PMS GK 2024 MCQs with Answers & Explanations

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Pakistan and China signed their boundary agreement on 2 March 1963 in Beijing, delimiting the frontier between Xinjiang and Gilgit-Baltistan. It involved the Shaksgam Valley area north of the Karakoram.

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ECO, the Economic Cooperation Organization, was established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey as a successor to the Regional Cooperation for Development. It later expanded to include Central Asian and other Muslim states.

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A light year measures how far light travels in one year, so it is a unit of distance. One light year equals about 9.46 trillion kilometers.

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Greenland is the world’s largest island, covering about 2.16 million square kilometers. Australia is larger but is classified as a continent, not an island.

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Machine language consists solely of binary instructions that a computer's CPU executes directly, unlike FORTRAN, Pascal, or C, which use readable syntax and require translation. It is the lowest-level programming language.

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A firewall filters incoming and outgoing network traffic to block unauthorized access and cyber threats, making its primary purpose security. Firewalls can be implemented as software, hardware, or a combination of both.

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The ASEAN Secretariat is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, serving as the organization’s administrative center since its establishment. ASEAN was founded in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

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A trade surplus occurs when a country’s exports exceed its imports over a given period, bringing in more money from abroad than it spends. It is the opposite of a trade deficit, where imports exceed exports.

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IMF funds aim to help member countries overcome balance of payments crises and implement macroeconomic stabilization and structural reforms. They are not primarily for infrastructure, military aid, or directly targeting inflation alone.

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World Environment Day is held annually on 5 June to mark the 1972 Stockholm Conference, the first major UN conference on environmental issues. It is led by UNEP to encourage global awareness and action.

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George Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopian novel published in 1949 that explores totalitarianism and surveillance.

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Stephen Hawking wrote A Brief History of Time, a bestselling popular-science book explaining cosmology, black holes, and the Big Bang. It sold over 25 million copies worldwide.

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The Atlantic Ocean separates Europe and Africa to the east from the Americas to the west, so it lies directly between Europe and the United States. It is the world’s second-largest ocean.

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The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 between the British East India Company and Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah of Bengal. This victory marked the beginning of British political dominance in India.

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Al-Biruni authored Kitab-ul-Hind in the 11th century after accompanying Mahmud of Ghazni’s expeditions, documenting Indian religion, science, and society. It remains a key primary source on early medieval India.

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Carnivores are animals whose diet consists solely of other animals, unlike omnivores which eat both plants and animals. Obligate carnivores, such as lions, depend entirely on animal flesh for survival.

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Chaghi district in Balochistan covers roughly 44,748 square kilometers, the largest area of any district in Pakistan. It stretches across a vast arid region near the Afghan and Iranian borders.

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A protocol is a set of rules that governs how data is transmitted and received effectively between devices. Related fact: protocols like TCP/IP ensure reliable communication across networks.

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Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, first introducing the detective in the 1887 novel A Study in Scarlet. Holmes became one of literature's most famous fictional detectives.

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Herodotus earned the title by writing "Histories," the earliest known systematic account of past events, based on research and inquiry. The Roman orator Cicero first called him the Father of History.

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Silicon Valley is located in California, specifically in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, and is widely known as a global hub for technology and innovation.

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Silicon Valley is home to many of the world’s largest technology and computer companies, making it synonymous with computing innovation. It gets its name from silicon, the semiconductor material used in computer chips.

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China leads global coal production, mining over half of the world's total supply annually. It is also the largest coal consumer, using much of its output for electricity generation.

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Alauddin Khilji introduced strict price controls in the Delhi Sultanate to maintain affordable supplies for his large standing army. He fixed prices for grains, cloth, and livestock, and enforced them through market superintendents.

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Julian Assange was born in Townsville, Queensland, making him an Australian citizen. He founded WikiLeaks in 2006, which later published major classified documents.

