UPSC Prelims Answer Key With Explanation 2019 – Paper 1 (General Studies)

• Tobacco, cocoa and rubber were originally domesticated or cultivated in the ‘NewWorld’ (America) and introduced into the ‘OldWorld’ (Asia and Africa).
  
• Cotton and Wheat are being cultivated in India since very ancient times.
  
• People of Mehrgarh (Baluchistan, Pakistan) cultivated Cotton during Neolithic age.
• Wheat was cultivated by people of Harappan civilisation and Vedic Aryans.
  

• Statement 1 is correct: Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than African lions. At present Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the only natural abode of the Asiatic lion.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Double-hump camels are found naturally in Tibet, Mountain regions of China, Mangolia, Pakistan and also in mountain regions of Afghanistan.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: One horned rhino is found in India, Pakistan , nepal and lower reached of Bhutan.
• Thus, Option A is correct.
  

• Pandharpur is located on the banks of Bhima River. This river is also referred to as Chandrabhaga River because it resembles the shape of the Moon.
• Kaveri and its tributary the Kollidam are the two major rivers draining Tiruchirappalli.
• Hampi was a prosperous, wealthy and grand city near Tungabhadra River NOT Malaprabha river. Malaprabha river flows in western parts of Karnataka.
  

Hence correct option is D, i.e. reducing the global warming.

• Plasma gasification is an extreme thermal process using plasma which converts organic matter into a syngas (synthesis gas) which is primarily made up of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A plasma torch powered by an electric arc is used to ionize gas and catalyze organic matter into syngas, with slag remaining as a byproduct. It is used commercially as a form of waste treatment and has been tested for the gasification of municipal solid waste, biomass, industrial waste, hazardous waste, and solid hydrocarbons, such as coal, oil sands, petcoke and oil shale.
• Waste to Energy Limited has as its core WTE technology a Fast Pyrolysis Reactor (FPR) that will thermo chemically decompose any organic or carbon material into energy rich oil and gas. Pyrolysis is the thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen or any halogen. It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_gasification
• http://www.biogreen-energy.com/
  

• ABR in situated at the southern-most end of the Western Ghats and spread over two southern states Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It was established in 2001. It is named after Agastya Mala peak that rises up to almost 1868 metres above sea level, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. In March 2016, it was included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO. ABR covers an area of 3,500 sq km at an altitude ranging from 100 metres to 1,868 metres above the Mean Sea Level. It covers Peppara and Shendurney wildlife sanctuaries and parts of the Neyyar sanctuary in Kerala and the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu. Its flora mostly consists of tropical forests and is home to 2,254 species of higher plants including about 400 that are endemic. About 400 Red Listed Plants, 125 species of orchids and rare, endemic and threatened plants have been recorded from the reserve. It is also home to rare endimic animals include tiger, Asian Elephant, and Nilgiri Tahr. It is home to Kanikaran tribe, one of the oldest surviving ancient tribes in the world.
• Thus, Option A is correct.

• Statement 1 is correct: The green turtle is the second largest after the leatherback. They can weigh up to 500 lbs (225 kg) and reach four feet (1.2 m) in length. The adult green sea turtle is a herbivore, dining on seagrasses, seaweeds, algae and other forms of marine plant life.
• Statement 2 is correct: Herbivorous fishes are fishes that eat plant material. Surgeonfish and parrotfish are two familiar MAR examples, often seen browsing and scraping on reef algae.
• Statement 3 is correct: Marine mammals represent a variety of ecological roles, including herbivores (manatees), filter feeders (baleen whales), and top predators (killer whales). Sirenians also spend their whole lives in water. They are the only entirely herbivorous group of marine mammals.
• Statement 4 is correct: Snakes that are viviparous nourish their developing young through a placenta and yolk sac, something that is highly unusual among reptiles. Boa constrictors and green anacondas are two examples of viviparous snakes, meaning they give birth to live young with no eggs involved at any stage of development.
• Thus, Option D is correct

