Social Studies and Religious Education Questions and Answers - Class 8 Term 1 Opener Exams 2023 Set 1

 QUESTIONS   

Study the map of Sawe area and use it to answer questions 1 to 7.     

1. The general flow of river Suri is from
   1. cast to west.
   2. south west to north.
   3. west to cast.
   4. north west to north.
2. Tea is grown in the western part of Sawe area because
   
   1. the area has cool and wet conditions.
   2. the area is hilly.
   3. there are rivers that provide water for irrigation.
   4. the area has a tea factory.
3. The general direction of the cattle dip from the tea factory is
   
   1. cast.
   2. north cast.
   3. south west.
   4. north.
4. Which one of the following economic activities is not carried out in Sawe area? A
   1. Livestock farming 
   2. Crop farming 
   3. Trading 
   4. Mining
5. Which one of the following products is transported along the murram road to Gare market for export?
   
   1. Flowers
   2. Milk
   3. Timber
   4. Cabbages
6. Which one of the following statements about the population of Gare area is true? 
   1. People live in clusters.
   2. Most people live along the roads.
   3. The area has a high population.
   4. The area has evenly distributed population.
7. Which one of the following social facilities is lacking in Tuti town? A
   
   1. school.
   2. hotel
   3. stadium.
   4. health centre.
8. The following are characteristics of a vegetation zone:
   1. Trees have protruding roots. 
   2. Trees are evergreen.
   3. Trees are of medium height.
      The vegetation described above is
      1. rainforest vegetation.
      2. savannah vegetation.
      3. mangrove vegetation.
      4. mediterranean vegetation.
9. Below are descriptions of a system of marriage:
   1. A marriage certificate is issued.
   2. It is conducted by a religious leader. 
   3. It is conducted according to the couple's traditions
   4. A 21 days notice is given.
      Which one of the following combinations about a civil marriage is correct?
      1. i and iv
      2. ii and iii
      3. ii and iv
      4. i and ii
10. Which one of the following titles was given to village heads in the traditional Buganda government?
    1. Bataka
    2.  Miruka
    3. Gombolola
    4. Batongole
11. Three of the following statements about French colonial rule in Africa are true. Which one is not?
    1. The French used indirect rule policy.
    2. African colonies were taken as overseas provinces.
    3. A colony was headed by a lieutenant- General
    4. Africans were encouraged to adopt French ways of life
12. Which one of the following communities was the first to migrate and settle in Southern Africa?
    1. Dutch
    2. Zulu
    3. San
    4. Herero
13. Below are characteristics of a form of livestock farming:
    1. Indigenous breeds of livestock are kept.
    2. It is practised in sparsely populated areas.
    3. Overstock and overgrazing are problems faced
       The method of livestock farming described above is
       1. dairy farming
       2. beef farming
       3. paddocking
       4. pastoral farming

Use the map of Kenya below to answer questions 14 to 17.     

14. Three of the following statements about the town marked T are correct. Which one is not?  It
    
    1. was visited by the early visitors.
    2. has a petroleum refinery.
    3. handles much of Kenya's external trade. 
    4. is Kenya's main industrial town.
15. The main source of the river marked M is 
    1. Ngong hills
    2. Mau ranges
    3. Cherang'ani hills
    4. mount Kenya
16. Natural vegetation in the shaded area marked F consists of
    
    1. dry bushes.
    2. short shrubs.
    3. dense evergreen forests.
    4. scattered grass.
17. The communities that used the route marked S during the migration period were looking for 
    1. fertile areas for farming.
    2. better grazing lands.
    3. goods for trade.
    4. iron for tool making.
18. Which one of the following combinations of European nations had colonies both in East and North Africa?
    
