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
21
The word 'Bedlam' (meaning chaos) is a corruption of:
Answer:
Bethlehem (Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem)
It was a famous asylum in London; the pronunciation of 'Bethlehem' shortened to 'Bedlam'.
22
Who created the artificial language 'Esperanto'?
Answer:
L.L. Zamenhof
Zamenhof hoped a universal second language would foster world peace.
23
The word 'Salary' is derived from the Latin word for:
Answer:
Salt (Sal)
Roman soldiers were reportedly paid an allowance to buy salt, known as 'salarium'.
24
What is the origin of the word 'Disaster'?
Answer:
Bad star (Greek/Latin)
From 'Dis-' (bad) and 'Astrum' (star), reflecting the astrological belief that stars controlled fate.
25
The 'Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English' is known for using:
Answer:
A Defining Vocabulary (usually 2000-3000 words)
This ensures that the definitions are simpler than the words being defined, aiding learners.
26
Who coined the word 'Scientist' in 1833?
Answer:
William Whewell
Before this, scientists were typically called 'natural philosophers' or 'men of science'.
27
The word 'Ampersand' (&) comes from the phrase:
Answer:
And per se and
Schoolchildren reciting the alphabet would say 'X, Y, Z, and per se and' (meaning: the symbol & by itself stands for 'and').
28
What is a 'Hapax Legomenon'?
Answer:
A word that appears only once in a corpus or text (e.g., the Bible)
These are often difficult for lexicographers to define because there is only one context clue available.
29
The 'Bernstein Hypothesis' in sociolinguistics distinguishes between:
Answer:
Restricted Code and Elaborated Code
Basil Bernstein suggested that social class influences language style, with 'restricted code' relying more on shared context.
30
Noah Webster's 'Blue-backed Speller' was:
Answer:
The most popular American textbook of the 19th century, teaching millions to read
It standardized American spelling and pronunciation for generations of schoolchildren.