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PSLCE Social & Religious Studies study materials
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PSLCE Social & Religious Studies practice questions

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Question 1Living Together in Our Community

A family in the village keeps a small vegetable garden and shares part of the harvest with an elderly neighbour who lives alone. Which community value does this action best show?

  1. Competing for scarce resources
  2. Caring for others in the community Correct answer.
  3. Respecting private property only
  4. Following government orders

Explanation

Sharing food with a neighbour who cannot manage alone is a direct act of caring and neighbourliness, which is a core value of living together. Community values are shown through actions that help others meet their needs.

Question 2Living Together in Our Community

Which of the following is the best example of a community leader?

  1. A trader who sells the most goods at the market Correct answer.
  2. A child who is the fastest runner in school
  3. A person chosen by the residents to guide and represent them
  4. A visitor who stays in the village for one night

Explanation

A community leader is someone the people recognise as guiding, representing and helping them make decisions. Being chosen by residents and serving their interests is the defining feature, not wealth, speed or a short visit.

Question 3Living Together in Our Community

In a community meeting, members discuss how to repair a broken water point. What is the most important reason for allowing everyone, including women and young people, to speak?

  1. It stops people from disagreeing
  2. It ensures decisions consider the needs of all groups Correct answer.
  3. It makes the meeting last longer
  4. It removes the need for a leader

Explanation

Inclusive participation means decisions reflect the needs of every group that uses the service. When women and youth are heard, the solutions chosen are more complete and fairer.

Question 4Living Together in Our Community

Which of these is a duty of a good citizen in a community?

  1. Refusing to attend any meeting
  2. Keeping all community benefits to oneself
  3. Ignoring rules made by the community
  4. Paying community contributions agreed at meetings Correct answer.

Explanation

A good citizen contributes to shared efforts, including agreed contributions that fund community services. Duties go together with rights, and paying what was agreed supports the common good.

Question 5Living Together in Our Community

A river passes through three villages. Upstream villagers throw waste into the water. Which statement best explains why this is a problem for the whole community?

  1. Water pollution affects everyone who uses the river downstream Correct answer.
  2. The river belongs to no one
  3. Waste always sinks and disappears
  4. Only the upstream village suffers

Explanation

Rivers flow from one place to another, so pollution released upstream travels to users downstream. Shared natural resources require cooperation because one group's actions affect others.

Question 6Living Together in Our Community

Which of these is a right that members of a community should enjoy?

  1. The right to ignore health rules
  2. The right to be listened to at meetings Correct answer.
  3. The right to avoid all community work
  4. The right to take a neighbour's crops

Explanation

Rights in a community include being heard and taking part in decisions that affect you. Rights are balanced by duties, so they never include harming others or avoiding shared responsibilities.

Question 7Living Together in Our Community

Which of the following best describes a community?

  1. A group of strangers who never meet
  2. A group of people living together and sharing common interests and services Correct answer.
  3. A building with no residents
  4. A single person who lives far from others

Explanation

A community is a group of people who live in the same area and share interests, services and responsibilities. Interaction and shared concern, not just location, make people a community.

Question 8Living Together in Our Community

During a community clean-up, groups are assigned different areas. What is the main benefit of this division of work?

  1. It helps the work get done faster and more organised Correct answer.
  2. It means the leader does nothing
  3. It removes the need for cooperation
  4. It makes some people work harder than others

Explanation

Dividing tasks allows people to work at the same time and cover more ground efficiently. Cooperation still matters because the groups must coordinate and support one another.

Question 9Living Together in Our Community

A community has one borehole that everyone uses. Which practice best shows responsible management of this shared resource?

  1. Allowing anyone to waste as much water as they wish
  2. Agreeing on rules for use and repairing the pump together Correct answer.
  3. Using the borehole only for the leader's family
  4. Leaving the pump broken when it fails

Explanation

Shared resources are best managed through agreed rules and joint maintenance so that everyone continues to benefit. Cooperation and fairness keep the resource available for present and future users.

