PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

The question asks for a word describing a person unable to read or write. Understanding prefixes is key here.

• Illiterate is the correct answer. The prefix 'il-' means 'not', so 'illiterate' means 'not literate', or unable to read and write.
• Illegible (A) refers to writing that cannot be read due to poor handwriting, not the person's ability.
• Legible (B) means clear enough to be read.
• Literate (C) means able to read and write, which is the opposite of what the question describes.

Therefore, 'illiterate' accurately describes a person who cannot read or write.

To solve this age problem, we first calculate the total age of the family three years ago. With 5 members and an average age of 17, their total age was 5 * 17 = 85 years.

Presently, these 5 members would have aged 3 years each, so their current total age is 85 + (5 * 3) = 100 years.

A baby is born, making the family size 6 members. The average age remains 17 years. Thus, the current total age of the 6 members is 6 * 17 = 102 years.

The present age of the baby is the difference between the total age of 6 members and the total age of the original 5 members: 102 - 100 = 2 years. Therefore, option 'A' is correct.

Distractors 'B', 'C', and 'D' result from incorrect calculations of total ages or misinterpreting the average age change.

The question asks for a synonym for the idiom “Scot-free.” Understanding idiomatic expressions is crucial.

• Unpunished is the correct answer. The idiom 'scot-free' means to escape without suffering any punishment or injury.
• Captured (A) means to be caught, which is contrary to escaping freely.
• Punished (B) is the direct opposite of 'scot-free', as it implies receiving a penalty.
• Guilty (D) refers to being responsible for a wrongdoing, not the outcome of whether one is punished or not.

Thus, 'unpunished' perfectly captures the meaning of 'scot-free'.

The groundbreaking discovery that malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes was made by Sir Ronald Ross. In 1897, this British medical doctor, working in India, demonstrated that the malaria parasite was transmitted from infected birds to mosquitoes and then back to birds, establishing the mosquito as the vector for the disease. This crucial finding earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1902. Louis Pasteur (A) is renowned for pasteurization and developing vaccines for rabies and anthrax. Robert Koch (B) identified the specific causative agents of diseases like tuberculosis and cholera. Edward Jenner (D) is famous for pioneering the smallpox vaccine.

The ribosome is the cellular organelle primarily responsible for protein synthesis, a process known as translation, where genetic information from mRNA is used to build polypeptide chains.

• Mitochondria are known as the 'powerhouses' of the cell, generating most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy.
• The Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids for secretion or delivery to other organelles.
• Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes and are involved in waste breakdown and cellular recycling.

Therefore, ribosomes are uniquely specialized for protein production.

The approximate blood circulation rate in human capillaries is around 1 mm/sec. This slow velocity is crucial for efficient exchange.

• Blood flow significantly slows down in the capillaries to allow sufficient time for the diffusion of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products between the blood and surrounding tissues.
• If the rate were much faster (e.g., 10 mm/sec or 100 mm/sec), there wouldn't be enough time for adequate exchange, compromising cellular function.
• A rate of 0.1 mm/sec would be excessively slow, potentially leading to insufficient delivery of vital substances and accumulation of waste.

The optimal speed ensures vital physiological exchange.

Malaria is spread through Plasmodium, which is the genus of parasitic protozoa that causes the disease.

• While the Anopheles mosquito is the vector that transmits the Plasmodium parasite to humans, Plasmodium itself is the causative agent of malaria. The disease is a result of the parasite's life cycle within the human body.
• Bacteria and viruses are different types of microorganisms and are not responsible for causing malaria.

Understanding the distinction between the pathogen and its vector is key to comprehending disease transmission.

The pancreas is the key gland described, playing a crucial role in digestion. It produces a wide array of digestive enzymes (amylase for carbohydrates, lipase for fats, and proteases for proteins) and secretes bicarbonate.

• The bicarbonate neutralizes the acidic chyme entering the small intestine from the stomach, creating an optimal pH for the pancreatic enzymes to function effectively.
• The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver, which aids in fat digestion, but does not produce enzymes or bicarbonate.
• The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate metabolism, not digestion.
• The liver produces bile and performs numerous metabolic functions, but it does not produce the specific digestive enzymes and bicarbonate mentioned.

The IF function in Excel is designed to perform a logical test and return a value based on the result. It allows you to specify a condition; if the condition is true, it returns one value, and if false, it returns another.

• Option B, 'To add up a range of cells,' describes the SUM function.
• Option C, 'To find the average of a range of cells,' describes the AVERAGE function.
• Option D, 'To count the number of cells in a range,' describes the COUNT or COUNTA function.

The IF function is fundamental for creating dynamic and conditional spreadsheets.

