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Just like physical exercise, general knowledge (GK) questions are important to give the students insightful knowledge about the world.
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Young minds need to be constantly trained and challenged to stay sharp and efficient. Just like physical exercise, general knowledge (GK) questions are important to give the students insightful knowledge about the world. This is an important phase for the kids as they start to look beyond their immediate environment. By answering and practising GK questions, regardless of the class they attend in the future, students will gain and improve their knowledge and reasoning abilities, while also keeping brains healthy and active.
This exercise will help the young mind grow more astute, informed and capable. So, we have compiled a list of some general knowledge questions from varied topics like history, geography, science and current events for Class 8 students. So, let’s get started and learn new facts!
General Knowledge For Kids: GK Questions For Class 8 With Answers
World General Knowledge
Q1: Which country recently hosted the 2024 Summer Olympics?
Answer: The 2024 Summer Olympics was hosted by France.
Q2: What is the capital of Canada?
Answer: The capital of Canada is Ottawa.
Q3: Who is the current Secretary-General of the United Nations?
Answer: António Guterres is the current Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Q4: Which country is known as the“Land of the Rising Sun”?
Answer: Japan is known as the“Land of the RisingSun”
Q5: What is the largest desert in the world?
Answer: Antarctica is the largest desert in the world.
Q6: Which river is the longest in the world?
Answer: The Nile River is the longest in the world.
Q7: What is the currency of the European Union?
Answer: The Euro is the currency of the European Union.
Q8: What five nations make up the Pacific Ring of Fire?
Answer: The five nations that make up the Pacific Ring of Fire are Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Chile and New Zealand.
Q9: Which country has the largest population in the world?
Answer: China has the largest population in the world.
Q10: What is the official language of Brazil?
Answer: The official language of Brazil is Portuguese.
Indian General Knowledge
Q1: Who is the current Prime Minister of India?
Answer: Narendra Modi is the current Prime Minister of India.
Q2: What is the capital of India?
Answer: The capital of India is New Delhi.
Q3: Which Indian festival is known as the Festival of Lights?
Answer: Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights.
Q4: Who was the first President of India?
Answer: Dr Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India.
Q5: What is the national animal of India?
Answer: The national animal of India is Bengal Tiger.
Q6: Which state is known as the“Land of Five Rivers”?
Answer: The state known as the“Land of Five Rivers” is Punjab.
Q7: What is the official currency of India?
Answer: The official currency of India is the Indian Rupee (INR).
Q8: Which Indian city is known as the“Silicon Valley of India”?
Answer: Bangalore is known as the“Silicon Valley of India.”
Q9: What is the national flower of India?
Answer: The national flower of India is Lotus.
Q10: Who is known as the“Father of the Nation” in India?
Answer: Mahatma Gandhi is known as the“Father of the Nation”in India.
Sports and Olympics
Q1: In which year were the first modern Olympics held?
Answer: The first modern Olympics were held in 1896.
Q2: Who holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals?
Answer: Michael Phelps holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals.
Q3: Which country won the FIFA World Cup in 2022?
Answer: The FIFA World Cup was bagged by Argentina in 2022.
Q4: What sport is known as“the beautiful game”?
Answer: Soccer (Football)is known as“the beautiful game.”
Q5: Who is the fastest man in the world?
Answer: Usain Bolt is known as the fastest man in the world.
Q6: Which country hosted the 2020 Summer Olympics?
Answer: Japan hosted the Summer Olympics in 2020.
Q7: What is the highest score possible in a single game of bowling?
Answer: The highest score possible in a single game of bowling is 300.
Q8: Who is the only athlete to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series?
Answer: Deion Sanders is the only athlete to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
Q9: In which sport would you perform a slam dunk?
Answer: A slam dunk is performed in Basketball.
Q10: What isthenational sportof Canada?
Answer: The national sport of Canada is Lacrosse.
Science and Technology
Q1: What is the chemical symbol for water?
