General Knowledge

The Russian Revolution was a series of events in 1917 that dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. It involved both the February Revolution (toppling the Tsar) and October Revolution (Bolshevik seizure of power).

The World Bank headquarters is located in Washington, D.C., United States. It was established in 1944 and is part of the Bretton Woods system along with the IMF. The location was chosen to be near the U.S. Treasury.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was established on April 1, 1935, in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. It was initially privately owned before being nationalized in 1949, after India's independence.

Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1882. It appeared in his novel 'Anandamath' and became a hymn to the motherland. It was a source of inspiration during the Indian independence movement.

Interax was indeed a Canadian news agency. However, it's not a well-known or major international news agency - most students would not be expected to know this obscure fact without specialized study.

Stagflation is an economic condition characterized by high inflation (rising prices) combined with economic stagnation (slow growth, high unemployment). This is problematic because traditional policies that fight inflation worsen unemployment, and vice versa. Option D 'recession with stagnation' is redundant.

Bombay Samachar (now Mumbai Samachar), established in 1822, is indeed the oldest existing newspaper in India. It has been published continuously for over 200 years, making it a significant historical institution in Indian journalism.

The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, providing a crucial shipping route between Europe and Asia without having to navigate around Africa. It opened in 1869 and dramatically reduced travel time between these regions.

The term 'Fourth Estate' refers to the press and journalism. The traditional three 'estates' were the clergy, nobility, and commoners. The press was called the Fourth Estate because of its power to influence public opinion and hold the other estates accountable, making it essential for democracy.

The Sanchi Stupa was commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. It was built to house the relics of the Buddha and is one of the oldest and most important Buddhist monuments in India. Ashoka built it after converting to Buddhism following the Kalinga War.

Hydrogen is the lightest gas and was historically used in balloons because it provides excellent lift. However, helium is now preferred for safety reasons since hydrogen is highly flammable (as seen in the Hindenburg disaster). The question reflects older practice but the answer is historically accurate.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, specifically in clusters called the islets of Langerhans. It regulates blood glucose levels by allowing cells to take in glucose from the bloodstream. Problems with insulin production or function lead to diabetes.

Venus appears brightest in Earth's sky because it is relatively close to Earth and has a high albedo (reflectivity) due to its thick cloud cover reflecting sunlight. While Jupiter is actually more luminous overall, Venus appears brighter from our perspective on Earth. This can be confusing but refers to apparent brightness, not intrinsic luminosity.

The Durand Cup, started in 1888, is the oldest football tournament in India. It was founded by Sir Mortimer Durand and has been held continuously except during wartime. The IFA Shield began in 1893 and is also historic, but Durand Cup predates it by five years. The Rovers Cup and Federation Cup are newer tournaments.

Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) was a self-taught mathematical genius from India who made extraordinary contributions to number theory, infinite series, and mathematical analysis. Despite having little formal training, he produced groundbreaking results that continue to influence mathematics today.

Enzymes are biological catalysts made primarily of proteins. They are composed of amino acids arranged in specific 3D structures that allow them to speed up biochemical reactions. While most enzymes are proteins, some RNA molecules also have catalytic activity (ribozymes), but in general, enzymes are protein-based.

Silly point is a close-in fielding position in cricket, located on the off-side near the batsman. The term is not used in football, polo, or hockey.

India has historically been the world's leading producer and exporter of mica, a mineral used extensively in electrical and electronic industries due to its excellent dielectric properties.

Kaziranga National Park is located in the state of Assam and is famous for its population of one-horned rhinoceros. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A byte is the fundamental unit of digital information storage and consists of 8 bits. This is a standard definition in computer science and digital systems.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency causes beriberi, a condition affecting the nervous and cardiovascular systems. The other options are related to different deficiencies - vitamin K causes clotting failure.

The Narmada river flows westward and empties directly into the Gulf of Khambhat (Arabian Sea) through an estuary, so it does not form a traditional delta like east-flowing rivers such as Brahmaputra, Krishna, and Ganges.

Silver has the highest electrical conductivity among all metals, including copper and gold. Diamond is an insulator, and while graphite conducts electricity due to delocalized electrons, its conductivity is much lower than silver's.