Samoa Secondary Leaving Certificate — Computer Studies

Which of the following is an input device?

• AMonitor
• BSpeaker
• CKeyboard
• DInkjet printer

What is the main function of the Central Processing Unit (CPU)?

• ATo store files permanently after the computer is switched off
• BTo carry out instructions by performing arithmetic, logic and control operations
• CTo convert mains electricity into the voltages needed by internal components
• DTo display text and images on the screen

Why is Random Access Memory (RAM) described as volatile?

• AIt can only be read and never written to
• BIt stores the operating system permanently on a magnetic platter
• CIt loses its contents when electrical power is removed
• DIt is slower than a compact disc because it uses moving parts

Which item is application software?

• AWindows 11
• BA laptop motherboard
• CA computer mouse
• DA spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel

Sina saved a report as talofa-essay.docx. Which type of program is designed to open that file?

• AA spreadsheet program
• BA word processor
• CA presentation program
• DA database management system

Which device produces a soft-copy output that can be seen but not touched?

• ALaser printer
• BPlotter
• CMonitor
• DDot-matrix printer

What is the main purpose of an operating system?

• ATo write school essays and format page numbers
• BTo manage hardware resources and provide an interface for the user and application progra…
• CTo store only photographs taken with a digital camera
• DTo convert a Word file into a printed page without using any hardware

Why do users create folders on a computer?

• ATo increase the clock speed of the processor
• BTo convert analogue sound into digital samples
• CTo organise related files into a named container so they are easier to find
• DTo replace the need for an operating system

Which of the following is a basic element of a graphical user interface (GUI)?

• APower supply fan
• BHard disk platter
• CIcon
• DNetwork cable

What is a backup?

• AA program that permanently deletes every file on the hard disk
• BThe process of increasing screen brightness
• CA type of printer that uses heat-sensitive paper
• DA second copy of important files stored separately so data can be restored after loss

How does a solid-state drive (SSD) differ from a traditional hard disk drive (HDD)?

• AAn SSD stores data on spinning magnetic platters, while an HDD uses only laser pits
• BAn SSD has no moving parts and uses flash memory, so it usually has faster access and low…
• CAn SSD can be used only for backing up tape libraries
• DAn HDD loses all data whenever the computer is switched off, while an SSD does not

A USB flash drive is best described as:

• AVolatile primary memory soldered onto the motherboard
• BAn output device that prints colour photographs
• CA system software utility that defragments a hard disk
• DRemovable solid-state secondary storage that can be carried between computers

What is the role of the motherboard in a desktop computer?

• AIt stores every user document after the power is switched off
• BIt is the main circuit board that connects the CPU, memory, storage and expansion devices…
• CIt is the only output device that can produce sound
• DIt replaces the need for a power supply unit

Which statement correctly distinguishes system software from application software?

• ASystem software is always stored on optical discs, while application software is stored o…
• BSystem software manages the computer and supports other programs, while application softw…
• CApplication software controls the CPU clock, while system software is used only to edit p…
• DThere is no difference; both terms mean the same type of program

Losa is editing a file already stored as minutes-12may.docx. She chooses Save rather than Save As. What happens?

• AThe computer always creates a brand-new file with a different name and folder
• BThe existing file is updated in the same location and with the same name
• CThe document is converted into a spreadsheet automatically
• DThe file is permanently deleted from the disk

A file is stored at C:\School\Sports\Rugby\fixtures.docx. Which statement is correct?

• ASports is a file and Rugby is a drive letter
• Bfixtures.docx is a folder that contains the Sports directory
• CThe file fixtures.docx is inside the Rugby folder, which is inside Sports, which is insid…
• DC: is the filename and .docx is the drive

Which item is normally found inside the system unit of a desktop computer rather than attached as an external peripheral?

• AKeyboard
• BMonitor
• CUSB mouse
• DPower supply unit

What is the role of the power supply unit (PSU) in a desktop computer?

• AIt decodes program instructions and performs addition
• BIt converts mains alternating current into the stable direct-current voltages required by…
• CIt stores the user’s documents when the computer is switched off
• DIt provides the pointing arrow that the user moves on the screen

How are ASCII codes related to binary numbers?

• AASCII is a type of printer that prints only binary digits
• BASCII stores pictures by using spinning magnetic platters
• CASCII is a character-encoding scheme that represents each character as a unique binary nu…
• DASCII is the name of a computer’s cooling fan

A student copies a commercial exam-prep CD and sells the copies at the market. Which legal issue does this mainly raise?

• AHardware overheating
• BCopyright infringement and software piracy
• CA shortage of RAM in the original computer
• DA broken network cable

The computers in a single Apia school laboratory are linked so they can share a printer and files. What type of network is this?

• AA wide area network (WAN) spanning several countries
• BA local area network (LAN) confined to one site
• CA satellite television broadcast
• DA stand-alone computer with no connections

Toma receives an email that looks like it is from his bank. It asks him to click a link and type his password immediately. What is this an example of?

• ADisk defragmentation
• BA mail-merge field
• CPhishing, a social-engineering attack that tries to steal login details
• DA backup routine running on the mail server

What is the purpose of cache memory?

• ATo print posters in A0 size
• BTo hold a small amount of frequently used data and instructions very close to the CPU so…
• CTo connect a school to the internet by satellite only
• DTo store backup tapes in a fireproof safe

How many bits are there in one byte?

• A2
• B4
• C8
• D16

Which filename follows good file-naming practice for a Year 12 Computer Studies assignment?

• Afinal final NEW (2).docx
• B???.docx
• Cessay.docx
• Dtui-cs-assignment3-network-notes.docx

A file is sent to the Recycle Bin (or Trash). What is usually true?

