The End of Bipolarity PYQs
Previous Year and Practice Questions of CUET UG exam
From CUET UG 2024
- Question : The model of transition in Russia, Central Asia and East Europe that was influenced by the World Bank and the IMF came to be known as:
(1) Current Therapy
(2) Shock Therapy
(3) Fiscal Therapy
(4) Glasnost
Answer: (2) Shock Therapy
Explanation: “Shock Therapy” was the term used for the model of economic transition recommended by the World Bank and the IMF for post-Soviet states. It involved a rapid shift from a communist to a capitalist economy.
2. Question: In which year was Mikhail Gorbachev elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union?
(1) 1982
(2) 1983
(3) 1984
(4) 1985
Answer: (4) 1985
Explanation: Mikhail Gorbachev was elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985. This marked the beginning of his reforms like Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring).
3. Question: The Berlin wall, which was built in 1961 was broken by the people in which year?
(1) 1988
(2) 1989
(3) 1990
(4) 1991
Answer: (2) 1989
Explanation: The Berlin Wall, a symbol of the Cold War, was torn down by the public on November 9, 1989, leading to the eventual reunification of Germany.
4. Question: The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) came into being after the disintegration of which of the following countries?
(1) Yugoslavia
(2) Soviet Union
(3) Czechoslovakia
(4) East Germany
Answer: (2) Soviet Union
Explanation: The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed by former Soviet Republics after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991.
5. Question: After the end of the Cold War, which of the following countries emerged as the sole superpower?
(1) Russia
(2) China
(3) USA
(4) Germany
Answer: (3) USA
Explanation: With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the bipolar world order of the Cold War ended, leaving the United States as the world’s sole superpower.
6. Question: In which year did the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan?
(1) 1975
(2) 1977
(3) 1979
(4) 1981
Answer: (3) 1979
Explanation: The Soviet Union intervened in Afghanistan in December 1979 to support the communist government, an event that became a significant factor in the later stages of the Cold War.
7. Question: After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, how many new independent states emerged?
(1) 12
(2) 13
(3) 14
(4) 15
Answer: (4) 15
Explanation: The dissolution of the Soviet Union resulted in the creation of 15 new independent states.
8. Question: Who among the following was the last President of the Soviet Union?
(1) Boris Yeltsin
(2) Mikhail Gorbachev
(3) Leonid Brezhnev
(4) Nikita Khrushchev
Answer: (2) Mikhail Gorbachev
Explanation: Mikhail Gorbachev was the final leader of the Soviet Union, serving as its President until its dissolution in 1991. Boris Yeltsin then became the first President of the Russian Federation.
From the June 18 Shift 3.2023:
9. Question : Who decided to convert Cuba into a Russian base in 1962.
1. Nikhil Khurushchev
2. Nikita Khurushchev
3. Neil Khurushchev
4. Nail Khrushchev
Answer: 2. Nikita Khurushchev
Explanation: In 1962, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev made the decision to place nuclear missiles in Cuba, turning it into a strategic base and precipitating the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Practice questions for CUET UG.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The Berlin Wall, a symbol of the Cold War, was toppled in which year?
a) 1985
b) 1989
c) 1991
d) 2001
2. The collapse of the ‘second world’ primarily led to the end of what global conflict?
a) World War I
b) World War II
c) The Cold War
d) The Korean War
3. Germany was unified after being divided following which major historical event?
a) The Russian Revolution
b) The Cold War
c) The Second World War
d) The Berlin Blockade
4. How did the Soviet Union react as East European countries replaced their communist governments in response to mass demonstrations?
a) It intervened militarily.
b) It stood by and did not intervene.
c) It encouraged the demonstrations.
d) It imposed economic sanctions.
5. The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to separate:
a) East Germany from West Germany
b) East Berlin from West Berlin
c) Poland from Germany
d) Czechoslovakia from the Soviet Union
6. The Berlin Wall stood for how many years before it was broken by the people?
a) 10 years
b) 20 years
c) 28 years
d) 35 years
7. Who was the founder of the Bolshevik Communist Party and leader of the Russian Revolution of 1917?
a) Joseph Stalin
b) Mikhail Gorbachev
c) Vladimir Lenin
d) Boris Yeltsin
8. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) came into being after which event?
a) The Second World War
b) The socialist revolution in Russia in 1917
c) The Cold War
d) The fall of the Berlin Wall
9. The Soviet political system was centered around which entity, disallowing other political parties?
a) The Parliament
b) The Communist Party
c) The Military
d) The President
10. What was the group of East European countries that modeled their political and economic systems after the USSR called?
a) The First World
b) The Third World
c) The Socialist Bloc
d) The Western Bloc
11. Which military alliance held together the countries of the ‘socialist bloc’?
a) NATO
b) SEATO
c) CENTO
d) The Warsaw Pact
12. After the Second World War, the Soviet economy was more developed than the rest of the world, with the exception of which country?
