Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk

📍 The Question

Consider the following pairs:

In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

Correct Answer: (d) None

🎯 Theme of the Question

World Geography | Europe | Regions, Islands & Political Boundaries

This is a pure map-based elimination question. UPSC expects aspirants to have clear mental maps of Europe, especially frequently mentioned regions in news and history.

🧠 Classroom Explanation

Let us verify each pair calmly, one by one.

🔹 I. Mallorca — Italy ❌

• Mallorca (Majorca) is:
  • The largest island of the Balearic Islands
  • Located in the western Mediterranean Sea
  • An autonomous community of Spain
• It is not part of Italy

✔️ Pair I is incorrectly matched

🔹 II. Normandy — Spain ❌

• Normandy is a region of northern France
• Borders the English Channel
• World-famous for:
  • D-Day landings (June 6, 1944)
  • Ongoing global commemorations (80th anniversary in 2024)
• No historical or political link with Spain

✔️ Pair II is incorrectly matched

🔹 III. Sardinia — France ❌

• Sardinia is:
  • An island and autonomous region of Italy
  • Second-largest island in the Mediterranean (after Sicily)
• It lies:
  • West of mainland Italy
  • South of the French island Corsica (which often causes confusion)
• But Sardinia itself is Italian, not French

✔️ Pair III is incorrectly matched

📊 Final Assessment

👉 None of the pairs are correctly matched

❌ UPSC Elimination Logic

• All three pairs contain deliberate country misplacements
• UPSC tests:
  • Island vs mainland confusion
  • Neighbouring-country traps
  • News-linked regions (Normandy)

Answer: (d) None

🧩 Memory Hook

“Mallorca dances with Spain, Normandy remembers France, Sardinia sings in Italian.”

🧠 Prelims Strategy Insight

• Europe questions often rely on:
  • Islands vs regions
  • Political ownership, not proximity
• Always double-check:
  • Mediterranean islands
  • Bordering regions mentioned in history/current affairs

🧭 IAS Monk Whisper
Maps don’t lie — but memory often does. Train the eye before trusting the instinct