Answer: H₂O is the chemical symbol for water.
Q2: Who developed the theory of relativity?
Answer: The theory of relativity was developed by Albert Einstein.
Q3: What is the powerhouse of the cell?
Answer: Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.
Q4: What gas do plants absorb from the atmosphere?
Answer: Plants absorb Carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere.
Q5: What is the speed of light?
Answer: The speed of light is approximately 299,792 kilometres per second.
Q6: What is the main function of white blood cells?
Answer: The main function of white blood cells is to fight infections.
Q7: What is the largest organ in the human body?
Answer: Skin is the largest organ in the human body.
Q8: Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
Answer: Mars is known as the Red Planet.
Q9: What is the process by which plants make their food?
Answer: The process by which plants make their food is called Photosynthesis.
Q10: Who invented the telephone?
Answer: Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
General Knowledge About Important Dates
Q1: When is International Women’s Day celebrated?
Answer: International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8.
Q2: When is World Hindi Day celebrated?
Answer: World Hindi Dayis celebrated on January 10.
Q3: When is Republic Day celebrated in India?
Answer: Republic Dayis celebrated on January 26in India.
Q4: What day is celebrated as Independence Day in India?
Answer: August 15 is celebrated as Independence Day in India
Q5: When is Earth Day celebrated?
Answer: Earth Dayis celebrated on April 22.
Q6: What is the significance of November 14 in India?
Answer: November 14 is observed as Children’sDay (the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru)in India.
Q7: When is World Health Day observed?
Answer: World Health Dayis observed on April 7.
Q8: What is celebrated on June 21?
Answer: International Yoga Day is celebrated on June 21.
Q9: When isTeacher’sDay celebrated in India?
Answer: Teacher’s Day is celebrated on September 5in India.
Q10: What is the significance of January 1?
Answer: On January 1, the world celebrates the New Year.
History
Q1: Who was the first man to step on the moon?
Answer: Neil Armstrong was the first man to step on the moon.
Q2: What year did India gain independence?
Answer: India gained independence in 1947.
Q3: Who was the first female Prime Minister of India?
Answer: Indira Gandhi was the first female Prime Minister of India.
Q4: What ancient civilisation built the pyramids?
Answer: Egyptians built the pyramids.
Q5: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Answer: Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Q6: What was the name of the ship that sank in 1912?
Answer: Titanic was the name of the ship that sank in 1912.
Q7: Who was known as the”Iron Man of India”?
Answer: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel wasknown as the “Iron Man of India.”
Q8: Which war was fought between the North and South in the United States?
Answer: The Civil War was fought between the North and South in the United States.
Q9: What was the main cause of World War I?
Answer: The main cause of World War I was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Q10: Who discovered America in 1492?
Answer: Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492.
Latest GK Questions (2024)
Q1: Who won the 2024 FIFA U-20Women’sWorld Cup?
Answer: Colombia won the 2024 FIFA U-20Women’sWorld Cup.
Q2: What significant new feature did Apple announce in their June 2024 WWDC?
Answer: Apple announces a quantum computing chip feature in their June 2024 WWDC.
Q3: Who won the Best Album award at the MTV Music Awards 2024?
Answer: Olivia Rodrigo won the Best Album award at the MTV Music Awards 2024.
Q4: Which city hosted the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest?
Answer: Stockholm hosted the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.
Q5: Who won theWomen’ssingles title at the US Open 2024?
Answer:The Women’s singles title at the US Open 2024was won by Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus).
Q6: Who was the first Indian to receive an Oscar Award?
Answer: Bhanu Athiya was the first Indian to receive an Oscar Award.
Q7: What is the primary gas found in theEarth’satmosphere?
Answer: Nitrogen is the primary gas found in theEarth’satmosphere.
Q8: Who is the author of“The Great Gatsby”?
Answer: F. Scott Fitzgerald is the author of“The Great Gatsby.”