    1. Italy and Germany. 
    2. Spain and France.
    3. Britain and France.
    4. Portugal and British.
19. Which one of the following minerals is correctly matched with the method used to extract it?
           Mineral          Method   
    
    1. Gold              deep shaft
    2. Soda ash       drilling
    3. Petroleum      opencast
    4. Copper           dredging
20. Namuli mountains in Mozambique and Hoboli mountains in Mali were formed whep
    
    1. land between faults was uplifted.
    2. molten lava solidified on the surface.
    3. underneath rocks folded.
    4. soft parts of the earth were eroded.
21. The following are conditions for growing a certain crop:
    
    1. Rainfall of 1000mm and 15 000mm per year.
    2. Cool highland temperatures.
    3. High altitude above 1 800 metres.
       The conditions listed above favour the growing of
       
       1. wheat.
       2. pyrethrum
       3. flowers.
       4. cotton.
22. Which one of the following is a characteristic of equatorial climate?
    
    1. Skies are usually cloudless.
    2. There is a high range of temperatures.
    3. Annual rainfall is less than 1 500mm. 
    4. Temperatures are high throughout the year.
23. Three of the following is a characteristic of indigenous education. Which one is not?
    1. Some skills are taught through observation. 
    2. Proverbs are used to teach moral values.
    3. Learners are given written tests.
    4. Parents teach children good behaviour.
24. Which one of the following was a result of interaction of the Luo and the Abaluhya people in the pre-colonial period? The
    1. Luo learnt crop growing from the Abaluhya.
    2. Abaluhya learned circumcision from the Luo.
    3. The Luo learnt livestock keeping from the Abaluhya.
    4. Abaluhya learned crop growing from the Luo.
25. The main crop grown at Kenana irrigation scheme in Sudan is
    1. cotton
    2. rice
    3. sugarcane
    4. pineapples
26. Which one of the following statements about the political organization of the kingdom of Old Ghana is correct?
    1. Decisions were through general agreement. 
    2. A chief was chosen by the leading priest.
    3. A king was succeeded by his sister's son. 
    4. A chief came from the most senior clan.
       Use the diagram below to answer question 27.   
       
27. Which one of the following statements about the winds marked X is correct? They
    1. are cool with little moisture.
    2. are hot and dry.
    3. cause heavy rainfall on the leeward side. 
    4. raise temperature on the leeward side.
28. Three of the following are duties of a head teacher in a school. Which one is not?
    1. Taking care of school property.
    2. Chairing Board of Management (BOM) meetings
    3. Ensuring proper use of school funds.
    4. Allocating duties to teachers.
29. Which one of the following is a problem facing marine fishing in Africa?
    1. Lack of adequate labour.
    2. Presence of water hyacinth.
    3. Inadequate funds to buy modern fishing equipment.
    4. Long periods in the seas.
30. The French policy of assimilation did not succeed in West Africa mainly because
    1. Africans resisted French rule. 
    2. of funds to assimilate the Africans.
    3. there were no enough jobs for assimilated Africans.
    4. most people in West Africa were Muslims. 
31. The most commonly abused drug by people between 25years and 45 years of age are 
    1. bhang and cocaine.
    2. khat and bhang
    3. alcohol and tobacco 
    4. mandrax and alcohol
32. The Atlas mountains in Morocco and Akwapim hills in Ghana were formed through
    1. erosion of soft rocks.
    2. folding of underneath rocks.
    3. uplifting of land between faults
    4. solidifying of molten lava on the surface. 
33. Nelson Mandela encouraged unity in South Africa when he
    1. appointed different races in the government.
    2. took part in forming the African union. 
    3. formed a political party for black people. 
    4. interacted with white people while in jail. 
34. Most people in Eastern Africa use roads to move from one place to another because 
    1. roads are the most widespread.
    2. most people own vehicles.
    3. road transport is the cheapest.
    4. road transport is the fastest.
35. Which one of the following groups is made up of countries that border Eastern Africa in the south?
    1. Botswana, Mozambique, Angola.
    2. Angola, Namibia, Malawi
    3. Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi
    4. Congo, Botswana, Zimbabwe
36. The British used indirect rule in Northern Nigeria during the colonial period because A.==
    1. the area had able traditional rulers.
    2. the area was sparsely populated.
    3. Africans were ready to collaborate. 
    4. Africans resisted British colonial rule
37. A negative effect on the environment that has been caused by rapid industrial development in South Africa is
    1. growth of slums around industries.
    2. congestion of vehicles in industrial areas.
    3. movement of people to live in towns.
    4. air pollution by smoke from industries.
38. The western parts of Botswana are sparsely populated because the areas
    1. do not have good roads. 
    2. have semi-desert conditions. 
    3. are infested with tsetse flies.
    4. have large swamps.
39. Which one of the following swamps is correctly matched with the country it is found?
           Swamp             Country     
    1. Lorian                Uganda
    2. Sudd                  Tanzania
    3. Okavango          Botswana
    4. Malagarasi         South Sudan
40. When the Lozi people of Botswana collaborated with the British they were led by king
    1. Lewanika
    2. Khama
    3. Lobengula
    4. Mashoeshoe
       Use the diagram below to answer question 41
41. The marine fishing method shown above is
    