a) China
b) United Kingdom
c) United States
d) Japan
13. What was the dominant form of ownership in the Soviet system?
a) Private ownership
b) Cooperative ownership
c) State ownership
d) Mixed ownership
14. What were some of the internal weaknesses of the Soviet system mentioned in the text?
a) Too much democracy and freedom of speech
b) Bureaucratic and authoritarian nature, lack of democracy, and tight control by the Communist Party
c) Over-accountability to the people and excessive regional autonomy
d) Rapid technological advancements and economic transparency
15. What significantly weakened the Soviet system further in 1979?
a) The Cuban Missile Crisis
b) The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
c) The space race with the US
d) The oil crisis
16. Who became the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985 and sought to reform the system?
a) Boris Yeltsin
b) Vladimir Lenin
c) Joseph Stalin
d) Mikhail Gorbachev
17. What were the two key reform policies initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev?
a) Nationalization and collectivization
b) Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring)
c) Centralization and authoritarianism
d) Free trade and private property
18. What was a key difference in Gorbachev’s approach compared to past Soviet leaders when disturbances occurred in East European countries?
a) He intervened militarily.
b) He sought UN intervention.
c) He did not intervene.
d) He encouraged the protests.
19. Which event in 1991, encouraged by Communist Party hardliners, ultimately failed and led to Boris Yeltsin emerging as a national hero?
a) A national election
b) A military coup
c) A diplomatic negotiation
d) An economic reform package
20. Which three major republics declared the Soviet Union disbanded in December 1991?
a) Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
b) Russia, Ukraine, Belarus
c) Ukraine, Georgia, Estonia
d) Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania
21. What did the post-Soviet republics adopt as their bases after the disbandment of the Soviet Union?
a) Socialism and authoritarianism
b) Communism and a one-party system
c) Capitalism and democracy
d) Command economy and centralized control
22. Who was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1953-64, known for denouncing Stalin’s leadership and suggesting “peaceful coexistence” with the West?
a) Vladimir Lenin
b) Joseph Stalin
c) Nikita Khrushchev
d) Leonid Brezhnev
23. Which country was accepted as the successor state of the Soviet Union and inherited its seat in the UN Security Council?
a) Ukraine
b) Belarus
c) Russia
d) Kazakhstan
24. What was the most immediate cause for the disintegration of the USSR, besides internal weaknesses and economic stagnation?
a) Increased external pressure from the US
b) Rise of nationalism and the desire for sovereignty within various republics
c) A severe natural disaster
d) A change in global ideological trends
25. What was the ‘Shock Therapy’ model of transition in Russia, Central Asia, and East Europe influenced by?
a) The European Union and NATO
b) The World Bank and the IMF
c) China and Japan
d) Regional trade blocs
26. What was a key feature of ‘shock therapy’ regarding ownership of property?
a) State ownership was to remain dominant.
b) Collective ownership was to be expanded.
c) Private ownership was to be the dominant pattern.
d) International organizations would own all assets.
27. What was a major consequence of shock therapy in Russia, leading to the collapse of industrial complexes and undervalued sales?
a) A boom in new industries
b) The “largest garage sale in history”
c) Increased government control over industries
d) Greater food security
28. After its independence, when did Russia and most post-Soviet economies start reviving, and what was the main reason for this revival?
a) In the late 1990s, due to manufacturing growth.
b) In the early 2000s, due to the export of natural resources. 176
c) Immediately after independence, due to foreign aid.
d) They have not revived yet.
29. What is a key aspect of India’s long-standing relationship with Russia?
a) Distrust and conflicting interests
b) Primarily cultural exchanges
c) A history of trust and common interests, including military hardware and energy supplies
d) Competition in arms manufacturing
30. What does Russia and India’s shared vision of a multipolar world order mean?
a) A world dominated by a single superpower.
b) The co-existence of several powers in the international system, collective security, and negotiated settlements.
c) A return to a bipolar world order.
d) Increased military alliances against specific countries.
Answer Key with Explanations
1. b) 1989
○ Explanation: “The Berlin Wall…was toppled by the people in 1989.”
2. c) The Cold War
○ Explanation: The overview states that the collapse of the ‘second world’ led to “the end of the Cold War.”
3. c) The Second World War
○ Explanation: The text mentions, “Germany, divided after the Second World War, was unified.”
4. b) It stood by and did not intervene.
○ Explanation: The chapter states, “The Soviet Union stood by as the Cold War began to end, not by military means but as a result of mass actions by ordinary men and women.”179
5. b) East Berlin from West Berlin
○ Explanation: The text specifies, “Built in 1961 to separate East Berlin from West Berlin…”
6. c) 28 years
○ Explanation: The passage states, “this more than 150 kilometre long wall stood for 28 years and was finally broken by the people on 9 November 1989.”
