14.     Though coffee and. tea both are cultivated on hill slopes, there is some difference between them regarding their cultivation. In this context, consider the following statements:
1.       Coffee plant requires a hot and humid climate of tropical areas whereas tea can be cultivated in both tropical and subtropical areas.
2.       Coffee, is propagated by seeds but tea is propagated by stem cuttings only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a)      1 only
(b)      2 only
(c)      Both 1 and 2
(d)      Neither 1 nor 2
          

15.     In the context of the affairs of which of the following is the phrase "Special Safeguard Mechanisms" mentioned in the news frequently ?
(a)      United Nations Environment Programme
(b)      World Trade Organisation
(c)      ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement
(d)      G-20 Summits

16.     Which of the following terms indicates a mechanism used by commercial banks for providing credit to the government ?
(a)      Cash Credit Ratio
(b)      Debt Service Obligation
(c)      Liquidity Adjustment Facility
(d)      Statutory Liquidity Ratio

17.     In order to comply with TRIPS Agreement, India enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999. The difference/differences between a "Trade Mark" and a Geographical Indication is/are:
1.       A Trade Mark is an individual or a company's right whereas a Geographical Indication is a community's right.
2.       A Trade Mark can be licensed whereas a Geographical Indication cannot be licensed.
3.       A Trade Mark is assigned to the manufactured goods whereas the Geographical Indication is assigned to the agricultural goods/products and handicrafts only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a)      1 only
(b)      1 and 2 only
(c)      2 and 3 only
(d)      1, 2 and 3

18.     The SEZ Act, 2005 which came into effect in February 2006 has certain objectives. In this context, consider the following :
1.       Development of infrastructure facilities.
2.       Promotion of investment from foreign sources.
3.       Promotion of exports of services only.
Which of the above are the objectives of this Act ?
(a)      1 and 2 only.
(b)      3 only
(c)      2 and 3 only
(d)      1,2 and 3

19.     Which one of the following statements is an appropriate description of deflation ?
(a)      It is a sudden fall in the value of a currency against other currencies
(b)      It is a persistent recession in both the financial and real sectors of economy
(c)      It is a persistent fall in the general price level of goods and services
(d)      It is a fall in the rate of inflation over a period of time

20.     Consider the following statements :
1.       Biodiversity hotspots are located only in tropical regions.
2.       India has four biodiversity hotspots i.e., Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas, Western Ghats and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a)      1 only
(b)      2 only
(c)      Both 1 and 2
(d)      Neither 1 nor 2.

21.     Widespread resistance of malarial parasite to drugs like chloroquine has prompted attempts to develop a malarial vaccine to combat malaria. Why is it difficult to develop an effective malaria vaccine ?
(a)      Malaria is caused by several species of Plasmodium
(b)      Man does not develop, immunity to malaria during natural infection
(c)      Vaccines can be developed only against bacteria
(d)      Man is only an intermediate host and not the definitive host
          

22.     Consider the following statements:
1.       The boundaries of a National Park are defined by legislation.
2.       A Biosphere Reserve is declared to conserve a few specific species of flora and fauna.
3.       In a Wildlife Sanctuary, limited ' biotic interference is permitted.
Which of the statements given above is /are correct ?
(a)      1 only
(b)      2 and 3 only
(c)      1 and 3 only
(d)      1, 2 and 3
          

23.     A pesticide which is a chlorinated hydrocarbon is sprayed on a food crop. The food chain is: Food crop - Rat -Snake - Hawk. In this food chain, the highest concentration of the pesticide would accumulate in which one of the following?
(a)      Food crop
(b)      Rat
(c)      Snake
(d)      Hawk

24.     With reference to soil conservation, consider the following practices :
1.       Crop rotation
2.       Sand fences
3.       Terracing
4.       Wind breaks
          Which of the above are considered appropriate methods for soil conserva¬tion in India ?
(a)      1, 2 and 3 only
(b)      2 and 4 only
(c)      1, 3 and 4 only
(d)      1, 2, 3 and 4
          

