New Curriculum First Term Intermediate Science examination for JSS 1

Class: JSS 1
Term: First Term
Subject: Intermediate Science
Time: 2 hours
Total Marks: 70

SECTION A: OBJECTIVES (40 Marks)
Instruction: Answer all questions. Each question carries 1 mark.

1. Erosion is the ________. (a) accumulation of moisture in the soil    (b) addition of fertilizer to a farm    (c) planting of grass along a slope    (d) removal of topsoil by moving agents
2. Which natural agent can cause soil erosion? (a) Compost    (b) Mulch    (c) Running water    (d) Contour ridges
3. A human activity that may increase soil erosion is ________. (a) planting cover crops    (b) indiscriminate removal of vegetation    (c) constructing terraces    (d) maintaining grass cover
4. Which practice can reduce erosion on a steep farm? (a) Overgrazing    (b) Terracing    (c) Bare-soil cultivation    (d) Uncontrolled bush burning
5. Cover crops help control erosion mainly by ________. (a) protecting soil against direct impact of rain    (b) increasing exposed bare soil    (c) preventing all infiltration    (d) making rainfall heavier
6. Which condition commonly increases the risk of gully erosion? (a) Continuous vegetative cover    (b) Properly maintained drainage    (c) Mulching on slopes    (d) Concentrated runoff on unprotected soil
7. Topsoil loss threatens farming because it removes ________. (a) only unwanted rocks    (b) all sunlight from the farm    (c) nutrient-rich soil needed by crops    (d) only stones along the road
8. The most suitable way to reduce erosion caused by surface runoff is to ________. (a) direct more water across bare soil    (b) clear all grasses from the slope    (c) slow down and channel excess water safely    (d) make drainage channels overflow
9. Flooding occurs when ________. (a) soil changes directly into gas    (b) water covers land that is normally dry    (c) sunlight dries a river completely    (d) vegetation prevents water movement
10. Which situation can contribute to urban flooding? (a) Blocked drainage channels    (b) Regular drain clearing    (c) Well-maintained channels    (d) Proper waste disposal
11. One effect of heavy flooding on farmland is ________. (a) guaranteed increase in crop yield    (b) automatic elimination of pests    (c) improved road access    (d) damage to crops and loss of topsoil
12. A drainage system is built mainly to ________. (a) stop all rainfall    (b) produce soil nutrients    (c) increase the number of floods    (d) carry excess water away from an area
13. Which action helps prevent flooding in a school compound? (a) Filling drains with refuse    (b) Blocking water outlets    (c) Keeping gutters free from waste    (d) Removing every water channel
14. Which surface condition allows rainwater to soak in more easily? (a) A fully blocked drain    (b) Permeable vegetated soil    (c) A sealed concrete surface    (d) A compacted bare road
15. Why should pupils avoid dumping refuse into gutters? (a) It can obstruct drainage and worsen flooding.    (b) It makes water flow faster through drains.    (c) It reduces the risk of standing water.    (d) It repairs damaged drains automatically.
16. A good flood-control measure includes ________. (a) properly designed drainage channels    (b) uncontrolled building across waterways    (c) continuous blocking of culverts    (d) dumping soil into natural channels
17. Bush burning means ________. (a) adding organic manure to soil    (b) watering farm crops    (c) cultivating crops without fire    (d) deliberate setting of vegetation on fire
18. An immediate effect of uncontrolled bush burning is ________. (a) increase in soil moisture storage    (b) permanent improvement of soil organisms    (c) destruction of plants and small animals    (d) prevention of smoke pollution
19. Bush burning may lower soil fertility by ________. (a) adding humus to every soil layer    (b) destroying organic matter and beneficial organisms    (c) increasing beneficial earthworms permanently    (d) preventing loss of nutrients completely
20. Which farming practice is an alternative to clearing land by burning? (a) Setting fire during a dry windy day    (b) Controlled manual clearing and composting    (c) Burning near buildings    (d) Leaving fires unattended
21. Why is bush burning dangerous to nearby communities? (a) Fire can spread and damage property.    (b) All smoke improves breathing.    (c) Burning prevents any risk of injury.    (d) Dry vegetation cannot carry flames.
22. Which human activity could worsen both erosion and bush-fire damage? (a) Maintaining firebreaks    (b) Planting protective grasses    (c) Organising safe clearing    (d) Removing vegetation without control
23. Matter is anything that ________. (a) can be seen only by a microscope    (b) always has a fixed shape    (c) has mass and occupies space    (d) must be a living organism
24. Which of these is an example of matter? (a) Light    (b) Sound    (c) Air    (d) Heat
25. A substance with a definite shape and definite volume is a ________. (a) liquid    (b) solid    (c) gas    (d) vapour
26. A liquid normally has ________. (a) a definite volume but no fixed shape    (b) a fixed shape and no volume    (c) neither mass nor volume    (d) no ability to flow
27. A gas is able to ________. (a) keep its own fixed shape    (b) remain solid at all temperatures    (c) occupy no space    (d) fill the available space in its container
28. The change of ice to liquid water is called ________. (a) freezing    (b) condensation    (c) evaporation    (d) melting
29. When water vapour changes into liquid droplets, it undergoes ________. (a) evaporation    (b) melting    (c) condensation    (d) sublimation
30. Heating liquid water until it becomes water vapour involves ________. (a) freezing    (b) vaporisation    (c) condensation    (d) deposition
31. Which characteristic distinguishes living organisms from non-living objects? (a) Ability to carry out life processes    (b) Having a measurable mass    (c) Occupying space    (d) Having a surface
32. The process by which living organisms produce offspring is ________. (a) reproduction    (b) condensation    (c) erosion    (d) evaporation
33. Which is a living organism? (a) Rock    (b) Glass bottle    (c) Iron nail    (d) Mango seedling
34. Plants need sunlight mainly for ________. (a) rusting    (b) condensation    (c) photosynthesis    (d) erosion
35. Which life process removes metabolic waste from organisms? (a) Reproduction    (b) Excretion    (c) Germination    (d) Growth
36. A non-living object differs from a living thing because it ________. (a) always has no mass    (b) does not independently carry out life processes    (c) cannot occupy space    (d) must be made of metal
37. Which of these is a metal? (a) Copper    (b) Wood    (c) Glass    (d) Clay
38. A common property of many metals is ________. (a) complete inability to conduct heat    (b) lack of lustre in all cases    (c) being gases at room temperature    (d) good electrical conductivity
39. Which non-living material is suitable for making a window pane? (a) Fresh leaf    (b) Mushroom    (c) Glass    (d) Earthworm
40. Living organisms depend on non-living environmental factors such as ________. (a) only herbivores    (b) only decomposers    (c) water, air and sunlight    (d) only insects