• AThe file is immediately overwritten on every backup tape in the country
• BThe file is still on the disk and can often be restored until the bin is emptied
• CThe file is automatically emailed to every contact
• DThe operating system is permanently damaged

Why does a newly installed printer usually need a device driver?

• AThe driver is a small program that translates operating-system print commands into instru…
• BThe driver increases the mains voltage from 230 V to 11 000 V
• CThe driver is a paper tray that holds A4 sheets
• DThe driver replaces the need for application software

Which program is an example of utility software?

• AA presentation about Palolo Deep
• BAntivirus software that scans files for malware
• CA novel written in a word processor
• DA computer keyboard

In the input–process–output–storage model, what happens during the process stage?

• ARaw data is entered from a keyboard or scanner
• BThe CPU manipulates the data according to instructions to produce a result
• CA finished report is printed on paper
• DA USB stick is locked in a cupboard

Which statement correctly contrasts hardware and software?

• AHardware is the physical equipment you can touch; software is the set of programs and ins…
• BSoftware is made of metal and plastic; hardware exists only as ideas
• CHardware can never fail, but software always fails
• DThere is no difference because both are stored only in ROM

In a star network topology, how are the computers connected?

• AEach computer is linked only to the next computer in a closed ring
• BEvery computer is connected directly to every other computer with its own cable
• CEach computer has a separate link to a central hub or switch
• DThere are no cables or wireless links at all

Which password is the strongest for a school network account?

• Apassword
• Bapia
• C123456
• DV@ilele#19sAil!

A lab computer with little RAM becomes very slow when several large programs are open. Why can installing more RAM improve this?

• AMore RAM reduces the need to swap program data to slower virtual memory on disk
• BMore RAM increases the physical size of the monitor
• CMore RAM automatically rewrites the computer’s ROM firmware every second
• DMore RAM converts the machine from a digital computer into an analogue one

A school keeps one copy of student records on the office PC, a second copy on an external drive in the same office, and a third copy on cloud storage. Which backup principle is this closest to?

• ANever keep more than one copy of any file
• BStore every backup only on the same disk as the original
• CKeep multiple copies, on more than one type of medium, with at least one copy off-site
• DDelete backups as soon as they are created

In the fetch–decode–execute cycle, what is the correct order of the three named stages?

• AExecute, then fetch, then decode
• BDecode, then execute, then fetch
• CFetch the instruction from memory, decode it, then execute it
• DExecute and fetch at the same instant, with no decode stage

A software house registers the name of its product so that no other company can sell a rival package under the same name. Which legal protection is being used?

• AA trademark on the product name
• BA patent on a new mechanical engine design
• CA building lease for the school laboratory
• DA hardware warranty on a mouse

Why does an SSD usually have a much lower access time than a spinning hard disk?

• AAn SSD must wait for a read/write head to seek across a platter and for the platter to ro…
• BAn SSD reads and writes electronic flash cells with no mechanical seek or rotational delay
• CAn SSD can store data only while the power is on
• DAn SSD is always connected through a floppy-disk cable

How does a firewall differ from antivirus software?

• AA firewall filters network traffic according to rules, while antivirus software detects a…
• BA firewall scans every file for viruses, while antivirus software only blocks unused USB…
• CBoth tools do exactly the same job and can never be used together
• DA firewall is a type of printer driver

A student wants to store gagana Samoa text that includes macrons (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) and the ‘okina. Why is Unicode a better encoding than 7-bit ASCII?

• A7-bit ASCII already contains every letter used in every language, so Unicode is never nee…
• BUnicode can represent a much larger set of characters, including letters with diacritics,…
• CUnicode can store only numbers and never letters
• DASCII files are always larger than the same text stored in Unicode

A clinic stores patient notes on a password-protected office PC and also copies them to a free public cloud folder that anyone with the link can open. What is the main security concern?

• AThe cloud copy may expose confidential personal data because access is not properly restr…
• BThe office PC will immediately run faster because two copies exist
• CCloud storage always converts text files into printed posters
• DA public folder cannot hold digital files

A student is printing a wide table that is wider than it is tall. Which page orientation should be chosen?

• APortrait
• BLandscape
• CBold
• DSubscript

In a word processor, what does the italic format do to selected text?

• AIt deletes the paragraph
• BIt slants the characters to the right
• CIt changes the page from A4 to A3
• DIt converts the file into a database

What is the purpose of a header in a word-processed document?

• ATo store a formula that adds a column of numbers
• BTo display text or a graphic that repeats at the top of each page
• CTo hide the Recycle Bin
• DTo start the computer’s operating system

In a spreadsheet, what does the cell reference D7 identify?

• AThe cell at the intersection of column D and row 7
• BThe entire worksheet
• CA printer attached to the computer
• DA formula that can only be used in a database

A teacher wants a chart that compares the number of points scored by four rugby teams. Which chart type is most appropriate?

• AA column or bar chart
• BA pie chart of a single team’s one score only, with no labels
• CA scatter chart of two unrelated time series
• DA word-art decorative title with no data

In a database table of students, what is one record?

• AA single field name such as DateOfBirth
• BThe complete set of data about one student
• CThe database management program itself
• DA printed page footer

What is the main purpose of presentation software?

• ATo calculate payroll tax for every employee
• BTo defragment a hard disk
• CTo create a sequence of slides that support a talk, with titles, bullet points, images an…
• DTo replace the computer’s power supply

What does a spelling checker in a word processor do?

• AIt compares words in the document with a dictionary and flags those it does not recognise
• BIt always rewrites the essay so that the meaning is guaranteed to be correct
• CIt prints the document in landscape without asking
• DIt creates a primary key for each paragraph