PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

The correct answer is Surah Al Maida.

Surah Al-Ma'idah (Chapter 5) is the specific chapter in the Holy Quran that explicitly details the regulations for ritual purity, including both Wudu (ablution with water) and Tayammum (ablution with clean earth or sand when water is unavailable). Verse 6 of Surah Al-Ma'idah provides these essential instructions for Muslims to maintain ritual cleanliness before prayer and other acts of worship.

• Surah Al Baqarah is the longest Surah and covers many topics, but not the primary source for these specific ablution details.
• Surah Al Imran focuses on faith, battles, and the family of Imran, without detailing Wudu and Tayammum.
• Surah An-Nisa primarily deals with women's rights, inheritance, and family law, not the specifics of ritual ablution.

Thus, Surah Al-Ma'idah is the foundational text for these purification rites.

This question probes the concept of elasticity in material science. In physics, elasticity refers to a material's ability to return to its original shape after deformation, and its resistance to permanent change. A material is considered more elastic if it has a higher Young's modulus, meaning it requires more force to deform it and returns more precisely. Steel is highly elastic because it can withstand significant stress and return to its exact original shape, storing and releasing substantial elastic energy.

• Rubber is flexible but deforms easily and has a lower Young's modulus, not returning as perfectly under high stress.
• Sponge is compressible but not truly elastic in the sense of resisting deformation.
• Glass is brittle and fractures with minimal elastic deformation.

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing more information about how, when, where, or to what extent an action occurs. The question specifically asks for the type of adverb that shows how often something happens. Option A, "Adverb of frequency," is the correct answer. Adverbs of frequency, such as 'always,' 'often,' 'never,' 'sometimes,' and 'rarely,' indicate how frequently an action takes place.

• Option B, "Adverb of place," tells us where an action happens (e.g., here, there, upstairs).
• Option C, "Adverb of degree," indicates the intensity or extent of an action or quality (e.g., very, quite, almost).
• Option D, "Conjunctive adverbs," connect independent clauses and show relationships between them (e.g., however, therefore, moreover).

Understanding the specific function of each adverb type is crucial for correct identification.

The correct answer is 7 Nabvi.

The social boycott of Banu Hashim, the clan of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), was a severe economic and social blockade initiated by the Quraish in Mecca. This oppressive measure began in the 7th year of Nabuwah (Prophethood) and lasted for three arduous years. The Quraish imposed this boycott due to the Banu Hashim's unwavering refusal to abandon the Prophet, causing immense hardship and suffering to the entire clan.

• 5 Nabvi and 6 Nabvi are incorrect years for the commencement of this significant historical event.
• 8 Nabvi would be during the boycott, not its beginning.

The 7th year of Nabuwah marks the start of this pivotal period of persecution and steadfastness for the early Muslim community.

This question focuses on the chemical composition and effects of common beverages. Caffeine is the primary psychoactive stimulant found in tea leaves, as well as in coffee beans and cocoa. It acts as a central nervous system stimulant, temporarily reducing drowsiness and enhancing alertness. While tea contains other beneficial compounds, caffeine is unequivocally responsible for its characteristic stimulating effects and is the most significant stimulant present.

• Brucine is a toxic alkaloid not found in tea.
• Theine is an older, synonymous term for caffeine when found in tea; chemically, it is the same molecule.
• Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid, present in tea but not a stimulant.

Therefore, caffeine is the most accurate and universally recognized answer.

The sentence "The performance of our players was ___ than I had expected" requires a comparative adjective because of the word "than," which signals a comparison. The base adjective is "bad." Its comparative form is "worse," and its superlative form is "worst." Option B, "worse than I had expected," correctly uses the comparative form "worse" followed by "than" to make a grammatically sound comparison between the actual performance and the expectation.

• Option A, "bad as I had expected," uses the positive form "bad" with "as," which is used for equality, not for showing one thing is inferior to another.
• Option C, "worse than expectation," is grammatically incomplete; it should be "worse than expected" or "worse than my expectation."
• Option D, "worst than was expected," incorrectly uses the superlative form "worst" with "than." Superlatives are typically used with "the" and imply the highest or lowest degree among three or more items, not a direct comparison between two.

