Oracle Database SQL — Question 201

Which two statements are true about external tables? (Choose two.)

Answer options

• A. DML statements cannot be used on them.
• B. You can populate them from existing data in the database by using the CREATE TABLE AS SELECT command.
• C. Their data can be retrieved by using only SQL or PL/SQL.
• D. Indexes can be created on them.
• E. Their metadata and actual data are both stored outside the database.

Correct answer: A, B

Explanation

Answer A is correct as external tables do not support DML operations. Answer B is also correct since external tables can be populated using the CREATE TABLE AS SELECT command. The other options are incorrect because external tables can be accessed through SQL and PL/SQL (C), indexes cannot be created on them (D), and while external tables' actual data is stored externally, their metadata is typically stored in the database (E).