UPSC Prelims 2011 · GS Paper I
Question 90: Geography
Between India and East Asia, the navigation-time and distance can be greatly reduced by which of the following ?
- 1.Deepening the Malacca straits between Malaysia and Indonesia.
- 2.Opening a new canal across the Kra isthmus between the Gulf of Siam and Andaman Sea.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
AnswerThe answer is (b).
Ships between India and East Asia now pass through the Strait of Malacca and round the Malay peninsula and Singapore. A canal across the Kra isthmus in southern Thailand would link the Gulf of Siam with the Andaman Sea and cut the sailing distance and time by several hundred kilometres. Deepening the Malacca Strait would help larger ships to pass, but it would not shorten the route.
- 1. Deepening the Strait helps big ships but does not shorten the distance.
- 2. A canal across the Kra isthmus would shorten the route.
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: Deepening the Strait helps big ships but does not shorten the distance.
- Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (d) goes: it leaves 2 out.
What you needed to know: A canal across the Kra isthmus would shorten the route.
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) Deepening the Strait helps big ships but does not shorten the distance.
- (b) Right: a Kra canal would cut out the long loop around the peninsula.
- (c) Statement 1 does not reduce distance, so 'both' fails.
- (d) Statement 2 does reduce distance, so 'neither' fails.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2011, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.