Question 10Living Together in Our Community

A family from a different ethnic group moves into the village and the children speak a different language at first. What is the most helpful way for the community to respond?

  1. Welcome them and help them take part in community activities Correct answer.
  2. Avoid speaking to the newcomers until they change
  3. Spread rumours about them
  4. Ask them to leave immediately

Explanation

Living together requires welcoming newcomers and helping them participate, which builds trust and shared understanding. Language difference is not a reason for exclusion; inclusion strengthens the whole community.

Question 11Living Together in Our Community

Two neighbours disagree about where a fence between their plots should stand. Which approach best shows peaceful conflict resolution?

  1. Discussing calmly and, if needed, asking respected elders to mediate Correct answer.
  2. Destroying the fence at night
  3. Settling the matter with a fight
  4. Refusing to speak to each other forever

Explanation

Peaceful conflict resolution uses dialogue and impartial mediation rather than violence. Respected elders or leaders can help both sides reach an agreement they accept.

Question 12Living Together in Our Community

Which statement best explains why community leaders should be accountable to the people they lead?

  1. Leaders need to explain their decisions and use of community resources Correct answer.
  2. Leaders are chosen to rule without consultation
  3. Leaders should never be questioned by anyone
  4. Accountability means leaders keep all records secret

Explanation

Accountability means leaders answer to the community for their decisions and for how shared funds and resources are used. Transparency builds trust and prevents misuse of power.

Question 13Living Together in Our Community

A youth group wants to start a small poultry project. Which combination best represents the resources they need to plan for?

  1. Only money, with no other planning
  2. Only knowledge, because labour is not needed
  3. Only land, because money is not needed
  4. Money, labour, land and knowledge, managed together Correct answer.

Explanation

A successful community project needs several resources working together: funds, labour, land and skills. Planning for all of them avoids shortages that could stop the project.

Question 14Living Together in Our Community

What is the main purpose of a community register or record of births and deaths kept by local leaders?

  1. To keep accurate information for planning services Correct answer.
  2. To create work for the leader
  3. To keep families from moving away
  4. To decide who is the richest family

Explanation

Records of births and deaths provide accurate data that leaders use to plan schools, clinics and other services. Good records help the community make informed decisions.

Question 15Living Together in Our Community

A community decides to build a new market shelter. Which step should come first in the planning process?

  1. Electing a treasurer after building
  2. Identifying the problem and agreeing on the need Correct answer.
  3. Buying materials immediately
  4. Collecting money without discussion

Explanation

Good planning starts by identifying the problem and agreeing that the project is needed. Only after that should resources, roles and budgets be decided.

Question 16Living Together in Our Community

Which of the following best describes the role of a village health worker in the community?

  1. Collecting market taxes
  2. Guiding residents on health matters and linking them to clinics Correct answer.
  3. Teaching mathematics in school
  4. Settling land disputes between families

Explanation

A village health worker advises residents on health, provides basic care and refers people to clinics. Their role is health-focused and does not include settling disputes or collecting taxes.

Question 17Living Together in Our Community

A community group notices that some children are not attending school. Which action best reflects responsible community participation?

  1. Blaming the children and doing nothing
  2. Reporting the parents to the police immediately
  3. Ignoring the problem because it is not theirs
  4. Investigating the reasons and working with parents and leaders to help Correct answer.

Explanation

Responsible participation means finding out why a problem occurs and working with others to solve it. Cooperation between families, leaders and the community helps children return to school.

Question 18Living Together in Our Community

Which practice best demonstrates respect for the customs and beliefs of different groups within one community?

  1. Forcing everyone to follow one group's customs
  2. Banning all cultural events
  3. Allowing different groups to practise their customs without harm to others Correct answer.
  4. Mocking other groups' traditions in public

Explanation

Tolerance means respecting the right of different groups to practise their customs as long as they do not harm others. Mutual respect reduces conflict and strengthens unity.

Question 19Living Together in Our Community

A community receives a donation of maize to help families during a drought. Which plan best shows fairness in sharing the donation?

