UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment, Geography, Sci-Tech MCQs on Havana Syndrome, Kallakkadal and more (Week 52)

1. It is supposed to perform tasks in various Indian languages.

2. It uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) — a component of AI — to understand the nuances of human language.

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

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 2

Kallakkadal was recently in news. It is associated with:

(a) Local term used for heat waves

(b) Coastal flooding during the pre-monsoon

(c) Cyclone originated in Arabian Sea

(d) Backwaters of Kerala

QUESTION 3

Consider the following statements about the Plague:

1. The plague is caused by bacteria that can spread between animals and people.

2. Bubonic plague refers to cases where bacteria get into bloodstream.

3. Septicemic plague happens if the bacteria enter lymph nodes.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Havana Syndrome, consider the following statements:

1. It refers to a set of mental health symptoms.

2. The person suffering from Havana syndrome will experience sudden bursts of pressure in their brains followed by persistent headaches.

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

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 5

Katchatheevu Island was in news. The Island is located in:

(a) Bay of Bengal

(b) Gulf of Kutch

(c) Gulf of Khambat

(d) Palk Strait

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (c)

FYI:

— Indian multinational ridesharing company, Ola, introduced Krutrim AI, claiming it as “India’s own AI”.

— Krutrim AI is an assistant “envisioned to be your own personalised assistant, which can simplify your personal and professional life by getting a variety of tasks done for you, while keeping the aesthetic sense and sensibilities of the Indian ethos.”

— Krutrim is supposed to be different from its international peers as it claims to be able to perform tasks in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada and Hinglish. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Krutrim AI uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) — a component of AI — to understand the nuances of human language, including colloquialisms and cultural contexts. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Krutrim AI offers a wide range of applications across various sectors, significantly enhancing user experiences.

— Krutrim AI can help with the ideation and localisation of content to make it more relatable. Besides, when it comes to administrative tasks across industries, this could help in automating repetitive tasks.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

2. (b)

FYI:

— Kallakkadal is essentially coastal flooding during the pre-monsoon (April-May) season by swell waves on the southwest coast of India.

— Hundreds of houses have been flooded in several coastal areas of Kerala due to high sea waves, also known as swell waves. The worst affected regions include Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts.

— The term Kallakkadal, used by local fishermen, is a combination of two Malayalam words, including Kallan and Kadal. “Kallan means thief and Kadal means sea.

What causes Kallakkadal?

— Kallakkadal is caused by waves generated by an ocean swell, hence the name swell surge.

— Ocean swells are caused by distant storms such as hurricanes or protracted periods of intense gale winds, rather than by local winds.

— During such storms, massive amounts of energy are transferred from the air to the water, resulting in the development of extremely high waves. Such waves can travel thousands of kilometres from the storm’s centre before striking the beach.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

3. (a)

FYI:

— Health officials in Oregon, US confirmed the first case of bubonic plague in the state since 2005. According to various reports, the person probably got the disease from a sick pet cat.

— The disease was quickly detected and the person received antibiotics for treatment.

— The bubonic plague, also known as the “Black Death,” claimed the lives of up to 50 million people in Europe between 1346 and 1353.

— The plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, a zoonotic bacteria, i.e. bacteria that can spread between animals and people. Y pestis is usually found in small animals and their fleas. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), humans can be infected in one of three ways —

(i) Bite of infected vector fleas,

(ii) Unprotected contact with infectious bodily fluids or contaminated materials (like bitten by an infected rat), and

(iii) Inhalation of respiratory droplets/small particles from a patient with pneumonic plague.

— Bubonic plague specifically refers to cases where bacteria gets into the lymph nodes. According to the United States’ Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it can cause fever, headache, weakness and painful, swollen lymph nodes, and usually happens from the bite of an infected flea. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Septicemic plague happens if the bacteria enters the bloodstream. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

4. (c)

FYI:

— Havana syndrome refers to a set of mental health symptoms that are said to be experienced by United States intelligence and embassy officials in various countries. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It does not mean a unique medical condition, but rather a set of symptoms that are usually experienced together whose origins may be difficult to confirm.

— Havana syndrome typically involves symptoms such as hearing certain sounds without any outside noise, nausea, vertigo and headaches, memory loss, and balance issues.

— The person suffering from Havana Syndrome will experience sudden bursts of pressure in their brains followed by persistent headaches, feelings of disorientation and insomnia. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

5. (d)

FYI:

— Katchatheevu is a 285-acre patch in the sea within the maritime boundary line of Sri Lanka, located 33 km off the Indian coast to the northeast of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, and southwest of Sri Lanka’s Delft Island in the Palk Strait.

— According to some official reports, the Island was created following a 14th-century volcanic eruption, is 1.6 km in length and just 300 metres wide at its widest point.

— The island was under the control of the kingdom of the Ramanad Raja, a zamindari from 1795 to 1803 in Ramanathapuram in the Madras Presidency during British rule. The 120-year-old St Anthony’s Church on the island attracts devotees from India and Sri Lanka for an annual festival.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 52)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 52)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 51)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 51)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 51)

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