Daily Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC IAS Prelims - 26 April 2023

Welcome to the RAYACADEMY Daily Current Affairs MCQs! Our focus is to provide you with engaging and informative questions that primarily revolve around current affairs, derived from reliable sources such as 'The Hindu', 'Indian Express', and 'PIB'. Our MCQs test your understanding of factual and conceptual knowledge, which is essential for cracking the UPSC IAS and State PCS prelim exams. Below are some of Today's Current Affairs MCQs. We hope you make the most of this initiative and wish you all the best in your preparation.

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Q1.Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the EU's carbon market revamp?

1) It will make it more expensive for European businesses to pollute.

2)European factories and power plants have been required to purchase permits for CO2 emissions since 2005.

3) The carbon market only applies to power-generation industries.

4) The carbon market will eventually cover greenhouse gases other than CO2.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1,2 and 4 only

(c) All of the above

(d) None

Answer: (b)

Explanation: The EU's carbon market revamp aims to increase the cost of polluting for European businesses and generate funds for climate-related projects.

Since 2005, European factories and power plants have been required to purchase permits for their CO2 emissions, with prices increasing as their usage goes against the norms for their sectors.

The carbon market applies to power-generation, energy-intensive, and aviation sectors. Furthermore, the revamp intends to expand the carbon market to cover greenhouse gases other than CO2, such as methane and nitrogen oxides.

Q2.Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the occurrence of Zero Shadow Day?

1)Zero Shadow Day occurs when the Sun reaches its zenith.

2) Zero Shadow Day occurs twice yearly in all locations between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

3) The tilt of the Earth's rotation axis is not responsible for the occurrence of Uttarayan and Dakshinayan.

4) Zero Shadow Day is experienced by all places on Earth.

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 4 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

Answer: (b)

Explanation: Zero Shadow Day is experienced when the Sun reaches its zenith, causing the shadow of vertical objects to disappear.

This phenomenon occurs twice yearly in all locations between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This is due to the Sun's location moving from 23.5°N to 23.5°S of Earth's equator and back, resulting in the shadow being directly under the object at local noon.

The tilt of Earth's rotation axis is responsible for the occurrence of Uttarayan (movement of the Sun from south to north from winter solstice to summer solstice) and Dakshinayan (back from north to south).

Statement D is false as Zero Shadow Day is restricted to locations between the tropics, and so places north of Ranchi in India are out of it.

Q3. What is genome sequencing?

(a)The process of analyzing the genetic information in a specific human genome region.

(b) The process of identifying the mutations in the human genome responsible for the disease.

(c) The process of deciphering the order of base pairs in the entire human genome.

(d)The process of creating a new genome by mixing DNA from multiple individuals.

Answer: (c)

Explanation: The human genome is the entire set of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) residing in the nucleus of every human body cell. It carries the complete genetic information responsible for the development and functioning of an organism. The DNA consists of a double-stranded molecule built up by four bases. While the sequence of base pairs is identical in all humans, there are differences in the genome of every human being that make them unique. The process of deciphering the order of base pairs to decode the genetic fingerprint of a human is called genome sequencing.

Q4.What is the objective of 'Operation Kaveri' launched by India?

(a) To provide aid and relief to people affected by a natural disaster in Sudan.

(b) To evacuate Indian citizens stranded in a conflict zone in Sudan.

(c) To provide medical assistance to the people affected by a deadly epidemic in Sudan.

(d)To provide humanitarian assistance to the refugees fleeing the war in Sudan.

Answer: (b)

Explanation: 'Operation Kaveri' is a humanitarian mission launched by India to evacuate its citizens and those of neighbouring South Asian countries from the conflict-torn country of Sudan.

Q5. What is the Logistics Performance Index (LPI)?

(a)A benchmarking tool for countries to measure their performance in trade logistics.

(b) A global index that measures the economic growth of countries.

(c)A report on the status of logistics infrastructure in various countries.

(d) An analysis of the logistics industry and its impact on global trade.

Answer: (a)

Explanation: The Logistics Performance Index (LPI) is an interactive benchmarking tool released by the World Bank.

The LPI helps countries to identify the challenges and opportunities they face in their performance on trade logistics.

It is a global index that measures the performance of logistics infrastructure and services of countries around the world.

The LPI provides insights into the efficiency of customs and border clearance, the quality of transport infrastructure, the ease of arranging shipments, the competence of logistics services providers, the ability to track and trace consignments, and the frequency with which shipments reach their destination on time.

The LPI is an important tool for policymakers, businesses, and researchers to assess the performance of logistics infrastructure and services across countries.

The LPI 2023 allows for comparisons across 139 countries and, for the first time, measures the speed of trade with indicators derived from big datasets tracking shipments.