May 2024 Edition
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May 2024 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions
Top national & international current affairs questions for CSS, PMS, FPSC, PPSC, and NTS screening tests.
#341
Who was the Pashtun conqueror who defeated the Mughal Emperor Humayun and established the Sur Empire?
(a) Sher Shah Suri
(b) Sikandar Lodi
(c) Hemul
(d) Bahlul Lodi
Explanation: Sher Shah Suri took control of the Mughal Empire for 15 years and instituted major administrative reforms, including the Grand Trunk Road.
#342
Which Umayyad commander conquered Transoxiana (Central Asia) in the early 8th century?
(a) Qutayba ibn Muslim
(b) Hajjaj ibn Yusuf
(c) Muhammad bin Qasim
(d) Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik
Explanation: Qutayba extended the Caliphate's borders deep into Central Asia, capturing cities like Bukhara and Samarkand.
#343
Who is the current Pope and head of the Catholic Church (as of 2024)?
(a) Benedict XVI
(b) John Paul II
(c) Francis
(d) Paul VI
Explanation: Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) is the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas.
#344
Who wrote the 'Ramcharitmanas', an epic poem retelling the Ramayana in the Awadhi language?
(a) Valmiki
(b) Kabir
(c) Tulsidas
(d) Surdas
Explanation: Tulsidas was a 16th-century saint and poet whose work made the story of Rama accessible to the common people of North India.
#345
Which country won the Copa América in 2021 and 2024?
(a) Brazil
(b) Chile
(c) Argentina
(d) Colombia
Explanation: Argentina (ارجنٹائن), led by Lionel Messi, won the Copa América in 2021 and again in 2024. The 2021 victory was particularly significant as it was Messi's first major international trophy with the national team.
#346
Which Swedish pole vaulter broke the world record multiple times and won Olympic gold in 2021 and 2024?
(a) Renaud Lavillenie
(b) Sergey Bubka
(c) Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis
(d) Sam Kendricks
Explanation: Mondo Duplantis has dominated pole vaulting, breaking the world record repeatedly and winning gold in both Tokyo and Paris.
#347
Which Pakistani javelin thrower set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97m at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
(a) Neeraj Chopra
(b) Arshad Nadeem
(c) Anderson Peters
(d) Johannes Vetter
Explanation: Arshad Nadeem made history for Pakistan by winning the gold medal and setting a new Olympic Record of 92.97m in Paris.
#348
Who holds the record for the most Grand Slam men's singles titles in history (as of late 2024)?
(a) Roger Federer
(b) Rafael Nadal
(c) Novak Djokovic
(d) Pete Sampras
Explanation: Novak Djokovic holds the record for the most Grand Slam men's singles titles with 24 major victories, surpassing Rafael Nadal (22) and Roger Federer (20).
#349
Which player holds the record for the fastest serve recorded in ATP history (as of 2024)?
(a) Andy Roddick
(b) Milos Raonic
(c) John Isner
(d) John Isner (Unofficial) / Sam Groth (Challenger)
Explanation: Sam Groth hit a serve of 263 km/h (163.4 mph) at a Challenger event in 2012. On the main ATP tour, John Isner holds the official record at 253 km/h (157.2 mph).
#350
Who is the Italian player known for his powerful baseline game and rising to the top of the rankings in 2024/2025?
(a) Matteo Berrettini
(b) Lorenzo Musetti
(c) Jannik Sinner
(d) Fabio Fognini
Explanation: Jannik Sinner led Italy to Davis Cup glory and established himself as a top-ranked player, winning his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in 2024.
#351
Which current Belarusian star is known for her powerful groundstrokes and won the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024?
(a) Victoria Azarenka
(b) Aryna Sabalenka
(c) Elena Rybakina
(d) Ons Jabeur
Explanation: Aryna Sabalenka is a top-ranked player known for her aggressive style, successfully defending her Australian Open title in 2024.
#352
Which country won the Davis Cup in 2023 and 2024, led by Jannik Sinner?
(a) Spain
(b) Australia
(c) Canada
(d) Italy
Explanation: Italy, led by world number one Jannik Sinner, experienced a resurgence in team tennis, capturing the Davis Cup title.
#353
The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, one of the largest in the world, is located in:
(a) Seoul
(b) Beijing
(c) Pyongyang
(d) Tokyo
Explanation: The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is located in Pyongyang, North Korea. It is considered one of the largest stadiums in the world by capacity, reportedly holding up to 114,000 (or even 150,000 historically) spectators. It hosts the massive Arirang Festival (Mass Games).
#354
Which tennis player has won the most Grand Slam singles titles (Men) as of 2024?
(a) Roger Federer
(b) Rafael Nadal
(c) Novak Djokovic
(d) Pete Sampras
Explanation: Novak Djokovic holds the record for the most Grand Slam men's singles titles, having surpassed both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. He has won over 24 major titles.
#355
In 2024, Samantha Harvey won the Booker Prize for which novel set on the International Space Station?
(a) Gravity
(b) Orbital
(c) The Heavens
(d) Space
Explanation: Samantha Harvey's 'Orbital' takes place over a single day (16 orbits) aboard the ISS.
#356
Which author won the International Booker Prize in 2024 for the novel 'Kairos'?
(a) Jenny Erpenbeck
(b) Georgi Gospodinov
(c) Han Kang
(d) Olga Tokarczuk
Explanation: Jenny Erpenbeck (and translator Michael Hofmann) won for 'Kairos', a story about a destructive affair in the dying days of East Germany.
#357
Samantha Harvey's 2024 winner 'Orbital' is notable for being one of the _____ winners in history.
(a) Longest
(b) Shortest
(c) Most controversial
(d) First non-fiction
Explanation: At only 136 pages, 'Orbital' is the second-shortest book to win the prize (after 'Offshore').
#358
Which South Korean author won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024?
(a) Han Kang
(b) Bong Joon-ho
(c) Kim Young-ha
(d) Shin Kyung-sook
Explanation: Han Kang, known for 'The Vegetarian', was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2024.
#359
The 'Ramayana' centers on the journey of which prince?
(a) Arjuna
(b) Rama
(c) Krishna
(d) Yudhishthira
Explanation: The Ramayana tells the life of Rama, a legendary prince of the Kosala Kingdom, and his quest to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana.
#360
During a mail merge, you may:
(a) Preview your merged documents
(b) Merge directly to a printer
(c) Merge to a new file
(d) All of the above
Explanation: Mail merge permits all these methods of processing merged documents.