Chapter 8: Unix and Linux Operating Systems (Set-1)
In Linux, which core component directly manages hardware resources and provides basic system services to programs
A GNOME desktop
B Bash shell
C Linux kernel
D Apt tool
The Linux kernel is the core of the operating system. It controls CPU, memory, devices, and system calls so applications can use hardware safely and efficiently through a standard interface.
Which statement best describes why Linux is widely called “open source”
A Source code public
B Free internet required
C No passwords needed
D Only for servers
Open source means the code is available to view, modify, and redistribute under licenses like GPL. This encourages community development, transparency, and wide support across many devices.
Which option is a commonly used Linux distribution for beginners with strong desktop support
A MS-DOS system
B Ubuntu Linux
C iOS system
D Solaris Unix
Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution focused on ease of use, good hardware support, and regular releases. It includes a friendly desktop environment and large software repositories.
Debian is best known in the Linux world for which key characteristic
A Proprietary license only
B No package manager
C Stable base system
D Single-user design
Debian is known for stability and careful package testing. Many other distributions, including Ubuntu, are derived from Debian and use its package system and repositories.
Fedora is commonly associated with which organization’s ecosystem and innovation focus
A Apple community
B Microsoft community
C IBM mainframes
D Red Hat community
Fedora is a community-driven distribution sponsored by Red Hat. It often introduces newer technologies earlier, which may later appear in enterprise-focused Red Hat releases.
In Linux, which term refers to the superuser account with full system privileges
A Root user
B Guest user
C Local user
D Default user
The root user can read, modify, and delete any file and change system settings. Because it is powerful, routine administration is usually done via sudo instead of logging in as root.
In Linux, which directory is the typical default location for a user’s personal files and settings
A /etc directory
B /bin directory
C /home directory
D /dev directory
Each normal user usually has a folder under /home, like /home/rohit. It stores documents, downloads, and hidden configuration files, keeping user data separate from system files.
Which directory commonly stores system-wide configuration files on Linux
A /tmp folder
B /etc folder
C /proc folder
D /home folder
The /etc directory contains configuration files for services and system settings, such as network, users, and application configs. Editing files here often requires administrator privileges.
Which Linux directory mainly contains essential user command binaries like ls, cp, and cat
A /bin directory
B /var directory
C /usr directory
D /proc directory
/bin stores essential command programs needed for basic operation and recovery. These commands are available even when other filesystems are not mounted, helping maintain the system.
Which directory typically holds system administration binaries meant mainly for root or admin tasks
A /home directory
B /tmp directory
C /sbin directory
D /dev directory
/sbin contains system tools such as filesystem and network administration commands. Many are intended for administrators, so they may require root privileges to run safely.
Which directory commonly contains variable data like logs, spool files, and cached content
A /bin directory
B /etc directory
C /usr directory
D /var directory
/var stores data that changes frequently, such as log files, mail spools, and caches. This separation helps keep the rest of the system more stable and easier to manage.
Which directory is commonly used for temporary files that can be deleted automatically
A /etc directory
B /usr directory
C /tmp directory
D /sbin directory
/tmp is meant for temporary files created by programs and users. Many systems clean it on reboot or periodically, so important files should not be stored there long-term.
Which directory provides device files representing hardware and virtual devices in Linux
A /dev directory
B /proc directory
C /home directory
D /usr directory
Linux treats devices as files under /dev, such as disks and terminals. Programs can interact with hardware using these device files, following the “everything is a file” idea.
Which virtual filesystem directory exposes running process and kernel information
A /tmp directory
B /proc directory
C /bin directory
D /etc directory
/proc is a virtual filesystem generated by the kernel. It provides real-time information about processes, CPU, memory, and kernel settings, useful for monitoring and troubleshooting.
In Linux paths, what does the single forward slash “/” represent
A Home directory
B Current directory
C Root directory
D Parent directory
“/” is the top-level root directory of the filesystem tree. All other directories like /home, /etc, and /var exist under it, forming a single hierarchical structure.
