General Knowledge MCQs for PPSC, FPSC & Competitive Exams (Free PDF)

Correct answer: Diastrophism. Diastrophism is the large-scale deformation of the Earth’s crust, including folding, faulting, and mountain building.

Background: The word comes from the Greek diastrephein, meaning “to twist”.

• Erosion: Erosion is the wearing away of land.
• Weathering: Weathering is the breakdown of rocks in place.
• Deposition: Deposition is the laying down of material.

Did you know? Orogenic movement is the type that builds mountains.

Memory trick: Diastrophism = crust movements.

Correct answer: None of the above. The watershed between the Indus and Ganges systems is the low Delhi–Ambala divide, not a major mountain range.

Background: The divide lies on the plains between Delhi and Ambala.

• Karakoram: The Karakoram is a mountain range that feeds the Indus.
• Hindu Kush: The Hindu Kush is a mountain range in the west.
• Himalaya: The Himalaya is a mountain range that feeds both systems.

Did you know? It is a very gentle ridge compared with the great mountain ranges.

Memory trick: Indus–Ganges divide = low plains ridge.

Correct answer: Long narrow sea inlet bordered by steep cliffs or mountains. A fjord is a long, narrow sea inlet with steep sides, usually carved by a glacier.

Background: Fjords are found in Norway, Chile, and New Zealand.

• Wide river: A wide river is called an estuary or a river.
• Desert: A desert is a dry area.
• Sydney: Sydney is a city.

Did you know? The Geirangerfjord in Norway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Memory trick: Fjord = glacier-carved sea inlet.

Correct answer: Horsts. A horst is a raised block of land left between two faults.

Background: Horsts and grabens form where the Earth’s crust is stretched.

• Graben: A graben is the block that sinks between faults.
• Valley: A valley is a low area between hills.
• Plateau: A plateau is a flat, high land.

Did you know? Together they form block mountains and rift valleys.

Memory trick: Horst = high; Graben = sunk.

Correct answer: Boeing. Boeing built early unmanned fighter-sized aircraft such as the Phantom Ray (2010) and later the Loyal Wingman.

Background: The Phantom Ray was described as the first fighter-sized unmanned jet that did not need a ground pilot.

• Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin builds fighters such as the F-35 but is not credited with this first.
• NASA: NASA is a space agency.
• Airbus: Airbus is mainly a commercial aircraft maker.

Did you know? Boeing’s Loyal Wingman was developed with the Royal Australian Air Force.

Memory trick: Pilotless fighter prototype → Boeing.

Correct answer: Film making. Hollywood is famous for the film (motion picture) industry.

Background: Hollywood studios have produced films since the early 1900s.

• Space station: Hollywood is not known for space stations.
• Nuclear plant: Hollywood is not known for nuclear plants.
• Equipment: “Equipment” is too general and not what Hollywood is known for.

Did you know? The film industry of India is called Bollywood.

Memory trick: Hollywood = films.

Correct answer: Australia. Kangaroos are native to Australia.

Background: The kangaroo appears on Australia’s coat of arms.

• Somalia: Somalia is in Africa.
• Azania: Azania was an old name for parts of southern Africa.
• Brazil: Brazil is in South America.

Did you know? Baby kangaroos are called joeys.

Memory trick: Kangaroo = Australia.

Correct answer: Museum. A museum keeps and displays historical and cultural objects.

Background: The word comes from the Greek mouseion, a place dedicated to the Muses.

• Library: A library keeps books.
• Gallery: A gallery mainly displays art.
• Archive: An archive keeps documents and records.

Did you know? The Lahore Museum is one of Pakistan’s oldest museums.

Memory trick: Museum = history objects.

Correct answer: Damascus. Damascus is the capital of Syria.

Background: Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

• Manama: Manama is the capital of Bahrain.
• Ankara: Ankara is the capital of Turkey.
• Muscat: Muscat is the capital of Oman.

Did you know? Aleppo is Syria’s other major city.

Memory trick: Damascus = Syria.

Correct answer: Track and field exercises. Athletics is also known as track and field, covering running, jumping, and throwing events.

Background: Athletics events include sprints, hurdles, long jump, javelin, and discus.

• Gymnastics: Gymnastics is a different sport.
• Indoor games: Indoor games are not another name for athletics.
• None of these: “None of these” is incorrect because track and field is correct.

Did you know? Athletics is considered the oldest sport at the Olympics.

Memory trick: Athletics = track and field.

Correct answer: Los Angeles. Hollywood is a district of Los Angeles, California.

Background: The famous Hollywood sign overlooks Los Angeles.

• New Jersey: New Jersey is a US state, not the home of Hollywood.
• Paris: Paris is not Hollywood’s location.
• Sparta: Sparta was an ancient Greek city-state.

Did you know? The Oscars are held in Hollywood.

Memory trick: Hollywood = LA.

Correct answer: 15 March. The UN General Assembly proclaimed 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia (resolution of 2022).

Background: The date marks the anniversary of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand.

• 8 March: 8 March is International Women’s Day.
• 31 May: 31 May is World No Tobacco Day.
• 10 December: 10 December is Human Rights Day.

Did you know? Pakistan led the push for the resolution at the UN.

Memory trick: 15 March = Christchurch anniversary.

Correct answer: New York. The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.

Background: It was a gift from France to the United States, dedicated in 1886.

• Paris: Paris has a smaller replica of the statue.
• Washington: Washington is the capital of the US but not the statue’s location.
• London: London does not have the Statue of Liberty.

Did you know? It was designed by Frédéric Bartholdi.

Memory trick: Liberty → New York.

Correct answer: 8. SAARC has eight members: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Background: SAARC was founded in Dhaka in 1985 by seven countries, and Afghanistan joined in 2007.

• 6: Six is fewer than the actual number.
• 7: Seven was the number of founding members before Afghanistan joined.
• 10: Ten is more than the actual number.

Did you know? The SAARC Secretariat is in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Memory trick: 7 founders + Afghanistan = 8.

Correct answer: 10. The SCO has 10 members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus.

Background: Iran became a member in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

• 8: Eight was the number before Iran joined.
• 9: Nine was the number after Iran joined in 2023 and before Belarus joined in 2024.
• 12: Twelve is more than the actual number.

Did you know? The SCO was founded in 2001 in Shanghai, and Pakistan and India joined together in 2017.

Memory trick: 8 → 9 (Iran) → 10 (Belarus).

Correct answer: League of Nations. The League of Nations drafted the 1937 Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Terrorism, which contained an early definition.

Background: The convention was a response to the assassination of King Alexander of Yugoslavia in 1934.

• UNO: The UNO was founded in 1945.
• OIC: The OIC was founded in 1969.
• NATO: NATO was founded in 1949.

Did you know? The convention never came into force.

Memory trick: 1937 → League of Nations.

Correct answer: 6. A standard polo match is played in six periods called chukkers.

Background: Each chukker is about seven minutes long.

• 4: Four chukkers are played in some lower-level matches but not the standard game.
• 5: Five is not the standard number of chukkers.
• 11: Eleven is the number of players in hockey and football.

Did you know? Polo is called the “Game of Kings”, and the Shandur Polo Festival in Pakistan is world famous.

Memory trick: Polo = 6 chukkers.

Correct answer: 1928. Women first took part in Olympic gymnastics at the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.

Background: The 1928 Games were also the first in which women competed in track and field.

• 1924: Women did not compete in gymnastics in 1924.
• 1960: 1960 is not the first year.
• 1968: 1968 is not the first year.

Did you know? The first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896, with men only.

Memory trick: 1928: women enter gymnastics and athletics.