In PowerPoint, the various functionalities are organized into tabs on the Ribbon. Understanding which tab houses specific features is fundamental to efficient use.

• The correct answer is Design tab. This tab is specifically dedicated to the visual appearance of your presentation, including themes, slide size, and background formatting options. Themes provide a consistent look and feel across all slides.
• The Home tab primarily deals with basic editing, such as font formatting, paragraph settings, and adding new slides.
• The Insert tab is used for adding various objects like pictures, tables, shapes, charts, and text boxes into your slides.
• The View tab allows you to change how you see your presentation, offering different views like Normal, Slide Sorter, and Reading View, but not for applying themes.

Microsoft Word organizes its features into tabs on the Ribbon, each grouping related commands. Knowing where to find specific tools is crucial for document creation.

• The correct answer is Insert. The Insert tab is designed for adding various elements into your document. This includes not only headers and footers but also page numbers, tables, pictures, shapes, text boxes, and symbols. Headers and footers are essential for consistent information across multiple pages.
• The Home tab focuses on basic text formatting, paragraph settings, and styles.
• The Layout tab (or Page Layout in older versions) deals with page setup options like margins, orientation, size, and columns.
• The View tab controls how the document is displayed on your screen, offering different views like Print Layout, Read Mode, and Web Layout.

Understanding the default settings in Microsoft Excel is important for new workbook creation. An Excel workbook is a file containing one or more worksheets.

• The correct answer is 1. In modern versions of Microsoft Excel (Excel 2013 and later), a new workbook defaults to having only one worksheet. This change was implemented to streamline the user experience and reduce clutter for users who often only need a single sheet.
• Options 3, 5, and 10 are incorrect. While older versions of Excel (e.g., Excel 2010 and earlier) typically defaulted to three worksheets, this is no longer the case. The numbers 5 and 10 are arbitrary and have not been standard default settings.

Microsoft Word's Ribbon interface groups functionalities into tabs. For collaborative document work, specific tools are provided to facilitate feedback and revisions.

• The correct answer is Review. The Review tab is specifically designed for collaboration and document finalization. It contains a suite of tools for proofing (spelling and grammar), accessibility, language settings, and crucially, for adding, managing, and responding to comments. It also includes features for tracking changes and comparing documents.
• The Home tab is for basic text and paragraph formatting.
• The Insert tab is for adding objects like tables, pictures, and shapes into the document.
• The View tab controls how the document is displayed on the screen, offering different document views and zoom options.

This question requires basic fraction calculation and subtraction to determine the number of working keyboards. Understanding how to calculate a fraction of a whole and then subtract it is key.

• First, calculate the number of keyboards that are not working: 1/5 of 3,000. (1/5) * 3,000 = 600 keyboards.
• Next, subtract the number of non-working keyboards from the total number of keyboards to find how many are working: 3,000 - 600 = 2,400 keyboards.
• The correct answer is 2400.
• Options 1000, 1500, and 2000 are incorrect. These values might result from miscalculations, such as incorrectly determining the fraction or performing the wrong operation (e.g., calculating 2/5 or 1/3 instead of 4/5 working).

This question asks about common solvents, specifically in the context of soft drinks. Understanding the properties and uses of different solvents is key.

• Water is the correct answer. Water is known as the 'universal solvent' and is the primary component of virtually all soft drinks, dissolving sugars, flavorings, and other ingredients.
• Acetone (B) is a strong organic solvent used in industrial applications and nail polish remover; it is toxic and not safe for consumption.
• Ether (C) is a highly flammable organic solvent, historically used as an anesthetic, and is not used in beverages.
• Alcohol (D) is a solvent, but it is not the primary solvent in *soft drinks*, which are non-alcoholic beverages.

Therefore, water is the most common and essential solvent in soft drinks.

The foundational concept here is calculating simple interest. The formula for simple interest (SI) is P * R * T / 100, where P is the principal amount, R is the annual interest rate, and T is the time period in years.

• Correct Option C ($60): Applying the formula, SI = ($1000 * 2 * 3) / 100 = $6000 / 100 = $60. This is the accurate calculation.
• Distractor A ($20): This would be the interest for only one year ($1000 * 2% * 1).
• Distractor B ($30): This is incorrect, possibly from using a 1% rate or half the time.
• Distractor D ($120): This would imply a 4% rate or double the time period.

In Physics, we study the fundamental laws governing matter, energy, space, and time. Terms like Acceleration, Inertia, and Motion are core concepts in classical mechanics, describing how objects move and interact. Acceleration refers to the rate of change of velocity, inertia is an object's resistance to changes in its state of motion, and motion describes a change in position over time. Conversely, Stock value is a financial term used in economics and business to represent the monetary worth of a share in a company, which falls outside the domain of physics.