    1. trawling method.
    2. long lining method.
    3. net drifting method.
    4. purse seining method.
42. Struggle for independence in Zimbabwe was faced by the problem of
    1. lack of unity among Africans.
    2. refusal by white settlers to negotiate. 
    3. small numbers of educated Africans.
    4. lack of support by neighbouring countries.
43. Which one of the following communities in Africa does not practise pastoral farming? 
    1. Tswana B
    2. Maasai
    3. Baganda 
    4. Fulani
44. Three of the following statements about cultural artefacts are correct. Which one is not? They
    1. are preserved in museums.
    2. describe people's culture.
    3. are exported to earn foreign exchange. 
    4. preserve the traditional way of life of communities.
45. The main economic contribution of the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is that they
    1. protect sources of rivers.
    2. are home to wild animals.
    3. make the landscape beautiful
    4. provide rare indigenous timber for export.
46. A problem that was caused by the construction of the Akosombo dam in Ghana is that
    1. lake Volta has disrupted road transport from east to west.
    2. silt is no longer deposited in the lower course of river Volta.
    3. people have settled on the shores of lake Volta.
    4. people who have settled along river Volta are threatened by flooding.
47. Which one of the following was a political party formed in Ghana before independence?
    1. African National Congress (ANC)
    2. Convention Peoples Party (CPP) 
    3. Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM)
    4. Rhodesian Front Party (RFP) 
48. River Congo carries the largest volume of water in Africa mainly because it
    1. has many tributaries.
    2. rises in highland areas.
    3. flows through areas with high rainfall.
    4. is wide.
49. Which one of the following is an economic right? Right to
    1. marry. 
    2. life
    3. education.
    4. own property.
50. The main objective of forming the East African Community (EAC) in 1967 was to
    1. promote economic co-operation. 
    2. promote the use of Kiswahili.
    3. form similar systems of government.
    4. promote peace among member states
51. Which one of the following is a contribution of a community to the development of a school?
    1. Allocating duties to teachers.
    2. Donating land to expand school buildings.
    3. Preparing the school routine.
    4. Providing a school with funds.
52. Below are characteristics of a type of soil:
    1. It loses water slowly.
    2. It cracks when dry.
    3. It has fine particles.
       The type of soil described above is
       1. sandy soil.
       2. loam soil.
       3. volcanic soil.
       4. clay soil.
53. Three of the following were results of the coming of Arabs to Eastern Africa. Which one was not?
    1. Introduction of Swahili culture.
    2. Abolition of slave trade in Eastern Africa. 
    3. Introduction of stone buildings.
    4. Establishment of towns along the coast.
54. Below are descriptions of a town in Eastern Africa:
    1. It is the main industrial town in the country.
    2. It lies along the Trans African Highway.
    3. It has textile industries.
       The town described above is
       1. Thika.
       2. Arusha
       3. Dodoma.
       4. Jinja.
55. One of the duties of the kings of the Buganda people in the pre-colonial period was to
    1. decide major cases.
    2. lead people to war
    3. prepare medicine from plants.
    4. lead people in long distance trade.
56. In Kenya a person qualifies to vote in a general election only after
    1. acquiring an identity card.
    2. registering as a voter. 
    3. completing school.
    4. getting a job.
57. The head of the county executive is a
    1. governor.
    2. cabinet secretary.
    3. county commissioner.
    4. speaker.
58. Three of the following are benefits of democracy. Which one is not?
    1. Equality before the law.
    2. Freedom to choose.
    3. Expansion of industries.
    4. Right to own property
59. A foreign woman who gets married to a Kenyan citizen can become a citizen by
    1. marriage.
    2. Birth
    3. application.
    4. registration.
60. The term writs in the National Assembly means
    1. instructions that declare all seats vacant.
    2. records of parliamentary discussions.
    3. laws that have been passed.
    4. bills that are yet to be discussed.

