About this quiz
Full Section Officer preliminary mock: 50 general awareness, 30 aptitude and 20 English questions. In the real exam 20% of the marks for a question are deducted for each wrong answer.
This Lok Sewa practice set has 100 multiple-choice questions (Subject: Section Officer Preliminary (General Awareness, Aptitude and English) · For: Section Officer · Level: Mixed). Take the quiz above first; after that, use the study list below to revise every question with its correct answer and a short explanation.
Study list: all 100 questions with answers and explanations
The longest day in the Northern Hemisphere is around:
- A) 21 March
- B) 21 June ✔
- C) 23 September
- D) 22 December
Why: The summer solstice, about 21 June.
What is the height of Mount Everest announced jointly by Nepal and China in 2077 BS?
- A) 8,848 m
- B) 8,850 m
- C) 8,844.43 m
- D) 8,848.86 m ✔
Why: In 2077 BS (2020 AD) Nepal and China jointly announced the height of Everest as 8,848.86 m.
Which body issues weather forecasts in Nepal?
- A) Department of Mines
- B) Department of Hydrology and Meteorology ✔
- C) Nepal Electricity Authority
- D) Department of Roads
Why: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) issues weather forecasts and flood warnings in Nepal.
Which pair are the natural World Heritage Sites of Nepal?
- A) Langtang and Rara
- B) Sagarmatha and Chitwan ✔
- C) Chitwan and Bardiya
- D) Annapurna and Sagarmatha
Why: Sagarmatha National Park (1979) and Chitwan National Park (1984) are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The USA joined the Second World War after the attack on:
- A) Hiroshima
- B) Pearl Harbor ✔
- C) London
- D) Normandy
Why: Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.
About how much territory did Nepal lose under the Sugauli treaty?
- A) One-tenth
- B) One-third ✔
- C) Half
- D) Two-thirds
Why: Nepal lost about one-third of its land.
The armed force of the Nepali Congress was called:
- A) Mukti Sena ✔
- B) Gorkha Dal
- C) Raksha Dal
- D) Jana Sena
Why: It was the Mukti Sena (Liberation Army).
The Interim Constitution 2063 came into force on:
- A) 1 Magh 2063 BS ✔
- B) 11 Baisakh 2063 BS
- C) 3 Ashwin 2072 BS
- D) 5 Mangsir 2063 BS
Why: On 1 Magh 2063 BS.
The four martyrs were executed in:
- A) 1997 BS ✔
- B) 2007 BS
- C) 1903 BS
- D) 2017 BS
Why: They were executed in 1997 BS.
Which ministry looks after tourism?
- A) Ministry of Home Affairs
- B) Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation ✔
- C) Ministry of Finance
- D) Ministry of Forests
Why: Tourism falls under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
Agriculture belongs to which sector?
- A) Primary ✔
- B) Secondary
- C) Tertiary
- D) Quaternary
Why: Agriculture is a primary activity.
The father of genetics is:
- A) Gregor Mendel ✔
- B) Darwin
- C) Lamarck
- D) Robert Hooke
Why: Gregor Mendel is called the father of genetics. His experiments on pea plants in the 1860s showed how traits are inherited.
Goitre is caused by lack of:
- A) Iron
- B) Calcium
- C) Iodine ✔
- D) Protein
Why: Iodine deficiency enlarges the thyroid gland.
Why does water boil below 100 °C in the high mountain areas of Nepal?
- A) The water there is purer
- B) The air pressure there is lower ✔
- C) The Sun is closer
- D) The air pressure there is higher
Why: Lower air pressure at height lowers the boiling point; a pressure cooker raises it again.
International Day for Biological Diversity is:
- A) 22 May ✔
- B) 5 June
- C) 22 April
- D) 11 December
Why: International Day for Biological Diversity is observed on 22 May. World Environment Day is on 5 June.
Which treaty ended the Nepal–China war of 1792?
- A) Betrawati ✔
- B) Kerung
- C) Thapathali
- D) Sugauli
Why: The Treaty of Betrawati (1792) ended the Nepal–China war. Nepal agreed to send a mission to Beijing every five years.
