BECE 2009 Social Studies Past Questions and Answers

Paper 1: Objectives

1. During the Second World War, Ghanaian soldiers fought on the side of
   1. A. Germany and her allies
   2. B. America and her allies
   3. C. Britain and her allies
   4. D. Japan and her allies
   Answer: C
2. One of the measures the government of Ghana can use to reduce poverty is
   1. A. paying higher interest on savings
   2. B. obtaining World Bank loan
   3. C. giving away public funds
   4. D. equipping the unemployed with skills
   Answer: D
3. Cape Town in South Africa falls within the
   1. A. Warm Temperate Climate
   2. B. Cool Temperate Climate
   3. C. Tundra Climate
   4. D. Tropical Climate
   Answer: A
4. A president who performs judicial functions abuses the principle of
   1. A. checks and balances
   2. B. separation of powers
   3. C. fundamental human rights
   4. D. collective responsibility
   Answer: B
5. Economic self-reliance is a necessary factor for maintaining
   1. A. political independence
   2. B. democratic rule
   3. C. national unity
   4. D. higher education
   Answer: A
6. Which type of rain occurs when cold and warm air masses meet?
   1. A. Orographic
   2. B. Convectional
   3. C. Cyclonic
   4. D. Thunderstorm
   Answer: C
7. Ghana co-operates with other nations mainly to
   1. A. ensure her political stability
   2. B. develop her national trade
   3. C. maintain internal peace
   4. D. maintain international peace
   Answer: D
8. For a nation to be economically independent, she must
   1. A. educate her citizens
   2. B. produce her basic needs
   3. C. rely on her colonial master for aid
   4. D. co-operate with her neighbours
   Answer: B
9. The Arctic Circle is
   1. A. 23 1/2 ° north
   2. B. 23 1/2 ° south
   3. C. 66 1/2 ° north
   4. D. 66 1/2 ° south
   Answer: C
10. The system by which a foreigner acquires citizenship of another country is
    1. A. registration
    2. B. nationalization
    3. C. adoption
    4. D. naturalization
    Answer: D

