General Knowledge 1

Serzh Sargsyan served as the President of Armenia from 2008 to 2018. He was a prominent political figure in Armenian politics, also serving as Prime Minister. The other options (Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary) are different European countries.

Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia is the world's deepest lake with a maximum depth of 1,642 meters (5,387 feet). It's also the world's oldest lake and contains about 20% of all fresh water on Earth. The Caspian Sea is larger but not technically a lake, while Tanganyika and Nyasa are deep but shallower than Baikal.

Bahlol Lodi (also spelled Bahlol Khan Lodi) was the first Afghan Sultan of Delhi, founding the Lodi Dynasty in 1451. He was of Afghan origin and established the rule after the Sayyid Dynasty. Alauddin Khalji and Balban were earlier rulers of Turkish origin, while Ghiyasuddin Tughluq founded the Tughlaq Dynasty.

Tourette's syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. It primarily affects the brain, specifically the basal ganglia and related circuits that control movement and behavior. It doesn't directly affect the liver, heart, or limbs as its primary pathology.

Novak Djokovic won the men's singles title at the 2008 Australian Open, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final. This was Djokovic's first Grand Slam title. Rafael Nadal has won the Australian Open but not in 2008, and Roger Federer (misspelled as Federe) won multiple Australian Opens but not in 2008.

Ashoka's Dhamma was indeed a modified and evolved form of Brahmanism, incorporating moral and ethical principles suitable for his diverse empire. It emphasized non-violence, tolerance, and moral conduct. Options B, C, and D list rulers' names rather than descriptions of Dhamma, making them clearly incorrect choices.

The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) was the peace treaty signed after Napoleon Bonaparte's defeat, aimed at redrawing the European map and restoring stability. The Treaty of Versailles came much later (1919) after WWI. Berlin and Paris were not the venues for the Napoleonic peace settlement.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the French-Swiss philosopher, wrote the famous line 'Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains' in his 1762 work 'The Social Contract.' This quote critiques the contradiction between natural human freedom and social constraints. Locke, Comte, and Hegel were important philosophers but not the authors of this specific quote.

Awadh was NOT annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse - it was annexed in 1856 on grounds of 'misrule.' The Doctrine of Lapse, introduced by Lord Dalhousie, annexed princely states without a male heir, including Satara (1848), Jhansi (1853), and Nagpur (1854). Awadh's annexation was a separate case that contributed to the 1857 rebellion.

Lothal, located in Gujarat, is the only Indus Valley Civilization site where archaeologists have discovered a well-preserved dockyard. The dockyard demonstrates the Harappan people's advanced maritime trade capabilities. Other sites like Daimabad (Maharashtra), Alamgirpur (Uttar Pradesh), and Chanhu Daro (Pakistan) have different features but no dockyard.

An artesian well flows automatically because water is confined between impermeable layers at pressure. When the well is drilled, hydrostatic pressure forces water up without pumping, sometimes even above ground level. Heavy rainfall, volcanic activity, and geothermal energy are not the primary mechanisms for artesian flow.

The Simon Commission was boycotted because it had no Indian members, making it entirely British despite examining India's constitutional reforms. This exclusion was seen as insulting and undemocratic since Indians had no voice in decisions about their own governance. The other options about communal representation, Muslim representation, and Congress nominations were not the primary boycott reasons.

Ustad Bismillah Khan was the legendary shehnai maestro who brought the instrument to global prominence and became a cultural icon of India. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna for his contributions to Indian classical music. The other options are famous musicians but not shehnai players - Alla Rakha (tabla), Amjad Ali Khan (sarod), and Vishwamohan Bhat (slide guitar).

Sikandar Lodhi founded Agra in 1504 and made it a major city of the Lodhi dynasty. The city later gained prominence under the Mughals, but its foundation predates Mughal rule. Mohammad Tughlaq and Alauddin Khilji ruled earlier, while Ibrahim Lodhi was Sikandar's son and the last Lodhi ruler.

Vikram Seth wrote 'An Equal Music,' a novel about a musician's emotional and professional journey. Seth is renowned for works like 'A Suitable Boy' and 'The Golden Gate.' The other authors listed wrote different notable works - Francis (thrillers), Rushdie (Magic Realism), and Mathur ('The Inscrutable Americans').

The Command Area Development Programme aimed to optimize the utilization of created irrigation potential by developing water distribution systems, field channels, and land shaping in the command areas of irrigation projects. It focused on ensuring that the substantial investment in irrigation infrastructure actually translated into effective agricultural use. The other options incorrectly relate to land reforms or military areas.

Under the Indian Constitution, the President is the competent authority to declare war or conclude peace treaties, though this is done on the advice of the Council of Ministers. While Parliament approves declarations and the Prime Minister leads the executive branch, formal constitutional power vests in the President as head of state.

Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that grow along coastal areas and form dense natural barriers that significantly reduce cyclone impact. While 'shelter belts' and 'wind breaks' are similar concepts for inland areas, mangroves are specifically the coastal vegetation ecosystem. The term 'protection forests' is too general.

Cholera is primarily transmitted through contaminated water and causes severe diarrhea. The bacterium Vibrio cholerae spreads through water sources with poor sanitation. Malaria is mosquito-borne, the common cold spreads through airborne droplets/contact, and mumps is an airborne viral infection.

DNA fingerprinting is the most revolutionary forensic tool for identification, using unique genetic profiles to match suspects to crime scene evidence. It has transformed criminal investigation with high precision. NMR is medical imaging, enzymology studies enzyme reactions, and ultrasound is diagnostic imaging.

The Almatti Dam is constructed across the Krishna River in Karnataka. It's a major hydroelectric and irrigation project. The other rivers listed flow through different regions - Tungabhadra (tributary of Krishna), Godavari (peninsular India), and Sharavathi (Karnataka, known for Jog Falls).