RIO CLARO EAST SECONDARY SCHOOL

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE (Single Award)

MOCK CXC EXAMS 2014 FORM 5 GROUPS 2, 3 & 4

TEACHERS: Mr. Ramdatt & Mrs. Maharaj

PAPER 02 - GENERAL PROFICIENCY TIME: 2 hrs

NAME: ____________________________ FORM 5 GROUP _________

READ THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY

1. There are nine questions in this test, six in Section I and three in Section II.

Answer ALL questions

2. Each Question in Section I carries 4 marks. Each question in Section II carries 12

marks

3. Use black or blue ink pens ONLY. Pencils should be used for drawing and

labelling.

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

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SECTION I

Answer ALL questions in this section

Write your answers in the spaces provided

1 (a) State TWO factors that may affect food security in the Caribbean

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(2 marks)

(b) Belair Hotel Chain requires high quality eggs that are safe to consume. Suggest TWO good agricultural practices that farmers should

follow to supply eggs to the hotel.

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(2 marks)

Total 4 marks

2 Agriculture makes very significant contributions to the development of national, regional and international economies.

(a) List TWO contributions which agriculture can make to the national economy

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(2 marks)

(b) Suggest TWO ways by which the Ministry of Agriculture can support young people who are involved in agricultural production

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(2 marks)

Total 4 marks

3 Soil erosion occurs as a result of the actions of wind and water

(a) Explain how water causes soil erosion

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(2 marks)

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(b) Mulch, when used as a soil erosion control method, harbours pests. Conservation techniques such as strip cropping, however, do not present such problems.

Suggest TWO OTHER conservation techniques that can be used to reduce

soil erosion.

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(2 marks)

Total 4 marks

4. Figure 1 shows the demand and supply curves for sorrel in the Caribbean

(a) Identify X and Y in Figure 1.

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X ………………………………………………………………………

Y ………………………………………………………………………

(2 marks)

(b) A farmer observes over the years that in January there is an oversupply of sorrel on the market. Suggest TWO strategies that the farmer can use to make money from his surplus sorrel crop.

(i) ………………………………………………………………………

(ii) ………………………………………………………………………

(2 marks)

Total 4 marks

5. Figure 4 is a drawing showing a technique used in rearing cows

(a) Identify the technique shown in Figure 4

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(1 mark)

(b) Describe this technique

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(1mark)

(c) Suggest TWO reasons why this technique is highly recommended

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(2 marks)

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Total 4 marks

6 (a) The germination of seeds is affected by the depth at which they are

planted. List TWO OTHER factors which affect the germination of

seeds planted in the field.

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(2 marks)

(b) In an experiment, a student observes that the germination of seeds is

higher in new, unused seedling trays than in trays which have

been previously used.

(i) Suggest ONE reason that may account for this observation

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(1mark)

(ii) Describe ONE measure the student can undertake to improve the germination of seeds sown in seedling trays which have

been previously used.

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(1 mark)

Total 4 marks

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SECTION II

Answer ALL questions in this section

7 (a) The rising price of wheat on the world market has led to increases in the price of flour in a Caribbean island. The government has decided to substitute 20% of wheat flour with cassava flour.

State THREE subsidies or incentives that the government could provide to farmers to encourage the expansion of cassava production.

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(3 marks)

(b) Farmer Raynell has prepared a complete budget for producing sweet potato on 10 hectares of land. She decides to purchase a tractor to assist in the clearing of land, instead of using a hired tractor service which costs $110 per hectare

Table 1 shows Raynell’s projections for the tractor

TABLE 1: BUDGET PROJECTIONS FOR A TRACTOR

Items $Purchase of tractor 12 000

Net disposable value of tractor (after five years)

3 000

Additional costsAnnual depreciation ?

Repairs 200Fuel 400

Interest on tractor loan 1 000Insurance on tractor 100

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Labour (to drive tractor) 300

(i) What type of budget should Raynell do for the change in her plans, that is, to buy a tractor instead of hiring a tractor?

………………………………………………………………………(1 mark)

(ii) Identify TWO fixed costs and TWO variable costs in Table 1.

Fixed costs …………………………………………………………

Variable costs ………………………………………………………(3marks)

(iii) Calculate the annual depreciation on the tractor using the following formula:Cost of tractor – net disposable value of tractor = Depreciation

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(1mark)

(iv) Raynell also decides that she will rent her tractor at a cost of $100 per hectare to the other farmers in her district, who farm on

a total of 50 hectares. Calculate the additional income that Raynell will gain from renting the tractor to the other farmers. (Show your working)

(2 marks)(v) Calculate net change in profit or loss, using the following formula: Net change in profit/loss = Additional income – Additional costs

Calculated in (iv) (shown in Table 1)

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(2 marks)Total 12 marks

8. (a) IPM means Integrated Pest Management.(i) Explain the concept of IPM

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(ii) State one advantage of IPM

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(b) Mr. Fuentes is a cabbage farmer who practices monocropping on a one hectare plot of land. Lately his cabbage crop is not growing well

because of high levels of weed infestation.

(i) Suggest THREE different IPM measures (other than chemical) which Mr. Fuentes could use to control the weeds and for

EACH measure, explain how it would cause a reduction in weed infestation

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(6 marks)

(ii) Suggest a cropping system other than monocropping, that will lead to a reduction in weed infestation in Mr. Fuentes’s cabbage plot

and briefly explain how it will lead to a reduction in weed growth.

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Total 12 marks

9 (a) (i) State TWO effects that the overuse of fertilizers may have on the environment.

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(ii) State ONE benefit of mulching.

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(1 mark)

(b) A farmer cultivates a leafy vegetable crop and a root crop on flat land. Compare the cultivating practices (similarities and differences) of these

TWO crops under the following headings:(i) Land Preparation

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(ii) Fertiliser application

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(iii) Harvesting and post- harvest handling

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(9 marks)Total 12 marks

END OF TEST

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