• Microbeads are tiny pieces of non-biodegradable plastic measuring less than 1mm. These are widely used in face washes, body scrubs, soaps, toothpaste and other such toiletries. They are mainly made up of polyethylene (PE). It may also contain polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and nylon.
• Microbeads can cause plastic particle water pollution and pose an environmental hazard for aquatic animals in freshwater and ocean water.
• It is estimated that over 663 different species were adversely impacted by marine debris. These microbeads escape filtration and treatment and finally end up in drains, rivers and water bodies which have ecotoxicological consequences. Microbeads entering a water system could become a toxin carrier having toxicity 1000 times higher than the water surrounding it. These absorb long-lasting toxic chemicals like petrol, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, engine oil, industrial effluents all of which moves up in the food chain.
• Thus, Option A is correct.

• Kalyaana Mandapa or Marriage Hall was anotable feature in the templeconstruction in the kingdom ofVijayanagara.
• The images of Main temple God and Main goddess were moved to Kalyaana Mandapa during the festival of Mahanavmi.
• In earlier times this building was absent in temples. 

• Amil was responsible for revenue collection in the revenue administration of Delhi Sultanate.
• The Iqta system of Sultans of Delhi was NOT an ancient iindigenous institution. This system was originally an Arabic practice. It was adopted by Turks from Arabs and the Turks brought it to India. For the first time Iqtas were distributed in India by Muhammad Ghori.
• The office of ‘Mir Bakshi’ came intoexistence during the reign of MUGHALS NOT DURING THE REIGN OF KhaljiSultans of Delhi.

• Saint Nimbarka (1090 AD – 1162 AD) was a NOT contemporaryof Akbar (1542 AD – 1605 AD).
• Saint Kabir (1440 AD – 1510 AD) was NOT influenced by Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (1564 AD – 1624 AD) because Kabir lived much earlier than Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi.

• On 2nd March 1917 ina public meeting in Karachi, Mahatma Gandhi insisted on abolition of indenture system by May 31, 1917. Due this pressure of Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian nationalists indenture labour system was abolished by government same year later.
• Viceroy Lord Chelmsford called a War Conference at Delhi for 27 April 1918. Mahatma Gandhi supported resolution for Indian support to Britain in World war. Gandhiji was enthralled by the idea that by serving in the army Indians would develop courageousness and thus enhance their ability to become courageous satyagrahis.
  
• Consequent upon the breaking of Salt Law by Indian people, the Indian National Congress was declared illegal IN JANUARY 1932 by the colonialrulers.

• Sir Tej BahadurSapru was President, All India Liberal Federation.
• K. C. Neogy was member of Indian Constituent Assembly from West Bengal.
• P. C. Joshi was the first general secretary of the Communist Party of India from 1935–47.

Actual name of Tansen was Ram Tanu Pandey. He was given title of Tansen by Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior. Emperor Akbar gave him title of Mian.

• Prior to Akbar’s reign only narrative paintings were made. Akbar ordered making of portrait album of all his grandees/royal servants.
• Akbar’s purpose in having the portraits made is thus described by Abul Fazl in the following words: “An immense album was thus formed”.
• It was during Akbar’s reign that emphasis was shifted from illustrated manuscripts to album and individual portrait .

Valley of Flowers is a vibrant and splendid national park reposing in West Himalayas. Nestled in Uttarakhand, this alluring place is famous for its charming meadows of alpine flowers. Endowed with a diverse range of endemic flora, it is picturesque in its beauty. This lush region is also home to some rare and endangered animal species. You may spot animals like Asiatic black deer, snow leopard, musk deer, red fox, brown bear and blue sheep. High in the lofty Himalayas of the Garhwal region sprawls this enchanting valley. Valley of Flowers lies completely in the temperate alpine zone.  

• The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country.
• AlM’s objectives are to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country at school, university, research institutions, MSME and industry levels.
• Option C is correct.

On 21st june, the Sun shines vertically over the Tropic of Cancer because the sun shifts to the Northern hemisphere in this time hence the sun do not set below the horizon at Arctic circle and 24hrs day is observed.

So the correct answer is option A.