Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA)_WT06_24_01_2024

UPSC Prelims Training Program-2024

General Studies Paper – II

Max Marks: 200 Marks Date: 24/01/2024
Exam Name: WEEKLY TEST–06 Time: 10.30 to 12.30

SEAT NO.:

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PTO
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II
1. Ten 50-paise coins are placed on a table.
Six of these show heads while four show
tails. Exactly seven times, one by one, any
of the coins is chosen randomly (repetition
is allowed) and flipped (not tossed). One of
the coins is then covered. Of the remaining
nine coins, five show heads and four show
tails. The covered coin
(a) Definitely shows heads.
(b) Definitely shows tails.
(c) is more likely to show heads than tails.
(d) is more likely to show tails than heads.
2. There are two alloys, each containing
copper and zinc along with other metals.
The percentage of copper in the first alloy
is thrice that of zinc in the second alloy,
while the percentage of copper in the
second alloy is half that of zinc in the first
alloy. Find the ratio of the percentages of
copper and zinc in the first alloy, given
that equal quantities of copper and zinc
are obtained upon mixing equal quantities
of these two alloys.
(a) 1:2 (b) 3:4
(c) 4:3 (d) 2:1
3. In a special table tennis game, service
alternates between the two players every 5
points. A player can score points both in
his service as well as in his opponent's
service. Doshi beat Venkat 11-6 in a game.
10 of the 17 points were won by the player
serving. Who served first?
(a) Doshi
(b) Venkat
(c) Indeterminate
(d) Inconsistent data
4. Three persons A, B and C own the fields P,
Q and R respectively. The areas of P, Q and
R are in the ratio 2:3:2. They begin
ploughing their fields simultaneously. The
rate at which B ploughs is twice that of A
and half of that of C. The first person who
finishes the work on his field moves on to
that of the other two fields in which the
greater amount of work remains to be
completed. Both work together on that
field. After the work on that field is
completed, those two persons move on to
the third field if necessary and all the three
2
DATE: 24/01/2024
persons together complete the work on
that field. If the work on the first field is
completed in 6 hours, find the total time
taken to complete work on the third field
(in hours)?
(a) 12 (b) 15
(c) 10 (d) 9
PASSAGE
The data targeted in cyber-attacks
is often personal and sensitive. Loss of that
sensitive data can be potentially
devastating for the customers, and the
companies must have the full trust of the
employees hired to protect it. So,
employees in these fields must have a
strong sense of ethics and respect for the
privacy of the customers.
The field of information technology
also expands and shifts so frequently that
a strong ethical core is necessary to
navigate it. It's important that the staff can
determine what's in the best interest of the
customers and the company as a whole.
Specific scenarios that the employees
might confront can sometimes be
impossible to foresee, so a strong ethical
core can be the foundation that lets
employees act in those best interests even
in difficult, unpredictable circumstances.
5. Based on the above passage, the following
assumptions have been made:
1. People should be sensitive about the
kind of data being uploaded for
protection
2. Data protection legal regime in India
should include provisions for
strengthening the ethical core of
employees of companies dealing with
consumer data.
Which of the above assumptions is/are
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
6. Which one of the following statements best
reflects the message of the author of the
passage?
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II
(a) Companies should enhance their
security systems to protect the personal
and sensitive data of their customers.
(b) Ethical training should be imparted to
employees for appropriately exercising
their discretion.
(c) A thorough background investigation is
a must before employing any person in
data protection companies.
(d) A clear code of conduct should be in
place for employees for the protection of
customers' data.
7. In an examination, Rama's score was one-
twelfth of the sum of the scores of Mohan
and Anjali. After a review, the score of each
of them increased by 6. The revised scores
of Anjali, Mohan, and Rama were in the
ratio 11:10:3. Then Anjali's score exceeded
Rama's score by
(a) 24 (b) 26
(c) 35 (d) 32
8. When 20 L of milk when added to 60 L of
milk and water solution, it increases the
concentration of milk by the same
percentage points as there is the decrease
in the concentration of milk by addition of
30 L of water to the same solution. What is
ratio of milk to water in original milk-water
solution?
(a) 1:2 (b) 3:4
(c) 4:3 (d) 2:1
9. Shankar Fertilizer Limited and Shah
Fertilizer Limited purchased one packet of
Phosphorus each at the same price. Later,
GreenP Company purchased both the
packets at ₹300 each. But the profit
percentage of Shankar Fertilizer Limited
was X while that of Shah Fertilizer Limited
was 25% as Shah Fertilizer Limited
calculated his % profit on the selling price.
If the GreenP Company sells packets to
Mehrauli Nursery at X% profit, then what
is the cost price for Mehrauli Nursery?
(a) 375 (b) 360
(c) 400 (d) None of these
10. Usually, Mahesh takes 150 minutes to
drive from his house to his in-laws' house.
Last Sunday, after covering 20% of the
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DATE: 24/01/2024
distance to his in-laws' house, Mahesh's
car developed an engine problem, which
reduced his speed (when compared to his
usual speed) by 15 km/hr for the
remaining part of the journey. If it took
Mahesh a total of 190 minutes to cover the
entire distance, find the distance (in km)
between his house and his in-laws' house.
(a) 120 (b) 112.5
(c) 150 (d) Data Insufficient
11. Three friends A, B and C have decided to
complete a work together. The time taken
by A, working alone, to the complete the
work is 25% more than the time taken by
B and C, working together, to complete the
work. The time taken by B, working alone,
is 40% more than the time taken by A and
C, working together, to complete the work.
If C, working alone, takes 72 days to
complete the work, find the time taken by
all three of them together to complete the
work.
(a) 10 (b) 18
(c) 36 (d) 20
12. The arithmetic mean of scores of 25
students in an examination is 50. Five of
these students top the examination with
the same score. If the scores of the other
students are distinct integers with the
lowest being 30, then the maximum
possible score of the toppers is
(a) 94 (b) 90
(c) 130 (d) 92
PASSAGE
What drives popular opinion on
climate change? Recent failures to mobilize
popular opinion in favour of the mitigation
of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have
been blamed on the unseasonably cool
local weather and the unhealthy state of
the economy. On examining the effects of
both annual temperature variations and
economic growth rates on people's
attitudes regarding the mitigation of GHG
emissions. It is found that although the
state of the economy has a significant
effect on people's attitudes towards the
mitigation of GHG emissions, variations in
the annual temperature do not. Thus,
