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NECO BECE practice questions

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Question 1Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

In the NECO BECE Basic Science syllabus, which process describes the change of a liquid to a gas at any temperature below its boiling point?

  1. Melting
  2. Condensation
  3. Evaporation Correct answer.
  4. Sublimation

Explanation

Evaporation is the escape of fast-moving molecules from the surface of a liquid into the vapour state, and it happens at any temperature, not only at the boiling point. Condensation is the reverse change from gas to liquid, while sublimation is solid directly to gas.

Question 2Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A trader buys a bag of rice for ₦42,000 and sells it for ₦48,300. What is the percentage profit on the cost price?

  1. 13%
  2. 15% Correct answer.
  3. 6.3%
  4. 20%

Explanation

Profit equals selling price minus cost price: ₦48,300 − ₦42,000 = ₦6,300. Percentage profit is profit divided by cost price multiplied by 100, that is 6,300/42,000 × 100 = 15%.

Question 3Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which part of speech is the underlined word in the sentence: 'Musa ran quickly to the market'?

  1. Preposition
  2. Noun
  3. Adjective
  4. Adverb Correct answer.

Explanation

The word 'quickly' describes how the action of running was carried out, so it modifies the verb 'ran'. Words that modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs in this way are adverbs, typically formed with the -ly ending.

Question 4Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is the correct chemical symbol for the element sodium as studied in JSS Basic Science?

  1. N
  2. So
  3. Na Correct answer.
  4. Sd

Explanation

Chemical symbols come from Latin or Greek names, so sodium takes Na from 'natrium'. Symbols always begin with a capital letter and may carry a second small letter, which rules out invented two-letter forms.

Question 5Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

In the NECO BECE Social Studies syllabus, which of these is a primary function of the family as a social institution?

  1. Making laws for the state
  2. Socialising children into accepted norms Correct answer.
  3. Collecting taxes from citizens
  4. Conducting national elections

Explanation

The family is the first agent of socialisation, teaching children language, values and acceptable behaviour before they meet school or wider society. Law-making, taxation and elections belong to political institutions such as government and the electoral body.

Question 6Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A rectangle has length 12 cm and breadth 7 cm. What is the perimeter of the rectangle?

  1. 38 cm Correct answer.
  2. 42 cm
  3. 84 cm
  4. 19 cm

Explanation

The perimeter of a rectangle is twice the sum of its length and breadth, so 2 × (12 + 7) = 2 × 19 = 38 cm. Adding length and breadth alone gives only half the perimeter.

Question 7Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which gas makes up the largest proportion of the Earth's atmosphere?

  1. Nitrogen Correct answer.
  2. Oxygen
  3. Water vapour
  4. Carbon dioxide

Explanation

Nitrogen accounts for roughly 78% of dry air, making it by far the most abundant gas in the atmosphere. Oxygen is next at about 21%, while carbon dioxide and water vapour are present only in small amounts.

Question 8Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is a renewable source of energy taught in JSS Basic Science?

  1. Solar radiation Correct answer.
  2. Crude oil
  3. Coal
  4. Natural gas

Explanation

Renewable energy sources are naturally replenished within a short time, and sunlight is continuously available. Coal, crude oil and natural gas are fossil fuels formed over millions of years and are therefore non-renewable.

Question 9Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A student dissolves some sugar in water and stirs it until no solid remains. Which term best describes the resulting uniform mixture?

  1. Suspension
  2. Precipitate
  3. Solution Correct answer.
  4. Colloid

Explanation

A solution forms when a solute dissolves completely in a solvent to give a homogeneous mixture with no visible particles. Sugar in water is the standard example, since the dissolved particles are too small to settle or scatter light.

Question 10Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Simplify the expression 3(2x − 4) + 5x.

  1. 6x − 12
  2. 11x − 12 Correct answer.
  3. x − 12
  4. 11x + 12

Explanation

First expand the bracket: 3 × 2x = 6x and 3 × (−4) = −12, giving 6x − 12. Then collect like terms by adding 5x to 6x, which yields 11x − 12.

Question 11Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following sentences uses the correct form of the verb to agree with its subject?

  1. The list of items were on the table.
  2. Neither the teacher nor the students was present.
  3. The news of the victory was announced yesterday. Correct answer.
  4. Each of the students have a textbook.