25.     With reference to the Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India, consider the following statements :
1.       They cannot engage in the acquisition of securities issued by the government.
2.       They cannot accept demand deposits like Savings Account.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a)      1 only
(b)      2 only
(c)      Both 1 and 2
(d)      Neither 1 nor 2
          

26.     Which one of the following was not stipulated in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 ?
(a)      Elimination of revenue deficit by the end of the fiscal year 2007-08
(b)      Non-borrowing by the central government from Reserve Bank of India except under certain circumstances
(c)      Elimination of primary deficit by the end of the fiscal year 2008-09
(d)      Fixing government guarantees in any financial year as a percentage of GDP

27.     Two trains leave New Delhi at the same time. One travels north at 60 kmph and the other travels south at 40 kmph. After how many hours will the trains be 150 km apart ?
(a)      3/2
(b)      4/3
(c)      3/4
(d)      15/2

28.     A question paper had ten questions. Each question could only be answered as True (T) or False (F). Each candidate answered all the questions. Yet, no two candidates wrote the answers in an identical sequence. How many different sequences of answers are possible?
(a)      20
(b)      40
(c)      512
(d)      1024
          

29.     In the parlance of financial investments, the term 'bear' denotes
(a)      An investor who feels that the price of a particular security is going to fall
(b)      An investor who expects the price of particular shares to rise
(c)      A shareholder or a bondholder who has' an interest in a company, financial or otherwise
(d)      Any lender, whether by making a loan or buying a bond
          

30.     A great deal of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to India comes from  Mauritius than from many major and mature economies like UK and France. Why?
(a)      India has preference, for certain countries as regards receiving FDI
(b)      India has double taxation avoidance agreement with Mauritius
(c)      Most citizens of Mauritius have ethnic identity with India and so they feel secure to invest in India
(d)      Impending dangers of global climatic change prompt Mauritius to make huge investments in India
          

31.     Six books A, B, C, D, E and F are placed side by side. B, C and E have blue cover and the other books have red cover. Only D and F are new books and the rest are old. A, C and D are law reports and others are Gazetteers. What book is a new law report with a red colour ?
          (a)      A
          (b)      B
          (c)      C
          (d)      D
         

32.     Following are the characteristics of an area in India:
1.       Hot and humid climate
2.       Annual rainfall 200 cm
3.       Hill slopes up to an altitude of 1100 metres
4.       Annual range of temperature 15°C to 30°C
Which one among the following crops are you most likely to find in the area described above ?
(a)      Mustard
(b)      Cotton
(c)      Pepper
(d)      Virginia tobacco
          

33.     Running at a speed of 60 km per hour, a train passed through a 1-5 km long tunnel in two minutes. What is the length of the train ?
(a)      250 m
(b)      500 m
(c)      1000 m
(d)      1500 m
          

34.     India-based Neutrino Observatory is included by the Planning Commission as a mega science project under the 11thfive-Year Plan. In this context, consider the following statements:
1.       Neutrinos are chargeless elementary particles that travel close to the speed of light.
2.       Neutrinos are created in nuclear reactions of beta decay.
3.       Neutrinos have a negligible, but nonzero mass.
4.       Trillions of Neutrinos pass through human body every second.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
(a)      1 and 3 only
(b)      1, 2 and 3 only
(c)      2, 3 and 4
(d)      1, 2, 3 and 4
          

35.     The "Instrument of Instructions" contained in the Government of India Act 1935 have been incorporated in the Constitution of India in the year 1950 as
(a)      Fundamental Rights
(b)      Directive Principles of State Policy
(c)      Extent of executive power of State
(d)      Conduct of business of the Government of India

36.     Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles produce one of the following as "exhaust"
(a)      NH3
(b)      CH4
(c)      H2O
(d)      H2O2
          