Which command shows the full path of the current working directory in a terminal
A who command
B date command
C clear command
D pwd command
pwd prints the present working directory. It helps you confirm where you are in the filesystem before running commands that create, copy, or delete files.
Which command lists files and directories in the current location by default
A ls command
B cp command
C rm command
D mv command
ls displays directory contents, such as files and folders. Options can show hidden files, long details, and sorting, making it a key command for basic navigation.
Which command changes your current directory to a new location
A ls command
B cat command
C cd command
D tar command
cd changes the shell’s working directory. Moving correctly is important because many commands act on the current location unless you provide full paths.
Which command creates a new directory with a specified name
A rmdir command
B mkdir command
C touch command
D grep command
mkdir creates directories. You can create multiple folders at once, and with options you can also create parent directories automatically, useful for organizing projects.
Which command removes an empty directory safely without deleting its contents
A rmdir command
B rm command
C mv command
D chmod command
rmdir deletes a directory only if it is empty. This reduces accidental data loss. For non-empty folders, rm with special options is needed, which is riskier.
Which command copies a file from one location to another
A cd command
B ps command
C cp command
D kill command
cp duplicates files or directories from source to destination. It is commonly used for backups and file management. Using options can preserve attributes or copy recursively.
Which command moves or renames a file or directory
A mv command
B cp command
C ls command
D top command
mv changes a file’s location or name. It does not duplicate data like cp; it relocates the same file entry, making it efficient for renaming and reorganizing.
Which command removes a file by name from the filesystem
A man command
B pwd command
C df command
D rm command
rm deletes files. It is powerful and does not send items to a recycle bin by default, so using it carefully is important, especially with options that remove directories.
Which command displays the contents of a text file directly in the terminal
A touch command
B mkdir command
C cat command
D sudo command
cat prints file contents to standard output. It is often used for quick viewing, combining files, or sending data into other commands using pipes and redirection.
Which command creates an empty file or updates its timestamp without opening it
A grep command
B touch command
C chmod command
D chown command
touch creates a new empty file if it does not exist, or updates access and modification times if it does. It’s useful for placeholders and build scripts.
Which command searches for a text pattern inside files and prints matching lines
A grep command
B tar command
C ps command
D nano command
grep scans file content for matching patterns and prints the results. It is widely used for finding errors in logs, searching configurations, and filtering command output.
Which command opens the manual page and help documentation for a Linux command
A cat command
B pwd command
C man command
D rm command
man shows the manual page with usage, options, and examples. It is the fastest offline way to understand how a command works on your installed system version.
In Linux, which editor is commonly considered beginner-friendly and runs in the terminal
A gcc compiler
B nano editor
C ping tool
D tar tool
nano is a simple terminal text editor with on-screen shortcuts. It is easier for new users than modal editors, making it common for quick edits in configuration files.
Which editor is known for being modal and widely available on Unix-like systems
A calc app
B zip tool
C ssh server
D vi editor
vi (and vim) is a powerful modal text editor found on many systems. It uses modes like command and insert, and is popular for remote administration.
In Linux permissions, what does “r” typically represent for a file
A Rename permission
B Run service
C Read permission
D Remove user
“r” means the user can read a file’s contents or list a directory’s entries. Permissions are set separately for owner, group, and others to control access.
In Linux permissions, what does “w” typically allow a user to do
A Write permission
B Watch processes
C Web access
D Wake system
“w” allows modifying a file or creating and deleting entries in a directory (subject to other rules). Without write permission, editing or saving changes is not allowed.
In Linux permissions, what does “x” usually allow for a file
A Export variables
B Extra storage
C Execute file
D Exit terminal
“x” allows running a file as a program or script. For directories, execute means the ability to enter the directory and access items inside if you know names.
Which command changes file permissions using symbolic or numeric modes
A chown command
B chmod command
C useradd command
D passwd command
chmod modifies permission bits like read, write, and execute. You can use numeric modes such as 755 or symbolic modes like u+x to set precise access controls.
