- Hippocrates was a Greek physician born in 406 B.C. He laid the foundation of modern medicine and is regarded as the ‘Father of medicine’. He insisted that every disease has a natural cause and without natural cause, nothing ever happens. It is because of his dedication to medical science that even today the rules of conduct for doctors are based on Hippocratic Oath. The doctors have to undertake an oath to observe the medical code of ethical and professional behaviour after they become qualified doctors and enter their profession.

33. When did the first domestic airline service begin in India ?

Ans: - In India the domestic airline service began on 15th Oct. 1932. At first Karachi (now in Pakistan) was connected with Chennai via Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bellary. Mr. J.R.D. Tata, the founder of present TATA Company, piloted the first leg of the flight- Karachi-Ahmedabad-Mambai.

34. Why are small pieces of stones laid between railway tracks?

Ans.- The small pieces of stone used on railway tracks are known as ballast. It is used to disperse the vibration triggered by trains traveling at high speed. In case we use solid base, the vibration will travel long distance causing cracks on the base and in the building adjacent to the tracks. The stone pieces also firm up the foundation of the sleepers.

35. In which continent Russia is located?

Ans. Russia occupies the largest area in the world and is spread over most of Eastern Europe and north Asia. It stretches from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east and from the Artic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus, the Altai and Sayan Mountains, and the Amur and the Ussuri rivers in the south. It is bordered by Norway and Finland in the northwest, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, and Ukraine in the west, Georgia and Azerbaijan in the southwest, and Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China along the southern border.

36. When was the Postal Pin Code introduced in India? What do the different digits indicate?

Ans. The Postal Index Number (PIN Code) was introduced on 15th August 1972. Under the scheme, every Head Post Office and sub-post office, which delivers mail, has been allotted an individual six-digit number. Pin code has eased the shorting problems because in India there are towns having same names.

The PIN code digits from left to right indicate and locate the geographical position of the post office. In India there are 8 postal zones. The first digit indicates the zone, the first three taken together indicate the shorting unit, and the last three specify the particular delivery post office.

37. What is RDX. ?

Ans. RDX is a soft pliable, odourless, and highly explosive chemical-chemically known as cycloptrimethylene trinitramine. It is one and a half times more powerful than TNT used in military explosives. Pure RDX is so explosive that it explodes on impact or by friction. Because of its plastic nature and lack of odour, RDX is extensively used by terrorists in different parts of the world.

38. Which were the first three Indian films nominated for Oscar?

Ans. The first Indian film to be nominated for Oscar was Mehboob Khan’s Mother India in 1957; the second was Mira Nair’s Salam Bombay in 1988 and the third was

Aamir Khan’s Laagan.

39. How is the rainbow formed?

Ans. Rainbows are formed when the sun shines after a shower of rain, producing an arc of colours in that part of the sky opposite to the sun. Rainbow is caused by the reflection and refraction of the sun’s rays as they fall on the drops of rain with the water acting as a prism as rays enter raindrops. There are seven colours in each bow-violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. As the colour merge, we see more than four or five colours clearly.

40. When and where was tea introduced?

Ans. Tea grows best in areas of moderate to high rainfall, equable temperatures and highly humidity. The tea plant has been cultivated for thousands of years in China. From China it was introduced into European countries in 17th century. Tea was extremely scare and costly until the 19th century. But in 19th century tea was found growing in the northeastern states of India, particularly in Assam. In 1870, tea was planted in Sri Lanka.

41. Which Mughal Emperor granted the site for the Sikhs to build the Golden Temple?

Ans. Mughal Emperor Akbar-The Great granted the Sikh Guru Ram Das 500bighas of land on payment of Rs 700 to the Zamindars of Tung, who owned the land in 1577. The Guru dug a tank there and started building a new town around it. The town became the religious capital   of the Sikhs and became known as Ram Das Pur. After that Sikh Guru Arjun laid the foundation of the Hari Mandir by inviting Muslim divine, Mian Mir of Lahore, Pakistan. After the temple was constructed, the tank was filled with water and the town was given the name Amritsar. The present temple of marble and gold was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

42. How do ants locate their food?

Ans. The colony of ant is divided into three classes: the queen, winged males and wingless infertile females. Infertile females are also called as workers. The worker class include a few scouting ants and scouts always move randomly in search of food. As soon as a scout locates food such as sugar, it returns to the nest, lying down a scent trail by repeatedly pressing its abdomen to the ground. The other ants sense the secretions with the help of their smell organs and follow the scent trail towards the food discovered by the scout ant.

43. Why is Turkey nicknamed “The Sick man of Europe”?

Ans- The Ottaman Empire known as Turkey was one of the most powerful empires of Europe in the 16 century. But, after the death of Emperor Sulieman, the empire began to decline. The policy of religious intolerance pursued by the sultans created numerous problems and greatly undermined the position and prestige of Turkey in the eyes of other powers. During the next century most of its possessions in Europe were whittled down by Austrians, Poles, and Russians. In 1852, the Russian czar suggested the division of Turkey among various European powers by saying “We have on our hands a sick man -a very sick man… Turkey”.

44. Where is Kaziranga National Park?

Ans- Kaziranga one of the famous national parks of India is in Assam, 217km away from Guwahati. It is famous for one-horned rhinoceros. The area lies between the river Brahmaputra in the north, the Mikir hills in the south, the Bokakhat Township in the east and the Boro hills in the west. The landscape of Kaziranga is one of the Marshy lands with elephant grass and thick bushes of tall brown reeds, surrounded by dense forests. Kaziranga was declared a Wild Life Sanctuary in 1908 and a National Park in 1973. Besides one-horned rhino, other animals like elephants, wild buffaloes, swamp deer, samber, tiger etc. are found there.

45. Who started the Guinness Books of World Records?

Ans. Norris Mc Whirter and his twin brother, Ross Mc Whirter edited and compiled the first Guinness Book of World Records in 1954. Ross saw murdered in 1975, but Norris continued as editor until 1986. After that he remained as the Advisory editor until 1996. He died in 2004.

46. When was the House of people of Indian Parliament named as ‘Lok  Sabha’?

Ans. The House of the People of Indian Parliament named as Lok Sabha on May 14, 1954. The then speaker of Lok Sabha , G.V. Mavlankar had proposed for  a name in Hindi- our national language instead of ‘The House of People’ an English expression.

47. What is CD?

Ans. CD, short name for compact disc is a disc on which audio or video sequences or other data are recorded digitally and replayed using a laser. The standard CD is a 12 cm diameter aluminium disc on which data is recorded as a spiral pattern of pits and bumps. To replay it the disc is read by a laser beam inside a CD player. The CD launched in 1982.

48.When was hockey introduced in India?

Ans. As per records, the Beighton Cup of hockey was officially started in India in 1895 and the Aga Khan Cup was held in 1896. But, initially they were local matches and later became regular tournaments. The All India Hockey Federation was formed in 1925. In 16th century the people of Holland were playing hockey like games on ice. The game probably was first played in North America in 1855.

49. What is a Banana Republic?

Ans. Ecuador, a country in the continent of South America is called the banana republic. It is the world’s leading exporter of bananas and one out of ten of its 12 million people depend on the banana industry. 70 % of Ecuador’s bananas are produced by small family farms.

50. What is the difference between Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC)?

Ans. The line of control demarcates the part of the valley that is India and the Pak occupied Kashmir following the tribal intrusion in October 1947. The Line of Actual Control came into being after the Chinese aggression in October 1962 in the north-east, particularly Arunachal Pradesh, separating India from the territory under Chinese Occupation.

51. Who founded the Indian National Army (INA)?

Ans. Indian National Army (INA) was formed by Ras Bihari Bose after the Bangkok conference of 1942. Mohan Singh, a former British Army officer was its first Commander-in-chief. Netaji Subash Chandra Bose assumed leadership of INA in 1943 at Singapore conference.

52. What is the real height of Mt. Everest and when was it established?

Ans. The official height of Mt. Everest was established in 1954 as 8, 848 metres by Indian geologists who measured the mountain from 12 different points. But, The National Geographic Society announced in 1999 that it’s accurate height is 8,850 metres, two metres more than the previously thought height.

53. Why an iron nail sinks in water, where as iron ship floats on it?

Ans. The specific gravity of an iron nail which is a solid piece is decidedly greater than water and it, therefore, sinks in water; where as an iron ship is so designed that the total weight of water displaced by it is greater than the weight of the ship itself. The ship, therefore, floats by upward thrust of water.

54. How do bats fly in the dark?

Ans. The bats produce ultrasonic waves while flying. These waves are reflected back from the obstacle to them and thus help them find their way.

55. Why rainwater is soft but river water is hard?

Ans. Rain water during its course in the mountainous terrain –dissolve the calcareous matter or lime compounds and thus becomes hard. But during evaporation only the molecules of water go up and the minerals are left behind; hence the rainwater is soft.

56. Why fanning produces a sense of coolness in the body?

Ans. By fanning the moisture on the body is evaporated due to rapid renewal of the air coming in contact with the body. During this evaporation the moisture absorbs its heat of vaporization from the body, which provides coolness.

57.Where is the Meenakshi Temple?

Ans. The Meenakshi temple is in Madurai of Tamil Nadu. It is a lovely example of the Dravidian architecture and sculpture. There are nine majestic towers over the gateway around the temple and the main entrance is from the east. Inside the temple there are two shrines-one dedicated to Lord Siva as Sundareswara and the other to his wife, Meenakshi. The court of a thousand pillars has several elegant sculptures. Each pillar in the outer corridor of the hall produces a musical note when tapped.

58. What is the Pentagon in Washington D.C?

Ans.The Pentagon is a five sided building in Washington D.C. is the Headquarters of the armed forces of the United States of America. It takes its name from its shape and was constructed in 19 months during World War II with a cost of 83 million Dollars. It has three times as much office space as New York’s 102  storey Empire State Building. The Pentagon is just like a small city within itself with hospital, cafeterias, food storage area, shopping centre, heliport etc. Television cameras monitor the entrances to the military operations rooms.

59. What is Ballet?

Ans. Ballet is a dance performance. It is a play in which no words are spoken and the actions tell the story. Ballet began as a theatrical show in Italy in the 15th century for the entertainment of the royal family and nobles. In due course it spread to France and other European countries. The Ballet is performed by two partners.

60. Who is the First Indian to reach the South Pole?

Ans. Col. J.K. Bajaj was the first Indian to reach the South Pole in Antarctica. He was the only Indian member of an eleven member team of international overland expedition of five nations. The expedition reached the South Pole on 17th January in 1989. Col. Bajaj skied over snow and ice in winds blowing 40 to 45 miles per hour and in temperature -31degree F. He covered 1200 kms in 50 days to reach the pole and hoist the Indian flag there.

61. Which is the First  Indian talkie film?

Ans.’Alam Ara’ is the first talkie film of India. It was shot at Jyoti Studio in Mumbai by Ardeshir M. Irani under the banner of Imperial Movietone. It was released in Mumbai,s Majestic Cinema on 14th March 1931. It was the first Indian feature film with talk, song and dance. Master Vithal was the hero, Miss Zubeida was the heroine and Prithviraj Kapoor was the villain of the movie.

62. Which is the oldest naturally preserved body in the world?

Ans. The body of St. Francis Xavier, kept in a silver casket in the Basilica of Bom Jesus church in Goa, India, is the oldest naturally preserved body in the world. St. Xavier was born in 1506 in Spain. As a Catholic missionary he went to the Portuguese colonies of East Indies and arrived in Goa in 1542. He worked there and converted many people to christianity. He went to Japan and established a Christian mission there. He came back to Goa and then went to China where he died in 1552. His body was first buried in an island near the coast of China. From there it was taken to Malaysia and finally brought to Goa according to his wish before his death. During the last 453 years his body has been preserved naturally at the Church of the Bom Jesus.

63.What is Cat language?

Ans. This term has varied meanings. When a lady is called a cat, it means a woman showing ill-will or desire to hurt. To let the cat out means to reveal a carefully guarded and hidden secret. To bell the cat means to take a bold job. To serve as a cat’s paw refers to do an unpleasant work. A cat on the wall means the policy of the opportunist who is ready to jump to the winning side. A cat burglar is a house breaker who enters the house by climbing on the top. A cat eyed fellow is one who can see even in the dark.

64. Who invented the Laptop ?

Ans.The laptop was invented by Adam Osborne in 1981. It had a tiny computer and its cost was $ 1,795. In 1988, Compaq computer launched the first laptop PC with VGA graphics. But in 1989, NEC released Ultralite, which was the first ‘Laptop’ computer.

65.Which country has the largest Railway network in the world ?

Ans. The USA has the largest railway network in the world about 240,000km connecting its 48 continental states. Russia has 154,000 km. followed by Canada 72,901 km and China; India is in fifth position having 62, 658 km. of railroad.

66. When was the calendar system introduced ? ?

Ans.The calendar system was first introduced by the great Roman ruler Julius Caesar. Its name was Julian Calendar and was based on calculations of the phases of the moon and seasonal movement of the sun. It continued in Western Europe for 1500 years, and was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in 1582.

67. When was the Jantar Mantar (Delhi) built ?

Ans.The Jantar Mantar in Delhi was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur. He was a astronomer and had built the Jantar Mantar in 1724 A.D. It contains interesting masonry instruments ranging from a few feet to 90 feet in height. The Samrat Yantra is the largest one.

68. How many foreigners have received the award Bharat Ratna. ?

Ans.The first foreigner to receive the Bharat Ratna was Mother Teresa in 1980. But she can not be called a foreigner as she became an Indian citizen. The other foreigners who have received Bharat Ratna are Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Known as Forntier Gandhi in 1987 and Dr. Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

69. Who added ‘Zero’’in Mathmatics?

Ans:- The invention of zero, and the idea which it represents, is a great achievement. In  our modern civilisation all discoveries and inventions are possible only because of the mathematical use of zero. Pingalacharya, a great scholar of ancient India was the inventor of ‘Zero’ in 200B.C. But the great Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhatta was the first to add zero to the science of mathematics some 1500 years ago in 499AD.

70. Who is the founder of International Red Cross?

Ans:-Red Cross is an international society for relief of suffering in time of war or disaster. Every national Red Cross society carries on its own programmes. But Red Cross workers all over the world are united in time of need. They serve people worldwide and esspecially carry on extensive medical and health programmes regardless of race, religion and nationality. The name Red Cross has come from its flag which is a red cross on a white background. Red Cross was founded in Switzerland in 1863 by Jean Henry Dunant, a Swiss philanthropist. During his Italy tour in 1859, Dunant saw thousands of people killed and wounded in the battlefield due to Austro-Sardinian War. He was socked by that sight and served the wounded with a group of volunteers. In 1963 he establishe the International Red Cross.

71. Why the iron Pillar of Delhi is so famous?

Ans:- Every body knows that any thing made of iron rusts with the passage of time. But the Mehrauli Iron pillar at the Quwaat-ul-Islam mosque near Qutb Minar, Delhi has not rusted though exposed to sun, wind and rain since its construction around 400 AD. The pillar is 7.20 metre high and it weighs 6 tonnes with 42 cm circumference. It has not formed rust for the last 1600 years. This pillar is believed to be built by Chandragupta II of the Gupta dynasty whose capital was Ujjain of Madhya Pradesh. Originally the pillar was installed on the Vishnupada hill of Ujjain. Anangpal Tomer, a Rajput chief brought it to Delhi and erected at its present site. The most astonishing fact about the pillar is that it is rust proof.

72. Wgere is the Western Ghats? why is it so famous?

Ans:- Western Ghats are a narrow stretch of hills. They run between the rivers Tapti (Gujarat) in the west to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) in the south. They cover a total area about 160,000 sq km. and are one of the oldest hills on the earth. Their underlaying rocks have been dated to be more than 2000 millions years. The highest hill in Southern india (2695 metres high)  is also in Western Ghats. With an average rainfall of 2500mm, tropical evergreen rainforests form the primary vegetation of the Western Ghats which is about 45% of the rain forests in India. Now there are 117 species of land and water animals, 167 species of creeping animals, 508 species of birds, 80 species of mammals, 300 species of butterflies, 150 species of ants, 193 species of fresh water fishes found there. Many National Parks like the Bandipur National Park and the Silent Valley are in the Ghats.

73. What is Gorilla?

Ans:- Gorillas are the largest  of the apes. They live in the forests. A male Gorilla weighs about 160 kg. While the female Gorilla weighs 90 kg. Gorillas are mostly vegetarians and eat large amounts of vegetation from over 70 different types of plants. A male Gorilla can eat upto 30 kg food and a female about 20 kg. They also eat termites and ants. Gorillas spend 30% of their day in eating, 30% in travelling and 40% in resting and sleeping. They live in groups that consist of 5 to 10 members.

74. What is No. 10 Downing Street?

Ans:- No.10 Downing Street is in London. It is the official residence of the Prime Minister of England. It is a five minute walk from the Houses of Parliament. The name Drowning Street owes its origin to Sir George Downing, an English Statesman who lived in England in the 17th century. It was Downing who named the street as Downing Street. A portrait of George Drowning still adorns the living room of this building. Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Britain was the first resident of this beautiful mansion in1735 AD. King George I offered Walpole this building-No. 10 Downing Street. Walpole resigned in 1742 and the building was occupied by many high government officials. But in 1902 it became the official residence of the British Prime Minister during the time of Arthur Balfour.

75. Which is the original native place of Chilli?

Ans:- Chilli was originally grown in South America.From there it was taken to Europe. The Portuguese from Portugal brought chilli plant to India. India is now the biggest producer of chillies in the world. Chillies are known by different names in India. It is called Lal Mirch in Hindi, Lal Morich in Bengali, Milagai in Tamil, Mirapa Kaya in Telugu and Lanka Maricha in Oriya. Chillies give hotness when they are added to pickles, curry, masala, chutney etc. It also provides colour to the food product.

76. What is Statue of Liberty?

Ans:-  The Statue of Liberty that towers above the New York harbour in America is a structural wonder. It was erected by the people of France and America to symbolise the long standing friendship between the two countries. The Statue of Liberty is placed on 12 acres in Liberty Island in the middle of New York Harbour. It is a 152 feet high figure of a woman in long robes holds high above her head a lighted torch. The pedestal which adds about another 150 feet gives the monuments a total height of 302 feet. Visitors climb to the top of the pedestal in the elevator. From there they reach at the lady’s crown by climbing a narrow staircase.

77. Where is Kathmandu? Why is it so famous?

Ans:- Kathamandu is the capital of India’s neighbouring country Nepal. The city was founded in 723 AD by Raja Gunakama Deva. It was earlier known as Kantipur upto the 17th century. The word Kathamandu is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Kastha’ -mandap which means a wooden temple.The temple is said to have been built from the wood of a single tree in the 16th century by Raja Lakshmi Narsing Malla. Kathamandu is a big city with a large population, wide roads, modern buildings, beautiful temples and Buddhist shrines. The city is surrounded by hills. The  temple of Pashupatinath on the Bagmati river is world famous. The Swayambhunath temple is a famous Buddhist shrine.

78. What is Judo?

Ans:- The word ‘Judo’ literally means ‘the way of softness’. It is a form of unarmed combat. It was developed as a sport by Prof. Jigoro Kano of Japan. He founded Kodokan Judo in 1882 as an art of physical and mental training as well as an art of self-defence. The International Judo Federation was founded in 1952.

79. Who is called the ‘Father of Medicine’?

Ans:- Hippocrates, a physician of ancient Greece is called as the ‘Father of Medicine’. He was the first to separate medicine from the bonds of superstition, magic and prejudices of a religious nature. Born in 460 BC, he introduced scientific principles for the cure of the human body.  His curative methods involved the careful observation of the symptoms of illness and a logical approach to diagnosis. He insisted that every disease has a natural cause and without natural cause, nothing ever happens.  He says, the doctor is a helper of nature, the patient is a vibrant whole and the disease is governed by rules. He established the ethical rules of the medical profession, which is followed even today. The doctors have to undertake an oath to observe the medical code of ethical and professional behaviour after they become qualified doctors and enter their profession. This oath is called ‘Hippocrates Oath’.

80. Where is the famous Rock Garden in India?

Ans:-The famous Rock Garden is at Chandigarh in the state of Haryana. It is made of pieces of scrap, broken glass and cut ceramic. The garden is fashioned almost entirely from natural rock formations and comprises about 20,000 shapes and figures made out of unwanted non-biodegradable materials. The garden was made by Nek Chand, an environmentalist in true sense. The Rock Garden consists of bears and horses studded with clinker, terracotta monkeys, peacocks made of broken glass bangles, birds and snakes. There are vast courtyards filled with human figures. Out of them school children and young men in parade are very attractive.

81. Where is Rameswaram? Why is it so famous?

Ans:- Rameswaram is a renowned pilgrim town of India. It stands on an island in the Palk Straits at the extre- eme south-eastern limit of the Indian Peninsula. It is in the state of Tamil Nadu, well connected with bus routes and railways. It is one of the great religious centers of India and the Hindu pilgrim pays his homage here after a visit to Varanasi. The famous Rameswaram Temple at Rameswaram is said to have taken 350 years to complete. It dates back to 17th century and is one of the finest examples of South Indian architecture. In the temple premises there are holy bathing ghats whose water is said to have medicinal properties to cure several diseases. After bathing in the holy water pilgrims visit the holy sanctum of Lord Shiva. The deity here constitutes one of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India. Again the pilgrimage to Rameswaram is completed only with a bath in the sea at Dhanushkodi, the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal and The Indian Ocean, which is 39 km from Rameswaram. Lord Rama had built the Setu Bandha (Bridge) to Sri Lanka from this place.

82. Which is the largest deer species in India?

Ans:- The Sambhar is the largest and most widely distributed deer in India. It is found in the forest from the southern reaches of the Western Ghats to the Himalayan foothills. A full-grown stag (male deer) stands to 150 cm at the shoulder and weighs about 300 kg. Females are smaller. The coarse, shaggy brown coat of Sambhar darkens with age and turns to almost black in old age. The three horns of the stags reach full size in four years.  Stags usually remain alone without companion and are more active at night. They associate with female deer only during the mating season.

83. How is Soya bean useful to us?

Ans:- Soya bean is widely cultivated for seeds that are rich in protein and oil. It was first cultivated in China about 7,000 years ago. It contains about 40% protein and 20% oil high in calories and minerals. Soya bean is a perfect substitute for fish and meat. Its oil is used in cooking and is very useful for human health.

84. Why the sunlight is most essential for our body?

Ans:- The Sun is an indispensable part of life on Earth. The sunlight is most essential for the existence of life. It has great health giving power and valuable properties. The sun’s ray is the largest source of vitamin D available to man and other living beings. Vitamin D is necessary for our sound bones and strong teeth. It is absolutely required to make sure of proper absorption and digestion of calcium and phosphorous which are most important for building strong bone structure and nerves. So, to get adequate quantities of vitamin D, sun is the only source of all light and that is in free cost. Our body’s requirement of vitamin D can be met through exposure to the sun’s ray for just 10 to 15 minutes.

85. Why can’t we call a spider an insect?

Ans:- We cannot call a spider an insect because an insect has six legs while spider has eight. Again, the body of a spider is divided into two parts whereas an insect’s body has three parts. The spiders have simple eyes not compound eyes as the insects and unlike insects the spiders do not go through larva and pupa stages. The body of spider has holes called spinnerets through which it produces a protein packed fluid. The fluid sets when it is pulled in fine strands and it is these strands that make up a spider’s web. So, spiders and insects are two different classes of animals. The group to which the spiders belong is called ‘arachnids’. Scorpions, mites and ticks also belong to this spider’s class.

86. What are the medicinal values of the neem tree?

Ans:- The neem tree is a common sight on roadsides and near our dwelling. The neem holds many medicinal properties, which are most essential to cure many harmful diseases. Many medicines are prepared from the gum that obtained from the tree. The oil got by pressing the neem seeds cures ringworms and is used for developing the resistance power of our body. The bark is also used for medicinal purposes. Extract from the leaves of the tree are used to treat ulcers and skin diseases. The extract of neem fruit is an excellent insecticide without any harmful effects. Neem is used in making chemical compounds that combat about 200 species of insects. Neem twigs are used as tooth brush to clean teeth. Even toothpastes and soaps are being prepared from the neem.

87. What are sea-cows?

Ans:- Sea cows are aquatic animals that live in seas and oceans. They are Dugongs, a distant relative of the elephant. They are bulky resembling the seal.  Their heavy bones and enlarged upper incisors are the features that are shared with the elephant. The male dugong has a pair of miniature tusks, which protrude from the upper jaws. They weigh from 140 kg to 200 kg and their length is 2 ½ metres to 3 metres. Dugongs are called sea cows because of their placid nature and grazing habits. They feed on sea grass. The sea cows spend their day in deep water and rise above water to breathe. They come to land very rarely as their dry body suffers from sunburn. A female dugong gives birth to 5 or 6 young ones. The newborn follow its mother in water soon after bath and suck milk from the mother. Dugongs live 50 years. The largest numbers of dugongs are found in India and Sri Lanka in the Gulf of Mannar and in the Palk Straits. They have also been sighted in the Gulf of Kachchh, the coast of Malabar and around Andaman Islands. They also live in the tropical coasts of the Pacific Ocean, and from Madagascar to the northeast coast of Australia and to the Persian Gulf.

88. What is Gol Gumbaz? Why is it so famous?

Ans:- Gol Gumbaz is the tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah. It is at Bijapur in the Karnataka state in South India. It is famous because it is the second largest tomb in the world. It is an octag-onal tower with four corners consisting a great hall covered by a dome. The area of this hall is greater than even that of the Pantheon of Rome. The height of the Gol Gumbaz excluding the vault where the real tombs are built is 206 feet 6 inches. There is a whispering gallery around interior of the dome. The slightest whisper made by a person standing here is heard upto a distance of 124 feet. A single loud clap is echoed more than 10 times in distinctly in the whispering gallery.

89. What is salt made of?

Ans:- Salt is very essential for all living beings, especially for humans as it adds great taste to the food that we take. It is also required for human body for so many medicinal points. Salt is made of Sodium and chlorine and its chemical name is Sodium chloride. Chlorine is a yellowish-green gas and sodium is a metal that looks like silver but as soft as wax. Chlorine was first produced by Karl Wilhelm Scheele, a chemist of Sweden in 1774. Sir Humphry Davy, a great British scientist, first isolated sodium. He used electricity in the experiment. So salt is the result of these two unlikely elements- Sodium and Chlorine.

90. Which is the oldest Public school in India?

Ans:- The oldest public school in India is St. George’s School and Orphanage at Shenoy Nagar in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was set up in 1715 in the vestry of St. Mary’s Church, Fort St. George, Chennai with 30 children. Later it was known as St. Marry’s Church Charity School. In 1904 it was shifted to its present location. Again it was renamed as St. George’s School and Orphanage 1954.