PART II
SECTION A
CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 

61. According to the story of creation in Genesis 1, human beings were created to
    1. be suitable companions.
    2. care for God's creation.
    3. multiply and fill the earth.
    4. care for the garden of Eden
62. God punished human beings during the time of Noah because of
    
    1. wickedness.
    2. dishonesty.
    3. pride.
    4. intolerance.
63. God ordered Abraham to get circumcised in order to
    
    1. make a covenant with him.
    2. bless all the nations.
    3. identify Abraham's descendants.
    4. change his name.
64. God commanded Moses to take off his sandals when he was
    
    1. taking care of Jethro's sheep.
    2. crossing the Red sea.
    3. standing before the covenant box.
    4. speaking to the king of Egypt
65. The main value that the Israelites lacked as they wandered during the Exodus was
    1. courage. 
    2. respect
    3. obedience.
    4. faith.
66. The person who took over the leadership of the death of Moses was
    1. Joshua
    2. Aaron
    3. Samuel.
    4. Gideon.
67. God rejected Saul as the king of Israel because he
    1. tried to kill David.
    2. had taken Naboth's vineyard.
    3. had disobeted God.
    4. had taken the wife of Uriah.
68. Which one of the following was done by Solomon when he was the king of Israel? He
    1. made Jerusalem the centre of worship. 
    2. made Jerusalem the capital city
    3. built a temple in Jerusalem.
    4. brought the covenant box to Jerusalem.
69. Which one of the following prophets prophesied a drought in Israel?
    1. Samuel. 
    2. Elijah. 
    3. Nathan.
    4. Elisha.
70. The good news brought to Mary by Angel Gabriel was that
    1. she would be married by Joseph.
    2. there would be a census in Israel.
    3. her relative Elizabeth was pregnant.
    4. she would have a son.
71. The angel that appeared to the shepherds at night told them that
    1. Herod wanted to kill baby Jesus.
    2. Jesus had been born in Bethlehem.
    3. some wisemen had visited baby Jesus.
    4. they should visit baby Jesus.
72. The main message from the sermon on the mount teaches Christians to
    1. help the needy.
    2. preach the word of God.
    3. respect their leaders.
    4. live holy lives.
73. The miracle that Jesus performed in the village of Bethany is when He
    1. raised Lazarus.
    2. raised a widow's son.
    3. raised Jairus' daughter.
    4. healed blind Bartimaeus.
74. Which one of the following events took place during the transfiguration of Jesus?
    1. The Holy Spirit came in the form of a dove.
    2. Darkness covered the earth.
    3. Jesus' clothes changed to dazzling white.
    4. An angel came down and comforted Jesus. 
75. The teaching of Jesus about carrying the cross teaches Christians that they should
    1. acquire earthly possessions.
    2. be ready to suffer for Christ. 
    3. live in harmony with others.
    4. help those burdened with heavy luggage.
76. Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus because he
    1. did not love Jesus.
    2. came from a different area. 
    3. was a friend of the High priest.
    4. had been offered money.
77. Which one of the following actions of Jesus made the disciples believe that He was the risen Christ? He
    1. showed them His scars.
    2. walked on water.
    3. preached to them.
    4. ate with them.
78. On the day of Pentecost, the Jews accused the disciples of
    1. speaking in languages they could not understand.
    2. mixing with sinners.
    3. eating using unwashed hands. 
    4. being drunk
79. The disciple chose twelve deacons whose work was to
    1. distribute to the widows.
    2. preach to the Gentiles.
    3. protect them.
    4. provide funds to them
80. Which one of the following books of the New Testament describes the activities of the early believers?
    1. Ephesians
    2. Acts
    3. Romans
    4. John
81. Which one of the following is a gift of the Holy Spirit?
    1. Peace
    2. Joy
    3. Faithfulness
    4. Wisdom
82. Which one of the following beliefs about creation in traditional African communities is correct? Human beings were
    1. the last to be created.
    2. created in God's image.
    3. created by God.
    4. put in the garden of Eden.
83. People in traditional African communities offer sacrifices in sacred places known as
    1. altars
    2. shrines
    3. offertories 
    4. tithes
84. Ancestors in traditional African communities are appeased through
    1. offering sacrifices to them.
    2. composing songs about them.
    3. visiting their graves.
    4. naming children after them.
85. Which one of the following is an immoral act in traditional African communities?
    1. Dancing
    2. Singing
    3. Incest
    4. Praying
86. The purpose of fasting in Christianity is to
    1. strengthen their faith.
    2. spare food to give the poor.
    3. minimize wastage.
    4. get recognition.
87. The work of the laity in the church is to 
    1. train the clergy.
    2. assist in activities related to the church. 
    3. preach the word of God.
    4. baptize new converts.
88. It is a Christian duty to help poor and orphaned children througH
    1. establishing schools for them.
    2. giving them money.
    3. looking for their relatives.
    4. arresting those who loiter in towns.
89. Priscilla who is your deskmate tells you that she wants to drop out of school because of her poor performance. The best advice to give her is to tell her to
    1. transfer to another school. 
    2. put effort in school work. 
    3. get married.
    4. look for a job.
90. Thika school for the blind was started by the
    1. Seventh Day Adventist church
    2. Catholic church.
    3. Salvation Army church.
    4. Methodist church.

