General Studies and

Communication Skills

021 NATIONAL EXAMINATION AND

SCHOOL INSPECTION
AUTHORITY

30/ 07/2024 08:30 AM – 11:30 AM

ADVANCED LEVEL NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS, 2O23-2024

SUBJECT: GENERAL STUDIES AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS

COMBINATIONS:
- ALL SCIENCE COMBINATIONS
- ALL HUMANITIES COMBINATIONS
- ALL LANGUAGES COMBINATIONS

MARKS: 100 marks

DURATION: 3 HOURS

Instructions to candidates:
1) Write your names and index number on the answer booklet as they appear on
your registration form and DO NOT write your names and index number on
additional answer sheets if provided.

2) Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.

3) This paper consists of THREE sections: A, B and C

Section A: Attempt ALL questions. (25 marks)

Section B: Attempt only TWO questions. (50 marks)

Section C: Attempt only ONE question. (25 marks)

4) You must answer in clear continuous prose.

5) Use only a blue or black pen.

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Section A: Attempt all questions (25 marks)

1) a) What is PowerPoint? (2 marks)

b) Identify common mistakes that speakers make during speech delivery.
(3 marks)
2) Choose the best answer from the given alternatives. (1 mark)
i) What role does education play in cultural preservation?
a) It accelerates cultural change.
b) It promotes cultural understanding and awareness.
c) It encourages cultural assimilation.
d) It diminishes the importance of cultural heritage.

ii) Maintaining an _______ provides a financial cushion during unexpected

expenses. (1 mark)
a) Emergency fund
b) Investment portfolio
c) Expense tracker
d) Retirement plan

iii) Creating a _______ helps individuals plan their spending and saving.
(1 mark)
a) Budget
b) Financial plan
c) Spending tracker
d) Savings goal

iv) Saving regularly allows individuals to take advantage of

_______opportunities. (1 mark)
a) Investment
b) Financial
c) Growth
d) Income

v) Setting _______ goals can help individuals stay motivated to save. (1 mark)
a) Personal
b) Achievable
c) Realistic
d) Financial

3) a) What is literature? (2 marks)

b) Enumerate 3 genres of literature (3 marks)

4) State whether each of the following statements is True or False. (4 marks)

a) Neocolonialism in Africa is characterized by economic exploitation and
dependency on former colonial powers and multinational corporations.
b) The East African Community (EAC) has its headquarters in Kampala,
Uganda.

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 c) Rwanda is a member of the Southern African Development Community
(SADC).
d) The Regional block, in which Rwanda is a member state, helps to reduce
trade barriers and create larger markets.
5) Fill in the blank spaces with the following concepts: pishing, identity theft,
identity fraud, financial scams. (4 marks)
a) …………………..are deceptive schemes used by fraudsters to rob people
and business organizations off their money.
b) ………………………. the unauthorized use of someone else's personal
information, such as Social Security number or financial details, for
fraudulent purposes.
c) …………………………..Fraudulent emails or messages pretending to be
from legitimate organizations to trick individuals into revealing sensitive
information.
d) …………………………is the unauthorised use of another person’s identity to
deceive or defraud someone else.
6) Identify two instances where sport can be used for environmental
sustainability in Rwanda. (2 marks)

Section B: Attempt only two questions (50 marks)

7) To what extent is conflict harmful to the society? (25 marks)

8) You are planning to start a business in your sector and one of the
requirements is to write a business letter seeking permission to operate in the
area. Write a letter to the Executive Secretary of the sector seeking for
permission to start the business you intend to start in your community.

Note: - Don’t use your real names.

- Don’t use your real school names. (25 marks)

9) Explain the role of science and technology in the development of Rwanda.

(25 marks)

10) a) Why do you think it is beneficial for educated people to carry out career
planning? Explain in detail. (15 marks)
b) Suppose that you want to become a marketing manager within the next five
years, develop your personal career development plan. (10 marks)

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Section C: Attempt only one question (25 marks)

11) In a study examining the relationship between gender and educational

attainment, the following data was collected from a sample of 1000
individuals:
• 500 males: 200 completed high school, 150 completed bachelor's degree,
100 completed master's degree, 50 completed Ph.D.

• 500 females: 250 completed high school, 200 completed bachelor's

degree, 30 completed master's degree, 20 completed Ph.D.

Questions

a) Basing on this data, what can you infer or conclude about the
educational attainment levels of males and females? (15 marks)

b) Rwanda is recognized as a leader in gender equality and women’s

empowerment. Discuss the validity of this statement. (10 marks)

12) Read the text below and then answer the questions that follow.

The environment is a complex system of interconnected elements that sustain

life on Earth. It encompasses everything around us, including the air we
breathe, the water we drink, the land we inhabit, and the diverse ecosystems
that support countless species of plants and animals. However, human
activities have led to widespread degradation of the environment, resulting in
pollution, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and climate change.

Pollution, in various forms such as air pollution from industrial emissions

and vehicle exhaust, water pollution from untreated sewage and chemical
runoff, and land pollution from improper waste disposal, pose significant
threats to human health and the environment. These pollutants not only
contaminate the air, water, and soil but also harm wildlife and disrupt
ecosystems.

Deforestation, primarily driven by agriculture, logging, and urbanization, is

another major environmental concern. Forests play a crucial role in regulating
climate, purifying air, and providing habitats for numerous species. Their
destruction not only contributes to habitat loss and biodiversity decline but
also exacerbates climate change by releasing stored carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere.

Loss of biodiversity, resulting from habitat destruction, pollution,

overexploitation of natural resources, and invasive species, threatens the
stability and resilience of ecosystems. Each species plays a unique role in

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 maintaining ecosystem functions, and the loss of even one species can have
far-reaching consequences for the entire ecosystem.

Climate change, primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels and

deforestation, is perhaps the most pressing environmental issue of our time.
It leads to rising global temperatures, melting ice caps, more frequent and
severe weather events, disruptions to agricultural systems, and threats to
human health and livelihoods. Addressing climate change requires urgent
and concerted efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to
renewable energy sources, and adapt to the changing climate.

Questions

a) What is logging? (1 mark)

b) What does the environment encompass? (4 marks)
c) What are some forms of pollution mentioned in the text? (3 marks)
d) What are the primary drivers of deforestation? (3 marks)
e) Why is loss of biodiversity a concern? (2 marks)
f) What are the primary causes of climate change? (2 marks)
g) Summarise the above passage in not more than 100 words. (10 marks)

-END-

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