General Knowledge (6)

Mulk Raj Anand (1905-2004) was a prominent Indian English writer. 'Coolie' (1936) is one of his most famous novels, depicting the life and struggles of a young coolie (porter) named Munoo, highlighting social injustice and exploitation in colonial India.

Bassanio is a character in Shakespeare's play 'The Merchant of Venice' (c. 1596-1599). He is the young nobleman who borrows money from Shylock to court Portia. William Shakespeare created this character as part of his exploration of themes of friendship, love, and justice.

Nikola Tesla invented the AC induction motor in 1887-1888, receiving US Patent 381,968 in 1888. This invention revolutionized electrical power transmission and distribution, making AC systems practical and superior to DC for long-distance power delivery.

Borivali National Park (now Sanjay Gandhi National Park) is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is one of the largest national parks within city limits in the world and is known for its rich biodiversity and the Kanheri Caves within its boundaries.

An electroscope is a simple device used to detect and measure the presence of electric charge on a body. When a charged object is brought near, the electroscope's leaves diverge, indicating charge presence. It does not measure current strength or sound.

A pawn is a specific piece in chess. Each player starts with 8 pawns. Pawns move forward one square (or two on their first move) but capture diagonally forward. The term 'pawn' is also used metaphorically for someone easily manipulated, but its primary meaning relates to chess.

World Red Cross Day is celebrated annually on May 8th, marking the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant (born 1828), the founder of the Red Cross Movement and recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize. The day honors the humanitarian work of Red Cross volunteers worldwide.

Kohima is the capital of Nagaland, one of the northeastern states of India. Shilong is the capital of Meghalaya, and Imphal is the capital of Manipur.

Bangladesh uses the Taka as its official currency. Argentina uses the Peso, and Austria uses the Euro (as part of the European Union).

M.S. Gowalkar, the second Sarsanghchalak of RSS, was popularly known as 'Guruji' among his followers. Desbandhu was C.R. Das's title, and Lokmanya was Bal Gangadhar Tilak's honorific.

Sucheta Kripalani became the first woman Chief Minister of India when she took office in Uttar Pradesh in 1963. Sarojini Naidu was the first woman Governor, and Indira Gandhi was the first woman Prime Minister.

The Government of India Act was passed in 1919, known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms. It introduced dyarchy in provinces and expanded legislative councils.

George Washington was the first President of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President during the Civil War, and Bill Clinton was the 42nd President.

The Observer is a British Sunday newspaper published in London. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, first published in 1791.

Durand Cup is associated with football (soccer). It is Asia's oldest football tournament, started in 1888 in India, and is named after Mortimer Durand.

A water polo team has 7 players in the water at one time - 6 field players and 1 goalkeeper. This is standardized across international competition rules.

The FIFA World Cup is associated with football (soccer). While other sports have world championships, 'World Cup' most commonly refers to international football's premier tournament.

Mg is the correct chemical symbol for Magnesium. Chemical symbols are standardized internationally - Mg comes from the Latin 'Magnesium'. Option A (Ma) is incorrect, Mn is Manganese, and the 'None of these' option is unnecessary since the correct answer is present.

The Congo River is located in Africa. It is the second-longest river in Africa and the world's deepest river. Options B (Asia) and C (Russia) are incorrect continents. The Congo River flows through the Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo.

Anne Enright won the Man Booker Prize 2007 for her novel 'The Gathering'. This is correct. The award recognizes contemporary fiction and is one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the English-speaking world. Options B and C are incorrect authors.

The Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan Canal) draws its water from the Sutlej River via the Harike barrage, along with water from the Beas River. This is correct. The canal brings water to the arid regions of Rajasthan. Options like Chambal and Jhajjar are tributaries but not the primary source.

Tania Sachdev won the Asian Women's Chess Championship in September 2007. This is correct. She is an Indian chess player who has won multiple titles. Options A and B list Chinese players (Ju Wenjun, Lufei Ruan) who are strong players but did not win this specific 2007 tournament.