ACSI 2026 SS QP+MS

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2026 YEAR FOUR (O-levels) HUMANITIES (SOCIAL STUDIES) (2260/01, 2261/01, 2262/01) Tuesday 11 August 2026 1 h 45 min INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Section A is COMPULSORY. You must answer all parts of Question 1. Answer BOTH parts of Question 2 from Section B. Write your answer on the writing paper provided. INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question. This question paper consists of 7 printed pages. [Turn over

2 SECTION A (Source-Based Case Study) Answer all questions. Being Part of a Globalised World Study the Background Information and the sources carefully and answer all the questions. You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources you are told to use. In answering the questions , you should use your knowledge of the issue to help you interpret and evaluate the sources. 1 Study Source A. Why was the source published? Explain your answer. [5] 2 Study Sources B and C. How different are these two sources? Explain your answer. [7] 3 Study Source D. How useful is the source about the risks of AI? Explain your answer. [6] 4 Study Sources E and F. Having read Source E, are you surprised by Source F regarding the impact of AI? Explain your answer. [7] 5 “Artificial Intelligence (AI) should not have been adopted at all.” Using the sources in this case study, explain how far you would agree with this statement. [10]

3 Does Artificial Intelligence (AI) bring more benefits than harm globally? BACKGROUND INFORMATION Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful dual -edged force, transforming global industries while presenting severe ethical and physical challenges. It is being adopted by countries around the world at varying speeds and for different purpose. While some nations see AI as a powerful tool to solve national problems and boost their economies, others raise serious concerns about human rights, job safety, and the exploitation of workers. Ultimately, AI’s development will fundamentally reshape global economies, but its impact will depend on how it is being integrated with human decision-making. The global economy must balance AI’s capabilities with human values. Addressing issues of transparency, bias, and control will be critical in ensuring AI benefits everyone fairly without undermining personal freedoms. Study the following sources to examine if artificial intelligence is beneficial or harmful. Source A: From a publication published in November 2025 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which is United Nation’s leading global authority on the environment. The proliferating data centres that house AI servers produce electronic waste. They are large consumers of water, which is becoming scarce in many places. They rely on critical minerals and rare elements, which are often mined unsustainably. And they use m assive amounts of electricity, spurring the emission of planet -warming greenhouse gases. “There is still much we don’t know about the impact of AI, but some of the data we do have is concerning,” said Golestan (Sally) Radwan, the Chief Digital Officer of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)*. *UNEP is focused on helping the world better navigate the environmental challenges of tomorrow .

4 Source B: From a news article published in June 2026 in The Straits Times. With technology accelerating radicalisation, the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) is building capabilities to understand how artificial intelligence and digital platforms affect individuals. Mr. Shanmugam, Singapore’s Home Affairs Minister, highlighted a 17-year-old youth had wanted to carry out a knife attack against non -Muslims in Tampines. Investigations showed he had used AI to prepare his attack manifesto and to generate a pledge of allegiance to militant group ISIS. Speaking to The Stra its Times, RRG’s secretary, Ustaz Mohamed Feisal Mohamed Hassan, said the organisation has responded to various extremist threats over the years and sought to keep up with the times, including advances in technology. On the AI front, he said RRG is engaging experts to understand the kind of threats that the technology poses to young people, and how it can be used by counsellors in their work. This is done through seminars on AI and its capabilities. Source C: From a news report published in November 2024 by CBS News, an American television and radio network, regarding the Kenyan workers employed in AI jobs. Wambalo, Nkunzimana and Gebrekidan were employed by SAMA, an American outsourcing company that hired for Meta and OpenAI. SAMA employed over 3,000 workers in Kenya. Documents reviewed show OpenAI agreed to pay SAMA $12.50 an hour per worker, much more than the $2 the workers actually got, though SAMA says what it paid is a fair wage for the region. Wambalo disagrees. "If the big tech companies are going to keep doing this business, they have to do it properly," he said. "It's not because you realize Kenya's a third -world country, you say, 'This job I would normally pay $30 in U.S., but because you are Kenya, $2 is enough for you.” Nkunzimana said he took the job because he has a family to feed. Berhane lived paycheck to paycheck, unable to save anything. She said she saw people who were fired for complaining. "We were walking on eggshells," she said. Source D: An online article published in July 2025 by SmartDev, a Vietnam -based tech hub, a leader in innovative IT solutions. In customer experience, AI is used to automate routine service interactions, analyse behaviour in real time, and deliver personalized recommendations across channels. While AI excels at speed and efficiency, over -automation risks alienating customers, especially in sensitive or complex interactions. Customers still expect empathy, understanding, and flexibility that only human agents can provide. Striking the right balance between digital convenience and human warmth is essential. Deploying AI without clear escalation paths to human support can degrade the customer experience. Brands must design hybrid interaction models where AI handles routine tasks, while humans intervene when emotional intelligence or critical thinking is required. This ensures automation enhances, rather than replaces, human connection.

5 Source E: An American cartoon published in September 2023 about the slow but steady robotization of human contacts. Source F: From an online article published in June 2026 in The Straits Times on AI and the seniors in ageing South Korea. Bang is one of many South Koreans battling loneliness in a country where birth rates are among the world’s lowest and almost half the population is 50 or older. The government is providing artificial intelligence care devices – some designed to detect signs of lonely deaths – to seniors living alone. Hyodol, the start -up behind the dolls of the same name, says around 14,500 are in use in South Korea, whether owned by individuals, rented out by governments or used in nursing homes. Oh Sun -hwa, a nurse who recommended the doll to Bang, said she had seen it significantly ease depression among seniors living alone. But she is also worried the technology could further reduce human contact, with family members potentially visiting less if they felt AI devices were caring for their parents. Artificial Intelligence University

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