Current Affairs – Sleepy Classes Compilation (May)
Q1) Assam with its vast network of rivers is more prone to natural disasters like flood and erosion which have a negative impact on overall development of the state. Identify the reasons for the same :
- Assam lies in the heart of the monsoon belt and so gets excessive and continuous rainfall every rainy season.
- The existence of a long range of Eastern Himalaya mountains on its northern and north-eastern boundaries, the Meghalaya plateau in the south, compels the water to flow down into the vast plain inundating it.
- Guwahati’s topography is shaped like a bowl which makes it susceptible to waterlogging.
- The Brahmaputra river changes course frequently and it’s virtually impossible to contain it within embankments.
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 2, 3 and 4
C. 1, 2 and 4
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Current Affairs – Sleepy Classes Compilation (June )
Q2) Preliminary surveys by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), had identified the presence of 1,600 tonnes of lithium resources in the igneous rocks of the Marlagalla-Allapatna region of Karnataka’s Mandya district. But there were two caveats with the same . Identify the same :
- The new find is categorised as “inferred”, one which means The ‘inferred’ mineral resource is the part of a resource for which quantity, grade and mineral content are estimated only with a low level of confidence based on information gathered from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings, and drill holes that may be of limited or uncertain quality, and also of lower reliability.
- Second, the lithium find is comparatively small, considering the size of the proven reserves in Bolivia, Argentina, Australia, and China.
A. Only 1
B. Only 2
C. Only 3
D. Only 4
Current Affairs – Sleepy Classes Compilation (July)
Q3) The Gujarat forest department will restore 10,000 hectares of the Banni grasslands in the coming year, and every year in the coming decade. Identify the issues associated with the Grasslands:
- The climate being arid receives far less rainfall during the monsoon months.
- Due to change in the traditional vocation of the pastoralists, livestock grazing has become far more prominent in contrast to the previous occupation of livestock breeding.
- It is also facing threat from alien species such as Prosopis juliflora.
A. Only 1 and 2
B. Only 2 and 3
C. Only 1 and 3
D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4) Australia’s Critical Minerals Facilitation Office (CMFO) and KABIL had recently signed an MoU aimed at ensuring reliable supply of critical minerals to India. Identify the correct statements in context with Critical Minerals :
- Critical minerals are elements that are the building blocks of essential modern-day technologies, and are at risk of supply chain disruptions.
- These minerals are now used everywhere from making mobile phones, computers to batteries, electric vehicles and green technologies like solar panels and wind turbines.
- Based on their individual needs and strategic considerations, different countries create their own lists.
- Such lists mostly include graphite, lithium, cobalt, rare earths and silicon which is a key mineral for making computer chips, solar panels and batteries.
A. 1, 2, and 4
B. 1 and 4
C. 2, 3 and 4
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
UPSC – PYQ
Q5) Leaf litter decomposes faster than in any other biome and as a result, the soil surface is often almost bare. Apart from trees, the vegetation is largely composed of plant forms that reach up into the canopy vicariously, by climbing the trees or growing as epiphytes, rooted on the upper branches of trees,” This is the most likely description of
A. coniferous forest
B. dry deciduous forest
C. mangrove forest
D. tropical rain forest
Answers with Explanations
Current Affairs – Sleepy Classes Compilation (May)
Q1) Assam with its vast network of rivers is more prone to natural disasters like flood and erosion which have a negative impact on overall development of the state. Identify the reasons for the same :
- Assam lies in the heart of the monsoon belt and so gets excessive and continuous rainfall every rainy season.
- The existence of a long range of Eastern Himalaya mountains on its northern and north-eastern boundaries, the Meghalaya plateau in the south, compels the water to flow down into the vast plain inundating it.
- Guwahati’s topography is shaped like a bowl which makes it susceptible to waterlogging.
- The Brahmaputra river changes course frequently and it’s virtually impossible to contain it within embankments.
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 2, 3 and 4
C. 1, 2 and 4
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation
- Heart of Monsoon Belt: Assam lies in the heart of monsoon belt and so gets excessive and continuous rainfall every rainy season. Due to this, the Brahmaputra and the Barak, along with their tributaries get flooded and submerge their catchment areas in the vast plains.
- Physiography: The existence of a long range of Eastern Himalaya mountain on its northern and north-eastern boundaries, Meghalaya plateau in the south, compels the water to flow down into the vast plain inundating it.
- Debris and shallow river beds: Assam and other north-eastern hilly states are prone to heavy natural and artificial landslides. Landslides and earthquakes send in a lot of debris to the rivers causing the river beds to rise-up and become shallow. The shallow river beds lead to greater floods in the basins.
- Human Induced Factors: Human induced factors like destruction of wetlands, oxbow lakes, deforestation, illegal cutting of hill slopes, earth filling the natural ponds, canals, encroachment on river banks etc.
- Releasing water from Dams: The key cause of floods in Assam is releasing of water from dams situated upstream in Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya. The unregulated release of water floods the plains of Assam, leaving thousands of people homeless every year.
- Bowl Topography: Guwahati’s topography is shaped like a bowl which makes it susceptible to waterlogging.