Where is the Nobel Peace Prize awarded?
- A) Stockholm
- B) Oslo ✔
- C) Geneva
- D) Copenhagen
Why: It is awarded in Oslo, Norway.
Which is the first school of Nepal?
- A) Durbar High School ✔
- B) Tri-Chandra School
- C) Budhanilkantha School
- D) St. Xavier's School
Why: Durbar High School opened in 1910 BS.
The largest planet of the solar system is:
- A) Saturn
- B) Jupiter ✔
- C) Neptune
- D) Uranus
Why: Jupiter is the largest planet and has the Great Red Spot.
Which is the smallest country in the world?
- A) Monaco
- B) Vatican City ✔
- C) San Marino
- D) Maldives
Why: Vatican City, inside Rome, is the smallest country in the world, with an area of about 0.44 sq km.
Which is the correct order of Nepal's four big river systems from east to west?
- A) Gandaki, Koshi, Mahakali, Karnali
- B) Koshi, Karnali, Gandaki, Mahakali
- C) Mahakali, Karnali, Gandaki, Koshi
- D) Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali, Mahakali ✔
Why: From east to west the order is Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali and Mahakali.
Which is the most valuable timber tree of the Terai?
- A) Pine
- B) Sal ✔
- C) Oak
- D) Fir
Why: Sal (Shorea robusta) is the main timber tree.
Who improved the steam engine in 1769?
- A) James Hargreaves
- B) James Watt ✔
- C) John Kay
- D) George Stephenson
Why: James Watt's improved steam engine powered factories.
During the Nepal–China war, the Chinese army reached as far as:
- A) Kathmandu
- B) Gorkha
- C) Nuwakot ✔
- D) Dhading
Why: The Chinese army advanced to Nuwakot.
The murder of which general led the queen to call the courtiers to the Kot in 1903 BS?
- A) Gagan Singh Bhandari ✔
- B) Mathbar Singh Thapa
- C) Fateh Jung Shah
- D) Abhiman Singh Rana
Why: General Gagan Singh Bhandari was murdered, and the queen gathered the courtiers at the Kot, where the massacre took place.
Where was the 12-point understanding signed?
- A) Kathmandu
- B) New Delhi ✔
- C) Geneva
- D) Pokhara
Why: It was signed in New Delhi on 2062 Mangsir 7.
The Kathmandu Valley site was on the "in danger" list from:
- A) 1979 to 1984
- B) 2003 to 2007 ✔
- C) 2015 to 2020
- D) 1997 to 2001
Why: UNESCO kept the Kathmandu Valley site on its List of World Heritage in Danger from 2003 to 2007 because of unplanned urban growth.
Nepal's trade deficit is mainly financed by:
- A) Remittances ✔
- B) Gold sales
- C) Tourism only
- D) Oil exports
Why: Nepal imports much more than it exports. Remittances sent by Nepalis working abroad bring in the foreign currency that pays for this trade deficit.
HDI was developed by Mahbub ul Haq along with:
- A) Amartya Sen ✔
- B) Milton Friedman
- C) Adam Smith
- D) Paul Samuelson
Why: Amartya Sen worked with Mahbub ul Haq.
Which disorder is linked with the X chromosome?
- A) Haemophilia ✔
- B) Malaria
- C) Typhoid
- D) Goitre
Why: Haemophilia is an X-linked disorder: the faulty gene is on the X chromosome, so it mostly affects males. Malaria and typhoid are infections.
Which is a non-communicable disease?
- A) Cholera
- B) Diabetes ✔
- C) Malaria
- D) Typhoid
Why: Diabetes does not spread from person to person.
What is the approximate value of g near the Earth's surface?
- A) 9.8 m/s² ✔
- B) 98 m/s²
- C) 1.6 m/s²
- D) 3 m/s²
Why: The acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface is about 9.8 m/s².
