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Daily Current Affairs Prelims Quiz 19-04-2021 - (Online Prelims Test) 

1) Consider the following statements with respect to System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for the Hospitality Industry (SAATHI) 

  1. It aims to assist the hospitality industry in their preparedness to continue operations safely and mitigate risks arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. It was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with Quality Council of India (QCI).

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

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : c

SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness and Training for Hospitality Industry)

  • It was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with the Quality Council of India (QCI).
  • It aims to assist the hospitality industry in their preparedness to continue operations safely and mitigate risks arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • This initiative is aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s clarion call for “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.
  • SAATHI Standard will assist in the Unit’s preparedness.
  • It’s not mandatory as of now, however, given the current COVID-19 outbreak, it is imperative that all accommodation units take suitable measures to restrict infection.

2) With respect to the report, Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework, released recently, consider the following statements:

  1. It was released by the Department of Science and Technology.
  2. It identifies eight states, located mostly in the eastern part of the country, as highly vulnerable to climate change.

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

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : c
  • A report titled ‘Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework’ was released recently by the Department of Science and Technology.
  • The report has identified Jharkhand, Mizoram, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal as states highly vulnerable to climate change.
  • These states, mostly in the eastern part of the country, require prioritization of adaptation interventions, the report pointed out.

3) Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which of the following?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : b
  • Meghalaya has recently yielded India’s first bamboo-dwelling bat with sticky discs.
  • It brings the species count of the flying mammal in the country to 130.

Eudiscopus denticulus 

  • The disc-footed bat was recorded in the northeastern State’s Lailad area near the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, about 1,000 km west of its nearest known habitat in Myanmar.
  • The newly recorded bat was presumed to be a bamboo-dwelling species, but its flattened skull and adhesive pads helped in identifying it as the disc-footed known from specific localities in southern China, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar.
  • The disc-footed bat has raised Meghalaya’s bat count to 66, the most for any State in India.

1) Consider the following statements with respect to System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for the Hospitality Industry (SAATHI) 

  1. It aims to assist the hospitality industry in their preparedness to continue operations safely and mitigate risks arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. It was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with Quality Council of India (QCI).

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

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : c

SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness and Training for Hospitality Industry)

  • It was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with the Quality Council of India (QCI).
  • It aims to assist the hospitality industry in their preparedness to continue operations safely and mitigate risks arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • This initiative is aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s clarion call for “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.
  • SAATHI Standard will assist in the Unit’s preparedness.
  • It’s not mandatory as of now, however, given the current COVID-19 outbreak, it is imperative that all accommodation units take suitable measures to restrict infection.

2) With respect to the report, Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework, released recently, consider the following statements:

  1. It was released by the Department of Science and Technology.
  2. It identifies eight states, located mostly in the eastern part of the country, as highly vulnerable to climate change.

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

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : c
  • A report titled ‘Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework’ was released recently by the Department of Science and Technology.
  • The report has identified Jharkhand, Mizoram, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal as states highly vulnerable to climate change.
  • These states, mostly in the eastern part of the country, require prioritization of adaptation interventions, the report pointed out.

3) Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which of the following?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : b
  • Meghalaya has recently yielded India’s first bamboo-dwelling bat with sticky discs.
  • It brings the species count of the flying mammal in the country to 130.

Eudiscopus denticulus 

  • The disc-footed bat was recorded in the northeastern State’s Lailad area near the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, about 1,000 km west of its nearest known habitat in Myanmar.
  • The newly recorded bat was presumed to be a bamboo-dwelling species, but its flattened skull and adhesive pads helped in identifying it as the disc-footed known from specific localities in southern China, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar.
  • The disc-footed bat has raised Meghalaya’s bat count to 66, the most for any State in India.

4) Which of the following countries share borders with Black Sea?

  1. Serbia
  2. Russia
  3. Greece
  4. Bulgaria
  5. Romania

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : c
  • Russia beefs up its naval presence at a time of tense relations with the West and Ukraine.
  • Two Russian warships transited the Bosphorus en route to the Black Sea recently and 15 smaller vessels completed a transfer to the sea.
  • Moscow has recently expelled 10 American diplomats in retaliation for the expulsion of the same number of Russian diplomats from the United States over alleged malign activity.

5) Which of the following statements about elephants is not true?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : b
  • Elephant calves can, in fact, stand a mere 20 minutes after birth.