  1. Sharing according to agreed criteria based on need Correct answer.
  2. Storing the maize and never distributing it
  3. Selling the maize to the highest bidder
  4. Giving all the maize to the leader's relatives

Explanation

Fair distribution of relief uses clear, agreed criteria based on need so that the most vulnerable families are helped first. Transparency prevents favouritism and conflict.

Question 20Living Together in Our Community

Which of the following best explains why communities hold regular meetings?

  1. To share information, make decisions together and review progress Correct answer.
  2. To give the leader a chance to give orders
  3. To entertain people with speeches
  4. To replace the need for any rules

Explanation

Community meetings allow members to share information, make joint decisions and review how agreed activities are going. They are a forum for participation, not simply for orders or entertainment.

Question 21Living Together in Our Community

A community's water project was funded by an outside organisation. Which action best shows transparency in handling the funds?

  1. Publishing income and spending for members to see Correct answer.
  2. Giving the money to one family to decide
  3. Keeping the budget known only to the treasurer
  4. Spending the money without any records

Explanation

Transparency means the community can see how money was received and spent. Open records allow members to check that funds were used for the agreed purpose and build trust.

Question 22Living Together in Our Community

Two villages share a grazing area. During a dry season, each village wants to send as many cattle as possible. What is the most likely result if no agreement is made?

  1. The grass will be overgrazed and both villages will suffer Correct answer.
  2. The cattle will find grass elsewhere automatically
  3. The grazing area will improve because of more animals
  4. Only one village will ever be affected

Explanation

When a shared resource is used without limits, each user gains by adding more animals while the cost falls on everyone. Overgrazing damages the pasture and harms both villages, so agreed limits are needed.

Question 23Living Together in Our Community

A leader in a community makes decisions alone and does not tell members how community funds were spent. What is the most likely long-term effect on the community?

  1. Funds will automatically be well used
  2. The community will need no further meetings
  3. Members will lose trust and cooperation will weaken Correct answer.
  4. Members will trust the leader more

Explanation

Leadership depends on trust, and trust grows when decisions and spending are open to members. A leader who acts alone and hides spending undermines confidence and reduces willingness to cooperate.

Question 24Living Together in Our Community

A community is deciding between two projects: a new football pitch or a maternal waiting shelter at the clinic. Which approach best reflects responsible decision-making?

  1. Comparing the needs of different groups and agreeing on priorities together Correct answer.
  2. Choosing the cheaper project without discussion
  3. Letting the leader decide alone to save time
  4. Building both at once without any funds

Explanation

Responsible decisions compare the needs of different groups and set priorities through discussion. This ensures resources go to what benefits the community most and that the choice is accepted.

Question 25Living Together in Our Community

Some members of a community refuse to take part in communal work but still expect to benefit from the community borehole and market. How does this behaviour affect the community?

  1. It places an unfair burden on those who contribute and can weaken shared services Correct answer.
  2. It has no effect on the community at all
  3. It strengthens cooperation because others work harder
  4. It guarantees better services for everyone

Explanation

Communal services depend on shared effort, so free-riding shifts the burden onto those who contribute. Over time this unfairness can reduce willingness to cooperate and damage the services everyone needs.

Question 26Living Together in Our Community

A community wants to reduce quarrels over who may fetch water from its well at what time. Which arrangement best uses rules agreed by the members themselves?

  1. Fetching times are decided secretly by one elder and announced at the well.
  2. Only the households living nearest the well are allowed to fetch water.
  3. The well committee writes a rota showing each household's fetching times. Correct answer.
  4. Each household fetches water whenever it likes, as long as no one complains.

Explanation

Community rules work best when they are made openly by the members and written down so everyone knows what is expected. A rota set by a committee chosen by the community gives each household a fair turn and a clear way to settle disputes. Secret or one-sided arrangements create suspicion and are hard to defend.

Question 27Living Together in Our Community

Which of these best describes the duties that come with being a member of a community?

