Common Entrance General knowledge: Basic science
Plants, the body, matter, energy and space. 20 original, exam-style questions with worked answers.
Read every question with its answer and working.
Question 1 of 20
How do green plants make their food?
Answer: B. photosynthesis. Plants make food from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide by photosynthesis.
Question 2 of 20
Which organ pumps blood around the body?
Answer: A. heart. The heart pumps blood through the body.
Question 3 of 20
At what temperature does water boil at sea level?
Answer: D. 100°C. Water boils at 100°C at sea level.
Question 4 of 20
Which of these does a magnet attract?
Answer: C. an iron nail. Magnets attract iron and some other metals.
Question 5 of 20
What is it called when ice changes into water?
Answer: B. melting. Solid ice becoming liquid water is melting.
Question 6 of 20
Which gas do we breathe in to stay alive?
Answer: A. oxygen. We need oxygen from the air to release energy from food.
Question 7 of 20
Which part of a plant takes in water from the soil?
Answer: D. roots. Roots take in water and mineral salts from the soil.
Question 8 of 20
Which of these is a good conductor of electricity?
Answer: C. copper. Metals like copper let electricity pass through easily.
Question 9 of 20
What is the force that pulls objects towards the Earth called?
Answer: B. gravity. Gravity pulls things towards the centre of the Earth.
Question 10 of 20
Which of these is a source of light?
Answer: A. the Sun. The Sun makes its own light. The Moon, a mirror and a wall only reflect light.
Question 11 of 20
Which state of matter has a fixed shape?
Answer: D. solid. A solid keeps its shape. Liquids and gases take the shape of their container.
Question 12 of 20
What do we call animals that eat only plants?
Answer: C. herbivores. Herbivores eat plants only. Carnivores eat meat.
Question 13 of 20
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Answer: B. Mercury. Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun.
Question 14 of 20
Which vitamin does our skin make when it is in sunlight?
Answer: A. vitamin D. Sunlight helps the skin make vitamin D, which keeps bones strong.
Question 15 of 20
What is it called when water vapour turns into liquid water?
Answer: D. condensation. Water vapour cooling into droplets is condensation.
Question 16 of 20
Which of these is a mammal?
Answer: C. whale. A whale breathes air and feeds its young with milk, so it is a mammal.
Question 17 of 20
Which organs do we use for breathing?
Answer: B. lungs. We breathe air in and out with our lungs.
Question 18 of 20
How can salt be separated from salty water?
Answer: A. by evaporation. Heating the water makes it evaporate and leaves the salt behind.
Question 19 of 20
What is the main source of heat and light for the Earth?
Answer: D. the Sun. Almost all the heat and light on Earth come from the Sun.
Question 20 of 20
About how many days does the Earth take to go once around the Sun?
Answer: C. 365. One year is about 365 days.
More General knowledge worksheets
Common Entrance questions parents ask
What is the Common Entrance examination?
It is the entrance exam Primary 6 pupils take to move on to secondary school in Nigeria. The National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) is used for the Federal Unity Colleges, and many states and schools set their own. Papers, subjects and dates differ between exam bodies and from year to year, so always check your child’s exam for the current format.
Which areas do these worksheets cover?
Mathematics, English, quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and general knowledge (basic science, social studies and civic education). Each area has worksheets of 20 questions with worked answers.
Are these the real past questions?
No. They are original, exam-style practice questions with worked answers, written to build the same skills. They are not copies of past papers.
How do Answers, Practice and Test yourself differ?
Answers shows every question with its answer and working. Practice shows if you are right straight after each question. Test yourself hides the answers until you have answered all 20, then shows your score and every answer.
What does “ready” mean?
Scoring 16 out of 20 (80%) or more in a test. Your best score is saved in this browser. It is a practice guide and not a prediction of an exam result.
Is Hour of Math linked to NECO or a state exam board?
No. Hour of Math is independent and is not affiliated with any examination body.