Total marks: 60 · Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Instructions to candidates
- This paper has 60 questions. Answer ALL questions.
- Each question is worth ONE mark.
- For each question there are four options, A, B, C and D. Choose the ONE you think is correct. In the January 2027 sitting, Paper 01 is taken online, so you select your answer on screen.
- The questions cover the two core sections of the syllabus: Individual, Family and Society (1–30) and Sustainable Development and Use of Resources (31–60).
- You may use a silent, non-programmable calculator.
Paper
Section A — Individual, Family and Society (Items 1–30)
1. Which of the following BEST describes socialisation?
A) The interaction between different social classes
B) The tendency of people to form groups with shared interests
C) The process by which individuals learn the accepted behaviour of their society
D) The movement of people from rural to urban areas
2. Equal opportunity laws in Caribbean countries such as Trinidad and Tobago seek to prevent discrimination on grounds such as
A) education level and income only
B) age and height only
C) political party membership only
D) race, ethnicity, religion and sex
3. A nuclear family consists of
A) a mother, a father and their dependent children
B) several related adults sharing one household
C) a single parent and children from several relationships
D) parents, children and grandparents in one home
4. The main purpose of a constitution is to
A) list every law that citizens must obey
B) set out the structure of government and the rights and duties of citizens
C) give detailed plans for economic development
D) describe the history of the country since independence
5. In a democratic society, the rule of law means that
A) politicians may act above the law when in office
B) only judges are allowed to interpret the law
C) the police have unlimited powers of arrest
D) everyone, including government officials, is subject to the law
6. A citizen who disagrees with a government policy should FIRST
A) organise a violent protest outside Parliament
B) refuse to pay any taxes until the policy changes
C) leave the country permanently in protest
D) express concerns through legal channels such as petitions or letters to representatives
7. The Rastafarian movement in Jamaica emerged mainly as a response to
A) racial oppression and the search for an African identity
B) the spread of Western cultural values
C) the growth of the tourist industry
D) economic prosperity in the 1960s
8. A stereotype is BEST described as
A) accurate information about a cultural practice
B) a fair assessment of one person's abilities
C) a generalised belief about a particular group of people
D) a show of respect for diversity in society
9. Consumer protection laws are designed to
A) protect businesses from competition
B) reduce the revenue the government collects
C) increase the prices of goods and services
D) safeguard buyers from unfair trade practices
10. Prejudice differs from discrimination in that prejudice involves
A) actual unfair treatment of a person
B) legal action taken against a group
C) official government policies
D) attitudes and beliefs without necessarily any action
11. A household is made up of a grandmother, her two adult daughters and their children. This is an example of
A) a reconstituted family
B) an extended family
C) a sibling household
D) a nuclear family
12. A couple has lived together for ten years and raised children, but they have never legally married. This union is known as
A) a visiting union
B) a common-law union
C) a legal marriage
D) a single-parent family
13. A family in which a parent has remarried and children from both partners' earlier relationships live together is
A) a blended (reconstituted) family
B) a single-parent family
C) an extended family
D) a nuclear family
14. A Form 5 student must work part-time to support her family but also needs time to study for CSEC. She is experiencing
A) role reversal
B) social mobility
C) role conflict
D) peer pressure
15. Which agent of socialisation has the GREATEST influence on most teenagers' choice of music and fashion?
A) The church
B) The trade union
C) The government
D) The peer group
16. Which of the following is an example of a primary group?
A) A political party
B) A national sports association
C) A trade union
D) A family
17. A student is given detention for arriving late to school. This is an example of
A) a negative sanction
B) a positive sanction
C) a social norm
D) a cultural value
18. Roti and curry, introduced by Indian immigrants, are now enjoyed by people of every ethnic group in Trinidad and Guyana. This shows
