Introduction to ICT and its role in daily life

A QR code is a machine-readable pattern that can be scanned with a camera or QR reader. The scan may open a web page, display information, identify an item or lead to a payment service, depending on how the code was created. It does not cut paper, increase sound or clean a screen, so D is correct.

Library software can maintain a digital catalogue containing book titles, authors, subjects, locations and availability. A student or librarian can search this catalogue quickly instead of checking every shelf manually. ICT may also support issuing and returning records, but the option specifically describes the central catalogue use. Therefore, option A is correct.

An online dictionary lets a student search a word and obtain its meaning, spelling, pronunciation and sometimes examples or related words. This supports reading, writing and vocabulary learning. It is a language-learning resource, not a video-making or mark-calculating tool, and it generally needs internet access. Therefore, B is correct.

A proper shutdown gives the operating system time to close applications, complete pending writes and safely disconnect storage. This reduces the chance of losing unsaved data or damaging files. It does not reveal passwords, make internet access free or delete every file. Although modern devices may tolerate some forced shutdowns, normal safe shutdown makes C the correct answer.

The governing ICT concept is the efficiency and traceability of electronic transactions. A digital payment can usually be completed quickly through an authorised electronic system, and the system can generate a confirmation or transaction record that helps users review payments. Therefore option A is correct. Digital payments do not inherently erase records, are not restricted to foreign countries, and do not require paper for every transaction.

The governing concept is ICT-enabled access to education. In distance education, internet platforms, video classes, email, and learning portals connect teachers with students who are not in the same place. These tools may also deliver lessons and feedback, but they do not eliminate the curriculum, schools in every situation, or examinations. Therefore, option A correctly states the main role.

The governing concept is digital navigation. A map application uses location data and digital maps to show a traveller’s position, possible routes, directions, distance, and sometimes traffic conditions. It helps a person plan or follow a journey, but it does not construct roads, manufacture fuel, or make travel unnecessary. Hence, option A gives the accurate and practical use of map applications.

The governing concept is rapid digital dissemination of information. News websites can publish updates soon after an event and revise a report when verified information changes. This gives readers timely access, although they should still check reliability and sources. The other options contradict the nature of online news: it can change, it is not limited to print, and it depends on internet access. Thus, option A is correct.

The governing concept is ICT-supported data handling. A spreadsheet arranges information in rows and columns and can use formulas to calculate totals, budgets, sales figures, schedules, and other business measures. It may contain charts as well, but its central use here is organising and calculating data. Drawing alone, playing videos, or turning off the internet is not the normal purpose. Therefore, option A is correct.

The governing concept is digital written communication within a shared meeting. The chat panel lets participants type questions, short comments, announcements, or useful links without interrupting the speaker. It may support collaboration, but it does not remove a camera, disconnect the internet, or erase a recording. Since option A describes the actual communication function of chat, it is the correct answer.

The governing concept is online information retrieval. A search engine accepts keywords or questions and returns links or results related to web pages, images, maps, news, and other internet content. A browser is the software used to access websites, while a search engine helps locate relevant content; neither repairs computers, deletes email automatically, or generates electricity. Thus, option A is correct.

The governing concept is digital data collection. An online form provides fields in which users enter details and submit them electronically, making it useful for admission applications, registrations, surveys, orders, and feedback. Video editing needs specialised media software, connecting cables is a physical networking task, and destroying paper is unrelated. Therefore, option A correctly identifies a common online-form use.

The governing concept is convenient digital access to a service. An online booking system lets a person check schedules, compare available seats or tickets, and complete a reservation from home or another connected place. It may save a visit to a counter, but it cannot eliminate the journey or guarantee tickets without payment. Option A combines the realistic convenience and information benefits, so it is correct.

Social media is an ICT application because it uses digital devices, software, internet connectivity, and data networks to support communication. Users can create, send, receive, and share messages, photographs, videos, and other content with individuals or groups. Therefore, option A correctly describes both information sharing and communication. Options B, C, and D are incorrect because social media normally works online, depends on data, and can connect many users.

A school management system is an ICT-based application for organising and handling information needed by a school. It can store, update, search, and report administrative records such as student attendance, examination marks, fees, classes, and contact details. Thus, option A is correct because all three listed activities are normal school-management functions. Options B, C, and D describe physical construction, an impossible replacement for learning, or harmful actions rather than record management.

In a call centre, ICT combines telephones or internet calling, computers, databases, and software to support customer service. It helps agents receive and route calls, view customer information, record requests, and communicate responses efficiently. Option A is correct because it states the central role of managing customer information and communication. Options B, C, and D do not describe ICT-enabled call-centre work and contradict its purpose.

Telecommunication means transmitting or exchanging information across a distance by using communication technologies. The information may be voice, text, images, or digital data, and the medium may include telephone networks, radio, television, or the internet. Option A gives the essential definition. Option B is too narrow because telecommunication does not require face-to-face contact, while C and D are unrelated activities and do not involve sending information between distant users.

A barcode scanner is an input device that reads the pattern printed on a product and sends its coded identification to a computer or point-of-sale system. The system can then retrieve the product name, price, and stock information, making checkout faster and more accurate. Option A is correct because retail billing is the common daily-life use. Options B, C, and D do not normally require barcode scanning and are unrelated to product identification.

Radio and television are ICT tools because they use electronic technology to transmit and distribute information, audio, or video from a source to many receivers. They support mass communication, such as news, education, public announcements, and entertainment. Option A is correct because reaching a large audience is their important communication role. Option B mentions only electricity and misses communication, C is false because these media receive or transmit programmed signals, and D incorrectly calls them private tools.

A shared digital file is stored in a location that permitted users can access through an office network or approved online service. With suitable permissions, several authorised people can review, edit, comment on, and update the same document, reducing duplicate copies and improving collaboration. Option A states this benefit correctly. Options B and D contradict the purpose of sharing, while C describes paper-based work and removes the efficiency of digital collaboration.

An online survey is a digital questionnaire used to collect structured responses from a selected group of people. Questions may ask about opinions, experiences, preferences, or facts, and the responses can be stored and summarised for analysis. Option A is correct because gathering opinions and other data is the survey’s purpose. Options B, C, and D describe image editing, an undesirable network effect, and a system operation, none of which is the function of a survey.

The governing concept is the use of online information tools for learning. An online dictionary lets a student search a word, read its meaning, check spelling, hear or view pronunciation, and sometimes see examples of usage. Therefore, option A correctly identifies its educational purpose. Options B and D require different software, such as drawing or video-editing tools, and C is unrelated to a dictionary’s function.

The governing concept is efficiency through digital services. Online electricity-bill payment allows a person to complete the transaction from home or another connected location, avoiding travel and much of the waiting associated with a physical queue. Therefore, option A shows ICT saving time. Option B adds waiting, C uses slower manual work, and D is unsuitable for an urgent message because postal delivery is not immediate.

The governing concept is ICT-supported learning through repeated access to digital content. A recording allows a student to revisit explanations, pause difficult sections, revise before an assessment and catch up after missing a live class. Therefore, option A is correct. Recording can support a teacher but cannot replace teaching in every situation, guarantee full marks or make all other learning material unnecessary, so B, C and D are incorrect.

The governing concept is that ICT uses digital networks to overcome barriers such as physical distance. A video call carries both sound and moving images, so family members can interact even when they live far apart. Therefore, option A is correct. The other choices do not establish communication: refusing to speak, not sending a message, or switching off the phone either blocks or prevents the exchange of information.