  1. Owning land in the area where the community is found
  2. Attending every funeral held anywhere in the district
  3. Speaking only the language of the largest group in the village
  4. Contributing to shared work and respecting agreed rules Correct answer.

Explanation

Membership of a community carries both benefits and responsibilities, such as taking part in communal work and following rules the members have agreed. These duties are what keep shared services and peaceful living possible. The other choices describe personal circumstances or unnecessary restrictions rather than duties of membership.

Question 28Living Together in Our Community

A village council collects a monthly fee for maintaining the local clinic. Some members ask how the money was used. Which action best shows accountability to the community?

  1. The treasurer keeps the records at home and reports only when asked by the chief.
  2. The council reads out income and spending at an open meeting and posts the record publicly. Correct answer.
  3. The council spends the money on what it judges most urgent and reports at year end.
  4. The council raises the fee without discussion so that more money becomes available.

Explanation

Accountability means those entrusted with community resources explain openly how they were used. Reading the accounts at an open meeting and displaying them allows every member to check and question the figures. Reporting only to one person, or only once a year, leaves room for doubt and mistrust.

Question 29Living Together in Our Community

A community has members who farm, members who fish, and members who keep livestock. Which arrangement best shows interdependence among these groups?

  1. Each group sells its surplus to the others at the weekly community market. Correct answer.
  2. Each group keeps everything it produces and avoids dealing with the others.
  3. The groups agree that only farmers may hold positions on the community committee.
  4. The groups compete to see which one can produce the most food in a season.

Explanation

Interdependence means different members rely on one another because each produces something the others need. Exchanging surpluses at a market lets farmers, fishers and herders obtain what they lack while earning from what they have in plenty. Avoiding contact or competing for prestige does not build mutual reliance.

Question 30Living Together in Our Community

A chiefdom receives relief food after a flood. Leaders must decide how to share it among affected households. Which approach best applies the principle of fairness?

  1. Give the largest shares to the households with the closest links to the leaders.
  2. Give equal shares to every household in the chiefdom, whether flooded or not.
  3. Assess each household's losses and give more to those who lost the most. Correct answer.
  4. Sell the relief food and use the money to repair the community's main road.

Explanation

Fairness in sharing relief means matching help to need, so households that suffered greater losses receive more. An assessment of damage gives an open and defensible basis for the shares. Treating unequal situations as if they were equal, or favouring relatives, defeats the purpose of relief.

Question 31Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Which lake forms Malawi's eastern boundary and is known locally as Lake Malawi?

  1. Lake Chilwa
  2. Lake Kazuni
  3. Lake Nyasa Correct answer.
  4. Lake Malombe

Explanation

Lake Malawi is called Lake Nyasa in Malawi and forms most of the country's eastern border, separating it from Mozambique and Tanzania. The name 'Nyasa' itself means lake in Chichewa. The other lakes listed are smaller water bodies found within Malawi.

Question 32Culture and Traditions of Malawi

The Chewa people of central Malawi are best known for which masked dance performed by initiated men?

  1. Gule Wamkulu Correct answer.
  2. Chioda
  3. Beni
  4. Vimbuza

Explanation

Gule Wamkulu, meaning 'great dance', is the masked dance of the Chewa Nyau society, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. Performers wear elaborate masks and costumes representing spirits. It is central to Chewa funerals and initiation rites.

Question 33Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Which ethnic group in Malawi is traditionally associated with the Vimbuza healing dance?

  1. Tumbuka Correct answer.
  2. Ngoni
  3. Yao
  4. Lomwe

Explanation

Vimbuza is a dance of the Tumbuka people of northern Malawi, performed to heal people suffering from spirit-related illness. It was inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Healers and drummers lead the ritual.

Question 34Culture and Traditions of Malawi

What is the name of the traditional Yao dance influenced by Swahili military drill, popular in southern Malawi?

