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
81
Who was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe?
Answer:
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake completed his circumnavigation in 1580 aboard the Golden Hind, claiming California for England along the way.
82
Who was the Scottish missionary and explorer known for his travels in Africa and the discovery of Victoria Falls?
Answer:
David Livingstone
Livingstone was a crusader against the slave trade and the first European to see the Victoria Falls, which he named after his monarch.
83
Which Portuguese explorer was the first to sail around the southern tip of Africa (Cape of Good Hope)?
Answer:
Bartolomeu Dias
Dias's voyage in 1488 proved that the Atlantic and Indian Oceans were connected, opening a sea route to Asia.
84
Who led the 'Corps of Discovery' expedition to explore the western portion of the United States?
Answer:
Lewis and Clark
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored the Louisiana Purchase territory from 1804 to 1806, reaching the Pacific Ocean.
85
Which explorer's name was given to the continents of North and South America?
Answer:
Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci demonstrated that Brazil and the West Indies were not Asia's eastern outskirts but a separate landmass, which led mapmakers to name the continents after him.
86
Who were the first men to confirm reaching the summit of Mount Everest?
Answer:
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of the world's highest mountain on May 29, 1953.
87
Which Norse explorer is believed to have been the first European to set foot on continental North America, centuries before Columbus?
Answer:
Leif Erikson
Leif Erikson established a Norse settlement at Vinland (modern-day Newfoundland) around 1000 AD.
88
Who was the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean and confirm that the Americas were a separate continent?
Answer:
Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama in 1513 and became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the New World.
89
Which Chinese admiral led seven massive naval expeditions to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, and East Africa in the 15th century?
Answer:
Zheng He
Zheng He commanded the Treasure Fleet, the largest wooden ships ever built, demonstrating the power of the Ming Dynasty.
90
Who was the British explorer who mapped much of the Pacific, including New Zealand and the east coast of Australia?
Answer:
James Cook
Captain James Cook made three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, achieving the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands.