BECE 1999 Social Studies Past Questions and Answers

Paper 1: Objectives

1. Which of the following shows the relationship between distances 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
2. 1cm to 1 km expressed as representative fraction is
   1. A. 1:100
   2. B. 1:1,000
   3. C. 1:10,000
   4. D. 1:50,000
   5. E. 1:100,000
   Answer: E
3. 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
   Answer: B
4. 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
   Answer: D
5. Which of the following instruments is used for showing direction?
   1. A. Thermometer
   2. B. Compass
   3. C. Anemometer
   4. D. Rain Gauge
   5. E. Barometer
   Answer: B
6. The difference between the highest and lowest temperature recorded of a place during the day is called the
   1. A. Daily Range of Temperature
   2. B. Average Monthly Temperature
   3. C. Daily Average Temperature
   4. D. Mean Annual Temperature
   5. E. Daily Mean Temperature
   Answer: A
7. An example of a sedimentary rock is
   1. A. granite
   2. B. gneiss
   3. C. marble
   4. D. clay
   5. E. quartzite
   Answer: D
8. The original home of the Ewes was
   1. A. Ho
   2. B. Keta
   3. C. Ketu
   4. D. Kpando
   5. E. Gafe
   Answer: C
9. Ghana became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in
   1. A. 1948
   2. B. 1954
   3. C. 1957
   4. D. 1960
   5. E. 1966
   Answer: D
10. The Dagombas are descendants of
    1. A. Ndewura Jakpa
    2. B. Samori
    3. C. Babatu
    4. D. Dariziogo
    5. E. Gbewa
    Answer: E

