General Knowledge MCQs
Topic Notes: General Knowledge
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
1531
What is a 'Leap Second'?
Answer:
A second added to coordinate clocks with Earth's slowing rotation
A leap second is a one-second adjustment added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to keep it close to mean solar time, accounting for irregularities in Earth's rotation.
1532
Which ancient calendar originally consisted of 10 months and started in March?
Answer:
Roman
The early Roman calendar had 10 months (Martius to December) and a winter period that wasn't counted. This explains why September (7), October (8), November (9), and December (10) are named after numbers.
1533
Will the year 2100 be a leap year?
Answer:
No
2100 is a century year not divisible by 400 (2100 / 400 = 5.25), so according to Gregorian rules, it will NOT be a leap year.
1534
When Great Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, how many days were removed from the calendar?
Answer:
11 days
To align with the Gregorian calendar used in Europe, Britain and its colonies had to skip 11 days; Wednesday, September 2 was followed immediately by Thursday, September 14, 1752.
1535
Which city in the USA calls itself the 'Leap Year Capital of the World'?
Answer:
Anthony, Texas
Anthony, Texas , (and Anthony, New Mexico) celebrates a massive festival every leap year and has declared itself the Leap Year Capital of the World.
1536
Why does the term 'Leap Year' exist?
Answer:
Because the year leaps forward two days of the week instead of one
In a normal year, a fixed date advances one day of the week (e.g., Monday to Tuesday). In a leap year, dates after Feb 29 'leap' over a day (e.g., Monday to Wednesday) due to the extra day.
1537
Which year is known as the 'Year of Confusion' because it lasted 445 days?
Answer:
46 BC
46 BC is called the 'Year of Confusion' because Julius Caesar added extra months to realign the Roman calendar with the seasons before implementing his new Julian calendar.
1538
What date did Sweden famously add to its calendar in 1712 to correct a calendar error?
Answer:
February 30
In 1712, Sweden had a unique 'double leap year' to correct a previous calendar strategy error, resulting in the addition of February 30th for that year only.
1539
What are people born on February 29th often called?
Answer:
Leaplings
People born on February 29 are commonly referred to as 'Leaplings' or 'Leapers'.
1540
In which country did the tradition of women proposing to men on Leap Day originate?
Answer:
Ireland
The tradition is said to have originated in Ireland, attributed to a legend involving St. Brigid and St. Patrick allowing women to propose on this specific day.