91. Why is Turkey nicknamed “The Sick man of Europe”?

Ans- The Ottaman Empire known as Turkey was one of the most powerful empires of Europe in the 16 century. But, after the death of Emperor Sulieman , the empire began to decline . The policy of religious intolerance pursued by the sultans created numerous problems and greatly undermined the position and prestige of Turkey in the eyes of other powers. During the next century most of its possessions in Europe were whittled down by Austrians, Poles, Russians. In 1852, the Russian czar suggested the division of Turkey among various European powers by saying “We have on our hands a sick man -a very sick man… Turkey”.

92. Where is Kaziranga National Park?

Ans- Kaziranga one of the famous national parks of India is in Assam, 217km away from Guwahati. It is famous for one-horned rhinoceros. The area lies between the river Brahmaputra in the north, the Mikir hills in the south, the Bokakhat Township in the east and the Boro hills in the west. The landscape of Kaziranga is one of the Marshy lands with elephant grass and thick bushes of tall brown reeds, surrounded by dense forests. Kaziranga was declared a Wild Life Sanctuary in 1908 and a National Park in 1973. Besides one-horned rhino, other animals like elephants, wild buffaloes, swamp deer, samber, tiger etc. are found there.

93.  Where is the Lake Baikal, the deepest lake of the world?

Ans. Lake Baikal, the deepest lake of the world is in Russia. It is 1,620 metres deep and it lies at the heart of Eastern Asia and stretches 636 kilometres north to south. It has 2,500 varieties of animals. The lake has special importance because its water is free from chemical impurities. It covers an area of 31,499 square kilometers and consists of over 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water.

94.  Who was the first Indian to enter Olympic Athletic Final?

Ans. Milkha Singh, known as Flying Sikh, was the first Indian to enter an Olympic Athletic Final. On September 6, 1960, he ran in the 400 metres final of the Rome Olympics. He completed it in 45.6 seconds and missed the 3rd place by one-tenth of a second. He brought the first gold medal for India in the 440 yards of Commonwealth Games in 1958. He also won 4 gold medals in Asian Games of 1958 and 1962

95. From where do we get the pearl?

Ans- The pearl is considered as one of the most beautiful of all jewels. But it is the gem that is not dug up from the mine. It is obtained from the sea. Pearl is grown in the shell of an oyster. The oyster does not manufacture the pearl for the purpose of adorning the necks of women. It makes it only as a means of self-protection. Sometimes, a hard, tiny object such as a grain of sand gets inside the shell and irritates the soft sensitive flesh of the oyster. As a protection the oyster begins to cover the object with a thick fluid from its own body. When this layer hardens, the irritation begins again and the oyster adds another layer. After many years the oyster produces a beautiful pearl by this process.

96. Why the baya is called as the weaver bird ?

Ans- Baya is a bird with thicker beak and shorter tail. It resembles the female house sparrow. The female and the male bayas look alike. But during the breeding season, by the time the monsoon sets in, the male bayas acquire a rich yellow plumage and a dark mask. Baya is called as the weaver bird because it is famous for constructing intricately woven nests that hang from tree branches. The baya’s nest is a retort shaped structure with a tubular    entrance. The dome shaped interior is plastered with mud. The nest is so skillfully secured that it is rainproof. Even severe wind can not destroy it. The baya lives in wooded areas. So it finds strips of millet leaves and certain reeds to build its nest. The male bayas gather in flocks and     select their nest sites in thorny areas with trees overhanging roads, water or fields. The male bayas start the building of the nests and when these nests are completed the females visit them.

97. What are the medicinal properties of potato?

Ans. Potato is the most common vegetable in our country. Any curry tastes odd without potato. Potato has many medicinal properties. Russian folk use medicine baked potatoes as a remedy for heart disease. Stomach ulcers are treated with the fresh juice of pink potatoes. Potato juice also relieves gastritis and constipation. Potato starch is used as anti-inflammatory remedy foe gastrointestinal diseases and poisoning. Raw potatoes are applied to affected skin areas in cases of burns and eczema. An infusion of    potato flowers reduces blood pressure. Solanine, a substance isolated from    potato sprouts work as a powerful anti-allergen.

98. Where is Mahabalipuram? Why is it so famous?

Ans. Mahabalipuram, a famous tourist place of southern India is in Tamil Nadu, 60 kms from Chennai. It is a treasure-house of ancient art of India. It is famous for its beautiful rock-cut temples of the Pallava kings which were carved between 600 and 750 AD.  Among the carvings the ‘rathas’ carved out of huge rocks    resemble temple chariots. Most charming carvings are the life size bull, lion and   elephant of granite. One can see the fight between the buffalo demon Mahishasura and goddess Durga. ‘Arjuna’s penance’ is also a masterpiece of stone carving. The Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram on the shore of Bay of Bengal, facing the fury of its water is very beautiful.

99. What is Millennium Dome? Where is it?

Ans: - Millennium Dome is a system which makes easier to understand the complicated details of the human brain.  The amazing powers of the human brain are portrayed in the Millennium Dome. It is in London, Britain and it opened to the public on 1st January 2000. It was designed by Zaha Hadid. The structure has several levels, with different decks curving and interweaving with each other as they ascend towards the Dome’s roof. Visitors enter the mind zone by passing under its giant central projection screen. They see how brain-imaging can show many areas of the brain respond to different senses. They also see its tremendous recovery power and how it can    rewire   itself following an accident in   order to carry on functioning.

100. When was the first Pizza made ?

Ans. The first Pizza was made in 17th century. One day a peasant woman in Italy was baking some bread. Her hungry children were standing around her for food. So her motherly instinct forced her  to speed up the baking process. She put some cheese and meat on the bread and baked it for few minutes. That tasted good and     everybody followed her process. So, by  this the world’s first Pizza was made.

101. When was parachute built?

Ans. Parachute came into thought with the rise of ballooning towards the end of 18th century. In 1785,   Blanchard made a parachute from a balloon and   attached a basket to it containing a dog. It returned to the earth without any injury. Andre Garnerin, a French man was the first person to fly in parachute and to come down safely. In 1797 he descended from a height of one mile and a quarter. He fully succeeded when he thrilled a vast crowd in London by dropping 800 feet in 1802.

102. Why does the peacock display its feathers?

Ans. People generally believe that the peacock displays its feathers when it rains. But the real fact is not so. The beautiful bird displays its beautiful feathers to attract the female-the peahen during its mating season which falls in rainy season. The peacock’s feathers are attached to the lower part of its back and not to its tail. The tail acts as support only to the feathers. The peacock on seeing the peahen open out its charming feathers and dances to make the peahen feel that he is very hand some and attractive.

103.  How did the word ‘Police’ come?

Ans. The word ‘Police’ is derived from the Greek word ‘Politeia’ or from the Latin word ‘Politia’. The Greek word ‘Politeia’ means for citizenship or state or admini- stration of govern- ment.   The Latin word ‘Politia’ stands for state or administration or civilization. Similarly the French word ‘Plois’ means city or town. Now the meaning of the word police is quite clear and well known to every body.  It is the duty of the police to maintain law and order and to protect the life and property of the people.

104.  What is White House? Where is it?

Ans. The White House is the official residence of the president of the United States of America. It is in Washington DC, the capital of America. The building was originally called the President’s House. The White House became its official name in 1902. This oldest building of Washington built of sand stones on a plot of 18 acres. It was designed by James Hoban at a cost of 400,000 Dollars. It contains the offices of the US president and his staff.

105. Who designed Jeans- the wonderful pants?

Ans. Jeans pants are popular all over the world. In India its demand has been increasing day by day. The first Jeans-rugged pants made of canvas were first sold by Levi Strauss, a German born Jew to an American boy. Strauss was selling canvas for setting up tents to the residents of San Francisco in the USA. The boy approached Strauss for sturdy pants that would suit up the rigours of the diggings. The first Jeans came out in the 1850s and was sold for six dollars. Since then Strauss’s company started manufacturing jeans and sold millions of Jeans. Still now the brand ‘Levi’ carrying the name of Levi Strauss is a popular brand all over the world.

106. When was the first postage stamp officially issued?

Ans. The first postage stamp was officially issued on May 6, 1840 in Britain. It was an adhesive stamp named ‘Penny Black’. The stamp did not have the country’s name. More than 68 million ‘Peny Black’ stamps were printed. The engraves for the stamps were Charles and Frederick Heath.

107. Which is India’s first National Park?

Ans. Corbett National Park, named after famous hunter and conser- vationist Jim Corbett is India’s first National Park. It is now in the state of Utarakhand and was set up in 1935. Its first name was Hailey national Park and in the year of 1957 it got its new name Corbett National Park. It covers an area of 1,300 square kilometres at the foothills of the Himalayas. The park is the home of  tigers, leopards, wild elephants and birds of many species.

108. Who introduced popcorn in India?

Ans. Gerhart Martin Jacoby, German national introduced popcorn in India. He came to India on the eve of World War II from Nazi Germany to manage hotels. When the war started he became India’s security prisoner and was held at Lahore fort in Punjab. After independence he and his family sifted to Canada. But he again returned back to India with special maize seeds for doing popcorn business. Popcorn is the roasted product of maize. He planted his special maize seeds in Bangalore and started his popcorn business.

109. How the people of Bharat became known as Indians?

Ans-  The people of ancient Persia (modern Iran), which was one of  our neighbouring  country (presently of  Pakistan) used to call the ‘Sindhu’ river as Hindu.  The Sanskrit word ‘S’ is ‘H’ in their Arabic language. So, the river Sindhu became river Hindu and Bharat for them became popular as Hindustan.  Then the Greeks came Bharat and it was difficult for them to pronounce the river Hindu. Instead they called it ‘Indu’ and then Hindustan became India and the people of Hindustan called Indians.

110. What is the emblem of World Wildlife Fund?

Ans-  The  Giant Panda is the emblem of World Wild life Fund. The animal is found only in the bamboo forests of Western China and parts of Tibet. It was known to the Chinese for over 4,000 years. But only after 1869 it was known to the people of the world. The Giant Panda weighs 90 kg and is 1.8 metres long. It has thick  yellowish  white fur in most parts of its body expect the legs, shoulders which are black. It feeds on bamboo shoots and lives about 15 years.

111. Which is the largest church in the world?

Ans.  The Church of St. Peter’s at the Vatican, Rome, Italy is the largest church in the world. It was dedicated in 1626, after a 120 years long construction. Its roof is as high as a 15 storey building and there are 44 altars in it.

112. Where is the famous Sanchi Stupa?

Ans- The world famous Sanchi Stupa is at Sanchi, near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. It was a busy centre of Buddhism in olden days. Mauryan Emperor Ashok-The Great constructed this beautiful monument. It displays the greatest and perfect examples of Buddhist art in India. The Sanchi Stupa is a dome like structure with large and bold small row of pillars joined by a rail. It has four imposing gateways called ‘toranas’. These gateways are richly caved with columns and super structures.

113. What is the Hubble Telescope?

Ans.  The Hubble Telescope is one of the most precise astronomical instruments. It was placed in the orbit by the space shuttle of USA about 590 kms above the earth. This space telescope would improve visual accuracy by 10 times and the sensitivity to faint light by 50 times. It is 13 metres long with the mirrors of 2.4 metres. It has revolutionized knowledge on stars and planets as well as on the structures of galaxies and the universe.

114. What is a desert?

Ans: - A desert is a dry region with a very little or no rain fall.   There is no vegetation in a desert and the surface of the land is bare, filled with sand. Deserts are usually situated at the centre of larger masses of land. Most of the winds that blow from the large land masses are dry wind and the damp winds from the sea are robbed of their moisture by the high mountains before reaching the desert. The large deserts like the Sahara and Kalahari are in Africa, the Gobi is in Asia, the Great Desert is in Central Australia, and some others are in the North and South America. In India there is the Thar Desert in the state of Rajasthan and also in a part of Gujarat.

115. Which is the highest waterfall of the world?

Ans. The Angel Falls in the dense forest of Venezuela, South America is the highest waterfall of the world. In Venezuela, there is a plateau which is 9,000 feet high. The river Caroni which flows through this plateau, at one point plunges over the cliff forming this waterfall. Jimmy Angel, an American discovered this waterfall in 1937 while flying over this forest. Hence, it is named as Angel Falls according to his name. The Angel Falls is 20 times high as Niagara Falls in USA. Its estimated height is  3,300 feet.

116. When was the ‘pencil’ born?

Ans-The word ‘pencil’ is derived from a Latin word which means finely tipped brush. The modern pencil was born in 1564 in England. In that year a huge oak tree revealing a huge deposit of pure graphite blew down. Local shepherds used the graphite for branding their flocks of sheep. The ordinary pencil used by students is made of graphite and clay. It does not contain the lead but is wrongly called as lead pencil. This is so because the finders of graphite noted at that time that it was marked like lead.

117. What are hurricanes?

Ans. Hurricanes are sea storms. When the winds of a tropical storm reach 110 kmph, then the storm is classified as a hurricane. Hurricanes are formed when large areas of the ocean become heated, and the air pressure over that area drops. Hurricanes start as a band of thunderstorms that begin spinning when they collide with trade wings. Hurricanes move along at speeds between 25 and 50 kms per hour. Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around its centre. When a hurricane hits land; strong winds, heavy rains and waves damage buildings, trees, vehicles and other structures. Hurricanes do not last long when they hit the land.

118. How many types of rivers are there?

Ans- A River is a body of water that flows down from the hill towards the ocean. Rivers are broad and placid, narrow and fast moving, winding or straight. Broadly speaking there are three types of rivers- the Perennial Rivers, Seasonal Rivers and Ephemeral rivers. Perennial rivers are rivers that flow all the year round. They are found in regions where there is rain throughout the years. The smelting of snow and glacier is also a source of their water. Seasonal rivers flow only during the rainy season. The dry rivers of the desert area are called Ephemeral Rivers.

119. How were the pigeons carrying messages in ancient times?

Ans- About 3000 years ago pigeons were used for carrying messages by the Egyptians and Persians.  King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba exchanged messages by carrier pigeons. These pigeons are specially trained pigeons which are capable of finding the places  to reach and returning back to their original home. First message was written on a piece of paper. Then the paper was neatly folded and secured in a small canister attached to the pigeon’s leg. The most famous pigeon of all the carrier pigeons was ‘Cher Ami’, a French Pigeon. It saved the life of 200 Americans soldiers, though it was badly wounded by the enemy fire.

120. Which is the second largest bird in the world?

Ans. The Cassowary is the second largest bird in the world after Ostrich. It is a flightless bird found in Australia and New Guinea. It grows upto a height of 2 metres and weighs about 60 kg. The largest known Cassowary found in Australia was 83 kg, bigger than an adult human. The Cassowary lives around 40 to 50 years. The females are bigger and brighter than the males. These birds have powerful legs and a helmet like crest on the head. They can run at a speed of 50 kms per hour and jump to a height of 5 feet.

121. How do birds produce their melodious sounds?

Ans. Different birds produce different sounds. Some birds produce melodious sounds which are very pleasant to hear. The bird’s song actually comes from an organ in the throat called the syrinx, which has two vibrating sides. Changes in tones and melodies are created because birds have muscles that contract and relax as they force air through the passage differently to form multiple sounds and tones.

123. How does an astronaut ‘walk’ in the space ?

Ans. An astronaut cannot walk the ordinary way once he leaves his spacecraft during a journey. Nothing is there all around but only empty space. There is not even any gravity to pull him in one particular direction. He can only guide himself by the same means as the spacecraft itself-by rocket propulsion. So in the space, when an astronaut leaves his spacecraft perhaps to help in  docking operations with another spacecraft- he carries specially  designed hand rockets with him. When he points the rocket exhaust in one direction, and gives the engine a burst of power, he moves in the opposite direction.

124. What is ‘Cyber war’ ?

Ans. Cyber war is the information warfare waged over the Internet. It is a creation of modern information and communication technology. It is recognized in government, military and business circles as a potential grave threat. Cyber war involves distributing information through websites or e-mail to raise awareness, mobilize support and create global networks. It can also include infiltrating and disrupting an enemy’s computer networks and databases. Cyber war has introduced a host of new weapons such as viruses, worms and Trojan horses, which can wreck havoc on computer systems.

125. What is Radar ?

Ans. Radar is a system for determining the direction, range or presence of moving objects, by sending out pulses of high     frequency   radio waves and detecting the echo. The principle of radar was    established in 1886, when Heinrich Hertz showed the radio waves could be reflected from solid objects. In 1922 Marconi suggested that radio echoes could be used to detect ships in bad visibility. So in 1930s radar systems for air and sea navigation and for detecting enemy air crafts and ships were developed in Britain, France, Germany and USA.

126. What is Fibre glass?

Ans. Fibre glass is the glass in the form of fine filaments. It is used widely for heat insulation as glass wool for fabrics, and with a plastic resin to make a construction and repair material called GRP (glass- reinforced plastic). GRP is a rigid composite material, commonly referred to as glass fibre or fibre glass. It is a popular medium for car bodies, boats, aircraft parts and containers. It resists heat, corrosion and rot and can be stronger than steel. Most forms of fibre glass are made by forcing molten glass through fine metal nozzles and spinnerets.

127. What is ‘safe’ blood ?

Ans. ‘Safe’ blood is the blood which is free from any infection. It does no harm to the person to whom it is given and can save his life. Unsafe blood can cause serious illness or even death to the recipient. Blood is unsafe if any type of infection is present in the donor’s blood. The infection can be transmitted by transfusion or through any blood products that have been manufactured from the blood. Infections that can be caused by blood include- HIV, which leads to AIDS, Hepatitis B & C, and Malaria etc.

128. What is a test tube baby ?

Ans. A test tube baby is the baby which is born after being conceived outside the body. When normal pregnancy is not possible a couple goes in for what is called in vitro fertilization. Here the woman is given hormones that cause her ovary to release many ova instead of the usual single ovum. These ova are carefully removed from her body and maintained on nutritive medium in a glass dish. They are then fertilized by sperms taken from either her husband or a donor. Up to three of the fertilized ova are then implanted in the womb of either the woman herself or that of a surrogate mother who bears the fetus till the delivery.

129. What makes blood clot?

Ans. Blood is most valuable for life and a steady loss of blood can be very dangerous. So, nature has protected us against this danger by giving blood the capacity to clot. If this clotting take place inside the circulatory system, it can be equally dangerous. Hence blood does not clot when it comes in contact with the smooth walls of the blood vessels. Blood takes a rough surface or an injury to the blood vessels for        clotting. Before clotting, first very fine threads of a material called fibrin appear in the blood. These threads form a kind of network which entangle all the blood cells like spider’s web. The blood stream stops moving at this point and is transformed into a kind of swamp of blood cells. The fibrin threads are very firm and elastic and they hold the blood cells together in a clot. A clot of blood is thus like a piece of    absorbent cotton which nature creates to protect us from the loss of blood.

130. Why do we blink?

Ans. When we blink, our eyes become lubricated and help us in sweeping away foreign particles. Lubrication helps in maintaining the transparency of the      cornea. The tiny glands along the edge of each eyelid release a watery fluid each time the eyelid closes. So each time we blink, the tear glands release some fluids. The fluids flush out the eye and keep it moist. Blinking, therefore, is  indeed a natural safety device that protects our eyes.

131. How did the Titanic ship face the disaster ?

Ans. Titanic was a British passenger liner, which was unsinkable and the   largest ship in the world when it was built. The ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean on its maiden voyage in April 1912 and sank with the loss of 1,490 lives. The disaster led to new regulations for ships to carry sufficient lifeboats for all on broad.

132. Where is the volcano in India ?

Ans. In India, there is the volcano in Barren Island, located 110 km north east of Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. It is the only active volcano in India. Its central core is about 300 metres high.  On April 10, 1991, the   volcano erupted after a gap of two hundred years.

133. Which is the largest mosque in India ?

Ans. Jama Masjid in Delhi is the largest mosque in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. Its foundation was laid on October 6, 1650 AD under the supervision of his Prime Minister, Sadullah Khan. At that time a huge amount of Rs. 14 lakhs was spent on it. Ustad Khalil was the chief architect of the masjid. Five thousands workers were daily employed on it and it was completed in six years.

134. Who was the most prolific painter of the world?

Ans. Spanish-born French painter Pablo Picasso was the most prolific of all painters. He was born in 1881 in Spain but was settled in France. During his life time of 78 years from birth to his death in 1973, he produced about 13,500 paintings or designs, 100, 000 prints or engravings, 34, 000 book  illustrations, and 300 sculptures and     ceramic plus drawings and tapestries. His lifetime work has been valued at well over 1 billion Dollars. 

135. When was badminton originated ?

Ans. Badminton is believed to be originated in ancient China. A game similar to badminton was played in ancient China in the 2000 BC. The modern game of badminton evolved around 1870 AD, at Badminton Hall in Avon, England, a  seat of Dukes of Beaufort. It is also said that badminton is an Indian game and the Britishers learned it from India during their rule. The first modern rules of badminton were codified in Pune, India in 1876 by the Britishers.

136. Which are the oldest civilizations in the world?

Ans. The Egyptian civilization, dawned on the bank of river Nile of Egypt, and the Sumerian civilization emerged between Tigris and Euphrates rivers of      modern Iraq were the oldest civilizations in the world. Both these civilizations are said to have flourished around 4000 BC. The Greeks called the region where the Sumerian civilization flourished as Mesopotamia because in their language, ‘Meso’ means between and ‘Patomos’ means rivers. The Sumerian civilization was highly literate and short-lived, flourished only for 18 centuries before its extinction. The Sumerians left an indelible mark on world culture. They gave the world writing, schools, the two party legislature, poetry etc. The Egyptian civilization was a coherent, conservative civilization that continued unchanged nearly for 4000 years.

137. Which is the largest flower in the world?

Ans. The largest flower in the world is Rafflesia Arnoldii. It is found in the Sumatran forest and can have a diameter of over a yard. It is around 0.75 inch thick and weighs about 7 kg. The Rafflesia flower can grow to 91 cm or 3 ft wide. It flowers for five to seven days. It is reddish or orange brown in colour and has an unpleasant smell which fascinates flies. These flies bring about the pollination process. Rafflesia is a parasitic plant and fed on the sap of trees. It does not have any leaves.

138. Where is Washington D.C? Why is it so famous?

Ans. Washington D.C is the capital of United States of America. It is an important business and financial city. It is located on the bank of Potomac river, between the States of Maryland and Virginia. The city covers the same area as the Federal district of Columbia. Washington is one of the most beautifully    designed and landscaped cities in USA. Major Pierre Charles L’ Enfant , a French engineer planned and created the city. The White House, the official home of the President of America and his family is at Washington DC.

138. What is the difference between X-ray, CT Scan and MRI ?

A.    X-rays are high frequency beams of the electromagnetic spectrum; it can pass more easily through material with low density than through those with higher density. Hence, solids in the body such as bones, kidney, and stones show up easily in an X-ray image. A CT-Scan (computerised Tomography) is effectively a more developed version of using X-ray. It uses a highly sensitive X-ray beam focussed on specific parts of the body and a detector picks up the beam as it passes through the body. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) uses a rapidly oscillating magenetic field perpendicular to a very strong principal magnetic field along which the organ to be scanned is kept. The oscillating field causes hydrogen atoms within the organ to get magnetised in a direction perpendicular to that of the principal magnetic field.

139. How was the city of Kolkata formed ?

Ans. On 24th August 1690 Job Charnock, a British official landed in the village of Sutanati at the mouth of the Hoogly river in present West Bengal. He combined the three villages of Sutanati, Gobindpur and Kalikata into one and developed into a township that took the name of Kolkata. Kolkata was the capital of India during British rule.           

140. When did boxing originate ?

Ans. Boxing with gloves was depicted on a fresco from the  Isle of Thera, Greece around 1520 B.C. The code of rules was formulated in England on August  16, 1741 by the champion Pugilist Jack Broughton who reigned from 1729 to 1750.

142. When did Harry Potter make his debut ?

A.    Harry potter, created by J. K Rowling, made his debut in ‘Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone’ which was published on June 30, 1997. This was a part of a series of seven books and the sixth book ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blooded prince’ was released in July 2005.

143. Where was coriander originated ?                                              

Ans.The coriander or popularly known as Dhaniya was originated from the North-East and the Mediterranean regions. The people of ancient Rome were cultivating it before 2000 years in order to make breads. From Rome, it came to Europe and Morocco, an African country and was grown there. The plant generally having a life cycle of a year grows in places with a cool climate and moderate rains. Now in India, coriander is cultivated in large scale. In Indian household it is used as green leafy vegetable. It is added in dal and curry as a flavouring agent and also used in preparing chutneys, salads, medicines etc. The dry seed of coriander is used as ‘Masalas, and it leaves are also used as soups.

144. How do some animals show the warning when an earthquake is likely to happen very soon ?                  

Ans.Some animals show some warning guidelines just before the earthquake. Cattle, sheep and horses refuse to get into thei enclosures. Dogs bark without any reason.  Rats run out of their hiding places. Chickens fly up to the trees and ducks refuse to go to the water. Snakes come out from their holes in large number and cockroaches go round and round without any reason. Fish jump out of water.

145. What is the Marathon Race ?    

Ans. The Marathon is a road race just over 26 miles and 385 yards. It is a part of the Olympic Games which are held every four years. The history of Marathon race began with the story of a Greek soldier Pheidippides, who ran the distance from Marathon to Athens in Greece to give   information to the people of Athens of the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 B.C. But because of tiresomeness he fell in the ground and died. The Marathon Race was not a part of ancient Olympics. It was introduced in modern Olympics in 1896. The winner of the first Marathon was a Greek athlete, Spyros Louis.

146. When was the First volume of the Oxford English Dictionary published?                 

Ans.  The first volume of Oxford English Dictionary was published by James Murray of Scotland in 1884. Murray was the son of a poor tailor. He worked as a school teacher and then joined in a bank. From his early childhood he had a keen interest in language and dialects. So, he became a member of the Philological Society. With the help of the Philological Society, Murray started preparing the dictionary in a shed near his home in 1879. It named as Oxford Dictionary as the Oxford University Press published it.

147. Where is Bhadrachalam, the famous pilgrim centre of India?             

Ans. Bhadrachalam, one of the famous pilgrim centres of India, is on the bank of river Godavari, 161 km from Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. It is well known for the temple of Sri Rama which was built by the famous Saint Ramdas. It is the second richest temple in Andhra Pradesh, next to Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. The temple lies on a hill and commands a grand view of the river Godavari. The temple can be reached by climbing a hundred steps built on all the three sides of the hill.

