How Storage & Retrieval Have Changed

CAPE IT · UNIT 2 · MODULE 1 · OBJ. 2
Step 1 of 5
EXPLORE IN 3D

Storage media in 3D

Compare the capacity of storage media from punch cards to the cloud.

REVISION · PAST-PAPER PRACTICE

Test yourself

Multiple-choice items in Paper 1 style and structured questions in Paper 2 style, adapted from CAPE Information Technology Unit 2 past papers. Your score and answers are saved on this device. When you have finished, submit them to your teacher at the end of this section.

MCQ best –Structured –

Paper 1 practice · 8 multiple-choice items

Choose one answer for each item, then check. Aim for 80% or better.

Adapted from CAPE U2 P1 2019 Item 8; 2020 Item 12; 2024 Item 22
1. A drama club wants to record a two-hour performance once and then play it back many times. Which disc holds the MOST data and is write-once, read-many?
Answer: A. DVD+R (and DVD-R) can be written once and read many times, and a DVD holds far more than a CD. ‘RW’ discs are rewritable; a CD-ROM cannot be written by the user.
Adapted from CAPE U2 P1 2022 Item 1
2. Which of the following storage media has the SMALLEST capacity?
Answer: B. A 3½″ floppy held about 1.44 MB, far less than a CD (about 700 MB), a flash drive or a hard disk.
Adapted from CAPE U2 P1 2024 Item 12
3. Which list places these storage devices in the order they were developed, earliest first?
Answer: C. Hard disk (1956), floppy disk (1971), CD-ROM (1980s), USB flash drive (about 2000).
EduTech practice item · Module 1 Obj. 2
4. Which storage medium allows ONLY sequential access to data?
Answer: D. Tape must be wound past earlier data to reach later data. Disks and flash memory allow direct (random) access.
EduTech practice item · Module 1 Obj. 2
5. Blu-ray discs hold more data than DVDs mainly because they
Answer: B. The shorter wavelength focuses to a smaller spot, allowing smaller pits and more data on the same size disc.
EduTech practice item · Module 1 Obj. 2
6. Which statement BEST describes how stored data FORMATS have changed over time?
Answer: A. Storage began with text on paper and punched media; today’s media hold sound, images and video.
EduTech practice item · Module 1 Obj. 2
7. A photographer saves pictures as JPEG files so that more fit on a memory card. This is an example of
Answer: B. JPEG throws away detail the eye barely notices (lossy) to make files much smaller.
EduTech practice item · Module 1 Obj. 2 (cloud tested in CAPE U2 P2 2024 Q3(c))
8. Which is the MAIN advantage of cloud storage over a local hard disk?
Answer: C. Cloud storage is accessible anywhere and scalable, but it depends on an Internet connection and brings security concerns.

Paper 2 practice · structured questions (18 marks)

Write a full answer to each part, then show the mark scheme and tick every point you earned. Marks for a part are capped at its maximum. Mark schemes are EduTech’s own; CXC does not publish them.

EduTech practice question in Paper 2 style · Module 1 Obj. 2

Question 1 [10 marks]

A newspaper has stored its archive on punched cards, magnetic tape, CDs and, today, cloud servers.

(a) Describe how the storage and retrieval of data has changed in terms of (i) format, (ii) volume and (iii) speed of access. [6]

MARK SCHEME (a) · max 6

(b) Compare sequential access and direct access, giving an example of a medium that uses each. [4]

MARK SCHEME (b) · max 4
EduTech practice question in Paper 2 style · Module 1 Obj. 2 (cloud storage: CAPE U2 P2 2024 Q3(c)(ii))

Question 2 [8 marks]

The newspaper plans to move its CD archive to cloud storage.

(a) State TWO advantages and TWO disadvantages of cloud storage for the newspaper. [4]

MARK SCHEME (a) · max 4

(b) Explain the difference between lossless and lossy compression, giving an example of a file type for each. [4]

MARK SCHEME (b) · max 4

Submit to your teacher

Send your multiple-choice choices and written answers to your teacher for marking. Your teacher will also see whether you opened the mark scheme or checked your answers before submitting. You can submit again if you improve your answers.

Items are adapted from CAPE® Information Technology Unit 2 Papers 01 and 02 (2019–2026) for practice. © Caribbean Examinations Council for the original papers.