World Environment Day is celebrated on:
- A) 22 April
- B) 5 June ✔
- C) 16 September
- D) 22 May
Why: World Environment Day is celebrated on 5 June every year, led by the UN Environment Programme. Earth Day is on 22 April.
The Nepal–China Boundary Treaty was signed in:
- A) 1955
- B) 1961 ✔
- C) 1972
- D) 1989
Why: The Nepal–China Boundary Treaty was signed in 1961 and formally fixed the border between the two countries.
The Oscar is given for:
- A) Music
- B) Films ✔
- C) Literature
- D) Science
Why: The Academy Awards honour films.
Nepal Television started in:
- A) 2028 BS
- B) 2041 BS ✔
- C) 2050 BS
- D) 2063 BS
Why: Nepal Television started in 2041 BS.
Which planet spins in the opposite direction to most planets?
- A) Venus ✔
- B) Earth
- C) Mars
- D) Jupiter
Why: Venus spins in the opposite direction to most planets (retrograde rotation), so on Venus the sun rises in the west.
Which river carries the most water?
- A) Nile
- B) Amazon ✔
- C) Ganga
- D) Congo
Why: The Amazon carries the most water of any river in the world. The Nile is usually given as the longest river.
Rivers of Nepal that start in the Himalaya and flow all year round are fed mainly by what?
- A) Snow and glaciers ✔
- B) Only monsoon rain
- C) Underground springs of the Tarai
- D) Water from the Chure hills
Why: The big Himalayan rivers are fed by snow and glaciers, so they carry water even in the dry season.
Which law gave strong legal support to community forestry first?
- A) Forest Act 2049 ✔
- B) Forest Act 2076
- C) Local Government Act 2074
- D) Environment Act 2076
Why: The Forest Act 2049 supported community forestry.
The Magna Carta was sealed by:
- A) King John of England ✔
- B) Louis XVI
- C) George Washington
- D) Napoleon
Why: King John of England sealed the Magna Carta in 1215, accepting that the king was not above the law.
Which tower was built by Bhimsen Thapa?
- A) Ghantaghar
- B) Dharahara ✔
- C) Kasthamandap
- D) Nyatapola
Why: Bhimsen Thapa built Dharahara in 1889 BS. It fell in the 1990 BS earthquake and again in 2072 BS, and has since been rebuilt.
At the Alau Parva of 1904 BS, what happened to King Rajendra?
- A) He was made prime minister
- B) He signed a treaty with the British
- C) He returned as a ruling king with full powers
- D) He was defeated and captured while trying to regain power ✔
Why: Rajendra had been replaced by Surendra; when he tried to return with a force, he was defeated and captured at Alau.
The royal massacre took place on:
- A) 2058 Jestha 19 ✔
- B) 2061 Magh 19
- C) 2059 Asoj 18
- D) 2063 Baisakh 11
Why: King Birendra's family was killed on 2058 Jestha 19.
Which national park is famous for the one-horned rhinoceros?
- A) Sagarmatha
- B) Chitwan ✔
- C) Langtang
- D) Rara
Why: Chitwan National Park, Nepal's first national park (2030 BS), is famous for the one-horned rhinoceros.
Nepal joined the WTO on:
- A) 23 April 2004 ✔
- B) 1 January 1995
- C) 14 December 1955
- D) 12 February 1996
Why: Nepal joined the World Trade Organization on 23 April 2004 as its 147th member, the first least developed country to join through full negotiation.
What is the capacity of Kaligandaki A?
- A) 60 MW
- B) 144 MW ✔
- C) 456 MW
- D) 900 MW
Why: Kaligandaki A in Syangja has a capacity of 144 MW. Upper Tamakoshi, at 456 MW, is the largest completed project.
Penicillin was discovered by:
- A) Edward Jenner
- B) Alexander Fleming ✔
- C) Louis Pasteur
- D) Jonas Salk
Why: Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, the first antibiotic.
How many chambers does the human heart have?
- A) Two
- B) Three
- C) Four ✔
- D) Five
Why: The heart has two upper atria and two lower ventricles.
