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
The Costa Concordia disaster in 2012 involved a cruise ship hitting rocks off the coast of:
Answer:
Italy
The ship capsized off Isola del Giglio after the captain deviated from the route to perform a 'salute' to the island.
2
Which 2011 earthquake devastated the city of Christchurch?
Answer:
New Zealand
The magnitude 6.3 earthquake caused severe damage in Christchurch and killed 185 people.
3
The 1982 sinking of the Ocean Ranger occurred during a storm. What type of vessel was it?
Answer:
Offshore Drilling Rig
The semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit sank on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, killing the entire crew of 84.
4
The 2015 stampede during the Hajj pilgrimage occurred in:
Answer:
Mina
The stampede occurred at the intersection of streets in Mina, near Mecca, resulting in over 2,000 deaths.
5
Which hurricane struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900 and remains the deadliest natural disaster in US history?
Answer:
The Great Galveston Hurricane
The storm surge inundated the island city, killing between 6,000 and 12,000 people.
6
The 2009 'Black Saturday' bushfires, among the worst in history, occurred in:
Answer:
Victoria, Australia
The Black Saturday bushfires killed 173 people and destroyed over 2,000 homes in the state of Victoria.
7
The 1970 Huascarán avalanche, which buried the town of Yungay, was triggered by:
Answer:
An earthquake
The Ancash earthquake triggered a massive debris avalanche from Mount Huascarán that buried Yungay, killing roughly 20,000 people.
8
In 2010, 33 miners were trapped for 69 days in the San José copper mine in:
Answer:
Chile
The successful rescue of all 33 miners was a globally televised event.
9
The 1959 collapse of the Malpasset Dam occurred in:
Answer:
France
The arch dam collapsed, flooding the town of Fréjus and killing 423 people.
10
Which city was devastated by a massive earthquake in 1908, the deadliest in European history?
Answer:
Messina
The 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami in Sicily/Calabria killed roughly 75,000 to 82,000 people.