Hardest Linux Exam Quiz!
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Questions and Answers
- 1.
Which of the following is a text-mode command that is helpful in identifying CPU information?
- A.
Cat /proc/cpuinfo
- B.
Lscpu
- C.
Lspci
- D.
Cfdis
- E.
Uname -a
Correct Answer(s)
A. Cat /proc/cpuinfo
B. Lscpu
E. Uname -aExplanation
The cat /proc/cpuinfo, lscpu, and uname -a text-mode commands are all helpful in identifying a CPU’s information; thus, options A, B, and E are correct. The lspci command displays information concerning PCI devices on your system. Thus, option C is incorrect. The cfdisk command is a simple text-based partitioning utility for MBR disks, and therefore option D is incorrect.Rate this question:
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- 2.
What program can you use to manually bring up a network interface in Linux?
- A.
Iwlist
- B.
Route
- C.
Telnet
- D.
Ifconfig
- E.
Traceroute
Correct Answer
D. IfconfigExplanation
The ifconfig program does as the question specifies (among other things), so option D is correct. The iwlist command displays information on Wi-Fi networks but does not bring up a network interface, so option A is incorrect. The route command displays or modifies routing tables but does not bring up a network interface, so option B is incorrect. The telnet command is a remote-access and network diagnostic tool, but it does not bring up a network interface, so option C is incorrect. The traceroute command produces network diagnostic information, but it does not bring up a network interface, so option E is incorrect.Rate this question:
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- 3.
In what file are you likely to find the following lines?
- domain google.com
- nameserver 8.8.8.8
- nameserver 10.10.10.1
- A.
/etc/resolv.conf
- B.
/etc/fstab
- C.
/etc/hosts
- D.
/etc/services
- E.
/etc/group
Correct Answer
A. /etc/resolv.confExplanation
The specifies lines belong to an /etc/resolv.conf file, which tells Linux what computers to use as DNS servers and what domain to use as its default domain. Thus, option A is correct. The /etc/fstab file tells Linux where to mount filesystems; /etc/hosts provides a way to map IP addresses to hostnames without using DNS; /etc/services gives names to TCP/IP port numbers; and /etc/group defines the computers groups. None of these files contains lines that resemble those shown, so options B, C, D, and E are all incorrect.Rate this question:
- 4.
What type of information can netstat provide? (choose all that apply.)
- A.
Network interface information
- B.
Routing table data
- C.
A list of open ports
- D.
Round-trip network travel time
- E.
The identities of broken routers
Correct Answer(s)
A. Network interface information
B. Routing table data
C. A list of open portsExplanation
netstat can provide information on network interfaces similar to what ifconfig provides (option A), routing table data similar to what route provides (option B), and a list of open ports (option C). It cannot provide round-trip network packet travel time similar to what ping provides (option D) or the identities of broken routers similar to what traceroute provides (option E).Rate this question:
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- 5.
You can configure your power supply by accessing the /dev/power device file.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
The power supply can’t be directly controlled through Linux device files; either it delivers power in a steady manner or it doesn’t, without software control.Rate this question:
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- 6.
Partitioning a disk can enable you to install multiple OSs on one computer.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
Partitioning a disk allows you to divide it into separate sections or partitions. Each partition can be formatted and used to install a different operating system. This enables you to have multiple operating systems on one computer, allowing you to switch between them as needed. Therefore, the statement is true.Rate this question:
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- 7.
The _____ filesystem is very old but is supported by almost every OS, making it a good choice for interoperability. (one word)
Correct Answer
fatExplanation
The FAT filesystem is very old but is supported by almost every OS, making it a good choice for interoperability. FAT stands for File Allocation Table, and it is a simple and widely supported file system that was originally developed for floppy disks and later used for hard drives and other storage devices. Its wide support across different operating systems allows for easy sharing and compatibility of files between different platforms.Rate this question:
- 8.
The main filesystem in Linux is referred to as the _____ and is represented with the / symbol.
