BECE 1996 Social Studies Past Questions and Answers

Paper 1: Objectives

1. In which of the following belts in Ghana is cocoa commonly grown?
   1. A. Mangrove forest
   2. B. Tropical rainforest
   3. C. Sudan savanna
   4. D. Guinea savanna
   5. E. Semi-deciduous forest
   Answer: E
2. Which of the following places of interest attracts most tourists to Ghana?
   1. A. Kotoka International Airport
   2. B. Tema Harbour
   3. C. Kakum National Park
   4. D. Takoradi Harbour
   5. E. Accra Sports Stadium
   Answer: C
3. In the matrilineal system of inheritance, children inherit the property of their
   1. A. father's mother
   2. B. mother's brother
   3. C. own mother
   4. D. mother's father
   5. E. own father
   Answer: B
4. Which of the following is not a man-made feature?
   1. A. Bridge
   2. B. Settlement
   3. C. Farm
   4. D. Road
   5. E. River
   Answer: E
5. The time in Ghana is different from the time in Nigeria because of differences in
   1. A. geological size
   2. B. longitudinal position
   3. C. population size
   4. D. climate condition
   5. E. latitudinal position
   Answer: B
6. Some rivers meander in their lower course because
   1. A. the land there is almost flat
   2. B. the land there is very steep
   3. C. the river erodes vertically at that stage
   4. D. deposition is very low at this stage
   5. E. the land there is strongly undulating
   Answer: A
7. Aburi is normally cooler than Nsawam because
   1. A. Nsawam is nearer the coast
   2. B. Nsawam is in the Savanna zone
   3. C. Nsawam is an industrial town
   4. D. Aburi is on a highland
   5. E. Aburi is in the forest belt
   Answer: D
8. The main reason for encouraging farmers in Ghana to produce more cocoa is to
   1. A. promote the manufacture of more cocoa products
   2. B. generate more foreign exchange
   3. C. make the farmer happy
   4. D. set up more factories
   5. E. help determine the best farmer
   Answer: B
9. In Ghana, Odwira festival usually serves all the following purposes except
   1. A. providing entertainment
   2. B. community development planning
   3. C. pouring libation to the ancestors
   4. D. purification of the ancestral stools
   5. E. outdooring of new-born babies
   Answer: E
10. The main purpose of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to
    1. A. achieve political freedom
    2. B. achieve political unity
    3. C. expand the size of West Africa
    4. D. achieve free movement of peoples, goods and services
    5. E. reduce migration problems
    Answer: D

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11. The League of Nations was formed soon after the
    1. A. Middle West War
    2. B. First World War
    3. C. Second World War
    4. D. Falkland War
12. How many seats were in the Legislative Assembly when Ghana became independent?
    1. A. 204
    2. B. 200
    3. C. 120
    4. D. 104
    5. E. 100
13. 
    
    The administrative region marked A on the sketch map is
    1. A. Central Region
    2. B. Ashanti Region
    3. C. Western Region
    4. D. Northern Region
    5. E. Brong Ahafo Region
14. 
    
    The river marked R on the sketch map is
    1. A. Afram
    2. B. Oti
    3. C. Ankobra
    4. D. Pra
    5. E. Densu
15. 
    
    The town marked T on the sketch map is
    1. A. Tamale
    2. B. Bawku
    3. C. Sunyani
    4. D. Wa
    5. E. Axim
16. 
    
    What feature is marked F on the map?
    1. A. Rubber plantation
    2. B. Dam
    3. C. Airport
    4. D. Railway Station
    5. E. Quarry
17. 
    
    The people who live in the area shaded P on the map are
    1. A. Ewes
    2. B. Akans
    3. C. Ga-Adangmes
    4. D. Mamprusis
    5. E. Sissalas
18. 
    
    The town marked O on the map is a/an
    1. A. mining town
    2. B. harbour town
    3. C. historic town
    4. D. gap town
    5. E. industrial town
19. 
    