Explanation

'News' is an uncountable noun that takes a singular verb, so 'was announced' is correct. Phrases beginning with 'each' and singular heads such as 'list' govern singular verbs, and with 'neither...nor' the verb agrees with the nearer subject.

Question 12Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A car travels 150 km in 3 hours. What is its average speed in km/h?

  1. 450 km/h
  2. 0.02 km/h
  3. 45 km/h
  4. 50 km/h Correct answer.

Explanation

Average speed is distance divided by time, so 150 km ÷ 3 h = 50 km/h. Multiplying instead of dividing, or inverting the fraction, gives the wrong figures.

Question 13Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which organelle is described as the powerhouse of the cell because it releases energy from food during respiration?

  1. Nucleus
  2. Ribosome
  3. Cell wall
  4. Mitochondrion Correct answer.

Explanation

Mitochondria are the sites of aerobic respiration, where glucose is broken down to release energy stored as ATP. The nucleus controls activities, ribosomes build proteins, and the cell wall gives shape and support.

Question 14Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of these is an example of a chemical change rather than a physical change?

  1. Dissolving salt in water
  2. Melting of ice
  3. Rusting of an iron nail Correct answer.
  4. Cutting a piece of paper

Explanation

A chemical change produces a new substance and is usually difficult to reverse, as when iron reacts with oxygen and water to form rust. Physical changes such as melting, dissolving and cutting alter form only, not identity.

Question 15Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

In the NECO BECE Civic Education syllabus, which of the following best defines the term 'rule of law'?

  1. Only judges are bound by the law
  2. Everyone, including leaders, is subject to the law Correct answer.
  3. The president may act above the law in emergencies
  4. Laws apply only to citizens below eighteen years

Explanation

The rule of law means that law is supreme and applies equally to all persons, including government officials, who cannot act arbitrarily. It also implies that laws are made openly, applied fairly and enforced by independent courts.

Question 16Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A fair die is rolled once. What is the probability of obtaining a number greater than 4?

  1. 2/3
  2. 1/6
  3. 1/2
  4. 1/3 Correct answer.

Explanation

The numbers greater than 4 on a die are 5 and 6, giving two favourable outcomes out of six possible outcomes. The probability is therefore 2/6, which simplifies to 1/3.

Question 17Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is the main function of the red blood cells in the human body?

  1. Digesting food in the stomach
  2. Transporting oxygen from the lungs to the tissues Correct answer.
  3. Clotting blood at wounds
  4. Producing antibodies against disease

Explanation

Red blood cells contain haemoglobin, which binds oxygen in the lungs and releases it in the tissues where it is needed for respiration. Antibody production is the work of white blood cells, and clotting involves platelets.

Question 18Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A trader marks the price of a radio at ₦18,000 and later sells it at a discount of 15%. What is the selling price?

  1. ₦17,850
  2. ₦20,700
  3. ₦2,700
  4. ₦15,300 Correct answer.

Explanation

A 15% discount on ₦18,000 is 0.15 × 18,000 = ₦2,700. Subtracting the discount from the marked price gives 18,000 − 2,700 = ₦15,300.

Question 19Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following best explains why the equatorial region of Nigeria experiences heavy rainfall throughout most of the year?

  1. It lies in a zone of descending dry air
  2. It receives moist maritime air from the Atlantic Ocean Correct answer.
  3. It is far from the sea and therefore very dry
  4. It is shielded by high mountains from rain-bearing winds

Explanation

The south-westerly monsoon carries moisture-laden air from the Atlantic Ocean over southern Nigeria, and rising warm air produces heavy convectional rainfall. The dry harmattan instead comes from the Sahara and affects the north more strongly.

Question 20Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following sentences contains a correctly used relative clause?

  1. The girl who won the prize is my sister. Correct answer.
  2. The girl whose won the prize is my sister.
  3. The girl whom won the prize is my sister.
  4. The boy which won the prize is my brother.

Explanation

The relative pronoun 'who' is used for people when it is the subject of the clause, as in 'the girl who won'. 'Whom' is used for objects, and 'which' is reserved for things rather than people.

Question 21Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A body of mass 5 kg is lifted through a height of 4 m. Taking the acceleration due to gravity as 10 m/s², calculate the potential energy gained.

