2010 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2010 · General Studies

Question 44: International Relations and Current Affairs

With reference to BRIC countries, consider the following statements :

  1. 1.At present, China’s GDP is more than the combined GDP of all the three other countries.
  2. 2.China’s population is more than the combined population of any two other countries.

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).

Around 2009-10 China's GDP was larger than that of Brazil, Russia and India combined, whether measured at market exchange rates or in purchasing power, so statement 1 holds. China's population (about 1.3 billion) is smaller than that of India and Brazil taken together (about 1.4 billion), so statement 2 fails. Remember: India alone has almost as many people as China, so adding any other country exceeds China.

  • 1. China's GDP exceeded the combined GDP of Brazil, Russia and India.
  • 2. India and Brazil together have more people than China.

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: China's GDP exceeded the combined GDP of Brazil, Russia and India.

    The red flag in statement 1 is “all”. In UPSC’s papers, statements with “all” were true 41% of the time (76 statements). A hint, not a rule.

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

    What you needed to know: India and Brazil together have more people than China.

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) Right: only statement 1 is correct.
  • (b) Statement 2 is wrong: India plus Brazil outnumber China.
  • (c) Statement 2 is wrong, so 'both' fails.
  • (d) Statement 1 is correct, so 'neither' fails.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2010, General Studies, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.