Cheetahs were recently re-introduced to India from Africa. From which language is the name 'Cheetah' derived ?
- A.Swahili
- B.Afrikaans
- C.Somali
- D.Sanskrit
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Sanskrit. The word comes from the Sanskrit 'chitraka', meaning the spotted or speckled one, and reached English through the Hindi 'cheeta'.
The name fits the animal's coat of solid black spots. The Asiatic cheetah once roamed much of India, but hunting and the loss of grassland wiped it out, and it was declared extinct in the country in 1952. It is the only large mammal known to have gone extinct in India after Independence. Under Project Cheetah, eight cheetahs from Namibia were released in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on 17 September 2022, followed by twelve from South Africa in February 2023. The cheetah is the fastest land animal.
Option A is wrong because the English word did not come from Swahili, though the animal lives in East Africa. Option B is wrong because Afrikaans, a language of South Africa, is not its source either. Option C is wrong because Somali has no link to the English name.
Exam tip: cheetah from Sanskrit 'chitraka' (spotted one); extinct in India 1952; brought back to Kuno in 2022.
Practice Questions
View allThe 'Ramsar Convention' relates to which one of the following areas ?
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- B.Promote afforestation
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- D.Combat desertification
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- A.Kerala
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- C.Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- D.Assam
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- D.Periyar - Simlipal - Sariska - Corbett
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- D.Rann of Kutch is a Wild Ass Sanctuary.
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Read the full explanation →The Kyoto Protocol specifically relates to which one among the following issues?
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- B.Ozone layer depletion
- C.Chlorofluorocarbons
- D.Biodiversity management
Show answer
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Read the full explanation →