New Curriculum Third term Basic Science and Technology examination for Primary 4

Class: Primary 4
Term: Third Term
Subject: Basic Science and Technology
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Marks: 70

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

1. Which material is commonly a good conductor of electricity? (a) Copper wire    (b) Dry wood    (c) Rubber eraser    (d) Plastic ruler
2. Which material is usually used as an electrical insulator? (a) Copper    (b) Aluminium    (c) Rubber    (d) Iron
3. Why are many electrical wires covered with plastic? (a) To reduce accidental contact with conducting metal    (b) To make the metal generate electricity    (c) To increase the current by melting the cover    (d) To replace the metal conductor
4. Rubbing a balloon against dry hair may produce ________. (a) a continuous electric circuit    (b) static electricity    (c) chemical combustion    (d) light reflection
5. Which material is most suitable for folding a simple paper box? (a) Wet sand    (b) Stone    (c) Glass slab    (d) Cardboard
6. A thin metal strip is bent to make a shape. This is an example of ________. (a) plant development    (b) shape construction    (c) food preservation    (d) water condensation
7. Which operation should be used to make a sharp fold in paper? (a) Creasing along a line    (b) Rubbing with oil    (c) Heating until it burns    (d) Soaking until it dissolves
8. When using sharp tools to make a model, pupils should ________. (a) cut towards their fingers    (b) run around while carrying the tools    (c) follow instructions and handle tools carefully    (d) work without checking the blade
9. A simple machine mainly helps people to ________. (a) prevent all friction    (b) perform work with less difficulty    (c) make every object weightless    (d) produce unlimited energy
10. Which tool functions mainly as a lever? (a) Torch bulb    (b) Measuring cylinder    (c) Electric kettle    (d) Crowbar
11. A bicycle is considered more complex than a single lever because it ________. (a) cannot help people work    (b) uses one fixed bar only    (c) combines several mechanisms    (d) contains no moving parts
12. Which simple machine helps raise a load along a sloping surface? (a) Wedge    (b) Inclined plane    (c) Pulley    (d) Wheel and axle
13. A lever requires a support point called a ________. (a) piston    (b) wheel rim    (c) blade    (d) fulcrum
14. To construct a simple lever model, the support should be placed ________. (a) above the load without touching the bar    (b) beneath the rigid bar at the pivot point    (c) inside the load being lifted    (d) at the end of a string only
15. Which vehicle is mainly used to transport people along roads? (a) Bus    (b) Boat    (c) Aeroplane    (d) Canoe
16. An aircraft is distinguished from a boat by its main means of travel through ________. (a) rail    (b) air    (c) water    (d) road
17. Which external part of a car helps the driver see behind? (a) Dashboard switch    (b) Engine piston    (c) Side mirror    (d) Seat belt buckle
18. The main use of a vehicle’s wheels is to ________. (a) enable rolling movement on a surface    (b) store fuel    (c) cover the passengers    (d) signal turns
19. When drawing a vehicle model, which features best help identify it as a car? (a) Rotor and landing skids    (b) Wings, propeller and tail    (c) Sail, hull and mast    (d) Wheels, body and windows
20. Before presenting a constructed vehicle model, a pupil should ________. (a) check that its labelled parts match the chosen vehicle    (b) ignore whether its wheels are attached    (c) remove all labels    (d) add unrelated parts from other vehicles
21. Which pair correctly matches a material with its electrical property? (a) Rubber — conductor    (b) Plastic — conductor    (c) Copper — conductor    (d) Dry wood — conductor
22. A switch in a simple electric circuit is used mainly to ________. (a) produce energy without a source    (b) open or close the path of current    (c) increase the weight of wires    (d) change copper into rubber
23. A wire covered with rubber is safer to handle because rubber ________. (a) always conducts better than copper    (b) makes the wire magnetic    (c) is a source of electric current    (d) resists the passage of electricity
24. Why is it unsafe to touch electrical appliances with wet hands? (a) Water changes every wire into plastic    (b) Wet hands stop every electric current    (c) Water may help electricity pass through the body    (d) A wet hand removes the battery
25. Which action is an example of static electricity? (a) A rubbed balloon attracting hair    (b) A radio playing from a battery    (c) A bulb glowing in a closed circuit    (d) A fan spinning when switched on
26. For a classroom paper model, the most suitable tool for making a measured straight line is a ________. (a) paintbrush    (b) watering can    (c) spoon    (d) ruler
27. Which fold makes two sides of a sheet meet neatly? (a) A cut across the sheet    (b) A fold along a marked straight line    (c) A tear through the centre    (d) An uneven crumple
28. A model made by joining pieces of card is an example of ________. (a) water condensation    (b) chemical change    (c) simple construction    (d) plant development
29. A seesaw is an example of a ________. (a) pulley    (b) wedge    (c) screw    (d) lever
30. The fixed point around which a lever turns is its ________. (a) effort    (b) fulcrum    (c) wheel    (d) load
31. Moving a heavy object up a ramp uses an ________. (a) pulley    (b) screw    (c) axle    (d) inclined plane
32. Which simple machine is found in the wheel of a bicycle? (a) Wheel and axle    (b) Wedge    (c) Inclined plane only    (d) Screw only
33. A wheelbarrow helps workers mainly by ________. (a) changing wood into metal    (b) producing fuel    (c) moving loads with less effort    (d) storing electrical energy
34. A pupil uses a bottle opener to lift a cap. The opener acts as a ________. (a) gear only    (b) inclined plane    (c) pulley    (d) lever
35. Which machine commonly combines wheels, axles and other parts? (a) Straight ruler    (b) Bicycle    (c) Plain ramp    (d) Single wedge
36. A boat is designed mainly for movement on ________. (a) water    (b) roads    (c) railway tracks    (d) air routes
37. A train normally moves on ________. (a) an ordinary footpath    (b) a runway    (c) a river channel    (d) rail tracks
38. Which vehicle is mainly used for carrying people through the air? (a) Bicycle    (b) Ship    (c) Aeroplane    (d) Bus
39. Why should a vehicle model have wheels that turn freely? (a) So it can roll when pushed    (b) So it needs no body frame    (c) So it becomes an aircraft    (d) So it can float on water
40. Before testing a constructed moving model, a pupil should ________. (a) bend its wheels out of shape    (b) remove all supports    (c) check that its parts are firmly attached    (d) discard the instructions