This question tests your understanding of ratios and unit conversion. To simplify a ratio, both quantities must be in the same units.

• Correct Option B (5:01): First, convert 2 km to meters. Since 1 km = 1000 meters, 2 km = 2000 meters. The ratio becomes 2000 meters : 400 meters. Dividing both sides by their greatest common divisor, 400, yields 2000/400 : 400/400, which simplifies to 5:1.
• Distractor A (10:01): This would be incorrect conversion or simplification.
• Distractor C (2:01): This ratio would result if 2 km was 800 meters, or 400 meters was 1000 meters.
• Distractor D (1:02): This is the inverse of the correct ratio.

In physics, the Displacement is defined as the shortest straight-line distance between an object's initial and final positions, including the direction. It is a vector quantity. Distance (A) refers to the total path length traveled, which can be longer than the displacement if the path is not straight. Speed (B) is a scalar quantity that measures how fast an object is moving, while Velocity (C) is a vector quantity that measures the rate of change of displacement, including direction. Neither speed nor velocity represents the minimum distance between two points.

This problem involves trigonometry, specifically the tangent function in a right-angled triangle. The angle of elevation, the height of the tower (opposite side), and the distance from the base (adjacent side) form a right triangle.

• Correct Option B (20 m): We use the formula tan(angle) = Opposite / Adjacent. Given the angle of elevation is 45° and the adjacent side is 20 m, we have tan(45°) = height / 20. Since tan(45°) = 1, it follows that 1 = height / 20, so the height = 20 m.
• Distractor A (10 m): This would be incorrect, perhaps if the angle was different or a division error occurred.
• Distractor C (30 m): This is an arbitrary incorrect value.
• Distractor D (40 m): This would result from multiplying by 2 instead of using the tan(45°) property.

Global warming and climate change refer to the long-term heating of Earth's climate system due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning. All the listed options are direct and well-documented consequences. Rising sea levels (A) occur due to the thermal expansion of ocean water and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. Extreme weather events (B), such as more intense heatwaves, droughts, floods, and storms, are becoming more frequent and severe. Melting polar ice caps (C) is a visible and significant indicator of rising global temperatures. Therefore, All of these (D) is the correct and most comprehensive answer.

The core concept here is direct proportionality. If y is directly proportional to x, their relationship can be expressed as y = kx, where 'k' is the constant of proportionality.

• Correct Option D (90): First, find 'k' using the given values: when x = 2, y = 20. So, 20 = k * 2, which means k = 10. The relationship is y = 10x. Now, substitute x = 9 into this equation: y = 10 * 9 = 90.
• Distractor A (20): This is the value of y when x was 2, not when x is 9.
• Distractor B (35): This is an incorrect calculation, not following the direct proportionality rule.
• Distractor C (45): This might result from an incorrect constant of proportionality or calculation error.

Deforestation is the clearing of forests for other land uses. The primary cause of deforestation globally is Urbanization and agriculture. Forests are cleared to make way for expanding cities, infrastructure development, and, most significantly, for agricultural purposes such as crop cultivation (e.g., palm oil, soy) and livestock grazing. While Climate change (A) can exacerbate forest degradation and increase the risk of wildfires, it is not the direct primary cause of forest clearing. Natural disasters (C) like wildfires or volcanic eruptions can destroy forests but account for a smaller percentage of overall deforestation compared to human activities. Wildlife activities (D) do not cause deforestation.

The Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA), established under the Punjab Enforcement and Regulation Act 2024, is primarily an enforcement body. Its core mandate involves ensuring compliance with various laws and regulations. Therefore, its powers are centered on active enforcement measures, which include the power to conduct inspections, searches, seizures, and arrests to investigate and address violations effectively.

• The power to levy taxes is typically a function of revenue authorities or legislative bodies.
• The power to regulate trade policies falls under economic ministries.
• While PERA enforces regulations, the broad power to grant licenses is usually vested in specific licensing departments, not the primary enforcement agency itself.

Section 106 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) is the correct provision that deals with security for keeping the peace on conviction. This section empowers a court, upon convicting a person of certain offenses, to order them to execute a bond, with or without sureties, to maintain peace for a specified period. This is a preventive measure to deter future breaches of peace by convicted individuals.

• Section 105 relates to the procedure for issuing summons.
• Section 109 deals with security for good behavior from suspected persons or vagrants.
• Section 111 outlines the procedure for issuing an order when a Magistrate acts under Sections 107, 108, 109, or 110.

Thus, Section 106 specifically addresses security requirements post-conviction.