PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

اردو ادب میں مولوی نذیر احمد کو اردو کا پہلا ناول نگار تسلیم کیا جاتا ہے۔ انہوں نے 1869 میں اپنا پہلا ناول "مراۃ العروس" لکھا، جسے اردو کا پہلا مکمل ناول مانا جاتا ہے۔ ان کے ناولوں کا مقصد معاشرتی اصلاح اور اخلاقی تعلیم دینا تھا۔

• مرزا اسد اللہ خان غالب (A) اردو کے عظیم شاعر تھے، لیکن وہ ناول نگار نہیں تھے۔ ان کا کمال شاعری اور خطوط نگاری میں تھا۔
• میر تقی میر (B) اردو کے کلاسیکی شاعروں میں سے ہیں اور انہیں 'خدائے سخن' کہا جاتا ہے، لیکن وہ ناول نگاری کے دور سے بہت پہلے گزرے تھے۔
• ان میں سے کوئی نہیں (D) غلط ہے کیونکہ مولوی نذیر احمد ہی درست جواب ہیں۔

The Hajar-e-Aswad (Black Stone) is a sacred stone located in the Kaaba in Mecca. It is positioned in the southeastern corner of the Kaaba. Therefore, its direction is towards the East. Pilgrims begin their circumambulation (Tawaf) of the Kaaba by facing the Hajar-e-Aswad and making an intention.

• West (B), North (C), and South (D) are incorrect directions. The Hajar-e-Aswad is specifically embedded in the eastern wall of the Kaaba, making East the accurate directional reference. Understanding its precise location is fundamental for performing the rituals of Hajj and Umrah correctly.

The book Nahjul Balagha is a renowned collection of sermons, letters, and narrations attributed to Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA), the fourth Caliph of Islam and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It was compiled by Sharif Razi in the 10th century and is highly revered for its eloquence and profound wisdom.

• Kashf al-Mahjub (B) was written by Ali Hujwiri (Data Ganj Bakhsh), a famous Sufi saint.
• Kitab al-Athar (C) is a collection of Hadith attributed to Imam Abu Hanifa.
• Raheeq Al Makhtoom (D) (The Sealed Nectar) is a comprehensive biography of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri.

The Battle of Trench, also known as Ghazwat al-Khandaq or the Battle of the Confederates, was a pivotal defensive engagement in early Islamic history. This significant event occurred in the 5th year of the Hijrah calendar. During this battle, a large coalition of pagan Arab tribes and Jewish tribes besieged the city of Medina. The Muslims, under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), successfully defended Medina by digging a massive trench around the vulnerable parts of the city, a strategy suggested by Salman the Persian. This innovative defense thwarted the attackers.

Option A, 3 Hijri, is incorrect as the Battle of Uhud took place then. Option B, 4 Hijri, saw other skirmishes but not the Battle of Trench. Option D, 7 Hijri, is incorrect as the Battle of Khaybar occurred in that year. Thus, 5 Hijri is the accurate historical date for the Battle of Trench.

The 9th year of Hijrah is famously known as the Year of Deputations (Aam al-Wufood). During this significant period, numerous delegations from various tribes across the Arabian Peninsula traveled to Madinah to declare their acceptance of Islam and pledge allegiance to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This marked a widespread conversion to Islam and the consolidation of the nascent Islamic state.

• 8 Hijrah (A) was the year of the Conquest of Makkah.
• 10 Hijrah (C) was the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada'), which was the Prophet's last Hajj.
• 11 Hijrah (D) was the year of the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) demise.

Analogies test the ability to identify the relationship between a given pair of words and then find another pair that shares the same relationship. The relationship between "Top" and "Bottom" is that they are direct antonyms, meaning they are opposite in meaning. "Top" signifies the highest point, while "Bottom" signifies the lowest.