The cell theory was given by:
- A) Hooke and Brown
- B) Schleiden and Schwann ✔
- C) Watson and Crick
- D) Darwin and Wallace
Why: Schleiden and Schwann proposed the cell theory.
4 : 16 :: 7 : ?
- A) 14
- B) 49 ✔
- C) 28
- D) 56
Why: The second number is the square of the first: 7 × 7 = 49.
"All A are B" and "All B are C". Which follows?
- A) All C are A
- B) All A are C ✔
- C) No A is C
- D) Some C are not B
Why: A is inside B, B inside C.
2.5 × 0.4 = ?
- A) 0.1
- B) 1 ✔
- C) 10
- D) 0.01
Why: 25 × 4 = 100 with two decimal places = 1.00.
The average of 5 consecutive odd numbers is 25. The largest of them is:
- A) 27
- B) 29 ✔
- C) 31
- D) 33
Why: 25 is the middle number, so the numbers are 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29.
A can do a job in 9 days. B is 50% more efficient than A. How many days will B take alone?
- A) 13.5 days
- B) 4.5 days
- C) 3 days
- D) 6 days ✔
Why: Efficiency A : B = 2 : 3, so B's time = 2/3 of A's time = 9 × 2/3 = 6 days.
What is the position of the letter R in the English alphabet?
- A) 17
- B) 19
- C) 18 ✔
- D) 9
Why: Counting from A = 1 (or from O = 15 using EJOTY), R is the 18th letter. Its reverse position is 9.
Who is your father's father's only son?
- A) Your father ✔
- B) Your uncle
- C) Your brother
- D) Your grandfather
Why: Your father's father is your grandfather; his only son is your father.
Two numbers are co-prime if their HCF is:
- A) 0
- B) 1 ✔
- C) 2
- D) Equal to their LCM
Why: Co-prime numbers have no common factor except 1.
Find x if 9 : x = 12 : 20.
- A) 12
- B) 15 ✔
- C) 18
- D) 26.7
Why: Product of extremes = product of means: 9 × 20 = 12 × x, so 180 = 12x and x = 15.
What will Rs 16,000 amount to in 3 years at 5% per annum compounded yearly?
- A) Rs 18,522 ✔
- B) Rs 18,400
- C) Rs 18,700
- D) Rs 2,522
Why: A = 16,000 × 1.05³ = 16,000 × 1.157625 = Rs 18,522.
What is the price of one pen? I: 2 pens cost Rs 40. II: A pen costs Rs 5 more than a pencil. The answer is:
- A) I alone is sufficient ✔
- B) II alone is sufficient
- C) Either alone
- D) Both together are needed
Why: Statement I alone gives the answer: 2 pens cost Rs 40, so one pen costs Rs 20. Statement II only compares the pen with a pencil.
Ram walks 3 km North and then 4 km East. In which direction is he from the starting point?
- A) North-West
- B) North-East ✔
- C) South-East
- D) East
Why: He is north and east of the start, so he is in the North-East direction.
Statement: The government has increased the price of petrol. Which conclusion follows?
- A) Petrol now costs more ✔
- B) Everyone will stop driving
- C) The government is always wrong
- D) Petrol is free
Why: Only "Petrol now costs more" follows directly from the statement. The other options go beyond what is said.
The population of a municipality is 50,000 and it grows at 4% per year. What will it be after 2 years?
- A) 54,000
- B) 52,080
- C) 54,160
- D) 54,080 ✔
Why: 50,000 × 1.04 × 1.04 = 52,000 × 1.04 = 54,080.
A trader buys a TV for Rs 18,000, pays Rs 500 for transport and Rs 1,500 for repair, and sells it for Rs 22,000. What is his profit?
- A) Rs 4,000
- B) Rs 3,500
- C) Rs 2,000 ✔
- D) Rs 2,500
Why: CP = 18,000 + 500 + 1,500 = 20,000; profit = 22,000 − 20,000 = Rs 2,000.
