BECE - Basic Education Certificate Exam — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What does it mean for a government to be 'accountable' to its citizens?

Citizens must report their spending to the government
Only the president is responsible for all government decisions
The government can do whatever it wants without explanation
Government officials must answer for their actions and decisions (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Government officials must answer for their actions and decisions

Government accountability means officials are answerable to the public and can face consequences for misconduct or poor governance.

Question 2: Which expression is equivalent to (x + 3)(x − 3)?

x² − 9 (Correct answer)
x² − 6x + 9
x² + 6x − 9
x² + 9

Correct answer: x² − 9

Using difference of two squares: (x + 3)(x − 3) = x² − 9.

Question 3: What is the meaning of the word 'drought' as commonly used in science and geography passages?

A sudden, heavy rainstorm
A flooding of low-lying land
A type of seasonal wind
A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall

A drought is an extended period of little or no rainfall that leads to water shortages and can cause crop failure.

Question 4: Factorize: x² − 9

(x − 3)(x + 3) (Correct answer)
(x − 3)(x − 3)
(x + 3)(x + 3)
(x − 9)(x + 1)

Correct answer: (x − 3)(x + 3)

x² − 9 is a difference of two squares: (x − 3)(x + 3).

Question 5: Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence: 'Between you and ___, the test was easy.'?

I
me (Correct answer)
myself
we

Correct answer: me

Prepositions like 'between' require object pronouns, so 'me' is correct.

Question 6: What is the role of a mayor in a city government?

To serve as a judge in city courts
To command the city's military forces
To create federal laws for the city
To act as the chief executive officer of the city (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To act as the chief executive officer of the city

A mayor is the top executive official of a city, responsible for administering city services, enforcing local laws, and leading city operations.

Question 7: Identify the appositive phrase in: 'My neighbor, a retired teacher, loves gardening.'

My neighbor
loves gardening
a retired teacher (Correct answer)
retired teacher loves

Correct answer: a retired teacher

An appositive renames or gives more information about a noun; 'a retired teacher' describes 'my neighbor.'

Question 8: Which of the following events is most directly associated with Prophet Muhammad's establishment of the first Muslim community (Ummah) in a new city?

The signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
The first revelation at Mount Hira
The Battle of Badr
The Hijrah to Medina (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The Hijrah to Medina

The Hijrah, which was the migration of Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina, was the pivotal event that led to the establishment of the first organized Muslim community, or Ummah. In Medina, he was able to create a state based on Islamic principles.

Question 9: What is the meaning of the word 'abundant'?

Present in large quantities; more than enough (Correct answer)
Scarce and hard to find
Average in amount
Wasted and used up

Correct answer: Present in large quantities; more than enough

Abundant means existing in very large quantities, plentiful, or more than sufficient.

Question 10: The mode of the data set {3, 7, 5, 7, 9, 3, 7, 2} is:

9
5
3
7 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 7

7 appears three times, more than any other value, so it is the mode.

Question 11: Factorise completely: 6x² + 9x.

3x(2x + 3) (Correct answer)
3(2x² + 3x)
x(6x + 9)
6x(x + 3)

Correct answer: 3x(2x + 3)

The HCF of 6x² and 9x is 3x, giving 3x(2x + 3).

Question 12: Which of the following is a responsibility of the federal government that states do NOT have?

Conducting national elections
Maintaining state highways
Issuing driver's licenses
Regulating interstate commerce (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Regulating interstate commerce

Regulating commerce between states is exclusively a federal power granted by the U.S. Constitution's Commerce Clause.

Question 13: If 3(m + 2) = 21, what is the value of m?

7
9
3
5 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 5

m + 2 = 7, so m = 5.

Question 14: Which of the following is a conductor of electricity?

Copper (Correct answer)
Rubber
Plastic
Wood

Correct answer: Copper

Copper is a metal with free electrons that allow it to conduct electricity efficiently, making it widely used in wiring.

Question 15: One advantage of technology for industrialization is

increase in production costs.
provision of equipment. (Correct answer)
reduction in skillful labour.
environmental pollution.

Correct answer: provision of equipment.

When a ray of light passes from a less dense medium (like air) to a denser medium (like water or glass), it slows down. This change in speed causes the light ray to bend towards the normal, which is an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point where the light enters the new medium. Conversely, when light goes from a denser to a less dense medium, it bends away from the normal.

Question 16: Which prophet received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai?

Aaron
Samuel
Moses (Correct answer)
Joshua

Correct answer: Moses

Moses received the Ten Commandments written on two stone tablets from God on Mount Sinai, as recorded in Exodus 20.

Question 17: Which of the following sentences contains a metaphor?

The politician's speech was like a roaring fire.
The athlete runs as fast as a cheetah.
The sun smiled down on the village.
Her voice was music to his ears. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Her voice was music to his ears.

A metaphor is a direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'. The sentence 'Her voice was music to his ears' directly equates her voice with music, which is a metaphorical comparison. The other options are a simile ('like a roaring fire'), another simile ('as fast as a cheetah'), and personification ('sun smiled').

Question 18: What is the atomic number of an element?

The total mass of the atom
The number of neutrons in the nucleus
The number of electrons in the outer shell
The number of protons in the nucleus (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The number of protons in the nucleus

The atomic number is the number of protons in an element's nucleus and uniquely identifies each element on the periodic table.

Question 19: What does the subscript '2' in H₂O indicate?

The molecule has a molecular mass of 2
There are 2 hydrogen atoms (Correct answer)
Water exists in 2 physical states
There are 2 oxygen atoms

Correct answer: There are 2 hydrogen atoms

The subscript 2 after H means there are 2 hydrogen atoms in each molecule of water.

Question 20: A parallelogram has a base of 12 cm and a height of 5 cm. What is its area?

34 cm²
17 cm²
30 cm²
60 cm² (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 60 cm²

Area of a parallelogram = base × height = 12 × 5 = 60 cm².

Question 21: Which Old Testament queen used wisdom and courage to save her people from a plot to destroy all Jews in Persia?

Vashti
Esther (Correct answer)
Athaliah
Jezebel

Correct answer: Esther

Queen Esther, a Jewish woman who became queen of Persia, risked her life by approaching King Ahasuerus to reveal Haman's plot and save her people.

Question 22: All of the following are renewable resources EXCEPT

water
sunlight
trees
crude oil (Correct answer)

Correct answer: crude oil

Crude oil is a fossil fuel, which is a non-renewable resource. It was formed from the remains of ancient organisms over millions of years and cannot be replaced within a human lifespan. Sunlight, trees (which can be replanted), and water (which is replenished through the water cycle) are all considered renewable resources.

Question 23: An electric motor lifts a 10 kg load 4 m in 5 seconds (g = 10 m/s²). What is the power of the motor?

80 W (Correct answer)
8 W
200 W
400 W

Correct answer: 80 W

Work = mgh = 10×10×4 = 400 J; Power = 400 J ÷ 5 s = 80 W.

Question 24: Which prophet was swallowed by a large fish after disobeying God's command to go to Nineveh?

Amos
Micah
Jonah (Correct answer)
Hosea

Correct answer: Jonah

Jonah fled from his divine mission to Nineveh, was cast into the sea, and was swallowed by a large fish for three days before being released.

Question 25: What is the circumference of a circle with radius 7 cm? (Use π ≈ 22/7)

154 cm
88 cm
22 cm
44 cm (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 44 cm

Circumference = 2πr = 2 × (22/7) × 7 = 44 cm.

Question 26: Read the passage: 'The smell of freshly baked bread filled the air, mixing with the sharp scent of pine from the nearby forest. He could hear the crackle of the fire and feel the rough texture of the wool blanket.' The author is primarily using which literary device to engage the reader?

Imagery (Correct answer)
Hyperbole
Symbolism
Allusion

Correct answer: Imagery

Imagery is the use of descriptive language that appeals to the reader's five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. This passage appeals to the sense of smell ('freshly baked bread', 'sharp scent of pine'), hearing ('crackle of the fire'), and touch ('rough texture'), creating a vivid picture for the reader.

Question 27: The core teachings of Jesus Christ about humility, mercy, and seeking righteousness are famously collected in which discourse?

The Olivet Discourse
The Sermon on the Mount (Correct answer)
The Transfiguration
The Last Supper

Correct answer: The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount, found in the Gospel of Matthew, is a comprehensive collection of Jesus's moral teachings, including the Beatitudes, which praise virtues like meekness, mercy, and being a peacemaker.

Question 28: "I have told you a million times to clean your room!" This sentence contains which device?

Metaphor
Simile
Hyperbole (Correct answer)
Irony

Correct answer: Hyperbole

Hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration used for emphasis; no one literally repeats a million times.

Question 29: Which sentence is in the past perfect tense?

She finished her homework.
She was finishing her homework.
She has finished her homework.
She had finished her homework before dinner. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: She had finished her homework before dinner.

Past perfect uses 'had + past participle' to show an action completed before another past event.

Question 30: Which reformer challenged corruption in the Catholic Church in 1517 by publishing his famous Ninety-Five Theses?

Henry VIII
Martin Luther (Correct answer)
John Calvin
Ulrich Zwingli

Correct answer: Martin Luther

Martin Luther, a German monk, sparked the Protestant Reformation in 1517 by publishing his Ninety-Five Theses challenging practices like the sale of indulgences.

Question 31: Which of the following electrical components is not built from semiconductors?

Transistor
Diode
LED
Capacitor (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Capacitor

Semiconductors are materials like silicon and germanium that are fundamental to modern electronic components due to their unique electrical properties. LEDs, Transistors, and Diodes are all semiconductor devices that rely on the properties of p-n junctions. A capacitor, however, is a passive component that stores electrical energy in an electric field between two conductive plates separated by a dielectric (insulating) material, and its operation does not inherently rely on semiconductor materials.

Question 32: A sphere has a radius of 3 cm. What is its volume to the nearest whole number? (Use π = 22/7)

113 cm³ (Correct answer)
28 cm³
57 cm³
339 cm³

Correct answer: 113 cm³

Volume = (4/3)πr³ = (4/3) × (22/7) × 27 = 792/7 ≈ 113 cm³.

Question 33: What type of energy is stored in food?

Thermal energy
Kinetic energy
Nuclear energy
Chemical energy (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Chemical energy

Food stores chemical energy in the bonds of molecules like carbohydrates and fats, which is released during cellular respiration.

Question 34: What is the pH value of a neutral solution?

7 (Correct answer)
0
1
14

Correct answer: 7

A neutral solution, such as pure water, has a pH of 7; values below 7 are acidic and values above 7 are basic (alkaline).

Question 35: What is the role of an operating system?

To play music and videos only
To manage hardware resources and provide a user interface (Correct answer)
To browse the internet
To write documents and spreadsheets

Correct answer: To manage hardware resources and provide a user interface

An operating system (such as Windows or Linux) manages the computer's hardware, runs other software, and provides the interface through which users interact with the machine.

Question 36: A rectangle has length (2x + 3) and width x. Which expression gives its perimeter?

4x + 3
2x² + 3x
6x + 6 (Correct answer)
6x + 3

Correct answer: 6x + 6

Perimeter = 2(length + width) = 2(2x + 3 + x) = 2(3x + 3) = 6x + 6.

Question 37: A piece of farmland is in the shape of a trapezium. Its parallel sides are 15 m and 25 m long. If the perpendicular distance between the parallel sides is 10 m, what is the area of the farmland?

200 m² (Correct answer)
375 m²
150 m²
400 m²

Correct answer: 200 m²

The formula for the area of a trapezium is A = 1/2 * (a+b) * h, where 'a' and 'b' are the lengths of the parallel sides and 'h' is the height. Substituting the given values: A = 1/2 * (15 + 25) * 10 = 1/2 * (40) * 10 = 20 * 10 = 200 m².

Question 38: Which best describes the theme of a story?

The setting where the story takes place
The central message or insight about life (Correct answer)
The sequence of events in the plot
The main character's physical description

Correct answer: The central message or insight about life

Theme is the underlying message or universal truth about life that the story conveys.

Question 39: What does the prefix 'un-' mean in words like 'unhappy,' 'unclear,' and 'undo'?

Across
Again
Before
Not or the opposite of (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Not or the opposite of

The prefix 'un-' means 'not' or 'the reverse of,' changing the word to its opposite meaning.

Question 40: Which ecosystem is known as the 'lungs of the Earth' because it produces vast amounts of oxygen?

Grassland savanna
Arctic tundra
Tropical rainforest (Correct answer)
Desert

Correct answer: Tropical rainforest

Tropical rainforests produce enormous amounts of oxygen through photosynthesis and absorb large quantities of CO2, earning them the nickname 'lungs of the Earth.'

Question 41: Which of the following is an example of sustainable agriculture?

Irrigating with unlimited groundwater extraction
Rotating crops to maintain soil nutrients (Correct answer)
Using chemical pesticides to eliminate all insects
Clearing rainforests for new farmland each season

Correct answer: Rotating crops to maintain soil nutrients

Crop rotation replenishes soil nutrients naturally and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, making farming more sustainable.

Question 42: Matter in the solid state is best characterized by:

A definite shape and definite volume (Correct answer)
No definite shape and no definite volume
No definite volume but a definite shape
A definite volume but no definite shape

Correct answer: A definite shape and definite volume

Solids have tightly packed particles that give them a fixed shape and a definite volume.

Question 43: What does a modem do?

Controls the brightness of the monitor
Stores data permanently on a disk
Increases the computer's processing speed
Converts digital signals to analog signals and vice versa for internet transmission (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Converts digital signals to analog signals and vice versa for internet transmission

A modem modulates and demodulates signals, converting digital computer data into analog signals for transmission over telephone lines and converting them back on the receiving end.

Question 44: What is acid rain, and what primarily causes it?

Rain containing dissolved salt from sea spray
Rain with high pH caused by ocean evaporation
Natural rainfall that dissolves minerals from soil
Precipitation made acidic by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from burning fossil fuels (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Precipitation made acidic by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from burning fossil fuels

Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted by burning fossil fuels react with atmospheric moisture to form sulfuric and nitric acids.

Question 45: Which New Testament figure was originally a persecutor of Christians before his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus?

Barnabas
Stephen
Peter
Paul (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Paul

Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) was zealously persecuting Christians until he encountered a blinding light and the voice of Jesus on the road to Damascus.

Question 46: Which of the following is an antonym for the word 'transparent'?

Opaque (Correct answer)
Sheer
Clear
Visible

Correct answer: Opaque

Opaque is the antonym of transparent; transparent means easy to see through, while opaque means impossible to see through.

Question 47: What is a synonym for the word 'enormous'?

Narrow
Gigantic (Correct answer)
Tiny
Average

Correct answer: Gigantic

Gigantic is a synonym for enormous; both words mean extremely large in size.

Question 48: Which is an example of a sentence fragment?

He finished his test early.
The dog barked all night.
She ran to the store.
After the bell rang. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: After the bell rang.

'After the bell rang' is a dependent clause with no independent clause to support it.

Question 49: Which woman in the New Testament was the first to see the risen Jesus and brought news of the resurrection to the disciples?

Martha
Mary, mother of Jesus
Mary Magdalene (Correct answer)
Joanna

Correct answer: Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene was the first person to encounter the risen Jesus at the empty tomb and was sent by Jesus to tell the disciples of his resurrection.

Question 50: What is the role of a checks and balances system in government?

To let each branch limit the power of the others (Correct answer)
To give courts the right to tax citizens
To ensure the president controls all laws
To prevent citizens from voting

Correct answer: To let each branch limit the power of the others

Checks and balances allow each branch of government to oversee and restrain the actions of the other branches.

Question 51: Which vitamin is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight?

Vitamin D (Correct answer)
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin B12

Correct answer: Vitamin D

Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin through a photochemical reaction triggered by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight.

Question 52: Express 0.045 as a fraction in its simplest form.

9/200 (Correct answer)
45/1000
45/100
9/20

Correct answer: 9/200

0.045 = 45/1000; simplify by dividing by 5 twice: 9/200.

BECE - Basic Education Certificate Exam

The BECE is Ghana's national exam for junior high school students, testing English, mathematics, integrated science, social studies, and religious/moral education.

Questions

120 min

Time Limit

50%

To Pass

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