Correct Answer
rootExplanation
In Linux, the main filesystem is referred to as the "root" and is represented with the "/" symbol. The root directory is the top-level directory in the file system hierarchy, serving as the parent directory for all other directories and files. It is denoted by the forward slash symbol ("/") and is the starting point for navigating the file system.Rate this question:
- 9.
Your network’s hardware interface is called eth0. You want to bring up this interface via DHCP, so you type dhclient eth0 as root.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
The given statement is true because typing "dhclient eth0" as root is the correct command to bring up the network's hardware interface, eth0, via DHCP. The "dhclient" command is used to obtain an IP address from a DHCP server, and specifying "eth0" tells the command to apply DHCP to that specific network interface.Rate this question:
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- 10.
You want to test connectivity to google.com by sending 11 packets to see how many return. To do this, you can type __________ google.com
Correct Answer
ping -c 11Explanation
The correct answer is "ping -c 11" because the "ping" command is used to test connectivity between two devices on a network. The "-c 11" flag specifies that 11 packets should be sent to the destination (in this case, google.com) to test how many of them are successfully returned.Rate this question:
- 11.
What symbol do you place after a command to run the program in the background?
- A.
&
- B.
+
- C.
>
- D.
|
- E.
#
Correct Answer
A. &Explanation
An ampersand (&), placed after a command typed in Bash, causes the command to run in the background, so option A is correct. The remaining options do not accomplish this task, although option C redirects standard output and option D creates a pipe to the following command on the same line. Option B is completely meaningless, as is option E in this context, although a hash mark (#) does serve as a comment character in Bash scripts.Rate this question:
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- 12.
To allow the man pages to be viewed a page at a time, which pager program is used for displaying man pages?
- A.
Apropos
- B.
Grep
- C.
Locate
- D.
Whatis
- E.
Less
Correct Answer
E. LessExplanation
The pager program used for displaying man pages a page at a time is "less".Rate this question:
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- 13.
How many man page sections are there total?
- A.
5
- B.
6
- C.
7
- D.
8
- E.
9
Correct Answer
E. 9Explanation
There are a total of 9 man page sections. Man pages are documentation files in Unix-like operating systems that provide information about various commands and functions. Each section of the man pages is dedicated to a specific topic or category, such as user commands, system calls, library functions, device drivers, and file formats. Therefore, the correct answer is 9.Rate this question:
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- 14.
To run a GUI program in Linux, you must launch it from a desktop environment’s menus.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
This statement is false because it is not necessary to launch a GUI program from a desktop environment's menus in Linux. GUI programs can also be launched from the command line by typing the program's name and pressing enter. Additionally, some Linux distributions allow users to create shortcuts or launchers on the desktop or taskbar to directly run GUI programs without accessing the menus.Rate this question:
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- 15.
Pressing the up arrow key in Bash reveals commands you’ve recently typed.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
Pressing the up arrow key in Bash allows users to access previously typed commands. This feature is useful as it saves time and effort by eliminating the need to retype long or complex commands. It also helps in avoiding typographical errors. By pressing the up arrow key, users can cycle through their command history and retrieve the desired command. This functionality is a convenient feature of the Bash shell.Rate this question:
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- 16.
To view all your recent commands in the command history, type in the command __________.
Correct Answer
historyExplanation
To view all your recent commands in the command history, you need to type in the command "history". This command will display a list of all the commands that you have executed recently, allowing you to quickly access and review your past actions.Rate this question:
- 17.
Which of the following basic commands will change the directory or take the user back to /home?
- A.
Rm
- B.
Cp
- C.
Cd
- D.
Head
- E.
Tail
Correct Answer
C. CdExplanation
The correct answer is "cd" because it is the basic command used to change the current directory in a command line interface. By typing "cd /home", the user will be taken back to the /home directory.Rate this question:
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- 18.
Which basic command will create a symbolic link (shortcut) to a file?
- A.
Cp
- B.
Touch
- C.
Echo
- D.
Ln
- E.
Cat
Correct Answer
D. LnExplanation
The ln command is used to create symbolic links (shortcuts) to files. It allows you to create a new file that points to an existing file, providing a convenient way to access the original file from a different location.Rate this question:
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- 19.
The tail basic command will output the last _____ lines of a file.
- A.
5
- B.
10
- C.
15
- D.
20
- E.
25
Correct Answer
B. 10Explanation
The tail basic command will output the last 10 lines of a file.Rate this question:
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- 20.
It is possible to see a list of all the directory paths in your Linux operating system by typing echo $PATH.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
By typing "echo $PATH" in the Linux operating system, it will display a list of all the directory paths. This command is used to view the directories where the system looks for executable files. Therefore, the statement is true.Rate this question:
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- 21.
Which key would you press if you wanted to do a command completion of a longer filename or command?
- A.
Tab
- B.
Spacebar
- C.
Enter
- D.
Shift
- E.
Ctrl
Correct Answer
A. TabExplanation
Pressing the Tab key allows for command completion of a longer filename or command. This key is commonly used in command line interfaces to automatically complete the rest of a command or filename based on what has been typed so far. It saves time and effort by reducing the need to type out the entire command or filename manually.Rate this question:
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- 22.
Which of the following commands displays the name of the directory in which you're working?
- A.
Wc
- B.
Cat
- C.
Echo
- D.
Cd
- E.
Pwd
Correct Answer
E. PwdExplanation
The pwd command does as the question specifies, so option E is correct. The wc command counts lines, words, and characters in a text file, so option A is incorrect. The cat command concatenates multiple files or displays a file on the screen, so option B is incorrect. The echo command displays whatever text you give it, or the contents of a variable you give it, so option C is incorrect. The cd command changes the current working directory but does not display its name, so option D is incorrect.Rate this question:
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- 23.
You type touch afile.txt in a directory that contains no files. What will be the effect?
- A.
The afile.txt file from your home directory will be copied to the current directory.
- B.
The afile.txt file in your home directory will have its time stamps updated.
- C.
Nothing; the command will return without doing anything.
- D.
A new empty file called afile.txt will be created in the current directory.
- E.
The touch command will return a file not found error.
Correct Answer
D. A new empty file called afile.txt will be created in the current directory.Explanation
When you type "touch afile.txt" in a directory that contains no files, the effect will be that a new empty file called "afile.txt" will be created in the current directory. The "touch" command is used to update the access and modification timestamps of a file, but if the file does not exist, it will create a new empty file with the specified name.Rate this question:
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- 24.
You want to copy the contents of the ~/important directory, including all its subdirectories, to /media/usb. What command can you type to accomplish this goal?
- A.
Cp ~/important /media/usb
- B.
Cp -R ~/important /media/usb
- C.
Cp -u ~/important /media/usb
- D.
Cp -i ~/important /media/usb
- E.
Cp -f ~/important /media/usb
Correct Answer
B. Cp -R ~/important /media/usbExplanation
To copy an entire directory tree, you must use a recursive copy parameter, such as --recursive, -R, or -r. (An archive copy, as in --archive or -a, will also work.) Of the options shown here, only B includes one of these parameters, so it is correct. Option A lacks any parameters to cp, so it won’t work. Option C’s -u option performs an update copy—it copies files only if the original file is newer than any file of the same name at the target location. Option D’s -i performs an interactive copy, querying the user before overwriting existing files. Option E’s -f option forces cp to overwrite existing files without prompting.Rate this question:
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- 25.
You want to create a directory called ~/Documents/papers, but you’re not sure that the ~/Documents directory exists. What command can you type to create the desired directory and its parent directory if it doesn’t already exist?
- A.
Mkdir -a ~/Documents/papers
- B.
Mkdir --recursive ~/Documents/papers
- C.
Mkdir -R ~/Documents/papers
- D.
