General Knowledge for Competitive Exams

"Mother India" (1927) was written by American author Katherine Mayo. The book was highly critical of Indian society and Hindu culture, and was controversial for its negative portrayal of India. It's not to be confused with Jawarlal Nehru's "The Discovery of India" or works by Mother Teresa or Edward Abbey.

Mahatma Gandhi gave the "Do or Die" slogan during the Quit India Movement on August 8, 1942, in his speech at the All-India Congress Committee meeting in Bombay. This slogan called for immediate and complete independence from British rule. It's not associated with Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, or other freedom fighters.

The Sundarbans (also called Mada or Mangrove forests) are primarily spread in West Bengal, India, extending into Bangladesh. These mangrove forests are a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. The other options are incorrect as the Sundarbans are not primarily located in Andhra Pradesh or Uttar Pradesh.

Persia was the historical name for the region that is now known as Iran. The name was officially changed to Iran in 1935, though 'Persian' and 'Farsi' remain for the language and culture.

The United Nations observes June 26 as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. This day was established to raise awareness about drug control and promote a drug-free society.

The G8 (Group of Eight) includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, and USA. Australia is not part of this group, making it the correct answer.

First Aid is the immediate assistance given to an injured or sick person until full medical treatment is available. Surgery is a medical procedure, hygiene is about cleanliness, and 'None' is not applicable.

Phu Dorjee was the first person to climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in 1984. While Tenzing Norgay and Nawang Gombu were famous Everest climbers, they used bottled oxygen for their ascents.

Vitamin B2 is scientifically known as riboflavin. Thiamine is Vitamin B1, and niacin (not 'niacine') is Vitamin B3. Riboflavin is essential for energy production and cellular function.

The 2014 Winter Olympics were held in Sochi, Russia. Pyeongchang hosted in 2018, and Beijing in 2022. The question uses future tense ('will be held') which was correct when this question was written.

Europe is the only continent without naturally occurring deserts. Australia has the Great Victoria Desert, Asia has the Gobi and Arabian Deserts, and other continents also have desert regions.

Lord's Cricket Ground, often called the 'Home of Cricket,' is located in London, England. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious cricket venues in the world.

The Indus Valley script is written in a style called Boustrophedon, meaning 'as the ox turns' - alternating direction between lines. Devanagari is a later Brahmic script, and Greek is unrelated.

The first electronic telephone exchange was commissioned in 1961 in the UK. This marked a significant advancement from manual switchboards to automated switching systems.

EEC stands for European Economic Community, which was established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. It was a precursor to the European Union. Note: the option has a typo ('Econon' should be 'Economic').

Visva-Bharati University was founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921 at Santiniketan, West Bengal. It was established as a center for cultural studies and arts, reflecting Tagore's vision of international cooperation and cultural exchange.

Article 102(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution specifies that a person shall be disqualified from being a member of Parliament if they hold any office of profit under the Government of India or a State Government, except as specified in the Constitution itself.

Ban Ki-moon served as the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations from 2007 to 2016. The other options include Kofi Annan (his predecessor, 1997-2006), Mark Wood (not a UN SG), and Pascal Lamy (WTO Director-General, not UN SG).

N.N. Vohra served as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir from 2008 to 2018. The other options include S.K. Sinha (former J&K Governor), and M.M. Lkhera (misspelled, not a known J&K Governor).

Mercury is the innermost planet in our solar system and orbits closest to the Sun at an average distance of about 57.9 million kilometers. Pluto is a dwarf planet, while Mars and other planets are further from the Sun.

Punjab won the Santosh Trophy in 2008, defeatingServices in the final. Santosh Trophy is India's premier football tournament for states, organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

Charlotte Edwards won the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award in 2008. The English captain was recognized for her outstanding performances and leadership in women's cricket during that year.