  1. 200 J Correct answer.
  2. 50 J
  3. 20 J
  4. 2 J

Explanation

Gravitational potential energy is given by mgh, so 5 kg × 10 m/s² × 4 m = 200 J. Multiplying mass by gravity alone, or by height alone, gives an incomplete calculation.

Question 22Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Two solutions are tested with litmus paper. Solution A turns red litmus blue, while solution B turns blue litmus red. Which statement correctly describes the two solutions?

  1. A is neutral and B is basic
  2. A is basic and B is acidic Correct answer.
  3. Both A and B are neutral
  4. A is acidic and B is basic

Explanation

A base turns red litmus paper blue, so solution A is basic. An acid turns blue litmus paper red, so solution B is acidic. Neutral substances leave the colour of litmus unchanged.

Question 23Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

The bearing of town Q from town P is 070°. What is the bearing of town P from town Q?

  1. 290°
  2. 160°
  3. 250° Correct answer.
  4. 110°

Explanation

The back bearing is found by adding 180° when the given bearing is less than 180°, so 70° + 180° = 250°. Subtracting instead would give the wrong direction, since a reverse bearing must lie in the opposite half of the compass.

Question 24Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

In a class of 40 students, 25 offer Biology, 20 offer Chemistry and 10 offer both subjects. How many students offer neither Biology nor Chemistry?

  1. 10
  2. 15
  3. 35
  4. 5 Correct answer.

Explanation

Using the inclusion-exclusion principle, the number offering at least one subject is 25 + 20 − 10 = 35. Subtracting from the class total gives 40 − 35 = 5 students who offer neither subject.

Question 25Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following best explains why iron is described as more reactive than copper in the reactivity series?

  1. Copper is denser and therefore resists chemical attack
  2. Copper forms no compounds at all with other elements
  3. Iron has a lower melting point than copper
  4. Iron loses electrons more readily, displacing copper from solution Correct answer.

Explanation

Reactivity depends on how readily a metal loses electrons to form positive ions. Iron is higher in the reactivity series than copper, so it displaces copper from solutions of copper salts in displacement reactions.

Question 26Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

In the JSS Business Studies syllabus, which document is sent by a seller to a buyer to request payment for goods supplied on credit?

  1. A debit note
  2. An invoice Correct answer.
  3. A statement of account
  4. A receipt

Explanation

An invoice is the commercial document a seller issues after supplying goods on credit, listing quantities, unit prices and the total amount the buyer must pay. It creates the record from which later receipts and statements are prepared.

Question 27Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A trader buys 40 tubers of yam at ₦250 each and sells all of them for ₦12,000. What is the profit made?

  1. ₦2,500
  2. ₦1,000
  3. ₦2,000 Correct answer.
  4. ₦10,000

Explanation

Total cost is 40 × ₦250 = ₦10,000, and the selling price is ₦12,000. Profit equals selling price minus cost price, giving ₦12,000 − ₦10,000 = ₦2,000.

Question 28Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is the correct order of the stages of a butterfly's life cycle as taught in JSS Basic Science?

  1. Egg → pupa → larva → adult
  2. Larva → egg → pupa → adult
  3. Egg → larva → adult → pupa
  4. Egg → larva → pupa → adult Correct answer.

Explanation

The butterfly undergoes complete metamorphosis, so the young (caterpillar) looks nothing like the adult. The sequence is egg, then larva, then pupa, then adult, with the pupa being the resting stage in which the body is rebuilt.

Question 29Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A student writes the number 45 236 in words. Which of the following is the correct reading?

  1. Forty-five thousand, two hundred and thirty-six Correct answer.
  2. Four thousand, five hundred and twenty-six
  3. Four hundred and fifty-two thousand and thirty-six
  4. Forty-five thousand, three hundred and twenty-six

Explanation

The digits are grouped in threes from the right: 45 in the thousands period and 236 in the units period. Reading the groups in order gives forty-five thousand, two hundred and thirty-six.

Question 30Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is the main function of the constitution in a country such as Nigeria?

  1. It records the annual budget of every state
  2. It lists the names of all registered voters
  3. It sets out the powers of government and the rights of citizens Correct answer.
  4. It states the timetable for local government elections

Explanation

A constitution is the supreme law that defines how power is distributed among the arms of government and guarantees the fundamental rights of citizens. Ordinary laws and government actions must not conflict with it.

