1. Which of the following are advantages of ethanol blending in fuel?
1. Enhances engine performance
2. Reduces dependency on crude oil imports
3. Utilizes agricultural waste
4. Increases greenhouse gas emissions
A) 1, 2 and 3
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1, 2, 3 and 4
D) 1 and 4 only
✅ Answer: A
Explanation: Ethanol blending reduces crude imports, uses agri-waste, and cuts GHGs. It doesn’t increase emissions—it reduces them.
2. The main threat to pollinators such as bees and butterflies in India is due to:
A) Use of hybrid seeds
B) Manual pollination
C) Neonicotinoid pesticides and habitat loss
D) Monsoon failure
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Neonicotinoids and monoculture farming reduce biodiversity and pollinator habitats, leading to sharp declines.
3. Life expectancy in India declined for the first time in 50 years due to:
A) Famine
B) COVID-19 pandemic
C) Pollution
D) Health insurance failure
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: COVID-19, especially during the Delta wave, led to significant excess deaths, reducing life expectancy.
4. What is the function of Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) in tiger reserves?
A) Monitoring tigers with satellite collars
B) Recruiting forest guards
C) Promoting community-based ecotourism and local employment
D) Enforcing anti-poaching laws
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: EDCs engage locals in ecotourism, improve livelihoods, and reinvest profits in conservation.
5. Which of the following acts supports farmers’ rights in seed preservation and exchange?
A) Biological Diversity Act
B) Forest Rights Act
C) Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act
D) Essential Commodities Act
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: The PPVFR Act (2001) legally recognizes farmers’ rights to save, use, and exchange seeds.
6. Gharials are found primarily in which Indian rivers?
A) Narmada and Tapi
B) Yamuna and Beas
C) Chambal, Gandak, and Mahanadi
D) Godavari and Krishna
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Gharials are concentrated in the Chambal, Gandak, and Mahanadi rivers—habitats where restocking occurs.
7. What distinguishes 2G ethanol from 1G ethanol?
A) It is cheaper and made from sugarcane
B) It is made from food grains
C) It is made from agri-waste and biomass
D) It causes more pollution
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: 2G ethanol uses crop residues and biomass, making it non-food based and environmentally superior.
8. Which of the following is true about Norway’s 2026 tourist tax?
1. It will be centrally imposed and collected
2. It applies to cruise passengers
3. Municipalities have discretion to implement it
4. Funds raised must be used only for tourism-related infrastructure
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2, 3 and 4 only
C) 1, 3 and 4 only
D) All of the above
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: It’s not centrally imposed; it’s a local, voluntary tax—applicable to overnight tourists and cruises, with earmarked funds.
9. Which statement is NOT true regarding India’s life expectancy trends?
A) Rural areas saw a steeper fall than urban areas
B) Delhi has the highest male life expectancy
C) The overall dip was the first in 50 years
D) COVID-19 was a major contributing factor
✅ Answer: A
Explanation: Urban areas saw a sharper drop (~0.3 years) than rural (~0.1 years). So, statement A is incorrect.
10. Community seed banks contribute to climate resilience by:
1. Reducing agrobiodiversity
2. Promoting monoculture
3. Safeguarding traditional, climate-resilient crops
4. Supporting food and seed security
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 3 and 4 only
C) 2, 3 and 4 only
D) All of the above
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: Seed banks conserve diversity, not reduce it. They support seed security, especially during extreme weather.