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11. Parents can reduce conflicts at home when they
    1. A. use corporal punishment
    2. B. increase children's privileges
    3. C. offer advice to children
    4. D. detain children
12. When one moves eastwards and crosses the International Date line
    1. A. a day is gained
    2. B. a day is lost
    3. C. shorter hours of day is experienced
    4. D. longer hours of day is experienced
13. Which of the following industries is having negative influences on the Ghanaian culture?
    1. A. Mining
    2. B. Agriculture
    3. C. Fishing
    4. D. Tourism
14. Which of the following is not a social problem in Ghana?
    1. A. Low standard of living
    2. B. Low agricultural production
    3. C. Low literacy rate
    4. D. High birth rate
15. The highest points in Ghana are found on the
    1. A. Gambaga Escarpment
    2. B. Akwapim Ridge
    3. C. Togo Range
    4. D. Mampong Scarp
16. One of the following was not a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC)
    1. A. J. B. Danquah
    2. B. Ako Adjei
    3. C. Kwame Nkrumah
    4. D. George Grant
17. The chief representative of the central government in the district is the
    1. A. Parliamentarian of the District
    2. B. District Co-ordinating Director
    3. C. Presiding Member of the District Assembly
    4. D. District Chief Executive
18. The Mediterranean lands are known for the production of
    1. A. citrus
    2. B. tea
    3. C. grains
    4. D. vegetables
19. A medical officer at a government hospital is a
    1. A. director
    2. B. civil servant
    3. C. public servant
    4. D. consultant
20. The conventional signon a topographical sheet represents a
    1. A. school
    2. B. church
    3. C. bridge
    4. D. settlement
21. The development of communities in your area is the responsibility of the
    1. A. Member of Parliament
    2. B. Traditional Council
    3. C. Unit Committee
    4. D. District Assembly
22. When the time at Tema is 12 noon, the time at a place on longitude 30°W is
    1. A. 9 am
    2. B. 10 am
    3. C. 11 am
    4. D. 2 pm
23. One duty of a citizen is to
    1. A. enjoy free education
    2. B. join a religious group
    3. C. assist the police in investigations
    4. D. support a political party
24. The institution established under the 1992 Constitution to educate the public on their rights is the
    1. A. National Commission for Civic Education
    2. B. National Media Commission
    3. C. Electoral Commission
    4. D. Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)
25. Which of the following constitutes human rights abuse?
    1. A. Being searched by a security agent
    2. B. Interrogation by a security agent
    3. C. Police detention beyond forty-eight hours
    4. D. Lawful imprisonment beyond forty-eight hours
26. When one faces the rising sun, the left hand
    1. A. always points to the north
    2. B. sometimes points to the north
    3. C. sometimes points to the west
    4. D. always points to the west
27. In order to fully develop our natural resources we must
    1. A. bring in experts from abroad
    2. B. train our human resource
    3. C. go for loans from abroad for farming
    4. D. compel the youth to undertake farming
28. The 1951 general election granted Ghana
    1. A. political independence
    2. B. republican status
    3. C. membership of the Commonwealth
    4. D. internal self-government
29. The construction industry is an example of
    1. A. secondary production
    2. B. tertiary production
    3. C. primary production
    4. D. subsistence production
30. Rocks that have their original features changed through very high temperature and pressure are called
    1. A. metamorphic
    2. B. sedimentary
    3. C. volcanic
    4. D. igneous
31. Which of these countries is in the Southern Hemisphere?
    1. A. Japan
    2. B. Malaysia
    3. C. Brazil
    4. D. North Korea
32. In the Ghanaian society, irresponsible parenting is one of the causes of
    1. A. rural-urban migration
    2. B. teenage pregnancy
    3. C. late marriages
    4. D. infant mortality
33. The major reason for establishing castle schools by the Europeans was to
    1. A. educate the people on human rights
    2. B. teach religious knowledge
    3. C. educate their own children
    4. D. introduce formal education
34. Which of the following cereals grows well in the Sudan Savana?
    1. A. Wheat
    2. B. Rice
    3. C. Sorghum
    4. D. Millet
35. Another name for the North-East Trade Winds is
    1. A. Fohn
    2. B. Harmattan
    3. C. Monsoon
    4. D. Westerlies
36. The organ of government that initiates policies to be passed into law is the
    1. A. Media
    2. B. Judiciary
    3. C. Parliament
    4. D. Executive
37. The breakdown of extended families in our communities is mainly caused by
    1. A. numerous family meetings
    2. B. high increase in population
    3. C. pressure of work
    4. D. adoption of foreign culture
38. The high dependency problem of some families can be solved by
    1. A. practising family planning
    2. B. sending children to school
    3. C. sharing the responsibilities with relatives
    4. D. encouraging parents to feed their children properly
39. A hill with a steep slope on one side and a gentle slope on the other side is a/an
    1. A. ridge
    2. B. escarpment
    3. C. knoll
    4. D. plateau
40. Democracy in our nation could be sustained by
    1. A. teaching the people information technology
    2. B. operating one party system of government
    3. C. holding general elections every decade
    4. D. giving the people political education

Paper 2: Theory

1. a) What is a political party?
   
   b) Outline four ways in which political parties are important in the practice of democracy.
   
   c) Mention two problems facing political parties in Ghana.
2. a) What is human rights abuse?
   
   b) State three reasons why people suffer human rights abuses.
   
   c) Explain four ways by which human rights abuses may be prevented.
3. a) Describe the following terms:
   
   i) Source
   
   ii) Confluence
   
   iii) Tributary
   
   iv) Mouth.
   
   b) In what four ways are rivers important in Ghana?
   
   c) State two ways by which our water bodies can be protected.
4. a) Outline five features of the rain forest.
   
   b) State any five benefits of the rain forest.
5. a) State four causes of high birth rate in Ghana.
   
   b) In what four ways can high birth rate be reduced in Ghana?
6. a) What is human resource?
   
   b) Explain three factors which can negatively affect human resource in Ghana.
   
   c) Describe four measures that can be taken to improve human resource in Ghana.

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