while pessimism regarding policy changes
during bad economic times appear
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II
justified, pessimism based on isolated
spells of unseasonably cool weather does
not.
13. Which of the following is/are the most
rational and logical Inference/Inferences
that can be drawn from the passage?
1. Mobilization of public opinion failed
despite people being well informed
regarding the mitigation of GHGs.
2. Policy regarding the mitigation of GHGs
will be more effective when a society
grows economically.
Select the correct answer from the code
given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
PASSAGE
Last week, the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) lauded India's Direct
Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme as a
"logistical marvel" that has reached
hundreds of millions of people and
specifically benefited women, the elderly
and farmers. Paolo Mauro, Deputy Director
in the IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department,
praised the role of technological innovation
in achieving this feat. Earlier this month,
David Malpass, President of the World
Bank Group, had also urged other nations
to adopt India's move of targeted cash
transfer instead of broad subsidies, noting
that "India managed to provide food or
cash support to a remarkable 85 per cent
of rural households and 69 per cent of
urban households".
The complex and multi-layered
governance machinery - its diversity,
access baiers, and digital divide - can fail
any novel scheme unless the building
blocks are effectively addressed. DBT alone
would not have been able to address the
size and scale of the problem of sub-
optimal service delivery under government
machinery. An ambitious vision, holistic
approach and a multi-pronged strategy
enabled the DBT ecosystem to deliver
impact at a phenomenal scale the
accomplishment that has been
acknowledged by the IMF and World Bank.
14. With reference to the above passage,
consider the following statements.
1. Public welfare goals can be achieved
with technical advancement
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DATE: 24/01/2024
2. India's DBT Scheme may serve as a
model for other nations.
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
PASSAGE
I can't imagine doing any ground
reporting without knowing the language.
Not only does the failure to decipher what
the person is saying affect the story, it also
becomes funny when communication is
through wildly extravagant hand gestures
and leads nowhere. Also, the best election
stories don't come from reporters who
relentlessly question respondents on
electoral choices, but from the debates that
voters have among themselves. If a
reporter provokes the crowd and suitably
places herself in the crowd to hear the
argument, she will get the true picture.
15. Best election reporting does not take place
due to which of the following?
1. Unawareness of the language of the
people being reported about.
2. Respondents not being questioned
relentlessly on electoral choices.
3. Reporters being unable to place
themselves in debates that voters are
having among themselves.
Select the correct answer using the code
given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Directions for questions 16 to 19:
A, B, C, D, M and K are competing in a 100
m race. The race track is straight and
divided into seven lanes, with the lanes
numbered 1 to 7 from left to right. Each
athlete is supposed to run in exactly one
track during the race from the start till the
end. No two athletes took the same time to
complete the race.
The following information is known:
(a) Neither K nor A runs in a lane that is at
any end. Further, they do not run in
adjacent lanes.
(b) All participating athletes reached the
finish line in less than ten seconds
measured in integral values (in seconds)
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II
(c) The number of athletes to the right of D
is one less than the number of lanes to
the left of B's lane. One among B and D
is in the central lane.
(d) Each athlete's race completion time (in
seconds) is more than the lane number
he is running in.
(e) A, who runs in a lane adjacent to C, is
three lanes away from B. B took three
seconds longer than A to complete the
race.
(f) Neither the leftmost nor the rightmost
lane is vacant.
16. What is the maximum possible time in
seconds) the winner takes to reach the
finish line?
(A) 4 (B) 9 (C) 2 (D) 3
17. How many athletes have athletes in both
the neighboring lanes?
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 4 (D) 3
18. If the difference in lane numbers of C and
D is the same as the difference in time
taken by them to complete the race and
one of them took more time than B, then in
how much time in seconds) did A complete
the race?
(a) 3 (b) 4
(c) 5 (d) Data Insufficient
19. The lane number that is vacant is ……….?
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 5 (d) 6
20. Statements: Only bat is ball.
Only a few bail are bat.
No umpire is bail.
Conclusions:
I. Some bail are ball.
II. Some bail are not bat.
III. Some bat are not bail.
IV. All umpire can be bat.
Which of the above conclusions logically
follow from the given statements?
(a) If only conclusion I, II and III follow
(b) If only conclusions II and IV follow
(c) If only conclusions II follows
(d) If all conclusions follow
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DATE: 24/01/2024
PASSAGE
A serious problem facing the urban
local bodies in India is the acute scarcity of
finance. Generally, their source of income
is inadequate as compared to their
functions. Their chief sources of income
are the varied types of taxes. However,
most of the income-generating taxes are
levied by the union and state governments
and, the taxes collected by the urban
bodies are not sufficient to cover the
expenses of the services provided. Though
they can impose certain new taxes, the
elected members of these local bodies
hesitate in doing so for fear of displeasing
their electorate. Virtually no money is
available for development work. Municipal
committees of many small towns find it
difficult even to disburse salaries to their
employees on time. Many civic bodies have
not been able to provide even the basic
civic amenities in the areas which have
been included in their jurisdiction during
the last couple of decades.
21. Which of the following is/are the most
rational and logical Inference/Inferences
that can be made from the passage?
1. Elected members of the body avoid
taking unpopular decisions due to fear
of losing elections.
2. Coruption by employees is also an
important factor for financial
stringency.
Select the correct answer from the code
given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
22. Which one of the following statements best
reflects the crux of the passage?
(a) A constitutional amendment is
required to change the scenario of
finance in the urban local bodies.
(b) Urban local bodies should come up
with cost-cutting and innovative
financing mechanisms to solve their
issue of low finances.
(c) Finance commissions at the union and
state levels should reassess the
situation of finances with urban local
bodies.
(d) The primary reason for the poor
performance of urban local bodies is
their lack of income.
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II DATE: 24/01/2024

