PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

Radioactivity is the correct answer. Marie Curie, a pioneering physicist and chemist, is renowned for her groundbreaking research on radioactivity. She, along with her husband Pierre Curie, discovered the elements polonium and radium, significantly advancing the understanding of atomic structure and nuclear physics. Her work laid the foundation for many subsequent developments in science and medicine.

• Electricity (A) is a field primarily associated with scientists like Michael Faraday and Thomas Edison.
• Thermodynamics (C) is the branch of physics concerned with heat and its relation to other forms of energy.
• Genetics (D) is the study of heredity and genes, pioneered by Gregor Mendel.

These fields are distinct from Curie's primary contributions.

The correct indirect narration is Diana exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

• The interjection 'Hurrah!' expresses joy, so 'exclaimed with joy' accurately conveys the emotion.
• In indirect speech, the present perfect tense ('have won') typically changes to the past perfect tense ('had won').

Let's analyze the distractors:

• (A) 'Diana said with joy that they have won the match.' is incorrect because the tense 'have won' should change to 'had won'.
• (B) 'Diana exclaimed with sorrow that they had won the match.' is incorrect because 'sorrow' contradicts the joyful 'Hurrah!'.
• (C) 'Diana said that they had won the match.' is incorrect because it omits the expression of joy, which is an essential part of the original sentence's meaning.

The correct indirect narration is She said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

• This sentence expresses a universal truth or a scientific fact. A fundamental rule of indirect speech states that if the direct speech contains a universal truth, a scientific fact, or a habitual action, the tense of the verb in the reported speech does not change, regardless of the tense of the reporting verb.

Let's analyze the distractors:

• (A) 'She said that the Earth revolved around the Sun.' is incorrect because it changes the tense from present simple to past simple, implying it might no longer be true.
• (B) 'She said that the Earth had revolved around the Sun.' is incorrect as it uses the past perfect tense, which is inappropriate for a universal truth.
• (D) 'She said that the Earth is revolving around the Sun.' is incorrect as it changes the tense to present continuous, altering the meaning from a constant truth to an ongoing action.

Capital budgeting is a crucial financial decision-making process businesses use to evaluate potential major projects or investments. These investments typically involve significant expenditures on long-term assets, such as new machinery, equipment, buildings, or research and development projects, with the expectation of generating future returns over an extended period. It focuses on strategic, long-term growth.

• Short-term assets: Short-term assets (like inventory or cash) are managed through working capital management, not capital budgeting.
• Both long-term and short-term assets: While a business manages both, capital budgeting specifically focuses on long-term investment decisions.
• Fixed assets: Fixed assets are a type of long-term asset, but "long-term assets" is a broader and more accurate term for the scope of capital budgeting, which can also include intangible long-term investments.

Dividends are distributions of a company's earnings to its shareholders. While some companies might pay dividends quarterly or semi-annually, the most common and foundational frequency for dividend payments, especially for many established companies, is annually. The decision to pay dividends and their frequency is determined by the company's board of directors based on profitability and financial health, with yearly being a standard practice.

• Monthly: Monthly dividends are very rare and typically only seen in specific investment vehicles like REITs or certain funds, not standard corporate practice.
• Quarterly: Quarterly dividends are common, but "yearly" represents the most fundamental and widely applicable frequency for many companies.
• Semi-annually: Semi-annual dividends are also paid by some companies, but again, "yearly" is a more encompassing and common answer for the general concept.

Shaista Ikramullah was a highly influential and multifaceted personality in Pakistan's history. She was indeed a politician, serving as a member of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan and playing a role in drafting the country's constitution. Beyond politics, she was a prolific author, penning several books and articles that offered insights into women's rights and social issues. Furthermore, her career as a diplomat saw her representing Pakistan at various international forums, including the United Nations. Therefore, all the listed roles accurately describe her significant contributions, making 'All of these' the correct answer.

The official theme for World Environment Day changes annually to focus global attention on specific environmental challenges. For 2025, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has designated 'Putting an End to Plastic Pollution' as the theme. This choice underscores the urgent need for global action to combat the pervasive issue of plastic waste and its devastating impact on ecosystems and human health. Other options like 'Ecosystem Restoration' was the theme for 2021, and 'Only One Earth' for 2022, while 'Solutions to Biodiversity Loss' is a broad environmental goal, not the specific 2025 theme.

Pakistan is geographically located in South Asia. This region is a distinct geographical and cultural area of the Asian continent, bordered by the Himalayas to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south. Countries typically considered part of South Asia include India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan, alongside Pakistan. The Middle East, Central Asia, and East Asia are separate geographical regions with different cultural, historical, and political contexts, making them incorrect classifications for Pakistan's location.

The Ganges River, a sacred waterway in India, is notoriously one of the most severely polluted rivers globally. It faces immense environmental challenges due to the discharge of untreated sewage, industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and religious offerings. This extreme pollution poses significant health risks to millions of people who rely on the river for drinking, bathing, and irrigation, and causes extensive ecological damage. While other major rivers like the Amazon, Nile, and Thames also face environmental concerns, the Ganges stands out for the sheer scale and severity of its contamination and its profound impact on human and ecological well-being.

The Potala Palace is a majestic fortress-like structure located in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It served as the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It symbolizes Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the region's history and culture, making it a significant landmark.

• Kathmandu, Nepal: Kathmandu is Nepal's capital, known for its historical sites, but not the Potala Palace.
• Thimphu, Bhutan: Thimphu is Bhutan's capital, recognized for its unique culture and monasteries, but the Potala Palace is not located there.
• New Delhi, India: New Delhi is India's capital, rich in historical monuments, but the Potala Palace is distinctly Tibetan.