Mkdir -r ~/Documents/papers
- E.
Mkdir -p ~/Documents/papers
Correct Answer
E. Mkdir -p ~/Documents/papersExplanation
The -p option to mkdir creates parent directories if they don’t already exist, so option E is correct. The -a, --recursive, -R, and -r options are all fictitious, so options A, B, C, and D are all incorrect.Rate this question:
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- 26.
Which character has the specific purpose of specifying the root directory?
- A.
|
- B.
^
- C.
/
- D.
%
- E.
$
Correct Answer
C. /Explanation
The character "/" is commonly used in computer systems to specify the root directory. It is used as a delimiter to separate directories in file paths and indicates the starting point or highest level of the directory hierarchy. In Unix-like systems, the root directory is represented by a single forward slash ("/"). Therefore, the character "/" serves the specific purpose of specifying the root directory.Rate this question:
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- 27.
Which Linux directory holds program files that are critical for normal operation and that ordinary users may run?
- A.
/etc
- B.
/bin
- C.
/lib
- D.
/usr
- E.
/home
Correct Answer
B. /binExplanation
The /bin directory in Linux holds program files that are critical for normal operation and can be run by ordinary users. This directory contains essential executable files and commands that are necessary for the basic functioning of the system. Ordinary users can access and run these programs to perform various tasks on the system.Rate this question:
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- 28.
Which Linux directory holds the system configuration files?
- A.
/etc
- B.
/bin
- C.
/lib
- D.
/usr
- E.
/home
Correct Answer
A. /etcExplanation
The correct answer is /etc. The /etc directory in Linux holds the system configuration files. These files contain settings and parameters that determine how the operating system and various applications function. It is a central location for storing and managing important configuration files for the system.Rate this question:
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- 29.
Which Linux command provides the information by displaying the names of files in a directory?
- A.
Mv
- B.
Cp
- C.
Ln
- D.
Mkdir
- E.
Ls
Correct Answer
E. LsExplanation
The correct answer is "ls". The "ls" command is used in Linux to list the files and directories in a directory. It displays the names of the files in the specified directory, providing information about the contents of the directory.Rate this question:
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- 30.
You can delete any file on the computer by using rm as an ordinary user
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
Because of Linux’s security features, you can only delete files in directories to which you have write access. As an ordinary user, you should not have write access to most of the system directories, so rm won’t allow you to remove most system files.Rate this question:
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- 31.
The term _________ refers to the use of wildcards in filename specifications.
Correct Answer
globbingExplanation
Globbing refers to the use of wildcards in filename specifications. It allows users to search for files or directories based on patterns rather than specific names. Wildcards such as asterisks (*) or question marks (?) can be used to represent any character or a specific character respectively. For example, if a user wants to find all files with the extension ".txt", they can use the pattern "*.txt" in their search. Globbing is commonly used in command-line interfaces and scripting languages to perform batch operations on multiple files.Rate this question:
- 32.
The files afile.txt and AFile.TXT can both exist on a Linux filesystem because Linux treats filenames in a _____-sensitive way.
Correct Answer
caseExplanation
Linux treats filenames in a case-sensitive way, which means that it differentiates between uppercase and lowercase letters in filenames. Therefore, both "afile.txt" and "AFile.TXT" can coexist on a Linux filesystem because they have different cases.Rate this question:
- 33.
To create a listing of the file afile.txt in the directory one level above the current one, you would type ls _________/afile.txt.
Correct Answer
..Explanation
The ".." in the command "ls ../afile.txt" is used to indicate the parent directory, which is one level above the current directory. By using "..", the command will list the file "afile.txt" in the directory that is one level above the current directory.Rate this question:
- 34.
The _____ command can ONLY remove empty directories.
Correct Answer
rmdirExplanation
The "rmdir" command is specifically designed to remove empty directories. It cannot be used to remove directories that contain any files or subdirectories. This command is useful when you want to clean up your file system and delete directories that are no longer needed.Rate this question:
- 35.