PASSAGE them have their birthday in the same

One of the commonly invoked month?
elements of trickle-down economics is tax (1) X=4
benefits for corporations and high net
(2) X > 12
worth individuals (HNIs), who are expected
Choose correct code:
to invest the money that they save from
(a) Only statement (1) alone is sufficient to
taxes in entrepreneurial activities, which
answer the question.
are, in turn, expected to boost production
(b) Only statement (2) alone is sufficient to
and create jobs. Yet, going by the
answer the question.
experience of the tax reform measures in
(c) Either of the statements (1) alone or (2)
India since 2019, corporate tax reductions
alone is sufficient.
may not promote growth and investment.
(d) Neither of the statements are sufficient.
On the other hand, such reductions may
decrease government revenues, thereby
squeezing the fiscal space for development 27. PQ
programmes and government spending. Xp7
=12ZQ
23. Which one of the following is the most Here P, Q and Z are distinct digits. Find
logical and rational inference that can be the value of Z.
made from the above passage?
(a) Tax reforms in India have translated (a) 9 (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 8
into better government spending
developmental activities. for Directions ( 28 - 29 ) :
(b) Increasing corporate tax rates will A solid cuboid of size 24 cm x 15 cm x 36
definitely lead to better government cm has been painted blue on all his faces.
revenues and hence more growth and It is then cut into identical cubical blocks
investment. of edge 3 cm.
(c) Entrepreneurs and corporations must
28. How many cubes are painted on only one
be incentivised to invest in employment
face?
intensive sectors.
(a) 216 (b) 224
(d) India will have to adopt a mix of tax (c) 240 (d) 76
and non-tax revenue to meet its welfare
expenditures. 29. How many cubes are painted on exactly
two faces?
24. A box contains 25 red, 22 green, 19 yellow, (a) 216 (b) 224
13 blue, 11 white, and 9 black balls. What (c) 240 (d) 76
is the minimum number of balls that must
be drawn randomly from the box without 30. In a north facing row of NCC Cadets,
replacement to guarantee that at least 14 Trisha is 9th from the left end and Tina is
balls of a single color will be drawn? 12th from the right end. There are 5 cadets
(a) 72 (b) 73 between Trisha and Tanya who are both
(c) 47 (d) 53 equal distant to Tina. How many cadets
are there in the row?
25. Four thieves are going to shoot (a) 17 (b) 23
simultaneously exactly one bullet to one of (c) 24 (d) Data Insufficient
the other three thieves aiming head. If all
aim perfectly, what is the probability that PASSAGE
William Faulkner wrote 'As I Lay
exactly two thieves die?
Dying' in the afternoons, before
(a) 1/2 (b) 16/81 commencing his night shift at a power
(c) 8/27 (d) 32/81 plant, TS Eliot's day job at Lloyds bank
gave him crucial financial security, William
26. There are x students. What is the Carlos Williams, a pediatrician, scribbled
probability that at least one pair out of poetry on the backs of his prescription
pads. Limited time focuses the mind, and
the self-discipline required to show up for
6
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II DATE: 24/01/2024