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11. Which of the following festivals is associated with fire display?
    1. A. Bugum
    2. B. Homowo
    3. C. Aboakyir
    4. D. Kundum
    5. E. Ohum
12. A major tributary of River Volta is the
    1. A. Pra
    2. B. Ankobra
    3. C. Oti
    4. D. Densu
    5. E. Ayensu
13. Which of the following towns in Ghana is important for mining of bauxite
    1. A. Obuasi
    2. B. Awaso
    3. C. Tarkwa
    4. D. Akwatia
    5. E. Nsuta
14. In which of the following regions in Ghana is the Akosombo Dam?
    1. A. Volta
    2. B. Central
    3. C. Ashanti
    4. D. Eastern
    5. E. Greater Accra
15. The first castle was built in Ghana in 1482 at
    1. A. Cape Coast
    2. B. Accra
    3. C. Axim
    4. D. Anomabo
    5. E. Elmina
16. All the European powers left the Coast of Ghana by 1872 except the
    1. A. British
    2. B. Danes
    3. C. Dutch
    4. D. Spanish
    5. E. Portuguese
17. The capital of British Gold Coast was moved from Cape Coast to Accra in
    1. A. 1850
    2. B. 1872
    3. C. 1874
    4. D. 1877
    5. E. 1896
18. Sources of revenue for District Assemblies in Ghana include
    1. A. Sales tax
    2. B. purchase tax
    3. C. basic rates
    4. D. income tax
    5. E. import duties
19. A major cash crop to West Africa is
    1. A. maize
    2. B. cocoa
    3. C. plantain
    4. D. cassava
    5. E. cocoyam
20. The most westerly point in West Africa is Cape
    1. A. Three points
    2. B. St. Paul
    3. C. Palmas
    4. D. Mount
    5. E. Verde
21. Who is the head of the judiciary in Ghana?
    1. A. the Speaker of Parliament
    2. B. the President
    3. C. the Chief Justice
    4. D. the Vice President
    5. E. the Attorney-General
22. Maintenance of law and order in the village community is enforced by
    1. A. an assemblyman
    2. B. District Chief Executive
    3. C. Unit Committee elders
    4. D. chiefs and elders
    5. E. pastors
23. Foreigners in Ghana enjoy all the following rights except that of
    1. A. expression
    2. B. worship
    3. C. voting
    4. D. association
    5. E. marriage
24. Environmental pollution is caused by all the following except
    1. A. smoking of cigarette
    2. B. making of loud noise
    3. C. dumping of refuse
    4. D. watering of flowers
    5. E. using chemical to catch fish
25. The farming practice, which combines crop cultivation and animal rearing, is called
    1. A. Mixed cropping
    2. B. Mixed farming
    3. C. Ranching
    4. D. Nomadism
    5. E. Transhuman
26. The tropical rainforest region of West Africa is important for the production of
    1. A. cattle
    2. B. millet
    3. C. tomatoes
    4. D. groundnuts
    5. E. timber
27. Desertification is caused by
    1. A. afforestation
    2. B. excessive rainfall
    3. C. overgrazing
    4. D. irrigation
    5. E. decrease in population
28. Countries in North Africa are noted for the production of
    1. A. crude oil
    2. B. diamond
    3. C. iron ore
    4. D. gold
    5. E. bauxite
29. The Prairies of USA is important for producing
    1. A. cars
    2. B. diamond
    3. C. timber
    4. D. fish
    5. E. wheat
30. The highest court in Ghana is the
    1. A. Supreme Court
    2. B. Magistrate court
    3. C. High court
    4. D. Tribunal court
    5. E. Court of Appeal
31. The great pyramids of Egypt were built as
    1. A. temples for Egyptian gods
    2. B. palaces for living pharaohs
    3. C. tourist attractions
    4. D. royal burial places
    5. E. warehouses for goods
32. Vaccines used in Ghana for the immunization of children are supplied by
    1. A. District Assemblies
    2. B. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
    3. C. Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs)
    4. D. World Health Organization (WHO)
33. The main organ of the United Nations Organizations (UNO) is the
    1. A. General Assembly
    2. B. Economic and Social Council
    3. C. International Court of Justice
    4. D. Security Council
    5. E. Secretariat
34. Which of the following animals was mostly used during the Trans-Saharan Trade?
    1. A. Elephants
    2. B. Ass
    3. C. Donkey
    4. D. Horse
    5. E. Camel
35. Bush fires occur very often during the
    1. A. rainy season
    2. B. harvesting season
    3. C. marketing days
    4. D. harmattan season
    5. E. cold season
36. The common fish caught in the lagoons of Ghana
    1. A. tuna
    2. B. herrings
    3. C. plaice
    4. D. tilapia
    5. E. mackerel
37. The insect responsible for spreading sleeping sickness is
    1. A. mosquitoes
    2. B. tsetsefly
    3. C. housefly
    4. D. locust
    5. E. simulium fly
38. Which of the following is important in the manufacture of cutting tools?
    1. A. Tin
    2. B. Iron
    3. C. Silver
    4. D. Lead
    5. E. Diamond
39. Children under the age five years should be immunized against all the following except
    1. A. polio
    2. B. tetanus
    3. C. cholera
    4. D. diphtheria
    5. E. whooping cough
40. The Organization of Africa Unity (OAU) is made up of only
    1. A. independent African states
    2. B. dependent African states
    3. C. colonized African states
    4. D. black African states
    5. E. warring states

Paper 2: Theory

1. Use the map of Dano District to answer Question 1
   
   
   
   a) State the:
   
   i) Direction of Nsebiso from Dano
   
   ii) Contour interval in metres
   
   iii) Distance by road from Abinso to Lampa in kilometres
   
   iv) Direction of flow of River Abiri
   
   b) Name the features marked A, B, C and Z on the map
   
   c)
   
   i) What type of settlement is at Nsebiso?
   
   ii) What is the main occupation of the people of Dano District?
2. a) State five characteristics of the harmattan
   
   b) In which two ways is the harmattan useful?
   
   c) Mention three disadvantages of the harmattan
3. a) Mention four achievements of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
   
   b) What are the four reasons that led to the overthrow of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah?
4. a) Name the four main vegetation types in Ghana.
   
   b) State four ways by which the vegetation is being destroyed.
   
   c) Mention two ways by which the vegetation can be protected.
5. a) State four good effects that the coming of the Europeans had on West Africa.
   
   b) What four bad effects did the coming of the Europeans have on West Africa?
6. a) What is World Health Organization (WHO)?
   
   b) Mention four achievements of WHO.

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