Question 31Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A map has a scale of 1 cm to 5 km. Two towns are 7.5 cm apart on the map. What is the actual distance between them?

  1. 12.5 km
  2. 3.75 km
  3. 37.5 km Correct answer.
  4. 15 km

Explanation

Each centimetre on the map represents 5 km on the ground, so the actual distance is 7.5 × 5 = 37.5 km. Scale questions are solved by multiplying the map length by the representative distance.

Question 32Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following sentences contains an adverb clause of reason?

  1. The pupils stayed at home because the rain was heavy. Correct answer.
  2. The pupils stayed at home, and the rain was heavy.
  3. The pupils stayed at home until the rain stopped.
  4. The pupils stayed at home during the heavy rain.

Explanation

An adverb clause of reason answers the question 'why?' and is introduced by subordinators such as because, since and as. In the key sentence, 'because the rain was heavy' gives the reason for staying at home.

Question 33Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A man invests ₦50,000 at a simple interest rate of 4% per annum. What interest does he earn in 3 years?

  1. ₦12,000
  2. ₦4,000
  3. ₦6,000 Correct answer.
  4. ₦2,000

Explanation

Simple interest is calculated as principal × rate × time ÷ 100. Substituting gives 50,000 × 4 × 3 ÷ 100 = ₦6,000.

Question 34Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following best explains why a metal spoon left in a hot cup of tea soon becomes hot at the handle?

  1. The metal reflects heat back to the handle
  2. Heat is transferred through the metal by conduction Correct answer.
  3. Heat is carried to the handle by convection currents
  4. The handle produces its own heat by friction

Explanation

In solids, heat travels by conduction: particles at the hot end vibrate faster and pass energy to neighbouring particles without the particles themselves moving along the metal. Metals conduct well because they have free electrons that carry energy quickly.

Question 35Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is the correct chemical symbol and formula pair as used in JSS Basic Science?

  1. Sodium is So and water is HO₂
  2. Sodium is Na and water is H₂O Correct answer.
  3. Sodium is Na and water is H₂O₂
  4. Sodium is S and water is H₂O

Explanation

Chemical symbols come from Latin or English names, so sodium is Na (from natrium) and water, made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, is H₂O.

Question 36Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A trader sells an article for ₦4,500 and makes a loss of 10%. What was the cost price of the article?

  1. ₦4,050
  2. ₦4,950
  3. ₦5,000 Correct answer.
  4. ₦5,500

Explanation

A loss of 10% means the selling price is 90% of the cost price. So cost price = 4,500 × 100 ÷ 90 = ₦5,000, which is larger than the selling price as a loss requires.

Question 37Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is the main reason the Nigerian government established local government councils?

  1. To bring government and basic services closer to people at the grassroots Correct answer.
  2. To conduct the national census every ten years
  3. To appoint judges for the state high courts
  4. To control the country's foreign exchange reserves

Explanation

Local governments are the third tier of government, created to decentralise administration so that communities receive services such as local roads, markets and primary health care. They are the closest tier to the ordinary citizen.

Question 38Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

In a school debate, which of the following would be the most appropriate opening for a formal argument?

  1. Hey everybody, listen to me, I want to say something now.
  2. Well, I don't really know much, but maybe I can talk about it.
  3. You people should keep quiet and hear me well.
  4. Mr Chairman, panel of judges, ladies and gentlemen, I stand here to argue that… Correct answer.

Explanation

Formal debate uses a recognised salutation that acknowledges the chairperson, the judges and the audience before the speaker states a position. The register is polite, confident and impersonal.

Question 39Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following correctly describes the effect of a force acting on a body according to JSS Basic Science?

  1. It always increases the mass of the body
  2. It can change the speed, direction or shape of the body Correct answer.
  3. It removes the body's weight
  4. It always raises the temperature of the body

Explanation

A force is a push or pull that can start or stop motion, speed it up or slow it down, change its direction, or deform the object. Mass and weight are properties that a force does not simply create or remove.

Question 40Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A trader in Kano sends goods worth ₦80,000 to a customer in Enugu and wishes to receive payment through a bank. Which instrument is most suitable for the customer to send?

  1. A bank draft Correct answer.
  2. A cheque stub
  3. A receipt
  4. A postage stamp

Explanation

A bank draft is a payment instrument issued and guaranteed by a bank, so the seller is assured the money is available. It is suitable for transferring a large sum safely between distant parties.