a job seeps back into the processes of art. 2. Loving the talk of death.
It introduces discipline and regularity into (a) 1 only
one's life. Indeed, one obvious explanation (b) 2 only
for the alcoholism that pervades the lives (c) Both 1 and 2
of full-time authors is that it's impossible (d) Neither 1 nor 2
to focus on writing for more than a few
34. Statements:
hours a day, and, well, you've got to make
those other hours pass somehow. No mind is silly.
All kind are mind.
31. According to the passage given above, full- All kind are alive.
time authorship may ultimately lead to Conclusions:
which of the following? I. All mind are alive.
(a) It introduces discipline and regularity II. All alive are mind.
into one's life III. Some silly are not kind.
(b) It may free the author from concerns IV. All silly are alive is a possibility.
over crucial financial security. Which of the above conclusions logically
(c) It may lead to alcoholism in the
follow from the given statements?
authors' lives.
(d) It may remove the time restrictions (a) If only conclusion I follows
faced in writing as one will have (b) If only conclusions II and IV follow
unlimited time. (c) If only conclusions III and IV follow
(d) None of the above
PASSAGE
Any suicide is a tragedy of
35.
insurmountable proportions for the family.
It has multiple ramifications for those left
behind. Truly, it is the end point of the
collective failure of society. Hence, its
prevention begins within the society.
Suicides which happen due to coercion
and threat of violence are not truly
suicides, they are murders committed by
all of us. In India, we harbor suicides in
our shanties, colonies, homes, colleges,
schools and professional institutions. We A, B, C and D are different digits. Find the
love the talk of death as a means of value of B.
retribution. If we do not want that to (a) 6 (b) 8
happen, then we must raise our voices at (c) 9 (d) 7
every act of injustice, abuse, prejudice,
threat and violence aimed at the ordinary
36. Two distinct single digit natural numbers
Indian.
are selected so that their product is even.
32. Which one of the following is the most How many ways can this be done?
rational inference(s) one can draw from the (a) 6 (b) 26
passage? (c) 20 (d) 36
(a) Society, in many cases, provokes one 37. X is a six digit number ababab has two
to commit suicide. distinct even digits a and b.
(b) Society is solely responsible for What is the maximum number that
suicide. definitely divides X?
(c) Society promotes suicide in order to (a) 273 (b) 20202
maintain its supremacy over
(c) 10101 (d) 546
individuals.
(d) All of the above
38. A, B and C completed a task working
33. Which one of the following acts represents together for ₹816. A and B did 8/17 of the
us as insensitive human beings according total task while B and C did 12/17 of the
to the passage? total task. How much is earned by the
1. Raising voice at every act of injustice. most efficient person?
7
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II DATE: 24/01/2024

