General Knowledge

The first Android mobile phone, the HTC Dream (also known as the T-Mobile G1), was launched in September 2008, marking the debut of the Android operating system in the smartphone market.

The 'Global 500' awards are given by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to recognize outstanding environmental achievements. Therefore, the correct field is 'Protection of environment.'

Pakistan is not a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), whereas India, Sri Lanka, and Mozambique are member countries. IORA focuses on countries bordering the Indian Ocean, and Pakistan is not part of this group.

Ostriches lay their eggs communally in a single nest, which is a shallow pit in the ground. While a single female lays about 2-5 eggs at a time, the communal nest typically contains around 20 eggs in total, contributed by several females. The claim that ostriches lay more than 100 eggs in one nest is an exaggeration. Other birds listed (Kiwi, Owl, Parrot) lay far fewer eggs in one nest. Therefore, the correct answer remains Ostrich, but the number of eggs in one nest is about 20, not over 100.

Alexei Leonov was the first person to conduct a spacewalk (extravehicular activity) in 1965, exiting his spacecraft for about 12 minutes. Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space (1961), Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the Moon (1969), and Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman in space (1963).

Hamza Baba is widely recognized as the 'Baba-e-Ghazal' (Father of Ghazal) in Pashto literature due to his significant contributions to Pashto poetry, especially in the ghazal form.

Plague is primarily caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is transmitted to humans mainly through the bite of infected fleas, which are parasitic insects that live on rodents such as rats. While rats are the reservoir hosts carrying infected fleas, the direct vector transmitting the disease to humans is the flea, a parasitic insect. Therefore, the most accurate answer to how plague spreads is 'Parasitic insect' (fleas). Rats are important in the ecology of plague but do not directly spread the disease to humans without the flea vector.

Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, located in the Andes on the border of Peru and Bolivia, at an elevation of about 3,812 meters (12,507 feet) above sea level.

Peshawar is commonly known as the 'City of Colleges' in Pakistan due to the large number of educational institutions located there, more so than the other cities listed.

The headquarters of the World Customs Organization (WCO) is located in Brussels, Belgium. Therefore, the correct answer is C, Brussels, not Paris.

Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.

The headquarters of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is located in Vienna, Austria. This is a well-established fact and the correct answer is option A.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), established in 1999, is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. This is confirmed by WADA's official website and other authoritative sources. Therefore, the correct answer is C, Montreal, not Geneva or any other city listed.

A leap year occurs every 4 years and includes February 29. Among the options, 2020 is the most recent leap year, as 2017, 2018, and 2019 are not leap years.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as One Belt One Road (OBOR), was launched in 2013 as a long-term development strategy by China. It does not have a single fixed completion year but was originally envisioned to be substantially completed in about 15 years, which aligns with a target around 2027-2028. Recent official Chinese government statements and planning documents have set a milestone for high-quality development of the BRI by 2035. The year 2030 is commonly cited as a significant target year for substantial progress and completion of many projects under the initiative, making option B (2030) the best answer among the choices given. Other years such as 2025, 2040, and 2049 are not commonly referenced as target completion dates for the BRI.

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2 °C, preferably to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. The more ambitious target is 1.5 °C, which is the primary goal to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

The Central African CFA franc is guaranteed by the French Treasury, and France provides the currency for the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). This historical arrangement links the currency of several Central African countries to France.

World Leprosy Day is observed internationally on the first Sunday of January every year to raise awareness about leprosy and its treatment.

Commonwealth Day is observed annually on the second Monday in March by its member countries. This date changes each year and is not fixed to a specific calendar date like March 24 or May 24. Therefore, none of the fixed dates given in the options (March 24, April 26, May 24) are correct. The correct answer is 'D' (None of these).

In 2019, Hong Kong experienced widespread protests against a proposed Extradition Amendment Bill that would have allowed extradition to mainland China. This event is well-documented and widely recognized.

The Louvre Art Gallery, commonly known as the Louvre Museum, is located in Paris, France. It is one of the world's largest and most famous art museums.

The scientific study of spiders is called arachnology. Arachnology specifically focuses on spiders and related animals such as scorpions, ticks, and mites. The other options refer to different fields: osteology is the study of bones, pomology is the study of fruit, and 'None of these' is incorrect here.

Pakistan is currently the sixth most populated country in the world, following China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Brazil is ranked lower in population size.

Zealandia is considered the 8th continent because it is a nearly submerged continental fragment that includes New Zealand and New Caledonia. It is distinct from New Zealand alone and is recognized by many geologists as a continent.

The International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as Interpol, has its headquarters in Lyon, France. Therefore, option C is correct.