6) Which of the following statement(s) is/are incorrect with respect to Wholesale Price Index

  1. The WPI captures only the average movement of wholesale prices of goods and not services.
  2. It is released by the Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : d

Wholesale Price Index

  • It measures the changes in the prices of goods sold and traded in bulk by wholesale businesses to other businesses.
  • The WPI tracks prices at the wholesale or factory gate/mandi levels whereas the Consumer Price Index (CPI) looks at the price at which the consumer buys goods.
  • The difference between the wholesale price and the retail price is the former only tracks basic prices devoid of transportation cost, taxes and the retail margin etc.
  • The WPI is primarily used as a GDP deflator (the ratio of the value of goods an economy produces in a particular year at current prices to that of prices that prevailed during the base year).
  • The base year was updated to 2011-12 from 2004-05 for the new series of Wholesale Price Index (WPI), effective from April 2017.
  • WPI has a sub-index called WPI Food Index, which is a combination of the Food Articles from the Primary Articles basket, and the food products from the Manufactured Products basket.
  • Recently, the centre has provided that the Wholesale-level inflation, measured by the WPI or the wholesale price index, shot up to 7.39 per cent in March on a year-on-year basis.
  • The rise in WPI in March is the highest wholesale inflation rate since October 2012.
  • Surge in WPI was driven largely by higher prices of crude oil and a surge in price levels of food items such as pulses and fruits.

7) Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct with respect to Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

  1. It is related to a surge of inflammation triggered by an immune response to the virus, particularly connected to Covid-19
  2. Neurological symptoms of the syndrome include hallucinations, confusion, speech impairments, and problems with balance and coordination.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : c

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

  • MIS-C is a rare but severe hyper inflammatory condition in children and adolescents that typically occurs 2-6 weeks after a Covid-19 infection.
  • It is a potentially deadly condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs.
  • Children with MIS-C may have a fever and various symptoms, including abdominal (gut) pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes, or feeling extra tired.
  • In a recent study, young people with the MIS-C syndrome have shown neurological issues which were life-threatening such as strokes or severe encephalopathy (any brain disease that alters brain function or structure).
  • It involves symptonic relief such as supportive care or use of various medicines to treat inflammation.

8) Which of the following statements are correct with respect to Currency Manipulators Watch List

  1. It is a semi-annual report released by World Bank which tracks foreign exchange reserves of a nation.
  2. Inclusion in the list does not subject to any kind of penalty and sanctions but it deteriorates the global financial image of the country.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : b

Currency Manipulators Watch List

  • The US Department of Treasury releases the semi-annual report where it has to track developments in international economies and inspect foreign exchange rates.
  • It reviews currency practices of the US’ 20 biggest trading partners.
  • This is a label given by the US government to countries it feels are engaging in “unfair currency practices” by deliberately devaluing their currency against the dollar.
  • The practice would mean that the country in question is artificially lowering the value of its currency to gain an unfair advantage over others.
  • This is because the devaluation would reduce the cost of exports from that country and artificially show a reduction in trade deficits as a result.
  • Criteria for placed on the Watch List includes
  1. A “significant” bilateral trade surplus with the US one that is at least USD 20 billion over a 12-month period.
  2. A material current account surplus equivalent to at least 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over a 12-month period.
  3. “Persistent”, one-sided intervention, when net purchases of foreign currency totalling at least 2% of the country’s GDP over a 12 months period are conducted repeatedly, in at least six out of 12 months.
  • Countries that meet all three of the criteria are labelled as currency manipulators by the Treasury.
  • Recently India was listed under the list, India met two of the three criteria that is the trade surplus criterion and the “persistent, one-sided intervention” criterion.
  • Inclusion in the list does not subject to any kind of penalty and sanctions but it deteriorates the global financial image of the country in the financial markets in terms of foreign exchange policies including undervaluation of currencies to gain export advantages.

9) Global Diabetes Compact is launched by which of the following group?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : a

World Health Organization

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a Global Diabetes Compact to better fight the disease while marking the centenary of the discovery of insulin.
  • The programme was launched at the Global Diabetes Summit co-hosted by the Government of Canada.
  • It has the vision of reducing the risk of diabetes, and ensuring that all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.
  • It will also support the prevention of type 2 diabetes from obesity, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.
  • It will set standards for tackling the diseases in the form of ‘global coverage targets’ for ensuring a wider reach of diabetes care.

10) Consider the following statements with respect to Ultra White Paint

  1. It is made of calcium carbonate and reflects 85% of white light.
  2. It remains cooler than the ambient temperature in full sunlight.

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

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : a

Ultra White Paint

  • The team of researchers from Purdue University have created an ultra-white paint made up of barium sulphate.
  • The newer paint is whiter and keeps the surface areas it is painted on cooler and thus can act as a breakthrough in combating the woes of global warming.
  • Barium Sulphate is used to make photo paper and cosmetics white. Different sized particles of this chemical compound, helps in scattering different amounts of light.
  •  This allows for light to scatter in a broad range, resulting in the highest reflectance.
  • The new ultra white white paint reflects 99% of all light that hits it, remaining significantly cooler than the ambient temperature, even when sitting in full sunlight.
  • Typical commercial white paint gets warmer instead of cooler and paints currently available in the market reflect only 80-90% of the sunlight and therefore, they can’t make surfaces cooler than their surroundings.

Vantablack

  • The paint could be the closest equivalent to the blackest black paint Vantablack, which is able to absorb 99.9% of visible light.
  • Vantablack has a diverse range of applications including high performance infrared cameras, sensors, satellite borne calibration sources etc.
  • Its ability to absorb light energy and convert it to heat is also of relevance in solar power development.
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