(a) 432 (b) 144 (b) Meaning and intention are correctly
(c) 240 (d) Data insufficient thought to be the defining
characteristics of living systems.
(c) Living things are not fully capable of
39. If LINGER is coded as 123456 and FORCE
collecting and storing information
is coded as 56789, then which of the about an unpredictable environment.
following is the most appropriate code for (d) Physical laws can be used to explain
FIERCE? the capacities and consideration of
(a) 345667 living things, including their meaning
(b) 456786 and intention
(c) 385678
PASSAGE
(d) 556789
Health care covers not merely
medical care but also all aspects of
40. Find the next term in the following series? preventive care too. Nor can it be limited to
219, 231, 237, 249, 264, 276, ………. care rendered by or financed out of public
(a) 291 (b) 300 expenditure within the government sector
(c) 45 (d) 282 alone but mist include incentives and
disincentives for self-care and care paid for
by private citizens to get over ill health.
41. A said “Either Freedom Party or Green
Where, as in India, private out-of-pocket
Party won the elections” expenditure dominates the cost of
B said “Freedom Party won the elections” financing health care, the effects are
C said “Neither Freedom Party nor Green bound to be regressive. Health care at its
Party won the elections” essential core is widely recognized to be a
If it is known that only one of these public good. Its demand and supply
cannot, therefore, be left to be regulated
persons is a liar while the other two are
solely by the invisible hand of the market.
truth tellers, Who won the elections? What makes a just health care system
(a) Freedom party (b) Green party even an ideal? Four criteria could be
(c) Other party (d) Data insufficient suggested- First universal access, access
to an adequate level, and access without
PASSAGE excessive burden. Second fair distribution
Once we regud living things as of financial costs for access and fair
agents performing a computation collecting distribution of burden in rationing care
and storing information about an and capacity and a constant search for
environment capacities unpredictable and improvement to a more just system. Third
considerations such as replication, training providers for competence empathy
adaptation, agency, purpose and meaning and accountability, the pursuit of quality
can be understood as arising not from care and cost-effective use of the results of
evolutionary improvisation, but as relevant research. The last special
inevitable corollaries of physical laws. In attention is, to vulnerable groups such as
other words, there appears to be a kind of children, women, the disabled and the
physics of things doing stuff, and evolving aged
to do stuff. Meaning and intention-
thought to be the defining characteristics 43. Based on the above passage, the following
of living systems may then emerge assumptions have been made:
naturally through the laws of 1. In India, the government expenditure on
thermodynamics and statistical health care is negligible as compared to
mechanics. the amount contributed by the
population
42. Which of the following best implies the 2. It is not possible to make health care
crux of the passage? inclusive
(a) Replication, adaptation, agency, Which of the above assumptions is/are
purpose and meaning should be valid?
understood as arising from (a) 1 only
evolutionary improvisation (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

8
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II DATE: 24/01/2024

44. Which of the following is/are the most 47. I celebrated my birthday in 1996 on
rational and logical inference/inferences Monday. The probability that my birthday
that can be made from the passage? will be on Monday in 2001 is closest to.......
1. Only access to health care is not going (a) 0 (b) 1/6
to make a health care system just. (c) 1/4 (d) 5/6
2. Market regulation of health care could
lead to its unaffordability for the
48. A clock which loses 32 minutes in every 24
vulnerable sections of the society.
Select the correct answer from the code hours is set on right time at 4 am Monday.
given below. What will be the correct time when the
(a) 1 only clock shows 8 pm Thursday?
(b) 2 only (a) 10 pm (b) 9:57:20 pm
(c) 1 and 2 (c) 8:02:40 pm (d) 9:57:33 pm
(d) None
49. At what time between 1 o’clock and 2
PASSAGE
Greenland's melting glaciers, which o’clock will the two hands of a clock form a
plunge into Arctic waters via steep-sided 900 angle?
inlets, or fjords, are among the main 6 9 7 9
(a) 1:54 or 1:21 (b) 1:53 or 1:21
contributors to global sea level rise in 11 11 11 11
response to climate change. Gaining a
better understanding of how warming 7 8 9
ocean water affects these glaciers will help (c) 1:53 or 1:22 (d) 1:21 only
11 11 11
improve predictions of their fate. Such
predictions could in turn be used by
Directions (50-53) In a family, - L, M, N,
communities around the world to better
O, P, Q, R and S are the eight members.
prepare for flooding and mitigate coastal
Each person likes a different colour. One of
ecosystem damage.
the persons likes red colour. L is the father
of the person who likes pink colour. N is
45. With which one of the following statements
the sister of the person who likes green
is the author most likely to agree with?
colour. Q is the grandfather of P, who is
(a) The effect of global warming will be
conspicuous in the polar regions only. married to M. R is unmarried and he is the
(b) Climate-change statistics needs to be brother-in-law of S. The one who likes
democratised for community level white colour is married to the one who
mitigation efforts. likes brown colour. O is the mother of only
(c) Greenland's melting glaciers will have two sons and mother-in-law of S, who likes
localised ecological and livelihood green colour. The one who likes yellow
impacts.
colour is an unmarried person while the
(d) Glacial studies in the Himalayan
regions are necessary to assess socio- one who likes black colour is a married
economic impact of climate change in person. R, who likes blue colour is the son
India. of Q and uncle of P. N and P are of the
same gender. The one who likes black and
46. UPSC forms were out before 21 days and brown colours are of different genders.
last date of form submission is 31 days
after my birthday. Forms are distributed 50. How is M related to L?
only for 37 days and the last day of form (A) Father-in-law (B) Son-in-law
distribution is 8 days after my birthday. If (C) Son (D) Brother
last day of form submission is on Sunday,
on which day were the UPSC forms out? 51. Who likes brown colour?
(a) Thursday (b) Friday (A) P's mother (B) Q's wife
(c) Tuesday (d) Wednesday (C) L's brother (D) M's wife

