INSTRUCTIONS
In this assessment, you will be required to answer questions:
1. The paper consists of three sections A, B and C
2. You are allocated 2 hours to attempt all the questions
3. You are provided with a separate answer booklet
4. Do not write on the question paper
5. Marks for each question are indicated in the brackets ( )
SECTION A (20MARKS)
(Answer All Questions, Each Question is 1 Mark)
1. Which best describes an ecosystem?
A. It has parts that work together for a purpose.
B. It is a system where living and nonliving things interact.
C. It has animals that work together to create food.
2. Animals need these two things that travel through a food chain:
A. Pants and animals
B. Nutrients and minerals
C. Popcorn and chocolate
3. How do decaying organisms in a swamp help the next generation of organisms?
A. The decaying organisms put food into the soil
B. The decaying organisms put water into the soil
C. The decaying organisms put minerals back into the soil
4. Why do we call desert an ecosystem?
A. Because it has parts that work together for a purpose.
B. Because it is a system where living and nonliving things interact.
C. It has herbivores and carnivores living together.
5. Define habitat.
A. A system where living and nonliving things interact
B. It has parts that work together for a purpose
C. A place where an organism lives in an ecosystem
6. What is a decomposer?
A. An organism like a bird that eats nuts and berries
B. An organism like Rusty that eats cat food
C. An organism like an insect that eats dead remains of animals
7. Who is an omnivore?
A. An animal that eats plants
B. An animal that eats both plants and animals
C. An animal that eats other animals
8. Which of these is the main energy source for life on Earth?
A. Sunlight
B. Water
C. Moonlight
9. _________________ are also popularly known as ‘rainforests of the sea’?
A. Fishes
B. Jellies
C. Coral reefs
D. Crabs
10. How many types of ecosystems are there?
A. Two
B. Four
C. Six
11. Temperature, light, air, water, soil, and climate are all __________ parts of the environment.
A. Biotic
B. Abiotic
C. Boreal
D. Living
12. Choose the phrase that correctly finishes this statement: “A species is…”
A. A specific part of the abiotic environment.
B. A way of describing all the living parts of an ecosystem.
C. A group of organisms that can successfully mate with each other and reproduce.
D. Part of the natural decomposing materials in soil.
13. Ecology is the study of the:
A. Abiotic parts of the environment, such as climate, air, and soil.
B. Biotic parts of the environment, such as animals and plants.
C. Interactions between organisms.
D. Interactions between organisms as well as the interactions between organisms and their environment.
14. When populations share their environment and interact with populations of other species, it is called a:
A. Biome
B. Ecoprovince
C. Community
D. Species
E. Ecotone
15. Space where an organism lives and the role an organism plays within its ecosystem is referred to as a:
A. Sampling
B. Community
C. Population
D. Niche
E. Biosphere
16. An organism that creates its own food is called:
A. A producer
B. A consumer
C. A scavenger
D. A decomposer
E. A carnivore
17. A consumer is:
A. An organism that produces its own food.
B. An organism that does not need food to survive.
C. An abiotic organism.
D. An organism that cannot produce its own food.
18. The largest percentage of solar energy that penetrates the atmosphere of the Earth is used to:
A. Heat the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface.
B. Carry on photosynthesis.
C. Generate winds.
D. Heat and evaporate water.
19. A species of plant or animal that is facing imminent extinction or extirpation is said to be:
A. Extinct
B. Extirpated
C. Endangered
D. Threatened
E. Special concern
20. Which of the following is NOT an abiotic factor?
A. Decomposer
B. Light intensity.
C. Wind
D. Humidity
E. Temperature
SECTION B (40 MARKS) – ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
21. Elaborate on any four characteristics of hazardous wastes (4mks)
22. What are the four causes of soil erosion? (4mks)
23. Give four benefits of recycling e-wastes (4mks)
24. Explain the components of environmental literacy? (4mks)
25. What is the primary benefit of wetlands? (4mks)
26. Identify four reasons for increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere(4mks)
27. What are four requirements expected of a person seeking a license to transport waste in Kenya? (4mks)
28. Identify four hazards found in a garage (4mks)
29. Explain four environmental issues arising from the use of wood fuel. (4mks)
30. What is the Justifications for the need to teach environmental literacy in Kenya(4mks)
SECTION C: 40 MARKS – ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
31. Following our use of natural resources, it is inevitable that wastes are produced. Explain ways in which water is contaminated today (10mks)
32. Deforestation is a double edged sword. Explain the truth of this statement hence showing how development and growing population has caused deforestation and its effects on environment (10mks)
33. Highlight some of hazard reduction programmes put in place to mitigate occurrence of a disasters caused by draught in Kenya (10mks)
34. Discuss the roles of National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) (10mks)