Correct comparative structure is essential when using "than" to compare two elements.

The correct answer is 5 Hijri.

The Battle of the Trench, also known as the Battle of Ahzab (Confederates), was a pivotal conflict in early Islamic history that occurred in the 5th year of Hijra (migration). A large confederate army, comprising various tribes, besieged Medina. The Muslims, under the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) strategic guidance, dug a defensive trench around the city, preventing the enemy from advancing. This innovative defense led to a prolonged stalemate and the eventual withdrawal of the enemy forces, marking a significant victory for the Muslims.

• 3 Hijri saw the Battle of Uhud.
• 4 Hijri involved minor skirmishes.
• 7 Hijri was the year of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the Battle of Khaybar.

Therefore, 5 Hijri is the accurate year for the Battle of the Trench.

The correct answer is Trojan Horse. A Trojan horse is a type of malware that disguises itself as legitimate software, tricking users into installing it. Once installed, it operates without the user's knowledge or consent, performing malicious actions, which perfectly matches the description.

• Phishing is a social engineering technique used to steal sensitive data, not a type of program that runs on a system.
• A Virus is malware that attaches to legitimate programs and spreads, but the defining characteristic of a Trojan is its deceptive installation.
• Adware primarily displays unwanted advertisements and is often installed with some form of user consent, unlike a Trojan's deceptive nature.

The original sentence, "She will have sung a song," is in the active voice, future perfect tense. To change it to the passive voice, we follow specific rules for this tense. The object of the active sentence ("a song") becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The auxiliary verb structure for future perfect passive is "will have been" followed by the past participle of the main verb ("sung"). The original subject ("she") becomes the object of the preposition "by." Therefore, Option A, "A song will have been sung by her," correctly applies these rules.

• Option B, "A song have been sung by her," is incorrect because it omits "will."
• Option C, "A song will had sung by her," is incorrect because "had" is past perfect, not future perfect passive.
• Option D, "A song has sung by her," is incorrect as it uses present perfect tense.

Mastering the specific auxiliary verb structures for each tense in passive voice is crucial for accurate voice transformation.

The correct answer is 40.

Prophet Younus (Jonah) is famously known for the miraculous event where he was swallowed by a large fish after abandoning his mission. While the Holy Quran does not specify the exact duration, Islamic traditions and interpretations widely state that he remained in the fish's belly for forty days and forty nights. During this extraordinary period, Prophet Younus continuously sought Allah's forgiveness and glorified Him, eventually being cast out onto the shore by divine command.

• The numbers 20, 30, and 50 are not supported by the widely accepted Islamic narratives and scholarly interpretations regarding Prophet Younus's time in the fish.

Thus, the duration of forty days is the commonly accepted period for this miraculous event.

The correct answer is Ctrl + F1. This keyboard shortcut is specifically designed in Microsoft Word and other Office applications to toggle the visibility of the Ribbon interface. Pressing it once hides the Ribbon, providing more screen space, and pressing it again restores it.

• Ctrl + F2 is used to open the Print Preview and Print dialog box in MS Word.
• Cut (Ctrl+X) is a command for removing selected text or objects, not for controlling the display of the Ribbon.
• Ctrl + F11 is typically used for locking fields or inserting a new field in specific contexts, not for the Ribbon display.

The sentence "His health is broken ___ due to hard work" requires a phrasal verb that means to suffer a physical or mental collapse, or to deteriorate significantly. The phrasal verb "break down" fits this meaning perfectly in the context of health. When someone's health "breaks down," it means they become ill or their health fails. Option B, "Down," completes the phrasal verb "broken down," indicating a collapse or failure of health.

• Option A, "Up," in "break up," usually refers to ending a relationship or separating into pieces.
• Option C, "Into," in "break into," means to enter a place by force or to suddenly start doing something.
• Option D, "Out," in "break out," means to escape, to erupt (like a rash), or to start suddenly.

Understanding the specific meanings of phrasal verbs is essential for choosing the correct preposition to convey the intended meaning of health deterioration.

