Environment previous year Questions UPSC /IAS 2020

1.

In the context of recent advances in human reproductive technology, “Pronuclear

Transfer” is used for (UPSC / IAS 2020)

2.

With reference to carbon nanotubes, consider the following statements: (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. They can be used as carriers of drugs and antigens in the human body.

2. They can be made into artificial blood capillaries for an injured part of human body.

3. They can be used in biochemical sensors.

4. Carbon nanotubes are biodegradable.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

3.

Consider the following activities: (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Spraying pesticides on a crop field

2. Inspecting the craters of active volcanoes

3. Collecting breath samples from spouting whales for DNA analysis

At the present level of technology, which of the above activities can be successfully

carried out by using drones?

4.

Consider the following statements: (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Genetic changes can be introduced in the cells that produce eggs or sperms of a  prospective parent.

2. A person’s genome can be edited before birth at the early embryonic stage.

3. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells can be injected into the embryo of a pig.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

5. Which of the following statements are correct regarding the general difference between

plant and animal cells? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Plant cells have cellulose cell walls whilst animal cells do not
2. Plant cells do not have plasma membrane unlike animal cells which do
3. Mature plant cell has one large vacuole vacuoles.

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6.

Which of the following are the reasons/factors for exposure to benzene pollution? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Automobile exhaust

2. Tobacco smoke

3. Wood burning

4. Using varnished wooden furniture

5. Using products made of polyurethane

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7.

With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements: (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. The leader of an elephant group is a female

2. The maximum gestation period can be 22 months

3. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only

4. Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

8.

Which of the following Protected Areas are located in Cauvery basin? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Nagarhole National Park

2. Papikonda National Park

3. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

4. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

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9.

With reference to India’s biodiversity, Ceylon Frogmouth, Coppersmith Barbet, Gray Chinned

Minivet and White-throated Redstart are (UPSC / IAS 2020)

10. Which one of the following protected areas is well-known for the conservation of a subˇspecies of the Indian swamp deer (Barasingha) that thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous?

11.

Which of the following are the most likely places to find the musk deer in its natural habitat? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Askot Wildlife Sanctuary

2. Gangotri National Park

3. Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary

4. Manas National Park

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12.

In rural road construction, the use of which of the following is preferred for ensuring

environmental sustainability or to reduce carbon footprint? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Copper slag

2. Cold mix asphalt technology

3. Geotextiles

4. Hot mix asphalt technology

5. Portland cement

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13.

Steel slag can be the material for which of the following? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Construction of base road

2. Improvement of agricultural soil

3. Production of cement

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14. Consider the following statements: (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury.
2. Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.

3. High ash content is observed in Indian coal.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

15.

What is the use of biochar in farming? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. ‘Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming.

2. When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it promotes the growth of nitrogen fixing  microorganisms.

3. When biochar is a part of the growing- medium, it enables the growing medium to retain

water for longer time.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

16.

If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of The Wildlife Protection Act,

1972, what is the implication? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

17.

What is/are the advantage/advantages of zero tillage in agriculture? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the residue of the previous crop

2. Without the need for the nursery of rice saplings, direct planting of paddy seeds in the wet

soil is possible.

3. Carbon sequestration in the soil is possible.

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18.

According to India’s National Policy on Biofuels, which of the following can be used as

raw materials for the production of biofuels? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Cassava

2. Damaged wheat grains

3. Groundnut seeds

4. Horse gram

5. Rotten potatoes

6. Sugar beet

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19.  Which one of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social Cost of Carbon’? It is a

measure, in monetary value, of the (UPSC / IAS 2020)

20.

In the context of India, which of the following is/are considered to be of practice(s) of ecoˇfriendly agriculture? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Crop diversification

2. Legume intensification

3. Tensiometer use

4. Vertical farming

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21.

Consider the following minerals: (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. Bentonite

2. Chromite

3. Kyanite

4. Sillimanite

In India, which of the above is/are officially designated as major minerals?

22.

With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are

correct? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. OMT is measured up to a depth of 26°C isotherm which is 129 meters in the southwestern

Indian Ocean during January — March.

2. OMT collected during January — March can be used in assessing whether the amount of

rainfall in monsoon will be less or more than a certain long-term mean.

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23. With reference to India’s Desert National Park, which of the following statements are

correct? (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. It is spread over two districts.
2. There is no human habitation inside the Park.
3. It is one of the natural habitats of the Great Indian Bustard.

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24.

Consider the following statements : (UPSC / IAS 2020)

1. 36% of India’s districts are classified as “overexploited” or “critical” by the Central Ground

Water Authority (CGWA).

2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act.

3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

25.

Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger

Habitat”? (UPSC / IAS 2020)