General Knowledge Quiz

Infrastructure bonds offered an additional Rs. 20,000 tax deduction under Section 80CCF of the Income Tax Act, over and above the Rs. 1.5 lakh limit under Section 80C. This benefit was introduced to encourage investment in infrastructure projects and was available for a limited period (2011-2012). The bonds had a lock-in period of 5 to 8 years depending on the issue. This section is now discontinued and no longer available for tax saving.

Interest earned on National Savings Certificate (NSC) is fully taxable as 'Income from Other Sources' under the Income Tax Act. However, the interest earned each year is deemed to be reinvested and qualifies for deduction under Section 80C, effectively providing tax relief on the interest component. Only the interest portion that is not reinvested would be fully taxable. The principal amount invested in NSC already gets Section 80C deduction.

Reading aloud and talking are language-based activities that actively engage multiple brain regions including those responsible for speech, language processing, and auditory feedback. These stimulate neural development and cognitive function.

The brain exhibits contralateral control - the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body, and the right hemisphere controls the left side. This is why damage to one brain hemisphere affects movement on the opposite side.

Research suggests humans experience between 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day on average. This varies widely based on individual, mental state, and what counts as a 'thought,' but 70,000 is a commonly cited scientific estimate.

The brain begins to suffer irreversible damage after about 4-6 minutes without oxygen. Brain cells start dying within minutes, and survival becomes increasingly unlikely beyond this window.

Daiichi Sankyo, a Japanese pharmaceutical company, acquired Ranbaxy Laboratories in 2008 for approximately $4.6 billion. This acquisition was significant as it marked one of the largest foreign takeovers of an Indian pharmaceutical company at that time. Later, in 2014, Sun Pharmaceutical acquired Ranbaxy from Daiichi Sankyo.

The Maastricht Treaty, signed in 1992, established the European Union and created the framework for the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) that led to the creation of the euro. The treaty set convergence criteria that countries had to meet to adopt the single currency. The euro was introduced as an electronic currency in 1999 and as physical notes and coins in 2002.

Scrabble is played on exactly a 15x15 grid board where players form words using lettered tiles, each with a point value. Players place words crossword-style and score based on letter values and premium squares. Uno uses number/colored cards, Ludo is a board game with tokens, and Sudoku is a number puzzle, not a tile-based word game.

A German protester decapitated Adolf Hitler's wax figure at Madame Tussauds in London in 2006, shortly after it was unveiled. The protester objected to the inclusion of Hitler in the museum. The statue was later repaired. Madame Tussauds has had similar incidents with other controversial figures, but this was the most notable beheading incident.

Warren Buffett earned the nickname Oracle of Omaha due to his extraordinary investment success and wisdom. He has lived and worked in Omaha, Nebraska throughout his career, building Berkshire Hathaway into one of the world's largest holding companies. The title Oracle references his legendary ability to predict market trends and pick winning investments over decades.

AIIMS conducted clinical trials that resulted in the deaths of 49 infants. The other medical institutions listed are prestigious colleges but were not implicated in this specific tragedy involving unethical drug trials.

Hergé (Georges Remi) created The Adventures of Tintin, the iconic Belgian comic series about a young reporter. Batman and Superman are American DC Comics characters, while Asterix was created by Goscinny and Uderzo.

The Kosi River, known as the 'Sorrow of Bihar,' causes massive flooding requiring evacuation of millions. Its unpredictable course changes and devastating floods make it one of the most dangerous rivers in India.

Field Marshal is a five-star rank that is held for life - Sam Manekshaw never technically retired. He served as Chief of Army Staff during the 1971 war and was appointed Field Marshal in 1973, remaining on the active rolls until his passing in 2008.

Wimbledon traditionally begins on the Monday nearest June 22 and ends on Sunday. The two-week tournament runs for 13 days with a middle Sunday rest day, maintaining the Monday start and Sunday finish tradition.

IMF stands for International Monetary Fund, established in 1944 to promote global monetary cooperation and financial stability. The distractors use 'Indian' or 'Mutual' instead of 'International' and 'Monetary'.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non-Resident Indian Day) is celebrated on January 9 to honor the contributions of the Indian diaspora. The first week of January sees events leading up to this day, which commemorates Mahatma Gandhi's return from South Africa in 1915.