The correct answer is Domain Name System. DNS is a fundamental component of the internet that translates human-readable domain names (like example.com) into numerical IP addresses (like 192.0.2.1) that computers use to identify each other on a network. It acts like a phonebook for the internet.

• Defence Nuclear System is an unrelated term.
• Downloadable New Software is not an established acronym and does not relate to the function of DNS.
• Dependent Name Server is not the correct full form; while DNS involves name servers, 'Domain Name System' is the universally recognized term.

This question assesses the correct use of commas to set off a parenthetical phrase. A parenthetical phrase provides additional, non-essential information and should be enclosed by commas on both sides to ensure grammatical clarity and proper sentence flow.

• Correct Option B: "History, it has been said, is the essence of innumerable biographies." correctly uses commas to isolate "it has been said," which functions as an interrupter. This demonstrates the accurate punctuation for such a phrase.
• Option A: Lacks the closing comma after "said," making the parenthetical phrase incomplete.
• Option C: Omits the opening comma before "it has been said," failing to properly introduce the interrupter.
• Option D: Incorrectly places a comma before "biographies" and also misses the second comma for the parenthetical phrase, disrupting the sentence structure.

The correct answer is Insert. In Microsoft Word, the commands for adding or editing headers and footers are located within the 'Header & Footer' group, which is found under the 'Insert' tab. This tab is dedicated to adding various elements like pages, tables, illustrations, and text into your document.

• The Home tab contains basic editing, formatting, and paragraph tools.
• The View tab controls how the document is displayed on the screen (e.g., Print Layout, Web Layout).
• Header is the feature itself, not the tab or command group where it is located.

This question tests fundamental knowledge of English punctuation, specifically the mark used to conclude a declarative sentence. A declarative sentence is a statement that conveys information, an opinion, or a fact, and it requires a specific terminal punctuation mark.

• Correct Option A: A full stop (or period) is the standard and correct punctuation mark used to end a declarative sentence. This rule is a cornerstone of clear and effective written communication, signaling the completion of a thought.
• Option B: An exclamation point is used for sentences expressing strong emotion or emphasis, not simple declarations.
• Option C: A question mark is reserved for interrogative sentences, which pose a direct question.
• Option D: "None of these" is incorrect because the full stop is indeed the appropriate punctuation.

The correct answer is 39. This is an inverse proportion problem. The total amount of work is constant. If 18 workers finish a job in 26 days, the total work units are 18 workers * 26 days = 468 work units. To finish the same 468 work units in 12 days, we need to find the number of workers (x).

• The equation is x * 12 days = 468 work units.
• Solving for x: x = 468 / 12 = 39 workers.
• Options 36, 30, and 42 are incorrect calculations that do not maintain the constant total work.

This question evaluates knowledge of prominent Urdu poets recognized for their contribution to humorous writing. Understanding the specific genres associated with literary figures is crucial for appreciating Urdu literature.

• Correct Option B: اکبر آلہ آبادی (Akbar Allahabadi) is widely celebrated as a master of humorous and satirical poetry in Urdu. His verses often employed wit, irony, and social commentary, making him a distinguished figure in مزاح نگاری (humor writing). His unique style set a benchmark for satirical verse.
• Option A: پطرس بخاری (Patras Bokhari) was a renowned prose humorist and essayist, not primarily a poet.
• Option C: شفیق الرحمن (Shafiq-ur-Rehman) was a famous humorist and short story writer, primarily in prose.
• Option D: ابن انشا (Ibn-e-Insha) was a versatile poet and humorist, but Akbar Allahabadi is more singularly identified with humorous poetry.

The correct answer is 1/21. To find the next number in the series 1/5, 1/9, 1/13, 1/17, we need to observe the pattern in the denominators while the numerator remains constant at 1. The denominators are 5, 9, 13, 17.

• The difference between consecutive denominators is consistent: 9 - 5 = 4, 13 - 9 = 4, 17 - 13 = 4.
• This indicates an arithmetic progression where each term increases by 4.
• Therefore, the next denominator in the sequence will be 17 + 4 = 21.
• With the numerator remaining 1, the next number in the series is 1/21.