148. Where is Pushkar - the famous pilgrim centre of India?

Ans- Lake Pushkar, one of the holiest of Hindu places of pilgrimage is in Rajasthan, eleven kilometres to the northwest of Ajmer. According to the Padma Puranas, Lord Brahma, the supreme creator was in search of a place where he could perform a Yagna without being disturbed. While passing through the place now called Pushkar, the lotus flowers slipped from his hand in three places from where water began to flow. Brahma performed his Yagna there and   called the place Pushkar, named after lotus. In Mahabharat it is said that the Pandavas spent a few years of their exile in the hills around Pushkar. Every year, a big fair is held at Pushkar on Kartik Purnima and lakhs of pilgrims assemble. Among the temples at Pushkar, the Brahma temple is most prominent.

149. Where is Nalanda, the most renowned ancient international university?

Ans- Nalanda, the most renowned international university of ancient world is in Bihar. It is towards the south-east 92 kms from Patna. It occupies a unique position among the places where Gautam Buddha preached his Dharma.  Emperor Ashok built a monastery here. The famous Chinese pilgrim, Hieuen-Tsang visited this place in 7th century AD. He recorded the details about this great ancient university in his book.The Nalanda University was established in 5th century AD. It attracted a large number of foreign scholars from distant countries like China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Afghanistan,   Tibet, Sri Lanka etc. The    university fell into decline in 12th century AD.

150. Which is the original home of coffee?

Ans. Coffee, originally found in Arab countries. It has many Arabic names such as ‘Caova’, ‘Cova’ or ‘Kahwah’ meaning bitter. The Latin name is ‘Coffee’. Now Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the world followed by Colombia, Indonesia, Venezuela, Guatemala, Salvador and Haiti. In India coffee is grown in the Himalayas from Garhwal in Uttaranchal to Sikkim and Assam. In south coffee plantation is done in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The species of coffee ranges from small woody shrubs and bushes to medium sized trees. Coffee plants reach at a height of between 4.5 to 9 metres. A three year old coffee plant bears fruits from which we get the coffee. The plants survive for 30 to 40 years.

151. How Amla fruit is useful to us?

Ans. Amla which is also called Indian Gooseberry is light yellow in colour and is about 1.25 cm to 2.5 cm in diameter. It is the richest known natural source of Vitamin-C, which is readily absorbed by our body system. It possesses anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Amla is a good liver stimulant, has a cooling action and a mild laxative. It is also useful in anemia, diabetes, chronic lung disease, colds, influenza and hyper tension. Amla is also used as hair tonic. When the raw fruit is not available the dried amla or its power is also of equal beneficial.

152. Which bird walks on the surface of water?

Ans: - The Jacana, which is also called the water-pheasant, gets its name from Brazil in South America. It lives in the tropics-very hot lands and found in Brazil, India, Sri Lanka or Australia. It has long and thin legs with very long toes. These long toes make the bird able to move across the surface of lake. It does not walk on the water itself, but uses the waterlilies and other aquatic plants as stepping stones for walking. The Jacana builds its nest on the water, in a tiny island of grass.

153. Where is the Elephanta Caves? Who had built it ?

Ans. The famous Elephanta Caves lie in the Elephanta or Gharapuri Island of Mumbai, eleven kilometres from the Gateway of India. From 1st century BC to 7th century AD it was an important port on the Western Coasts with trade links upto far Rome. Initially Elephanta was a Buddhist centre.  But later it became a seat of Shaivism. It     became famous for its rock-cut caves of 6th century AD. The great cave covers a large area almost 1330 sq. feet.

154. How did the Mercedes Benz Car get its name?

Ans. Mercedes Benz car was a product of Germany. Its initial name was Daimler Benz. The new name ‘Mercedes’ was used by Emil Jellinek, who had been awarded Benz Car’s sales’s right for Austria, Hungary, France and USA.  In France at that time there was the strong dislike towards German products. So, Emil named the car ‘Mercedes’ after the name of his daughter Mercedes Jellinek in order to avoid the dislike. Later the name ‘mercedes’ was adopted by Daimler Benz for their whole variety of motor    vehicles.

155. Where is Amazon, the largest river of the world?

Ans. Amazon, the largest river of the world is in Brazil, South America. In Brazilian literature, it is referred as the ‘Sea River’. The mouth of Amazon yawns to a width of 200 statue miles. The river has 1,100 known tributaries. Put the mouth of the Amazon at New York and its arm would reach up into Canada and down into Mexico and almost to California.

156.  Which is the largest diamond ever found?

Ans. The Cullinan Diamond is the largest diamond in the world.  It is named after the owner of the mine in South Africa, Sir Thomas Cullinan. Its weight is 0.6 kg and it was discovered in 1905. As a birthday gift it was presented to Edward VII, the king of United Kingdom.

157.  What is Census? When was it started?

Ans. The word ‘Census’ is derived from the Persian word ‘Khana’ which means house and ‘Sumeri’ which means counting. Census generally means counting the number of people. Besides this, it provides information on births, deaths, diseases etc. Census dates back to 4000 BC when the Babylonians in West Asia set up a system for collection of revenues. Egyptians too collected labour statistics in 3000 BC in order to construct pyramids. Romans, Greeks and Chinese also conducted census in ancient times for registering citizenship. In India Emperor Ashok-The Great conducted census in 3rd century BC for counting the total number of people in each village, number of cultivators, merchants, artisans, labourers and animals. In modern age the first census in India was conducted by the Britishers in 1872. However, regular census began in India in 1881. In India census is conducted in every ten years. The last census was in 2001.

158.  What is Acid Rains?

Ans. When rain falls, it becomes polluted in the atmosphere with two poisonous gases namely sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. These gases are mostly emitted from power plants and factories. The falling rain and snow react with these oxides and bring on suddenly new chemical properties. This mixture, often of sulphuric acid, nitric acid and water is being described as ‘Acid Rains’ by scientists. Acid Rains cause widespread harm to the environment.

159. How do ants locate their food?

Ans. The colony of ant is divided into three classes: the queen, winged males and wingless    infertile females. Infertile females are also called as workers. The worker class   include a few scouting ants and scouts always move randomly in search of food. As soon as a scout locates food such as sugar, it returns to the nest, lying down a scent trail by repeatedly pressing its abdomen to the ground. The other ants sense the secretions with the help of their smell organs and follow the scent trail towards the food discovered by the scout ant.

160. When was the Postal Pin Code introduced in India? What do the different digits indicate?

Ans. The Postal Index Number (PIN Code) was introduced on 15th August 1972. Under the scheme, every Head Post Office and sub-post office, which delivers mail, has been allotted an individual six-digit number. Pin code has eased the shorting problems because in India there are towns having same names. The PIN code digits from left to right indicate and locate the geographical position of the post office. In India there are 8 postal zones. The first digit indicates the zone, the first three taken together indicate the shorting unit, and the last three specify the particular delivery post office.

161.  When and where was tea introduced?

Ans. Tea grows best in areas of moderate to high rainfall,  equable temperatures and highly    humidity. The tea plant has been cultivated for thousands of years in China. From China it was introduced into European countries in 17th century. Tea was extremely scare and costly until the 19th century. But in 19th century tea was found growing in the northeastern states of India, particularly in Assam. In 1870, tea was planted in Sri Lanka.

162. Who translated the Bhagvad Gita into English from Sanskrit?

Ans-  The Bhagvad Gita originally was written in Sanskrit. It was known to Europe in 1785, when Sir Charles Wilkins translated it into English from Sanskrit. He learnt Sanskrit from the pandits in Varanasi and rendered Gita into English. The English translation carried a preface by Warren Hastings, the first Governor General of India.

163. When was the Howrah bridge of Kolkata built?

Ans-  The  famous Howrah bridge across the river Hooghly at Kolkata was completed in 1943. It was designed by Hurbert Shirley Smith, a distinguished British engineer. The bridge is built in a single cantilever span, about 1,500 feet long. It is said that it stretches 4 feet in the heat at the noon and becomes smaller in the evening.

164. Who is the highest selling Hindi author of India?

Ans.  Gulshan Nanda is the highest selling Hindi author of India. His novels, stories translated into many regional and    international languages. This made him the highest selling Hindi author. Two of his books ‘Kati Patang’ and ‘Jheel Ki Us Par’ made record sales of over 5 and 4 lakhs respectively in one year. ‘Kati Patang’, translated into Chinese was a best seller in China with sales of about 2 lakhs copies in a year.

165. How the word ‘Boycott’ is named?

Ans.  The word ‘Boycott’ means refusal of a group of persons to do any work or to deal with something or some body. In a very peaceful way it imposes pressure. It is named after the name of an Irish land agent Charles Cunning Boycott. Boycott’s evictions of tenants without mercy led the Land League in 1880 to forbid any social or business   interaction with him.

166. How were the week days named?

Ans: -  Sunday is named after the Sun, Monday means the Moon, Tuesday  derives its name from Tiu-the Norse god of war, Wednesday is after Woden-the Anglo-Saxon chief of gods, Thursday comes from Thor-the Norse god of thunder, Friday gets its name from Frigg, Norse mother goddess worshipped as deity of household and love, and Saturday from Saturn-Roman god of harvests.

167. Which is the most colourful bird of the world?

Ans. The most colourful bird of the world is the Kingfisher. It is an expert fisherman. It uses to sit on branches over streams, lakes and rivers watching for fish. Seeing a fish it rushes with all its force on it to capture it. Both the male and female Kingfishers build their nests in holes that they dig in river banks. Their home starts with a tunnel entrance ranging from 3 to 10 feet. The bones of the fish that they eat are used to make nests. There are nearly 84 living species of Kingfisher. The largest kingfisher is the Australian Kookaburra or laughing jackass that produces a loud sound like laughter.

168.  What is Tarantula?

Ans-Tarantula is a large poisonous hairy spider. It is found in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is mostly seen in the south-western part of United States and in the surrounding    areas of the Mediterranean Sea in Europe and Africa. Tarantula lives in holes in the ground and eats insects. The body of the largest Tarantula is 5 cm long and its leg spreads 12.5 cm. It’s bite is very painful.

169. What is Bamboo?

Ans. Bamboo is the longest and largest grass. It is a tall grass mostly grown in tropical countries of Asia. It has a hollow stem and it sometimes resembles wood. Almost 500 varieties of bamboos are seen. The bamboo often grows to a height of 36 metres and can have stems almost 0.3 metre in diameter. Bamboo is used in a number of purposes from house construction to industry, from bamboo net to toys, from baskets to various instruments. The bamboo seeds are used as medicine by the tribal people.

170. When was Rome founded?

Ans. The Romans were originally farmers living in central Italy. Since their land was very fertile, they grew prosperous and built the grand city of Rome. Historian says that Rome grew up from a cluster of tribal villagers on the seven hills beside river Tiber.  The legend says that Rome was built by two brothers named Romulus and Remus. First it was ruled by the kings and became a republic in 509 BC. The Romans became powerful by fighting with and conquering their neighbours. They also invaded Greece and conquered it. In 27 BC, the Romans grew mightier as the Roman Empire came under the rule of Emperor Augustus.

171. Who discovered Antarctica?

Ans- Antarctica is the southernmost continent of the Earth. It is the fifth largest as well as the coldest, driest and windiest continent. It has no permanent inhabitants. Cold adapted animals like penguins, fur seals and some plants only survive there. Famous explorer Captain Cook circled the continent first in 1775. But he could not sight the land. The first confirmed sighting of the continent occurred in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Mikhail Lazarev and Fabian Gottlieb. The continent remained largely neglected because of its hostile environment. The French under JCS Dumont planted their flag on an island in 1840. The Americans, under Charles Wilkes discovered Wilkes Land in the same year. In 1841, James Ross of Britain discovered Ross Island.

172. When was the first film made?

Ans- Today film has become a craze, almost a part of life. But before 1891 there was no film. In 1891, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison introduced a film showing device. Sequences of pictures were shown on this device and one had to turn a handle to go to the next sequence. The first film shown by a projector was made in 1895 by two brothers of France called the Lumiere brothers. The first public screening of movies by paying money was held on December 28, 1895 by them at a Paris cafe.

173. How did the word ‘umpire’ come to be used in cricket?

Ans. The word ‘umpire’ was used in cricket in the 18th century. It is a modified term of the old English word ‘noumpere’, which is derived from the French word ‘nomper’. ‘Noumpere’ means a person who decides disputes between parties and ‘nomper’ means not a peer or not equal.  Accordingly the umpire has the respectable and authoritative position of to taking decisions and giving judgements.

174. When were the Olympic Games started?

Ans. Olympic Games held every four years, are the greatest sports competition among the countries of the world. The history of Olympic games dates back to 900 BC, when athletic events were organized at the foot of Mount Olympia in ancient Greek. It included racing, wrestling and all kinds of contests, ending on the fifth day with processions, sacrifices and banquets. In 776 BC   King Iphitos of Elis had organised the games in the plains of Olympia in order to bring peace to the war-ravaged Greece.  In the course of time as the Greek civilization declined, the Olympic Games became corrupt. So in 394 A.D. Emperor Theodosius I of Rome put an end to the Olympic by an official order. So from 395 A.D. the Olympic Games were not held for 1503 years. Flood water of river Alpheus rose and covered the Olympic stadium with silt and mud. In 1878, the buried ruins of the ancient Olympic stadium at Olympia in Greece were dug out and brought to light. Later in 1892, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a French Scholar and educator, during his travels in Greece came across these ruins which made a deep impression on his mind. So on November 25, 1892 Coubertin called for the restoration of the Olympic Games.  In Coubertin established the International Olympics Committee (IOC) in 1894. The first modern Olympic games were thus, held on 6th April 1896 in Athens- the capital of Greece.

175. When was circus originated?

Ans-  Circus is a form of entertainment in which acrobats, clowns and trained animals perform various shows. The   circus owes its origin to the amphitheater in ancient Rome where a large crowd was seeing gladiator fights and other shows. In 17th and 18th centuries acts of acrobatics and animal training were performed in fairs and similar events through out Europe. But only in the later part of 17th century all these entertainments were brought under one roof by an Englishman named Philip Ashley. He is called the ‘Father of the circuses.

176. When was tattooing started?

Ans. Tattooing is the art of making a picture on the skin of a person by pricking it and putting in pigments for colo- uring. Tattooing is as old the 4000 years old ancient Egyptian civilization. The bodies of Egyptian Pharaos kept as mummies contained tattoos of the symbol of Goddess Neith. In ancient Greek tattooing was also there only for the noble men. Greeks used to send coded messages through marks on the shaven heads of messengers. In ancient time lamp black mixed wit linseed oil or a paste of turmeric blended with herbal extracts were used for tattooing. But now days indelible inks which can not be rubbed out have been used.

177. Where are the famous Ajanta Paintings?

Ans- The world famous Ajanta Paintings are in the state of Maharashtra, in Aurangabad district. These 30 rock cut caves at Ajanta are renonown- ed for their architecture, sculpture and painting. The early paintings in Ajanta were drawn in the Hinayana Buddhism caves between 200 to 100 B.C.  during the reign of Satavahana dynasty. The later paintings are between 400-600 A.D during the Vakatakas’ reign. They are found in the Mahayana Buddhism caves. The Ajanta paintings illustrate scenes of Buddha’s life, Buddhist deities   and Jataka tales.

178.Which is the First Indian printed book? When was it published?

Ans- The First Indian printed book is ‘Catechism of Christian Doctrine’ written by St. Francis Xavier. It was published in 1557. Printing presses in India were established by the Christian missionaries from Portugal and Holland. The earliest presses were set up in Goa, Cochin Tarangambadi of Tamil Nadu, Fort William of Kolkata etc.

179. Which is the second largest island in the world?

Ans.  The bird-shaped island of New Guinea, situated in southwest Pacific Ocean is the second largest island in the world. This island has nearly 1,000 tribes speaking 700 different languages. The population of the island is about 3 million and the people are scattered over 600 islands that are rich in natural resources.

180.What is Hawa Mahal?  Where is it?

Ans: -  Hawa Mahal or the palace of winds is in Jaipur, the pink city in Rajasthan. It is a 208 years old magnificent structure built by the poet king Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799. It was constructed by the king dedicated to Lord Krishna and is shaped like a crown that adorns the lord’s head. This unusual structure has more than 900 niches.

181. Which is the biggest leaf in the world ?

Ans. The biggest leaf in the world is found around the Amazon River in South America. It belongs to a royal water lily and is known as ‘Victoria Regia’. The leaves are 12 feet across and are turned upwards at the margins, and are able to bear the weight of a child.

182.  Where is India’s first marine National Park?

Ans-The Marine National Park and Sanctuary situated in the Gulf of Kachchh next to Jamnagar district of Gujarat is India’s first marine national park. This park consists of an intricate network of islands with coral reefs, mangroves and sea weeds. About 108 species of algae, 70 species of sponges, 37 species of hard and soft corals, 150 to 200 species of fish, 27 species of prawns, 30 species of crabs, 200 species of phylum Mollusca, 3 species of sea turtles, sea snakes and sea mammals, 94 species of water birds and 78 species of terrestrial birds are found there.

183. Who is Yeti?

Ans. Yeti is the snow man of the Himalayas. It is said to be an elusive ape like creature who is tailless and covered with long shaggy hair.  Its height is said to vary from 5.5  to 9 feet. There are no known photographs of these mystery creatures. However most of the people living in the Himalayan region say to have seen a Yeti. According to them the yeti is occasionally spotted leaping through the high peaks above the snow line.

184.  Which insect has finest eyes?

Ans. The beautiful dragonfly has the finest eyes in insect world. It has a spear-like body and when threatened curls this up and down as if it meant to sting. By this it frightens an enemy. The dragonfly can not sting. It flies in the air for its prey.  Children catch it when it takes rest on a flower or leaf.

185. Who is known as the father of modern cricket?

Ans- English cricketer Dr. William Gilbert Grace, popularly known as W.G. Grace is considered to be the father of modern cricket.  Born in England in 1848, he played a very important role in popularizing the game of cricket. He started his cricketing career at the age of 17 and officially retired at the age of 60. Grace scored 54,818 runs and took 2876 wickets in 872 First Class cricket matches. He has scored 126 first class centuries. He has also 3 triple centuries, 13 double centuries and 105 times not out to his credit.

186. Who were the main gods and goddesses of ancient Greece?

Ans. Ancient Greece had many gods and goddesses. The king of the gods was Zeus.   He was the god of weather, justice and was the protector of strangers. Athena, the daughter of Zeus was the goddess of the city Athens, as well as the goddess of war and handicrafts. Apollo was the god of light, poetry and music. His twin sister Artemis was the goddess of hunting. Other important gods were Ares, the god of war, Aphrodite, the god of love, Poseidon, the god of sea.

187. Who were the first inhabitants of North America?

Ans. The Clovis people were the first inhabitants of North America. They were successful and efficient hunters and foragers. They were hunting large animals like mammoth and bison. There is no proof from where the Clovis came from. Some believe that they came from Alaska regions, other say that they were from South America. Some of the tools they used were similar to those found in Europe.

188. Where do volcanoes form?

Ans- Volcanoes form the place where the earth crust is cracked or very thin. They can be formed both on land and on sea bed. Volcanoes can also be formed when the tectonic plates move away from each other. The magma pushes up and forms lava. These types of volcanoes are found on the ocean floor. The places where volcanoes are found are over hot spots. These hot spots volcanoes can be anywhere, even in the middle of a plate.

189. Who was the most brutal military leader in history?

Ans.  Genghis Khan, the warlord of Mongol, was the most brutal military leader in the history of the world.  The Mongols were a nomadic people who lived in the plains of Central Asia. Genghis Khan became the ambitious leader of Mongols in the last part of 12th century. Soon he started his campaign and by 1214 captured the whole china. Then he turned his attention towards westwards. His huge army with heavily armed horsemen swept across vast territories, reaping victory wherever they went. Russia, Persia (modern Iran), Poland and Hungary fell under them. They killed lakhs of people. Over the next eight years, Genghis Khan accumulated the largest contiguous empire that the world had seen so far. However, like Alexander and Julius Caesar, Genghis had no idea of ruling over other peoples  and conquered territories. His main aim was only to loot and destroy everything in his path.  So, the cruelty and lack of concern for human life made Genghis Khan the most dreaded figure in Asia and Europe.

190. Who translated Kalidas’s Sanskrit plays ‘Shakuntala’ and Jayadeva’s ‘Gita Govinda’ into English?

Ans- Sir William Jones, a great British-Indian scholar, translated Mahakabi Kalidas’s Sanskrit plays ‘Shakuntala’ and ‘Ritu Samhara’ into English. He also translated Kabi Jayadeva’s ‘Gita Govinda’ into English from Sanskrit. William Jones was a British Judge in India. In 1782 he was appointed as a judge by the British East India Company. He became the judge of the Supreme Court at Kolkata, the then capital of   British territory in 1783. Within months of his arrival in India, Sir Jones studied Sanskrit considering it as a very rich    language. He completed Master Degree in Sanskrit. First he translated the ‘Manusmriti’ (Laws of Manu) in English from Sanskrit. Then he translated the famous works of Kalidas and Jayadeva.

191. Who had designed our Parliament House in New Delhi?

Ans. The ‘Parliament House’ or ‘Sansad Bhawan’ in New Delhi was designed by two famous architects-Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Barker. The foundation stone of this huge circular building was laid by the Duke of Connaught on 12th February 1921. It was completed in six years and was inaugurated by Lord Irwani, the then Governor General of India on January 18, 1927. This three storeyed building was constructed at a cost of Rs. 83 lakhs in that time.

192. Who collected thousands of Indian palm leaf and paper manuscripts for preservation?

Ans-Colonel Colin Mackenzie of Scotland, the first Surveyor of India, collected thousands of Indian palm leaf and paper manu scripts for preservation. He collected manuscripts of Pali, Oriya, Telgu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Urdu. He also copied a large number of stone inscriptions. His collections are now preserved at the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Chennai.

193.When was the first Pyramid built in Egypt?

Ans- The Pyramids of Egypt were built over 5,000 years. The Egyptians built Pyramids as royal tombs in which great treasures were placed along with the dried and wrapped bodies of the rulers.  More than eighty Pyramids were built in Egypt in   ancient times, out of which only a part are seen today. The Pyramids are found all over the east bank of Nile river and particularly in Giza. The first Pyramid was built at Saqqara about 2650 BC. It was built by King Djosar. The three big Pyramids are at Giza, near Cairo, the capital of Egypt. They were built for the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.

194. Where are the magnificent Dilwara temples?

Ans. Dilwara temples are in Mount Abu in Rajasthan state. These are 1000 years old and are built wholly on pure white marble at cost of Rs. 18 crores. Out of the five Dilwara temples, only the Vimal Vasahi and the Tajpal are famous.  Vimal Vasahi was built in 1031 AD dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar.

195. Which is the oldest tree of the world?

Ans: - Bristlecone pine a tree in North America is the oldest tree of the world. Its age is estimated to be 4,500 years. The Giant Sequoia tree in North America is also 3,200 years old.

196. When the first Cross Word was made ?

Ans. The first Cross Word was published on December 21, 1913. Arthur Wynne while devising the weekly puzzle page of the ‘New year World’ created the first Cross Word. After that a world wide craze for cross word started all over the world. Wynne sketched out a diamond shaped frame and wrote FUN-the name of the comic section, across the top squares, and started filling in the rest of the frame. He numbered the squares at the start and ends of each word, and wrote definition clues for the words he had filled in. This puzzle was printed with the instruction to the solver. Thus was born the first crossword.

197.  What are flying squirrels? Where are they found in India?

Ans. Flying squirrels are longer than the ordinary squirrels. They live in the trees. When ever they jump off a tree, they stretch out their limbs. Flying squirrels have a long bushy tail. Their busy tail acts as a rudder and controls the direction of the flight. They have strong teeth. They eat fruits and nuts from different trees. They call each other in a loud, sharp and shrill cry or sound. Flying squirrels are found in the forest areas of the Himalayas from Kashmir to Assam. Travancore, one species of the flying squirrel is also found in the southern region of Western Ghats. Flying squirrels are divided into two groups-the large flying squirrels and small flying squirrels. The red flying squirrels-the commonest of the larger squirrels are found in the Western Himalayas.

198. Which is India’s largest crane?

Ans. India’s largest crane is Sarus. It is found in pairs all over India. But a large number of this bird lives in Gujarat, eastern Rajasthan and in the Gangetic plain. The male sarus is nearly 160 cm in height and the females are slightly smaller.  Sarus is primarily a fish eater. It also eats frogs, crustaceans, lizards and insects. Its other diets include grain, tubers and groundnut pods.

199.  Which is the original home of jasmine-the sweet scented flower?

Ans. The hot lands of South-east Asia, Africa and Australia are the original home of jasmine. It is one of the most favoured flowers of India. In Hindi it is called ‘mogra’. In 1548, jasmine reached in Europe, when Britain’s manor houses were beautified with beautiful flower gardens. Jasmines thrive in at least four hours of direct sunlight a day.

200.  How was gas named?

Ans. Van Halmont, a chemist of Belgium was experimenting with solid fuels in Brussels in 1609. He named the wraiths of white smoke coming out from the pipes attached to his glass flasks as ‘Geist’ meaning ghost. The word gas is derived from the Dutch word ‘geist’. The func- tions of gas were not recognized be- fore 19th century. Only in the 19th century attempts were made to put gas to work. Today gas has more than 1,000 uses for industrial purposes.

201. Why do we yawn?

Ans. Yawning is a reflex action. It occurs without any conscious effort on our part.  The main purpose of yawning is to increase the supply of oxygen into the lungs.   When a person is tired and suffers from stress, a long period of shallow breathing occurs. The body then gets less amount of oxygen. At this point, the yawning process is started automatically instructed by the brain. Yawning immediately increases the amount of oxygen in the blood which helps in relieving tiredness.

202. When was cotton cultivated and used in the manufacturing of clothes?

Ans. Cotton is one of the most important crops of the world. The word cotton has been derived from the Arabic word ‘Kutun’. The English word is cotton and it denotes both the plant and the raw produced from it. Cotton has been known in India since 3000 BC. Cotton finds place in the Rig Veda.  The people of the Indus Valley civilization were using cotton for clothing. In Hindi cotton is called ‘rui’. Cotton was cultivated and used in the manufacturing of clothes in the world in 1492.  Today the major cotton producing countries are India, Pakistan, China, Egypt, Sudan, Uganda, Congo, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and the USA. In India cotton is cultivated in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka etc.

203. When was the first blood transfusion process started?

Ans. The first blood transfusion was started in 1654 by Francesco Folli, an Italian physician. He transfused blood from one animal to another. The first ever known case of blood transfusion into the body of a human being was performed by Jean Denys of Montpellier in 1667. The patient was a 15 years old boy and the blood was from the body of a calf. But that method was considered very disgraceful due to the death of the patients. In 1825, James Blundell of Britain discovered the process of blood transfusion. But only after the discovery of blood groups in 1900 by K. Landsteiner, blood transfusion became a successful one.