Question 41Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is the correct plural form of 'child' and 'foot'?

  1. childes, feet
  2. children, foots
  3. children, feet Correct answer.
  4. childs, foots

Explanation

Some English nouns form their plurals by changing the vowel or adding an irregular ending rather than simply adding -s. 'Child' becomes 'children' and 'foot' becomes 'feet'.

Question 42Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Two angles of a triangle are 48° and 67°. What is the size of the third angle?

  1. 65° Correct answer.
  2. 115°
  3. 75°
  4. 55°

Explanation

The angles of any triangle add up to 180°. The two given angles total 48° + 67° = 115°, so the third angle is 180° − 115° = 65°.

Question 43Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following best explains why a metal can containing a fizzy drink becomes hard when shaken and left?

  1. The metal of the can absorbs the gas and swells
  2. The liquid turns into a solid because it becomes cold
  3. The dissolved carbon dioxide gas builds up pressure inside the sealed can Correct answer.
  4. The gas escapes through the metal and pushes on the outside

Explanation

Fizzy drinks contain carbon dioxide dissolved under pressure. When the can is sealed and the gas is released from solution by shaking, it collects in the space above the liquid and raises the internal pressure, making the can feel hard.

Question 44Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following statements about the agricultural system called crop rotation is correct?

  1. The same crop is grown on the same land every season
  2. Land is left without crops for many years
  3. Two crops are grown together on the same plot at the same time
  4. Different crops are grown on the same land in a planned sequence Correct answer.

Explanation

Crop rotation is the practice of growing different crops in a planned order on the same field so that soil nutrients are used and replaced in a balanced way and pests are disrupted. It is a soil-conservation practice.

Question 45Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A student measures the mass of a stone as 60 g and its volume as 20 cm³. What is the density of the stone?

  1. 0.33 g/cm³
  2. 80 g/cm³
  3. 1 200 g/cm³
  4. 3 g/cm³ Correct answer.

Explanation

Density is mass divided by volume. Dividing 60 g by 20 cm³ gives 3 g/cm³, meaning each cubic centimetre of the stone has a mass of 3 g.

Question 46Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following best describes the role of the legislature in a democracy?

  1. It makes laws and checks the work of the executive Correct answer.
  2. It commands the armed forces in wartime
  3. It settles disputes between individuals
  4. It conducts elections and announces results

Explanation

The legislature, such as the National Assembly, debates and passes laws and oversees the executive through questions, committees and approval of budgets. This separation of functions prevents power from being concentrated in one arm.

Question 47Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Express 0.375 as a fraction in its lowest terms.

  1. 375/100
  2. 3/4
  3. 3/8 Correct answer.
  4. 15/40

Explanation

0.375 means 375 thousandths, that is 375/1000. Dividing both numerator and denominator by 125 gives 3/8, which cannot be reduced further.

Question 48Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following sentences uses the apostrophe correctly to show possession?

  1. The girl's uniforms were ironed before the assembly for all the girls.
  2. The girls uniform's were ironed before the assembly.
  3. The girls' uniforms were ironed before the assembly. Correct answer.
  4. The girls uniforms' were ironed before the assembly.

Explanation

When a plural noun already ends in -s, the possessive is formed by adding only an apostrophe after the s. Since several girls own the uniforms, 'girls'' is the correct form.

Question 49Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

A farmer plants maize on a rectangular plot 25 m long and 16 m wide. He then plants a second plot of the same area that is 20 m long. What is the width of the second plot?

  1. 20 m Correct answer.
  2. 25 m
  3. 32 m
  4. 16 m

Explanation

The area of the first plot is 25 × 16 = 400 m². For the second plot to have the same area with length 20 m, its width must be 400 ÷ 20 = 20 m.

Question 50Subjects examined at Junior Secondary School level

Which of the following is the main function of the Nigeria Police Force as taught in JSS Social Studies?

  1. To collect taxes for the government
  2. To try criminal cases in court
  3. To make laws for the federation
  4. To maintain law and order and protect lives and property Correct answer.

Explanation

The police are an agency of the executive responsible for preventing and detecting crime, maintaining public order and protecting citizens and their property. They arrest suspects but do not try cases.