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
11
Which language gave English the words 'cookie', 'boss', and 'stoop' (porch)?
Answer:
Dutch
These words entered American English via the Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam (New York).
12
The introduction of the pronoun 'its' (possessive) occurred in the 17th century to replace:
Answer:
His
Previously, 'his' was used for both masculine and neuter possessives (e.g., 'the table and his leg'). 'Its' was invented to distinguish neuter.
13
What is 'Cockney Rhyming Slang'?
Answer:
A code used by Londoners replacing words with rhyming phrases
Originating in the East End of London, it replaces a word with a rhyme (e.g., 'Apples and Pears' for 'Stairs').
14
The names of the days of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) are derived from:
Answer:
Norse/Germanic Gods
Tiw (Tuesday), Woden (Wednesday), Thor (Thursday), and Frige (Friday) replaced the Roman Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus.
15
Which of these is a 'portmanteau' used in modern technology?
Answer:
Blog (Web log)
'Blog' is a contraction/blend of 'Web' and 'Log'.
16
The terms 'Upper Case' and 'Lower Case' originate from:
Answer:
The physical layout of printing type cases
In the printing press era, capital letters were kept in the upper wooden case and small letters in the lower case.
17
Who proposed the idea of 'Basic English', a simplified subset of 850 words for international communication?
Answer:
C.K. Ogden
Created in the 1930s, Basic English was an attempt to create an easy-to-learn auxiliary language.
18
The word 'girl' in Middle English meant:
Answer:
A young person of either sex
'Girl' originally meant a child; boys were 'knave girls' and girls were 'gay girls'. The meaning narrowed to females later.
19
Which African American vernacular word meaning 'to carry' has disputed origins but likely comes from West African languages (Kikongo or Mande)?
Answer:
Tote
'Tote' (as in tote bag) appeared in the American South and is believed to originate from West African words like 'tota'.
20
The silent 'k' in words like 'knight' and 'knee' was:
Answer:
Pronounced in Old and Middle English
In Old English, the 'k' was fully pronounced (e.g., 'k-nee'). It became silent in the Early Modern period but the spelling remained.