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Reuters was founded in London in 1851 and has long been headquartered there, making it a United Kingdom news agency. It is now part of the Canadian firm Thomson Reuters but retains its British origins.

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Samarkand lies in southeastern Uzbekistan and was a major Silk Road hub. It also served as the capital of Timur’s empire in the 14th century.

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Omnivores have digestive systems adapted to process both plant and animal matter, unlike herbivores or carnivores. Humans, bears, and crows are common examples of omnivores.

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Nelson Mandela wrote A Long Walk to Freedom, recounting his anti-apartheid activism and 27 years in prison. It was published in 1994, the same year he became South Africa’s first Black president.

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Warsak Dam is built on the Kabul River near Peshawar, which lies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It was completed in 1960 and mainly serves irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.

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Hitler’s invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, marked the start of World War II, making it the first country he attacked during the war. Austria and Czechoslovakia had been annexed earlier through political pressure rather than wartime invasion.

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Distance is 45 km/h × 5 h = 225 km. To cover 225 km in 3 hours, speed must be 225 ÷ 3 = 75 km/h. Speed and time are inversely proportional for a fixed distance.

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Transcription is the process where RNA polymerase copies a DNA gene sequence into messenger RNA. Translation then uses that mRNA to assemble a protein.

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Solar cells use the photovoltaic effect to convert sunlight directly into electricity, so solar energy becomes electrical energy. They are commonly made from semiconductor materials such as silicon.

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Helium and argon both belong to Group 18, the noble gases, which have full valence shells and very low reactivity. Hydrogen is not a noble gas. Noble gases are also called inert gases.

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Earth’s atmosphere is divided into five main layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. The ozone layer is located within the stratosphere.

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In June 2023, the IMF approved a nine-month Stand-By Arrangement worth $3 billion for Pakistan to support its economic stabilization. It replaced the stalled Extended Fund Facility program.

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Thalassemia results from genetic mutations that impair production of hemoglobin’s globin chains, reducing oxygen transport. It is inherited, with alpha and beta thalassemia as the main types.

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Muslims constitute roughly 80 percent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population, making it a Muslim-majority region; the remainder includes Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists.

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Moosa Harraj, a Pakistani student at Oxford, was elected President of the Oxford Union for Hilary Term 2025. He is among only a few Pakistanis to hold the post, following figures such as Benazir Bhutto and Israr Kakar.

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Syed Ameer Ali founded the Central National Muhammadan Association in 1877 to advance Muslim political interests in British India. It was one of the earliest organized Muslim political bodies.

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Wall Street is a street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, serving as the historic heart of the U.S. financial district and home to the New York Stock Exchange.

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Canada is not a permanent member of the UN Security Council, so it lacks veto power, unlike the US, UK, and France. Only the five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US—hold veto authority.

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Ibn-e-Insha was a versatile Pakistani literary figure known for his humorous poetry, newspaper columns, and famous travelogues such as Chaltay Ho To Cheen Ko Chaliye.

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Tsunamis are mainly caused by undersea earthquakes that suddenly displace large volumes of water, generating powerful waves. Wind and storms only create ordinary surface waves. Most destructive tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ring of Fire.

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NYSE is located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, which is why Wall Street is correct. The street has long been synonymous with U.S. financial markets and investment banking.

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Opportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative you give up when making a choice, not the money spent. It is a core concept in economics for weighing trade-offs.

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The 1947 UN Partition Plan proposed dividing Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, sparking the conflict when Arab leaders rejected it. Jewish leaders accepted the plan, and Israel declared independence in 1948.

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Moraines are accumulations of unsorted rock, dirt, and debris deposited by moving glaciers, often forming ridges at their edges or termini. They are key evidence of past glacial activity.

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Apartheid refers to institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination, as enforced in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The word itself means “apartness” in Afrikaans.

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Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia are located in North Africa along the Mediterranean coast, making Africa the correct continent. Together with Morocco and Mauritania, they form the Maghreb region.

