BECE Social Studies 2016 Past Questions & Answers – Papers 1 & 2

JUNE 2016
SOCIAL STUDIES 1

OBJECTIVE TEST
45 minutes

1. Which of the following activities is a duty of a citizen?
A. Giving free medical care
B. Helping the police financially
C. Joining a religious group
D. Paying taxes for development

2. In a traditional society, which of the following is used to teach good morals?
A. Court music
B. Story telling
C. Dirges
D. Appellations

3. In Ghana, state owned enterprises are important because they
A. produce all the goods for the society
B. make a lot of profit
C. provide vital goods and services
D. employ majority of the labour force.

4. Which of the following human activities destroys habitats of animals?
A. Bush burning
B. Bush fallowing
C. Inter-cropping
D. Mixed farming

5. The environment can best be described as
A. animals and non-living things
B. man and his surrounding
C. man and vegetation around him
D. vegetation and non-living things

6. The transition from childhood to adulthood is referred to as
A. adolescence.
B. manhood
C. parenthood
D. puberty

7. Most aspects of Ghanaian culture are displayed during
A. funeral rites
B. naming ceremonies
C. puberty rites
D. traditional festivals

8. Which of the following is used to represent landmarks on maps?
A. Conventional signs
B. Histogram
C. Mathematical symbols
D. Plain sketches

9. When one moves eastwards and crosses the International Date Line,
A. a day is gained
B. a day is lost
C. shorter hours of day is experienced
D. longer hours of day is experienced

10. Ghana lies between latitudes
A. 5°South an d11°North
B. 5° North and 11° North
C. 5° North and 11° South
D. 5° South and 11° South

11. To promote national unity Ghanaians are expected to be
A. hardworking
B. patriotic
C. highly educated
D. well paid

12. The outermost part of the earth is called the
A. atmosphere
B. core
C. mantle
D. crust

13. Adolescent chastity is beneficial to the girl because it helps her to
A. enjoy free education
B. gain automatic scholarship
C. have uninterrupted education
D. pass examinations easily

14. When two air masses of different temperatures meet, the condition results in the
A. rain shadow
B. cyclonic rainfall
C. relief rainfall
D. thunder and lightning

15. The high dependency problem of some families can be solved by
A. encouraging parents to feed their children properly
B. practicing family planning
C. sending the children to school
D. sharing the responsibility with relatives

16. One way of sustaining unity among the ethnic groups in Ghana is by
A. allowing people to enjoy free movement
B. appreciating cultural practices of other people
C. keeping trouble makers in prison
D. selecting leaders through election

17. Which of the following is not a function of the Police Service?
A. Arresting criminals
B. Controlling traffic
C. Judging cases in court
D. Maintaining peace and order.

18. The first castle school to be established in the Gold Coast (Ghana) was in
A. Accra
B. Cape Coast
C. Elmina
D. Akropong

19. Which of the following men fought for the abolishing of the slave trade?
A. Andreas Riss
B. Gordon Guggisberg
C. James Somerset
D. William Wilberforce

20. The people of British Togoland joined Ghana through
A. conquest
B. declaration
C. permission
D. voting

21. The first political event leading to the formal establishment of British colonial rule in the Gold Coast was the
A. declaration of Sagrenti war
B. disturbances of 1948
C. introduction of the Poll Tax Ordinance
D. signing of the bond of 1844.

22. A child of not more than seven years of age found in Ghana and whose parents cannot be traced becomes a Ghanaian by
A. adoption
B. birth
C. conferment
D. registration

23. Which of the following activities can constitute human rights abuse in Ghana?
A. Child labour
B. Dropping out of school
C. Drug abuse
D. Employing an 18 year old girl

24. When an individual behaves in an honest and just manner, he/she performs a
A. civic responsibility
B. civic right
C. natural responsibility
D. social right

25. The Supreme Court of Ghana
A. interprets the constitution and the laws of Ghana
B. makes and implements laws
C. remands criminals in custody
D. runs courses for judges and magistrates

26. The maintenance of law and order in traditional societies in Ghana is the responsibility of
A. chiefs and their elders
B. priests and their elders
C. teachers and family heads
D. police and soldiers

27. Which of the following methods is not a way of managing conflicts?
A. Arbitration
B. Negotiation
C. Reconciliation
D. Suppression

28. One major way by which Ghana co-operates with other nations is by
A. allowing them to establish military base in Ghana
B. lending large sums of money to them
C. removing all taxes on goods imported from them.
D. sending ambassadors and high commissioners to them.