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SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II DATE: 24/01/2024

52. How are L and R related to each other?
(A) Brothers (B) Sisters
(C) Cousins (D) Sisters-in-law
53. Three of the following four are alike in a
certain way and hence form a group. Find
the one who does not belong to that group.
(A) Q (B) M
(C) R (D) N
PASSAGE
For many years, historians thought
that the development of capitalism had not
faced serious challenges in the United
States. Progressive historians sympathized
with the battles waged by farmers and
small producers against large capitalists in
the late nineteenth century, but they did
not question the widespread acceptance of
laissez-faire (unregulated) capitalism
throughout American history. Similarly,
Louis Hartz, who sometimes disagreed with
the Progressives, argued that Americans
accepted laissez- faire capitalism without
challenge because they lacked a feudal,
pre-capitalist past. Recently, however,
some scholars have argued that even
though laissez-faire became the prevailing
ethos in nineteen-century America, it was
not accepted without struggle. They say
that capitalism clashed with existing
religious and communitarian norms that
imposed moral constraints
acquisitiveness to protect the weak from
the predatory, the strong from corruption,
and the entire culture from materialist
excess. Aided by the notion that
government should be both regulator and
promoter of economic activity, these norms
persisted long after the American
Revolution helped unleash the economic
forces that produced capitalism.
54. What is the most logical and appropriate
conclusion that we can infer from this
passage?
(a) That the underlying similarities of
certain arguments regarding the
development of capitalism in the
United States need to be highlighted.
(b) That both the competing arguments
regarding the development of
capitalism in the United States are
blatantly untrue.
(c) That the established argument
regarding the development of
capitalism in the United States needs
to be defended.
(d) That a scholarly refutation of an
argument regarding the development
of capitalism in the United States can
be put forth.
55. According to the passage, the progressive
historians and the scholars do not agree
with regard to which of the following
statement/s?
1. Laissez-faire becoming the predominant
ethos in the nineteenth-century United
States.
2. The existence of significant opposition to
the development of laissez-faire
capitalism in the nineteenth century
United States
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 & 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
56. How many 3’s are there in the following
sequence which are neither preceded by 6
nor immediately followed by 9?
936633959378916396339
(a) 2 (b) 6
(c) 3 (d) 4
57. How many factors of 5,184 are perfect
squares?
(a) 9 (b) 12
on (c) 11 (d) 10
58. Income of A and B are in the ratio of 4 : 5.
Given that both saved some amount, who
saved more?
(1) B spent 20% more than A.
(2) B spent 20% less than A.
Choose correct code:
(a) Only statement (1) alone is sufficient
to answer the question.
(b) Only statement (2) alone is sufficient
to answer the question.
(c) Question can be answered with either
of the statements alone.
(d) Neither both statements together nor
any statement alone is sufficient.
59. Three numbers which are co-prime to each
other are such that product of the first two
co-prime numbers is 459, and product of
the last two co-prime numbers is 621.
What is the sum of these three co-prime
numbers?
(a) 57 (b) 67
(c) 79 (d) 81
10
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II
PASSAGE
The idea of a sponge city is to make
cities more permeable so as to hold and
use the water which falls upon it Sponge
cities absorb the rain water, which is then
naturally filtered by the soil and allowed to
reach urban aquifers. This allows for the
extraction of water from the ground
through urban or peri-urban wells. This
water can be treated easily and used for
city water supply. In built form, this
implies contiguous open green spaces,
interconnected waterways, and channels
and ponds across neighbourhoods that can
naturally detain and filter water. It implies
support for urban ecosystems, bio-
diversity and newer cultural and
recreational opportunities. These can all be
delivered effectively through an urban
mission along the lines of the Atal Mission
for Rejuvenation and Urban
Transformation (AMRUT), National
Heritage City Development and
Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) and Smart
Cities Mission.
60. On the basis of the above passage, the
following assumptions have been made:
1. Groundwater is the main source of
water in urban areas.
2. The idea of sponge cities hinges on
retaining natural ways of water absorption.
Which of the above assumptions is/are
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
PASSAGE
Segmenting the labour market and
creating a separate labour market for
migrant workers who are easy to exploit
has been a common strategy of employers
across India. The pathetic conditions
migrant workers face have been widely
documented. They earn low wages, work
very long hours without any overtime
benefits, and are almost without any leave
or social protection. Lakhs of unskilled and
migrant workers live on worksites in
makeshift huts (usually made of tin sheets)
or on roads, slums and in illegal
settlements not served by municipalities.
They are neither able to save much to
improve their conditions back in their
