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
51
In linguistics, 'Morphology' is the study of:
Answer:
The internal structure of words
Morphology looks at how words are formed from morphemes (roots, prefixes, suffixes).
52
Grimm's Law is a famous sound law describing the shift from:
Answer:
Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic
Jacob Grimm described how stops shifted (e.g., PIE 'p' became Germanic 'f', hence Latin 'pater' vs English 'father').
53
What is 'Aphasia'?
Answer:
An impairment of language ability caused by brain damage
Aphasia can affect speaking, listening, reading, and writing, often resulting from a stroke or head injury.
54
What is a 'Homophone'?
Answer:
A word that sounds the same as another but has a different meaning and spelling
Examples: 'See' vs 'Sea', 'Two' vs 'Too' vs 'To', 'Knight' vs 'Night'.
55
Semantics is the branch of linguistics concerned with:
Answer:
Meaning
Semantics studies the literal meaning of words, phrases, and sentences.
56
A 'Bound Morpheme' is one that:
Answer:
Cannot stand alone and must be attached to another morpheme (e.g., '-ness')
Prefixes (un-, re-) and suffixes (-ed, -ing, -s) are bound morphemes.
57
The 'Great Vowel Shift' was a major change in the pronunciation of:
Answer:
English
Occurring roughly between 1400 and 1700, this shift radically changed how long vowels were pronounced in English, separating spelling from sound.
58
What is a 'Lingua Franca'?
Answer:
A bridge language used between people who do not share a native language
English is the current global lingua franca; historically, languages like Greek, Latin, and Swahili have served this role.
59
Ferdinand de Saussure distinguished between 'Langue' and 'Parole'. 'Langue' refers to:
Answer:
The abstract systematic rules and conventions of a signifying system
'Langue' is the underlying system (the rules of chess), while 'Parole' is the actual speech produced by individuals (the moves made in a game).
60
What is 'Euphemism'?
Answer:
A mild or indirect word substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt
Examples include 'passed away' instead of 'died' or 'let go' instead of 'fired'.