486: The American multinational company, Monsanto has produced an insect-resistant cotton variety that is undergoing field- trails in India. A toxin gene from which ONE of the following bacteria has been transferred to this transgenic cotton ?
(a) Bacillus subtilis
(b) Bacillus thurigiensis
(c) Bacillus amyloliquifanciens
(d) Bacillus globlii
487: Acid precipitation is now regarded as a serious problem in some European and Asian countries. Its major cause or source is
(a) discharge of acidic effluents onto neutral or slightly alkaline land where the acidic components precipitate
(b) emissions of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides from thermal power plants and burning of fossil fuels; these oxides dissolve in atmospheric water vapour and fall back on earth as acid rain
(c) natural carbon dioxide released during respiration of living organisms dissolves in water, forming carbonic acid which is the chief contributor to acidity in rain water
(d) chloro-fluoro-carbons readily react with various chemicals near the earth's surface, producing acidic intermediates which cause acid precipitation
488: Consider the following actions by the Government:
1. Cutting the tax rates
2. Increasing the government spending
3. Abolishing the subsidies
In the context of economic recession, which of the above actions can be considered a part of the "fiscal stimulus" package ?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
489: With reference to Rowlatt Satyagraha, which of the following statements is/ are correct?
1. The Rowlatt Act was based on the recommendations of the 'Sedition Committee'.
2. In Rowlatt Satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilize the Home Rule League.
3. Demonstrations against the arrival of Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
490: In which one of the following countries, is Tamil a major language?
(a) Indonesia
(b) Mauritius
(c) Myanmar
(d) Singapore