BECE 2001 Social Studies Past Questions and Answers

Paper 1: Objectives

1. When the scale of a map is expressed as 1:50,000 it is known as
   1. A. statement scale
   2. B. representative fraction scale
   3. C. linear scale
   4. D. vertical scale
   Answer: B
2. The sun is vertically overhead on the Tropic of Cancer on
   1. A. 21st January
   2. B. 21st March
   3. C. 21st June
   4. D. 23rd September
   5. E. 22nd December
   Answer: C
3. The period between 400 BC and 600 AD covers
   1. A. 200 years
   2. B. 400 years
   3. C. 600 years
   4. D. 1000 years
   5. E. 1200 years
   Answer: D
4. The symbolshown on topographical maps represents
   1. A. a marshy area
   2. B. an area liable to flood
   3. C. a waterfall
   4. D. a farm
   Answer: A
5. What will be the time on longitude 45° East when it is 9:00 am on longitude 15° East?
   1. A. 7:00 am
   2. B. 10:00 am
   3. C. 11:00 am
   4. D. 1:00 pm
   Answer: C
6. What is the name given to the area lying between the Tropic of Cancer and latitude 66 ½ ° North?
   1. A. Equatorial zone
   2. B. Polar zone
   3. C. Temperate zone
   4. D. Arctic zone
   5. E. Antarctic zone
   Answer: C
7. Limestone changes under great heat and pressure to form
   1. A. graphite
   2. B. shale
   3. C. gneiss
   4. D. coal
   5. E. marble
   Answer: E
8. The cool winds that blow from the sea to the land during the day are referred to as
   1. A. land breeze
   2. B. sea breeze
   3. C. trade winds
   4. D. off-shore winds
   5. E. air mass
   Answer: B
9. When the needle of a compass is at rest, it points to the
   1. A. centre
   2. B. south
   3. C. east
   4. D. west
   5. E. north
   Answer: E
10. Which of the following rocks are formed from magma?
    1. A. Basalt
    2. B. Shale
    3. C. Sandstone
    4. D. Clay
    5. E. Coal
    Answer: A