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Kala Pani Jail, officially the Cellular Jail, is located in Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where British authorities exiled political prisoners. Its isolated island location across the sea earned it the name “Kala Pani,” or black waters.

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James Chadwick won the 1935 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering the neutron in 1932, a neutral particle within the atomic nucleus. This breakthrough later enabled nuclear fission and the development of atomic energy.

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Pakistan secretly facilitated Henry Kissinger’s 1971 visit to Beijing, helping bridge US-China relations. Kissinger feigned illness in Pakistan to make the covert trip, paving the way for Nixon’s 1972 China visit.

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A peninsula is land bordered by water on three sides while connected to a mainland on one side. Examples include the Arabian Peninsula and the Iberian Peninsula.

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Carbonated drinks consist mainly of water, with carbon dioxide, sweeteners, acids, and flavorings making up only a small fraction; most soft drinks are about 92% water by volume.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy worked as a comedian and actor, famously starring in the satire Servant of the People, where he played a teacher who becomes president. His comedic career made him a household name before his real political rise.

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A questionnaire survey gathers information directly from respondents for a specific study, making it original firsthand data, so it is primary data. Secondary data, by contrast, is collected by someone else.

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The IMF aims to promote sustainable economic expansion, making modest growth its goal rather than contraction, hyperinflation, or recession. It supports this through policy advice and financial assistance to stabilize member economies.

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A stone is a British imperial unit used to measure weight, equal to 14 pounds. It is still commonly used in the UK and Ireland for stating a person’s body weight.

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A subsidy is government financial support that lowers costs for individuals or businesses, unlike a tax or fine. It is often used to encourage production of essential goods or services.

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Phishing steals credentials by tricking users into entering them on fake websites or messages that imitate trusted sources. A related fact: spear phishing targets specific individuals with personalized details to increase success.

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Thal Nova is a coal-fired power plant established under CPEC, generating electricity, hence it belongs to the energy sector. It uses Thar coal as its fuel source.

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The Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese national honour established by Emperor Meiji in 1875. It recognizes distinguished civil and military service, making Japan the correct country.

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Phagocytosis is the process where a cell engulfs another cell or particle, often to destroy pathogens. It is a key mechanism of immune cells like macrophages.

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Dr. Amjad Saqib received the honour for his pioneering interest-free microfinance model through Akhuwat, which has helped millions escape poverty. He is the first Pakistani to win this UK award.

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The UN Charter was drafted and signed at the 1945 San Francisco Conference by representatives of 50 nations. It entered into force on 24 October 1945, now celebrated as United Nations Day.

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Yemen lies directly north of the Gulf of Aden, with its southern coastline bordering the waterway. The gulf links the Arabian Sea to the Red Sea through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

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India replaced its colonial-era penal laws with three new criminal codes that took effect on July 1, 2024, ending British-era statutes like the Indian Penal Code.

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Italy is called the Boot of Europe because its peninsula is shaped like a high-heeled boot extending into the Mediterranean Sea. The island of Sicily sits near the toe of the boot.

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Martin Lings, a British Muslim convert also known as Abu Bakr Siraj ad-Din, wrote that biography using early Arabic sources. The book earned him awards from Pakistan and Iran.

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Mesopotamia flourished in the fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in modern-day Iraq. It is often called the cradle of civilization because it produced early cities, writing, and law codes.

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Pakistan’s National Climate Finance Strategy estimates a $348 billion climate finance need by 2030 to meet mitigation and adaptation goals. This reflects the country’s high vulnerability to climate disasters despite contributing less than 1% to global emissions.

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Cyril Ramaphosa became President of South Africa in 2018 after Jacob Zuma resigned, and he was re-elected in 2024. He previously served as deputy president and is also a prominent businessman.

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Detritivores feed on dead organic matter and break it down into simpler substances, functioning as decomposers in ecosystems. Examples include earthworms and woodlice.