204. What is the meaning of ‘Ashes’ in the Cricket world?

Ans:- The term, ‘Ashes’ pertains to the mythical prize contended for in the Cricket Test matches between England and Australia. When England was beaten at the Oval in 1882 a mock obituary of English cricket appeared in the Sporting Times. The ashes of a burnt cricket stump were subsequently placed in an urn and given to the English team when it next won.

205. Why a convex mirror is used by the motorists to see the road behind them?

Ans:- Motorists to get a view of the traffic behind the vehicle always use convex mirrors. The image formed by a convex mirror is always erect and diminished in size thus producing a large field of view. It may be noted that it is not always possible for the driver to get a correct idea about the size and distance of the object.

206. When was the Olympic flag created?

Ans:- The Olympic flag, created in 1913 at the suggestion of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, was solemnly inaugurated it Paris in June 1914, but, it was raised over an Olympic stadium for the first time at the Antwerp Games in 1920. There is also a second Olympic flag is made of white silk and contains five intertwined rings. From left to right the rings are blue yellow, black, green and red. The rings are meant to recall the five continents. At least one of these colours is found on the flag of every country.

207. What are the viruses and bacteria?

Ans:- Viruses and bacteria are the smallest living things. Viruses have no cell walls and can only work properly inside the cells of other living organisms. Bacteria are larger than viruses and can exist by themselves. A virus is made up of a protein coat wrapped around a small amount of DNA or RNA. It can reproduce itself only when it is inside a living cell. Viruses are, there fore, on the borderline between living and non-living things.

Bacteria are tiny, single-celled organisms. Some are round, others are rod-shaped.  Some bacteria cause disease but many others are useful. A large number decompose dead plant and animals. They release chemicals into the soil that can be used by plants.

208. Why is it harmful to see solar eclipse with naked eye?

Ans:- Doctors always warn people, especially children, against watching the solar eclipse, either directly or through smoking glasses or even in shallow water as in utensil. The harmful rays in the     sunlight (infrared rays) are at the maximum during the eclipse and it burns the most sensitive part of retina, forea and macula, leading to irreversible loss of eyesight. The lens or cornea in our eyes acts like a burning-glass. If one looks straight at the sun, the lens will be destroyed for life. Even if we look at the sun through smoked glass, the sun may look dim, but the dangerous heat rays can still pass through. Whenever there is an eclipse of the sun, some people are blinded because they take foolish risks of this sort.

209. Which is the largest muscle in human body?

Ans:- Muscles normally account for 40 percent of human body weight and the bulkiest of the 639 named muscles in the human body is usually the “gluteus maximus” or buttock muscle, which extends the thigh.

210. What is synthetic rubber?

Ans:- Synthetic rubber made of certain kinds of hydrocarbons. Of these butadiene is the most important. These hydrocarbons are obtained from coal, crude petroleum and alcohol. Synthetic rubber is more oil resistant than natural rubber. In the international market, natural rubber is facing severe competition from synthetic rubber.

211. Who became the first woman to sail around the world?

Ans:- The first woman to sail around the world single-handed was a 28-year old New Zealander, Naomi James. In September 1977, she set sail from Dartmouth on the south coast of England. Her 16-metre yacht, named Express Crusador, was fitted with all modern navigation aids and steering gear. Her 48,000-kilometre journey was full of adventure. In June 1978, she successfully completed the sail and was made Dame Commander of the British Empire. She set another record of becoming the first woman to cross Atlantic single-handed in 1980.

212. Who fought World War I?

Ans:- The World War I started in August 1914, went on for 4 years and end in November 1918. On one side were the two empires of Germany and Austria-Hungary, later joined by Bulgaria and Turkey. They were called the Central Powers. Against them were Allies-the Russian Empire to the east, the French to the west, the British and the Belgium. Later the Italy, the Japan, United States, and many smaller nations joined the Allies. Because so many countries were involved, it later came to be called a World War. More than ten million soldiers had been killed. By coming fresh into the struggle, the United States tipped the scale, and the Central powers collapsed in defeat.

213. Who invented the stethoscope and when?

Ans:- In 1816, the French physician Rene Theoplhie Laennec introduced a perforated wooden cylinder which concentrated the sounds of air flowing in and out of the lungs, and described the sound which it revealed. The modern form of stethoscope, with flexible tubes connecting the earpieces to a circular piece placed against the chest, was developed later in the nineteenth century.

214. Where is the famous Harvard University?

Ans:- :-  Harvard University is ranked No 3. Harvard College was established in 1636 and was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard of Charlestown. Harvard was a young minister who, on his death in 1638, left his library and half his estate to the newly established institution. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Seven presidents of the United States (John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Theodore and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Rutherford B Hayes, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and George W Bush) were graduates of Harvard. Its faculty has produced 40 Nobel laureates.

215. How much would seas rise if the Antarctic Ice Sheet melted?

Ans:- The Antarctic Ice Sheet holds nearly 90 percent of the world's ice and 70 percent of its fresh water. If the entire ice sheet were to melt, sea level would rise by nearly 220 feet, or the height of a 20-story building. Scientists know there's a melting trend underway. The United Nations has said that in a worst-case scenario - depending on how much global air temperatures increase -- seas could jump 3 feet (1 metre) by 2100.

216. What causes a landslide?

Ans:- Intense rainfall over a short period of time can trigger shallow, fast-moving mud and debris flows. Slow, steady rainfall over a long period of time may trigger deeper, slow-moving landslides. Different materials behave differently, too. Every year as much as $2 billion in landslide damage occurs in the United States. In a record-breaking storm in the San Francisco area in January 1982, some 18,000 debris flows were triggered during a single night! Property damage was over $66 million, and 25 people died.

217. Who was Paramahansa Yogananda?

Ans:-  Paramahansa Yogananda was born on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur, India. His original name was Mukunda Lal Ghosh. He hailed from a well-to-do Bengali family. From his early childhood, his parents were well aware of the spiritual significance of his birth. As a boy he was driven by an intense urge to seek the Divine and develop a friendly attitude towards God in all his forms and aspects. He went through many personal experiences that strengthened his faith in the Divine and propelled him to find a Guru who would help him reach the Highest Truth. At the age of 17 he met Swami Yukteswar Giri and became his disciple. He spent the next ten years under the guidance of his Guru, practicing Kriya Yoga and exploring the inner worlds. To prepare him for his future mission in the western world, his Guru encouraged him to join a college and receive modern education. After he completed his education in 1915, Swami Yukteswar initiated him into monk hood and gave him the name Yogananda. The Swami became very popular both in the east and the west through his teachings and his speeches. His autobiography entitled ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’, which was published in 1943, attracted the attention of many. After spreading the message of love in many parts of the world and proving beyond doubt that through sustained self efforts human beings can ascend to extraordinary transcendental heights, he passed away on March 7, 1952.

218. Where do most earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur on Earth?

Ans:-The majority earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur along boundaries of the dozen or so major plates that more or less float on the surface of Earth. One of the most active plate boundaries where earthquakes and eruptions are frequent, for example, is around the massive Pacific Plate commonly referred to as the Pacific Ring of Fire. It fuels shaking and baking from Japan to Alaska to South America.

218. Where are the Elephanta Caves?

Ans:- The Elephanta Caves are a great tourist attraction in the vicinity of the large Mumbai metropolis. The Elephanta Island is located 10 kms away from the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The Elephanta Caves are the focal point of Gharapuri Island located in the Mumbai harbour off the coast of Mumbai. It was renamed the Elephanta Island by the Portuguese. In 1987, the caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The caves are thought to date back to the Silhara kings of the 9th to 13th centuries. Some of the sculptures of this site are also attributed to the imperial Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta (in present day Karnataka). The Trimurti of Elephanta showing the three faces of Shiva almost akin to the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh was the royal insignia of the Rashtrakutas. The rock-cut temple complex covers an area of 60,000 sq feet.

219. Where is Sambhar Lake?

Ans:- Sambhar Salt Lake, India’s largest salt lake, sits 96 km south west of the city of Jaipur and 64 km north east of Ajmer along the National highway 8 in Rajasthan. It is located in Nagaur and Jaipur districts and it also borders the Ajmer district.  The lake is actually an extensive saline wetland, with water depths fluctuating from just a few centimetres as 60 cms during the dry season to about 3 metres after the monsoon season. It occupies 190 to 230 square kilometres area based on season. It is elliptically shaped lake with 35.5 km long and the breadth varying between 3 to 11 kms. The circumference of lake is 96 kms and surrounds in all side of Aravali hills. It is India’s largest saline lake and made the Rajasthan, the third largest salt producing state in India.

220. When was Asian Games started?

Ans:- The Asian Games, also called the Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The games are regulated by the Olympic Council of Asia under the supervision of the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold for first place, silver for second and bronze for third. The first Asian Games were held in 1951 in New Delhi, the capital of India. The 15th Asian Games were held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. The 16th Asian Games will be held in Guangzhou, China from November 12, 2010 to November 27, 2010.

221. Which is the largest sea in the World?

Ans:- The South China Sea,  the  sea in the  south of China is the largest sea of the world.  It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the Strait of Taiwan of around 3,500,000 square km. It is one of the largest sea bodies after the five oceans. States and territories with borders on the sea include: the mainland of China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia andVietnam.

223. Where was Kuchipudi Dance originated?

Ans:- Kuchipudi Dance is the classical dance style that receives its name from the village of Kuchipudi in Andhra Pradesh, South India. In the 17th century, this village was presented by a local ruler to several families of Brahmin performers in appreciation for the dance dramas they were staging. These dramas were devotional enactments of the life of Krishna, performed only by men who took the roles of both male and female characters. However, the dance has undergone a revival as both a solo and dance drama tradition and is now performed on the modern stage around the world by both man and women. Kuchipudi blends the sensuousness and fluidity of Odissi with the geometric line of today’s Bharata Natyam.

224. Where is the Cambridge University?

Ans:- University of Cambridge, the best university in the world for science is in Britain. Having more than 100 departments, faculties and schools; Cambridge is the largest university in the United Kingdom.  In 2009, the university will celebrate its 800th anniversary, making it one of the world’s oldest universities.  Cambridge has produced more than 60 Nobel Laureates.

225. What is a Hydrogen Bomb?

Ans:-Hydrogen Bomb is the nuclear weapon that produces a large amount of its energy through nuclear fusion reactions. It is called thermonuclear bomb. Historically it has been called hydrogen bomb as it relys on fusion reactions between isotopes of hydrogen (deuterium and tritium).   The Hydrogen Bomb is more powerful than fission bombs. Only six countries—United States, Russia, United Kingdom, People’s Republic of China, France and India—have detonated hydrogen bombs.

226. Who founded the Hotmail?

Ans:- Windows Live Hotmail, formerly known as MSN Hotmail and commonly referred to simply as Hotmail, is a free webmail service of the Windows Live brand provided by Microsoft. The Hotmail web-based email service was founded by Jack Smith of US and Sabeer Bhatia of India in 1996. Hotmail was one of the first free webmail services. Hotmail was acquired in 1997 by Microsoft for an estimated $400M, and rebranded it as “MSN Hotmail”. The current version, “Live Hotmail” was officially announced on November 1, 2005 as an update to Microsoft’s existing MSN Hotmail service. After a period of beta testing, it was officially released all over the world on May 7, 2007.  It has over 260 million users worldwide and is available in 35 different languages.

227. Where is Fiji?

Ans:- Fiji, officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country occupies an archipelago of about 322 islands, of which 106 are permanently inhabited and 522 islets. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of the population. The first people of Fiji arrived long before contact with European explorers in the seventeenth century. Pottery excavated from Fijian towns shows that Fiji was settled before or around 1000 BC. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman visited Fiji in 1643 while looking for the Great Southern Continent.  The islands came under British control as a colony in 1874, and the British brought over Indian contract labourers. It was granted independence in 1970.

228. When was aluminium used for the first time?

Ans:- Aluminium  is a silvery white and ductile member of the poor metal group of chemical elements. Its symbol is Al.  Aluminium is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust, and the third most abundant element overall, after oxygen and silicon.  Aluminium is found combined in over 270 different minerals. The chief source of aluminium is bauxite ore.  Ancient Greeks and Romans used aluminium salts as dyeing mordants and as astringents for dressing wounds; alum is still used as a styptic. In 1761 Guyton de Morveau suggested calling the base alum alumine. In 1808, Sir Humphry Davy identified the existence of a metal base of alum, which he at first termed alumium and later aluminum. Friedrich Wohler generally credited with isolating aluminium in 1827 by mixing a hydrous aluminium chloride with potassium.

229. Why is number 13 considered unlucky?

Ans:- 13 is considered unlucky because: 1. Several mass murderers have 13 letters in their names (e.g. Harold Shipman; Charles Manson; Jeffrey Dahmer). 2. Judas Iscariot was the 13th person to sit at Christ’s table. 3. Norse mythology tells of 12 deities sitting down for a banquet, when Loki, the god of mischief, crashed the party, resulting in the death of one of the gods. 4. Witches, to oppose themselves to Christian superstition, often make up groups of 13, called covens. 5. In a deck of Tarot cards, the number 13 card is called Death.

230. Why is Friday considered unlucky?

Ans:-Friday is considered unlucky because: 1. Friday was execution day in ancient Rome. 2. Christ is thought to have been crucified on a Friday. 3. Friday used to be Hangmans Day in Britain. 4. Some believe it was the day God threw Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden.  5. Friday is Friggas Day (ancient Scandinavian love & fertility goddess). Yet Christians called Frigga a witch, and Friday the ‘Witches Sabbath’.

231. Where is Istanbul?

Ans:-Istanbul later called Constanti- nople is Europe’s most populous city and 21st largest urban area and Turkey’s cultural and financial center.  It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European Thrace and on the Asian Anatolia side of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world which is situated on two continents. In its long history, Istanbul served as the capital city of the Roman Empire, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire. The city is chosen as joint European Capital of Culture. The historic areas of Istanbul were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

232. Who is the longest serving President of America?

Ans:- Franklin Delano Roosevelt has the honor of being the longest serving U.S. President.  Roosevelt was elected into office on March 04, 1933 and served for 4 terms, becoming the only president to serve more than two terms. He passed away during his 4th term on April 12, 1945 from a cerebral hemorrhage. In all Franklin D. Roosevelt served 12 years 1 month and 8 days as the president of the United States.

233. Which is the coldest place in India?

Ans:- Drass in western Ladakh is the coldest place in India. It is also the 2nd coldest place in the world after Siberia. Temperatures drop down to about -40 degrees Celsius in winters. However, summers in Drass are balmy and many trekkers and campers visit Drass during the summer time. Drass has an altitude of 3230 m and lies 60 km west of Kargil on the road to Srinagar. The Drass valley starts from the base of the Zojila pass, the Himalayan gateway to Ladakh.

234. Which was the first Nuclear Power Plant in India?

Ans:- Tarapur Atomic Power Station located in Maharashtra was the first nuclear power plant in India. The construction of the plant was started in 1962 and the plant went operational in 1969. The 320 MW Tarapur nuclear power station housed two 160 MW boiling water reactors, the first in Asia. The Tarapur Plant was originally constructed by the American companies Bechtel and GE, under a Agreement between India, the United States, and the IAEA. The Tarapur Atomic Power Station is under the control of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.

235. What are termites?

Ans:- Termites, sometimes incorrectly called “white ants”, are a group of social insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera. As truly social animals, they are termed eusocial along with the ants and some bees and wasps. Termites mostly feed on dead plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung, and about 10% of the estimated 4,000 species are economically significant as pests that can cause serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation forests. As eusocial insects, termites live in colonies that, at maturity, number from several hundred to several million individuals.

236. Where is the Dal Lake?

Ans:- The Dal Lake is a famous lake in Srinagar, the summer capital of the   state of Jammu & Kashmir. The lake itself is connected to a number of other lakes of the Kashmir valley. It is well known for its approximately 500 Victorian-era wooden houseboats, originally built as vacation homes for landless British administrators during the Raj. The lake covers 18 square kilometers.  Along most of the shore of the lake is a boulevard, lined with Mughal-era gardens, parks, and hotels. During the winter season the lake sometimes freezes over. The lake has some interesting flora like lotus, water lillies and water chestnuts and fauna which include kingfishers and heron.

237. Which is the oldest medical college of India?

Ans:- The Madras Medical College located in Chennai is the oldest medical college of India. It was established on February 2nd, 1835. First on 16th November 1664, it was started as a small hospital to treat the sick soldiers of the British East India Company.  By 1820, the institution had the recognition as the model hospital of the East India Company. Then it was regularized into a medical school in 1835. Indians were admitted into the school in 1842, and since then the school started expanding.

238. When was the World Bank established?

Ans:- World Bank  is an internationally supported bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs like bridges, roads, schools, etc. The World Bank was formally established on December 27, 1945. The concept was originally conceived in July 1944 at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference. .

239. What is the international Space Station? When was it established?

Ans:- The International Space Station (ISS) is a research facility currently being assembled in space. The on-orbit assembly of ISS began in 1998. The space station is in a low Earth orbit and can be seen from Earth with the naked eye. It has an altitude of 350-460 km above the surface of the Earth, and travels at an average speed of 27,700 km per hour, completing 15.77 orbits per day. The ISS is a joint project among the space agencies of the United States (NASA), Russia (RKA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA) and eleven European countries (ESA). The ISS has been continuously inhabited since the first resident crew entered the station on November 2, 2000, thereby providing a permanent human presence in space.

240. What is a crocodile?

Ans:-A crocodile is a species belonging to the family Crocodylidae. The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i.e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans and the gharials. Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, Americas and Australia. Crocodiles tend to congregate in freshwater habitats like rivers, lakes, wetlands and sometimes in brackish water. They feed mostly on vertebrates like fish, reptiles, and mammals, sometimes on invertebrates like mollusks and crustaceans, depending on species. They are an ancient lineage and are believed to  be 200 million years old.

241. Which are the largest selling greetings cards in the world?

Ans:- A greeting card is an illustrated, folded card featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feeling. Hallmark Cards and American Greetings are the largest producers of greeting cards in the world. In the United Kingdom, it is estimated that one billion pounds are spent on greeting cards every year, with the average person sending 55 cards per year.

242. What is Konkan Railways?

Ans:-The Konkan Railway is a company of the Indian Railways which operates along the Konkan coast of India. It has connected the two important port cities Mangalore and Mumbai by the railway network. The region through which the railway track passed was geographically very tough and was an engineering challenge. Due to the uneven terrain of the region, railway lines were not laid for many years. The Railway Ministry in 1988 named it as the Konkan Railway after the coastline along which it runs. It was constituted as a separately incorporated railway, with its headquarters at CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai. By May 1999, the Konkan Railway had laid a 760km broad gauge route from Roha to Mangalore along the western coast of India. This project was substantially completed by October 1997 under the supervision of  E. Sreedharan its first Chairman and Managing Director.

243. Where is the Niagara Falls?

Ans:- Niagara Falls is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The falls are located 17 miles (27 km) north-northwest of Buffalo, New York, 75 miles south-southeast of Toronto.  Niagara Falls is composed of two major sections parted by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side of the border and American Falls on the United States side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls also is located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island. Niagara Falls was formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation and water from the newly-formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment enroute to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls is very wide. More than six million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water fall over the crest line every minute in high flow, and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average.

244. Which was the oldest News Paper in the world?

Ans:- There is some debate over which was the first newspaper because the definition of a newspaper has been flexible. The World Association of Newspapers recognizes Johann Carolus’s Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien, published in 1605, as the world’s first newspaper. The Dutch Courante uyt Italien, Duytslandt, &c. of 1618 is also considered by some to be the first modern newspaper since the Relation looks more like a book than what is now considered a newspaper. The newspaper Opregte Haarlemsche Courant from Haarlem, first published in 1656, is considered by some to be the oldest continuously published newspaper. In the English-speaking world, Nathaniel Butter is often credited with the creation of the first news periodical in 1622. In 1702, the first daily newspaper called The Daily Courant was published.

245. What is Bharatanatyam?

Ans:-Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu.  This popular South Indian dance form called Bharatanatyam is a 20th century reconstruction of Cathir, the art of temple dancers. Cathir in turn, is derived from ancient dance forms. The word Bharata, some believe, signifies the author of the famous Sanskrit treatise on stagecraft, called NatyaShastra, and the word Bharatanatyam is sometimes given a folk etymology as follows: Bha for Bhava or abhinaya and expression, Ra for raga or melody, and Ta for tala or rhythm. Bharata refers to the author of the Natya Shastra, and natya is Sanskrit for the art of sacred dance-drama brought to the stage at the beginning of the 20th century.

246. What is the meaning of chocolate?

Ans:- The word “chocolate” comes from the Aztecs of Mexico, and is derived from the Nahuatl word xocolatl (pronounced, which is a combination of the words, xocolli, meaning “bitter”, and atl, which is “water”. The Aztecs associated chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility. Chocolate is also associated with the Mayan god of fertility.  However, it is more likely that the Aztecs themselves coined the term, having long adopted into Nahuatl the Mayan word for the “cacao” bean. The chocolate residue found in an early classic ancient Maya pot in Río Azul, northern Guatemala, suggests that Mayans were drinking chocolate around 400 AD

247. Who was Ramanujan?

Ans:- Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar (22 December 1887 – 26 April 1920) was an Indian mathematician and one of the greatest mathematical geniuses of the 20th century. With almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made substantial contributions in the areas of mathe matical analysis, number theory, infinite series and continued fractions. Ramanujan, born and raised in Erode, Tamil Nadu, India, first encountered formal mathematics at age ten. He demonstrated a natural ability at mathematics, and was given books on advanced trigonometry which he mastered by age thirteen, and even discovered theorems of his own. By the age of seventeen, Ramanujan was conducting his own mathematical research on Bernoulli numbers and the Euler–Mascheroni constant. In 1912-1913, Ramanujan was called to study at Cambridge. Ramanujan independently compiled nearly 3900 results (mostly identities and equations) during his short lifetime.

248. Where is Wellington?

Ans:- Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. It is the country’s second largest urban area and the most populous national capital in Oceania. Wellington was named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo. The Duke’s title comes from the town of Wellington in the English county of Somerset. Wellington is New Zealand’s political centre, housing Parliament and the head offices of all government ministries and departments, plus the bulk of the foreign diplomatic missions based in New Zealand.

249. Who was ‘the Great Gama’?

Ans:- The “Great” Gama (1882-1960), also known as Rustam-e-zaman Gama Pahelvan, was born in Amritsar. He was a renowned wrestler and a practitioner of Pehlwani wrestling. He was awarded the Indian version of the World Heavyweight title on October 15, 1910. To this date he is the only wrestler in history who remained undefeated his whole life; his career spanned more than 50 years.

250. What are the medicinal values of Amla?

Ans:- Amla, or Indian gooseberry, has been traditionally used for many chronic conditions including diabetes. Research has been done with amla evaluating its role as an antioxidant in ulcer preve- ntion, for people with diabetes, for mental and memory effects, and its anti-inflammatory properties. Amla is the Hindi name while in Sanskrit, the term used is Amalaki.

251. Who invented Ambulance?

Ans:- The ambulance was invented in 1792 by Baron Larrey, personal doctor of Napoleon Bonaparte.  He was worried about the way in which wounded men were being carried from a battlefield. They were simply put into an open cart and taken away, being jolted all the time over the rough ground. Baron Larrey designed a cart with special springs mounted into it to make them more comfortable, and then a cover erected over the top to protect the patients from the weather. So in 1796 a special French Army unit was established to remove the wounded from battlefields, equipped with 12 of these ‘one-horse flying ambulances’. The first ambulance for civilian was used on the streets of Margate, Kent, in 1878 –pulled by hand, and with just one wheel! However, in 1883 one appeared with four wheels, rubber tires and was pulled by a horse. The first ambulance to have its own engine – fitted with a Daimler engine – was demonstrated in Paris in 1895 and was used in 1900.

252.  Which is the tallest mountain of the world?

Ans:-Everyone knows that Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. But if you want to get technical about it, the answer is no. Mount Everest stands 29,028 feet tall. From top to bottom, it’s taller than any other mountain—whose bottom is the surface of the earth. If we add what’s underneath, then Mount Everest isn’t the tallest mountain. The tallest mountain then is Mauna Kea, a huge, very tall volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.  Mauna Kea stretches 13,796 above water and 19,680 underwater, for a total of 33,476.

253.  When did India  achieve its First Test victory?

Ans:- India made its Test debut in 1932. But India had to wait for 20 long years in order to taste the charm of victory. India achieved its first ever Test victory in 1951-52 under the captaincy of legendary batsman Vijay Hazare when it beat England in Madras in the Final Test.The England team  was bowled out for 266 as Vinoo Mankad grabbed 8 wickets. India with fine centuries by Pankaj Roy and Polly Umrigar replied a mammoth total of 457.   India bowled out England for 183 in the second innings, to win the Test by an innings and 8 runs.

254.  How do the astronauts write in the space?

Ans:- The  astronauts write in the space by the  Space Pen  known as the Zero Gravity Pen. It is also called the   Fisher Space Pen as it was invented by American industria- list and pen manufa- cturer Paul C. Fisher. The Space Pen uses pressurized ink cartridges and can write in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, over wet and greasy paper, at any angle, and in extreme temperature ranges.There are two prominent styles of the Space Pen:- the AG7 “Astronaut pen”, a long thin retractable pen shaped like a common ballpoint, and the “Bullet pen” which is non-retractable, shorter than standard ballpoints when capped.

255. Where is Kodaikanal, the beautiful hill station of India?

Ans:-Kodaikanal is a city in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu. It is sometimes referred to as the “Princess of Hill stations” and is a popular tourist destination. It was established by American missionaries around 1845. It stands in a 7,202 ft high basin at the southern edge of the central part of the Palani Hills in the Western Ghats. Kodaikanal has a beautiful lake and numerous scenic mountain views of the plains below. There are several waterfalls in the area, which are popular attractions. The nearest airports are Madurai (135 km), Trichy (200km) and Coimbatore (170 km). The nearest Railway stations are Palani Railway Station (64 km), Kodai Road Station (80 km) and Dindigul Railway Junction (100 km). Due to its high altitude, Kodaikanal has a temperate subtropical climate.  During the summer average temperature is 11 - 20°C and during the winter it is 8 - 17°C. In January, night temperatures sometimes drop to freezing, and thin ice is seen on the lake edges. The best times for traveling there are from April to June and from September to October.