Following this antonymous relationship, "Knowledge" and "Ignorance" are also direct opposites. "Knowledge" refers to facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education, whereas "Ignorance" denotes a lack of knowledge or information. Therefore, this pair perfectly mirrors the relationship of the original words. Options A (School: College) shows a sequential or related institutional relationship, and C (Patient: Hospital) shows a person-to-place relationship, neither of which are antonyms.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) began sending letters to various kings and rulers, inviting them to Islam, in the 6th year of Hijrah (6 AH). This pivotal initiative occurred shortly after the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which brought a temporary truce with the Makkans. This period of peace allowed the Prophet (PBUH) to expand the message of Islam beyond the immediate Arabian Peninsula.

• 5 AH (A) was the year of the Battle of the Trench (Khandaq), a defensive battle.
• 8 AH (C) was the year of the Conquest of Makkah, a major turning point.
• ان میں سے کوئی نہیں (D) is incorrect as 6 AH is the historically accurate year for this significant diplomatic outreach.

Punctuation marks are symbols used in written language to separate sentences and clauses, clarify meaning, and indicate pauses or emphasis. Understanding their function is crucial for clear communication. A hashtag (#) is primarily used on social media platforms to categorize content and facilitate searches by marking keywords or topics. While it is a symbol, it does not serve the grammatical function of separating or clarifying sentence structure in traditional writing.

In contrast, a hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used to join words or parts of words. A comma (,) is used to separate clauses, items in a list, and introduce pauses. An exclamation mark (!) is used to indicate strong feelings or emphasis. All three are standard punctuation marks with specific grammatical roles, unlike the hashtag.

Prepositions are words that link a noun or pronoun to other words in a sentence, indicating relationships like direction, time, place, or purpose. The correct choice of preposition often depends on the verb and the context. When someone is vaccinated, the primary purpose is to protect them against a specific disease. The preposition "against" correctly conveys this protective action, meaning to prevent or combat the disease.

Therefore, "vaccinated against polio" is the grammatically correct and most logical phrasing. Using "for" would imply vaccination on behalf of polio, which is nonsensical. "By" would typically indicate the agent performing the vaccination (e.g., "vaccinated by the nurse"). "With" might imply the substance used (e.g., "vaccinated with a new serum"), but not the disease itself. Hence, "against" is the most appropriate preposition.

General Zia ul Haq tragically died in a plane crash on August 17, 1988. According to the Pakistani constitution, in the event of the President's death, the Chairman of the Senate assumes the office of President. The correct answer is Ghulam Ishaq Khan. At the time of Zia's death, Ghulam Ishaq Khan was serving as the Chairman of the Senate, and thus constitutionally stepped in as the acting President of Pakistan. He subsequently oversaw the general elections later that year.

• Muhammad Khan Junejo was the Prime Minister under Zia ul Haq but had been dismissed earlier in 1988.
• Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari became President much later, in 1993.

The smallest continent in the world by both land area and population is Australia. It is unique in that it is a continent, a country, and a large island all in one. Its landmass is significantly smaller compared to the other six continents, making it distinct in its geographical scale.

• Asia is incorrect; it is the largest continent in the world, covering approximately 30% of Earth's land area.
• Europe is incorrect; while it is the second smallest continent, it is still larger than Australia in terms of landmass.
• North America is incorrect; it is the third largest continent, considerably larger than Australia.

The shortcut key Ctrl+F2 is widely used in many applications, including Microsoft Word, to access the Print Preview function. This feature allows users to visualize exactly how a document will appear when printed, enabling them to check for formatting issues, page breaks, and overall layout before committing to printing. This helps save paper and ink by identifying errors beforehand.

• Ctrl+F2 is the correct shortcut for Print Preview.
• Ctrl+F3 is often associated with the 'Spike' feature in Word, which allows cutting multiple items to paste them as a group.
• Ctrl+F9 is used to insert an empty field code in Word, which is a placeholder for dynamic content.
• Ctrl+F10 is typically used to maximize or restore a window in many Windows applications, not for print preview.

Understanding these shortcuts enhances efficiency in document preparation.

