BECE 1990 Social Studies Past Questions and Answers

Paper 1: Objectives

1. A long narrow stretch of hills is called
   1. A. Ridge
   2. B. Spur
   3. C. Mountain
   4. D. Valley
   Answer: A
2. Bugum is a festival of the
   1. A. Dagomba
   2. B. Nanumba
   3. C. Mamprusi
   4. D. Sisala
   5. E. Gonja
   Answer: C
3. A line drawn on maps to show places of equal height above sea level is
   1. A. a contour
   2. B. an isotherm
   3. C. a latitude
   4. D. an isobar
   5. E. a longitude
   Answer: A
4. In which of the following regions in Ghana is the Boti Falls?
   1. A. Ashanti
   2. B. Eastern
   3. C. Western
   4. D. Central
   5. E. Greater Accra
   Answer: B
5. Alluvial gold is found in
   1. A. River Oti
   2. B. River Offin
   3. C. River Densu
   4. D. River Bia
   5. E. River Pra
   Answer: B
6. Ghana's Earth satellite station is at
   1. A. Nsawam
   2. B. Koforidua
   3. C. Ada
   4. D. Kuntunse
   5. E. Aburi
   Answer: D
7. Which of the following shows the relationship between distance on paper and actual distance on the ground?
   1. A. Longitude
   2. B. Key
   3. C. Scale
   4. D. Plan
   5. E. Contour
   Answer: C
8. The Greenwich Meridian passes through
   1. A. Tema
   2. B. Accra
   3. C. Takoradi
   4. D. Kumasi
   5. E. Wa
   Answer: A
9. Which of the following rivers flows into Lake Volta?
   1. A. Tano
   2. B. Afram
   3. C. Pra
   4. D. Bia
   5. E. Densu
   Answer: B
10. Which of the following trees is not used as Timber?
    1. A. Wawa
    2. B. Odum
    3. C. Sapele
    4. D. Nim
    5. E. Obeche
    Answer: D

