Code: Name: Class:

1. What is an operating system?

a) A programming language
b) A type of application software
c) An intermediary between the user and hardware
d) A database management system
2. Which of the following is NOT a goal of an operating system?
a) Making user tasks easier
b) Managing computer hardware efficiently
c) Running only one program at a time
d) Providing a convenient environment for users
3. Which component directly interacts with the hardware in a computer system?
a) Users
b) Operating system
c) Application programs
d) Database system
4. Which of the following is an example of an application program?
a) Compiler
b) Kernel
c) CPU
d) BIOS
5. What is the primary role of a kernel in an operating system?
a) Managing hardware and system resources
b) Providing a user interface
c) Running user applications
d) Executing scripts and commands
6. Which of these storage types is typically volatile?
a) Hard disk drive
b) Solid-state drive
c) RAM (Random Access Memory)
d) Flash memory
7. Which system component provides basic computing resources?
a) Users
b) Application programs
c) Hardware
d) Network interfaces
8. What is the purpose of an interrupt in a computer system?
a) To slow down the CPU
b) To notify the CPU of an event that needs attention
c) To permanently stop a running program
d) To store data in memory
9. What is a ‘trap’ in an operating system?
a) A physical hardware component
b) A software-generated interrupt
c) A type of memory
d) A method of user authentication
10. Which of the following devices typically use an embedded operating system?
a) Smartphones
b) Desktop computers
c) Servers
d) Cars and household appliances
11. What does an operating system do in a multiprogramming environment?
a) Executes only one program at a time
b) Ensures the CPU is always executing a job
c) Prioritizes only user programs
d) Prevents multiple programs from executing simultaneously
12. Which of the following is NOT an example of secondary storage?
a) SSD
b) Hard disk drive
c) RAM
d) Flash drive
13. How does a CPU interact with I/O devices?
a) Through device drivers
b) By directly accessing them
c) By using RAM as an intermediary
d) By communicating through application software
14. Which of the following describes a time-sharing system?
a) It allows only one user at a time
b) It provides immediate response to multiple users
c) It eliminates the need for memory management
d) It does not support multitasking
15. What is a device driver?
a) A physical hardware component
b) A software component that manages communication with hardware
c) A type of malware
d) A network connection protocol
16. Which storage level is directly accessible by the CPU?
a) RAM
b) Hard disk
c) USB drive
d) Cloud storage
17. Which type of interrupt is caused by a software request?
a) Hardware interrupt
 b) Trap (Exception)
c) Direct Memory Access (DMA)
d) Bus signal
18. What is the purpose of virtual memory?
a) To increase CPU clock speed
b) To allow processes to execute even if they don’t fit in RAM
c) To permanently store operating system files
d) To reduce power consumption
19. Which component of the OS decides which process gets CPU time?
a) File manager
b) Process scheduler
c) Memory manager
d) Network manager
30. How does an operating system handle a system call?
a) By switching to kernel mode
b) By launching a new process
c) By halting the CPU
d) By modifying system BIOS settings
31. Which type of multiprocessing allows each processor to perform all tasks?
a) Asymmetric multiprocessing
b) Symmetric multiprocessing
c) Parallel computing
d) Cluster computing
32. What is a key advantage of a clustered system over a multiprocessor system?
a) Higher power consumption
b) The ability to share storage and survive failures
c) It requires a single operating system
d) Lower processing speeds
33. Which of the following best describes direct memory access (DMA)?
a) CPU manages memory transfers
b) Data transfers between memory and devices without CPU involvement
c) Operating system handles all memory requests
d) A type of secondary storage
34. What is the main benefit of using a timer in an operating system?
a) It allows user processes to modify memory directly
b) It prevents a process from monopolizing the CPU
c) It ensures the fastest process always gets CPU time
d) It eliminates the need for interrupts
35. What is a dual-mode operation in operating systems?
a) A system with two CPUs
b) A way to distinguish user mode and kernel mode
c) A technique to run multiple OS simultaneously
d) A process scheduling method