Mini practice paper: 8 questions
Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Information and Communication Technology syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.
Q1 · Difficulty 1/3
Which protocol is used to assign IP addresses automatically to devices when they connect to a network?
- HTTP
- FTP
- DHCP
- SMTP
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — DHCP
Award 1 mark for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. A is incorrect — HTTP is used for transferring web pages. B is incorrect — FTP is used for file transfer. D is incorrect — SMTP is used for sending emails.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3
Which of the following is a characteristic of solid-state storage devices?
- They contain moving parts to read and write data
- They use magnetic platters to store data
- They have no moving parts and use flash memory
- They require constant power to retain data
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — They have no moving parts and use flash memory
Award 1 mark for identifying that solid-state storage has no moving parts and uses flash memory. A is incorrect — this describes magnetic hard disk drives. B is incorrect — magnetic platters are used in HDDs, not solid-state devices. D is incorrect — solid-state storage is non-volatile and retains data without power.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3
Which of the following is an example of an embedded computer system?
- A laptop used for word processing
- A microprocessor controlling a washing machine
- A desktop computer running a database
- A smartphone used for browsing the internet
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — A microprocessor controlling a washing machine
Award 1 mark for identifying that an embedded computer is a dedicated system built into a larger device to perform a specific function. A is incorrect — a laptop is a general-purpose computer. C is incorrect — a desktop is a general-purpose computer. D is incorrect — a smartphone is a general-purpose mobile device capable of running multiple applications.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3
A network administrator at an international bank in Dubai is analysing network traffic. She identifies that data is being divided into smaller units before transmission, with each unit containing source and destination addresses. What is the term for these units of data?
- Frames
- Packets
- Segments
- Bits
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Packets
Award 1 mark for identifying packets as units of data with addressing information at the network layer. A is incorrect — frames are used at the data link layer and include MAC addresses. C is incorrect — segments are used at the transport layer. D is incorrect — bits are the smallest unit of data without addressing.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3
A hospital in Brazil stores patient medical records electronically. Under data protection principles, which action would be considered a breach of data security?
- Encrypting patient records before transmission
- A nurse accessing records of patients not in her care
- Backing up data to a secure offsite location
- Using access controls to limit who can view records
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — A nurse accessing records of patients not in her care
Award 1 mark for identifying unauthorized access to personal data. This breaches the principle that data should only be accessed by those who need it. A is incorrect — encryption protects data security. C is incorrect — secure backups maintain data availability. D is incorrect — access controls are a security measure.
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3
A financial analyst creates a spreadsheet model to forecast company profits. She needs to test different scenarios by changing input values and observing the effect on calculated results. Which spreadsheet feature is most appropriate for this purpose?
- Data validation
- Conditional formatting
- What-if analysis
- Data filtering
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — What-if analysis
Award 1 mark for identifying what-if analysis, which allows users to change input values to see their effect on formula results, supporting scenario testing and forecasting. A is incorrect because data validation restricts input values but does not test scenarios. B is incorrect because conditional formatting changes cell appearance based on values but does not model scenarios. D is incorrect because filtering displays subsets of data but does not test variable changes.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3
What is the first stage of the systems life cycle?
- Design
- Analysis
- Testing
- Implementation
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Analysis
Award 1 mark for identifying analysis as the first stage. A is incorrect — design follows analysis after requirements are understood. C is incorrect — testing occurs after implementation. D is incorrect — implementation comes after design and development.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3
A financial services company in Dubai processes thousands of cheques daily. The diagram shows a cheque with MICR characters printed at the bottom.
Which component of the MICR line identifies the specific customer account?
- The bank sort code
- The cheque serial number
- The account number
- The transaction code
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — The account number
Award 1 mark for identifying that the account number uniquely identifies the customer's account. A is incorrect — the sort code identifies the bank and branch, not the individual customer. B is incorrect — the serial number identifies the specific cheque, not the account. D is incorrect — the transaction code indicates the type of transaction.
CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology FAQ
What does the CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology exam look like?
The CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1 (Multiple Choice): 40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 45 minutes. Tests breadth of knowledge. Paper 2 (Core) / Paper 4 (Extended): Structured written paper. 1 hour 30 minutes (Core) or 1 hour 45 minutes (Extended). Tests depth of understanding and application. Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): Written paper assessing practical skills for candidates without lab access. 1 hour. Worth ~20% of the total. Total exam time: ~3 hours, depending on tier (Core vs Extended).
Can I download a free CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology past paper?
Real CIE past papers are published directly by CIE on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology graded?
Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.