Q4moderateCommon Misconception
Consider the following :
I. Cigarette butts
II. Eyeglass lenses
III. Car tyres
How many of them contain plastic?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All the three
(d) None
Answer: (c)
Trap: Common Misconception
Many candidates don't realise cigarette butts (cellulose acetate filters) and car tyres (synthetic rubber/polymers) contain plastic. They may think only eyeglass lenses are plastic, picking (a).
Q12easyPartial Truth
Consider the following statements :
Statement I :
At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), India refrained from signing the 'Declaration on Climate and Health'.
Statement II :
The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health is a binding declaration; and if signed, it becomes mandatory to decarbonize health sector.
Statement III :
If India's health sector is decarbonized, the resilience of its health-care system may be compromised.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
(b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
(c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
(d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
Answer: (c)
Trap: Partial Truth
Statement II is wrong - the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health is NOT binding, it's voluntary. Candidates who assume COP declarations are binding will pick (a) or (b). Statement III is correct - rapid decarbonization could compromise healthcare resilience in a developing country, which explains India's hesitation.
Q14easyPartial Truth
Consider the following statements :
Statement I :
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change is frequently discussed in global discussions on sustainable development and climate change.
Statement II :
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change sets out the principles of carbon markets.
Statement III :
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change intends to promote inter-country non-market strategies to reach their climate targets.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
(b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
(c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
(d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
Answer: (a)
Trap: Partial Truth
Candidates may think Article 6 is only about carbon markets (Statement II) and not about non-market approaches, leading them to pick (c). However, Article 6.8 explicitly covers non-market approaches. Both II and III explain why Article 6 is frequently discussed.
Q15hard
Which one of the following launched the 'Nature Solutions Finance Hub for Asia and the Pacific'?
(a) The Asian Development Bank (ADB)
(b) The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
(c) The New Development Bank (NDB)
(d) The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
Answer: (a)
Q16moderateCommon Misconception
With reference to 'Direct Air Capture', an emerging technology, which of the following statements is/are correct?
I. It can be used as a way of carbon sequestration.
II. It can be a valuable approach for plastic production and in food processing.
III. In aviation, it can be a source of carbon for combining with hydrogen to create synthetic low-carbon fuel.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) I and II only
(b) III only
(c) I, II and III
(d) None of the above statements is correct
Answer: (c)
Trap: Common Misconception
Statement II seems surprising - using captured CO2 for plastic production and food processing (CO2 is used in carbonation, dry ice, etc.) sounds unusual in the context of DAC. Candidates may dismiss II and pick (b) III only.
Q17moderateCommon Misconception
Regarding Peacock tarantula (Gooty tarantula), consider the following statements :
I. It is an omnivorous crustacean.
II. Its natural habitat in India is only limited to some forest areas.
III. In its natural habitat, it is an arboreal species.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I only
(b) I and III
(c) II only
(d) II and III
Answer: (d)
Trap: Common Misconception
Statement I calls it a 'crustacean' - tarantulas are arachnids, not crustaceans. Candidates who confuse arthropod subgroups (crustaceans vs arachnids) may accept I as correct and pick (b).
Q18moderateOutdated Info
Consider the following statements :
I. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in India are less than 0.5 t CO2/capita.
II. In terms of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, India ranks second in Asia-Pacific region.
III. Electricity and heat producers are the largest sources of CO2 emissions in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I and III only
(b) II only
(c) II and III only
(d) I, II and III
Answer: (c)
Trap: Outdated Info
India's per capita CO2 emissions are around 1.9-2.0 tonnes, NOT less than 0.5t. Statement I uses a grossly underestimated figure that candidates who haven't checked recent data may accept, picking (d).
Q19easyCommon Misconception
Consider the following pairs :
Plant — Description
I. Cassava : Woody shrub
II. Ginger : Herb with pseudostem
III. Malabar spinach : Herbaceous climber
IV. Mint : Annual shrub
V. Papaya : Woody shrub
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a) Only two
(b) Only three
(c) Only four
(d) All the five
Answer: (b)
Trap: Common Misconception
Mint is a perennial herb, NOT an annual shrub (IV wrong). Papaya is a herbaceous plant (large herb), NOT a woody shrub (V wrong). Ginger has a pseudostem but some may argue it's not a 'herb with pseudostem' in the banana sense. Cassava IS a woody shrub, Malabar spinach IS a herbaceous climber.
Q20moderateCommon Misconception
With reference to the planet Earth, consider the following statements :
I. Rain forests produce more oxygen than that produced by oceans.
II. Marine phytoplankton and photosynthetic bacteria produce about 50% of world's oxygen.
III. Well-oxygenated surface water contains several folds higher oxygen than that in atmospheric air.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I and II
(b) II only
(c) I and III
(d) None of the above statements is correct
Answer: (b)
Trap: Common Misconception
The popular myth is that 'rainforests are the lungs of the Earth' producing most oxygen. Actually, oceans produce ~50-80% of oxygen. Statement I reverses this. Candidates believing the myth pick (a) or (c).
Q39easyAbsolute Qualifier
Consider the following statements :
Statement I :
Circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases.
Statement II :
Circular economy reduces the use of raw materials as inputs.
Statement III :
Circular economy reduces wastage in the production process.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
(b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
(c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
(d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
Answer: (a)
Trap: Absolute Qualifier
Candidates may think only reducing raw materials (II) explains GHG reduction, and reducing wastage (III) doesn't directly reduce GHGs. But reducing waste also means less energy for waste processing, less landfill methane, etc. Both explain GHG reduction.
Q70moderate
Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss?
(a) The European Union
(b) The World Bank
(c) The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(d) The Food and Agriculture Organization
Answer: (a)
Q74moderateAbsolute Qualifier
The World Bank warned that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35 degrees C. Which of the following statements best reflect(s) the implication of the above-said report?
I. Peninsular India will most likely suffer from flooding, tropical cyclones and droughts.
II. The survival of animals including humans will be affected as shedding of their body heat through perspiration becomes difficult.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Answer: (c)
Trap: Absolute Qualifier
Candidates may think Statement I (flooding, cyclones, droughts) is unrelated to wet-bulb temperature, picking (b). However, extreme wet-bulb temperatures are associated with climate change that also increases extreme weather events. Both are implications of the broader climate warning.