UPSC Prelims 2009 Q130: Current Affairs – International Relations & Treaties
Consider the following pairs:
Famous place : Country
1. Cannes : France
2. Davos : Denmark
3. Roland Garros : The Netherlands
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 only
Explanation
Famous place-country pairs: checking three
These well-known international venues/locations are matched here to their actual countries.
| Pair | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cannes : France | Correct | Cannes, famous for its film festival, is indeed located in France |
| 2. Davos : Denmark | Incorrect | Davos, home to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, is actually in Switzerland, not Denmark |
| 3. Roland Garros : The Netherlands | Incorrect | Roland Garros, the venue for the French Open, is actually in France, not the Netherlands |
Correct place-country pairs:
| Place | Actual country |
|---|---|
| Cannes | France |
| Davos | Switzerland (NOT Denmark) |
| Roland Garros | France (NOT the Netherlands) |
Answer: (a) 1 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Only pair 1, Cannes-France, is accurately matched; the other two misplace their locations.
- (b) Incorrect. Pair 2 (Davos-Denmark) is wrongly matched; Davos is in Switzerland, so '1 and 2 only' is wrong.
- (c) Incorrect. Pairs 2 and 3 are both wrong, so '2 and 3 only' is wrong.
- (d) Incorrect. Pairs 2 and 3 are inaccurate, so 'all three' cannot be correct.
Key point
Cannes-France is correctly matched — but Davos is actually in Switzerland (not Denmark), and Roland Garros is actually in France (not the Netherlands).
Remember
Cannes-France is the only correctly matched pair; Davos is in Switzerland, and Roland Garros is in France.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Davos's actual Swiss location with Denmark.
- Confusing Roland Garros's actual French location with the Netherlands.
- Assuming all three listed famous-place-country pairs are automatically correct without individual verification.
Exam tip
Davos = Switzerland (not Denmark). Roland Garros = France (not Netherlands). Only Cannes-France is correctly matched among these three.
Sources
- World Economic Forum — Annual Meeting: Davos-Klosters, Switzerland
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Roland Garros Stadium