BIOLOGY (ZOOLOGY, BOTANY, HEALTH), ENVIRONMENT & AGRICULTURE
936. (2) It was discovered relatively long ago (1930’s) that
injections of progesterone were effective as a
contraceptive in preventing pregnancies. Progesterone
is used as a contraceptive for creating a hostile
environment for fertilization and not allowing sperm
to enter the egg.
937. (4) Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation
that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses
elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). It is caused
by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide,
which react with the water molecules in the
atmosphere to produce acids.
938. (1) The Malabar Grey Hornbill is a hornbill that is
endemic to the Western Ghats and associated hills of
southern India. They are found mainly in dense forest
and around rubber, arecanut or coffee plantations.
939. (3) Photosynthesis is the process by which light energy
is converted into chemical energy by organisms.
Carbon dioxide and water are the raw materials of
this process. The light energy comes from the sun
and its end products are oxygen and glucose.
940. (4) Fine particles known as PM-10 and PM-2.5 can
penetrate deep into the lungs, creating health
problems. People with heart or lung diseases, older
adults, and children are most likely to have problems
because of contact with particle pollution. Short-term
exposure to PM among pregnant women has been
associated with prematurity and growth retardation.
941. (1) The conference was held in Stockholm, the capital
of Sweden, in 1972. The conference is widely
recognized as the beginning of modern political and
public awareness of global environmental problems.
942. (2) According to the Red list of 2012, Ganges River
Dolphin is one of critically endangered species in
India. Endangered species in India comprise large
varieties of rare species of wild animals, aquatic
animals and insects.
943. (3) Arson is the crime of intentionally and maliciously
setting fire to buildings, wild land areas, vehicles or
other property with the intent to cause damage.
Distinct from spontaneous combustion and natural
wildfires, it is considered to be a man-made disaster
which is socially induced.
944. (2) The thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine
glands in the human body which is found in the neck.
It controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes
proteins, and controls how sensitive the body is to
other hormones.
945. (2) The cerebrum is the seat of intelligence and
provides us with the ability to read, write and speak;
make calculations and compose music; remember
the past and plan for the future; and create works.
946. (3) The average adult has a blood volume of roughly
5 liters, which is composed of plasma and several
kinds of cells. By volume, the red blood cells constitute
about 45% of whole blood, the plasma about 54.3%,
and white cells about 0.7%.
947. (3) The normal range of concentration of fasting blood
sugar is 80 to 120 mg/ml; in the testing of true blood
sugar, the normal range of concentration is 70 to
100 mg/ml. So normal glucose levels fall between
70 and 150 mg. Higher levels may indicate diseases
such as diabetes mellitus.
SGAE–991
948. (2) Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a
branch of arthropodology, which in turn is a branch
of biology. It is derived from the Greek word ‘entomos’
which means “that which is cut in pieces or engraved/
segmented”, hence “insect”.
949. (3) Exobiology is the branch of biology that deals with
the search for extraterrestrial life and the effects of
extraterrestrial surroundings or outer space on living
organisms.
950. (1) Changes in pH which can accompany metabolic
process such as respiration (aerobic glycolysis for
example) can alter the conformation of an enzyme
and hence enzyme activity. The initial changes are
covalent (change in protonation state of the protein)
which can lead to an alteration in the delicate balance
of forces that affect protein structure
951. (1) The digestion of proteins, take place by enzymes
called proteases, which begins in the stomach, where
pepsin breaks down some proteins into polypeptides.
The end products of protein digestion are amino acids
which can be absorbed.
952. (2) Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin,
mucous membranes, and the whites of the eyes
caused by increased amounts of bilirubin in the blood.
It is often seen in liver disease such as hepatitis or
liver cancer.
953. (1) 100 g of peanut oil (groundnut oil) contains 17.7 g
of saturated fat, 48.3 g of monounsaturated fat, 33.4
g of polyunsaturated fat, and 0 mg of cholesterol. It
is fast replacing dairy products due to the absence
of cholesterol.
954. (1) The lifespan of a parrot depends on the species.
Smaller types of parrots generally have a lifespan of
15 to 20 years, while some larger varieties can live
as long as 80 years.
955. (1) A tendon is a fibrous connective tissue which
attaches muscle to bone. A ligament is a fibrous
connective tissue which attaches bone to bone, and
usually serves to hold structures together and keep
them stable.
956. (3) Medicinal herbs grown from 30 to 90 cm in height.
They reach up to 30 cm in diameter.
957. (2) Like all other insects, in a mosquito, the thorax is
specialized for locomotion. Three pairs of legs and a
pair of wings are attached to the thorax. The insect
wing is an outgrowth of the exoskeleton.
958. (2) Water potential is the potential energy of water
per unit volume relative to pure water in reference
conditions. Water potential quantifies the tendency
of water to move from one area to another due to
osmosis, gravity, mechanical pressure, or matrix
effects such as surface tension. Water potential is
typically expressed in potential energy per unit volume
and very often is represented by the Greek letter
959. (3) Hemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport
metalloprotein in the red blood cells of all vertebrates.
Similarly, Cytochromes are, in general, membrane-
bound hemeproteins containing heme groups and are
primarily responsible for the generation of ATP via
electron transport.
960. (3) Antigens are defined as substances recognized
by the body as foreign, causing the body to produce
an antibody to react specifically with it. Antibodies