BECE 2010 Social Studies Past Questions and Answers
Answer all questions in this section.
Each question is followed by four options lettered A to D. Find the correct answer for each question.
1. Human activities are generally controlled by
Solution: Human activities are primarily influenced and controlled by the social environment, which includes cultural norms, societal expectations, peer influence, and social institutions that shape how people behave and make decisions.
2. The Kakum Forest in Ghana promotes economic development through its
Solution: Kakum National Park, with its famous canopy walkway, is one of Ghana's major tourist destinations, generating significant revenue through eco-tourism rather than resource extraction.
3. Irresponsible adolescent behaviour usually results in
Solution: Irresponsible behavior during adolescence typically leads to loss of dignity as it damages one's reputation, self-respect, and how others perceive them in society.
4. Ethnic groups in Ghana are distinctly identified by their
Solution: Language is the primary distinguishing feature of ethnic groups in Ghana, as each ethnic group has its own distinct language or dialect that identifies and unites its members.
5. The crop types which grow well in the Guinea Savanna are
Solution: The Guinea Savanna zone has a drier climate suitable for drought-resistant crops like millet and groundnuts, while cocoa requires more humid forest conditions.
6. The health needs of people can be improved by
Solution: Access to clean, safe drinking water is fundamental to preventing waterborne diseases and maintaining good health, making it a primary health improvement measure.
7. The British colonized parts of the Gold Coast largely through
Solution: The British initially used diplomatic persuasion, treaties, and alliances with local chiefs rather than outright military conquest to establish their colonial presence.
8. The outermost part of the earth is called the
Solution: The crust is the solid, outermost layer of the Earth, lying above the mantle. The atmosphere surrounds the Earth but is not part of its solid structure.
9. The Europeans came to the Gold Coast purposely to
Solution: Initially, Europeans came to explore and map new territories, though trading activities later became the primary focus of their presence.
10. The adoption of modern cultural practices enables a society to
Solution: Modern cultural practices, including technology adoption, education, and modern business methods, primarily contribute to economic development and progress.
11. The use of orthodox and traditional medicine for the treatment of the same disease is an example of
Solution: Parallel culture occurs when both traditional and modern practices exist simultaneously within the same society, as seen with dual medical systems.
12. Water bodies on a physical map are represented by
Solution: Blue is the universal standard color for representing water bodies (rivers, lakes, oceans) on physical and topographical maps.
13. The earth experiences equal day and equal night each year on
Solution: The equinoxes occur around March 21st (spring equinox) and September 21st (autumn equinox) when day and night are approximately equal in length worldwide.
14. Which of the following is a regional capital in Northern Ghana
Solution: Wa is the regional capital of the Upper West Region in Northern Ghana, while the others are district capitals or major towns.
15. Which of the following towns is noted for the production of gold in Ghana?
Solution: Prestea is a major gold mining town in Ghana's Western Region, while Awaso is known for bauxite, Nsuta for manganese, and Akwatia for diamonds.
16. Free vaccines used for immunization in Ghana are supplied by the
Solution: The World Health Organization (WHO) is the primary international body that supplies vaccines for immunization programs in developing countries like Ghana.
17. The main effect of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade is the reduction of
Solution: The slave trade primarily depleted Africa's human resources by removing millions of people, particularly young and able-bodied individuals, from the continent.
18. Governor Gordon Guggisberg is known to have established the
Solution: Sir Gordon Guggisberg, British colonial governor, established Korle-Bu Hospital in 1923 as part of his development plan for the Gold Coast.
19. The main institution that helps the Executive arm of government to implement its policies is the
Solution: The Civil Service is the administrative arm that implements government policies and programs across all ministries and departments.
20. The West Coast of Africa is washed by the
Solution: The Atlantic Ocean borders the western coast of Africa, including countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal.
21. Private businesses can contribute to the development of the nation by
Solution: Paying taxes provides government revenue that can be used for national development projects and public services.
22. Floods can best be controlled in our communities through
Solution: Proper urban planning and layout, including drainage systems and avoiding flood-prone areas, is the most effective long-term flood control measure.
23. One effect of colonization is that it made Ghanaians to
Solution: Colonization introduced foreign goods and created a preference for imported items, often at the expense of local products and self-sufficiency.
