PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

Khewra is a town located in the Jhelum District of Punjab, Pakistan, renowned globally for its extensive mineral deposits. The area is home to one of the world's oldest and largest salt mines, making it a significant site for mineral extraction.

• A: Salt is the correct answer. The Khewra Salt Mine is famous for producing high-quality Himalayan pink salt, which is exported worldwide. It is a major tourist attraction and a vital economic asset for Pakistan.
• B: Coal is mined in various parts of Pakistan, such as Thar, but Khewra is not primarily known for coal.
• C: Copper deposits are found in Pakistan, notably at Reko Diq, but not as the defining mineral of Khewra.
• D: Gypsum is also found in Pakistan, but again, it is not the mineral for which Khewra is most famous.

The Khewra Salt Mine's historical significance and vast reserves firmly establish its fame for salt.

This problem involves direct proportionality, where the amount of cloth produced is directly proportional to the time spent. First, determine the machine's production rate. If it makes 4 yards of cloth in 2 minutes, its rate is 4 yards / 2 minutes = 2 yards per minute.

To find out how many yards it makes in 50 minutes, multiply this rate by the new time: 2 yards/minute * 50 minutes = 100 yards. Therefore, option D is correct.

• A: 25 yards is incorrect; this might result from dividing 50 by 2, then by 1, or some other miscalculation.
• B: 50 yards is incorrect; this would imply a rate of 1 yard per minute, which is half the actual rate.
• C: 75 yards is incorrect; there's no direct mathematical path to this answer based on the given information.

The question requires choosing the grammatically correct English sentence. The sentences involve the use of the causative verb "let," which has a specific grammatical structure.

The correct answer is C: Do not let child drink this dirty water. The correct structure for the causative verb "let" is "let + object + base form of the verb (infinitive without 'to')." In this sentence, "child" is the object, and "drink" is the base form of the verb, making the sentence grammatically sound.

• A: Do not let child have drunk this dirty water is incorrect because "have drunk" is the present perfect form, which is not used after "let" in this construction.
• B: Do not let child to drink this dirty water is incorrect because "let" does not take "to" before the infinitive. This is a common error.
• D: Do not allow child have drunk this dirty water is incorrect. While "allow" is a causative verb, it typically takes "to + infinitive" (e.g., "Do not allow the child to drink"), and "have drunk" is still an incorrect verb form in this context.

The Golan Heights is a strategically vital plateau in the Levant region, located at the junction of the borders of Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. This territory has been a focal point of conflict in the Middle East for decades due to its strategic military importance and water resources.

• C: Syria and Israel is the correct answer. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and subsequently annexed it in 1981, a move not widely recognized internationally. Syria continues to claim the territory as its own.
• A: Israel and Jordan have a peace treaty and a defined border, with no major territorial dispute over the Golan Heights.
• B: Palestine and Israel are primarily in dispute over territories like the West Bank and Gaza Strip, not the Golan Heights.
• D: None of these is incorrect as Syria and Israel are the direct parties involved in the dispute.

The status of the Golan Heights remains a significant issue in international relations.

This question tests basic knowledge of the metric system and unit conversions. The prefix 'kilo-' in 'kilometer' is a standard multiplier in the International System of Units (SI). 'Kilo' universally means one thousand (1000).

Therefore, one kilometer is equivalent to 1000 meters. This fundamental conversion is crucial for understanding distances in many scientific and everyday contexts. Option C is the correct answer.

• A: 10 meters is incorrect; this would be a decameter.
• B: 100 meters is incorrect; this would be a hectometer.
• D: 10000 meters is incorrect; this is ten kilometers, not one. Misunderstanding the 'kilo' prefix is a common source of error for these distractors.

The study of human populations is a specialized field that examines various aspects of how populations change over time. This scientific discipline provides crucial insights into societal trends, resource allocation, and future planning.

• B: Demography is the correct answer. Demography is the statistical study of human populations, focusing on their size, structure, distribution, and how these change over time due to births, deaths, migration, and aging.
• A: Geography is the study of the Earth's physical features and atmosphere, and human activity as it affects and is affected by these. While it can include population distribution, it's broader than just population study.
• C: Polygraphy refers to the use of a polygraph (lie detector) or the art of writing in various styles, unrelated to population study.
• D: Biography is an account of someone's life written by someone else, focusing on an individual rather than a population.

Therefore, demography is the precise term for the study of human population dynamics.

A ratio compares two quantities, and the order is crucial. The question asks for the ratio of orange to apple. The cost of an orange is Rs. 20, and an apple is Rs. 16. So, the initial ratio is 20:16.

To express a ratio in its simplest form, divide both numbers by their greatest common divisor (GCD). The GCD of 20 and 16 is 4. Dividing both parts by 4 gives: 20 ÷ 4 = 5 and 16 ÷ 4 = 4. Thus, the simplified ratio is 5:4, making option C correct.

• A: 20:16 is the correct initial ratio but not simplified.
• B: 4:5 is incorrect because it represents the ratio of apple to orange, not orange to apple.
• D: 16:20 is also incorrect as it represents the ratio of apple to orange and is not simplified.

Blood pressure is a critical vital sign, indicating the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of the body's arteries. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or torr, with 1 torr being equivalent to 1 mmHg. Blood pressure has two main components: systolic and diastolic.

• B: 120 torr (or 120 mmHg) is the correct answer. A normal systolic blood pressure for a healthy adult is typically around 120 mmHg. This represents the peak pressure when the heart contracts and pumps blood into the arteries.
• A: 100 torr is generally considered on the lower side of normal, potentially indicating hypotension (low blood pressure) for some individuals.
• C: 140 torr and D: 160 torr are elevated readings, indicating hypertension (high blood pressure), which is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

Maintaining blood pressure within the normal range is essential for overall health.