This question pertains to the historical period often referred to as the "Golden Age" of Urdu literature, particularly poetry. Identifying this era is essential for understanding the evolution and development of the Urdu language and its literary traditions.

• Correct Option C: The 18th century is widely recognized as the "عہد زریں" (Golden Age) of Urdu literature. This period witnessed the flourishing of classical Urdu poetry, with legendary poets like Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Sauda making profound contributions that shaped the language and its poetic forms, establishing Urdu's literary prominence.
• Option A: The 16th century was an earlier, formative stage for Urdu, primarily in the Deccan region.
• Option B: The 17th century saw further development, but the zenith of classical poetry and its widespread influence occurred in the 18th century.
• Option D: "ان میں سے کوئی نہیں" (None of these) is incorrect, as the 18th century is indeed the correct period.

The correct answer is 400/d. Amy spends 'd' dollars on groceries weekly. She spends one-fourth of this amount on fruit, meaning she spends (1/4) * d = d/4 dollars on fruit per week. To find out how many weeks (W) it will take to spend $100 on fruit, we set up the equation:

• W * (d/4) = 100
• To solve for W, multiply both sides by 4/d: W = 100 * (4/d) = 400/d weeks.
• Options 25/d, d/100, and d/25 represent incorrect algebraic manipulations or misunderstandings of the problem's setup.

This question tests knowledge of significant biographical works in Urdu literature and their authors. "Hayat-e-Javed" is a landmark biography, and knowing its author is fundamental to understanding Urdu literary history and the Aligarh Movement.

• Correct Option A: مولانا الطاف حسین حالی (Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali) is the esteemed author of "Hayat-e-Javed," a comprehensive and authoritative biography of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. Hali, a close associate and intellectual successor of Sir Syed, meticulously documented his life, vision, and the profound impact of the Aligarh Movement, making this work a cornerstone of Urdu biographical writing.
• Option B: علامہ اقبال (Allama Iqbal) was a celebrated philosopher-poet, not the biographer of Sir Syed.
• Option C: شفیق الرحمن (Shafiq-ur-Rehman) was a humorist and short story writer.
• Option D: ابن انشا (Ibn-e-Insha) was a poet and travelogue writer.

The question asks to identify a tower famous for a specific architectural characteristic. The Pisa Tower, officially the bell tower of the Pisa Cathedral, located in Pisa, Italy, is globally recognized for its distinctive and unintended lean. This tilt began during its construction in the 12th century due to soft ground, making it a unique architectural marvel.

• Capital Gate Tower: Located in Abu Dhabi, it is known for its extreme lean, but it was intentionally designed that way.
• Blackpool Tower: A prominent landmark in Blackpool, England, inspired by the Eiffel Tower, but not known for leaning.
• Kyiv TV Tower: A tall lattice steel tower in Ukraine, not famous for leaning.

The distractors are other notable towers, but only Pisa Tower is famous for its accidental lean.

The national flag of Pakistan is a powerful symbol of its identity, history, and diverse population. Its design incorporates specific colors, each carrying significant meaning.

• The correct answer is Muslim majority. The dark green field, which occupies the majority of the flag's area, unequivocally represents the Muslim majority population of Pakistan. This design choice underscores the nation's Islamic foundation and the aspirations of its founders.
• Option B, Minority, is incorrect because the white vertical stripe on the flag is specifically designated to represent the religious minorities in Pakistan, ensuring their inclusion and protection.
• Option C, Both, is inaccurate as the green field's symbolism is distinct from the white stripe's.
• Option D, None, is false, as the green field clearly holds symbolic value.

Understanding these elements is key to appreciating Pakistan's national ethos.

This question highlights the concept of Geographical Indication (GI) and its application. Pakistan has decided to register Himalayan Pink Salt as a GI. A Geographical Indication is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. Pakistan aims to protect the unique identity and origin of its Himalayan Pink Salt, primarily sourced from the Khewra Salt Mine, to prevent its unauthorized commercial use by other countries.

• India, China, and Iran are not the primary originators of the specific Himalayan Pink Salt that Pakistan is seeking to protect with GI status.
• The initiative to register this specific GI belongs to the country of origin, which is Pakistan.