24. Ghana co-operates with other countries to
Solution: International cooperation primarily aims to build diplomatic relationships, promote peace, and facilitate mutual understanding between nations.
25. The functions of a presiding member of a District Assembly are likened to those of the
Solution: The presiding member chairs District Assembly meetings and maintains order, similar to how the Speaker of Parliament presides over parliamentary sessions.
26. The world is divided into Northern and Southern Hemispheres by the
Solution: The Equator (0° latitude) divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, while the Greenwich Meridian divides it into Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
27. Relief rainfall is also known as
Solution: Relief rainfall and orographic rainfall are the same phenomenon, occurring when air masses are forced upward by mountains or hills, causing cooling and precipitation.
28. The Head of State in Ghana from 1957 to 1960 was
Solution: From independence in 1957 until Ghana became a republic in 1960, the Queen of Britain remained the ceremonial head of state, while Nkrumah was Prime Minister.
29. The Supreme Court of Ghana mainly
Solution: The Supreme Court's primary function is constitutional interpretation and serving as the final court of appeal for legal matters.
30. Daboya is noted for the mining of
Solution: Daboya, located in Northern Ghana, has been historically known for traditional salt mining from salt pans.
31. Which of the following is the best way of conserving Ghana's forest cover?
Solution: Reforestation through tree replanting is the most effective method for restoring and conserving forest cover over the long term.
32. If a distance of 40 kilometres on land is represented by 10 centimetres on a map, what is the scale of the map?
Solution: Scale calculation: 40 km ÷ 10 cm = 4 km per cm, so the scale is 1 centimetre to 4 kilometres.
33. Slaves who were sent to the West Indies worked on
Solution: Sugar plantations were the primary economic activity in the West Indies during the slave trade period, requiring intensive labor that was supplied by enslaved Africans.
34. The practice of checks and balances prevents
Solution: Checks and balances ensure that no single branch of government becomes too powerful, thereby preventing authoritarian rule or dictatorship.
35. Motivation and supervision help in the efficient use of
Solution: Motivation and supervision are management techniques specifically designed to maximize the productivity and efficiency of human resources (workers).
36. The basic way of promoting savings habit among children is by
Solution: Money boxes (piggy banks) are the most fundamental and age-appropriate way to introduce children to the concept and habit of saving money.
37. A credit union is an example of a
Solution: Credit unions are member-owned cooperative financial institutions that operate on cooperative principles for mutual benefit.
38. The regular payments which individuals and organizations make to insurance companies are
Solution: Insurance premiums are the regular payments made to insurance companies in exchange for coverage against specified risks.
39. Indiscipline is a problem to the Ghanaian society because it
Solution: Indiscipline directly impacts work ethic, punctuality, and commitment, leading to reduced productivity in both individual and national contexts.
40. Tourism in Ghana promotes the growth of the
Solution: Tourism directly stimulates the hospitality sector, particularly hotels, restaurants, and accommodation services, creating a multiplier effect in the hotel industry.
1. (a) State four causes of irresponsible adolescent behaviour
(b) Explain four benefits of adolescent chastity
SOLUTIONS FOR QUESTION 1
1.(a) Causes of irresponsible adolescent behaviour
Lack of proper parental guidance
Broken homes
Poverty of both parent and child
Peer pressure
Low self esteem of adolescent
Fallen standards of social morality
Lack of knowledge of dangers involved
Disrespect shown to adolescent by parents
Lack of self control of adolescents
Irresponsible behaviours of parents, eg, smoking, womanizing, etc
Curiosity of adolescents
1.(b) Benefits of adolescent chastity
(i) Honour to adolescent's family An adolescent who stays chaste brings honour to both him/herself and the family, since it would mean that the family trained him/her and brought him/her up properly.
(ii) High social reputation (how society sees one) Chastity is a virtue that society strongly upholds. Those who stay chaste are therefore held in high esteem. Everyone respects an adolescent who is chaste.
(iii) High self esteem / confidence (how one sees himself/herself) A chaste adolescent has a high level of self esteem / confidence, knowing very well that others respect him/her due to his/her chastity.
(iv) Peace of mind (sound mind) to focus on education A chaste adolescent does not have to bother about the things that may bother his/her unchaste friends. There are no worries by him/her/the family concerning whether she may be pregnant, may have acquired a sexually transmitted disease, or even what others think of him/her. He/she enjoys a sound mind in these regards and therefore can focus better on his/her education.