Q9: What is the world’s largest ocean?
Answer: The Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest ocean.
Q10: What is the tallest mountain in the world?
Answer: Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
Nobel Prizes and Other Accolades
Q1: Who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023?
Answer: Jon Fosse won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023.
Q2: What is the Nobel Prize awarded for?
Answer: Nobel Prizes are awarded for contributions in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, Peace and Economics.
Q3: Who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022?
Answer: Ales Bialiatski, Memorial and Center for CivilLibertieswas awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
Q4: What is the Nobel Prize in Physics awarded for?
Answer: The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded for outstanding contributions to the field of physics.
Q5: Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize?
Answer: Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
Q6: What is the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded for?
Answer: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded for outstanding contributions to the field of chemistry.
Q7: Who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2023?
Answer: Svante Pääbo won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2023.
Q8: What is the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences awarded for?
Answer: The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences is awarded for contributions to the field of economics.
Q9: Who won the Nobel Prize in Peace in 2023?
Answer: Narges Mohammadi
Q10: Who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024?
Answer: The 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature was announced on October 10, 2024andawarded on December 10, 2024. South Korean novelist Han Kang won the Prize in Literature in 2024.
World Politics
Q1: Who is the current Secretary-General of the United Nations?
Answer: António Guterres has been serving as the Secretary-General of the United Nations since January 1, 2017.
Q2: Which country recently held a presidential election in 2024?
Answer: The United States held its presidential election in November 2024.
Q3: What is the primary purpose of NATO?
Answer: NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) is a military alliance established for mutual defence.
Q4: Which country is known for its policy of non-alignment?
Answer: India is known for its non-alignment policy, particularly during the Cold War.
Q5: Who was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom?
Answer: Margaret Thatcher served as the Prime Minister of the UK from 1979 to 1990.
Q6: What is the main governing body of the European Union?
Answer: The European Commission is responsible for proposing legislation and implementing decisions.
Q7: Which country recently withdrew from the Paris Agreement?
Answer: The United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement under the Trump administration but rejoined under President Biden.
Q8: Which political party is currently in power in Canada?
Answer: The Liberal Party, led by Justin Trudeau, has been in power since 2015.
Q9: What is the capital of the European Union?
Answer: Brussels is often referred to as the de facto capital of the European Union.
Q10: Who is the current President of Russia?
Answer: Vladimir Putin has been serving as the President of Russia since 2012. Previously, he held the position from 2000 to 2008.
Indian Politics
Q1: Who is the current Prime Minister of India?
Answer: Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister of India and has been in the post since May 2014.
Q2: Which party is currently the ruling party in India?
Answer: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently the ruling party in India.
Q3: What is the upper house of the Parliament of India called?
Answer: The Rajya Sabha is the upper house of the Parliament of India.
Q4: Who is the President of India as of 2024?
Answer: Droupadi Murmu is the current President of India, having taken office in July 2022.
Q5: Which amendment to the Indian Constitution granted women the right to vote?
Answer: The 19th Amendment, enacted in 1950, granted women the right to vote in India.
Q6: What is the minimum age to contest elections for the Lok Sabha in India?
Answer: The minimum age to contest elections for the Lok Sabha is 25 years.
Q7: Which Indian state has the highest number of seats in the Lok Sabha?
Answer: Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of seats in the Lok Sabha, with 80 seats.
Q8: Who is known as the“Iron Man of India”?
Answer: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is referred to as the “Iron Man of India” for his role in unifying the country.
Q9: What is the term used for the Indian Parliament’s Lower House?
Answer: The Lok Sabha is the lower house of the Parliament of India.
Q10: Which article of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to equality?
Answer: Article 14 guarantees the right to equality before the law.
Latest Current Affairs (2024)
Q1: Who is the current Chief Information Commissioner of India?
Answer: Heeralal Samariyawas appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner of India in November 2023.