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Pakistan and the European Union held their first formal summit in 2009 in Brussels, elevating bilateral cooperation. This summit launched a strategic dialogue covering trade, development, and counterterrorism.

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The Houthi movement is a Zaidi Shia rebel group based in northern Yemen, where its uprising and control of territory including Sanaa have driven the ongoing civil war.

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Anwar El Sadat authored In Search of Identity, his autobiography recounting his political life and presidency. He was Egypt's president and co-won the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize for the Camp David Accords.

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Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father of the United States, born in Boston, Massachusetts, so he belonged to America. He also helped draft the Declaration of Independence.

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Javed Miandad wrote Cutting Edge, an autobiography recounting his cricket career, including his famous last-ball six against India in 1986.

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The USSR broke into 15 independent republics in 1991, including Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltic states. This dissolution ended the Cold War superpower and created the Commonwealth of Independent States for most former members.

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Nuclear energy is nonrenewable because it depends on finite uranium or thorium fuels that cannot be replenished on a human timescale. Wind, solar, and hydropower are renewable since they derive from continuously available natural flows.

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Benito Mussolini was born and rose to power in Italy, becoming its fascist dictator from 1922 to 1943. He founded the National Fascist Party and aligned Italy with Nazi Germany during World War II.

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Nippon is the Japanese name for Japan, and its primary stock exchange is the Tokyo Stock Exchange, located in Tokyo. It is operated by Japan Exchange Group.

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The Soviet Union formally dissolved on 26 December 1991, when the Supreme Soviet declared its termination and former republics became independent states. This ended the Cold War era.

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Cathay Pacific was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Hong Kong, making it Hong Kong’s flag carrier. It operates from Hong Kong International Airport, a major global aviation hub.

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Kufa became the capital when Caliph Ali moved the administrative center there from Medina in 656 CE, before Muawiya established Damascus as the Umayyad capital.

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Stephen Covey authored the bestselling self-help book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989. It emphasizes principle-centered character ethics for personal and professional effectiveness.

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Samarkand is located in southeastern Uzbekistan and is one of Central Asia’s oldest cities, historically a major stop on the Silk Road.

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Northern Rhodesia was the British colonial name of Zambia until it gained independence in 1964. Its southern counterpart, Southern Rhodesia, became Zimbabwe.

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Gandhara was a major center of Buddhist culture, especially under the Kushan Empire, producing distinctive Greco-Buddhist art and sculpture. Its monasteries and stupas, like those at Taxila, reflect the region's strong Buddhist heritage.

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Anthophobia is the fear of flowers, which is not listed among the options, making “None of the above” correct. The term comes from the Greek word “anthos,” meaning flower.

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Population density measures the number of individuals per unit area, specifically per square kilometer, so option A is correct. Option B omits the area dimension by saying per kilometer. It is often used to compare how crowded regions are.

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At partition, Kashmiri political opinion was split between the Muslim League, which favoured Pakistan, and the Congress-aligned National Conference led by Sheikh Abdullah, which leaned toward India.

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Napoleon Hill wrote Think and Grow Rich in 1937, distilling principles from his study of successful figures like Andrew Carnegie. The book has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.

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The European Union was formally established in 1993 when the Maastricht Treaty came into force, creating the EU and its single market. It evolved from the earlier European Economic Community founded in 1957.

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Paris hosts the 2024 Summer Olympics, marking the third time the city has held the Games, previously in 1900 and 1924.

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Mariupol is a port city in southeastern Ukraine on the Sea of Azov, making Ukraine the correct country. It was heavily besieged and captured by Russian forces in 2022.

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Crude birth rate is the annual number of live births per 1,000 people in a population, without adjusting for age or sex. Total fertility rate instead measures average children born per woman.

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Mean equals total sum divided by number of terms, so the sum is 40 × 7 = 280. Thus option A is correct.