General Knowledge MCQs
Topic Notes: General Knowledge
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
1
The Pulitzer Prize for 'Commentary' is typically awarded to:
Answer:
Columnists/Op-Ed writers
It honors distinguished column writing or commentary.
2
Which category rewards 'a distinguished and appropriately documented book on the life of an American'?
Answer:
Biography
This category is specifically for Biography (or Autobiography).
3
Who was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize (for Poetry in 1950)?
Answer:
Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks won in 1950 for her collection 'Annie Allen'.
4
Barbara Kingsolver won the 2023 Fiction Pulitzer for which retelling of David Copperfield?
Answer:
Demon Copperhead
It was a co-winner alongside Hernan Diaz's 'Trust'.
5
Which of these works by Tennessee Williams won a Pulitzer?
Answer:
A Streetcar Named Desire
Williams won twice, for 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1948) and 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (1955).
6
Which journalist for the New York Times, Walter Duranty, is controversial for his 1932 Pulitzer?
Answer:
He denied the Ukrainian famine (Holodomor) in his reporting.
There have been repeated calls to revoke Duranty's prize for his coverage of the Soviet Union which downplayed Stalin's atrocities.
7
The Boston Globe's 'Spotlight' team won the Public Service Pulitzer in 2003 for exposing:
Answer:
Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church
This investigation was famously adapted into the Oscar-winning film 'Spotlight'.
8
What happens if the Pulitzer Board decides that none of the finalists in a category are worthy?
Answer:
No prize is awarded in that category for the year.
This has happened multiple times, most notoriously in the Fiction category in 1974, 1977, and 2012.
9
Which novel by John Steinbeck won the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?
Answer:
The Grapes of Wrath
This novel about the Dust Bowl migration is a cornerstone of American literature.
10
The Pulitzer Board can award a 'Special Citation' when:
Answer:
A work merits recognition but doesn't fit standard categories.
Examples include Art Spiegelman's 'Maus' and citations for Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, and Hank Williams.