2011 Prelims Paper 2 UPSC Question Paper

2011 Prelims Paper 2 UPSC Questions

11.

Examine the following statements:
1. All trains are run by diesel engine.
2. Some trains are run by diesel engine.
3. No train is run by diesel engine.
4. Some trains are not run by diesel engine.

A.

1 and 2

B.

2 and 3

C.

1 and 3

D.

1 and 4

ANSWER :

C. 1 and 3

12.

Consider the four age pyramids given below namely A, B, C and D representing four different countries.

Which one of them indicates the declining population?

A.

A

B.

B

C.

C

D.

D

ANSWER :

C. C

13.

The following figure has four curves namely A, B, C, and D. Study the figure and answer the item that follows.

Which curve indicates the exponential growth?

A.

A

B.

B

C.

C

D.

D

ANSWER :

C. C

14.

Directions for the following 2 (two) items: ( Covers Questions 14 and 15)
The following pie charts show the break up of disease categories recorded in the patients from two towns. Town A and Town B. Pie charts plot the disease categories as percentage of the total number of patients. Based on these, answer the two items that follow the charts.

Distribution of diseases in Town - A

Distribution of diseases in Town - B



Which of the towns has a higher number of persons with Diabetes?

A.

Town A

B.

Town B

C.

Same in Town A and Town B

D.

No inference can be drawn

ANSWER :

D. No inference can be drawn

15.
What can we say about persons with more than one disease from these graphs?
A.
There are likely to be persons with more than one disease in Town A.
B.
There are likely to be persons with more than one disease in Town B.
C.
There are likely to be persons with more than one disease in both Towns A and B.
D.
No inference can be drawn
ANSWER :
B. There are likely to be persons with more than one disease in Town B.
16.

Consider the following velocity Time graph. It shows two trains starting simultaneously on parallel tracks.

With reference to the above graph, which one of the following statements is not Correct?

A.

Train B has an initial acceleration greater than that of Train A.

B.

Train B is faster than Train A at all times.

C.

Both trains have the same velocity at time to.

D.

Both trains travel the same distance in time to units.

ANSWER :

D. Both trains travel the same distance in time to units.

17.

Directions for the following 6 (six) items: ( Passage 1 cover Questions 17,18 & 19 , Passage 2 covers Questions 20,21,22)
Read each of the following two passages and answer the items that follow. Your answer to these items should be based on the passage only.
Passage - 1
Ecosystems provide people with a variety of goods and services; food, clean water, clean air, flood control, soil stabilization, spiritual fulfilment and aesthetic enjoyment, to name just a few. Most of these benefits either are irreplaceable or the technology necessary to replace them is prohibitively expensive. For example, potable fresh water can be provided by desalinating sea-water, but only at great cost. The rapidly expanding human population has greatly modified the Earth ecosystems to meet their increased requirements of some of the goods and services, particularly food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel. These modifications have contributed substantially to human well being and economic development. The benefits have not been equally distributed. Some people have actually been harmed by these changes. Moreover, short term increases in some ecosystem goods, and services have come at the cost of the long term degradation of others. For example, efforts to increase the production of food and fibre have decreased the ability of some ecosystems to provide clean water, regulate flooding and support biodiversity.

With reference to the passage consider the following statements.
Expanding human population has an adverse effect on:
1. Spiritual fulfilment
2. Aesthetic enjoyment
3. Potable fresh water
4. Production of food and fibre
5. Biodiversity
Which of the statements given above are correct?

A.

1, 2 and 3 only

B.

2, 4 and 5 only

C.

3 and 5 only

D.

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

ANSWER :

C. 3 and 5 only

18.

The passage mentions that "some people have actually been harmed by these changes". What does it imply?
1. The rapid expansion of population has adversely affected some people.
2. Sufficient efforts have not been made to increase the production of food and fibre.
3. In the short term some people may be harmed, but in the long term everyone will benefit from modifications in the Earth's ecosystems.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A.

1 only

B.

2

C.

1 and 3

D.

None of the statements given above

ANSWER :

A. 1 only

19.

With reference to the passage, consider the following statements:
1. It is imperative to modify the Earth's ecosystems for the well being of mankind.
2. Technology can never replace all the goods and services provided by ecosystems.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A.

1 only

B.

2 only

C.

Both 1 and 2

D.

Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER :

D. Neither 1 nor 2

20.

Passage - 2
A moral act must be our own act; must spring from our own will. If we act mechanically, there is no moral content in our act. Such action would be moral, if we think it proper to act like a machine and do so. For, in doing so, we use our discrimination. We should bear in mind the distinction between acting mechanically and acting intentionally. It may be moral of a king to pardon a culprit. But the messenger carrying out the order of pardon plays only a mechanical part in the king's order considering it to be his duty, his action would be a moral one. How can a man understand morality who does not use his own intelligence and power of thought, but lets himself be swept along like a log of wood by a current? Sometimes a man defies convention and acts on own with a view to absolute good.

Which of the following statements best describe/describe the thought of the water?
1. A moral act calls for using our discretion.
2. Man should react to a situation immediately.
3. Man must do his duty.
4. Man should be able to defy convention in order to be moral.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

A.

1 only

B.

1 and 3

C.

2 and 3

D.

1 and 4

ANSWER :

D. 1 and 4