The mv command is used to both move and _____ files and directories.
Correct Answer
renameExplanation
The mv command is used to both move and rename files and directories.Rate this question:
- 36.
Which of the following commands is used to extract a compressed file?
- A.
Gzip
- B.
Bzip2
- C.
Ext
- D.
Gunzip
Correct Answer
D. GunzipExplanation
The command "gunzip" is used to extract a compressed file.Rate this question:
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- 37.
To compress files archived with zip, you must use an external compression program such as gzip or bzip2 in a pipeline with zip.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
To compress files archived with zip, you do not need to use an external compression program such as gzip or bzip2 in a pipeline with zip. The zip utility itself is capable of compressing files and creating zip archives. Therefore, the statement "To compress files archived with zip, you must use an external compression program such as gzip or bzip2 in a pipeline with zip" is incorrect.Rate this question:
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- 38.
Which character that represents the start of a line in a regular expression?
- A.
%
- B.
|
- C.
^
- D.
&
Correct Answer
C. ^Explanation
The character "^" represents the start of a line in a regular expression. It is used to match the beginning of a line or string. When "^" is placed at the beginning of a regular expression pattern, it ensures that the pattern is only matched if it occurs at the start of a line. Therefore, this character is the correct answer to the question.Rate this question:
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- 39.
You've received a tarball called data79.tar from a colleague, but you want to check the names of the files it contains before extracting them. Which of the following commands would you use to do this?
- A.
Tar cvf data79.tar
- B.
Tar xvf data79.tar
- C.
Tar tvf data79.tar
- D.
Tar Avf data79.tar
- E.
Tar uvf data79.tar
Correct Answer
C. Tar tvf data79.tarExplanation
With the tar utility, the --list (t) command is used to read the archive and display its contents. The --verbose (v) option creates a verbose file listing, and --file (f) specifies the filename—data79.tar in this case. Option C uses all of these features, and therefore does as the question specifies. Options A, B, D, and E all substitute other commands for --list, which is required by the question, so all of these options are incorrect.Rate this question:
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- 40.
Which of the following syntaxes will you use to extract a file using the tar command?
- A.
Tar -cvf {.tgz-file}
- B.
Tar -zxvf {.tgz-file}
- C.
Tar -zvf {.tgz-file}
- D.
Tar -zwvf {.tgz-file}
Correct Answer
B. Tar -zxvf {.tgz-file}Explanation
The correct syntax to extract a file using the tar command is "tar -zxvf {.tgz-file}". The "-z" option is used to specify that the file is compressed with gzip, the "-x" option is used to extract the file, the "-v" option is used to display the progress of the extraction, and the "-f" option is used to specify the name of the tar file.Rate this question:
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- 41.
Which of the following commands will print lines from the file world.txt that contain matches to changes and changed?
- A.
Find change[&c.circ;ds] world.txt
- B.
Cat world.txt changes changed
- C.
Find "change'd|s'" world.txt
- D.
Tar change[d-s] world.txt
- E.
Grep change[ds] world.txt
Correct Answer
E. Grep change[ds] world.txtExplanation
The grep utility finds matching text within a file and prints those lines. It accepts regular expressions, which means you can place in brackets the two characters that differ in the words for which you're looking. Option A shows the correct syntax for doing this. The tar utility creates or manipulates archive files, and option B's syntax is incorrect for any use of tar, so that option is incorrect. The find utility locates files based on filenames, file sizes, and other surface features. Furthermore, options C and E both present incorrect syntax for find, and so are incorrect. Option D's cat utility displays or concatenates files, so it won't have the desired effect and this option is wrong.Rate this question:
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- 42.
Which of the following outcomes will you get after executing the # tar -cvf /tmp/etc.tar /etc command?
- A.
Compressed file
- B.
Archived file
- C.
Extracted file
- D.
