Dear UPSC aspirants, What is the best way to prepare for CSAT? The answer is by solving as many questions as possible. Here’s your Week 6 Practice test by our expert. Haven’t tried the previous sets yet? Check out CSAT Practice Set 1 (click here), Practice Set 2 (click here), Practice Set 3 (click here), Practice Set 4 (click here), and Practice Set 5 (click here) for more prep. UPSC CSAT Practice Set 6 —Mudit Gupta QUESTION #1 According to a report by the World Resources Institute, approximately 25% of the world's freshwater supply is used to grow food that is never eaten. This wastage occurs at various stages of the food supply chain, including production, processing, distribution, and consumption. The report also highlights that food waste contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly 8% of global emissions annually. Additionally, the excessive use of water for uneaten food exacerbates water scarcity in many regions, leading to environmental and socio-economic challenges. Addressing food waste is essential for achieving water security and mitigating climate change. Which of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational inferences that can be made from the passage? 1. The primary cause of food waste is inefficient water management in agriculture. 2. Reducing food waste can contribute to both water conservation and climate change mitigation. 3. Food waste has a negligible impact on global greenhouse gas emissions. 4. The majority of food waste occurs during the production phase of the supply chain. Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 4 only (c) 1, 2, and 3 (d) 2, 3, and 4 Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect because the passage does not attribute food wastage solely to inefficient water management. Also, the wastage takes place due to multiple factors across the supply chain. Statement 2 is correct as the passage emphasizes that reducing food wastage can help reduce water wastage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Statement 3 is incorrect because the passage states that food waste has a considerable impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Statement 4 is correct, as the passage mentions that food wastage occurs at various stages, including the production stage Therefore, (b) is the correct answer. QUESTION #2 There are three traffic signals. Each signal changes colour from green to red and then from red to green. The first signal takes 25 seconds, the second signal takes 39 seconds and the third signal takes 60 seconds to change the colour from green to red. The durations for green and red colours are the same. At 2:00 P.M., they together turn green. At what time will they change to green next, simultaneously? (a) 4:00 P.M. (b) 4:10 P.M. (c) 4:20 P.M. (d) 4:30 P.M. Explanation: This is a CSAT PYQ asked by UPSC in CSAT 2023. Currently, all three traffic signals are green simultaneously. We have to find out the time at which all three traffic signals will turn green together. We are given that the time taken by traffic signals to turn from green to red is 25 seconds, 39 seconds and 60 seconds, respectively. Consequently, if we calculate the time taken by the traffic signals to turn from green to green again, it will be double the time taken by the signal to turn from green to red, i.e. 50 seconds, 78 seconds, and 120 seconds, respectively. (Because the signal will turn from green to red and then from red to green again) At 2:00 P.M., all the signals are green simultaneously. To find out when they will be green again simultaneously, we need to find out the LCM of 50, 78, and 120 seconds. We are calculating the LCM of the three numbers because we need to find out the minimum time, after which all the signals will turn green again simultaneously. LCM of 50, 78 and 120 = 7800 Seconds It means that 7800 seconds after 2:00 P.M., all three signals will turn green simultaneously. 7800 Seconds is equivalent to 2 hours and 10 minutes. Hence, at 4:10 P.M. (i.e. 2 hours and 10 minutes after 2:00 P.M.) the signals will be green again simultaneously. Therefore, (b) is the correct answer. QUESTION #3 What is the angle between the minute and hour hands when the clock shows 3:15 hours? (a) 0 Degrees (b) 5 Degrees (c) 15 Degrees (d) 5 Degrees Explanation: To find the angle between the minute and the hour hands we use the following formula: In the question, the values of Hours (H) and Minutes (M) are 3 and 15, respectively. Substituting these values in the formula gives an Angle of 7.5 Degrees. Therefore, (b) is the correct answer. QUESTION #4 Vikram started a business by investing Rs. 50,000. Sumit joined the business after some time and invested Rs. 40,000. At the end of the year, the profit was shared in the ratio of 5:2. After how many months did Sumit join the business? (a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 7 Explanation: We are given that: Solve the equation we get x = 6. It means that Sumit joined the business for 6 months. However, the question is how many months after Vikram did Sumit join the business? The answer will be – 12 Months – 6 Months = 6 Months. Therefore, (c) is the correct answer. QUESTION #5 At an airport, a shuttle bus to Terminal 3 departs every 30 minutes. An enquiry clerk informed a passenger that the last shuttle had left 12 minutes ago and the next shuttle would depart at 2:30 PM. At what time did the enquiry clerk provide this information? (a) 1:48 PM (b) 2:12 PM (c) 2:18 PM (d) 2:20 PM Explanation: The next bus would depart at 2:30 P.M. We are given that a bus departs every 30 minutes. Hence, the last bus would have left at 2:00 P.M. The clerk informed that the last bus had left 12 minutes ago, it means if the bus left at 2:00 P.M., the information was given at 2:12 P.M. Therefore, (b) is the correct answer. (About our Expert: Mudit Gupta has been a mentor and faculty for the UPSC Civil Services exam for 8 years with expertise in CSAT, Polity, International Relations, and Current Affairs. He is known to break complex concepts into simpler ones that allow UPSC aspirants to develop a grip over the subject matter.) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. For your queries and suggestions write at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com
