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
1
Which US President received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, shortly after taking office?
Answer:
Barack Obama
Barack Obama was awarded the prize in 2009 for his 'extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples'.
2
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the discovery of:
Answer:
microRNA and its role in gene regulation
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won for the discovery of microRNA, a fundamental principle governing how gene activity is regulated.
3
Who was the Vietnamese leader who refused the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize (shared with Henry Kissinger)?
Answer:
Le Duc Tho
Le Duc Tho refused the prize because peace had not yet been established in Vietnam.
4
The Nobel Prize consists of a gold medal, a diploma, and:
Answer:
A cash award
Laureates receive a cash award (amount varies by year, currently around 11 million SEK) per full prize.
5
In 2016, which musician was surprisingly awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature?
Answer:
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan won 'for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition'.
6
Who is the oldest person to ever receive a Nobel Prize (at age 97)?
Answer:
John B. Goodenough
John B. Goodenough was 97 when he received the Chemistry prize in 2019 for the development of lithium-ion batteries.
7
Which discipline does NOT have a Nobel Prize, leading to the 'Abel Prize' or 'Fields Medal' being considered its equivalent?
Answer:
Mathematics
There is no Nobel Prize in Mathematics. The Fields Medal and Abel Prize are often considered the highest honors in math.
8
Who was the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1913)?
Answer:
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore (India) won the prize in 1913, largely for his collection 'Gitanjali'. He was the first non-European literature laureate.
9
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for work on:
Answer:
Computational protein design and structure prediction
It was awarded to David Baker (protein design) and the Google DeepMind team (Hassabis/Jumper) for protein structure prediction (AlphaFold).
10
Posthumous awards (awarding a prize to someone who has died) are generally not allowed, unless:
Answer:
The person died after the announcement but before the ceremony.
Since 1974, the statutes stipulate that a prize cannot be awarded posthumously, unless death has occurred after the announcement.