- Nature of River: The Brahmaputra river changes course frequently and it’s virtually impossible to contain it within embankments. The pressure of the surging water takes a toll on these walls
Current Affairs – Sleepy Classes Compilation (June)
Q2) Preliminary surveys by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), had identified the presence of 1,600 tonnes of lithium resources in the igneous rocks of the Marlagalla-Allapatna region of Karnataka’s Mandya district. But there were two caveats with the same . Identify the same :
- The new find is categorised as “inferred”, one which means The ‘inferred’ mineral resource is the part of a resource for which quantity, grade and mineral content are estimated only with a low level of confidence based on information gathered from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings, and drill holes that may be of limited or uncertain quality, and also of lower reliability.
- Second, the lithium find is comparatively small, considering the size of the proven reserves in Bolivia, Argentina, Australia, and China.
A. Only 1
B. Only 2
C. Only 3
D. Only 4
Answer: C
Explanation
- Preliminary surveys by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), has learnt to have shown the presence of 1,600 tonnes of lithium resources in the igneous rocks of the Marlagalla-Allapatna region of Karnataka’s Mandya district.
- There are, however, two caveats. First, the new find is categorised as “inferred”, one of the three categories into which mineral resources are subdivided, in order of increasing geological confidence. The ‘inferred’ mineral resource is the part of a resource for which quantity, grade and mineral content are estimated only with a low level of confidence based on information gathered from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings, and drill holes that may be of limited or uncertain quality, and also of lower reliability.
- Second, the lithium find is comparatively small, considering the size of the proven reserves in Bolivia (21 million tonnes), Argentina (17 million tonnes), Australia (6.3 million tonnes), and China (4.5 million tonnes).
Current Affairs – Sleepy Classes Compilation (July)
Q3) The Gujarat forest department will restore 10,000 hectares of the Banni grasslands in the coming year, and every year in the coming decade. Identify the issues associated with the Grasslands:
- The climate being arid receives far less rainfall during the monsoon months.
- Due to change in the traditional vocation of the pastoralists, livestock grazing has become far more prominent in contrast to the previous occupation of livestock breeding.
- It is also facing threat from alien species such as Prosopis juliflora.
A. Only 1 and 2
B. Only 2 and 3
C. Only 1 and 3
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
Explanation
- Banni grassland was declared a Protected Forest in 1955, under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
- Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified this grassland reserve as one of the last remaining habitats of the cheetah in India and a possible reintroduction site for the species.
- The name alludes to the origin of the grassland reserve that was made when sediments and river deposits from the Indus were accumulated over the years in the region.
- Threats : Overgrazing + Prosopis juliflora+ Arid Climate + Drought + Marshy Wetland (During Monsoon) + Global Warming
Q4) Australia’s Critical Minerals Facilitation Office (CMFO) and KABIL had recently signed an MoU aimed at ensuring reliable supply of critical minerals to India. Identify the correct statements in context with Critical Minerals :
- Critical minerals are elements that are the building blocks of essential modern-day technologies, and are at risk of supply chain disruptions.
- These minerals are now used everywhere from making mobile phones, computers to batteries, electric vehicles and green technologies like solar panels and wind turbines.
- Based on their individual needs and strategic considerations, different countries create their own lists.
- Such lists mostly include graphite, lithium, cobalt, rare earths and silicon which is a key mineral for making computer chips, solar panels and batteries.
A. 1, 2, and 4
B. 1 and 4
C. 2, 3 and 4
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
Explanation
- Critical minerals are elements that are the building blocks of essential modern-day technologies, and are at risk of supply chain disruptions.
- These minerals are now used everywhere from making mobile phones, computers to batteries, electric vehicles and green technologies like solar panels and wind turbines.
- Based on their individual needs and strategic considerations, different countries create their own lists.
- However, such lists mostly include graphite, lithium and cobalt, which are used for making EV batteries; rare earths that are used for making magnets and silicon which is a key mineral for making computer chips and solar panels.
- Aerospace, communications and defence industries also rely on several such minerals as they are used in manufacturing fighter jets, drones, radio sets and other critical equipment.
UPSC – PYQ
Q5) Leaf litter decomposes faster than in any other biome and as a result, the soil surface is often almost bare. Apart from trees, the vegetation is largely composed of plant forms that reach up into the canopy vicariously, by climbing the trees or growing as epiphytes, rooted on the upper branches of trees,” This is the most likely description of
A. coniferous forest
B. dry deciduous forest
C. mangrove forest
D. tropical rain forest
Answer: D
Explanation
- In tropical rainforest biome, hot, moist atmosphere and all the dead plant material create the perfect conditions in which bacteria and other microorganisms can thrive. This leads to rapid decomposition of leaf litter material.
- The tropical rainforest is known for its dense canopies of vegetation that form three different layers. The top layer or canopy contains giant trees that grow to heights of 75 m (about 250 ft) or more.
- Thick, woody vines are also found in the canopy.
- They climb trees in the canopy to reach for sunlight.
- An epiphyte is a plant growing on other plants. Epiphytes are known as “air plants” because they are not anchored in the soil.
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