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

1. Electrical materials
(a) Define an electrical conductor. (2 marks)
(b) Name two conducting and two insulating materials. (4 marks)
(c) Describe a simple safe classroom test showing static electricity. (4 marks)

2. Construction of shapes
(a) State two materials used for making shapes. (2 marks)
(b) Describe two differences between folding and bending materials. (4 marks)
(c) Outline four safety steps when making a shape from paper or thin material. (4 marks)

3. Simple machines
(a) What is a simple machine? (2 marks)
(b) Name two simple machines and state their uses. (4 marks)
(c) Describe four steps in making and testing a model lever using safe local materials. (4 marks)

4. Vehicles
(a) Define a vehicle and give an example. (2 marks)
(b) Differentiate a road vehicle from a water vehicle using two features. (4 marks)
(c) Draw a simple vehicle and label four external parts correctly. (4 marks)

Objective Marking Scheme
Question 1 – ✅ (a) Copper wire
Question 2 – ✅ (c) Rubber
Question 3 – ✅ (a) To reduce accidental contact with conducting metal
Question 4 – ✅ (b) static electricity
Question 5 – ✅ (d) Cardboard
Question 6 – ✅ (b) shape construction
Question 7 – ✅ (a) Creasing along a line
Question 8 – ✅ (c) follow instructions and handle tools carefully
Question 9 – ✅ (b) perform work with less difficulty
Question 10 – ✅ (d) Crowbar
Question 11 – ✅ (c) combines several mechanisms
Question 12 – ✅ (b) Inclined plane
Question 13 – ✅ (d) fulcrum
Question 14 – ✅ (b) beneath the rigid bar at the pivot point
Question 15 – ✅ (a) Bus
Question 16 – ✅ (b) air
Question 17 – ✅ (c) Side mirror
Question 18 – ✅ (a) enable rolling movement on a surface
Question 19 – ✅ (d) Wheels, body and windows
Question 20 – ✅ (a) check that its labelled parts match the chosen vehicle
Question 21 – ✅ (c) Copper — conductor
Question 22 – ✅ (b) open or close the path of current
Question 23 – ✅ (d) resists the passage of electricity
Question 24 – ✅ (c) Water may help electricity pass through the body
Question 25 – ✅ (a) A rubbed balloon attracting hair
Question 26 – ✅ (d) ruler
Question 27 – ✅ (b) A fold along a marked straight line
Question 28 – ✅ (c) simple construction
Question 29 – ✅ (d) lever
Question 30 – ✅ (b) fulcrum
Question 31 – ✅ (d) inclined plane
Question 32 – ✅ (a) Wheel and axle
Question 33 – ✅ (c) moving loads with less effort
Question 34 – ✅ (d) lever
Question 35 – ✅ (b) Bicycle
Question 36 – ✅ (a) water
Question 37 – ✅ (d) rail tracks
Question 38 – ✅ (c) Aeroplane
Question 39 – ✅ (a) So it can roll when pushed
Question 40 – ✅ (c) check that its parts are firmly attached

Theory Marking Scheme
Question 1:
(a) Material that allows electric current to pass. (2 marks)
(b) Conductors: copper, aluminium; insulators: rubber, plastic. (4 marks)
(c) Rub a balloon on dry hair; bring near paper bits; observe attraction safely. (4 marks)

Question 2:
(a) Paper and cardboard, or paper and thin metal. (2 marks)
(b) Folding creases a material; bending changes its direction or curve. (4 marks)
(c) Work under supervision, keep tools pointed away, cut carefully, store tools. (4 marks)

Question 3:
(a) A tool that makes work easier. (2 marks)
(b) Lever lifts a load; inclined plane moves a load up a slope. (4 marks)
(c) Find rigid bar and support, position fulcrum, place load, test movement. (4 marks)

Question 4:
(a) A means of transporting people or goods. (2 marks)
(b) Road: wheels and road travel; water: hull and floating transport. (4 marks)
(c) Draw and label wheels, body, windows, mirror or headlights of a car. (4 marks)

Mark correct equivalent answers, explanations and labelled work within the taught syllabus.