Q2: Which country recently signed a visa waiver agreement with India for diplomatic passports?
Answer: India signed a visa waiver agreement with Japan for diplomatic passport holders.
Q3: What is the name of the scheme launched by Himachal Pradesh to enhance children’s nutrition?
Answer: The Mukhyamantri Bal Paushtik Aahar Yojana scheme aims to provide nutritious meals to children in government schools.
Q4: Which Indian state launched the ‘Action Plan for Management of Paddy Stubble Burning’?
Answer: Punjab launched an action plan to manage paddy stubble burning to reduce pollution.
Q5: Who was awarded the Padma Shri in 2023 for contributions to social work?
Answer: Sankurathri Chandrasekhar received the Padma Shri for his contributions to social service.
Q6: Which Indian city hosted the UP International Trade Show 2023?
Answer: The UP International Trade Show was hosted in Lucknow.
Q7: What is the target number of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres in India?
Answer: The target is to establish1,00,000 Health and Wellness Centres under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Q8: Which Indian state has unveiled its new State Education Policy in 2023?
Answer: Gujarat unveiled its new State Education Policy in 2023.
Q9: Which country recorded the highest dengue death rate in 2024?
Answer: The highest dengue death rate in 2024 was reported in Bangladesh.
Q10: What is the focus of the ‘Prajjwala Challenge’ launched by the Indian government?
Answer: The ‘Prajjwala Challenge’ focuses on empowering women through various initiatives.
World Geography
Q1: What is the capital of Australia?
Answer: Canberra is the capital city of Australia.
Q2: Which river is the longest in the world?
Answer: The Nile River is considered the longest river in the world.
Q3: Which continent is known as the”Dark Continent”?
Answer: Africa is often referred to as the “Dark Continent” because of its historical portrayal.
Q4: What is the largest desert in the world?
Answer: The Antarctic Desert is the largest in the world.
Q5: Which mountain range separates Europe and Asia?
Answer: The Ural Mountains are traditionally considered the mountain range that separates Europe and Asia.
Q6: What is the capital of Canada?
Answer: Ottawa is the capital city of Canada.
Q7: Which ocean is the largest?
Answer: The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean on Earth.
Q8: What is the smallest country in the world?
Answer: Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world by both population and area.
Q9: Which country has the most natural lakes?
Answer: Canada has the most natural lakes in the world.
Q10: Which country is known as the Land of the Rising Sun?
Answer: Japan is known as the Land of the Rising Sun.
Indian Geography
Q1: What is the capital of India?
Answer: New Delhi is the capital city of India.
Q2: Which river is considered the holiest in India?
Answer: The River Ganges is considered the holiest river in India.
Q3: Which state is known as the“Land of Five Rivers”?
Answer: Punjab is known as the“Land of Five Rivers.”
Q4: What is the highest peak in India?
Answer: The highest peak in India is Kangchenjunga.
Q5: Which desert is located in India?
Answer: The Thar Desert is located in northwestern India.
Q6: What is the capital of Maharashtra?
Answer: Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra.
Q7: Which state is known for its backwaters?
Answer: Kerala is a state renowned for its backwaters.
Q8: What is the official language of India?
Answer: Hindi is the official language of India, along with English.
Q9: Which Indian city is known as the”Silicon Valley of India”?
Answer: Bangalore is referred to as the “Silicon Valley of India” due to its IT industry.
Q10: What is the national animal of India?
Answer: The national animal of India is the Bengal Tiger.
Capital and Currencies
Q1: What is the currency of Japan?
Answer: The currency of Japan is the Yen.
Q2: What is the capital of France?
Answer: Paris is the capital of France.
Q3: What is the currency of the United States?
Answer: The currency of the United States (US) is the Dollar.
Q4: What is the capital of Germany?
Answer: Berlin is the capital of Germany.
Q5: What is the currency of India?
Answer: The currencyof India is the Indian Rupee(INR).