  1. Chisamba
  2. Beni Correct answer.
  3. Gule Wamkulu
  4. Ingoma

Explanation

Beni is a competitive dance tradition associated with the Yao and other groups, drawing on Swahili military marching styles. Teams compete with drums, whistles and uniforms. It became popular in the colonial period and remains a feature of southern Malawi festivals.

Question 35Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Which river drains Lake Malawi southwards through Malawi to the Zambezi?

  1. Bua River
  2. Songwe River
  3. Shire River Correct answer.
  4. Linthipe River

Explanation

The Shire River is the only outlet of Lake Malawi, flowing south through the Shire Highlands and joining the Zambezi in Mozambique. It is important for hydropower and irrigation. The other rivers flow into Lake Malawi or form borders.

Question 36Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Malawi's traditional matrilineal inheritance system, common among the Chewa, means that property and chieftaincy pass through which line?

  1. The colonial administration
  2. The eldest son only
  3. The mother's line Correct answer.
  4. The father's line

Explanation

In matrilineal systems, descent, inheritance and often chieftaincy pass through the mother's line. Among the Chewa, children belong to the mother's clan and land is inherited through women. This contrasts with patrilineal groups such as the Ngoni.

Question 37Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Which of the following is the most widely spoken language in Malawi and the basis of the national lingua franca?

  1. Chilomwe
  2. Chiyao
  3. Chichewa Correct answer.
  4. Chitumbuka

Explanation

Chichewa is the most widely spoken language in Malawi and serves as the national lingua franca, taught in schools and used in national media. It is the language of the Chewa people of the central region. Other languages are regionally important but less widespread nationally.

Question 38Culture and Traditions of Malawi

The Ngoni people of Mzimba in northern Malawi trace their origins to which historical migration?

  1. The Arab traders from Oman
  2. The Zulu-led migrations from South Africa Correct answer.
  3. The Swahili coastal traders
  4. The Portuguese settlers from Mozambique

Explanation

The Ngoni descended from groups that broke away from the Zulu state during the Mfecane upheavals in southern Africa in the early nineteenth century. Led by chiefs such as Zwangendaba, they migrated north and settled in present-day Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. Their warrior traditions and Ingoma dance reflect this origin.

Question 39Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Which crop is Malawi's main traditional staple food, usually pounded and served as nsima?

  1. Cassava
  2. Maize Correct answer.
  3. Rice
  4. Wheat

Explanation

Maize is the staple crop of Malawi and is pounded or milled to make nsima, the thick porridge eaten with relish. It dominates agricultural production and diet. Other crops are grown but do not replace maize as the staple.

Question 40Culture and Traditions of Malawi

What is the name of the traditional Chewa ceremony held at the start of the farming season to honour ancestral spirits and seek good rains?

  1. Manganje
  2. Kulamba Correct answer.
  3. Umhlanga
  4. Nc'wala

Explanation

Kulamba is a Chewa ceremony held in the Mkaika area of Katete and related regions, honouring ancestral spirits and seeking blessings for the farming season. It brings together chiefs, dancers and the community. The ceremony reflects the link between spiritual belief and agriculture.

Question 41Culture and Traditions of Malawi

A village headman in a matrilineal Chewa area dies. Under customary practice, who is most likely to succeed him?

  1. His father's cousin
  2. His wife's brother
  3. His eldest son
  4. His sister's son Correct answer.

Explanation

In matrilineal Chewa chieftaincy, succession commonly passes from a man to his sister's son, because authority and descent follow the mother's line. The heir is chosen from within the same matrilineage. Sons belong to their mother's clan and do not normally inherit their father's position.

Question 42Culture and Traditions of Malawi

During a Gule Wamkulu performance at a funeral, what is the primary role of the masked dancers?

  1. To advertise local businesses
  2. To entertain children only
  3. To collect money from spectators
  4. To represent ancestral spirits and guide the community Correct answer.

Explanation

Gule Wamkulu masks represent spirits of the dead, and the dancers mediate between the living and the ancestral world during funerals and initiation. Their performance conveys moral lessons and social order. It is a sacred ritual, not mere entertainment.