A) ethnocentrism
B) cultural diffusion
C) cultural erasure
D) cultural imperialism
19. The steelpan, developed in Trinidad in the 20th century, is an example of the region's
A) foreign debt
B) cultural heritage
C) legal system
D) natural resources
20. In a Westminster-style system, which branch of government interprets the law and settles disputes?
A) The judiciary
B) The executive
C) The civil service
D) The legislature
21. Under the first-past-the-post electoral system used in many Caribbean countries, a candidate wins a constituency by
A) being chosen by the leader of the party
B) gaining the support of the Governor-General
C) gaining more votes than any other candidate in that constituency
D) winning more than half of all votes cast in the country
22. What is the main role of the Opposition in Parliament?
A) To appoint the judges of the High Court
B) To question and scrutinise the government's policies and spending
C) To manage the day-to-day running of ministries
D) To approve every bill the government proposes
23. A citizen believes a government department treated her unfairly over a pension. Which official investigates such complaints?
A) The Commissioner of Police
B) The Speaker of the House
C) The Ombudsman
D) The Governor of the Central Bank
24. Which of the following is a responsibility of a citizen rather than a right?
A) Paying taxes
B) Freedom of worship
C) Protection under the law
D) Freedom of speech
25. A youth club leader asks members to vote on how to spend the club's funds. This leader is using which style of leadership?
A) Dictatorial
B) Democratic
C) Autocratic
D) Laissez-faire
26. Which factor is MOST often linked to juvenile delinquency?
A) Negative peer pressure and lack of supervision
B) Membership of a school sports team
C) Strong ties between parents and children
D) Regular attendance at school
27. How can drug abuse by one family member affect the whole family?
A) It improves communication between family members
B) It has no effect on the other family members
C) It increases the family's income and savings
D) It can cause financial hardship, conflict and neglect of children
28. A woman is being abused by her partner. Which is the BEST first source of help?
A) Waiting to see whether the abuse stops by itself
B) The police or a domestic violence shelter and helpline
C) Keeping the abuse secret to protect the family name
D) Asking the partner's friends to settle it privately
29. Which change in Caribbean families since the 1970s is MOST closely linked to more women in paid employment?
A) Families becoming larger, with more children each
B) Men and women sharing household and childcare roles more often
C) Children leaving school at an earlier age
D) Grandparents playing no part in raising children
30. In a class of 40 students, 12 live in single-parent households. What percentage of the class is this?
A) 12%
B) 40%
C) 28%
D) 30%
Section B — Sustainable Development and Use of Resources (Items 31–60)
31. Which CARICOM arrangement allows skilled nationals to live and work in other member states?
A) The Caribbean Development Bank
B) The free movement of skills under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy
C) The United Nations
D) The Organisation of American States
32. Which of the following is an example of a direct tax?
A) Customs duty
B) Value Added Tax (VAT)
C) Income tax
D) Excise tax on alcohol
33. Unemployment caused by changes in technology that make certain skills obsolete is called
A) seasonal unemployment
B) structural unemployment
C) cyclical unemployment
D) frictional unemployment
34. The term "sustainable development" refers to
A) rapid economic growth at any cost
B) development that meets present needs without compromising future generations
C) industrial development in urban areas only
D) protecting the environment while ignoring the economy
35. Which of the following is a renewable natural resource?
A) Natural gas
B) Coal
C) Bauxite
D) Solar energy
36. Which of the following is a push factor in migration?
A) Better job opportunities abroad
B) Good schools in another country
C) Political persecution in the home country
D) A pleasant climate at the destination
37. The main function of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is to
A) settle family disputes in each country
B) act as a final court of appeal and interpret the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas
