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
31
The word 'Utopia' was coined by:
Answer:
Thomas More
Coined in 1516, it is a pun on Greek words meaning 'No Place' (Ou-topos) and 'Good Place' (Eu-topos).
32
Which word did Milton invent for 'Paradise Lost' to describe the capital of Hell?
Answer:
Pandemonium
It literally means 'All Demons' (Pan = All, Daemon = Spirit/Demon).
33
Who deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs using the Rosetta Stone?
Answer:
Jean-François Champollion
In 1822, Champollion realized hieroglyphs could represent sounds (phonograms) as well as concepts, cracking the code.
34
The word 'OK' is believed to be an abbreviation for:
Answer:
Oll Korrect (a comical misspelling of 'All Correct')
Popularized during the 'fad' for comical abbreviations in 1830s Boston, and later boosted by Van Buren's 'Old Kinderhook' campaign.
35
What is the 'Etymologiae'?
Answer:
An encyclopedia compiled by Isidore of Seville in the 7th century
It attempted to record all knowledge of the time, often using fanciful (and incorrect) word origins to explain the nature of things.
36
Who wrote 'The Language Instinct' (1994), popularizing Chomsky's ideas for a general audience?
Answer:
Steven Pinker
Pinker argues that humans are born with an innate capacity for language.
37
Which dictionary was the first to use the word 'Dictionary' in its title (1623)?
Answer:
The English Dictionarie by Henry Cockeram
Before Cockeram, books were called 'Tables', 'Expositors', or 'Glossographies'.
38
The 'Swadesh List' is used in linguistics for:
Answer:
Glottochronology (comparing core vocabulary to date language divergence)
Morris Swadesh created a list of 'culture-free' basic words (e.g., sun, moon, blood, hand) assumed to be stable over time.
39
Who is the author of the best-selling book on punctuation, 'Eats, Shoots & Leaves'?
Answer:
Lynne Truss
The title refers to a joke about a panda, illustrating how a comma can change the meaning of a sentence.
40
Which famous linguist created the sentence 'Colorless green ideas sleep furiously'?
Answer:
Noam Chomsky
He used it to demonstrate that a sentence can be grammatically correct (syntax) but completely meaningless (semantics).