G.K STOPS HERE

1. With the scientific name Leontopodium nivale, which mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family is regarded as the national flower of Switzerland and is also the name of a song in the musical 'Sound of Music'?

Ans. Edelweiss.

2. Which breed of dog, known for its distinctive black and white or brown and white colouring is named after a district in the country of Croatia where it originated?

Ans. Dalmatian, from Dalmatia.

3. While not being a member, which European nation has been a permanent guest of G20 since the very first summit?

Ans. Spain.

4. 2010 saw the first-ever G20 summit in Asia. Which country was the host?

Ans. South Korea.

5. Which word, derived from a legendary group of climbers, is used to describe the personal representative of a head of state who prepares an international summit?

Ans. Sherpa.

6. In 2016, the G20 framed its commitment to the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals on three key themes. The first was the promotion of strong sustainable and balanced growth, the second was the protection of the planet from degradation. What was the third?

Ans. Furthering cooperation with low-income and developing nations.

7. The theme of India's presidency since December 2022 has been the evocative Sanskrit phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. What does it translate to in English?

Ans. The world is one family.

8. Under which nation's presidency was the G20 summit held virtually in 2020 because of the Covid pandemic?

Ans. Saudi Arabia. It remains the only virtual summit.

9. Which prominent Indian-born American, the son of a lieutenant general of the Indian Army, will be at- tending the summit in his capacity as the head of the World Bank?

Ans. Ajay Banga, son of Lt. Gen. HS Banga.

1. The Char Dham is a set of four Hindu pilgrimage sites. Three of them, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, are Badrinath, Dwarka and Puri. Which is the fourth, dedicated to Lord Vishnu?

Ans. Rameswaram.

2. Which popular Disney Film would you associate with a Swahili phrase that roughly translates to 'no worries' or 'there are no troubles?'

Ans. Lion King, Hakuna Matata.

3. For which specific craft and industry is the city of Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh famous?

Ans. Carpet weaving.

4. If you were visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris, you would come across a café named after which legendary 19th century French writer?

Ans. Jules Verne.

5. San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Isabela are the three most populated islands of which Pacific archipelago, first made famous after the studies of scientist Charles Darwin?

Ans. The Galapagos Islands.

6. Gatiman Express is one of India's fastest trains, taking approximately 4 hours 25 minutes to cover its 403-km route. It travels between Hazrat Nizamuddin station in Delhi, and which Indian city?

Ans. Jhansi.

7. Kishore Kumar Jena is an Asian Games silver medallist who has also qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In which specific event does he participate?

Ans. Javelin Throw, second most prolific Indian after Neeraj Chopra.

8. Which film released in 1995 ran 6 for over 1,000 weeks at Mumbai's Maratha Mandir theatre?

Ans. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.

9. In Indian politics, which election symbol is shared by Shiv Sena and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha?

Ans. Bow and Arrow.

10. In April 1930, in which city in undivided India did Surya Sen and his Indian Republican Army mount an audacious raid on a British club and armoury?

Ans. Chittagong.

1. Rob McElhenney and which other well-known person from the world of entertainment purchased the British football team Wrexham AFC in 2020?

Ans. Ryan Reynolds.

2. Which commonly used four-word phrase dates back to the 1700s when pirate ships would approach a merchant vessel using a false flag and unfurl their own flag only when they were about to attack?

Ans. showing one’s true colours.

3. The Volga is the longest river in Europe, flowing through Russia with a length of over 3530 km. into which body of water does it drain?

Ans. The Caspian Sea.

4. Found in over sixty countries worldwide, which species of mammal is found in varieties like sun, brown, black, sloth and spectacled?

Ans. Bears, other well-known varieties are the polar bear and the grizzly bear.

5. If the Indian Military Academy is located in Dehradun, and the Navy Academy in Ezhimala in Kerala, near which major Indian city is the Indian Air Force Academy located?

Ans. It is located in Dundigal, 43 km from Hyderabad.

6. Which modern invention was perfected by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin in 1959, but its patent was offered free for all vehicles worldwide in order to save lives?

Ans. The modern three point safety belt.

7. What connects the words School, Pelican, Zebra, Puffin and Toucan?

Ans. They are all different types of pedestrian crossing.

8. Which city hosted the last Olympic Games in which India won a gold medal in hockey?

Ans. Moscow, 1980.

9. Which story written by Jeethu Joseph was made into a hit film in Malayalam starring Mohanlal and Meena and then a hit film in Hindi starring Ajay Devgn and Tabu?

Ans. Drishyam.
10. Jayashri Ramnath is a widely acclaimed Carnatic musician who was born in Calcutta and currently resides in Chennai. By what name is she better known?

Ans. ‘Bombay’ Jayashri.

1. What did inventor and businesswoman Ruth Marianna Handler design along with Jack Ryan in the late 1950s and name after her daughter?

Ans. Barbie doll, after Barbara.

2. What form of entertainment, which started in the 1980s, means 'empty orchestra’ in Japanese and is currently a $10 billion industry?

Ans. Karaoke.

3. Which Indian technical institution was founded in 1847 by James Thomason, the Governor General of the North-Western Provinces, to train engineers and surveyors for the Ganges Canal project?

Ans. IIT Roorkee, the oldest engineering college in India.

4. Which Indian city was designed by a certain Charles-Edouard Jeanneret on the invitation of the Indian government in the early 1950s?

Ans. Chandigarh. Jeanneret was better known as Le Corbusier, literally meaning ‘the crowlike one’ in French.

5. In the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, which team's official nickname is 'the Matildas', from a popular folk song in the country?

Ans. Australia, from the folk song ‘Waltzing Matilda’.

6. With almost 900 islands, stretching for 2,600km and with 10% of the world's fish species, which is the largest Unesco World Heritage site?

Ans. The Great Barrier Reef (Australia)

7. The Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha Company was founded in Japan in the 1930s. It is the world-leading manufacturer of which everyday product?

Ans. Zippers.

8. Which pilgrimage spot in Rajasthan, built in the 13th century, was rebuilt in turn by Akbar, Jehangir, Shahjahan and Jahanara, and then got a covering constructed by the Maharaja of Baroda in 1800?

Ans. Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the tomb of sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

9. If Alpha and Beta are the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, which is the last?

Ans. Imega.
10. "Truth, Love and a Little Malice' is the autobiography of which award-winning novelist and journalist who also served in the Indian Foreign Service?

Ans. Khushwant Singh.