home States nor save enough to live
comfortably in a migrating state. They go
back home only once or twice to celebrate
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DATE: 24/01/2024
festivals. Semi-skilled workers with some
education and skills (such as those in
diamond cutting and polishing units,
power looms and factories) get slightly
higher wages and earn some leave.
However, these workers are also exploited
in multiple ways and are mostly
unprotected. Factory owners, employers
and traders are only too happy with such a
situation as they earn huge profits from
wage labour exploitation.
61. On the basis of the above passage, the
following inferences have been made:
1. More than 50% of the migrant workers
in India are engaged in either unskilled or
semi-skilled jobs.
2. Semi-skilled workers with some
education and skills are not exploited as
they earn huge profits for their employers.
Which of the above statements is/are
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
62. What is the crucial message conveyed by
the above passage?
(a) Labour laws in India are not being
implemented properly.
(b) States need to be more concerned
about the wellbeing of migrant workers
and their rights.
(c) In the long term migrant workers are
able to improve their life back home.
(d) Migrant labourers constitute majority
of the workforce in India.
63. How many ways can 16,200 be
represented as the product of two different
factors?
(a) 60 (b) 30
(c) 40 (d) 20
64. In 2010, a library contained a total of
11500 books in two categories - fiction and
nonfiction. In 2015, the library contained a
total of 12760 books in these two
categories. During this period, there was
10% increase in the fiction category while
there was 12% increase in the non-fiction
category. How many fiction books were
there in 2015?
(a) 6160 (b) 6600
(c) 6000 (d) 5500
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II
65. I bought some petrol when petrol price was
₹50 per litre and next time as petrol price
dropped to ₹20 per litre, I bought petrol
worth twice the amount as before. What is
the average petrol price I paid on these two
occasions?
(a) ₹35/litre (b) ₹30/litre
(c) ₹25/litre (d) ₹27.5/litre
Directions (66-68)
In a college, there are 1200 students.
There are three clubs P, Q and R in the
college. 710 students are members of
exactly one club. 350 students are
members of at least two clubs. 820
students are members of clubs P or Q, 850
students are members of clubs Q or R, 480
students are members of club P. 730
students are not members of club Q.
66. How many students are members of club P
as well as at least one of the other two
clubs?
(A) 210 (B) 270
(C) 330 (D) 390
67. How many students are members of club
Q?
(A) 450 (B) 420
(C) 490 (D) None of these
68. How many students are members of clubs
Q and R only?
(A) 48 (B) 80
(C) 60 (D) 30
PASSAGE
Minority rights are based on the
recognition that minorities are in a
vulnerable situation in comparison to
other groups in society, namely the
majority population, and aim to protect
members of a minority group from
discrimination, assimilation, prosecution,
hostility or violence, as a consequence of
their status. It should be highlighted that
minority rights do not constitute privileges,
but act to ensure equal respect for
members of different communities. These
rights serve to accommodate vulnerable
groups and to bring all members of society
to a minimum level of equality in the
exercise of their human and fundamental
rights.
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DATE: 24/01/2024
69. Which one of the following is the most
logical and rational inference that can be
made from the above passage?
(a) Minority rights aim at social
mainstreaming of the marginalised
sections of society.
(b) Demographic determinant figures are
the sole of minority-majority classification
in a given society.
(c) Inter-ethnic tensions, divisions and
exclusion that remain unaddressed can
easily become a source of instability and
conflict between the majority and minority
population
(d) The United Nations does not have any
provision for protection of minority rights.
PASSAGE
At no other point in history have
agri-food systems faced more hazards such
as megafires, extreme weather, unusually
large desert locust swarms, and emerging
biological threats, as during the past year
of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nor have they
been seen at such frequency, intensity,
and complexity. These disasters devastate
agricultural livelihoods, inflicting
cascading negative economic consequences
from household to national levels, that
could potentially endure for generations.
70. Which one of the following statement(s)
best implies the crux of the passage?
1. Investing in resilience and disaster risk
reduction is of paramount importance to
ensure agriculture's crucial role achieving
a sustainable future.
2. Biological disasters have a
disproportionate impact on the socio-
economic infrastructure of developing and
least developed countries.
3. National level climate mitigation strategy
should incorporate schemes for
sustainable access to food and livelihoods.
(a) 3 only
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) All of the above
PASSAGE
The SDGs are a roadmap for
humanity. They encompass almost every
aspect of human and planetary wellbeing
and, if met, will provide a stable and
prosperous life for every person and ensure
the health of the planet. But the Covid-19
pandemic also shows us the wisdom of
SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II DATE: 24/01/2024