C) arrest criminals in CARICOM states
D) make laws for the Caribbean region
38. Inflation is BEST defined as
A) a general fall in the prices of goods
B) an increase in the level of employment
C) a sustained increase in the general price level
D) a reduction in the supply of money
39. Which human activity contributes MOST to deforestation in the Caribbean?
A) Clearing land for agriculture, logging and housing
B) Fishing in coastal waters
C) Small-scale ecotourism
D) Installing solar panels on roofs
40. The main purpose of regional integration movements such as CARICOM is to
A) create a single military force
B) stop all migration between states
C) remove every cultural difference
D) promote economic cooperation and improve living standards
41. A person who sees a business opportunity, organises the other factors of production and takes the risk is providing
A) land
B) capital
C) entrepreneurship
D) labour
42. A country has a GDP of $12 billion and a population of 1.2 million. What is its GDP per head?
A) $100 000
B) $1 000
C) $14 400
D) $10 000
43. A country's labour force is 600 000, and 45 000 people are unemployed. What is the unemployment rate?
A) 4.5%
B) 6.0%
C) 7.5%
D) 13.3%
44. A country of 1 000 000 people records 15 000 births in a year. What is its crude birth rate?
A) 150 per 1000
B) 15 per 100
C) 15 per 1000
D) 1.5 per 1000
45. A country has a birth rate of 18 per 1000 and a death rate of 8 per 1000. What is its rate of natural increase?
A) 1.0% per year
B) 2.6% per year
C) 10% per year
D) 0.26% per year
46. Many Caribbean countries have an ageing population. Which is the MOST likely result?
A) A fall in the demand for health services
B) A rise in the number of young workers
C) More government spending on pensions and health care
D) More children entering primary school
47. Many nurses and teachers leave the Caribbean to work in North America. What is the MOST serious effect on their home countries?
A) A brain drain, leaving shortages of skilled workers
B) An increase in the size of the labour force
C) A rise in the number of trained professionals
D) A fall in money sent home by migrants
48. Barbados has about 280 000 people on about 430 km². What is its approximate population density?
A) About 65 people per km²
B) About 6500 people per km²
C) About 650 people per km²
D) About 1500 people per km²
49. Which measure would BEST reduce damage to homes from hurricanes?
A) Enforcing building codes with hurricane straps and strong roofs
B) Removing mangroves along the coast
C) Cutting down trees on steep hillsides
D) Building houses closer to the shoreline
50. A farmer on a steep hillside in St Lucia wants to reduce soil erosion. Which practice is MOST suitable?
A) Ploughing straight down the slope
B) Terracing and planting across the slope
C) Burning the vegetation before each planting
D) Removing all trees from the farm
51. Why are coral reefs important to Caribbean economies?
A) They supply the oil used in power stations
B) They are the main source of building limestone
C) They support fishing and tourism and protect coastlines from waves
D) They provide the main source of fresh drinking water
52. Which action follows the "reduce" part of the reduce–reuse–recycle approach to waste?
A) Buying fewer products with excess packaging
B) Using glass jars again for storage
C) Burning rubbish in the back yard
D) Sending plastic bottles to a recycling plant
53. Eight OECS member states use the Eastern Caribbean dollar. This is an example of
A) a shared currency through a monetary union
B) a free trade area only
C) a customs union only
D) a military alliance
54. The University of the West Indies, run jointly by several Caribbean governments, is an example of
A) economic competition
B) functional cooperation
C) political independence
D) cultural imperialism
55. Which is an obstacle to Caribbean regional integration?
A) Insularity and differences in the size of member economies
B) A common need for trade and investment
C) A shared history and similar cultures
D) Common membership of the Commonwealth
56. Much of the money spent by tourists at all-inclusive hotels leaves the Caribbean. This is known as
A) remittance
B) devaluation
C) leakage
D) inflation
57. Why is a Caribbean country encouraged to diversify its agriculture rather than depend on one export crop?
A) To stop farmers from selling crops abroad
B) To increase its dependence on imported food
C) To make all farmers grow the same crop
D) To reduce the risk from price falls, disease or hurricanes affecting that crop
58. A country's exports are worth $2.1 billion and its imports $3.4 billion. What is its balance of trade?
A) A surplus of $5.5 billion
B) A surplus of $1.3 billion
C) A deficit of $5.5 billion
D) A deficit of $1.3 billion
59. Which set of indicators is used in the Human Development Index?
A) Life expectancy, education and income per head
B) Size of the army, police and courts
C) Number of hotels, airports and ports
D) Number of cars, phones and televisions
60. Why is a rise in sea level a serious threat to many Caribbean countries?
A) Most Caribbean islands are high mountains with no coast
B) Sea-level rise increases the supply of fresh water
C) Higher seas make hurricanes less frequent
D) Much of their population and infrastructure is on low-lying coasts