GSA Practice Set 2 – General Science & Ability (20 Original MCQs Explained)

General Science & Ability (GSA) is a compulsory CSS subject (100 marks) that rewards clear concepts, not memorisation. This set of 20 original MCQs covers science (physics, chemistry, biology), everyday science, basic maths, and reasoning — the four areas GSA tests. Attempt all 20 in 25 minutes, then check the explained answers. These are original practice questions, distinct from GSA Set 1, not copied from FPSC papers or competitor question banks, and this site is not affiliated with FPSC. Scoring: 18–20 = strong. 15–17 = good. 12–14 = fair, revise the sections you missed. Below 12 = study the weak-section review, then re-attempt in 2 days.

Questions

Q1. Which element has the chemical symbol “O”? A) Gold B) Oxygen C) Osmium D) Iron

Q2. What is H2SO4? A) Hydrochloric acid B) Nitric acid C) Sulphuric acid D) Acetic acid

Q3. Which blood cells carry oxygen around the body? A) White blood cells B) Platelets C) Red blood cells D) Plasma cells

Q4. Which planet is called the Red Planet? A) Venus B) Jupiter C) Mars D) Saturn

Q5. How many legs does a spider have? A) 4 B) 6 C) 8 D) 10

Q6. What is the main function of the kidney? A) Pump blood B) Filter blood and remove waste C) Produce insulin D) Digest food

Q7. Which is the fastest land animal? A) Lion B) Horse C) Cheetah D) Deer

Q8. At what temperature does water freeze (at sea level)? A) 0°C B) 10°C C) 32°C D) 100°C

Q9. What is 25% of 400? A) 50 B) 75 C) 100 D) 125

Q10. If y = 4, what is 3y + 5? A) 12 B) 15 C) 17 D) 20

Q11. What is the area of a rectangle with length 6 cm and width 4 cm? A) 10 cm² B) 20 cm² C) 24 cm² D) 28 cm²

Q12. What is 1/2 + 1/4? A) 1/4 B) 1/2 C) 3/4 D) 1

Q13. Odd one out: Dog, Cat, Cow, Car. A) Dog B) Cat C) Cow D) Car

Q14. If A=1, B=2, C=3, what is CAB? (Sum of letter positions) A) 5 B) 6 C) 7 D) 8

Q15. Next number in the series: 100, 90, 80, 70, ? A) 50 B) 55 C) 60 D) 65

Q16. If some roses are red, and all roses are flowers, then: A) All flowers are red B) Some flowers are red C) No flowers are red D) All roses are red

Q17. Which instrument is used to measure blood pressure? A) Thermometer B) Barometer C) Sphygmomanometer D) Altimeter

Q18. Which vitamin is abundant in citrus fruits (oranges, lemons)? A) Vitamin A B) Vitamin B12 C) Vitamin C D) Vitamin D

Q19. Which organ helps us breathe? A) Heart B) Lungs C) Liver D) Stomach

Q20. Which of the following is a non-renewable source of energy? A) Wind B) Solar C) Coal D) Hydro

Answer Key + Explained Answers

Q1 – B) Oxygen. “O” is oxygen. Gold = Au, Osmium = Os, Iron = Fe.

Q2 – C) Sulphuric acid. H2SO4 is sulphuric acid. HCl = hydrochloric acid, HNO3 = nitric acid, CH3COOH = acetic acid (vinegar).

Q3 – C) Red blood cells. Red blood cells (RBCs) carry oxygen via haemoglobin. White blood cells fight infection; platelets clot blood; plasma is the fluid part of blood.

Q4 – C) Mars. Mars is called the Red Planet because of its reddish, iron-oxide surface. Venus is the brightest planet; Jupiter is largest; Saturn has rings.

Q5 – C) 8. Spiders have 8 legs. Insects have 6 legs — spiders are arachnids, not insects.

Q6 – B) Filter blood and remove waste. Kidneys filter blood, remove waste and excess water as urine, and regulate salts. Heart pumps blood; pancreas produces insulin; stomach digests food.

Q7 – C) Cheetah. The cheetah is the fastest land animal (up to about 60–70 km/h in short bursts). Lion, horse, and deer are slower.

Q8 – A) 0°C. Water freezes at 0°C (32°F) at sea level. 100°C is boiling point. (32°F = 0°C — do not confuse Fahrenheit and Celsius.)

Q9 – C) 100. 25% of 400 = 0.25 × 400 = 100.

Q10 – C) 17. 3y + 5 = 3(4) + 5 = 12 + 5 = 17.

Q11 – C) 24 cm². Area = length × width = 6 × 4 = 24 cm². (Perimeter would be 2(6+4) = 20 cm.)

Q12 – C) 3/4. 1/2 + 1/4 = 2/4 + 1/4 = 3/4.

Q13 – D) Car. Dog, Cat, Cow are animals. Car is a vehicle — not an animal. Odd-one-out is by category.

Q14 – B) 6. CAB = C(3) + A(1) + B(2) = 6. The rule is sum of letter positions (A=1, B=2, … Z=26).

Q15 – C) 60. Each term decreases by 10: 100 − 10 = 90, 90 − 10 = 80, 80 − 10 = 70, 70 − 10 = 60.

Q16 – B) Some flowers are red. If some roses are red, and all roses are flowers, then those red roses are red flowers — so some flowers are red. It does NOT follow that all flowers are red, or all roses are red.

Q17 – C) Sphygmomanometer. Blood pressure is measured with a sphygmomanometer. Thermometer = temperature, Barometer = air pressure, Altimeter = altitude.

Q18 – C) Vitamin C. Citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C. Vitamin A is in carrots/liver; B12 in animal foods; D from sunlight.

Q19 – B) Lungs. Lungs are the main organs for breathing (gas exchange). Heart pumps blood; liver filters; stomach digests.

Q20 – C) Coal. Coal is a fossil fuel — non-renewable. Wind, solar, and hydro are renewable.

Weak-Section Review

Science (Q1–Q8, Q17–Q20): revise symbols, acids, blood, planets, animals, organs, and instruments. Learn concepts, not just answers. Maths (Q9–Q12): practise percentages, algebra, area, and fractions — show working, do not guess. Reasoning (Q13–Q16): practise odd-one-out, letter sums, series, and syllogisms. Write the rule for each question you missed. Re-attempt in 2 days. Do not move on until you score 15+ here.

These are original practice questions written for csspastpapers.pk. They are not FPSC official questions, and this site is not affiliated with FPSC.

Related: GSA Past Papers | CSS Syllabus | GSA Practice Set 1 | MPT Practice Set 1