256. Which is the longest running film in India?

Ans:- “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” also known as DDLJ  is the longest-running movie of India.  The film has marked more than 600th week of shows. Starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol the movie released in 1995, run more than a decade after its release. Directed by Yash Chopra’s son Aditya Chopra, the film became one of Hindi cinemas biggest blockbusters sweeping 10 Filmfare awards and the National award for popular and wholesome entertainment.  Earning over Rs 580 million in India and Rs 175 million overseas, the film became the biggest Bollywood hit of all time.

257. What are Musk deer?

Ans:- Musk deer are a group of even-toed ungulate mammals. They form the family Moschidae and are more primitive than true deer. There are four species of musk deer, but they are all very similar. They are –Himalayan, Siberian, Black and Dwarf Musk Deer. Musk deer are about 90 centimeters long and about 60 centimeters high. They weigh about 10 kilograms. They mostly have a dark brown fur. Males have tusks which can be up to 7 cm long and also a musk gland. The female gives birth to 1-2 babies.  Musk deer live in the mountains, mostly at heights of 2500 to 3500 meters. They eat grass and moss; in winter they also eat twigs and lichen. Musk deer are now found in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Northern Myanmar, Tibet, South-West China, India and Eastern Russia.

258.How many languages are spoken in the world?

Ans:- Today, there are more than 2 700 different languages spoken in the world, with more than 7 000 dialects. In Indonesia alone, 365 different languages are spoken. More than 1,000 different languages are spoken in Africa. The most difficult language to learn is Basque, which is spoken in north-western Spain and south-western France. It is not related to any other language in the world. Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world, followed by English. But as home language, Spanish is the second most spoken in the world. The youngest language in the world is Afrikaans, spoken by South Africans.

259. What is a cyclone?

Ans:- In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of low atmospheric pressure characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere of the Earth.  There are a number of structural characteristics common to all cyclones. Their center is the area of lowest atmospheric pressure, often known in mature tropical and subtropical cyclones as the eye. Near the center, the pressure gradient force and the Coriolis force must be in an approximate balance, or the cyclone would collapse on itself as a result of the difference in pressure. The wind flow around a large cyclone is counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

260. How did arithmetical numbers come into existence?

Ans:- The arithmetical numbers, which are universal today, were first invented  in India. This system is known as Hindu numeral system. It simplified calculations by marking the values of a number depend on its position as well as the number itself. In the number 444, the single figure 4 represents 400, 40 and 4, and the whole number is the sum of these values. In contrast, the Romans used symbols whose values were the same irrespective of their positions.

261. Who is the first Woman Prime Minister of the world?

Ans:- Sirimavo  Bandaranaike (April 17, 1916 - October 10, 2000), a politician of Sri Lanka was the  first women Prime Minister of a country. She was Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for three times, from 1960-1965, 1970-1977 and 1994-2000. She was a leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. She was the wife of a previous Sri Lankan prime minister, Solomon Bandaranaike and the mother of Sri Lanka’s third president, Chandrika Kumaratunga.

262. Who is the first Woman Chief Minister of an Indian state?

Ans:- Sucheta Kriplani (June 25, 1908- December 1, 1974)  a freedom fighter and politician was the first woman to be elected as a Chief Minister of a Indian state. She was the first women Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.   Educated at Indraprastha College and St.Stephen’s College, Delhi she became a lecturer at the Banaras Hindu University. In 1936, she married socialist, Acharya Kriplani and became involved with the Indian National Congress. She was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1952 and 1957 and served as a Minister of State for Small Scale Industries. In 1962, she was elected to the U.P Assembly from Kanpur and served in the Cabinet in 1962. In 1963, she became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

263. Which state of India produces largest number of coconuts?

Ans:- Coconut is grown in more than 90 countries world wide.  Coconut has been a part of the Indian culture and has been produced in India since a very long time. Currently India stands third in the list of the maximum coconut producing countries of the world below Indonesia and the Philippines. The coconut produce in India was 14811.1 million nuts in the year 2006. Kerala is the largest producer of coconuts in India contributing to around 45% share in the country’s produce.  Kerala (6326 million nuts), Tamil Nadu (4867.1 million nuts) , Karnataka (1209.8 million nuts), Andhra Pradesh (892 million nuts), West Bengal (323.5 million nuts), Orissa (274.6 million nuts).

264. When was Utkal University established?

Ans:- Utkal University, the 7th oldest university of India, was established in 1943. The present campus of the university is located in Bhubaneswar at Vani Vihar campus. The campus of the Utkal University spreads over 399.9 acres of land. The Utkal University holds about 26 post-graduate departments, which takes care of post-graduate studies and researches in a number of courses such as Social Science, Commerce, Humanities, Science, Business Administration and Law. With about 263 affiliated colleges affiliated to it, its jurisdiction spreads over nine districts, namely, Angul, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri.

265. Wen was the Qutab Minar built?

Ans:- The Qutab Minar, a marvel in itself is the first monument of Muslim rule in India.  It was built in Delhi in the year 1192 by Emperor Qutub-ud-din Aibak of Slave Dynasty. It heralded the beginning of a new style of art and architecture that came to be known as the Indo -Islamic style. The Qutab Minar is not only an important tourist spot in Delhi, it is also an excellent example of early Islamic architecture in India.

266. What is a Visa?

Ans:- A visa is a document that has been issued by a country giving an individual permission to formally request entrance to the country during a given period of time and for certain purposes and usually stamped or glued inside of a passport, or sometimes issued as separate pieces of paper. Many countries require possession of a valid passport and visa as a condition of entry for foreigners, though there exist exemptions.  Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter or exit a country, and are thus, for some countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country. Some countries require that their citizens, and sometimes foreign travelers, obtain an exit visa in order to be allowed to leave the country.

267. What is ISRO?

Ans:- The Indian Space Research Organization  or ISRO is India’s national space agency. With its headquarters in Bangalore, the ISRO employs approximately 20,000 people, with a budget of around Rs. 65 billion.  Its mandate is the development of technologies related to space and their application to India’s development. The current Chairman of ISRO is G. Madhavan Nair. In addition to domestic payloads, it offers international launch services. ISRO successfully launched its first unmanned moon mission-Chandraayan 1, at 0622 hrs IST on October 22 2008.

268. What are the functions of CBSE?

Ans:-The Central Board of Secondary Education famous as CBSE is an eminent board of school education in India. The CBSE prepares the syllabus for Class 9 to Class 12 in schools affiliated with it. It conducts two major examinations every year, the All India Secondary School Examination (AISSE) for Class 10 and the All India Senior School Certificate Examination (AISSCE) for Class 12, which is a school-leaving examination. Many private schools within and outside India are affiliated to CBSE. The medium for education prescribed by CBSE is either English or Hindi. The CBSE also conducts the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) which is a common entrance examination conducted on all-India basis for admission to engineering and architecture/planning programmes in the country. Similarly Pre-medical and Pre-dental Tests AIPMT (PMT/PDT) are conducted for medical and dental colleges. In 1952, the CBSE was established was finally reconstituted in the year 1962. There are a total of 9,689 schools from India and outside India affiliated to CBSE.

269. What is a condor?

Ans:- Condor is the name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. They are:- The Andean Condor which inhabits the Andean mountains and the California Condor nowadays restricted to western coastal mountains of the United States. Condors are part of the family Cathartidae, whereas the 15 species of Old World vultures are in the family Accipitridae that also includes falcons, hawks, and eagles. The New World and Old World vultures evolved from different ancestors. However, they both are carrion-eaters and have distinctive bare heads. Both condors are very large broad-winged soaring birds, the Andean Condor being 5 cm shorter (beak to tail) on average than the northern species, but larger in wingspan. California Condors are the largest flying land birds in North America.

270. Which is the fastest growing plant?

Ans:- Bamboo is a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family. Some of its members are giant bamboo, forming by far the largest members of the grass family. Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world. Their growth rate is up to .5-1 feet/day.  There are 91 genera and about 1,000 species of bamboo. They are found   across East Asia to Northern Australia, and west to India and the Himalayas. They also occur in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Americas from the Southeastern United States south to Argentina and Chile. Major areas with no native bamboos include Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, Canada, most of Australia, and Antarctica.

271. What is Squash?

Ans:- Squash is a racquet sport that was formerly called squash racquets, a reference to the squashable soft ball used in the game.  The game is played by two players or four players for doubles with standard rackets in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball. Squash is characterized as a high-impact exercise that can place strain on the joints, notably the knees. Squash is recognized by the IOC and remains in contention for incorporation in a future Olympic program and is for consideration for the 2016 Summer Games. The game of squash was developed by boarders at London’s Harrow School, in the early 19th century. By the end of the century it had spread to Britain’s other private schools as well as Oxford and Cambridge universities. In 1908 a squash sub-committee of the Tennis and Rackets Association was formed to regulate the sport, followed in 1928 by the British Squash Rackets Association.

272. Where is Saint Petersburg?

Ans:- Saint Petersburg  is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city’s other names were Petrograd and Leningrad. It is often called just Petersburg. Founded by Tsar Peter I of Russia on 27 May, 1703, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713–1728, 1732–1918). Saint Petersburg ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution of 1917.  It is Russia’s second largest and Europe’s fourth largest city after Moscow, London and Paris. Saint Petersburg is a major European cultural center, and an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea.

273. When was the legendary film Sholay made?

Ans:-  Sholay  is an Indian Hindi Western film by Ramesh Sippy. It is the biggest hit in the history of Bollywood, India’s Hindi film industry. Released on August 15, 1975, it starred Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri and Amjad Khan. The movie, set in the lawless and rugged terrain of central India, is the story of two hired hands, trying to capture a ruthless dacoit by the name of Gabbar Singh. Sholay is the highest grossing film of all time in India. It has earned Rs. 2,36,45,00,000.   It ran for 286 weeks straight or more than five years in one Mumbai theatre, the Minerva. Sholay racked up a still record 60 golden jubilees across India and doubled its original gross over reruns during the late 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.

274. Who was Sir Thomas More?

Ans:- Sir Thomas More (7 February 1478 – 6 July 1535) was an English lawyer, author, and statesman who in his lifetime gained a reputation as a leading humanist scholar.  He occupied many public offices, including Lord Chancellor. He was beheaded in 1535 when he refused to sign the Act of Supremacy that declared Henry VIII Supreme Head of the Church in England. In 1935, four hundred years after his death, Pope Pius XI canonized More in the Roman Catholic Church; More was declared Patron Saint of politicians and statesmen by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

275. Which is the largest insect?

Ans:- Goliath beetles are the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of size, bulk and weight. They are members of subfamily Cetoniinae, within the scarab beetle family. Goliath beetles can be found in many of Africa’s tropical forests, where they feed primarily on tree sap and fruit. Little appears to be known of the larval cycle in the wild, but in captivity, Goliathus beetles have been successfully reared from egg to adult using protein-rich foods such as commercial cat and dog food. Goliath beetles measure from 60–110 millimetres for males and 50–80 millimetres for females, as adults, and can reach weights of up to 80–100 grams (2.8–3.5 oz) in the larval stage, though the adults are only about half this weight. The females range from a dark brown to silky white, but the males are normally brown/white/black or black/white.

276. Where is the Amazon River?

Ans:- The Amazon River of South America is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the next top ten largest rivers flowing into the ocean combined. The Amazon, which has the largest drainage basin in the world, accounts for approximately one fifth of the world’s total river flow. While the Amazon is clearly the largest river in the world by most measures, the current consensus within the geographic community holds that the Amazon is the second longest river, just slightly shorter than the Nile. The Amazon basin, the largest drainage basin in the world, covers some 40 percent of South America, an area of approximately 6,915,000 square kilometers.

277. Where are Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar?

Ans-Mount Kailash and Lake Mansaro- var are the two most sacred places of pilgrimage for the Hindus. Both lie in Tibet and the pilgrimage route to these places was opened to the people of India by the Chinese Government in 1981, after a lapse of nearly two decades. Pilgrims have to go through barren mountains, icy-cold streams, miles of thick snow and fierce blizzards to reach there. The Pilgrimage is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs with the help of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. Mansarovar Lake is situated at a height of 14,950 feet above sea level.

278. Which is the richest nation in the Arab World?

Ans-  Oil and gas rich Qatar is the richest nation in the Arab world. Qatar became the no.1 by replacing the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Qatar’s Per-capita income was estimated as $ 29,000 in the year 2000. This is due to the mega gas projects. UAE is the second wealthiest member of the 22 nation Arab league.  Although Saudi Arabia controls a quarter of the World’s oil wealth but Bahrain and Oman are ahead of it.

279. Who founded the city of Jaipur?

Ans.  Jaipur- the pink city was founded by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728. The city was laid out in rectangular blocks and divided by cross streets into six portions, which in turn were intersected by narrow paths. The city was     designed under Jai Singh’s inspiration by Vidyadhar to whom was entrusted the   supervision of the execution.

280. What is RDX?

Ans- RDX is a soft pliable, odourless, highly explosive chemical chemically known as cycloptrimethylene trinitramine. It is one and a half times more powerful than TNT used in military explosives. Pure RDX is so explosive that it explodes on impact or by friction. Because of its plastic nature and lack of odour, RDX is extensively used by terrorists in different parts of the world.

281. What is hacking in computer?

Ans:- Hacking is a term used for destroying or folding up a computer programme or Website that has been already established by someone else. Those who     indulge in such types of activities are called hackers. They are brilliant   programmers who are able to pick anybody’s lock or code word on the network gates. A hacker traditionally, is someone who uses his skills and knowledge to find out flaws in a system and gains control over a computer or a network of computers.

282. Which is the world’s first airport built on man-made island?

Ans. Kansai International Airport of Japan is the world’s first airport built on a man-made island. It was built on Osaka Bay southwest of Osaka city of Japan and was opened on 4th September 1994. The sea where the airport was built was an average of 18 metres deep. Huge amounts of earth and sand equivalent to 70 pyramids of Egypt were used to recover land from the sea. The airport contains land of 510 hectare of land and its runway is 3,500 metres. The runway can handle 160,000 landings and takeoffs in a year. The design of the passenger terminal building is the world’s largest single structure. It can handle 30 million air travellers in a year.

283. What is Cocoa? Which is the original native place of Cocoa?

Ans. Cocoa is used in preparing chocolates and it comes from the fruits of Cocoa tree. The Cocoa tree produces pods of Cocoa beans (seeds) throughout the year. Cocoa tree were originally grown in tropical Central America. The Aztecs who lived in Mexico over 455 years ago were the first Cocoa drinkers. Cocoa was brought to Europe from Central America by Spanish conquerors. Now West African countries are the largest producer of Cocoa.

284. Where is Bodh Gaya and why is it famous ?

Ans:- Bodh Gaya lies 11 kilometres to the south of Gaya in the state of Bihar. It is the place where Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism attained enlightenment. There is a Bodhi tree (Pipal tree) under which the Buddha meditated and attained supreme knowledge. The famous Mahabodhi temple is there, which is now in its renovation form. The present temple having a tower rising to a height of 52 metres in the form of a straight-edged pyramid of seven storeys was completely restored in 11th century. Inside the temple there is a great gilded figure of the Buddha touching the earth.

285.  Which is the largest deer species in India?

Ans:- The Sambhar is the largest and most widely distributed deer in India. It is found in the forest from the southern reaches of the Western Ghats to the Himalayan foothills. A full-grown stag (male deer) stands to 150 cm at the shoulder and weighs about 300 kg. Females are smaller. The coarse, shaggy brown coat of Sambhar darkens with age and turns to almost black in old age. The three horns of the stags reach full size in four years.  Stags usually remain alone without companion and are more active at night. They associate with female deer only during the mating season.

286. Where is Nanda Devi National Park situated?

Ans:- Nanda Devi National Park is situated in Chamoli district of Uttaranchal. Spread over an area of 630 sq km, it is just next to the Nanda Devi Peak.  It was established in 1980.  This Park has been declared a world heritage site.  The first men on record to have reached this Sanctuary were the British Mountaineers Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman in 1936. The area had largely remained undisturbed till then.  A unique mix of flora and fauna is characteristic of this park. The fauna includes the brown and Himalayan black bears, Himalayan thar, snow leopards, and serow and chir pheasants.

287. What type of plant is spinach?

Ans:- Spinach  is a flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant (rarely biennial), which grows to a height of up to 30 cm. Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions. The leaves are alternate, simple, and ovate to triangular-based, very variable in size from about 2-30 cm long and 1-15 cm broad, with larger leaves at the base of the plant and small leaves higher on the flowering stem. The flowers are inconspicuous, yellow-green, 3-4 mm diameter, maturing into a small hard dry lumpy fruit cluster 5-10 mm across containing several seeds. Primitive forms of spinach are found in Nepal and that is probably where the plant was first domesticated. Other than the Indian subcontinent, it was unknown in the ancient world. After the early Muslim conquests the plant spread to other areas.  Spinach is a rich source of iron.

288. Which was the first Quartz watch?

Ans:- The Japanese had the first quartz watch on the market.  Although the Swiss were the first to make a quartz watch prototype, the Japanese Seiko 35SQ Astron was the first analog quartz watch to reach the market. While continuing to produce mechanical watches, Seiko turned its attention to quartz timekeeping in 1958 with the development of a quartz crystal clock. A team was assembled in 1959 to develop a quartz watch. The primary objectives of the project were to reduce the size to that of conventional mechanical watches, and to achieve reasonable prices through volume production. The result of this project was the world’s first quartz watch, the Seiko 35SQ Astron, introduced to the Japanese market on Christmas Day, 1969.

289.Which is the tallest flying bird in the world?

Ans:- Sarus Crane is the tallest flying bird in the world. A large adult male may approach 1,8 m (six feet) in height.  In the rural areas of Northern India, one can see these birds. In the 19th century the Sarus was a common sight.  More than 1, 00,000 birds soared over the northern plains. Since then, the numbers have been falling drastically, and today there are less than 10, 000 birds left in India. As is often the case, the loss of habitat is mostly to blame; the wetlands have been converted to agricultural use, under the increasing pressure from the human population growth. The worldwide population has dwindled under 20,000 cranes, of which there are perhaps less than 10,000 breeding, adult birds left.

290. Which is the first metro in the world?

Ans:- A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated or metro system is a railway, usually in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency of service and grade separation from other traffic. 162 cities of the world have rapid transit systems, totaling more than 8,000 km of track and 7,000 stations. 25 cities have new systems under construction. The oldest metro system in the world is the London Underground, which opened in 1863 and was then called the Metropolitan Railway.

291.What is INTERPOL?

Ans:- INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 186 member countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime. INTERPOL aims to facilitate international police co-operation even where diplomatic relations do not exist between particular countries. Action is taken within the limits of existing laws in different countries and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

292.What is limestone?

Ans:- Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate: CaCO3). Limestone often contains variable amounts of silica in the form of chert or flint, as well as varying amounts of clay, silt and sand as disseminations, nodules, or layers within the rock. The primary source of the calcite in limestone is most commonly marine organisms. These organisms secrete shells that settle out of the water column and are deposited on ocean floors as pelagic ooze or alternatively are conglomerated in a coral reef. Secondary calcite may also be deposited by supersaturated meteoric waters (groundwater that precipitates the material in caves). This produces speleothems such as stalagmites and stalactites. Another form taken by calcite is that of oolites (oolitic limestone) which can be recognized by its granular appearance. Limestone makes up about 10% of the total volume of all sedimentary rocks.  Limestones may also form in both lacustrine and evaporite depositional environments.

293.What is Ranji Trophy?

Ans:- The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides. The competition is named after Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji (Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, also known as “Ranji”). The competition was launched as “The Cricket Championship of India” by the BCCI in July 1934.  The trophy was donated by Bhupinder Singh, the Maharajah of Patiala. The first Ranji Trophy Championship was won by Bombay after they defeated North India in the final. Syed Mohammed Hadi of Hyderabad was the first batsman to score a century in the tournament.

293. Which is the native place of coconut?

Ans:- The coconut  is grown throughout the tropical world. The origins of this plant are the subject of controversy. Most authorities claim that it is native to South Asia, particularly the Ganges Delta, while others claim its origin is in northwestern South America. Fossil records from New Zealand indicate that small, coconut-like plants grew there as long as 15 million years ago. Even older fossils have been uncovered in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra of India and the oldest known so far in Khulna, Bangladesh.

294. Where is Lima?

Ans:- Lima, is the capital city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, on a coast overloo looking the Pacific Ocean. It forms a contiguous urban area with the seaport of Callao. Lima was founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535, as the City of the Kings. It became the most important city in the Spanish Viceroy- alty of Peru and, after the Peruvian War of Independence, the capital of the Republic of Peru. Today around one-third of the Peruvian population lives in its metropolitan area.

295. Where do the Eskimos live ?

Ans:- Eskimos are the indigenous people of the Arctic and sub-arctic regions of Greenland, Canada, the Alaska region of  North America, and Siberia of  Russia . The self-designations of Eskimo peoples vary with their languages and dialects. “Eskimo” is an American Indian word which translates to “eaters of raw meat.” Ironically, scientists put the Indians in a separate anthropological category while the Eskimos are considered more closely related to the natives of northern Asia. People we call Eskimos originally came from Asia across a land bridge into northern North America, now called Alaska. They gradually spread across the Arctic regions of the continent.

296. When was the “one-day cricket” started?

Ans:- Limited overs  matches, also known as “One-Day crickets”, were introduced in the English domestic season of 1962 in response to demands for a shorter and more dramatic form of cricket. One-day, single-innings, matches often took place before this, but the innovation was the limiting of each side’s innings to an agreed number of overs (nowadays usually 40 or 50).  The first One-Day International (ODI) match was played between England and Australia in Melbourne in 1971. The first World Cup of One-Day cricket started in 1975.  Innovations have included the introduction of coloured clothing, distinct tournaments, and “day-night” matches.

297. When was the Supreme Court of India established?

Ans:- The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. According to the Constitution of India, the role of the Supreme Court is that of a federal court, guardian of the Constitution and the highest court of appeal. Articles 124 to 147 of the Constitution of India lay down the composition and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court of India came into being on January 28, 1950, two days after India became a sovereign democratic republic. The inauguration took place in the Chamber of Princes in the Parliament building. The Court moved into the present building in 1958. The building is shaped to project the image of scales of justice with the Central Wing of the building corresponding to the centre beam of the Scales. In 1979, two New Wings—the East Wing and the West Wing—were added to the complex. In all there are 15 Court Rooms in the various wings of the building.

298. Where is the Sahara Desert?

Ans:-  The Sahara  or “The Great Desert”,  is the world’s  largest hot desert. At over 9,000,000 square kilometres, it covers most parts of north- ern Africa; an area stretching from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. It is almost as large as the continental United States, and is larger than Australia. The Sahara covers huge parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia. It is one of three distinct physiographic provinces of the African massive physiographic division. The desert landforms of the Sahara are shaped by wind (eolian) or by occasional rains, and include sand dunes and dune fields or sand seas (erg), stone plateaus (hamada), gravel plains (reg), dry valleys (wadi), and salt flats (shatt or chott). Unusual landforms include the Richat Structure in Mauritania. Several deeply dissected mountains and mountain ranges, many volcanic, rise from the desert, including the Aïr Mountains, Ahaggar Mountains, Saharan Atlas, Tibesti Mountains, Adrar des Iforas, and Red Sea Hills. The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi, a shield volcano in the Tibesti range of northern Chad. Most of the rivers and streams in the Sahara are seasonal or intermittent, the chief exception being the Nile River, which crosses the desert from its origins in central Africa to empty into the Mediterranean. Underground aquifers sometimes reach the surface, forming oases, including the Bahariya, Ghardaïa, Timimoun, Kufrah, and Siwah. Most of the people of Sahara are nomads.

299. Who was saint Tukaram?

Ans:- Bornin 1598 AD in Dehu village eighteen miles away from Pune, Tuka or Tukaram is one among the most popular saints of India.  His life is a favorite topic for Keertankars who recite and  tell stories  in praise of God. He spent much of his spare time in contemplation and studying works of Jnaneswar, Namdev and Eknath, other famous saints of India.  After a period of contemplation in isolation and sadhana of severe kind, he started Bhakti( devotion) moment.  A Sadhaka according to him is one who has subdued all passions.   He had learnt the hard way that material world and spiritual life could never coexist. Singing and chanting of God’s glory was a surest path of god-realization to Tukaram. Caste and class do not come in the way of God-realization, he declared.

300. When was the ball-pen invented?

Ans:- A ballpoint pen  is a modern writing instrument. It has a rotating small steel ball, held in place by a socket. A ballpoint pen has an internal chamber filled with a viscous ink. Its ink is dispensed at the tip during use by the rolling action of a small metal sphere (0.7 mm to 1.2 mm in diameter) of brass, steel or tungsten carbide. The ink dries almost immediately after contact with paper. Inexpensive, reliable and maintenance-free, the ballpoint has replaced the fountain pen as the most popular tool for everyday writing. The first patent on a ballpoint pen was issued on 30 October 1888, to John J Loud.

301. Which country is the native of the sunflower?

Ans:- The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant native to the Americas in the family Asteraceae, with a large flowering head (inflorescence). The stem of the flower can grow as high as 3 metres tall, with the flower head reaching up to 30 cm in diameter with the “large” seeds. The term “sunflower” is also used to refer to all plants of the genus Helianthus, many of which are perennial plants.  Sunflowers are native to the Americas.  The earliest known examples of a fully domesticated sunflower were found at the Hayes site in Tennessee and date back to around 2300 B.C. There were also other remains found at the Olmec site of San Andrés dating some time before 2100 B.C. The Incas used the sunflower as an image of their sun god. Gold images of the flower, as well as seeds, were taken back to Europe early in the 16th century.

302. Where is The Gulf of Mannar?

Ans:- The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay  of the Laccadive Sea  in the Indian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka with widths between 160 km and 200 km. A chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam’s Bridge, also called ‘Ramsethu’, separates the Gulf of Mannar from the Palk Strait. The Tambaraparani River of south India and Aruvi Aru of Sri Lanka drain into the Gulf. The Gulf of Mannar is known for 3,600 species of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest coastal regions in Asia.

303. Where is the Vindhya Range?

Ans:- The Vindhya Range is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent.  It geographically separates the Indian subcontinent into northern India and Southern India. The western end of the range is in the state of Gujarat and the eastern side borders with the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The range runs east and north nearly to the Ganges River at Mirzapur. The area to the north and west of the range are arid and inhospitable. The southern slopes of the range are drained by the Narmada River, which proceeds westward to the Arabian Sea. The northern slopes of the range are drained by tributaries of the Ganges, including the Kali Sindh, Parbati, Betwa, and Ken. The Son, a tributary of the Ganges, drains the southern slopes of the range at its eastern end.