(v) Smooth progress of education of adolescent Unlike unchaste adolescents who may have to suspend or even stop their education entirely due to problems related to pregnancy / STDs / social stigma, the chaste adolescent enjoys a smooth progress in his/her education. He/she does not have to stop school due to pregnancy, or STDs or stigma of being unchaste.
(vi) Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) can be gotten if only one has had any form of sexual contact. For that matter, it is practically impossible for a chaste adolescent to be infected with an STD (except he/she obtained it through other means, which have very low probabilities)
(vii) Avoidance of teenage pregnancy and related problems A female can get pregnant in the natural way only by having sexual intercourse. A chaste adolescent therefore avoids teenage pregnancy and its related problems as long as she stays so.
(viii) Greater trust and respect from spouse in marriage An adolescent who stays chaste till marriage earns the trust and respect of his/her spouse in marriage. The thinking is that if he/she stayed chaste all the while, then chances are that he/she would continue to remain faithful in marriage.
(ix) Higher chance of attracting responsible partner for marriage Most responsible people would want to marry people who have maintained their chastity. A chaste adolescent therefore has a higher prospect as regards attracting a responsible partner. (A widely held belief is that, we reap what we sow. If that is true, then, chaste people are most likely to marry equally chaste partners)
2. (a) Mention four causes of environmental degradation
(b) Outline four ways by which the environment can be protected from degradation
SOLUTIONS FOR QUESTION 2
2.(a) Causes of environmental degradation
indiscriminate sand winning
indiscriminate mining
timber lumbering
heavy rainfall causing erosion
overgrazing
indiscriminate dumping of refuse
Excessive use of fertilizers
Excessive use of pesticides
oil spillage
Dumping of industrial waste in water bodies
indiscriminate sewage disposal
toxic gases from industries
Dumping of industrial waste in water bodies
smoke from bush/refuse burning
Smoking of cigarettes, marijuana, etc
Excessive dust from construction sites
exhaust fumes from vehicles
Excessive noise-making
2.(b) Ways by which the environment can be protected from degradation
Reforestation - planting more trees to replace ones cut down
Afforestation – planting more trees to create a forest
Recycling of waste – Waste materials which are not biodegradable must be recycled.
Legislation - Making and enforcing laws to prevent human activities that cause environmental degradation
Setting up government agencies to control the activities of miners and sand winners.
Encouraging miners, farmers, fishermen, etc to use appropriate methods
Public education on protection of the environment by government and other organizations
Checking erosion by terracing, ridging, planting cover crops and wind brakes
Ensuring proper disposal of sewage and industrial waste – by governmental agencies
3. (a) Identify four characteristics of a good law
(b) Highlight four benefits of law in a society
SOLUTIONS FOR QUESTION 3
3.(a) Characteristics of a good law
It must be reasonable
It must be human centred
It must be enforceable
It must be applicable to all
It must be able to stand the test of time
It must be clear and specific, not vague
3.(b) Benefits of law in a society
(i) It protects life and property – by preventing wicked from carrying out certain disastrous actions
(ii) It promotes peace and harmony – by encouraging neighbourliness, tolerance and peaceful conflict resolution approaches
(iii) It encourages responsible behaviour of people – by spelling out what is expected of citizens / inhabitants.
(iv) It protects one's fundamental human rights – by indicating the human rights that people are entitled to.
(v) It promotes good governance – by outlining the responsibilities of various arms/organs of government
(vi) It promotes stability and security – by highlighting the roles of the security services
(vii) It facilitates higher productivity – by spelling out the modes of operations of both public and private enterprises
(viii) It promotes the development of the nation – by addressing conditions that could hinder development
4. (a) What is citizenship
(b) Describe four ways by which one could become a citizen of Ghana
(c) Outline three duties of a citizen of Ghana
SOLUTIONS FOR QUESTION 4
4.(a) Citizenship Membership of a country Or: The legal right to belong to a particular country
4.(b) Ways by which one could become a citizen of Ghana
By place of birth
By naturalization
By registration and marriage
By adoption
By conferment
By presumption
By parentage/or ancestry
(i) By birth – Any person, except children of diplomats, born in the country is considered a citizen of Ghana
(ii) By ancestry
A person who was born anywhere, after the present constitution came into force, who has either parent or grandparent being Ghanaian, is considered a citizen of Ghana.
(iii) By Presumption
A child of seven years or less found in Ghana whose parents are not known is presumed to be a citizen of Ghana
(iv) By Adoption
A child sixteen years or less, who has been adopted by a citizen of Ghana is also considered to be a citizen of Ghana
(v) By Marriage
A person, married to or was married to a citizen of Ghana, who applies for registration as a citizen of Ghana could be granted Ghanaian citizenship
(vi) By Naturalization – a person who has lived in Ghana for a number of years and satisfies certain specified legal requirements may be granted citizenship of Ghana.
(vii) By Conferment – The president of Ghana may confer honorary citizenship on a foreigner in order to appreciate or honour him / her.
4.(c) Duties of a citizen of Ghana
Obeying the laws of the land
Paying rates and taxes
Protecting state property and the environment
Defending the constitution of the nation
Being faithful and loyal to the state
Participating in national events such as census, general elections
Respecting the rights of other citizens
Being productive and hardworking
Preventing and helping to stop criminal acts.
5. (a) What is secondary production? Give two examples of secondary production
(b) Outline four reasons why the secondary production sector is important in Ghana
SOLUTIONS FOR QUESTION 5
5.(a) Secondary production Converting raw material into finished and semi-finished products
Examples of secondary production
Baking bread
Making ornaments (jewellery)
Textile production
Brewing beer
Constructing buildings and roads
Producing chocolates
Processing gari
Manufacturing cars, etc
5.(b) Reasons why the secondary production sector is important in Ghana
(i) Helps the country to earn and conserve foreign exchange
by exporting the secondary products
(ii) It reduces the nation's over-reliance on foreign goods
by producing the goods that the nation would have otherwise imported from other countries
(iii) It adds value to the basic / raw materials
which helps to generates more income for both the sector industries and the government.
(iv) Helps in the development of infrastructure – as part of their social responsibility programmes, the sector industries may help to provide various forms of infrastructure
(v) Creates job opportunities for the people – by employing people with the right skills and training to work in the sector industries.
(vi) It reduces the rural-urban migration – in the cases where production centres or branches or agencies are located in the rural areas.
(vii) It increases the sources of income to the government – by the payments of taxes and other levies.
(viii) Reduces the margins of post harvest loss – as raw materials are processed into finished and semi-finished products.
6. (a) State four ways of improving the health needs of Ghanaians
(b) Explain four ways by which improved health of the people can contribute to national development
SOLUTIONS FOR QUESTION 6
6.(a) Ways of improving the health needs of Ghanaians
Building more hospitals and other health facilities
Taking steps to maintaining, expanding and improving existing health facilities
Training and retraining more health workers, such as doctors and nurses
Instituting health insurance schemes
Improving the conditions of service of health workers to encourage them to stay and work in Ghana
Using modern equipment at our health centres
Educating Ghanaians to adopt healthier lifestyles, such as eating balanced diets, drinking lots of water, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep
Improving upon sanitation in our communities
Providing potable water
Encouraging Ghanaians to maintain good personal hygiene.
6.(b) Ways by which improved health of the people can contribute to national development
(i) Higher efficiency at work
A sound mind in a sound body works more efficiently than one in a sick body. Good health is therefore crucial for higher work efficiency (more and excellent work done in a relatively short time).
(ii) Greater work regularity / consistency
More work would be done, when people go to work regularly when in good health.
(iii) Greater punctuality
Both workers and students can be more punctual at work, if they are in good health. This should increase the work output for national development.
(iv) Higher creativity and effectiveness
Improved health of people would make them more creative and innovative in finding solutions to problems, and hence promote national development.
(v) Ready supply of labour
There would be a ready supply of people who can always be called upon to render a particular service, only when they are in good health
(vi) Increased financial income for the nation
The healthier people are, the better they work, and hence, the higher the productivity. Higher productivity produces higher financial incomes both for the people and the state.
(vii) Better Socialization
People who are healthier are able to socialize better. Better socialization leads to greater cohesion, tolerance, cooperation, communal spirit and patriotism, all of which contributes to national development