A car covers 300 km in 5 hours. Its speed is:
- A) 50 km/h
- B) 55 km/h
- C) 60 km/h ✔
- D) 65 km/h
Why: Speed = 300 ÷ 5 = 60 km/h.
Find the odd one out: Mercury, Venus, Moon, Mars
- A) Mercury
- B) Venus
- C) Mars
- D) Moon ✔
Why: The Moon is a natural satellite of the Earth; the others are planets.
A, B, C, D, E face north. C is in the middle, A at the left end, B to the right of C, E not next to A. Who is second from the left?
- A) D ✔
- B) B
- C) E
- D) C
Why: Order: A D C B E.
6 men finish a job in 10 days. How many days will 15 men take?
- A) 4 ✔
- B) 5
- C) 6
- D) 25
Why: 6 × 10 = 60 man-days; 60 ÷ 15 = 4.
The average weight of 10 men increases by 1.5 kg when one man weighing 60 kg is replaced by a new man. The new man weighs:
- A) 61.5 kg
- B) 70 kg
- C) 75 kg ✔
- D) 90 kg
Why: New = 60 + 10 × 1.5 = 60 + 15 = 75 kg.
A can finish a job in 20 days. He works on it for 5 days, and B finishes the rest in 9 days. How long would B take to do the whole job alone?
- A) 15 days
- B) 12 days ✔
- C) 11.25 days
- D) 18 days
Why: A does 5/20 = 1/4. B does the remaining 3/4 in 9 days, so the whole job takes 9 × 4/3 = 12 days.
Find the next term: C, F, I, L, ?
- A) N
- B) O ✔
- C) P
- D) M
Why: Positions are 3, 6, 9, 12 (add 3), so the next is 15, which is O.
Your son's wife is your:
- A) Sister-in-law
- B) Niece
- C) Cousin
- D) Daughter-in-law ✔
Why: A son's wife is a daughter-in-law (Buhari).
The sum of the first 50 natural numbers is:
- A) 1,225
- B) 1,275 ✔
- C) 2,500
- D) 2,550
Why: 50×51 ÷ 2 = 1,275.
Write 2/3 : 3/4 in its simplest form.
- A) 8 : 9 ✔
- B) 9 : 8
- C) 2 : 3
- D) 3 : 4
Why: Multiply both terms by the LCM 12: 2/3 × 12 = 8 and 3/4 × 12 = 9, so 8 : 9.
At simple interest a sum amounts to Rs 6,600 in 2 years and Rs 7,200 in 4 years. What is the principal?
- A) Rs 6,300
- B) Rs 5,400
- C) Rs 4,800
- D) Rs 6,000 ✔
Why: Interest for 2 extra years = 600, so 300 per year. P = 6,600 − 2 × 300 = Rs 6,000.
If 40 out of 200 students failed, the pass percentage is:
- A) 80% ✔
- B) 20%
- C) 40%
- D) 60%
Why: 160 ÷ 200 × 100.
A man walks 5 km North, turns right and walks 3 km, then turns right again and walks 5 km. Where is he from the start?
- A) 3 km West
- B) 13 km North
- C) 5 km East
- D) 3 km East ✔
Why: North 5 and South 5 cancel, leaving 3 km East.
Problem: Students are failing in maths in a school. Which action follows?
- A) Arrange extra classes and review teaching ✔
- B) Close the school
- C) Remove maths from all schools
- D) Punish all parents
Why: Extra classes and a review of teaching deal directly with the cause of failure. The other options are extreme or unrelated.
The price of a jacket rises from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500. What is the percent increase?
- A) 20%
- B) 300%
- C) 30%
- D) 25% ✔
Why: Increase = 300; 300 / 1,200 × 100 = 25%. The base is the original price.
She is a teacher, ___?
- A) isn't she ✔
- B) is she
- C) doesn't she
- D) wasn't she
Why: Positive statement with is takes isn't she.
She said, "I saw him yesterday."
- A) She said that she saw him yesterday.
- B) She said that she has seen him the day before.
- C) She told she had seen him yesterday.
