Daily Quiz 11 December 2024

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Mithilanchal is a geographical and cultural region bounded by the Mahananda river in the east, the Ganga in the south, the Gandaki river in the west and by the foothills of the Himalayas in the north.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: It comprises parts of Bihar, Jharkhand and adjoining districts of the eastern Terai of Nepal. The demand for Mithilanchal was first made by local people in 1912, based on Sir George Grierson’s survey, when Bihar was leaving the Bengal presidency to become a separate state. In modern day Bihar, Mithilanchal comprises 20 of its 38 districts.

Statement 3 is correct: The native language in Mithila is Maithili. Maithili is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in parts of India and Nepal. It is native to the Mithila region, which includes parts of Bihar and Jharkhand in India, and the Koshi and Madhesh Provinces in Nepal. Maithili is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India. Maithili was added to the Eighth Schedule in 2003 by the 92nd Amendment Act. The region is known for its Mithila painting, also known as the Madhubani art.

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: A superconductor is a type of material that, when cooled to a critical temperature, can conduct electricity with no resistance or energy loss. It achieves a state of “perfect conductivity,” or superconductivity, where an electric current can flow indefinitely. They are used in applications that require extremely low electrical resistance, such as MRI machines and high-speed trains.
• Statement 2 is correct: Semiconductors are  materials that have a conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. They are used in almost all electric devices, such as computers, transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits. Impurities can be added to semiconductors to fine-tune their conductivity.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Superconductors and semiconductors are different materials with different functions. However, recent breakthroughs show that semiconductor-based moiré materials, like twisted bilayer tungsten diselenide (tWSe₂), exhibit superconductivity. A moiré pattern arises when two identical layers of material are stacked and twisted at a small angle. The study on twisted bilayer tungsten diselenide (tWSe₂) demonstrates stable superconductivity in semiconductors, marking a significant leap in quantum materials research.

Answer: D

Explanation: 

Option (d) is correct: Ranitidine, previously sold under the brand name Zantac among others, is a medication used to decrease stomach acid production. It was commonly used in treatment of peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease. It has recently been in news due to the discovery of an impurity called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). This impurity has been known to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). As a result, the medicines are being gradually recalled.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect while Statement 2 is correct: New Pamban Bridge is India’s first vertical-lift railway sea bridge.The bridge is 05 km long, featuring a unique 72-m vertical lift span for ship movement. It connects Rameswaram on Pamban Island to Mandapam on the mainland in Tamil Nadu. It will replace the iconic Pamban Bridge, India’s first sea bridge, which opened in 1914. The new bridge is being built parallel to the old Pamban Bridge by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited. The old bridge was India’s first sea bridge and the longest sea bridge in India until the opening of the Bandra–Worli Sea Link in 2010. The Atal Setu, also known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL)is the longest sea bridge of India. It has a length of 21.8 kilometers

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Statements (a) and (b) are correct: Additional Tier 1 or AT1 bonds are perpetual bonds with no maturity date. Investors of these bonds do not get their principal back. However, the interest continues forever. AT1 bonds are issued by banks in accordance with the directions of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Financial institutions usually issue such bonds to fulfil their capital adequacy requirements
• Statement (c) is incorrect: These bonds are contingent convertible bonds, a type of debt instrument that the bank can anytime convert into equity if its capital levels fall below the specified levels. This helps the bank to reduce debt while managing capital.

Statement (d) is correct: These bonds provide high returns but also carry greater risk. If the banking institution fails, these bonds are at risk. AT-1 bonds have a call option, which allows the banks to buy back the bonds from the investors. Investors cannot return their bonds to the bank as there is no put option against these bonds. However, these bonds are listed on the stock exchanges, so the investor can liquidate these whenever in need. (A call option gives the buyer the right to purchase an asset at a set price on a future date, while a put option gives the buyer the right to sell an asset at a set price on a future date)