The Kashmir dispute emerged immediately after the partition of British India in 1947, leading to the First Indo-Pakistani War. The correct answer is 1948. India formally took the Kashmir dispute to the United Nations Security Council on January 1, 1948. India sought the UN's intervention to resolve the conflict with Pakistan over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which had become a flashpoint between the newly independent nations.

• 1947 was the year of partition and the beginning of the conflict, but the formal appeal to the UN occurred the following year.
• 1955 and 1973 are incorrect as they represent later periods in the dispute's history or other significant events, not the initial UN appeal.

The second highest mountain in the world is K2, also known as Mount Godwin Austen, standing at an elevation of 8,611 meters (28,251 feet). K2 is located in the Karakoram mountain range, specifically on the border between Pakistan and China. However, its most accessible and frequently used routes, including the primary base camps for climbers, are situated within Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region, making Pakistan the most appropriate answer for its location.

• India is incorrect; while it has high peaks, K2 is not primarily located within its borders.
• Nepal is incorrect; it is home to Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, but not K2.
• China is partially correct as K2 is on its border with Pakistan, but Pakistan is often cited as the country where it is predominantly located or accessed.

In Microsoft PowerPoint, the F5 key is the standard and most direct shortcut to initiate a slideshow. When pressed, it starts the presentation from the very first slide, allowing the presenter to begin their delivery immediately. This function is crucial for presenting content to an audience in a full-screen, dynamic format.

• F5 is the correct key to start a slideshow from the beginning.
• F6 is generally used to move between panes in a program window, such as cycling through the ribbon, document, and status bar in Word, and does not control slideshows.
• F8 is commonly associated with booting Windows into Safe Mode or extending a selection in Word, and has no function for starting a PowerPoint slideshow.
• Therefore, 'None of these' is incorrect as F5 is the designated key.

Knowing this shortcut is fundamental for efficient PowerPoint usage.

The tragic attack in 2021 on a school in Afghanistan specifically targeted Sayed Ul-Shuhada High School in Kabul. This devastating bombing occurred in May 2021, primarily affecting female students leaving the school, resulting in numerous casualties and injuries. The incident drew widespread international condemnation, highlighting the ongoing violence and insecurity in the region.

Regarding the incorrect options:

• Afghan Yaar High School, Abdul Hadi Dawi High School, and Amani High School are not associated with this particular 2021 bombing incident. While they may be educational institutions in Afghanistan, they were not the specific target of the attack referenced in the question. The Sayed Ul-Shuhada High School attack remains a significant and tragic event from that year.

China is currently the largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas in the world. This status is primarily due to its vast industrial output, large population, and significant reliance on coal as a primary energy source. Rapid economic growth and urbanization over recent decades have propelled China to the forefront of global CO2 emissions.

• India is incorrect; while it is a major emitter and its emissions are rising, it ranks below China and the USA in total CO2 emissions.
• USA is incorrect; historically a top emitter, the USA has been surpassed by China, though it remains one of the largest contributors globally.
• Russia is incorrect; it is a significant emitter, but its total CO2 emissions are considerably lower than those of China and the USA.

To access powerful centralized computing systems like mainframes or supercomputers, users typically interact through a terminal. A terminal acts as an input/output device or software application that connects to the main computer, allowing users to send commands and receive data. It provides the interface for remote interaction without requiring the user to be physically present at the mainframe itself.

• A Terminal is the correct answer, serving as the interface for remote access.
• A Node refers to any device connected to a network, but it's not the specific user interface for accessing a mainframe.
• A Desktop computer is a personal computer, which might run terminal emulation software, but it is not the terminal itself in the context of direct access.
• A Handheld device, like a smartphone, is generally not used for direct, robust interaction with mainframes due to its limited capabilities compared to a dedicated terminal or desktop running emulation.

Terminals are essential for distributed computing environments.

The First Battle of Panipat, fought in 1526, was a pivotal moment in Indian history, marking the end of the Delhi Sultanate and the beginning of the Mughal Empire. Ibrahim Lodhi, the last ruler of the Lodhi dynasty, was decisively defeated by Babar (Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babar), the founder of the Mughal Empire. Babar's superior military tactics, including the use of gunpowder artillery, played a crucial role in his victory.

