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
21
The word 'cajun' is a corrupted pronunciation of which word?
Answer:
Acadian
Cajuns are descendants of French Acadians expelled from Canada; 'Acadian' shortened to 'Cadian' and then 'Cajun'.
22
The letter 'Z' is pronounced 'Zed' in British English but 'Zee' in American English. The 'Zee' pronunciation comes from:
Answer:
A 17th-century southern English dialect
Both 'Zed' and 'Zee' existed in England; 'Zee' was brought to America and survived there, while 'Zed' became standard in Britain.
23
Words like 'tycoon', 'tsunami', and 'karaoke' are loans from:
Answer:
Japanese
These words entered English through trade and cultural exchange with Japan in the 19th and 20th centuries.
24
Which variety of English is spoken in Singapore and blends English with Malay, Hokkien, and Tamil syntax?
Answer:
Singlish
Singlish is the colloquial English-based creole spoken in Singapore.
25
The 'Hundred Years War' against France helped English because:
Answer:
It created a sense of English nationalism and hostility toward the French language.
As England fought France, speaking French became viewed as unpatriotic, accelerating the return of English as the national language.
26
Spanish settlers in America contributed words related to ranching, such as:
Answer:
Canyon, mustang, ranch
Spanish contact in the American West introduced cowboy and geographical terminology.
27
What is the term for words like 'edit' (from 'editor') or 'burgle' (from 'burglar')?
Answer:
Back-formations
Back-formation occurs when a word is shortened to create a new form, usually assuming the longer word was derived from the shorter one.
28
Which of these is a 'false friend' (cognate with different meaning) between English and German?
Answer:
Gift (poison) / Gift (present)
In German, 'Gift' means poison, whereas in English it means a present. They share a root (something given) but diverged.
29
The grammatical rule 'never split an infinitive' (e.g., 'to boldly go') was based on:
Answer:
Latin grammar
In Latin, infinitives are single words and cannot be split. 18th-century prescriptivists artificially applied this rule to English.
30
Which author is famous for creating 'portmanteau' words (blending two words) like 'chortle' and 'galumph'?
Answer:
Lewis Carroll
In 'Through the Looking-Glass', Carroll (via Humpty Dumpty) explains how words like 'slithy' are a blend of 'lithe' and 'slimy'.