- D) She said that she had seen him the day before. ✔
Why: Past simple → past perfect; yesterday → the day before.
Which sentence is free from error?
- A) He give me many advices.
- B) He gives me a lot of advice. ✔
- C) He give me a lot of advices.
- D) He gives me many advices.
Why: He needs gives, and advice is uncountable, so it has no plural form.
He never tells a lie, ___?
- A) does he ✔
- B) doesn't he
- C) is he
- D) did he
Why: 'Never' makes the statement negative, so the tag is positive: 'does he?'
He said to her, "Are you ready?"
- A) He asked her are you ready.
- B) He said to her that she is ready.
- C) He asked her whether was she ready.
- D) He asked her if she was ready. ✔
Why: Yes/no questions use if/whether with statement word order.
Which of the following is correct?
- A) I is ready.
- B) I has finished.
- C) You was late.
- D) I am ready. ✔
Why: I and you never take the s/es form, so we say I have, not I has; with be the forms are I am, I was, you are and you were.
He used to live in Pokhara, ___?
- A) usedn't he
- B) didn't he ✔
- C) wasn't he
- D) doesn't he
Why: 'Used to' takes 'did' in the tag: 'didn't he?'
Change into indirect speech: Mohan said to me, "Are you ready?"
- A) Mohan asked me that I was ready.
- B) Mohan asked me are you ready.
- C) Mohan asked me if I was ready. ✔
- D) Mohan told me that was I ready.
Why: A yes/no question is joined with if or whether, and the subject comes before the verb.
Fill in the blank: "The committee ___ taken its decision."
- A) has ✔
- B) have
- C) are
- D) were
Why: A collective noun acting as one unit takes a singular verb; "its decision" also shows a single unit.
You won't forget, ___?
- A) will you ✔
- B) won't you
- C) do you
- D) shall you
Why: Negative will → positive will you.
Which joining word is used when reporting a yes/no question?
- A) that
- B) whether ✔
- C) what
- D) because
Why: Yes/no questions are joined with if or whether; that is used for statements.
Fill in the blank: "There ___ many temples in Bhaktapur."
- A) is
- B) was
- C) has been
- D) are ✔
Why: In a "there is/are" sentence the verb agrees with the noun that follows, here the plural "temples".
These are your books, ___?
- A) aren't these
- B) isn't it
- C) aren't they ✔
- D) are they
Why: 'These' and 'those' become 'they' in the tag.
Which sentence is correct?
- A) She told that she was busy.
- B) She said me that she was busy.
- C) She told to me that she was busy.
- D) She told me that she was busy. ✔
Why: Told must have an object (me) and takes no to before it; said is used without an object.
Choose the sentence in which the subject and verb agree.
- A) The farmers grows rice.
- B) The farmer grow rice.
- C) The farmer grows rice. ✔
- D) The farmers is growing rice.
Why: A singular subject (the farmer) takes the singular verb grows; a plural subject would take grow.
There is a bank nearby, ___?
- A) isn't it
- B) is there
- C) isn't there ✔
- D) doesn't it
Why: There is → isn't there.
Ram said to me, "Open the window."
- A) Ram said me to open the window.
- B) Ram told me that open the window.
- C) Ram told me to open the window. ✔
- D) Ram asked me that I open the window.
Why: Commands use told/ordered + to + verb.
Fill in the blank: "Each of the players ___ a number."
- A) have
- B) are having
- C) has ✔
- D) were having
Why: Each takes a singular verb, so has is correct.
She never tells lies, ___?
- A) doesn't she
- B) does she ✔
- C) is she
- D) didn't she
Why: Never makes the statement negative, so the tag is positive.
Change into indirect speech: The captain said to the soldiers, "Stand up."
- A) The captain ordered the soldiers that they stand up.
- B) The captain ordered the soldiers to stand up. ✔
- C) The captain asked the soldiers if they stood up.
- D) The captain ordered to the soldiers stand up.
Why: Commands use reporting verb plus object plus to-infinitive.