The other options are incorrect:

• Akbar and Jahangir were later Mughal emperors, Babar's grandson and great-grandson, respectively.
• Iltutmish was a prominent ruler of the Mamluk (Slave) dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, reigning much earlier in the 13th century.

The region in the ocean where there is a rapid increase in density with increasing depth is called the pycnocline. This layer is crucial for ocean stratification, as it acts as a barrier to vertical mixing. The density changes within the pycnocline are primarily driven by variations in temperature (forming a thermocline) and/or salinity (forming a halocline).

• Pressure is incorrect; while pressure increases with depth, it is not the term for the region of rapidly increasing density.
• Phytoplankton is incorrect; these are microscopic marine plants, not a specific layer defined by density changes.
• Salinity is incorrect; while salinity is a factor that influences water density, it is not the name of the specific region of rapid density change itself.

In Microsoft PowerPoint, the Outline View is specifically designed to display only the textual content of your presentation. This view presents the titles and main bullet points of each slide in a hierarchical, outline format, without showing any graphics, images, or design elements. It is an invaluable tool for organizing thoughts, structuring the flow of your presentation, and editing text efficiently.

• Outline View is the correct answer, focusing purely on text content.
• Slide Sorter View displays miniature versions of all slides, primarily for reordering and organizing, not for text editing.
• Notes Page View shows one slide at a time along with its associated speaker notes, including visual elements.
• Slide Show is the full-screen presentation mode, used for delivery, not for editing or viewing text outlines.

Outline View helps ensure logical content progression.

Dars-e-Nizami is a famous Islamic curriculum developed by Mulla Nizamuddin Sihalvi of Farangi Mahal, Lucknow. Although the curriculum was formally organized in the early 18th century after the death of Emperor Aurangzeb, its origins are closely associated with his reign because Aurangzeb patronized Islamic education and granted the Farangi Mahal to the Sihalvi family.

For this reason, many competitive examinations and GK books consider "Aurangzeb" as the expected answer, even though the curriculum was finalized shortly after his reign.

Correct Answer (Exam Perspective): Aurangzeb

Vestigial organs are structures in organisms that have lost most or all of their original function through evolution, serving as remnants of ancestral traits. The question asks which option is NOT a vestigial organ.

The correct answer is Eyelids. Eyelids are fully functional and essential for protecting the eye from foreign objects, keeping it moist, and regulating light exposure. They play a vital role in maintaining eye health and vision, thus they are not vestigial.

Conversely, the other options are considered vestigial: Wisdom Teeth (A) often cause problems due to lack of space and reduced chewing function in modern diets. The Pinna (B), or external ear, has minimal functional significance in humans compared to many animals. The Vermiform Appendix (D) is a small, finger-shaped pouch whose primary function in humans is largely lost or debated, and it can be removed without significant adverse effects.

This question is a straightforward assessment of understanding passing criteria. The student scored 80% in English and 85% in Math. The passing percentage for each subject is stated as 75%. Since both scores (80% and 85%) are individually higher than the required 75% passing mark, the student has successfully passed both subjects.

• The student scored 80% in English, which is greater than 75%.
• The student scored 85% in Math, which is also greater than 75%.
• Since the student passed both subjects, there is no failure.
• Therefore, the percentage of failure is 0%.

The other options (6%, 7%, 8%) would imply some form of failure or miscalculation, which is not the case here. The question does not suggest an average passing score or any other complex criteria.

The question asks for the real name of a renowned Sufi saint. Usman Marwandi is the birth name of the revered Sufi saint and philosopher, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. Born in Marwand, Afghanistan, he later settled in Sehwan Sharif, Sindh (present-day Pakistan), where his shrine attracts millions of devotees annually. He was a prominent figure of the Suhrawardiyya order.

The other options are incorrect:

• Bulleh Shah was a Punjabi Sufi poet whose real name was Abdullah Shah.
• Ali Hajveri is famously known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, and his full name was Abul Hasan Ali Hujwiri.