Daily Current Affairs (MCQ's) | 16-05-2023

Q1. Consider the following statements

1. Permafrost is essentially any ground that stays frozen for at least two years straight.

2. These permanently frozen grounds are often found in Arctic regions such as Greenland, Alaska, Canada, Russia and Eastern Europe.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (d)

Explanation:

Permafrost is essentially any ground that stays frozen — 0 degree Celsius or lower — for at least two years straight. These permanently frozen grounds are often found in Arctic regions such as Greenland, Alaska (the United States), Canada, Russia and Eastern Europe.

Q2. Consider the following statements

1. The Arctic is mostly an uninhabited and untouched region

2. It’s dotted with countless industrial facilities such as oilfields and pipelines, mines and military bases.

3. All major infrastructure is built on permafrost in arctic

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a. 1 and 3 only

b. 1 only

c. 2 and 3 only

d. 1, 2 and 3

Answer (b)

Explanation:

Thawing permafrost in the Arctic could unlock toxic waste buried for decades: New study highlights risks

Contrary to common perception, the Arctic is dotted with countless industrial facilities such as oilfields and pipelines, mines and military bases. All this infrastructure is built on permafrost, which was once believed to be perennially stable.

With rising global temperatures, thawing permafrost is likely to destabilize thousands of industrial sites and linked contaminated areas in the Arctic, which could result in the spread of toxic substances across the region, according to a new study. Nearly 2,100 industrial sites and between 5,600 and 10,000 contaminated sites are under threat of destabilization by the end of this century.

The study, ‘Thawing permafrost poses environmental threat to thousands of sites with legacy industrial contamination’, was published in the journal Nature Communications earlier this year. It was carried out by a team of researchers including Moritz Langer, Thomas Schneider von Deimling, Rebecca Rolph, Sofia Antonova, Volker Rachold, Alexander Oehme, and Guido Grosse — all from Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Germany) — Sebastian Westermann from University of Oslo (Norway), Ralph Rutte, a freelance researcher based in Germany, and Michael Schultz from Heidelberg University (Germany).

Contrary to common perception, the Arctic is far from an uninhabited and untouched region. It’s dotted with countless industrial facilities such as oilfields and pipelines, mines and military bases. All this infrastructure is built on permafrost, which was once believed to be perennially stable and reliable. The toxic waste from these industrial facilities has been buried in the permafrost, on the assumption that it would stay locked away permanently. But danger looms as the planet continues to heat up.

“A major problem is that for a long time (before and in the 1990s) the consequences of global warming and thawing permafrost were not taken into account and definitely underestimated. There are many engineering studies from that time that consider permafrost as a favorable condition for the disposal of industrial legacies and other wastes. Today, these former practices (some of which are still in use) are becoming an increasing problem as large parts of the Arctic are already affected by thawing permafrost,” Moritz Langer, one of the authors of the study, told The Indian Express.

Q3. Consider the following statements about Raja Ravi Varma

1. He painted the picture of God and Goddess that helped Dalits, who were prohibited from entering temples to know about the Gods.

2. He used oil paint colours rather than watercolours.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (c)

Explanation:

Often referred to as the father of modern Indian art, Raja Ravi Varma is widely known for his realistic portrayal of Indian gods and goddesses. One of his significant paintings, Draupadi Vastraharan by Raja Rai Varma is expected to fetch between Rs 15 and Rs 20 crore at an auction.

Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906)

• Ravi Varma (1848–1906) was one of the first Indian painters to successfully adopt Western painting techniques and adapt academic realism to the visual interpretation of Indian mythology.

• He was born into aristocracy at Kilimanoor in the erstwhile Travancore state of present-day Kerala.

• At the age of 14, Varma was patronised by Ayilyam Thirunal, the then ruler of Travancore.

• Later, Varma studied oil painting from British painter Theodore Jensen.

• Varma worked on both portrait and landscape paintings and is considered among the first Indian artists to use oil paints.

Work:

• Raja Ravi Varma, also known as 'The Father of Modern Indian Art' was an Indian painter of the 18th century who attained fame and recognition for portraying scenes from the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

• He painted the picture of God and Goddess that helped Dalits, who were prohibited from entering temples to know about the Gods.

• He used oil paint colours rather than watercolours.

• In his painting, he has shown the position of Indian men and women like how they were treated at that time.

• His works are the best examples for the fusion of European techniques with Indian sensibility.

• As a prolific artist, Raja Ravi Varma is believed to have made around 7,000 paintings before his death at the age of 58. His most famous works include Damayanti Talking to a Swan, Shakuntala Looking for Dushyanta, Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair, and Shantanu and Matsyagandha.

Q4. The Vizhinjam Port is being developed as India’s first transhipment port situated in the state of

a. West bengal

b. Maharashtra

c. Odisha

d. Kerala

Answer (d)

Explanation:

The Vizhinjam Port is an ambitious step forward on the path to prosperity. Located in Vizhinjam, Kerala, APSEZ is developing this deep-sea water port as India’s first Mega Transshipment Container Terminal.

Q5. Which of the following is the Westernmost Biosphere reserve in India?

a. Pachmarhi

b. Rann of Kutch

c. Nilgiri

d. Gulf of Mannar

Answer (b)

Explanation: