2022 BECE Social Studies: Tough BECE questions and answers

The 2022 BECE Social Studies: Tough BECE questions and answers are sample questions that will guide candidates to not only revise but also learn how to answer questions of this nature.

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1. What is bearing?
   Bearing is the direction or position or location of one object from another object measured clockwise from the north direction in degrees. Example the bearing of West from North is 90 degrees whiles the bearing of East from North is 270 degrees

2. What is the difference between landmark and conventional symbols?
   A landmark is any anything or feature or object that is easily recognizable, such as a monument, building such as a church, or other structures while conventional symbols are symbols on maps used to represent certain features or landmarks which are not landforms.

3. Draw and name ten (10) conventional signs.

4. Draw and name ten (10) landmarks as used in map reading.

   

5. What is the difference between a sketch and a map?
   A map is a representation of the entire earth’s surface or part of it drawn to scale usually on a flat surface like paper whiles a sketch is a roughly drawn map usually not drawn to scale.

6. List four features of a quality or good map.
   i. A quality map should always have a title which tells the map reader what the map is all about. Example a map titled “The Relief Map of Ghana” tells the map reader the map in question is about high lands and low land in Ghana.

ii. A quality or good map has scale to which a map is drawn. It represents the ratio of the distance between two points on the earth and the distance between the two corresponding points on the map. They help in calculating distance.

iii. A good map has a key or a legend. This helps the map reader to read the map by interpreting conventional signs and landmarks used on the map. Example Fm is a conventional sign which represents a farm.

iv. A good map has a compass rose. This is usually an arrow with “N” at the top of it to represent the North and help the map reader location other places using cardinal points and bearings.
Example:

100. Name and explain seven types of maps.

i. Climate maps give general information about the climate and precipitation (rain and snow) of a region. Cartographers, or mapmakers, use colors to show different climate or precipitation zones.
ii. Economic or resource maps show the type of natural resources or economic activity that dominates or goes on in an area. Cartographers use symbols to show the locations of natural resources or economic activities. For example, oranges on a map of Ghana tell you that oranges are grown there.
iii. Relief maps illustrate the physical features of an area, such as the mountains and valley or low-lying areas, rivers, and lakes. Colours are used to show relief—differences in land elevations. Green is typically used at lower elevations, and orange or brown indicates higher elevations.
iv. Vegetation maps show the vegetation types in a giving area or region. Wet equatorial, dry equatorial and tropical interior are vegetation types in Ghana and colours are used to show them on maps.
v. Drainage maps are maps that show the water bodies in a giving area. The water is usually shown in blue. The sea, lakes, rivers and lagoons are all found on drainage maps.
vi. Political maps do not show physical features. Instead, they indicate state, region and national boundaries as well as boundaries of capital and major cities. A capital city is usually marked with a star within a circle.
vii. Topographic maps include contour lines to show the shape and elevation or height of an area. Lines that are close together indicate steep slopes, and lines that are far apart indicate flat or gentle sloping areas.

101. How can one tell if a contour depicts a hill or a valley?

All contours have height values indicated mostly in metres. If the first contour or outer contour has the highest cantour value then it represents a valley or a low-lying area but if the outer contour has the lowest contour values then it is a high land or mountain.

2022 BECE Social Studies: Tough BECE questions and answers

102. What is a scale?

It is the relationship between a distance measured between two points on the map and the actual distance on the ground.
103. With the help of examples differentiate between the three types of scale.
i. A ratio or representative fraction (RF) indicates how many units on the earth’s surface is equal to one unit on the map. It can be expressed as 1/100,000 or 1:100,000. In this example, one centimeter on the map equals 100,000 centimeters (1 kilometer) on the earth. Other common RFs include 1:63,360 (1 inch to 1 mile) and 1:1,000,000 (1 cm to 10 km).
ii. A word statement or statement scale gives a written description of map distance, such as “One centimeter equals one kilometer” or “One centimeter equals ten kilometers.” Obviously, the first map would show much more detail than the second because one centimeter on the first map covers a much smaller area than on the second map.
iii. Linear scale is a scale drawn on a line and looks like a ruler. Linear scale is divided into equal parts with zero (0) placed after the first division from the left. The portions from the zero to the right are called the primaries whiles the division before the zero (0) are termed the secondaries

1. Convert the following scales to representative fraction scale.

Know that 100,000 cm = 1km
1000m = 1km
i. 1 cm to 20k = 1: 20 x 100,000 cm

= 1: 2,000,000

ii. 1 cm to 10000 m=1:10000 /1000m
=1:10 x 100,000 cm
=1:1,000,000

iii. 1cm to 1250 m =1:1250 /1000m
=1:1.25 x 100,000 cm
=1:125,000 cm

2022 BECE Social Studies: Tough BECE questions and answers

1. What are symbols of National unity?

Symbols of National unity are symbols and colours that identify us as one people with a common vision and destiny. Examples of such symbols are The National pledge, National anthem, The Coat of Arms, National flag and The State Sceptre.

2. Write the verse one and any other verse of Ghana’s anthem.

Verse 1 and 2

God bless our homeland Ghana

And make our nation great and strong,

Bold to defend forever

The cause of Freedom and of Right;

Fill our hearts with true humility,

Make us cherish fearless honesty,

And help us to resist oppressors’ rule

With all our will and might for evermore.

Hail to thy name, O Ghana,

To thee we make our solemn vow:

Steadfast to build together

A nation strong in Unity;

With our gifts of mind and strength of arm,

Whether night or day, in the midst of storm,

In ev’ry need, whate’er the call may be,

To serve thee, Ghana, now and evermore.

OR

Verse 1 and 3

God bless our homeland Ghana

And make our nation great and strong,

Bold to defend forever

The cause of Freedom and of Right;

Fill our hearts with true humility,

Make us cherish fearless honesty,

And help us to resist oppressors’ rule

With all our will and might for evermore.

Raise high the flag of Ghana

And one with Africa advance;

Black star of hope and honour

To all who thirst for liberty;

Where the banner of Ghana freely flies,

May the way to freedom truly lie;

Arise, arise, O sons of Ghana land,

And under God march on for evermore!

3. Identify four places and functions where the Ghana National Anthem is song.
   1. During national anniversaries and events such as Independence Day.
   2. During State of the Nations address by the president.

• During sports competitions that involve Ghanaians. Examples are the World cup. African cup of Nations and Olympic games (athletics).

1. During school assemblies in our various schools.

4. Write the National pledge of Ghana.

I promise on my honour to be faithful and loyal to Ghana my motherland.

I pledge myself to the service of Ghana with all my strength and with all my heart.

I promise to hold in high esteem our heritage, won for us through the blood and toil of our fathers; and

I pledge myself in all things to uphold and defend the good name of Ghana.

So help me God.

State five things faithful and loyal Ghanaians do.

1. 1. They protect and defend the 1992 republican constitution by reporting coup plotters.
   2. They are hardworking at all times at their respective work places.

• They respect the National symbols like the anthem and pledge.

1. They pay their tax to support the development of the Nation.
2. They protect state properties at all times.

6. What is the meaning of the colours of Ghana’s flag?

The Ghanaian Flag was designed by Mrs. Theodosia Okoh, a Ghanaian, to replace the flag of the United Kingdom upon attainment of independence in 1957. The Flag of Ghana consists of the colours RED, GOLD and GREEN in horizontal stripes with a five-pointed star in the centre of the gold stripe.

RED represents the blood of those who died in the country’s struggle for independence. Such as the three ex-service men who died during the 1948 riot.

GOLD represents the mineral wealth of the country which includes gold, diamond, and crude oil also known as black gold.

GREEN symbolizes the country’s rich forest resources such as timber, cocoa and the like.

THE BLACK STAR stands for the lodestar of African freedom.

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7. What do the symbols that make up Ghana’s Coat of Arms mean?

The Ghana Coat of Arms is composed of a shield, divided into four quarters by a green St. George’s Cross, rimmed with gold. The following are the symbols in the quarters and their meanings.

1. Crossed linguist staff and ceremonial sword on a blue background located at the top left-hand quarter representing local administration.

1. A heraldic castle on a heraldic with a light blue background is located at the top right-hand quarter representing National Government.

• A Cocoa Tree at the bottom left-hand quarter represents the Agricultural wealth of the country.

1. A Mine Shaft bottom at the right-hand quarter represents the mineral wealth of the country.
2. The Gold Lion in the centre of the green St. George’s Cross represents the continued link between Ghana and the Commonwealth.
3. The black five pointed star rimmed with gold standing on the wreath of red, gold and green colours which is surmounting (On top of) the shield represents the lone star of African Freedom.
4. Two Eagles, around each of whose neck hangs a black star suspended from a ribbon of Ghana colours – red, gold and green which is supporting the shield (Coat of Arms) signifies a protector with strength, very clear and attentive eyes keeping watch over the country.’
5. The motto FREEDOM AND JUSTICE is found under the shield.

We hope our 2022 BECE Social Studies: Tough BECE questions and answers  have been useful.