Which command changes the owner of a file or directory
A chmod command
B grep command
C mkdir command
D chown command
chown changes file ownership to another user, and optionally a group. It is used in administration to ensure correct access after copying data or setting up services.
What is the main purpose of the sudo command in Linux administration
A List file sizes
B Compress directory
C Run as root
D Edit kernel code
sudo allows permitted users to run commands with elevated privileges. It reduces the need to log in as root and keeps an audit trail, improving safety for daily administration.
In numeric permissions, what does “755” commonly mean for a directory
A rwx r-x r-x
B rw- rw- rw-
C r– r– r–
D r-x rwx r–
755 means owner has full access (rwx), while group and others can read and execute (r-x). For directories, execute allows entering, so this is common for public readable folders.
What does the umask setting primarily influence on a Linux system
A Current user name
B Default permissions
C CPU clock speed
D Disk partition type
umask defines which permission bits are removed by default when new files and directories are created. It helps enforce secure defaults so new items are not overly open.
Which term best describes a Linux “shell” in everyday usage
A Disk partition
B Printer driver
C Command interpreter
D Display server
The shell reads your commands and runs programs, providing features like variables, scripting, and pipes. Common shells include bash and zsh, used heavily in terminal work.
Which feature connects the output of one command directly into another command’s input
A GUI window
B Kernel module
C Boot loader
D Pipe operator
The pipe operator (|) sends output of one command as input to the next. This lets you build powerful command chains like filtering logs and transforming results without extra files.
Which redirection sends command output into a file by replacing its existing contents
A > redirection
B | redirection
C & redirection
D * redirection
Using > writes standard output to a file and overwrites it. It is used to save command results, but care is needed because existing content is replaced without warning.
Which symbol appends command output to the end of a file instead of overwriting
A > operator
B | operator
C >> operator
D ? operator
>> appends output to an existing file, keeping prior lines. It is useful for adding logs or building lists over time without losing earlier data.
Which command shows a snapshot list of running processes in the current system
A du command
B ps command
C tar command
D nano command
ps displays process information such as PID, command name, and status. It is used to identify running programs and can be combined with grep to find a specific process quickly.
Which command provides a real-time, updating view of CPU and memory usage with processes
A top command
B cat command
C pwd command
D mkdir command
top updates continuously and shows system load, memory usage, and process resource consumption. It helps diagnose slow systems by identifying which processes are using CPU or RAM.
Which command is commonly used to terminate a process using its PID
A ls command
B cd command
C kill command
D man command
kill sends a signal to a process, often to request termination. If a process is stuck, stronger signals can be used, but stopping processes carefully avoids data loss.
Which command shows available and used disk space for mounted filesystems
A du command
B ps command
C grep command
D df command
df reports filesystem disk usage, including total, used, and free space. It is useful when troubleshooting “disk full” issues and checking mount points.
Which command estimates disk space used by files and directories
A df command
B du command
C mv command
D chmod command
du summarizes space used by directories and files, helping locate large folders. It is commonly used with options to show human-readable sizes and control depth.
Which tool commonly creates a single archive file from many files and folders
A grep utility
B ps utility
C tar utility
D ping utility
tar bundles multiple files into one archive, often for backup or transfer. It can also work with compression tools like gzip to reduce size while keeping directory structure intact.
Which system feature schedules commands to run automatically at specific times repeatedly
A cron scheduler
B root account
C GUI desktop
D mount point
cron runs jobs on a schedule defined in a crontab. It is used for tasks like backups, cleanup scripts, and regular reports, helping automate routine administration.
Which command is most commonly used to test basic network reachability to a host
A tar command
B chown command
C ping command
D nano command
ping sends ICMP echo requests to check if a host responds and to measure latency. It helps confirm network connectivity, DNS resolution (when using names), and basic routing.
Which tool is commonly used to securely connect to a remote Linux system over an encrypted channel
A telnet tool
B ssh command
C ftp tool
D rlogin tool
SSH provides encrypted remote login and command execution. It protects passwords and data from interception and also supports key-based authentication, file transfer tools, and secure tunneling.