Question 43Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Why is Lake Chilwa, near Zomba, important to the economy of surrounding communities?

  1. It supports fishing and birdlife despite being shallow Correct answer.
  2. It is Malawi's deepest lake
  3. It supplies drinking water to Blantyre city
  4. It is a major source of hydroelectric power

Explanation

Lake Chilwa is a shallow lake whose fisheries and wetlands support many livelihoods, and it is a Ramsar site important for waterbirds. It periodically dries up, making its management a sensitive local issue. It is not a hydroelectric source or the country's deepest lake.

Question 44Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Which traditional dance is associated with the Chewa and performed by women with a distinctive hip movement?

  1. Beni
  2. Ingoma
  3. Chisamba Correct answer.
  4. Vimbuza

Explanation

Chisamba is a Chewa dance traditionally performed by women, characterised by rhythmic hip and waist movements accompanied by drums and singing. It features at celebrations and ceremonies. The other dances belong to different ethnic groups.

Question 45Culture and Traditions of Malawi

What does the term 'nsima' refer to in Malawian culture?

  1. A traditional drum
  2. A thick maize porridge served with relish Correct answer.
  3. A fermented drink
  4. A type of fish from Lake Malawi

Explanation

Nsima is the thick maize porridge that forms the base of most Malawian meals, eaten with a relish of vegetables, beans or fish. It is central to hospitality, and offering nsima to a guest expresses welcome. The term does not refer to a drink, drum or fish.

Question 46Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Which of the following best explains why Chichewa became Malawi's national lingua franca despite many languages being spoken?

  1. It was the language of the largest ethnic group and was promoted in education and media Correct answer.
  2. It is the language of the Yao people
  3. It was the only language with a written form
  4. It was imposed by the British colonial government only

Explanation

Chichewa is spoken by the Chewa, one of the largest groups, and was promoted through schooling, radio and national administration after independence. This gave it a unifying role across regions. Other languages remain important locally but lacked the same national promotion.

Question 47Culture and Traditions of Malawi

The Ingoma dance of the Ngoni is most closely associated with which activity?

  1. Warrior display and celebration Correct answer.
  2. Fishing on Lake Malawi
  3. Healing the sick
  4. Harvesting rice

Explanation

Ingoma is a Ngoni dance with warrior roots, performed by young men in regimental groups to display strength and unity at celebrations. It reflects the Ngoni military heritage from the Zulu migrations. It is not a healing or fishing ritual.

Question 48Culture and Traditions of Malawi

A family in a patrilineal area of northern Malawi is deciding inheritance. How does patrilineal descent differ from matrilineal descent?

  1. Property passes through the father's line Correct answer.
  2. Chieftaincy is elected by villagers
  3. Property passes through the mother's brother
  4. Only daughters inherit

Explanation

In patrilineal systems, descent and inheritance pass through the father's line, so sons and paternal relatives are central. This contrasts with matrilineal systems where the mother's line determines inheritance. The distinction shapes marriage residence and chieftaincy succession.

Question 49Culture and Traditions of Malawi

Which body of water lies in the far south of Malawi and is shared with Mozambique, forming part of the Shire River system?

  1. Lake Malombe Correct answer.
  2. Lake Malawi
  3. Lake Chilwa
  4. Lake Kazuni

Explanation

Lake Malombe lies on the Shire River in southern Malawi, downstream of Lake Malawi, and is important for fishing. It is distinct from Lake Chilwa and the main lake. Its waters are part of the Shire system that continues into Mozambique.

Question 50Culture and Traditions of Malawi

What is the main cultural significance of the Chewa 'mbumba' concept?

  1. It refers to a group of sisters and their descendants forming the matrilineal core Correct answer.
  2. It is a type of drum used in Gule Wamkulu
  3. It is the name of a lake in the south
  4. It is a dance performed at weddings

Explanation

Mbumba refers to the matrilineal group of sisters and their children, who form the core of Chewa social organisation. It underpins inheritance, residence and mutual obligation. The concept is central to understanding Chewa kinship.