SECTION B:

ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

61. The opening chapter of the holy Qur'an is made of seven often read ayahs referred to as
    1. Qiyamah lail
    2. Ramii jamarat
    3. Sabal mathaniy
    4. Jaariyah
62. "And sent against them birds in flocks" This is an ayah from chapter
    
    1. Quraysh
    2. Fiyl
    3. Lahab
    4. Kafirun
63. Which of the following is the second scandal mentioned in surah Humaza?
    
    1. Backbiter
    2. Slanderer
    3. Wealth amaser
    4. Defrauder
64. Why is surah Asr very important in Islam? It
    
    1. encourages good time usage.
    2. reminds us of the last earthquake.
    3. talks of monotheism
    4. mentions about scandals in life.
65. Which surah discourages Muslims against unhealthy rivalry in life?
    
    1. Humaza
    2. Takathur
    3. Zilzala
    4. Kafirun
66. Why should Muslims read surah Al Tiyn? To
    
    1. know about monotheism.
    2. acknowledge our creation.
    3. avoid laziness.
    4. ask for forgiveness.
67. Who among the following prophets was crucified?
    
    1. Ayub (as)
    2. Isa (as)
    3. Harun (as)
    4. Sulaiman
68. Which among the following acts makes one to be loved by others?
    1. Keeping off worldly affairs.
    2. Fasting properly.
    3. Visiting the people.
    4. Avoiding their affairs.
69. What should one avoid during judgement execution?
    1. Biasness.
    2. Justice.
    3. Careful listening.
    4. Asking Allah for guidance.
70. What should you do if you see a pig drowning?
    1. Ask Allah for help.
    2. Call others.
    3. Bring policemen. 
    4. Save the pig.
71. In Islam, neighbourhood goes up to the _____________________ house in radius.
    1. 40th
    2. 114th
    3. 99th
    4. 22nd
72. What will Allah do to you if you, without being forced, spend on others?
    1. You will be rich.
    2. You will lose everything. 
    3. You will become popular
    4. Allah will spend on you.
73. Which of the following is optional to be washed during wudhu?
    1. Nostrils
    2. Face
    3. Arms
    4. Legs
74. What is the nisab for the bufalloes on the lowest side?
    1. 10
    2. 5
    3. 30
    4. 40
75. Why did prophet Muhammad observe optional fasting on Mondays?
    1. He was born on Monday. 
    2. Allah receives our deeds. 
    3. Qiyama will take place.
    4. No one knows.
76. One of the following did not happen in Makkah. Which one?
    1. Open mission of prophet Muhammad (SAW)
    2. Gushing out of the spring of Zamzam. 
    3. Building of Alkaaba.
    4. Building of Masjid Nabawy.