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11. Places which experiences equal days and equal nights are located along the
    1. A. Tropic of Capricorn
    2. B. Tropic of Cancer
    3. C. Arctic Circle
    4. D. Equator
    5. E. International Date Line
12. Ghana approximately lies between latitudes
    1. A. 6° North and 12° North
    2. B. 4½ ° North and 11½ ° North
    3. C. 5° North and 10° North
    4. D. 5½ ° North and 12½ ° North
    5. E. 10° North and 15° North
13. In Ghana, the South-West Monsoon winds blow between
    1. A. December and March
    2. B. January and April
    3. C. February and June
    4. D. April and October
    5. E. June and September
14. The Kingdom of Mamprugu was founded by
    1. A. Zirile
    2. B. Wudana
    3. C. Tohugu
    4. D. Tarana
    5. E. Tohazie
15. The Asante king who first brought the states together to form a union was
    1. A. Obiri Yeboah
    2. B. Osei Tutu I
    3. C. Opoku Ware I
    4. D. Osei Kwadwo
    5. E. Agyeman Prempeh I
16. Which of the following is not a function of the Police Service ?
    1. A. Arresting criminals
    2. B. Controlling traffic
    3. C. Maintaining peace
    4. D. Judging cases in court
    5. E. Patrolling the streets at night
17. The Accelerated Development Plan of Education was drawn up in 1951 by the
    1. A. United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC)
    2. B. Northern Peoples‘ Party (NPP)
    3. C. National Liberation Movement (NLM)
    4. D. United Party (UP)
    5. E. Convention People‘s Party (CPP)
18. The British first came to the Gold Coast as
    1. A. tourists
    2. B. teachers
    3. C. doctors
    4. D. traders
    5. E. engineers
19. The battle of Akatamanso was fought in
    1. A. 1794
    2. B. 1824
    3. C. 1826
    4. D. 1872
    5. E. 1900
20. The last Governor-General of the Gold Coast was
    1. A. Lord Listowel
    2. B. Sir Charles Arden Clarke
    3. C. Sir Allan Burns
    4. D. Commander Hill
    5. E. Sir Gordon Guggisberg
21. Which of the following can be described as a secondary activity?
    1. A. Farming
    2. B. Mining
    3. C. Lumbering
    4. D. Teaching
    5. E. Carpentry
22. Otumfuo Opoku Ware I ruled the Asante kingdom after the death of
    1. A. Obiri Yeboah
    2. B. Kusi Obodum
    3. C. Osei Kwadwo
    4. D. Osei Tutu I
    5. E. Agyeman Prempeh I
23. Which of the following rivers flows along part of the western boundary of Ghana?
    1. A. Oti
    2. B. White Volta
    3. C. Red Volta
    4. D. Ankobra
24. The leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) were imprisoned because of the
    1. A. shooting of the veterans
    2. B. appointment of Sir Arden Clarke as a governor
    3. C. 1948 disturbances
    4. D. recommendations made by the Watson Commission
    5. E. formation of the Convention People’s Party
25. Freed slaves sent to Liberia were from
    1. A. Jamaica
    2. B. United States of America
    3. C. Great Britain
    4. D. France
    5. E. Nova Scotia
26. Which of the following was an empire in Western Sudan?
    1. A. Songhai
    2. B. Oyo
    3. C. Dahomey
    4. D. Mossi
    5. E. Asante
27. World Food Day is celebrated each year on
    1. A. 1st May
    2. B. 4th June
    3. C. 16th October
    4. D. 2nd November
28. Which of the following is not an organ of the United Nations Organization (UNO)?
    1. A. The General Assembly
    2. B. The Secretariat
    3. C. The Security Council
    4. D. The International Labour Organization
    5. E. The International Court of Justice
29. The headquarters of the League of Nations was in
    1. A. The Hague
    2. B. New York
    3. C. Berlin
    4. D. Moscow
    5. E. Geneva
30. The old Ghana Empire was finally conquered by
    1. A. Yacin
    2. B. Abu Bakr
    3. C. Mansa Musa
    4. D. Sundiata
    5. E. Sumanguru
31. Which of the following rivers flows into the Atlantic Ocean?
    1. A. Orange
    2. B. Limpopo
    3. C. Nile
    4. D. Zambezi
    5. E. Ruvuma
32. Dakar is to Senegal as Nouakchott is to
    1. A. Benin
    2. B. Gabon
    3. C. Mauritania
    4. D. Guinea Bissau
    5. E. Mali
33. The mahogany tree is mostly found in the
    1. A. Savanna
    2. B. Rainforest
    3. C. Tundra
    4. D. Desert
    5. E. Mediterranean
34. Sisal is used in the manufacture of
    1. A. polythene
    2. B. wool
    3. C. linen
    4. D. rayon
    5. E. sacks
35. The leading producer of copper in Africa is
    1. A. Zimbabwe
    2. B. Zambia
    3. C. Botswana
    4. D. Namibia
    5. E. Morocco
36. Which of the following longitudes almost divides Africa into eastern and western halves?
    1. A. Longitude 10° West
    2. B. Longitude 10° East
    3. C. Longitude 0°
    4. D. Longitude 20° East
    5. E. Longitude 20° West
37. Preservation of fish can be done in the following ways except
    1. A. drying
    2. B. salting
    3. C. smoking
    4. D. canning
    5. E. boiling
38. The swollen shoot disease affects
    1. A. cotton
    2. B. coconut
    3. C. cocoa
    4. D. coffee
    5. E. cassava
39. Water pollution is caused by all the following except
    1. A. oil spillage
    2. B. recycling of waste
    3. C. sewage disposal
    4. D. alluvial mining
    5. E. oil drilling
40. Inter-schools sporting activities are organized to
    1. A. promote friendship
    2. B. determine losers
    3. C. generate income
    4. D. win trophies
    5. E. enable athletes to travel

Paper 2: Theory

1. a) Describe each of the following landforms:
   
   i) A ridge
   
   ii) A plateau
   
   iii) A conical hill
   
   iv) An escarpment
   
   b) Draw simple labeled contours to represent the landforms mentioned in (a) above using a vertical interval of 50 metres.
2. a) State the difference between weather and climate.
   
   b) Mention four elements of the weather and name the instrument used to measure each of them.
   
   c) In what four ways is rainfall important to man?
3. a) Name four festivals in Ghana and name the people who celebrate each of them.
   
   b) Give four reasons why festivals are celebrated.
4. a) What was the Poll Tax Ordinance of 1852?
   
   b) Give four reasons why the Poll Tax Ordinance failed.
5. a) Mention four causes of desertification in West Africa.
   
   b) What measures can be taken to control desertification in West Africa?
6. a) State four functions of the Executive Secretariat of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
   
   b) Explain four problems facing the ECOWAS.

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