2008 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies

Question 16: History and Culture

Consider the following statements:

  1. 1.Orange Prize is awarded to a work of published fiction in English by a woman.
  2. 2.Pulitzer Prize is awarded by the Commonwealth Foundation to a citizen of any Commonwealth country for any literary work in English.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only
b2 only
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerThe answer is (a).

Statement 1 is right: the Orange Prize is given for a full-length novel in English written by a woman. Statement 2 is wrong: the Pulitzer Prize is an American award, administered by Columbia University, for journalism, letters, drama and music. The prize run by the Commonwealth Foundation is the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, which is what the second statement actually describes.

  • 1. The Orange Prize rewards a novel in English by a woman.
  • 2. The Pulitzer is American; the Commonwealth Foundation runs the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (b) and (d) go: each of them leaves 1 out.

    What you needed to know: The Orange Prize rewards a novel in English by a woman.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (c) goes: it includes 2.

    What you needed to know: The Pulitzer is American; the Commonwealth Foundation runs the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

Only (a) 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) The Orange Prize statement is right and the Pulitzer claim is wrong.
  • (b) Statement 2 fails because the Pulitzer is an American prize, not a Commonwealth Foundation award.
  • (c) Statement 2 is wrong, so both cannot be correct.
  • (d) Statement 1 is correct: the Orange Prize is for fiction by women.

Worth knowing: The Orange Prize has since been renamed the Women's Prize for Fiction.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

Practise this paper timedPrevious questionNext question

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2008, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.