To calculate speed, we use the formula: Speed = Distance / Time. The distance given is 16 km, and the time is 20 minutes. Since the desired speed unit is kilometers per hour (km/h), we must convert the time from minutes to hours.

There are 60 minutes in an hour, so 20 minutes = 20/60 hours = 1/3 hour. Now, substitute the values into the formula: Speed = 16 km / (1/3) hour = 16 * 3 km/h = 48 km/h. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

• A, B, D: 43 km/h, 45 km/h, 52 km/h are incorrect. These results likely stem from errors in converting minutes to hours or incorrect arithmetic during the calculation. Forgetting to convert time to hours or using an incorrect conversion factor would lead to different incorrect speeds.

An object that revolves around a planet is fundamentally known as a Satellite. This term applies to both natural celestial bodies, like Earth's Moon, and artificial objects launched into orbit by humans, such as communication satellites. Satellites are held in orbit by the planet's gravitational pull, continuously falling around it. Therefore, 'Satellite' is the correct answer.

• Jet refers to an aircraft propelled by jet engines or the engine type itself.
• Aeroplane is a general term for a powered flying vehicle with fixed wings.
• Rocket is a vehicle or missile that obtains thrust by the ejection of fast-moving fluid from a nozzle, primarily used for launching objects into space, not an object that revolves around a planet itself in the context of the question.

This is an arithmetic progression (AP), where each term after the first is obtained by adding a constant difference to the preceding term. First, identify the first term (a₁) and the common difference (d).

Here, the first term a₁ = 35. The common difference d = 45 - 35 = 10 (or 55 - 45 = 10). To find the 10th term (n=10), use the formula for the nth term of an AP: a_n = a₁ + (n-1)d.

Substituting the values: a₁₀ = 35 + (10-1) * 10 = 35 + 9 * 10 = 35 + 90 = 125. So, option B is correct.

• A: 115 would be the 9th term.
• C: 135 would be the 11th term.
• D: 145 would be the 12th term. These distractors are close but result from miscalculating the term number.

The mercury thermometer, a crucial instrument for measuring temperature, was invented by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit. In 1714, Fahrenheit developed the first reliable mercury-in-glass thermometer and also introduced the Fahrenheit temperature scale, which is still used in some regions today. His innovations significantly advanced the field of thermometry.

• Galileo Galilei is credited with inventing an early form of thermometer, the thermoscope, around 1593, but it was not a mercury thermometer.
• Isaac Newton made profound contributions to physics and mathematics, but he did not invent the mercury thermometer. He did propose a temperature scale, but it was not widely adopted.
• 'None of these' is incorrect because Fahrenheit is the correct inventor.

This question requires completing a well-known English idiom. Idioms are phrases whose meaning cannot be understood from the ordinary meaning of its words. The complete idiom is "Still waters run deep."

This idiom means that a person who appears calm, quiet, or reserved on the surface may actually have a very deep, complex, or passionate character underneath. It suggests that appearances can be deceiving and that a quiet exterior can hide profound thoughts, emotions, or capabilities. Therefore, option B is the correct completion.

• A: make no noise, while literally true for still water, is not the idiomatic expression.
• C: bring food and D: smell bad are incorrect as they do not form a recognized idiom or proverb with "Still waters."

The study of ancient things, particularly human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains, is called Archaeology. Archaeologists piece together information about past societies, cultures, and environments from the material evidence they uncover. This field provides invaluable insights into human development over millennia.

• Zoology is the scientific study of animals, including their classification, physiology, development, and behavior.
• Geology is the scientific study of the Earth's physical structure, substance, history, and the processes that act on it.
• Anthropology is the broader study of humanity, including its origins, societies, cultures, and development. While archaeology is a sub-discipline of anthropology, the specific study of 'ancient things' falls under archaeology.

In the sentence, "Tom demanded thorough enquiry," the word "thorough" describes the type or quality of the "enquiry." An adjective is a word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun. Here, "enquiry" is a noun, and "thorough" tells us more about it, indicating that the enquiry should be complete and detailed.

• A: Noun is incorrect because a noun names a person, place, thing, or idea, which "thorough" does not do in this context.
• C: Adverb is incorrect because an adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, typically answering how, when, where, or to what extent. "Thorough" is not modifying a verb here.
• D: None of these is incorrect as "Adjective" is the correct classification.

The ozone layer, located in the Earth's stratosphere, plays a vital role in protecting life on our planet by absorbing harmful radiation from the sun. Specifically, it restricts most of the sun's UV Rays (Ultraviolet Rays) from reaching the Earth's surface. Exposure to excessive UV radiation, particularly UV-B and UV-C, can cause skin cancer, cataracts, and harm to ecosystems.

• X-rays and Gamma Rays are also high-energy electromagnetic radiation, but they are mostly absorbed much higher in the atmosphere, above the ozone layer.
• Infrared rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation associated with heat. While they reach the Earth's surface and contribute to the greenhouse effect, the ozone layer does not primarily restrict them in the same protective manner as it does UV rays.

The word Ablution refers to the act of washing oneself, often as a ritual or for purification, especially in religious contexts. For instance, many religions involve specific ablutions before prayer or ceremonies. Therefore, its most direct and accurate synonym among the given options is "Washing."

• A: Drinking refers to the act of consuming liquids, which is unrelated to the meaning of ablution.
• C: Eating refers to the act of consuming food, which also has no connection to ablution.
• D: Sleeping refers to a state of rest and unconsciousness, which is entirely distinct from the concept of washing or purification.

Understanding the core meaning of "ablution" as a form of cleansing makes "Washing" the unequivocally correct synonym.