UPSC Prelims 2005 · General Studies
Question 70: Geography
Consider the following statements :
- 1.Great Britain comprises England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- 2.England covers less than 60% of the total area of the United Kingdom.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
AnswerThe answer is (b).
Statement 2 is right: England covers about 130,000 sq km of the United Kingdom's roughly 243,000 sq km, which is about 54%, so below 60%. Statement 1 is wrong: Great Britain is England, Wales and Scotland only; adding Northern Ireland makes the United Kingdom.
- 1. Great Britain does not include Northern Ireland.
- 2. England is about 54% of the United Kingdom's area.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them includes 1.
What you needed to know: Great Britain does not include Northern Ireland.
- Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (d) goes: it leaves 2 out.
What you needed to know: England is about 54% of the United Kingdom's area.
Only (b) is left. This one needs every statement.
This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Statement 1 is false: Great Britain excludes Northern Ireland.
- (b) Correct: only statement 2 holds.
- (c) Statement 1 is false, so both cannot be right.
- (d) Statement 2 is true.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2005, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.