    The town lettered C is a/an
    1. A. district capital
    2. B. national capital
    3. C. regional capital
    4. D. rail terminus
    5. E. industrial centre
20. One of the works of a Member of Parliament (MP) is to
    1. A. make laws
    2. B. judge criminals
    3. C. arrest criminals
    4. D. conduct state elections
    5. E. administer laws
21. Which of the following is a land-locked country in West Africa?
    1. A. Burkina Faso
    2. B. Ghana
    3. C. Nigeria
    4. D. Sierra Leone
    5. E. Liberia
22. Power in a democratic state is exercised by the
    1. A. majority
    2. B. judiciary
    3. C. military
    4. D. monarch
    5. E. parliament
23. Which of the following is produced on a large scale in the Middle East?
    1. A. Gold
    2. B. Diamond
    3. C. Coal
    4. D. Petroleum
    5. E. Iron
24. The Panama Canal links the Pacific Ocean to the
    1. A. Indian Ocean
    2. B. North Atlantic Ocean
    3. C. Arctic Ocean
    4. D. South Atlantic Ocean
    5. E. Antarctic Ocean
25. Which governor ruled the country between 1919 and 1927?
    1. A. Commander Hill
    2. B. Sir Gordon Guggisberg
    3. C. Sir Alan Burns
    4. D. Lord Luggard
    5. E. Sir Charles Maclean
26. The Mamprusi are believed to have come from
    1. A. Northern Mali
    2. B. Western Nigeria
    3. C. Southern Ghana
    4. D. The east of Lake Chad
    5. E. The south of Lake Victoria
27. The Poll Tax Ordinance was passed in
    1. A. 1820
    2. B. 1825
    3. C. 1852
    4. D. 1874
    5. E. 1896
28. Which of the following cannot be considered as an economic activity?
    1. A. Farming
    2. B. Manufacturing
    3. C. Teaching
    4. D. Learning
    5. E. Driving
29. The system of trade in which goods are directly exchanged for goods is known as
    1. A. monetary economy
    2. B. exchange economy
    3. C. barter economy
    4. D. primitive economy
    5. E. socialist economy
30. Which of the minerals is not mined in Ghana?
    1. A. Gold
    2. B. Bauxite
    3. C. Tin
    4. D. Manganese
    5. E. Diamond
31. Trade between two countries is called
    1. A. barter trade
    2. B. surplus trade
    3. C. domestic trade
    4. D. multilateral trade
    5. E. bilateral trade
32. The only West African country which produces more cocoa than Ghana is
    1. A. Togo
    2. B. Cote d'Ivoire
    3. C. Benin
    4. D. Sierra Leone
    5. E. Liberia
33. The main objective of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to
    1. A. promote political freedom
    2. B. reduce political conflicts
    3. C. promote economic integration
    4. D. increase industrialization in West Africa
    5. E. promote political unity in West Africa
34. Mixed farming involves the growing of a
    1. A. single crop on a large scale
    2. B. variety of crops on a large scale
    3. C. single crop for export only
    4. D. variety of crops and rearing of animals
    5. E. single crop for feeding animals
35. The person who led the Gonjas to settle at their present home in Northern Ghana was
    1. A. Ndewura Jakpa
    2. B. Naa Dariziogo
    3. C. Naa Sitobu
    4. D. Naa Zirile
    5. E. Tohazie
36. The United Nations Organization has all the following as its aims except to
    1. A. maintain international peace and security
    2. B. promote friendliness among nations
    3. C. remove all unpopular Heads of States of member countries
    4. D. promote international economic development
    5. E. promote respect for human rights
37. All the following are metallic minerals except
    1. A. bauxite
    2. B. copper
    3. C. gold
    4. D. diamond
    5. E. manganese
38. There is a large population of white settlers in the highland areas of East Africa because
    1. A. of the beautiful natural vegetation
    2. B. it is safe to travel along the steep slopes
    3. C. of sufficient sunshine and warmth
    4. D. of the availability of rainfall
    5. E. of the cool and healthy atmosphere
39. The struggle for Ghana's independence from 1951 to 1957 was led by
    1. A. Dr J. B. Danquah
    2. B. Mr Ako Adjei
    3. C. Dr K. A. Busia
    4. D. Dr Kwame Nkrumah
    5. E. Mr K. A. Gbedemah
40. Most of the lakes in East Africa were formed as a result of the
    1. A. rift valley system
    2. B. fold mountain system
    3. C. action of volcanoes
    4. D. action of tropical wind
    5. E. action of waves

Paper 2: Theory

1. Use the data below to answer the questions that follow
   
   

   Months	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
   Temperature (°C)	25	27	27	27	26	26	24	23	24	26	26	26
   Rainfall (mm)	43	53	137	145	183	234	127	74	178	201	99	30

   
   
   a) Calculate the mean monthly temperature for the first half of the year
   
   b) What is the annual temperature range?
   
   c) Find the total annual rainfall
   
   d) Describe the pattern of rainfall distribution.
2. With the aid of contours, describe the following types of slope:
   
   a) Gentle slope
   
   b) Steep slope
   
   c) Concave slope
   
   d) Convex slope
3. Explain the importance of rivers in Ghana.
4. a) Describe three duties of a citizen of Ghana.
   
   b) Explain any two rights of a citizen of Ghana.
5. a) State four conditions necessary for economic growth and high productivity.
   
   b) Give three reasons why Ghana's economy is not growing.
6. a) State any four aims of the United Nations Organization (U.N.O).
   
   b) Explain two problems facing the United Nations Organization (U.N.O).

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