304. Where was the Mesopotamia civilization?

Ans:- Mesopotamia  means “land between the rivers”.  This civilization was developed between the Tigris- Euphrates region in the eastern Mediterranean, largely corresponding to Iraq, as well as northeastern Syria, some parts of southeastern Turkey, and some parts of the Khuzestan Province of southwestern Iran. Widely considered as the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires. In the Iron Age, it was ruled by the Neo-Assyrian Empire and Neo-Babylonian Empire, and later conquered by the Achaemenid Empire. It mostly remained under Persian rule until the 7th century.

395. What is Devanagari script?

Ans:- Devanagari is an alphabet of India and Nepal. It is written from left to right and lacks distinct letter cases.  It is recognizable by a distinctive horizontal line running along the tops of the letters that links them together. Devanagari is the main script used to write Hindi, Marathi, and Nepali. Since the 19th century, it has been the most commonly used script for Sanskrit. Devanagari is also employed for Gujari, Bhili, Bhojpuri, Konkani, Magahi, Maithili, Marwari, Newari, Pahari, Santhali, Tharu, and sometimes Sindhi, Punjabi, and Kashmiri. Devanagari is part of the Brahmic family of scripts of Nepal, India, Tibet, and South-East Asia. It is a descendant of the Gupta script.

306. Who was Cleopatra?

Ans:- Cleopatra was a beautiful and ambitious queen of the Macedonian Dynasty ruling Ancient Egypt. In her struggles to win the crown and keep her country free, she sought the support of Julius Caesar, bearing him a son. For a time she lived in Rome. Later, she won the protection of Rome through an affair with Mark Anthony, and had three children with him. Financing his failing military campaigns, both she and Anthony were defeated in a battle against Octavian in 31 B.C. A lesser known fact is that Cleopatra was highly educated and possessed an impressive intellect, being a student of philosophy and international relations.

307. Which is the second highest waterfall in the world?

Ans:- Tugela Falls is the world’s second highest waterfall. The total drop in five free-leaping falls is 3,110 feet high. They are located in the Drakensberg in the Royal Natal National Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province, Republic of South Africa. The water is pure and safe to drink above the falls. There are 2 stunning trails to the Tugela Falls. The most spectacular trail is to the top of Mount-Aux-Sources, which starts at the Sentinel car park at Witsieshoek via Phuthadjhaba.  Another trail to the foot of the Tugela Falls starts at Royal Natal National Park.

307. How much area of the earth does the Pacific Ocean cover?

Ans:- The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth’s oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east. It covers 169.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World Ocean which is about 46% of the Earth’s water surface and about 30% of its total surface. The equator subdivides it into the North Pacific Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, with two exceptions. The Mariana Trench in the western North Pacific is the deepest point in the Pacific and in the world, reaching a depth of 10. 911 km.

309. Where is Fiji?

Ans:- Fiji, officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands, is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country comprises an archipelago of about 322 islands, of which 106 are permanently inhabited. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of the population. The population of Fiji is mostly made up of native Fijians (54.3%), although a few also have Polynesian ancestry, and Indo-Fijians (38.1%). The descendants of Indian contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century. Most of these Indo-Fijians are or are descendants of Bhojpuri-speaking Biharis. Indigenous Fijians are mostly Christian (97.2%), and the Indo-Fijians mostly Hindu (70.7%) and Muslim (17.9%).

310. When was the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre established?

Ans:- The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is India’s primary nuclear research centre. It has a number of nuclear reactors, all of which are used for India’s nuclear power and research programme. The BARC was started in 1954, as the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET). It became India’s primary nuclear research centre, taking over charge of most nuclear scientists that were at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. After great scientist Homi J. Bhabha’s death in 1966, the centre was renamed as the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

311.Where was the ancient Gandhara kingdom?

Ans:- Gandhara was the name of an ancient kingdom, located in northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Gandhara was located mainly in the vale of Peshawar, the Potohar plateau and on the Kabul River. Its main cities were Purushapura (modern Peshawar) and Takshashila (modern Taxila). The Kingdom of Gandhara lasted from the 6th century BC to the 11th century AD. It attained its height from the 1st century to the 5th century under the Buddhist Kushan Kings. The Hindu kings ruled the region during the 10th and 11th centuries. After it was conquered by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1021 AD, the name Gandhara disappeared.

312. Who was Cyrus the Great?

Ans:- Cyrus the Great (600 BC – 530 BC), also known as Cyrus II of Persia and Cyrus the Elder, was the first Zoroastrian Persian  Emperor. He was the founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty, a world empire of major historical importance. It was under his own rule that the empire embraced all previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly, and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia, from Egypt and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, to create the largest empire the world had yet seen. The reign of Cyrus lasted 29 years. Cyrus built his empire by fighting and conquering first the Median Empire then Lydian Empire and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Cyrus died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in 530 BC.

313. Which is the largest river of Asia?

Ans:- The Yangtze River or Chang Jiang, is the longest river in China and Asia, and the third-longest in the world, after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. The river is about 6,385 km long and flows from its source in Qinghai Province, eastwards into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It acts as a dividing line between North and South China.   The Three Gorges Dam on the river, is the largest hydro-electric power station in the world.

31 4. Which is the fourth largest mountain in the world?

Ans:- Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain on Earth after Mount Everest, K2 and Kangchenjunga. It is connected to Everest via the South Col. Its main summit is at 8,516 metres above sea level. It is located at the border between Tibet and Nepal. Lhotse is best known for its proximity to Mount Everest.  An early attempt of climbing on Lhotse was by the 1955 International Himalayan Expedition, headed by Norman Dyhrenfurth.

315. Which is the largest spoken language in the world?

Ans:- Mandarin, traditional Chinese or simplified Chinese, is a category of related Chinese dialects spoken across most of northern and south-western China. The Mandarin language has more native speakers than any other language. Standard Mandarin functions as the official spoken language of the People’s Republic of China, the official language of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and one of the four official languages of Singapore.  Standard Mandarin—is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. It is spoken by 873,014,298 people.

316. What is the Goldfish?

Ans:- Goldfish is a small ornamental freshwater fish that is commonly kept as pet. Goldfish was one of the earliest breed of fish to be domesticated and is still one of the most commonly kept fish in aquariums and outdoor water gardens. Goldfish was originally domesticated from the Prussian carp, a dark grayish brown carp native to Asia. It was first bred for color in China over 1,000 years ago. Due to selective breeding, goldfish has been developed into many distinct breeds and is now found in various colors, color patterns, forms and sizes far different from those of the original domesticated carp.

317. Which is the native place of jackfruit?

Ans:- The jackfruit  is a species of tree in the mulberry family is native to parts of South and Southeast Asia. It is well suited to tropical lowlands. Its fruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the world.  The fruits can reach 36 kg in weight and up to 90 cm long and 50 cm in diameter. The jackfruit is something of an acquired taste, but it is very popular in many parts of the world.

318. which is the largest National park in the world?

Ans:- A national park is a reserve of land, declared or owned by a national government. It is protected from most human development and pollution. According to The World Conservation Union, there are now 6,555 national parks worldwide. The largest national park in the world is the Northeast Greenland National Park, which was established in 1974.

319. Where is the Gwalior Port?

Ans:- Gwalior Fort or Gwalior Qila is in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. It stands on an isolated rock and contains a number of historic buildings. Its greatest length from north-east to south-west is 2.4 km, and the greatest breadth 820 metre. The rock attains its maximum height of 342 ft  at the northern end. A rampart, accessible by a steep road, and farther up by huge steps cut out of the rock, surrounds the fort.  Gwalior fort is one of the biggest forts in India. It was built by Raja Man Singh Tomar in 10th century.

320 . How are colors produced in fireworks?

Ans:- Mineral elements taken from Earth provide the colors. Strontium yields deep reds, copper produces blue, sodium yields yellow, and iron filings and charcoal pieces produce gold sparks. Bright flashes and loud bangs come from aluminum powder.

321. Which volcano killed the most people in the world?

Ans:- The eruption of Tambora volcano in Indonesia in 1815 is estimated to have killed 90,000 people. Most died from starvation after the eruption, though, because of widespread crop destruction, and from water contamination and disease.

322. Which is the smallest island nation in the world?

Ans:- Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean,  is the world’s smallest island nation. It covers just 21sq km and is the smallest independent republic. Initially inhabited by Micronesian and Polynesian peoples, Nauru was annexed and designated as a colony by Germany in the late 19th century. After World War I, Nauru became a mandate territory administered by Australia, New Zealand, and the U K. During World War II, it was occupied by Japan, and after the war entered into trusteeship again. It achieved independence in 1968. Nauruans are among the most obese people in the world.

323. Where is the Bering Sea?

Ans:- The Bering Sea is a body of water in the Pacific Ocean.  It comprises a deep water basin which rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves. The Bering Sea is separated from the Gulf of Alaska by the Alaska Peninsula. It covers over two million square kilometers, bordered by Alaska on the east, on the west by Siberia, on the south by the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands.  On the far north, the Bering Strait separates the Bering Sea from the Arctic Ocean’s Chukchi Sea. The Bering Sea is named after the first discoverer to sail its water, the Russian navigator Vitus Bering. The Bering Sea ecosystem includes resources within the jurisdiction of the United States and Russia, as well as international waters.

324. Why is the Keoladeo Ghana National Park so famous?

Ans:- Keoladeo Ghana National Park  formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is in Rajasthan.  It is a famous avifauna sanctuary that sees thousands of rare and highly endangered birds such as the Siberian Crane coming here during the winter season. Over 230 species of birds are known to have made the National Park their home. The sanctuary was created 250 years ago and is named after a Keoladeo (Shiva) temple within its boundaries. It was declared a protected sanctuary in 1971. It is also a declared World Heritage Site.

325. What is the Shark Bay?

Ans:- The Shark Bay is a world heritage site in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. It is an area over 800 kilometres north of Perth, on the western most point of Australia. An expedition led by Dirk Hartog visited the area in 1616. The area has a population of fewer than 1,000 people and a coastline of over 1,500 kilometres. The half dozen small communities making up this population occupy less than 1% of the total area. The bay itself covers an area of 10,000 km², with an average depth of 10 metres. It is divided by shallow banks and has many peninsulas and islands.

326. Which is the largest desert of South-America?

Ans:- The Patagonian Desert, a cold winter desert, is the largest desert in South- America. It is the 7th largest desert in the world by area, occupying 260,000 square miles. It is located primarily in Argentina with small parts in Chile.  It is bounded by the Andes, to its west, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. In the Patagonian cold winter desert, the temperature rarely exceeds 12°C and averages  just 3°C. The region experiences about 7 months of winter and 5 months of summer.

327. What are LCD televisions?

Ans:- LCD TVs (Liquid-crystal display televisions) are color television sets that use LCD technology to produce images. LCD televisions are thinner and lighter than CRTs of similar display size, and are available in much larger sizes as well. In 2007, LCD televisions surpassed sales of CRT-based televisions worldwide for the first time, and its sales figures relative to other technologies are accelerating. LCD TVs are quickly displacing the only major competitors in the large-screen market, the plasma display panel and rear-projection television. LCDs are, by far, the most widely produced and sold television technology today, pushing all other technologies into niche roles.

328. Where is Malda?

Ans:- Malda  is a city and a municipality in the Malda district in the state of West Bengal. It serves as the district headquarters. It has an average elevation of 17 metres (56 feet). It is located on the Western bank of the river Mahananda.  As of 2001 India census, Malda has a population of 161,448. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Malda has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%.  Malda is famous for mangoes.

329. What makes thunder?

Ans:- The air around a lightning bolt is superheated to about five times the temperature of the Sun. This sudden heating causes the air to expand faster than the speed of sound, which compresses the air and forms a shock wave; we hear it as thunder.

330. How long is the average Martian day?

Ans:- A Martian can sleep or work and extra half-hour every day compared to people of our Earth. Mars days are 24 hours and 37 minutes long, compared to 23 hours, 56 minutes on Earth. A day on any planet in our solar system is determined by how long it takes to spin once on its axis, making the Sun appear to rise in the morning and sending it down in the evening.

331. Does Earth have the worst weather in the solar system?

Ans:-  No, our  Earth does not have the worst weather. There are lots of wilder weather else- where. Mars can whip up hurri- cane like storms four times bigger than the biggest on our Earth, at Texas, US. Dust storms on the red planet can obscure the entire globe. Jupiter has a hurricane twice the size our entire planet and it’s lasted for at least three centuries.  Venus is a living hell, with frequent and bigger storms and Pluto is routinely more frigid than the coldest place on Earth (though may change one day, and Pluto may in fact become the last oasis for life).

332. Where is Eden Gardens?

Ans:- Eden Gardens cricket ground is in Kolkata, India. It is the home of the Bengal cricket team and the Indian Premier League’s Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as being a Test and One Day International ground. Established in 1864, Eden Gardens currently holds 90,000 people after its renovations, reducing the previous capacity 120,000.  It is the 2nd largest stadium in India. It recorded its first Test in 1934 and its first ODI in 1987.

333. Where is Hampi?

Ans:- Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state of  India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, this village continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple. The village of Hampi contains several other monuments belonging to the old city. The Vijayanagara ruins are listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is 353 km from Bangalore, 254 km from Bijapur and 74km away from Bellary.

334. What is in Chewing Gum?

Ans: Originally, chewing gum was made from the latex sap of the sapodilla tree, native to Central America. This sap was called chicle. Other natural gum bases may be used, such as sorva and jelutong. Sometimes beeswax or paraffin wax is used as a gum base. After World War II, chemists learned to make synthetic rubber e.g., polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate, which came to replace most natural rubber in chewing gum.  In addition to the gum base, chewing gum contains sweeteners, flavorings, and softeners. Softeners are ingredients such as glycerin or vegetable oil that are used to blend the other ingredients and help prevent the gum from becoming hard or stiff.

335. Where is Taiga?

Ans:- Taiga is a biome characterized by conifer forests. The taiga can be described as rather cold, almost like the tundra, with many trees.  Covering most of inland Alaska, Canada, Sweden, Finland, inland Norway, Highland Scotland and Russia (especially Siberia), as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States (Northern Minnesota, Michigan, Upstate New York, New Hampshire, and Maine), northern Kazakhstan and Japan (Hokkaido), the taiga is the world’s largest terrestrial biome. Boreal forest is the term used to refer to the southern part of this biome, while “taiga” is used to describe the more barren northern areas of the Arctic tree line.

336. Which is the second highest mountain in India?

Ans:-Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India. It is part of the Garhwal Himalaya, and is located in the state of Uttarakhand, between the Rishiganga valley on the west and the Gori- Ganga valley on the east. Its name means Bliss-Giving Goddess. The peak is regarded as the patron-goddess of the Uttarakhand Himalaya. Nanda Devi is a two-peaked massif, forming a 2kms long high ridge, oriented east-west. Together the peaks are referred to as the twin peaks of the goddess Nanda. The main summit stands guarded by a barrier ring comprising some of the highest mountains in the Indian Himalayas.

337. Where is Brindavan Garden?

Ans:- The Brindavan garden is located in the Indian state of Karnataka. The park is adjoined to the Krishnarajasagara dam that is built across the river Kaveri. The foundation of the garden was laid in 1927 and was completed in 1932. This garden is one of the major attractions of the city of Mysore. The garden is maintained by the Cauvery Irrigation Department of Karnataka. The garden is laid out in 3 terraces which contain water fountains and has topiary works, pergolas and gazebos. One of the main attractions of this garden is the musical fountain. A lake is also constructed that offers boating facilities to the visitors.

338. Where is Manas National Park?

Ans:- Manas National Park is situated in Kamrup-Golapara district, along the Assam- Bhutan border. It was declared a sanctuary on October 01, 1928 and was designated as a World Heritage site in December 1985. The major fauna found here include the rhino, wild buffalos, elephants, gaur, swamp deer, capped langur and clouded leopard. The main highlight of the park is the giant hornbill, two subspecies of which, the pied and grey varieties are to be found here. Butterflies and reptiles are also found in large numbers in the Manas National Park. The ideal time to visit the Manas national park is during the months of November to April. One can also enjoy the rides on boats, elephants or on jeeps.

339. What is Garba?

Ans:- Garba is a popular dance form of Gujarat. It is a circular form of dance performed by women on the Navaratri, Sharad Purnima, Vasant Panchami, Holi and similar other festivals. The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term ‘Garba Deep’. In this dance form, ladies place the pot with the lamp on their heads and sway in circles. The Garba celebration starts at night time. Women assemble at one place. Traditionally, a photograph of the deity or a lamp is placed centrally and a circle is formed around it followed by dancing around it. The rhythm is maintained by a drummer. Garba songs are usually sung to invoke the blessings of Mother Goddess Amba.

340. Where is Macau?

Ans:-The Macau Special Administrative Region, commonly known as Macau is a special administrative regions of the People’s Republic of China. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east and south. The territory has thriving industries such as textiles, electronics and toys, and a notable tourist industry. This makes it one of the richest cities in the world. Macau was both the first and last European colony in China. Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century. The region was handedover to China in 1999.

341. When did the Constitution of India come into effect?

Ans:- The Constitution of India  is the supreme law of the country. Passed by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, it came into effect on January 26, 1950.  It declares the Union of India to be a sovereign, democratic republic, assuring its citizens of justice, equality, and liberty.  The words “socialist”, “secular” and “integrity” were added to the definition in 1976 by constitutional amendment. India celebrates the adoption of the constitution on January 26 each year as Republic Day.

342. Which is the 3rd most spoken language of the world?

Ans:- Spanish is the 3rd most spoken language of the world. It was originated in northern Spain and gradually spread. It was taken most notably to the Americas as well as to Africa and Asia Pacific with the expansion of the Spanish Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. Today, 329 million people speak Spanish as a native language. Mexico contains the largest population of Spanish speakers. Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. It is estimated that the combined total of native and non-native Spanish speakers is between 470 and 500 million, making it the 3rd most spoken language by total number of speakers (after Chinese and  English.

343. Who is the inventor of the photocopier?

Ans:- A photocopier or copier is a machine that makes paper copies of documents and other visual images quickly and cheaply. Most current photocopiers use a technology called xerography, a dry process using heat. Xerographic photocopying was introduced by Xerox in the 1960s, and over the following 20 years it gradually replaced copies made by carbon paper, and other duplicating machines.  Chester Carlson is the inventor of photocopying. Carlson after conducting many “electrophotography” experiments, applied for its patent in 1938.

344. Which the 2nd most traded currency in the world after the U.S. dollar?

Ans:- The euro (€) is the 2nd largest reserve currency and the 2nd most traded currency in the world after the U.S. dollar. It is the official currency of 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union. The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. The currency is also used in a further 5 European countries.  It is consequently used daily by some 327 million Europeans. Over 175 million people worldwide use currencies which are pegged to the euro, including more than 150 million people in Africa.

345. What are asteroids?

Ans:- Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets  are small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun, especially in the inner Solar System.  They are smaller than planets but larger than meteoroids. The first named minor planet, Ceres, was discovered in 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi. This was followed by the discovery of other similar bodies, which appeared to be points of light, like stars, showing little or no planetary disc. This prompted the astronomer Sir William Herschel to propose the term “asteroid”, in Greek, which means star-like, star-shaped.

346. What are the functions of the CSIR?

Ans:- The CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research)  is a premier industrial Research & Development  organization in India. It was constituted in 1942 by a resolution of the then Central Legislative Assembly. CSIR is an autonomous body aims to provide industrial competitiveness, social welfare, strong S &T base for strategic sectors and advancement of fundamental knowledge. Today CSIR is recognised as one of the world’s largest publicly funded R&D organisations having linkages to academia, R&D organisations and industry.

347. Where is Guyana?

Ans:-  Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Discovered by Europeans in 1498, Guyana’s past is punctuated by battles fought and won, possessions lost and regained as the Spanish, French, Dutch and British wrangled for centuries to own the land. It is the only state of the Commonwealth of Nations on mainland South America. Guyana is bordered to the east by Suriname, to the south and southwest by Brazil, to the west by Venezuela, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean.

348. What is Water hyacinth?

Ans:- Water hyacinth is a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical South America. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in height. The leaves are 10-20 cm across, and float above the water surface. They have long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The feathery, freely hanging roots are purple-black. An erect stalk supports a single spike of 8-15 conspicuously attractive flowers, mostly lavender to pink in colour with six petals.  One of the fastest growing plants known, water hyacinth reproduces primarily by way of runners, which eventually form daughter plants.

349. How Coca-Cola was produced for the first time?

Ans:-Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines worldwide.  It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia and is often referred to simply as Coke or as Cola.  Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft drink market throughout the 20th century. The company produces concentrate, which is then sold to various licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The bottlers, who hold territorially exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate in combination with filtered water and sweeteners.

350. Who is Gulzar?

Ans:- Sampooran Singh Kalra  (born in August 18, 1936), better known by his pen name Gulzar is a noted Indian poet, lyricist, director, and playwright, who works primarily in Hindi and Urdu languages. He has been awarded the Padma Bhushan and Sahitya Academy Award.   Gulzar is best known as a lyricist and director.   He was born in Dina, Jhelum District, British India, located in the current-day West Punjab, Pakistan. He is a clean-shaven Sikh. Before becoming an established writer, Gulzar worked as a car mechanic in a garage. As a Director his famous movies are  Maachis, Lekin, Kinara, Khushboo, Mausam, Aandhi, Parichay. His famous songs are Mera Kuchh Saaman’ - Ijaazat, ‘Do diwane shahar mein’ - Gharonda, ‘Aanewala pal jaane wala hai’ - Golmaal, ‘Hazar rahen mud ke dekhi’ - Thodi Si Bewafai, ‘Tujhse naraaz nahin zindagi’ - Masoom, ‘Chal Chhaiyya Chhaiyya Chhaiyya’ - Dil Se.

351. What are cereals?

Ans:- Cereals, or cereal grains, are mostly grasses cultivated for their edible barns or fruit seeds. Cereal grains are grown in greater quantities and provide more energy worldwide than any other type of crop; they are therefore staple crops. They are also a rich source of carbohydrates. The word cereal is derived from Ceres, the name of the pre-Roman goddess of harvest and agriculture. Cereal grains are members of the monocot family Poaceae. Maize, Rice, Wheat, Barley, Sorghum, Millets, Oats are some important cereals.

352. What is a boomerang?

Ans:- A boomerang is a simple instrument used for various purposes. It is primarily associated with Australian Aborigines, but has been found amongst people of North East Africa, Sardinia, Arizona, southern California Native Americans, and in India. Boomerangs come in many shapes and sizes depending on their geographic/tribal origins and intended function. The most recognizable type is the returning boomerang, a kind of throwing stick that, when thrown correctly, travels in a curved path and returns to its point of origin.  Boomerangs can be variously used as hunting weapons, percussive musical instruments, battle clubs, fire-starters, decoys for hunting waterfowl, and as recreational play toys. The smallest boomerang may be less than 10 cm from tip-to-tip, and the largest over 2 metres in length.

353. What is Kabaddi?

Ans:- Kabaddi, sometimes written Kabbadi or Kabadi is a team sport originally from the Indian subcontinent. Two teams occupy opposite halves of a field and take turns sending a “raider” into the other half, in order to win points by tagging or wrestling members of the opposing team; the raider then tries to return to his own half, holding his breath during the whole raid. The name, sometimes chanted during a game, derives from a Hindi word meaning “holding of breath”, which is a part of the game. In the team, or transnational, style of Kabaddi, two teams of seven members each, occupy opposite halves of a field of 12.5m × 10m. Each has five supple- mentary players held in reserve. The game is in 20-minute halves, with a five-minute half-time break during which the teams switch sides. Tagged members are “out” and sent off the field.

354. What is a gaur?

Ans:- The gaur is a large, dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The biggest populations are found today in India. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger even than the Cape buffalo, water buffalo and bison. It is also called seladang or in context with safari tourism Indian bison, although this is technically incorrect. The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal or mithun. The gaur is easily recognized by the high convex ridge on the forehead between the horns, which bends forward, and thus causes a deep hollow in the profile of the upper part of the head. In colour, the adult male gaur is dark brown.  The cows and young bulls are paler.

355. What is a saxophone?

Ans:- The saxophone, commonly referred to simply as sax  is a conical-bored transposing musical instrument considered a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and are played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax, a Belgian-born instrument-maker in 1841 and patented in 1846 in two groups of seven instruments each. Each series consisted of instruments of various sizes in alternating transposition. The series has proved extremely popular and most saxophones encountered today are from this series. While proving very popular in its intended niche of military band music, the saxophone is most commonly associated with popular music, big band music, blues, early rock’n’roll and particularly jazz.

356. Where is the North Pole?

Ans:- The North Pole is the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth’s axis of rotation meets the Earth’s surface. The North Pole is the northernmost point on Earth, lying diametrically opposite the South Pole. It defines latitude 90° north, as well as the direction of True North. While the South Pole lies on a continental land mass, the North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, amidst waters that are almost permanently covered with constantly shifting sea ice. This makes it impractical to construct a permanent station at the North Pole. However, former Soviet Union, and later Russia, has constructed a number of manned drifting stations, some of which have passed over or very close to the Pole. Recently, scientists have predicted that the North Pole may become seasonally ice-free by 2050 due to Arctic shrinkage. The sea depth at the North Pole has been measured at 4,261 metres.  The nearest land is usually said to be Kaffeklubben Island, off the northern coast of Greenland about 700 kms away.  The conquest of the North Pole was for many years credited to American Navy engineer Robert Edwin Peary, who claimed to have reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909.

357. What are Oscar Awards?

Ans:- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was established in May 1927 as a non-profit corporation to promote the art of movie making. The first Academy Awards, now better known as the Oscars, were presented at a private dinner in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with less than 250 persons attending. Today, the Oscar Awards are viewed by more than a billion people on television. The first television broadcast of the Oscars took place in 1953 telecasted throughout the US and Canada. Since 1969, the Oscars have been telecast throughout the world.

358. What is the hardest natural substance on earth?

Ans:- A diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth, but if it is placed in an oven and the temperature is raised to about 763 degrees Celsius, it will simply vanish, without even ash remaining. Only a little carbon dioxide will have been released. Diamonds are formed over a period of a billion or more years deep within earth’s crust - about 150 km deep and is pushed to the surface by volcanoes. Most diamonds are found in volcanic rock, called Kimberlite, or in the sea after having been carried away by rivers when they were pushed to the surface. A diamond is 58 times harder than the next hardest mineral on earth, corundum, from which rubies and sapphires are formed.

359. Why was the India Gate constructed?

Ans:- India Gate was constructed as a memorial in the memory of 90,00 soldiers who laid down their lives during World War I. Located at Rajpath, New Delhi,  India Gate is 42 m high and is a popular relaxation area during the summer evenings. India Gate also acts as a popular picnic spot during winter. Also known as the All India War Memorial, India Gate was designed and constructed by Lutyens, who is considered the chief proclaimer in designing the New Delhi plans. The foundation stone was laid by HRH, the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and the monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin.