Encrypted file
Correct Answer
B. Archived fileExplanation
The command "tar -cvf /tmp/etc.tar /etc" is used to create a tar archive file named "etc.tar" in the "/tmp" directory. The "/etc" directory is being archived, meaning that all files and directories within it will be included in the archive. Therefore, the outcome of executing this command will be an archived file.Rate this question:
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- 43.
Complete the following command to redirect both standard output and standard error from the bigprog program to the file out.txt. $ bigprog _____ out.txt
Correct Answer
&>Explanation
The correct answer is "&>". The "&>" symbol is used to redirect both standard output and standard error to the specified file "out.txt".Rate this question:
- 44.
With most distributions, USB flash drives, and other removable media appear in subdirectories of /media
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
Most distributions of operating systems, such as Linux, have a default behavior where USB flash drives and other removable media are automatically mounted and appear in subdirectories of the /media directory. This allows users to easily access and manage the files on these devices. Therefore, the statement "With most distributions, USB flash drives, and other removable media appear in subdirectories of /media" is true.Rate this question:
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- 45.
Which of the following commands will print lines from the file world.txt that contain matches to changes and changed?
- A.
Find change[&c.circ;ds] world.txt
- B.
Cat world.txt changes changed
- C.
Tar change[d-s] world.txt
- D.
Find "change'd|s'" world.txt
- E.
grep change[ds] world.txt
Correct Answer
E. grep change[ds] world.txtExplanation
The correct answer is "grep change[ds] world.txt". This command uses the "grep" tool to search for lines in the file "world.txt" that contain matches to the patterns "change" followed by either "d" or "s".Rate this question:
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- 46.
Which of the following actions is performed when a file is uncompressed?
- A.
Execute
- B.
Extract
- C.
Archive
- D.
Remove
Correct Answer
B. ExtractExplanation
When a file is uncompressed, the action that is performed is extracting the contents of the compressed file. This involves decompressing the file and restoring it to its original form, allowing access to the individual files and folders within the compressed file.Rate this question:
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- 47.
The find command enables you to locate files based on their sizes.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
The find command is a powerful tool that allows users to search for files based on various criteria, including their sizes. By using the appropriate options and arguments, users can specify a size range or a specific size to search for files that match the given criteria. Therefore, the statement that the find command enables you to locate files based on their sizes is true.Rate this question:
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- 48.
Which of the following commands supports both gzip and bzip2 compression?
- A.
Tar
- B.
Archive
- C.
Zip
- D.
zcat
Correct Answer
A. TarExplanation
The command "tar" supports both gzip and bzip2 compression. "tar" is a utility used to create, maintain, and manipulate file archives. It can compress files using gzip or bzip2 compression algorithms, making it a versatile choice for handling compressed files.Rate this question:
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- 49.
The gzip, bzip2, and xz programs all perform _____ compression, in which the decompressed data exactly match the original pre-compression data.
- A.
Lossless
- B.
Streamlined
- C.
Encryption
- D.
Existential
Correct Answer
A. LosslessExplanation
The gzip, bzip2, and xz programs all perform lossless compression, in which the decompressed data exactly match the original pre-compression data.
The gzip, bzip2, and xz programs all perform lossless compression, in which the decompressed data exactly match the original pre-compression data.Rate this question:
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- 50.
Which of the following redirection operators appends a program's standard output to an existing file, without overwriting that file's original contents?
- A.
2>
- B.
&>
- C.
>
- D.
>>
- E.
|
Correct Answer
D. >>Explanation
The >> operator appends standard output to a file, so option D is correct. The vertical bar (|) is the pipe character; it ties one program's standard output to another's standard input, so option E is incorrect. The 2> operator redirects standard error, not standard output, and it overwrites the target file. Thus, option A is incorrect. The &> operator redirects both standard output and standard error, and it overwrites the target file, so option B is incorrect. The > operator redirects standard output, but it overwrites the target file, so option C is incorrect.Rate this question:
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