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11. What does the conventional signon Ghana topographical maps stand for?
    1. A. Fort
    2. B. Court house
    3. C. Mosque
    4. D. Zongo
    5. E. Mission Station
12. Which of the following is not found in West Africa?
    1. A. Fouta Djallon Mountains
    2. B. Guinea highlands
    3. C. Jos Plateau
    4. D. Akwapim-Togo Ranges
    5. E. Ahaggar Plateau
13. Which of the following is not a feature of relief?
    1. A. Plain
    2. B. Plateau
    3. C. Inselberg
    4. D. River
    5. E. Mountain
14. If it is 12 noon at longitude 0°. What will be the time at a place which lies on longitude 15° E?
    1. A. 12:15 am
    2. B. 1:00 am
    3. C. 11:00 am
    4. D. 12:15 pm
    5. E. 1:00 pm
15. Which of the following is not a latitude?
    1. A. Equator
    2. B. International Date Line
    3. C. Tropic of Cancer
    4. D. Tropic of Capricorn
    5. E. Arctic Circle
16. An example of an igneous rock is
    1. A. Granite
    2. B. Sandstone
    3. C. Gneiss
    4. D. Shale
    5. E. Marble
17. Which of the following features is not associated with rivers?
    1. A. Delta
    2. B. Waterfalls
    3. C. Ria
    4. D. Meander
    5. E. Crater
18. Rotation of the earth causes
    1. A. Day and night
    2. B. Seasons
    3. C. Eclipses
    4. D. Equinoxes
    5. E. Solstices
19. Which of the following minerals is not mined in Ghana?
    1. A. Gold
    2. B. Tin
    3. C. Diamond
    4. D. Manganese
    5. E. Bauxite
20. Alumina is obtained from
    1. A. Gold
    2. B. Diamond
    3. C. Manganese
    4. D. Bauxite
    5. E. Copper
21. In Ghana deep shaft mining is generally associated with
    1. A. Gold
    2. B. Salt
    3. C. Bauxite
    4. D. Diamond
    5. E. Manganese
22. The earth rotates on its axis, spinning from
    1. A. East to west
    2. B. West to east
    3. C. South to north
    4. D. West to south
    5. E. East to south
23. Which of the following is not an irrigation farming area in West Africa?
    1. A. Inland Niger Delta
    2. B. Sokoto River Valley
    3. C. Accra Plains
    4. D. Richard Toll District
    5. E. Chad Basin
24. Which of the following countries in West Africa is a major exporter of groundnuts?
    1. A. Senegal
    2. B. Ghana
    3. C. La Cote d'Ivoire
    4. D. Liberia
    5. E. Togo
25. Which of the following countries introduced Indirect Rule in her colonies in West Africa?
    1. A. France
    2. B. Britain
    3. C. Portugal
    4. D. Germany
    5. E. Belgium
26. The president of the Aborigine Rights Protection Society was
    1. A. John Sey
    2. B. James Kwegyir Aggrey
    3. C. John Mensah Sarbah
    4. D. Sir Arku Korsah
    5. E. Nana Sir William Ofori Atta I
27. An imaginary line which divides the earth into two hemispheres is called the
    1. A. Latitude
    2. B. Longitude
    3. C. Meridian
    4. D. Equator
    5. E. Tropic
28. At the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 the Europeans agreed on how to
    1. A. Divide Africa among themselves
    2. B. Spread Christianity in Africa
    3. C. Trade with the Africans
    4. D. Tax the Africans
    5. E. Stop the slave trade
29. An example of a sedimentary rock is
    1. A. Granite
    2. B. Gneiss
    3. C. Marble
    4. D. Clay
    5. E. Quartzite
30. The world's largest producer of cocoa is
    1. A. Brazil
    2. B. La Cote d'Ivoire
    3. C. Ghana
    4. D. Argentina
    5. E. Nigeria
31. Which of the following is a tertiary occupation?
    1. A. Wood Cutting
    2. B. Manufacturing
    3. C. Quarrying
    4. D. Teaching
    5. E. Fishing
32. The original home of the Ewe was
    1. A. Ho
    2. B. Keta
    3. C. Ketu
    4. D. Kpando
    5. E. Gafe
33. Which of the following conducted the District Assembly Election in Ghana?
    1. A. National Commission for Democracy
    2. B. National House of Chiefs
    3. C. National Council on Women and Development
    4. D. Statistical Services Department
34. The bond of 1844 was signed between
    1. A. Commander Hill and Fante chiefs
    2. B. Captain George Maclean and Ashanti chiefs
    3. C. Commander Hill and Northern Chiefs
    4. D. Captain George Maclean and Fante Chiefs
    5. E. Commander Hill and Ashanti chiefs
35. Which of the following crops would not thrive well in the Savanna?
    1. A. Millet
    2. B. Coffee
    3. C. Shea nut
    4. D. Groundnut
36. The longest river in West Africa is
    1. A. River Senegal
    2. B. River Volta
    3. C. River Niger
    4. D. River Gambia
    5. E. River Sassandra
37. Use the bar graph below to answer the question below:
    
    
    
    Which school scored the lowest mark?
    1. A. School A
    2. B. School B
    3. C. School C
    4. D. School D
    5. E. School E
38. Use the bar graph below to answer the question below:
    
    
    
    What was the total mark scored by School C?
    1. A. 25
    2. B. 30
    3. C. 35
    4. D. 42
    5. E. 52
39. Use the bar graph below to answer the question below:
    
    
    
    Which school won the competition?
    1. A. School A
    2. B. School B
    3. C. School C
    4. D. School D
    5. E. School E
40. When the republic of Liberia attained independence the people of Liberia adopted the motto
    1. A. One Nation, One People, One Destiny
    2. B. Freedom and Justice
    3. C. Unity and Strength
    4. D. Unity and Faith
    5. E. The Love of Liberty brought us here

Paper 2: Theory

1. a) Write notes on contours and illustrate with diagrams:
   
   i) a valley
   
   ii) a ridge
   
   iii) a plateau
   
   iv) a conical hill
   
   b) How are the following features shown on topographical maps:
   
   i) railway line
   
   ii) a bridge
   
   iii) a farm
   
   iv) footpath
   
   v) an area liable to flood
2. Use the map below to answer the question:
   
   
   
   a) i) What is the name of the major river shown on the map?
   
   ii) What is the main tributary of this river?
   
   b) i) Measure the distance from X to Y in kilometers (Scale = 1cm : 2km).
   
   ii) Which type of road is from Rokupr to Kabaranka?
   
   c) i) Which type of settlement is at Kabaranka?
   
   ii) What is the height of Maseri in feet?
3. What are the importance of festivals in Ghana?
4. Write an essay on one of the following:
   
   a) The achievements of Dr Kwame Nkrumah
   
   b) The achievements of Sir Gordon Guggisberg
5. What four major benefits do West Africans derive from their rivers? Give specific examples where necessary.
6. What are the problems facing the Organization of African Unity (OAU)?

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