29. The head of government of the second republic of Ghana was the
A. Attorney General
B. Head of State
C. Minister of State
D. Prime Minister

30. Which of the following institutions can make laws to check smuggling and armed robbery in Ghana?
A. District Assembly
B. The Police Service
C. Parliament
D. High Court

31. Which of the following factors least affect vegetation in Ghana?
A. Climate
B. Human activities
C. Relief
D. Soil

32. The most economical way of disposing domestic and industrial waste is by
A. burning
B. dumping
C. recycling
D. sieving

33. The life span of water bodies are naturally prolonged through
A. adequate rainfall
B. building of dams
C. water sanitation
D. irrigation systems

34. High birth rate in developing countries can lead to
A. high income per head
B. low income per head
C. low dependency ratio
D. skilled labour force

35. Changes in culture is important for
A. ethnic disintegration
B. international recognition
C. population growth
D. national development

36. Private businesses help in building the nation when they
A. increase their profits
B. import consumer goods
C. pay appropriate taxes
D. produce more goods

37. When the wet bulb and the dry bulb thermometer at a weather station record the same reading, it means the air is
A. condensed
B. dry
C. saturated
D. warm

38. Some state owned enterprises are often sold to private individuals due to
A. sufficient raw materials
B. adequate market
C. adequate skilled labour
D. poor management

39. The government can best promote private sector business by
A. increasing wages and salaries
B. guaranteeing financial support
C. offering all the needs of entrepreneurs
D. supplying office equipment

40. The main function of the executive organ of government is
A. interpretation of laws
B. impeachment of the president
C. implementation of laws
D. law making

JUNE 2016
SOCIAL STUDIES 1

OBJECTIVE TEST

ANSWERS

1. D. Paying taxes for development
2. B. Story telling
3. C. provide vital goods and services
4. A. Bush burning
5. B. man and his surrounding
6. A. adolescence
7. D. traditional festivals
8. A. Conventional signs
9. B. a day is lost
10. B. 5° North and 11° North
11. B. patriotic
12. D. crust
13. C. have uninterrupted education
14. B. cyclonic rainfall
15. B. practicing family planning
16. B. appreciating cultural practices of other people
17. C. Judging cases in court
18. B. Cape Coast
19. D. William Wilberforce
20. D. voting
21. D. signing of the bond of 1844
22. A. adoption
23. A. Child labour
24. A. civic responsibility
25. A. interprets the constitution and the laws of Ghana
26. A. chiefs and their elders
27. D. Suppression
28. D. sending ambassadors and high commissioners to them
29. D. Prime Minister
30. C. Parliament
31. B. Human activities
32. C. recycling
33. A. adequate rainfall
34. B. low income per head
35. D. national development
36. C. pay appropriate taxes
37. C. saturated
38. D. poor management
39. B. guaranteeing financial support
40. C. implementation of laws

JUNE 2016
SOCIAL STUDIES 2

ESSAY
1 hour

This paper consists of three sections: I, II and III.
Answer three questions only, choosing one question from each section.
All questions carry equal marks

SECTION I
THE ENVIRONMENT

Answer one question only from this section

1. (a) (i) Describe the Solar System [4 marks] (ii) Name four planets in the Solar System [4 marks]

(b) Outline two effects of the rotation of the earth. [6 marks]

2. (a) State four negative effects of rapid population growth on the development
of Ghana [4 marks]

(b) Highlight any four ways by which rapid population growth can be reduced
in Ghana. [16 marks]

SECTION II
GOVERNANCE, POLITICS AND STABILITY

Answer one question only from this section.