77. Which value is learnt from performing of Hajj?
    1. Punctuality
    2. Sacrifice.
    3. Empathy.
    4. Generosity.
78. Who among the following martyred Hamza, prophet Muhammad's (SAW) uncle?
    1. Abu Lulu
    2. Wahshy
    3. Hindu
    4. Abu Sufyan
79. Which of the following was the second book to be revealed?
    1. Zabur
    2. Injil
    3. Quran
    4. Taurat
80. Canaan, prophet Nuh's (as) son
    1. followed his father's teaching.
    2. brought food from heaven.
    3. disobeyed his father.
    4. preached secretly
81. Which of the following mentions Allah to be the all knowing?
    1. Alrazaq
    2. Al Ghaffar
    3. Al Aleem
    4. Al Muswawir
82. Who accompanied the prophet (SAW) during the second pledge of Aqabah?
    1. Hamza
    2. Abu Lahab
    3. Abu Talib
    4. Abbas
83. How many Muslims accompanied the prophet during the conquest of Makkah?
    1. 313
    2. 3 000
    3. 114 000
    4. 1400
84. How many children did prophet Muhammad have in total?
    1. 10
    2. 7
    3. 8
    4. 4
85. What should be done by a Muslim before relying on Allah?
    1. Fast for 30 days.
    2. Go for hajj.
    3. Play your part.
    4. Wait especially at night.
86. Where was nabii Ibrahim supposed to slaughter his son Ismail(a.s)?
    1. Mina
    2. Arafat
    3. Hira
    4. Musdalifa
87. Your umrah will not be complete if you miss out on
    1. ramii jamarat
    2. arafat
    3. ihram
    4. zamzam
88. Which of the following facilitated the building of the prophet's (SAW) mosque? 
    1. Harambee spirit.
    2. Al jinn
    3. Miracles.
    4. Smuggling of building materials.
89. Who wanted to kill nabii Isa (as)?
    1. The chinese
    2. The Romans
    3. The Medyanites.
    4. Angels
90. What is mihrab?
    1. The pulpit.
    2. The minaret.
    3. Front part of the mosque.
    4. The ablution area.

MARKING SCHEME

1. C
2. A
3. B
4. D
5. A
6. B
7. D
8. C
9. A
10. B
11. A
12. C
13. D
14. D
15. A
16. C
17. B
18. C
19. A
20. D
21. B
22. C
23. D
24. A
25. C
26. C
27. A
28. B
29. C
30. D
31. C
32. B
33. A
34. A
35. C
36. A
37. D
38. B
39. C
40. A
41. D
42. B
43. C
44. C
45. D
46. A
47. B
48. C
49. D
50. A
51. B
52. D
53. B
54. D
55. A
56. B
57. A
58. C
59. D
60. A

C.R.E

61. B
62. A
63. C
64. A
65. D
66. A
67. C
68. C
69. B
70. D
71. B
72. D
73. A
74. C
75. B
76. D
77. A
78. D
79. A
80. B
81. D
82. C
83. B
84. D
85. C
86. A
87. B
88. A
89. B
90. C

I.R.E

61. C
62. B
63. A
64. A
65. B
66. B
67. B
68. D
69. A
70. D
71. A
72. D
73. A
74. C
75. A
76. D
77. B
78. B
79. D
80. C
81. C
82. D
83. C
84. B
85. C
86. A
87. C
88. A
89. B
90. C