what is already inherent in the SDGs; the 76. P tells Q , "When my age was three-fifth of
challenges we face cannot be dealt with in your present age, your age was one-
isolation. seventh of my present age." If the present
age of Q is 40 years, the present age of P
71. What is the most logical and appropriate
is ………… Years.
conclusion that we can infer from this
(a) 56 (b) 45
passage?
(c) 63 (d) 42
i. SDGs would be less relevant in post-
Covid world
ii. COVID-19 has exposed weaknesses in 77. A and B drive around a circular course 75
global food supply chains. m in circumference, starting together from
iii. The pandemic has re-emphasized the the same point in same direction. If their
'digital divide' and the right to internet speeds are 25 m/sec and 10 m/sec
access, particularly for those in rural respectively, how many meeting points are
areas.
there on the course?
(a) i only
(b) All i, ii, iii (a) 3 (b) 7
(c) ii, iii only (c) 5 (d) 15
(d) None of these
PASSAGE
72. What is the principal amount which earns Researchers studying how genes
Rs.198 as compound interest for the control animal behavior have had to deal
second year at 12.5% per annum? with many uncertainties. In the first place,
(a) 12,672 (b) 1,408 most behaviours are governed by more
than one gene, and until recently
(c) 1,584 (d) 1,782
geneticists had no method for identifying
the multiple genes involved. In addition,
Directions (73-75) There are Eleven even when a single gene is found to control
people A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K are a behaviour, researchers in different fields
living in a 11 floor building on different do not necessarily agree that it is a
floors such as ground floor is numbered as "behavioural gene." Neuroscientists, who
1 and top floor is numbered as 11. understand the nervous system which
generates behavior, define the term
A lives above F. I lives above E but not
broadly. But ethologists specialists in
immediately. animal behavior-are interested in
E does not live immediately above or evolution, so they define the term
immediately below C. narrowly. They insist that mutations in a
G lives on 7th floor. behavioral gene must alter a specific
Two persons live between G and H. normal behaviour and not merely make the
organism ill, so that the genetically
D lives immediately above H.
induced behavioural change will provide
There are as many persons living above D variation that natural selection can act
as below B. upon, possibly leading to the evolution of a
Five persons live between F and K who new species.
lives below G.
Only one person lives between G and C. 78. Which of the following statements, if true,
J lives below C. would be most likely to influence
ethologists' opinions about whether a
73. Who lives immediately above C? particular gene in a species is a behavioral
(a) G (b) I (c) J (d) E gene?
(a) The gene is found only in that species.
74. How many persons are there between E
(b) The only effect of mutations in the gene
and B? is to make the organism ill.
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 (c) Neuroscientists consider the gene to be
a behavioral gene.
75. J lives on the floor ____
(d) Geneticists consider the gene to be a
(a) 2 (b) 3 behavioral gene.
(c) 4 (d) 5

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SPIPA WEEKLY TEST_06- GENERAL STUDIES PAPER- II DATE: 24/01/2024

79. What is the most logical and appropriate Some scientists think there are two parts
conclusion that we can infer from this to developing a mental disorder. The first is
passage? some type of vulnerability. This might be
genetic. Or it might be one of those
stressful events early in life. The second is
(a) That there cannot be any competing
experiencing major stress later in life. That
arguments on a scientific question
might be losing a loved one, for example, or
(b) That there can still arise different
being bullied.
perspectives on a scientific question.
(c) That the usefulness of varied
80. Which one of the following statements best
perspectives on scientific questionable.
question i5 itself reflects the critical message of the
(d) That the differences between two passage?
definitions of a term need to be (a) A happy childhood is the precursor to a
reconciled. happy adulthood.
(b) Childhood mental illness is a much
PASSAGE ignored issue in society.
Several studies, for instance, find (c) Early marriage has a long term impact
that early life stress, such as neglect or on the child's future mental health.
abuse, may set children up for depression (d) Treatment of depression and mental
later. Others find that a stressful event in disorders must involve a thorough
adolescence or later triggers the disorder. analysis of life history.
* Best Wishes *
* SPIPA, Ahmedabad *

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Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA)_WT06_24_01_2024

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