360. What are orangutans?

Ans:- The orangutans are a species of great apes. Known for their intelligence, they live in trees and are the largest living arboreal animals. They have longer arms than other great apes, and their hair is reddish-brown, instead of the brown or black hair typical of other great apes. Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, they are currently found only in rain forests on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, though their fossils have been found in Java, the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Vietnam and China.

361. How long is a Martian year?

Ans:- It’s a year long, if you’re from Mars. To an earthling, it’s nearly twice as long. The red planet takes 687 Earth days to go around the Sun  compared to 365 days for Earth.

362. What was the deadliest known earthquake?

Ans:- The world’s deadliest recorded earthquake occurred in 1557 in central China. It struck a region where most people lived in caves carved from soft rock. The dwellings collapsed, killing an estimated 8, 30,000 people. In 1976, another deadly temblor struck Tangshan, China. More than 2, 50,000 people were killed.

363. Where is the Salt Lake Stadium?

Ans:- The Salt Lake Stadium is a multiuse stadium in Bidhannagar, Salt Lake, Kolkata. The stadium has the second largest non-auto racing capacity in the world & largest in the Indian sub-continent. It is currently used for football matches and athletics. The stadium was built in 1984 and holds 1, 20,000 in a three-tier configuration. The total covered area of the stadium is 76.40 acres. It is situated approximately 10 km from the heart of the city. It is elliptical in shape. The roof is made of strong tubes and aluminum sheets and concrete. There are two electronic score boards and control rooms. The lighting is uniformly distributed to facilitate nocturnal sports. There are special arrangements for TV broadcasting.  This Stadium also hosts different kind of cultural programmes like Dance, Music Concerts etc.

364. When was the Reserve Bank of India established?

Ans:-The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. The Central Office of the Reserve Bank was initially established in Kolkata(Calcutta) but was permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937. The Central Office is where the Governor sits and where policies are formulated. Though originally privately owned, since nationalisation in 1949, the Reserve Bank is fully owned by the Government of India. The Preamble of the Reserve Bank of India describes the basic functions of the Reserve Bank as: “...to regulate the issue of Bank Notes and keeping of reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in India and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its advantage.”

365. Which is the only Indian fish to migrate from the seas into river for breeding?

Ans:- Hilsa is the only Indian fish to migrate from the seas into river for breeding. It is popular in Assam, Bengal, Gujarat and Orissa. Hilsa is an economically important tropical fish. It is the National Fish of Bangladesh. This fish exists and is caught in the delta of Narmada river of Gujarat and Padma river of Bangladesh and in Bay of Bengal. Like Bengal or Orissa, this fish is not well known in Gujarat because fish eaters in Gujarat are mostly Muslims and Hindu fisherman of the coastal areas. The Hilsa lives in the sea for most of its life, but migrates up to 1,200 km inland through rivers in the Indian sub-continent for spawning. Hilsa is mainly available in the major Bangladesh Rivers of the Padma (lower Ganges), Meghna, and Jamuna (lower Brahmaputra). Those from the Padma are considered to be the best in taste. In India, the rivers Rupnarayan and Ganga are famous for their tasty breeds. However, Hilsa is also caught from the sea. But those caught from the sea are not considered to be so tasty as those caught from the river. Hilsa is an oily fish rich in essential fatty acids.  Recent experiments have shown its beneficial effects in decreasing cholesterol level in rats and insulin level.

366. Which is the most ancient of all musical instruments?

Ans:- Timpani (also known commonly as kettledrums or kettle drums) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper, and more recently, constructed of more lightweight fibre glass. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick or timpani mallet. Unlike most drums, they are capable of producing an actual pitch when struck, and can be tuned, often with the use of a pedal mechanism to control each drum’s range of notes. Timpani evolved from military drums to become a staple of the classical orchestra by the last third of the 18th century. Today, they are used in many types of musical ensembles including concert, marching percussion, and even some rock bands. Timpani is an Italian plural, the singular of which is timpano. However, in informal English speech the instruments are rarely called a timpano: they are more typically referred to as kettledrums, timpani, or simply timps. They are also often incorrectly termed timpanis. A musician who plays the timpani is known as a timpanist.

367. What is plaster of Paris?

Ans:- The term plaster can refer to plaster of Paris, lime plaster, or cement plaster. This article deals mainly with plaster of Paris. Plaster of Paris is a type of building material based on calcium sulphate hemihydrate. It is created by heating gypsum to about 150 °C. A large gypsum deposit at Montmartre in Paris is the source of the name. When the dry plaster powder is mixed with water, it reforms into gypsum. Plaster is used as a building material similar to mortar or cement. Like those materials plaster starts as a dry powder that is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after drying, and can be easily manipulated with metal tools or even sandpaper. These characteristics make plaster suitable for a finishing, rather than a load-bearing material.

368. Who has written the patriotic poem Saare Jahan Se Achchha?

Ans:- Saare Jahan Se Achchha is one of the enduring patriotic poems of the Urdu language. Written originally for children in the ghazal style of Urdu poetry by poet Muhammad Iqbal, the poem was published in the weekly journal Ittehad on 16 August 1904.  Iqbal was a lecturer at the Government College, Lahore.  Recited by Iqbal the following year at Government College, Lahore, now in Pakistan, it quickly became an anthem of opposition to the British rule in India. The song, an ode to Hindustan- the land comprising present-day Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan-both celebrated and cherished the land even as it lamented its age-old anguish. Also known as Tarana-e-Hindi “Anthem of the People of Hindustan”, it was later published in 1924 in the Urdu book Bang-i-Dara. At that time, he was invited by student Lala Har Dayal to preside over a function. Instead of delivering a speech, Iqbal sang Saare Jahan Se Achcha.

369. What is the thyroid?

Ans:- The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. This gland is found in the neck inferior to (below) the thyroid cartilage (also known as the Adam’s apple in men) and at approximately the same level as the cricoid cartilage. The thyroid controls how quickly the body burns energy, makes proteins, and how sensitive the body should be to other hormones. The thyroid participates in these processes by producing thyroid hormones, principally thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones regulate the rate of metabolism and affect the growth and rate of function of many other systems in the body. Iodine is an essential component of both T3 and T4. The thyroid also produces the hormone calcitonin, which plays a role in calcium homeostasis. The thyroid is controlled by the hypothalamus and pituitary.  Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) are the most common problems of the thyroid gland.

370. What is horsepower?

Ans:- Horsepower (hp or HP) is the name of several non-SI units of power. It was originally defined to allow the output of steam engines to be measured and compared with the power output of draft horses. The horsepower was widely adopted to measure the output of piston engines, turbines, electric motors and other machinery. Different regions adopted different definitions of the unit. Most countries now use the SI unit watt for measurement of power. The definition of a horsepower unit is different in different applications; application outside of the context of a particular definition will be inaccurate. One mechanical horsepower of 550 foot-pounds per second is equivalent to 745.7 watts.

371. What is Sumo?

Ans:-  Sumo  is a competitive contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practised professionally. The Japanese consider sumo a gendai budô (a modern Japanese martial art), though the sport has a history spanning many centuries. The sumo tradition is very ancient and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt for purification, from the days sumo was used in the Shinto religion. Life as a rikishi is highly regimented, with rules laid down by the Sumo Association. Professional sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal “sumo training stables” known in Japanese as heya where all aspects of their daily lives- from meals to their manner of dress- are dictated by strict tradition.

272. Who is the first aircraft hijacker?

Ans: The first aircraft to be hijacked was a Pan Am Fokker F7 aircraft carrying mail. On February 21, 1931, the plane while on the ground in Peru was seized by armed Peruvian revolutionaries. They wanted to be taken to Lima, so that they could drop their propaganda leaflets over it. The pilot refused and the deadlock in their negotiation lasted for ten days, after which the hijackers released the plane.

373. Why is Wimbledon dress coded white?

Ans: Traditionally, white is considered the colour of sports since it stands for purity. Since the Wimbledon championships placed great emphasis on tradition, it insists that the players wear only white. Of course thanks to some players, flamboyant outfits, most notably Andre Agassi, the all white dress code was relaxed to “almost white”.

374. Why does the surface of table tennis racquets have different colours?

Ans: The International Table Tennis Federation mandates that the surface of the racquets blade must be bright red on one side and black on the other, so that the players can tell which side the opponent has used to hit the ball. Many players use different type of rubber on each side of the paddle of ten having very different characteristics. Prior to this rule, a player could surreptitiously flip his or her paddle during play to change which rubber was on the forehand side, making it difficult for opponent to judge how the ball would be returned. By forcing the two sides to be coloured differently, this rule allows a player to more easily tell which rubber the opponent has used for any given return.

375. Has any goal keeper ever scored a goal directly from his 18 yard box?

Ans: Luis Matinez, a Colombian goal keeper achieved this feat in a match against Poland on May 30, 2006 in a world cup warm up match with Poland.

376. When was the water cannon invented?

Ans: It was invented in the 19th century. Water cannons were originally created for use on fire boats. The first fire boat was deployed in New York City on Feb 1, 1891. Truck based water cannons were used for riot control in the US during the 1960s.

377. Who are Javanese?

Ans:- Javanese is a member of the largest ethnic group in the republic of Indonesia. There are more than 50 million speakers of Javanese which belonged to the western branch of the Austronesia family. Although the Javanese have a Hindu-Buddhist heritage, they are today predominantly Muslims practicing a branch of Islam Jawa, which contains many Sufi features.

378. Which are the coldest places on the earth?

Ans:-  Antarctica takes  number one position among the coldest places on earth. Mostly inhabited except for penguin and seal colonies found along the coast, Antarctica has practically no match on the temperature department. At the Plateau Station, temperatures can easily plummet to -84°C and the annual average temperature barely reaches -36°C. The record as the coldest place, however, goes to Vostok Station, Antarctica, where the temperature reached -89 Celsius on 21 July 1983. Of all inhabited areas, one of the coldest places in the world is Siberia. It’s normal temperatures to reach -51.1°C in January. Oymyakon, in Eastern Siberia, has an average winter temperature of is - 71.2°C. The little village is home to 900 permanent residents, who endure winter for 9 months out of the year. The area is so cold that empty plastic bags taken outside will freeze within minutes and then crack like glass.

379. What is a satellite phone?

Ans:- A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites. Depending on the architecture of a particular system, coverage may include the entire Earth, or only specific regions. The mobile equipment, also known as a terminal, varies widely. Early satellite phone handsets had a size and weight comparable to that of a late 1980s or early 1990s mobile phone, but usually with a large retractable antenna. More recent satellite phones are similar in size to a regular mobile phone while some prototype satellite phones have no distinguishable difference from an ordinary smartphones. Satphones are popular on expeditions into remote areas where terrestrial cellular service is unavailable.

380. What is meant by the term, Chinaman, in cricket?

Ans:- The term, Chinaman, denotes an off break bowled by a left-handed bowler to a right-handed batsman. The expression is said to have derived from the blower Ellis Achong, who although played for the West Indies, was actually Chinese and who practiced this kind of bowling, although he was not the first to do so. This term should not be confused with the other cricket term, Googly.

381. Who invented insulin?

Ans:- Insulin is a very useful drug for diabetes and was discovered by the Canadian physician and Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Federik Grant Banting in 1921.

382. Where is Fatehpur Sikri?

Ans:- Fatehpur Sikri monument is 40 km from Agra. Sikri was a decrepit little village till the Mughal Emperor Akbar came visiting in 1568. Despite marrying the Amber princess Jodhabai in 1562, and having over 300 concubines, the monarch was childless. Desperate for an heir, Akbar visited the saint, Shaikh Salim who was encamping here and who predicted that Akbar would have a son within 3 years. As fate had willed it, Jodhabai bore him a son the next year. The emperor named him after the mystic. Not only that, he decided to move lock stock and barrel to the place and named it Fatehpur, or the ‘City of Victory’. His military conquest of Gujarat might also have persuaded him to shift base as must have the local abundance of red sandstone. In fact, apart from the marble-white mausoleum of Salim, nestling in one corner of the Jami Masjid – the city is entirely built out of red sandstone.

383. Who discovered America?

Ans:- Amerigo Vespucci (1451 – 1512) was the explorer who discovered America, and after whom it was named. He was a merchant and banker from Florence in Italy, living in Spain. He met Christopher Columbus, became interested in exploration, and made several voyages.

384. Who named the Pacific Ocean?

Ans:- Ferdinand Magellan was the person who gave the Pacific Ocean its name. Pacific means peaceful. Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to circumnavigate the world.

385. Who invented the alphabet?

Ans:- Archaeologists have pointed that the first workable alphabet was Phoenician in origin, and written as a crude script. However, each letter stood for a sound, and had a symbol of its own. This alphabet, dating from 1600 BC, is the ancestor of all modern Western alphabets. When introduced, it spread rapidly through the Middle East and finally, people of the time were able to write out complete words. The first Greekalphabet was developed from the Phoenician one during the fifth century BC. It became known as the Ionicalphabet and had 24 characters. When the Romans smashed the Greek Empire, they adopted this alphabet and adapted it to their own needs.

386. What is LPG?

Ans:- Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a mixture of hydrocarbons, which are in gaseous state at ambient temperature and pressure. These are liquefied under pressure for easy storage, handling and transportation in pressurized vessels. It is obtained through Crude Oil refining or from Natural Gas through fractionation. Butane and Propane are the main constituent hydrocarbons in LPG. Others present in traces or small fractions are Iso-butane, butylene, n-butane, propylene etc.

387. What is an oasis?

Ans:- An oasis is a fertile green patch of land in the desert. Plants grow there by drawing water with their long roots from a well or an underground spring. The water is trapped deep down in the rocks beneath the desert. Palm trees and vegetables can be grown in an oasis. Some oasis is large enough to support a town.

388. What makes the earth rotate?

Ans:- The Solar System, and indeed the Galaxy, were formed by the condensation of a rotating mass of gas. Hence, any bodies formed from the gas would be rotating. As frictional and other forces in space are very small, so the Earth and other planents and their satellites rotate.

389. When was iron discovered?

Ans:- About 4000 years ago iron was first discovered in South East Asia. At that time it was considered more valuable than gold.  By around 1200 BC, the Iron Age had begun. The ways of extracting it and working with it improved. Since iron is hard to melt, early users had to invent new techniques such as shaping it by hammering rather than casting.

390. When did writing begin?

Ans:- Actual writing took a very long time to develop. For thousands of years, men drew pictures of their activities and sent their messages in the form of pictures, representing events. This system developed into a form of writing around 3, 500 B. C. Archaeologists believed that the earliest form of writing was born in Erech, a city of the Sumerians, which flourished around 3500 B.C. They discovered hundreds of clay tablets, all inscribed with symbols, pictures and number markings from its ancient ruins. The Sumerian inscriptions contained some pictures, but they were surrounded with other markings and signs forming words.

391. Where did formal agriculture first take place?

Ans:-  It is  believed that the first farming of land began in the Middle East, on the slopes of the Zagros Mountains I Kurdistan. Modern dating methods prove that the Middle Eastern site is the oldest. There is evidence, too, of permanent settlements in this part of Kurdistan. At this particular site, there were found remains of the first formal farms in the entire history of man.

392. Where is the city of Atlantis?

Ans:- Legends tell us that there was a beautiful kingdom called Atlantis near the Greek or Canary islands.  It sank to the bottom of the sea after a massive volcanic eruption.

393. Why is fire hot?

Ans:- Chemical reactions is either exothermic(heat liberation) or endothermic (heat absorption). Oxidation reactions are exothermic and reduction reactions are endothermic. Combustion is an oxidation reaction and hence is exothermic. All liquid, solid and gaseous fuels contain any one of the three combustibles constituents viz, carbon, hydrogen and sulphur. When a fuel is burnt the heat liberated makes the products of combustion hot. The products of combustion are carbon dioxide, water vapour ans sulphur dioxide. Along with these, the unused oxygen in the atmospheric air supplied for combustion and also the entire quantity of nitrogen which is the major constituent in the air are also heated. That is why fire is hot.

394. Why does sea water not erode coastal areas in all places?

Ans:- The main cause of coastal erosion is the kinetic energy of wind. The main medium of transmission of wind energy is through wind generated water waves. Occasionally waves are also generated by other forms of energies such as earthquakes at sea beds. The waves cause     erosion upon breaking on the shoreline.

395. How is the Earth Magnetic?

Ans:- Movements inside the core of the Earth  create electrical currents that make the magnetic field of the Earth. Like a planet sized bar magnet, the Earth's magnetic field is oriented to give a magnetic North Pole and the magnetic South Pole. The Earth's magnetic field structures far into space for about 60,000 kilometers. All the members of the Solar System have magnetic fields.

396. Where is Daringbadi ?

Ans:- Daringbadi dubbed as the ‘Kashmir of Odisha’, is a pretty hill station situated in   Kandhamal District of Odisha. It can be reached from Bhubaneswar (211 km) and other important places of the state by regular bus services. The nearest railway station is at Berhampur (127 km). Hill View point has been developed at Daringbadi where from a visitor could watch and enjoy the beauty of valley. Tourist complex has been built at Daringibadi for accommodation of the tourists. Vast patch of Coffee plantation attract a large number of visitors to Daringibadi all through the year.

397. Where is the Kingdom of Bhutan?

Ans:- The Kingdom of Bhutan is a small landlocked country in South Asia. It is located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by India and to the north by China. Bhutan is separated from the nearby state of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim. The total area of the country is currently 38,816 square kilometers.  Bhutan’s state religion is Buddhism. Hinduism is the second-largest religion. The capital and largest city of Bhutan is Thimphu. After centuries of monarchy, democratic elections were held in Bhutan in 2008.

398.Where is the Eastern Ghats?

Ans:- The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along the eastern coast of India. The Eastern Ghats run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south. They are eroded and cut through by four major rivers of India, the Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri. The mountain ranges run parallel to the Bay of Bengal.

399. What were Mahajanapadas?

Ans:- Mahajanapadas were kingdoms in ancient Indian. There were 16 great kingdoms called Mahajanapadas which had evolved and flourished in a belt stretching from Gandhara in the northwest to Anga in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent and included parts of the trans-Vindhyan region, prior to Buddhism in India. The term “Janapada” literally means the foothold of a tribe. Each of these Janapadas was named after the Kshatriya tribe who had settled therein. The 16 Mahajanapadas were Kashi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji, Malla, Chedi, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and Kamboja.

400. What is Mohiniyattam?

Ans:- Mohiniyattam is a traditional dance form of South India especially of Kerala. It is one of the eight Indian classical dance forms.  It is considered a very graceful dance meant to be performed as a solo recital by women. It was developed by the great Tamil dance exponent Vadivelu. The term Mohiniyattam comes from the words “Mohini” meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and “aattam” meaning graceful and sensuous body movements. The word “Mohiniyattam” literally means “dance of the enchantress”. The costume includes white sari embroidered with bright golden brocade at the edges.

401.Which period is called the Hellenistic period ?

Ans:- The Hellenistic period describes the era which followed the conquests of Alexander the Great. During this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its zenith in Europe and Asia. It is often considered a period of transition, sometimes even of decline or decadence, between the brilliance of the Greek Classical Era and the emergence of the Roman Empire. Usually taken to begin with the death of Alexander in 323 BC, the Hellenistic period may either be seen to end with the final conquest of the Greek heartlands by Rome in 146 BC  or the final defeat of the last remaining successor-state to Alexander’s empire, the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt in 30 BC. The Hellenistic period was characterized by a new wave of colonists which established Greek cities and kingdoms in Asia and Africa.

402. What is Biogeography?

Ans:- Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species. It aims to reveal where organisms live, and at what abundance. The patterns of species distribution across geographical areas can usually be explained through a combination of factors such as speciation, extinction, continental drift, glaciations.  Modern biogeography often employs the use of Geographic Information Systems, to understand the factors affecting organism distribution, and to predict future trends in organism distribution.  Often it is also employed to solve ecological problems that have a spatial aspect to them.

403. Where is Mussoorie, the famous hill station of  India ?

Ans:- Mussoorie is a famous hillstation of northern India, about 34 km from Dehradun, Uttarakhand.  This hill station, known as the Queen of the Hills, is situated in the foothills of the Himalaya ranges. Being at an average altitude of 6,170 ft above the sea level, Mussoorie, with its green hills and varied flora and fauna, is a fascinating hill resort. The snow ranges and glittering views of the Valley attract tourists.

404. When did the British occupy Odisha?

Ans:- The British occupied the southern coast of Odisha in the 1750s and incorporated them into the Madras Presidency. In 1803, the British under the British East India Company annexed the Maratha province of Odisha. The northern and western districts of Odisha were incorporated into Bengal Presidency. The coastal section was separated from Bengal and made into the Province of Bihar and Orissa in 1912, in response to local agitation for a separate state for the Odia-speaking people. In 1936, Bihar and Odisha were split into separate provinces.

405.Who was Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray?

Ans:- Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, popularly known as P. C. Ray was a Bengali scientist, academician and chemist.  He was born on August 2, 1861 in the Khulna District now in Bangladesh and died on June 16, 1944. He obtained the B.Sc. degree in 1886 and the D.Sc. degree in 1887 from Edinburgh University, United Kingdom. He returned to India in 1889 and joined Presidency College, Calcutta as Assistant Professor of Chemistry. In 1936, at the age of 75, he retired from active service and became Professor Emeritus.  He was the founder of Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, India’s first pharmaceutical company. He had written 107 papers in all branches of Chemistry.

406. Where is the Charminar? Who had built it ?

Ans. The Charminar is in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. It was built by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 shortly after he had sifted his capital from Golkonda to present Hyderabad. The Charminar is a rectangular structure with four arches and minarets of 84 feet high and its architecture is Indo-Saracenic of the Deccani pattern. It is built of stone and lime and is full of fine stucco decorations of plaster of lime and sand. The height of each minar from the ground level is 160 feet. On the top storey of the Charminar there is a beautiful mosque and another structure, which looks like a temple that signifies the religious tolerance of the Qutab Shahi kings.

407. When did boxing originate?          

Ans. Boxing with gloves was depicted on a fresco from the Isle of Thera, Greece around 1520 B.C. The code of rules was formulated in England on August 16, 1741 by the champion Pugilist Jack Broughton who reigned from 1729 to 1750.

408. Who was Harshavardhana?

Ans:- Harshavardhana (606-647AD) was a great ruler of India, the only consolidated rule after the Guptas. He was the younger son of Prabhakara Vardhana, Raja of Thaneshwar. His sister Rajyasri was married to the king Grahavarman. Sasanka the king of Gauda, with the help of the king of Malwa defeated Grahavarman and imprisoned Rajyasri. Rajyavardhan his brother who then ruled Kannauj advanced against Sasanka to avenge his sister’s fate. But he was killed by Sasanka. Thus Harshavardhana had to ascend the throne. Harshavardhana pursued a policy of conquest and Punjab, Kannauj, parts of Bihar and Bengal formed a part of his kingdom by 612 AD. To honour Huien Tsang, the Chinese pilgrim, Harshavardhana organised the Kannauj Assembly in 643 AD which included a large congregation of Brahmans, Buddhist monks and Jains, who were involved in religious discourses.

409. From where do we get the pearl?

Ans- The pearl is considered as one of the most beautiful of all jewels. But it is the gem that is not dug up from the mine. It is obtained from the sea. Pearl is grown in the shell of an oyster. The oyster does not manufacture the pearl for the purpose of adorning the necks of women. It makes it only as a means of self-protection. Sometimes, a hard, tiny object such as a grain of sand gets inside the shell and irritates the soft sensitive flesh of the oyster. As a protection the oyster begins to cover the object with a thick fluid from its own body. When this layer hardens, the irritation begins again and the oyster adds another layer. After many years the oyster produces a beautiful pearl by this process.

410.  What is Acid Rain?

Ans. When rain falls, it becomes polluted in the atmosphere with two poisonous gases namely sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. These gases are mostly emitted from power plants and factories. The falling rain and snow react with these oxides and bring on suddenly new chemical properties. This mixture, often of sulphuric acid, nitric acid and water is being described as ‘Acid Rains’ by scientists. Acid Rains cause widespread harm to the environment.

411. In which Indian villages, all inhabitants speak Sanskrit natively since childhood?

Ans:- In these Indian villages, Mattur in Karnataka, Jhiri in Rajgadh District of  Madhya Pradesh, Ganoda in Banswada District of Rajasthan, Bawali in Bagapat District of  Uttar Pradesh and Mohad in Narasinhpur District  of  Madhya Pradesh inhabitants of all castes speak Sanskrit natively since childhood.

412. Which period is called the Middle Ages ?

Ans:- The Middle Ages is a period of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The period followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, and preceded the Early Modern Era. The term “Middle Ages” reflects the view that this period was a deviation from the path of classical learning  and reconnected by Renaissance scholarship.

413. What is Confucianism?

Ans:- Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–478 BC). It is a complex system of moral, social, political, philosophical, and quasi-religious thought that has had tremendous influence on the culture and history of East Asia. It might be considered a state religion of some East Asian countries, because of governmental promotion of Confucian philosophies. Cultures and countries strongly influenced by Confucianism include mainland China, Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam, Singapore and Japan.

414. Where is the Giant Panda found?

Ans-  The  Giant Panda is  found only in the bamboo forests of Western China and parts of Tibet. It was known to the Chinese for over  4,000 years. But only after 1869 it was known to the people of the world. The Giant Panda weighs 90 kg and is 1.8 metres long. It has thick  yellowish  white fur in most parts of its body expect the legs, shoulders which are black. It feeds on bamboo shoots and lives about 15 years.

415. Where is Mongolia?

Ans:- Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and the People’s Republic of China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only 38 kilometres from Kazakhstan’s eastern tip. Ulaanbaatar is its capital.  Mongolia’s political system is a parliamentary republic. The area of what is now Mongolia has been ruled by various nomadic empires. The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan in 1206. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Mongolia came under the influence of Tibetan Buddhism. Mongolia declared independence in 1911, but had to struggle until 1921 to firmly establish de-facto independence from the Republic of China, and until 1945 to gain interna- tional recognition. At 1, 564, 116 square kilometres, Mongolia has around 2.9 million people. The country contains the Gobi Desert.

416. Where was the Lighthouse of Alexandria?

Ans:- The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, was a tower built between 280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt to guide sailors into the harbour at night. With a height variously estimated at between 393 and 450 ft, it was for many centuries among the tallest man-made structures, and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  The tower erected on the island guided mariners at night using fire and reflective mirrors, and acted as a landmark by day. It was said that the light could seen from up to 47 km away, and legends claim that the light from Pharos could burn enemy ships before they reached shore. The lighthouse was badly damaged in the earthquakes of 956, 1303 and 1323. Even the stubby remnant disappeared in 1480, when the then-Sultan of Egypt, Qaitbay, built a medieval fort – the Citadel of Qaitbay – on the site of the lighthouse.