37.     Recently, LASIK (Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) procedure is being made popular for vision correction. Which one of the following statements in this context is not correct ?
(a)      LASIK procedure is used to correct refractive errors of the eye
(b)      It is a procedure that permanently changes the shapes of the cornea
(c)      It reduces a person's dependence on glasses or contact lenses
(d)      It is a procedure that can be done on the person of any age
          

38.     Consider the following:
1.       Oxides of Hydrogen
2.       Oxides of Nitrogen
3.       Oxides of Sulphur
Which of the above causes/cause acid rain ?
(a)      1 and 2 only
(b)      3 only
(c)      2 and 3 only
(d)      1, 2 and 3
          

39.     Six persons M, N, O, P, Q and R are sitting in two rows, three in each. Q is not at the end of any row. P is second to the left of R, O is the neighbour of Q and is sitting diagonally opposite to P. N is the neighbour of R. On the basis of above information, who is facing N ?
(a)      R
(b)      Q
(c)      P
(d)      M
          

40.     A person X has four notes of Rupee 1, 2, 5 and 10 denomination. The number of different sums of money she can form from them is
(a)      16
(b)      15
(c)      12
(d)      8
          

41.     Consider the following countries :
1.       Brazil
2.       Mexico
3.       South Africa
According to UNCTAD, which of the above is/are categorized as "Emerging Economies"?
(a)      1 only
(b)      1 and 3 only
(c)      2 and 3 only
(d)      1, 2 and 3
         

42.     Which one of the following is not related to United Nations ?
(a)      Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
(b)      International Finance Corporation
(c)      International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
(d)      Bank for International Settlements
          

43.     In the context of Indian economy, consider the following pairs :
Term                                        Most 
appropriate description
1.       Melt down             Fall in stock prices
2.       Recession              Fall in growth rate
3.       Slow down             Fall in GDP
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?
(a)      1 only
(b)      2 and 3 only
(c)      1 and 3 only
(d)      1, 2 and 3
          

44.     With reference to BRIC countries, consider the following statements :
1.       At present, China's GDP is more than the combined GDP of all the three other countries.
2.       China's population is more than the combined population of any two other countries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ? .
(a)      1 only
(b)      2 only
(c)      Both. 1 and 2
(d)      Neither 1 nor 2
          

45.     Which of the following is/are treated as artificial currency ?
(a)      ADR
(b)      GDR
(c)      SDR
(d)      Both ADR and SDR
          

46.     Stiglitz Commission established by the President of the United Nations General Assembly was in the international news. The commission was supposed to deal with
(a)      The challenges posed by the impending global climate change and prepare a road map
(b)      The workings of the global financial systems and to explore ways and means to secure a more sustainable global order
(c)      Global terrorism and prepare a global action plan for the mitigation of terrorism
(d)      Expansion of the United Nations Security Council in the present global scenario
          

47.     With reference to the mineral resources of India, consider the following pairs :
Mineral                           90% Natural        
sources in
1.       Copper                   Jharkhand
2.       Nickel                    Orissa
3.       Tungsten               Kerala
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?
(a)      1 and 2 only
(b)      2 only
(c)      1 and 3 only
(d)      1,2 and 3
          

48.     As regards the use of international food safety standards as reference point for the dispute settlements, which one of the following does WTO collaborate with ?
(a)      Codex Alimentarius Commission
(b)      International Federation of Standards Users
(c)      International Organization for Standardization ^fl
(d)      World Standards Cooperation
          

49.     An objective of the National Food Security Mission is to increase the production of certain crops through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the identified districts of the country. What are those crops ?
(a)      Rice and wheat only
(b)      Rice, wheat and pulses only
(c)      Rice, wheat, pulses and oil seeds only
(d)      Rice, wheat, pulses, oil seeds and vegetables
          

50.     In India, the interest rate on savings accounts in all the nationalized commercial banks is fixed by
(a)      Union Ministry of Finance
(b)      Union Finance Commission
(c)      Indian Banks' Association
(d)      None of the above