3. (a) State four characteristics of a good law. [8 marks]

(b) Explain four benefits derived from law and order in a country. [12 marks]

4. (a) Describe the structure of government at the district level in Ghana. [4 marks]

(b) Identify four problems facing District Assemblies in Ghana [8 marks]

SECTION III
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Answer one question only from this section.

5. (a) State four advantages of saving money with the bank [8 marks]

(b) Highlight four effects of poor handling of currency. [12 marks]

6. (a) (i) What is a State Enterprise? [2 marks] (ii) What is a Private Enterprise? [2 marks]

(b) Suggest four ways by which the state can promote private enterprises. [16 marks]

JUNE 2016
SOCIAL STUDIES 2
ESSAY

ANSWERS

1. (a) (i) Describe the Solar System [4 marks] The system of bodies comprising of the sun, the 8 planets and their satellites (moons), comets, asteroids, meteoroids, and other inter-planetary materials.

(ii) Name four planets in the Solar System [4 marks] Mercury, Venus Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

(b) Outline two effects of the rotation of the earth. [6 marks]

(i) Day and night
(ii) Differences in time (time zones) on the earth
(iii) Deflection of winds and ocean currents
(iv) Rising and falling of sea levels (high and low tides)
(v) Twilight and dawn
(vi) Changes in the earth’s magnetic fields

(i) The four seasons (Summer, autumn, winter and spring)
(ii) Varying lengths of day and night at different times of the year
(iii) Determines leap year (i.e, whether a year has 365 or 366 days)
(iv) Changes in seasonal temperature
(v) The solar eclipse (ie, eclipse of the sun)
(vi) Equinoxes (the two days of the year when there are equal days and nights)
(vii) Changes in altitudes of the midday sun at different times of the year.

2. (a) State four negative effects of rapid population growth on the development
of Ghana [4 marks]

Using complete sentences, state any four (4) of the points .

(i) High dependency ratio
(ii) Inadequate medical care
(iii) Migration
(iv) Pressure on natural resources / high cost of land
(v) Reduction in capital formation
(vi) Environmental degradation
(vii) Increase in social vices
(viii) Over crowding / congestion
(ix) Pressure on social amenities
(x) Lower standard of living / low per-capita income
(xi) High cost of living
(xii) Environmental pollution
(xiii) High rate of unemployment
(xiv) Poverty
(xv) Increase in crime rate
(xvi) Slums
(xvii) High government expenditure
(xviii) Social unrest

(b) Highlight any four ways by which rapid population growth can be reduced
in Ghana. [16 marks]

Using complete sentences, state any four (4) of the points and explain each in detail (with relevant examples).

NOTE: Write your essay in paragraphs – each point in a different paragraph

(i) Encouraging relatively late marriages
(ii) Family planning
(iii) Legislation on (making laws to control) early marriage
(iv) Education on adequate spacing of children
(v) Checking the inflow of immigrants – nationals from other countries
(vi) Tax relief for small households
(vii) Discouraging polygamy
(viii) Promoting girl-child education
(ix) Increasing gender equality
(x) Economic empowerment of women
(xi) Government policies
(xii) Intensifying education on adolescent reproductive health.

SECTION II
GOVERNANCE, POLITICS AND STABILITY
Answer one question only from this section.

3. (a) State four characteristics of a good law. [8 marks]

Using complete sentences, state any four (4) of the points and explain each

A good law must (be):

(i) in the interest of the people (people-centred)
(ii) well publicized
(iii) unambiguous (clear and specific, not vague)
(iv) reasonable
(v) enforceable
(vi) understandable
(vii) fair to all / equality
(viii) acceptable
(ix) meet moral values of the people
(x) backed by authority
(xi) written down
(xii) created and maintained by the state
(xiii) relate to the sovereignty of the people
(xiv) not be retrospective
(xv) able to stand the test of time
(xvi) flexible
(xvii) must have ‘human face’
(xviii) in accordance with the constitution
(xix) protect the fundamental human rights of the people

(b) Explain four benefits derived from law and order in a country. [12 marks]