General Knowledge - 3

J.J. Thomson discovered the electron in 1897 through cathode ray tube experiments. He showed that cathode rays were negatively charged particles much smaller than atoms, for which he proposed the 'plum pudding' model. Rutherford discovered the nucleus, Bohr developed the atomic model, and Ramsay discovered noble gases.

Junko Tabei was the first woman to climb Mount Everest (1975), NOT the first woman cosmonaut. Valentina Tereshkova (USSR) was the first woman in space (1963). The other pairs are correctly matched: Henry Dunant founded the Red Cross, Lord Joseph Lister pioneered antiseptic surgery, and Charles Darwin proposed the Theory of Evolution (despite the spelling 'Drawin').

Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness (nyctalopia) because retinal, a derivative of Vitamin A, is essential for the formation of rhodopsin (visual purple) in rod cells. Rod cells enable vision in low-light conditions. Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, and Vitamin E deficiency causes neurological problems.

Cuba is called the 'Sugar Bowl of the World' because sugar has historically been its dominant crop and export, comprising a major portion of its economy. Cuba's ideal climate and soil conditions for sugarcane cultivation, along with its historical focus on sugar plantations, earned it this title. Indonesia, Egypt, and Zanzibar are not known by this designation.

The Bermuda Triangle is located in the Western North Atlantic Ocean. Its vertices are generally considered to be Miami (Florida), San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Bermuda. It is NOT in the Pacific Ocean, Eastern Atlantic, or Indian Ocean. The area is infamous for numerous unexplained disappearances of ships and aircraft.

A hygrometer is an instrument specifically designed to measure the relative humidity of air - the amount of water vapor present. Density is measured by a hydrometer, vapour pressure by a manometer, and voltage by a voltmeter.

The question asks which invention-inventor pairing is INCORRECT. The seismograph was invented by John Milne, not Swinton - so this is the wrong pairing. The other pairings are correct: Printing Press-Gutenberg, Television-J.L. Baird, and Microscope-Zacharias Janssen.

Kamban, also known as Kamban the Poet, wrote the Tamil Ramayana called 'Ramavatharam' or 'Kambaramayanam' in the 12th century. It is a classic Tamil literary work based on Valmiki's Ramayana.

Oxana Fedorova from Russia was crowned Miss Universe 2002. Lara Dutta was Miss Universe 2000 (India), and the other options represent winners from different years.

The Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Russia and China was signed on July 16, 2001. This landmark treaty marked a significant improvement in Sino-Russian relations.

A molecule is the smallest particle of a substance that can exist independently while retaining all the chemical properties of the original substance. An atom is too small to retain the substance's properties - it only retains elemental properties. Neutrons are subatomic particles, and isotopes are variants of elements.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup was hosted by South Africa, making it the first World Cup held on the African continent. This was a historic moment for global football.

Brahmos is a supersonic cruise missile developed jointly by India and Russia. It is named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers. It is NOT an aircraft, tank, or infantry unit.

This question asks who is NOT associated with the group. The group appears to be Indian sports personalities: P. Gopi Chand (badminton), Aparna Popat (badminton), and Prakash Padukone (badminton). Jagdish Vishnoi is the odd one out as he is not associated with this sports group.

Haemophilia is a genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to control blood clotting. This causes prolonged bleeding because the blood doesn't clot properly. It does not cause blindness, loss of haemoglobin, or rheumatism.

Karl Marx, along with Friedrich Engels, developed the theory of scientific socialism through their analysis of capitalism and class struggle. His works like 'Das Kapital' and 'The Communist Manifesto' laid the foundation for scientific socialism.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 fundamentally transformed the lives of peasants and workers by overthrowing the Tsarist autocracy and establishing a socialist state. It redistributed land to peasants and gave workers control over factories. While the French Revolution also impacted peasants, the Russian Revolution specifically established a workers' and peasants' state.

Anita Desai is the author of 'The Village by the Sea' (1982), a novel about a family struggling to survive in a small fishing village near Bombay. The book explores themes of poverty, family dynamics, and resilience. V.S. Naipaul wrote 'A House for Mr. Biswas', and Vikram Seth wrote 'A Suitable Boy'.

Under Indian income tax law, salaried individuals with annual income below Rs. 1 lakh were not eligible for standard deduction. This threshold-based provision meant that only those with higher income could claim the standard deduction benefit. The amount has been revised over time, but at the time this question was framed, it was Rs. 0 for this income bracket.

According to Article 71 of the Indian Constitution, any doubt or dispute arising out of the election of the President or Vice-President is referred to the Supreme Court for decision. The Supreme Court's decision in this matter is final and binding. The Election Commission conducts elections but disputes are settled by the judiciary.

Babar, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India, walked three times around the bed of his sick son Humayun and prayed to God to exchange his own life for his son's recovery. This incident is recorded in the Baburnama and reflects both his deep fatherly affection and his religious devotion. Humayun eventually recovered, though Babar himself died shortly after.

Allahabad was officially renamed Prayagraj in 2018 by the Uttar Pradesh government. The name 'Prayag' is derived from the ancient pilgrimage site Prayag, which means 'place of sacrifice' in Sanskrit. The city is located at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. The name change was part of a broader movement to restore ancient Indian city names.

Samudra Gupta, son of Chandragupta I, was called the 'Napoleon of India' by historian V.A. Smith because of his extensive military conquests across the Indian subcontinent. His reign (c. 335-375 CE) saw the greatest expansion of the Gupta Empire through a series of campaigns across India. He was also a great patron of arts and literature, earning the title 'Kaviraja'.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak famously declared 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' in 1908, becoming one of the most powerful slogans of the Indian independence movement. Tilak was among the first nationalist leaders to advocate for complete independence (Swaraj) rather than mere reforms. He was known as 'Lokmanya' (beloved of the people) and was a prominent leader of the extremist faction in the Congress.

Samudra Gupta's gold coins and inscriptions frequently depict him playing the veena, earning him the title 'Kaviraja' (King of Poets). His court patronized numerous poets, scholars, and artists, making the Gupta period known as the Golden Age of Indian culture. The coinage evidence is direct historical testimony to his personal interest in and patronage of music and arts.