417. Where is the Red Sea?

Ans:- The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. It connects to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez leading to the Suez Canal. The Red Sea is a Global 200 ecoregion. It has a surface area of roughly 438,000 km².  It is about 2250 km long and, at its widest point, is 355 km  wide. It has a maximum depth of 2211 metres in the central median trench, and an average depth of 490 metres. The sea is the habitat of over 1,000 invertebrate species, and 200 soft and hard corals.

41 8. What is Oceania?

Ans:- Oceania is a geographical, and often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands—mostly islands in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. The term “Oceania” was coined in 1831 by French explorer Dumont d’Urville. The term is also sometimes used to denote a continent comprising Australia and proximate Pacific islands,  and is one of eight terrestrial ecozones. The boundaries of Oceania are defined in a number of ways. Most definitions include Australia, New Zealand and all or part of the Malay Archipelago.

41 9. Where is the Siachen Glacier located?

Ans:- The Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalaya Mountains, just east of the Line of Control between India-Pakistan. India controls all of the Siachen Glacier itself, including all tributary glaciers. At 70 km long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world’s non-polar areas. It falls from an altitude of 5,753 m above sea level at its head at Indira Col (pass) on the China border down to 3,620 m at its terminus. The Siachen Glacier lies immediately south of the great watershed that separates China from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram.  The Siachen Glacier boasts the world’s highest helipad, built by India. The world’s highest battlefield is also located on the glacier at a height of 6400 m above the sea level.

420. Which is the second largest bird in the world?

Ans. The Cassowary is the second largest bird in the world after Ostrich. It is a flightless bird found in Australia and New Guinea. It grows upto a height of 2 metres and weighs about 60 kg. The largest known Cassowary found in Australia was 83 kg, bigger than an adult human. The Cassowary lives around 40 to 50 years. The females are bigger and brighter than the males. These birds have powerful legs and a helmet like crest on the head. They can run at a speed of 50 kms per hour and jump to a height of 5 feet.

421. What is a pelican?

Ans:- A pelican is a large water bird with a large throat pouch. Modern pelicans, of which there are only eight species, are found on all continents except Antarctica. They primarily inhabit in warm regions. The largest pelican is the Dalmatian Pelican which weighs up to 15 kg. Pelicans swim well with their short, strong legs and feet.  The diet of a Pelican usually consists of fish. But they also eat amphibians and also smaller birds.

422. Where are Snow leopards found?

Ans:- The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. They live between 9,800 and 18,000 ft above sea level in the rocky mountain ranges of Central Asia. Snow leopards are smaller than the other big cats, but like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 27 and 54 kilograms. Body length ranges from 30 to 50 in, with a tail of 75 to 90 percent of that length. Snow leopards have long thick fur, the base colour of which varies from smoky grey to yellowish tan, with whitish under parts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their body with small spots of the same color on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tail. Unusually among cats, their eyes are pale green or grey in colour.

423. Who was James Watt?

Ans:- James Watt (19 January 1736 – 25 August 1819) was a Scottish inventor whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine brought revolution in the world. He introduced a design which improved the power, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of steam engines. The official SI unit of power, the watt, is named in his honour.

424. In which countries rice is grown in the world?

Ans:-  Rice, a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world’s human population. It is the grain with the second highest worldwide production, after maize (corn). Rice is grown especially in East, South, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies. Rice is normally grown as an annual plant. Rice cultivation is well-suited to countries and regions with low labour costs and high rainfall.

425. Which was the first man-mad satellite orbiting the Earth?

Ans:-  Sputnik 1 of former USSR or present Russia was the first Earth-orbiting artificial satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957. The satellite travelled at 29,000 kilometers per hour, taking 96.2 minutes to complete an orbit. Sputnik 1 burned up on 4 January 1958, as it fell from orbit upon reentering Earth’s atmosphere, after travelling about 60 million km and spending 3 months in orbit. Sputnik provided data on radio-signal distribution in the ionosphere.

426. Which nations are bounding the Arabian Sea?

Ans:-  The Arabian Sea  is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south by a line between Cape Guardafui, the north-east point of Somalia, Socotra, and Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) in India. The Arabian Sea’s surface area is about 3,862,000 km2. The maximum width of the Arabian Sea is approximately 2,400 km and its maximum depth is 15,262 ft. The river flowing directly into this sea  are Indus River, the largest river in Pakistan (also known as the Sindhu river), Netravathi, Sharavathi, Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, and the numerous rivers of Kerala in India. The countries with coastlines on the Arabian Sea are India, Yemen, Oman, Iran, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Somalia.

427. Why did the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 take place?

Ans;- The Indo-Pakistani War was took place between April  and September 1965 between India and Pakistan. This War was fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir. The war began following Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar, which was designed to infiltrate forces into Jammu and Kashmir to precipitate an insurgency against rule by India. The five-week war caused thousands of casualties on both sides. It ended in a United Nations (UN) mandated ceasefire and the subsequent issuance of the Tashkent Declaration.

428. When was cement invented?

Ans:-  Builders in Greek cities on the coast of Turkey evolved cement in about 200 BC as a construction material, in place of gypsum plaster used in Egypt or bitumen in Mesopotamia. The secret of the new material was the lime which binds sand, water and clay.  The Romans subsequently use finely ground volcanic lava in place of clay. Their cement, known for this reason was the strongest until the development of Portland cement.

429. Where is the Aravalli Range?

Ans:- The Aravalli Range literally means ‘line of peaks’.  It is a range of mountains in western India and eastern Pakistan running approximately 800 km from northeast to southwest across states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat and Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. The northern end of the range continues as isolated hills and rocky ridges into Haryana state, ending near Delhi. The southern end is at Palanpur near Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The highest peak is Guru Shikhar in Mount Abu. Rising to 5653 feet, it lies near the southwestern extremity of the range, close to the border with the Gujrat District. Numerous rivers arises amidst the ranges including, Banas River, Luni River, Sakhi, Sabarmati River.

430. Which areas are called Central Asia ?

Ans:- Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north. Central Asia has historically been closely tied to its nomadic peoples and the Silk Route.  As a result it has acted as a crossroads for the movement of people, goods, and ideas between Europe, West Asia, South Asia, and East Asia. Now Central Asia includes the 5 former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Other areas are the Republic of Mongolia, Afghanistan, northern and western Pakistan, north-eastern Iran, Jammu and Kashmir, and western parts of the People’s Republic of China as well as southern parts of Siberia.

431. Who was Nirad C. Chaudhuri?

Ans:- Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1897-1999) was a renowned English writer and cultural commentator. He was born in 1897 in Kishoreganj of present Bangladesh, which was a part of India. Nirad C. Chaudhuri’s famous books in English are The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian, A Passage to England, The Intellectual in India, To Live or Not to Live, Culture in the Vanity Bag, The East is East and West is West. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award. In 1992, he was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom with the title of Commander of Order of the British Empire. His work The Continent of Circe earned him the Duff Cooper Memorial Award, becoming the first and only Indian to be selected for the prize.

432. Who are the Koyas?

Ans:- The Koyas are a tribe inhabiting the hills in the north of the Godaviri district of Andhra Pradesh and Malkangiri district of Odisha. They are said to belong to the great Gond family. The Koyas have a tradition that about two hundred years ago they were driven from the plateau in the Baster countary by famine and disputes.

433. What is fast bowling in cricket?

Ans:- Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling. Practitioners are usually known as fast bowlers, fastmen, pace bowlers, or pacemen, although sometimes the label used refers to the specific fast bowling technique the bowler prefers, such as swing bowler or seam bowler. Fast bowling is classification in the following types taking the speed mp/h or km/h. Express -145+, Fast- 135+, Fast-medium -130 to 135, Medium-fast-113 to 130, Medium-97 to 113.

434. When did Muslim rule begin in Indian sub-continent?

Ans:- Muslim rule in Indian sub-continent began in 712 AD when the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab in modern day Pakistan. Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Thaqafi (695–715) was a Syrian Umayyad general who, at the age of 17, began the conquest of the Sindh and Punjab regions along the Indus River (now a part of Pakistan) for the Umayyad Caliphate. He was born in the city of Taif (in modern day Saudi Arabia). Qasim’s conquest of Sindh and Punjab laid the foundations of Islamic rule in the Indian subcontinent.

435. Where is Balochistan?

Ans:- Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by area.  It consists of approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. Balochistan has a population of roughly 9 million. The neighbouring regions of Balochistan are Iran to the west; Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the north; and Punjab and Sindh to the east. To the south lies the Arabian Sea. The main languages in the province are Balochi, Brahui, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu. The provincial capital is Quetta and Gwadar is the developing port city. Balochistan is rich in mineral resources; it is the second major supplier of natural gas in Pakistan.

436. Where was ancient Magadha situated?

Ans:- Magadha was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas or regions in ancient India. The core of the kingdom was the area of Bihar south of the Ganga. Its first capital was Rajagriha (modern Rajgir) and then Pataliputra (modern Patna). Magadha, in due course when expanded included most of Bihar, Bengal, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Orissa. Two of India’s major religions, Buddhism and Jainism, had roots in Magadha. Two of India’s greatest empires, the Maurya Empire and Gupta Empire, were originated from Magadha.

437. Which is the only place in the universe where a flag flies all day, never goes up or comes down?

Ans:- The only place in the universe where a flag flies all day, never goes up or comes down, never flies half-mast and does not get saluted, is the moon. It is, of course, the American flag, the only country to have landed people on the moon.  When the Apollo 11 landed on moon on July 20, 1969, the American astronauts walked on the moon planting 6 flags in total.

438. Which spice is called as the “Queen of Spices”?

Ans:- Cardamom is called as the “Queen of Spices. It is the dried ripe fruit of cardamom plant and is parrot green in colour. Cardamom is called as the “Queen of Spices” because of its very pleasant aroma and taste. Cardamom is a perennial, herbaceous, rhizomatous plant. Based on the nature of panicles, three varieties are recognized viz. Malabar with prostrate panicle, Mysore with erect panicle, and Vazhukka with semi erect panicle. Cardamom plants are of medium size, 2 to 3 mtr height with pubescent and fruits. The Indian cardamom is unique-in aroma, flavour and size.

439. Why is blue for boys and pink for girls?

Ans:- In ancient times, it was believed that certain colors could combat the evil spirits that lingered over nurseries. Because blue was associated with the heavenly spirits, boys were clothed in that color, boys then being considered the most valuable resource to parents. Although baby girls did not have a color associated with them, they were mostly clothed in black. It was only in the Middle Ages when pink became associated with baby girls.

440. How was the word ‘OK’ originated?

Ans:- There is no linguistic and historical evidence regarding the exact origin of the word ‘OK’.  It is said that the word has come from the Greek ola kala (‘it is good’) or the French aux Cayes.  But the most likely explanation is that the term originated as an abbreviation of orl korrekt, a jokey misspelling of ‘all correct’ in the US in the 1830s. ‘OK’ was very popular in the US during the mid-19th century. The oldest written references result from its use as a slogan by the Democratic Party during the American Presidential election of 1840.

441. Where is the Indus River?

Ans:- The Indus River is the longest river of Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India. Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir. It then enters Pakistan flowing through the North in a southerly direction, to merge into the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi. The total length of the river is 3,180 kilometers. Indus is the 21st largest river in the world.

442. Where is the world’s longest freshwater shoreline?

Ans:- The longest freshwater shoreline in the world is located in the state of Michigan, USA. Michigan is the eighth most populous state in the United States. It has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair. The state has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds.

443. Which is the largest island in a fresh water lake in the world?

Ans:- Manitoulin Island is the largest island in a fresh water lake. It is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, in the province of Ontario. The island has an area of 2,766 km2. Manitoulin Island itself has 108 freshwater lakes.

444. What is a swordfish?

Ans:- The Swordfish is a large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. It is a popular sport fish of the billfish category. The Swordfish is elongated, round-bodied, and loses all teeth and scales by adulthood. These fishes can live close to shore. They reach a maximum size of 15 ft and weigh upto 650 kg. A swordfish can live as long as 25 years.

445. What are Flamingos?

Ans:- Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds. There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the World. Flamingos often stand on one leg, the other tucked beneath the body. Their beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they eat. The pink or reddish color of flamingos comes from carotenoid proteins in their diet of animal and plant plankton. Flamingos are able to fly at a speed of approximately 55 kilometers an hour. In one night they can travel about 600 km.

446. Which is the most intelligent breed of dog?

Ans:- Border collie is the most intelligent breed of dog. The Border collie is a herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It is the most widespread of the collie breeds. Typically extremely energetic, acrobatic, and athletic, the dogs frequently compete with great success in dog sports, in addition to their success in sheepdog trials.

447. Which is the most common rock on Earth?

Ans:- The most common rock on Earth is basalt. Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey. On Earth, most basalt magmas have formed by decompression melting of the mantle.

448. Which is the largest circulated sports magazine in the world?

Ans:- ‘Sports Illustrated’, an American sports magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner is the largest circulated sports magazine in the world. It has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million.

449. Who was the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance?

Ans:- Bertha Benz was the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance. Bertha Benz was the wife of inventor Karl Benz, who developed the first patented automobile.  On August 5, 1888 Bertha Benz drove in one of the newly-constructed Patent Motorwagen automobiles—from Mannheim to Pforzheim—becoming the first person to drive an automobile over a real distance. This pioneering tour had a one-way distance of about 106 km. She brought the Benz Patent-Motorwagen worldwide attention and got the company its first sales.

450. Which is the only country in the world with a jaguar preserve?

Ans:- Belize, a northernmost country in Central America is the only country in the world with a jaguar preserve. Belize is bordered to the north by Mexico, south and west by Guatemala, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Belize’s mainland is about 290 kilometers long and 110 kilometers wide. Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. With 22,960 square kilometers of land it has a population of only 333,200 people. The world’s first sanctuary created specifically for the elusive jaguar is there.

451. Which part of Asia is called Southeast Asia?

Ans:- Southeast Asia is a sub-region of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic and volcanic activity. Southeast Asia consists of two geographic regions: Mainland Southeast Asia which comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, and Maritime Southeast Asia comprising Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, the Philippines, Christmas Island and Singapore.

452. Who was the first woman music director in Indian film industry?

Ans:- Jaddan Bai, mother of famous actress Nargis Dutt, was the first woman music director in Indian film industry. Jaddan Bai composed the music for the film Talash-e-Haq in the year 1935. It was the legendary singer K.L. Saigal who noticed her talent and encouraged her. So, from a gramophone singer, Jaddan Bai became an actress, music director and film producer.

453. Which is the longest Hindi Film Song?

Ans:- The song ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon’ in the film by the same name ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon’ is the longest Hindi film song. The length of the song is 20 minutes and the song is featured in three installments in the film. The song is sung by Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, and Kailash Kher and is written by Sameer. The music of the song is composed by Anu Malik. The movie is directed by Anil Sharma and the star cast of the film includes Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, and Divya Khosla.

454. When was the House of people of Indian Parliament named as ‘Lok  Sabha’?

Ans:- The House of the People of Indian Parliament named as Lok Sabha on May 14, 1954. The then speaker of Lok Sabha, G.V. Mavlankar had proposed for  a name in Hindi- our national language instead of ‘The House of People’ an English expression.

455. Which is the original native place of Chilli?

Ans:- Chilli was originally grown in South America. From there it was taken to Europe. The Portuguese from Portugal brought chilli plant to India. India is now the biggest producer of chillies in the world. Chillies are known by different names in India. It is called Lal Mirch in Hindi, Lal Morich in Bengali, Milagai in Tamil, Mirapa Kaya in Telugu and Lanka Maricha in Oriya. Chillies give hotness when they are added to pickles, curry, masala, chutney etc. It also provides colour to the food product.

456. Where is the famous Rock Garden in India?

Ans:-The famous Rock Garden is at Chandigarh in the state of Haryana. It is made of pieces of scrap, broken glass and cut ceramic. The garden is fashioned almost entirely from natural rock formations and comprises about 20,000 shapes and figures made out of unwanted non-biodegradable materials. The garden was made by Nek Chand, an environmentalist in true sense. The Rock Garden consists of bears and horses studded with clinker, terracotta monkeys, peacocks made of broken glass bangles, birds and snakes. There are vast courtyards filled with human figures. Out of them school children and young men in parade are very attractive.

457. Why can’t we call a spider an insect?

Ans:- We cannot call a spider an insect because an insect has six legs while spider has eight. Again, the body of a spider is divided into two parts whereas an insect’s body has three parts. The spiders have simple eyes not compound eyes as the insects and unlike insects the spiders do not go through larva and pupa stages. The body of spider has holes called spinnerets through which it produces a protein packed fluid. The fluid sets when it is pulled in fine strands and it is these strands that make up a spider’s web. So, spiders and insects are two different classes of animals. The group to which the spiders belong is called ‘arachnids’. Scorpions, mites and ticks also belong to this spider’s class.

458. Which were the first three Indian films nominated for Oscar?

Ans:- The first Indian film to be nominated for Oscar was Mehboob Khan’s ‘Mother India’ in 1957; the second was Mira Nair’s ‘Salam Bombay’ in 1988 and the third was Aamir Khan’s ‘Laagan’.

459.    When  was the first Davis Cup tennis competition held ?

Ans:-  The first Davis Cup Tennis competition was held at Long wood cricket club in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA in 1900. US had won it.

460.    Who was the first playback singer in Indian Cinema?

Ans:-  WM Khan was the first playback singer in Indian cinema. He had sung in the first Indian talkie film ‘Alam Ara’ in 1931. He had also achieved great success in Srilanka and Myanmar. At that time only a harmonium and tabla were used for the recordings and the singer sang into a hidden microphone. The song by WM Khan ‘De De Khuda ke Nam par Pyare’ was very popular.

461. Where the largest religious structure in the world?

Ans:-  Angkar wat, the largest religious structure in the world is in Cambodia. It covers an area of 402 acres of which the entire temple complex has a total area of 15 by 5 miles. It consists of 200 monuments and was built around 900 A.D. by king Suryavarman of Cambodia in honour of Lord Vishnu.

462. Which is the oldest written language in the world?

Ans:-  The oldest written language is the ‘Chinese’ extending over more than 6,000 years from the Yangshao culture of China. Writing was on pottery in 5000—4000 BC.

463. Who ordered to drop the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Ans:-  Harry S. Truman, the President of USA ordered for the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and on Nagasaki after 2 days on August 9. The Hiroshima bomb caused the death of 2 lakh out of 3.5 lakh of population. The Nagasaki death toll was 1.4 lakhs out of 2.7 lakh. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima was called ‘The Little Boy’ and the B-2nd that dropped the first atomic bomb in the world was called the “Enola Gay’.

464. Who have won most French open Tennis Titles?

Ans:-  Henri Co Chet leads the tally of most title winners of French open with 9 titles. He won four singles, three doubles and two mixed titles. But Bjorn Brog of Sweden and Rafael Nadal of Spain hold the record of winning highest individual titles with 6 men’s single.

465. When was the CBI establi- shed ?

Ans:-  The CBI (The Central Bureau of Investigation) was created in April 1963. The organisation was originally known as special police establishment created and functioning under the Delhi special police Establishment Act, 1946. In 1963, the CBI was created with special functions. Besides investigation, the function of CBI covered the role of the National Central Bureau for India Under INTERPOL (International criminal police organisation) as also the Central Forensic Science Laboratory. Big cases of fraud, embezzlement and other cases committed by organised gangs of professional criminals having inter-state or international ramifications are investigated by the CBI.

466. Which was the first Quartz watch?

Ans:- The Japanese had the first quartz watch on the market.  Although the Swiss were the first to make a quartz watch prototype, the Japanese Seiko 35SQ Astron was the first analog quartz watch to reach the market. While continuing to produce mechanical watches, Seiko turned its attention to quartz timekeeping in 1958 with the development of a quartz crystal clock. A team was assembled in 1959 to develop a quartz watch. The world’s first quartz watch, the Seiko 35SQ  Astron, introduced to the Japanese market on Christmas Day, 1969.

467. What is Ballet?

Ans:- Ballet is a dance performance. It is a play in which no words are spoken and the actions tell the story. Ballet began as a theatrical show in Italy in the 15th century for the entertainment of the royal family and nobles. In due course it spread to France and other European countries. The Ballet is performed by two partners.

468. When was the Jantar Mantar (Delhi) built?

Ans:- The Jantar Mantar in Delhi was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur. He was an astronomer and had built the Jantar Mantar in 1724 A.D. It contains interesting masonry instruments ranging from a few feet to 90 feet in height. The Samrat Yantra is the largest one.

469. Where is Kakinada ?

Ans:- Kakinada is a port city in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located 465 kilometres east of the state capital, Hyderabad. It is also the headquarters of East Godavari district. It is called “Fertilizer City” owing to the large concentration of fertilizer plants. The city is the eighth largest city in Andhra Pradesh, by population. It is spread over an area of 190 square km, making it the fifth largest city in the state by area. Kakinada is part of a Special Economic Zone and a proposed “Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region.

470. What is coal ?

Ans:- Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock normally occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds. Coal is composed primarily of carbon along with variable quantities of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, with smaller quantities of sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen. Coal is primarily used as a solid fuel to produce electricity and heat through combustion. Now China is the top producer of coal with 38% share followed by the USA and India.

471. Which is the grain with the 2nd highest worldwide production, after maize?

Ans:- Rice is the grain with the 2nd highest worldwide production, after maize. Rice, as a cereal grain, is the most important staple food for a large part of the world’s human population, especially in East and South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies. China is the largest producer of rice, followed by India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand.

472. Which was the first colour film made in India?

Ans:- The first Color film made in India was ‘Kisan Kanya’ in the year 1937, although the trend of colour films began very late. The film was produced by Imperial Film Co and was directed by Moti B. Gidwani. The film had 10 songs, which were released by Gramophone Records. The storyline of the film featured an exploitative landlord and a good peasant who is accused of murdering the landlord. The film was colored using the Cinecolour process imported by Imperial Film Co. ‘Kisan Kanya’’s main starcast included Padmadevi, Jillo, Ghulam Mohammed, Nissar, Syed Ahmed, and Gani.

473. When was the world’s first organized navy created?

Ans:- In 2300 BC, the Egyptians created the world’s first organized navy. Oar-powered ships were developed by the Sumerians in 3500 BC. Sails were first used by the Phoenicians around 2000 BC.

474. When was the world’s first public television pictures transmitted?

Ans:- The first public television pictures were transmitted in 1926. The first TV interview was made with Irish actress Peggy O’Neil in April 1930. The first televised sporting event was a Japanese elementary school baseball game, broadcasted in September 1931. The first daily broadcast was started by the BBC in November 1936. The first TV commercial was a 20-second ad for a Bulova clock, broadcasted by WNBT, New York.

475. Which was the world’s first travel book?

Ans:- The first book on travel, aptly called “Travel” was published by Jehan de Mandeville  in 1357. It became a best seller and was translated into 9 languages. In 1758, Cox & Kings became the world’s first travel agency.

476. When was the nontoxic wax crayon developed ?

Ans:- The first crayons consisted of a mixture of charcoal and oil. In the early 1900s, Edwin Binney and Harold Smith developed a nontoxic wax crayon. Their first box of crayons was sold in 1903. The first crayons came in a box of eight colors: black, blue, brown, green, orange, purple, red and yellow. By 1957, 40 new colors were introduced.

477. How did the dollar get its name?

Ans:- The mountains of Bohemia produced so much silver, it became the official source of coinage for the entire Holy Roman Empire. The mine was in a valley called Joachimsthal, and the coins came to have the same name: ‘Joachimstalers.’ Over time this became shortened to ‘Talers’ and over more time, the American pronunciation of the word became ‘dollar’ for the currency.  The $ sign was designed in 1788 by Oliver Pollock, a New Orleans businessman, using a combination of Spanish money symbols.

478. When was the first decimal system introduced?

Ans:- The first decimal system was introduced in the 4th Century BC by the Sumerians of Mesopotamia. They based their numerical system on powers of 60 subdivided into multiples of 10. It was from this system that Sumero-Babylonians developed the time system that we use today: each hour is divided into 60 minutes, which are divided into 60 seconds.

479. How long does a turtle live?

Ans:-  There are more than 270 kinds of turtles. Turtles have been on earth for about 230 million years. Most aquatic turtles can live to about 50 years. Some tortoises live up to 150 years. The large tortoises from the Galapagus Islands can live more than 200 years. Some American box turtle have been documented at over 100 years old. Some sea turtles probably live 75 years or more. The common pet, the red-eared slider, can live 40 years or more if they receive good care.

480. Which is the world’s most popular fruit after tomatoes?

Ans:-  Banana, the oldest and best known fruit, is a vital part of our diet today. It is a symbol of fertility and prosperity for many countries in Asia and Africa. Banana is a tropical plant and it grows abundantly in tropical countries. It actually belongs to South-East Asia and the Indonesian region where it used to grow wild in the forests. Banana is the world’s most popular fruit after tomatoes. There are over 200 varieties of bananas belonging to 30 species. In western countries, banana accounts for 3% of a grocer’s total sales.

481. Why was the Great Wall of China built?

Ans:- The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 6th century BC and the 16th century. The Great Wall stretches over approximately 6,400 km. The majestic Great Wall was built with wisdom, dedication, blood, sweat and tears. The Great Wall of China was built for protection from northern invaders especially, the barbaric Mongols and to unite China.

does a turtle live?

Ans:-  There are more than 270 kinds of turtles. Turtles have been on earth for about 230 million years. Most aquatic turtles can live to about 50 years. Some tortoises live up to 150 years. The large tortoises from the Galapagus Islands can live more than 200 years. Some American box turtle have been documented at over 100 years old. Some sea turtles probably live 75 years or more. The common pet, the red-eared slider, can live 40 years or more if they receive good care.

480. Which is the world’s most popular fruit after tomatoes?

Ans:-  Banana, the oldest and best known fruit, is a vital part of our diet today. It is a symbol of fertility and prosperity for many countries in Asia and Africa. Banana is a tropical plant and it grows abundantly in tropical countries. It actually belongs to South-East Asia and the Indonesian region where it used to grow wild in the forests. Banana is the world’s most popular fruit after tomatoes. There are over 200 varieties of bananas belonging to 30 species. In western countries, banana accounts for 3% of a grocer’s total sales.

481. Why was the Great Wall of China built?

Ans:- The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 6th century BC and the 16th century. The Great Wall stretches over approximately 6,400 km. The majestic Great Wall was built with wisdom, dedication, blood, sweat and tears. The Great Wall of China was built for protection from northern invaders especially, the barbaric Mongols and to unite China.