SECTION B: THEORY (30 Marks)
Instruction: Answer Question 1 and any other TWO questions. Each question carries 10 marks.

1. Environmental degradation
(a) Define soil erosion. (2 marks)
(b) State two causes of erosion and explain two control measures. (8 marks)

2. Flooding and bush burning
(a) Define flooding and bush burning. (4 marks)
(b) Explain three harmful effects of these environmental problems. (6 marks)

3. Matter and its states
(a) Define matter. (2 marks)
(b) Describe the characteristics of solid, liquid and gas. (6 marks)
(c) Name one change of state in each direction between liquid and gas. (2 marks)

4. Living and non-living matter
(a) State three characteristics of living things. (6 marks)
(b) Give two examples of non-living matter and a use of each. (4 marks)

Objective Marking Scheme
Question 1 – ✅ (d) removal of topsoil by moving agents
Question 2 – ✅ (c) Running water
Question 3 – ✅ (b) indiscriminate removal of vegetation
Question 4 – ✅ (b) Terracing
Question 5 – ✅ (a) protecting soil against direct impact of rain
Question 6 – ✅ (d) Concentrated runoff on unprotected soil
Question 7 – ✅ (c) nutrient-rich soil needed by crops
Question 8 – ✅ (c) slow down and channel excess water safely
Question 9 – ✅ (b) water covers land that is normally dry
Question 10 – ✅ (a) Blocked drainage channels
Question 11 – ✅ (d) damage to crops and loss of topsoil
Question 12 – ✅ (d) carry excess water away from an area
Question 13 – ✅ (c) Keeping gutters free from waste
Question 14 – ✅ (b) Permeable vegetated soil
Question 15 – ✅ (a) It can obstruct drainage and worsen flooding.
Question 16 – ✅ (a) properly designed drainage channels
Question 17 – ✅ (d) deliberate setting of vegetation on fire
Question 18 – ✅ (c) destruction of plants and small animals
Question 19 – ✅ (b) destroying organic matter and beneficial organisms
Question 20 – ✅ (b) Controlled manual clearing and composting
Question 21 – ✅ (a) Fire can spread and damage property.
Question 22 – ✅ (d) Removing vegetation without control
Question 23 – ✅ (c) has mass and occupies space
Question 24 – ✅ (c) Air
Question 25 – ✅ (b) solid
Question 26 – ✅ (a) a definite volume but no fixed shape
Question 27 – ✅ (d) fill the available space in its container
Question 28 – ✅ (d) melting
Question 29 – ✅ (c) condensation
Question 30 – ✅ (b) vaporisation
Question 31 – ✅ (a) Ability to carry out life processes
Question 32 – ✅ (a) reproduction
Question 33 – ✅ (d) Mango seedling
Question 34 – ✅ (c) photosynthesis
Question 35 – ✅ (b) Excretion
Question 36 – ✅ (b) does not independently carry out life processes
Question 37 – ✅ (a) Copper
Question 38 – ✅ (d) good electrical conductivity
Question 39 – ✅ (c) Glass
Question 40 – ✅ (c) water, air and sunlight

Theory Marking Scheme
Question 1: (a) Removal of soil by moving agents (2). (b) Causes: runoff, wind, deforestation, overgrazing; controls: terracing, grass planting, cover crops, safe drainage (two causes and two explained measures, 8).
Question 2: (a) Flooding: water covers normally dry land; bush burning: intentional burning of vegetation (2 each). (b) Any three explained: crop loss, soil damage, smoke pollution, death of organisms, property damage, erosion risk (2 each).
Question 3: (a) Matter has mass and occupies space (2). (b) Solid: fixed shape/volume; liquid: fixed volume, takes container shape; gas: no fixed shape/volume (2 each). (c) Evaporation/vaporisation and condensation (1 each).
Question 4: (a) Any three: feeding, respiration, growth, reproduction, excretion, sensitivity, movement (2 each). (b) Any two correct examples with uses, e.g. glass—windows, iron—tools (2 each).
Mark only three answered theory questions. Accept factually equivalent points within the taught curriculum.