7. c) Vladimir Lenin
○ Explanation: The “Leaders of the Soviet Union” box identifies “Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) Founder of the Bolshevik Communist party: leader of the Russian Revolution of 1917…”
8. b) The socialist revolution in Russia in 1917
○ Explanation: The text explains, “The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) came into being after the socialist revolution in Russia in 1917.”
9. b) The Communist Party
○ Explanation: It is stated, “The Soviet political system centred around the communist party, and no other political party or opposition was allowed.”
10. c) The Socialist Bloc
○ Explanation: The text explicitly calls this group of countries “the Second World or the ‘socialist bloc’.”
11. d) The Warsaw Pact
○ Explanation: The chapter states, “The Warsaw Pact, a military alliance, held them together.”
12. c) United States
○ Explanation: The text indicates, “The Soviet economy was then more developed than the rest of the world except for the US.”
13. c) State ownership
○ Explanation: The document specifies, “State ownership was the dominant form of ownership: land and productive assets were owned and controlled by the Soviet state.”180
14. b) Bureaucratic and authoritarian nature, lack of democracy, and tight control by the Communist Party
○ Explanation: The text details, “The Soviet system, however, became very bureaucratic and authoritarian, making life very difficult for its citizens. Lack of democracy and the absence181 of freedom of speech stifled182 people… the one-party system represented by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union had tight control over all institutions and was unaccountable to183 the people.”
15. b) The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
○ Explanation: The chapter mentions, “The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 weakened the system even further.”
16. d) Mikhail Gorbachev
○ Explanation: The text states, “Mikhail Gorbachev, who had become General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985, sought to reform this system.”184
17. b) Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring)
○ Explanation: The “Leaders of the Soviet Union” box for Mikhail Gorbachev lists “introduced economic and political reform policies of perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness)”.
18. c) He did not intervene.
○ Explanation: The text highlights, “Unlike in the past, the Soviet Union, under Gorbachev, did not intervene when the disturbances occurred.”
19. b) A military coup
○ Explanation: The text mentions, “A coup took place in 1991 that was encouraged by Communist Party hardliners. The people had tasted freedom by then and did not want the old-style rule of the Communist Party. Boris Yeltsin emerged as a national hero in opposing this coup.”185
20. b) Russia, Ukraine, Belarus
○ Explanation: The text specifies, “In December 1991, under the leadership of Yeltsin, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, three major republics of the USSR, declared that the Soviet Union was disbanded.”186
21. c) Capitalism and democracy
○ Explanation: The chapter states, “Capitalism and democracy were adopted as the bases for the post-Soviet republics.”
22. c) Nikita Khrushchev
○ Explanation: The “Leaders of the Soviet Union” box identifies “Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971) Leader of the Soviet Union (1953-64): denounced Stalin’s leadership style and introduced some reforms in 1956: suggested “peaceful coexistence” with the West”.187
23. c) Russia
○ Explanation: The text notes, “Russia was now accepted as the successor state of the Soviet Union. It inherited the Soviet seat in the UN Security Council.”188
24. b) Rise of nationalism and the desire for sovereignty within various republics
○ Explanation: The chapter identifies this as “the final and most immediate cause for the disintegration of the USSR.”
25. b) The World Bank and the IMF
○ Explanation: The text states, “The model of transition in Russia, Central Asia and east Europe that was influenced by the World Bank and the IMF came to be known as ‘shock therapy’.”
26. c) Private ownership was to be the dominant pattern.
○ Explanation: The text clarifies, “Above all, it meant that private ownership was to be the dominant pattern of ownership of property.”
27. b) The “largest garage sale in history”
○ Explanation: The text describes how “valuable industries were undervalued and sold at throwaway prices. This was called ‘the largest garage sale in history'”.
28. b) In the early 2000s, due to the export of natural resources.
○ Explanation: The text states, “Most of these economies, especially Russia, started reviving in 2000… The reason for the revival for most of their economies was the export of natural resources like oil, natural gas and minerals.”189
29. c) A history of trust and common interests, including military hardware and energy supplies
○ Explanation: The section “India and Post-communist Countries” emphasizes, “Indo-Russian relations are embedded in a history of trust and common interests” and mentions India receiving military hardware and energy assistance from Russia.
30. b) The co-existence of several powers in the international system, collective security, and negotiated settlements.
Explanation: The text defines a multipolar world order as “the co-existence of several powers in the international system, collective security… greater regionalism, negotiated settlements of international conflicts, an independent foreign policy190 for all countries, and decision making through bodies like the UN that should be strengthened,191 democratised, and empower