Q6: What is the capital of Australia?
Answer: Canberra is the capital city of Australia.
Q7: What is the currency of Canada?
Answer: The Canadian Dollar (CAD) is the currency of Canada.
Q8: What is the capital of Italy?
Answer: Rome is the capital of Italy.
Q9: What is the currency of Brazil?
Answer: The currency of Brazil is the Brazilian Real (BRL).
Q10: What is the capital of Russia?
Answer: The capital city of Russia is Moscow.
World History
Q1: Who was the first President of the United States?
Answer: George Washington was the first President of the US, serving from 1789 to 1797.
Q2: What year did World War II end?
Answer: World War II ended in 1945 with the surrender of Germany and Japan.
Q3: Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean?
Answer: Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo in 1932 across the Atlantic Ocean.
Q4: Which empire was known for its extensive road system and use of the postal service?
Answer: The Roman Empire is popular for its extensive road system and use of the postal service, which facilitated trade and military movement.
Q5: What was the primary cause of the French Revolution?
Answer: Economic hardship and inequality were the primary causes of the French Revolution.
Q6: Who was the leader of the Soviet Union during World War II?
Answer: The leader of the Soviet Union during World War II was Joseph Stalin.
Q7: What ancient civilisation built the pyramids?
Answer: The ancient Egyptians built the pyramids as tombs for their pharaohs.
Q8: Who was the first emperor of China?
Answer: Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of a unified China, ruling from 221 to 210 BC.
Q9: What was the main purpose of the Berlin Wall?
Answer: The Berlin Wall was built to stop East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin.
Q10: Which event marked the beginning of the Great Depression?
Answer: The Stock Market Crash of 1929 is widely regardedas the beginning of the Great Depression.
Science and Technology
Q1: Who is known as the father of modern physics?
Answer: Albert Einstein is known as the father of modern physics for his theory of relativity.
Q2: What is the chemical symbol for sodium?
Answer: The chemical symbol for sodium is ‘Na’. It is derived from the Latin word “Natrium.”
Q3: What is the powerhouse of the cell?
Answer: Mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell as they produce energy.
Q4: Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
Answer: Mars is known as the Red Planet because of its reddish appearance from iron oxide.
Q5: What is the main gas found in theEarth’satmosphere?
Answer: Nitrogen makes up about 78 per cent of theEarth’satmosphere.
Q6: What is the speed of light?
Answer: The speed of light in a vacuum is around 300,000 km/sec.
Q7: Who invented the telephone?
Answer: Alexander Graham Bellis is credited with inventing the first practical telephone.
Q8: What is the primary function of white blood cells?
Answer: White blood cells are a key component of the immune system and their primary function is to help fight infections.
Q9: What technology is used to make phone calls over the Internet?
Answer: Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology allows for phone calls over the Internet.
Q10: What is the most abundant element in the universe?
Answer: Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe.
Nobel Prize Winners
Q1: Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize?
Answer: Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, awarded for physics in 1903.
Q2: Who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023?
Answer: Ales Bialiatski was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 for his human rights work in Belarus.
Q3: Who is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate?
Answer: Malala Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She won the Nobel Peace Prize at age 17 in 2014.
Q4: Which Nobel Prize did Albert Einstein win?
Answer: Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his photoelectric effects.
Q5: Who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2022?
Answer: Annie Ernaux was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for her body of work in 2022.
Q6: Which organisation awards the Nobel Prizes?
Answer: The Nobel Foundation is responsible for awarding the Nobel Prizes.
Q7: Who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2023?
Answer: In 2023, Carolyn Bertozzi was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work in biorthogonal chemistry.
Q8: What year was the first Nobel Prize awarded?
Answer: The first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1901.
Q9: Who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2022?
Answer: Svante Paabo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries in evolutionary genetics in 2022.
Q10: Who won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2023?
Answer: In 2023, Ben S Bernanke was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his research on banks and financial crises.
