1. A
2. D
3. A
4. A
5. B
1) April (½ mark) 250mm (½ mark) No unit, zero marks
A
2) 30°C – 25°C = 5°C (no working, ½ mark / No unit, zero marks)
A
State t .
3) 27+28+28+28+29+30+26+26+26+26+26+25 = 27.1°C
(no working, ½ mark / No unit, zero marks)
4) Tropical
5) Singapore/Malaysia/Brazil, etc.
Examiner’s Report:
This section was done fairly well. Students did not have many problems reading the climograph given that the legend clearly stated which graph represented the rainfall and temperature. The basic problems were that the students made mistakes while reading the graphs. Most students simply read off the graphs without using a ruler causing a discrepancy in the reading. Moreover, some students did not put down the unit (mm or °C) when answering which caused them to lose ½ mark. Although we did stress on the working to be shown, we did not minus marks if the workings were not shown. However, if workings were correct and the final answer was wrong, at least the students would get ½ mark for the question. However, if the entire answer is wrong, and no working is shown, he would simply get zero. Overall, this section was fairly well done.
SECTION C: MAPWORK [10 MARKS]
1) What is the grid square of the settlement southwest of Mt Totara? [1]
3482
2) Which direction is the Kea stream flowing towards? [1]
South / Southeast
3) Give the six-figure grid reference of the mosque. [1]
345823
4) What is the main religion of the people living in Pukeko? [1]
Christianity/Catholics
5) Calculate the actual distance of the main All Weather Road. [1]
15.5cm x 0.25km = 3.875km / 3.9km
6) Give the compass direction of Mt Totara from Lake Pukeko. [1]
Northeast
7) What is the settlement pattern of houses and staff quarters at Pukeko. [1]
Linear/Nucleated
8) What is the bearing of the church at Pukeko from the Jetty? [1]
70° (± 2°)
9) What is the highest peak found in this area? [1]
1600 metres
10) It is noted that most areas in Map X have fertile soil. What evidence can be found in this map to support this? [1]
This is due to volcanic ash. This can be seen from the crater that surrounds Lake Pokeko.
Examiner’s Report:
The map work section was done averagely well. Most students got at average of 7 to 8 over 10. The main problem was not that the students do not know how to read the map, but that many were in a hurry and made careless calculation errors along the way. The three questions which were not done well were questions 9 and 10. Question 9 required students to state the highest elevation in ‘this area’. Some students were confused with this question and stated the highest elevation for the entire map instead of the bounded area which they were supposed to refer to. Question 10 was also not well done as many students could only give one reason to why the area has fertile soil. Many could not give the answer regarding the flat relief and the crater nearby. This showed that students may have problems answering questions which require them to analyze and interpret the information from the map before answering the question.
SECTION D: STRUCTURED ESSAY QUESTIONS [60 MARKS]
Choose ANY 3 out of 4 the questions given. All your answers should be written on the writing paper provided.
1a) Define ‘physical environment’ and ‘human environment’ in the study of Geography. [2]
The
A physical environment consists of physical features that occur naturally on the Earth such as mountains, rivers and forests.[1]
A human environment refers to the features built or created by humans which involve the change of a physical environment to suit their needs. [1]
1b) Why is Singapore mainly considered a human environment? [2]
90% of the land area is under buildings, roads, and recreational parks.[1]
However, there are still some areas covered with physical environment such as Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve, etc. [1]
1c) Fig. 1A and 1B show two different types of housing.
Fig. 1A Fig. 1B
(i) Compare the different types of housing shown in Fig. 1A and 1B. [3]
- Difference in the type of material used. Fig. 1A shows housing made of natural
materials such as grass, branches & leaves while Fig. 1B shows a housing made
out of materials such as concrete/cement.
- Difference in the type of technology used. Fig. 1A uses simple technology of
manual labour to build the house while Fig. 1B uses advanced technology such as
machineries to build high rise housing.
- Difference in the permanency factor. Fig. 1A shows housing which is made out of
leaves and branches and is temporary feature as it is susceptible to bad weather
such as sand storms & rain. However, Fig. 1B shows housing which is permanent
as it is made out of strong materials which can withstand any type of weather.
½ mark just for listing (all answers must have elaboration)
(Accept any other plausible answers - 3 marks for any 3 points - MUST BE FOR MATERIAL, TECHNOLOGY and PERMANENCY)
(ii) How has the physical environment influenced the way the !Kung Bushmen gather food and water. [3]
- The !Kung Bushmen use ostrich eggs to store water.(water)
- The !Kung Bushmen gather wild fruits for food.(food)
- The !Kung Bushmen use materials such as sticks to make tools/weapons for hunting food.(food)
Fig. 2
(i) To what extent has the area in Fig. 2 been modified? Give reasons to support your
answer. [2]
Hu
There is a lot of modification to the physical environment as Fig 2. is now a human environment. (1 mark)
The roads and buildings in the foreground and background are all human features and hardly any components of the physical environment can be seen.
(ii) How can the human activities shown in Fig. 2 negatively affect the environment? [2]
The smoke from vehicles can pollute the air[1]
The rubbish generated by the town dwellers can also pollute rivers and land[1]
(iii) “Humans should modify the physical environment to meet their needs.” Do you agree?
Explain your answer with suitable examples. [6]
Yes I agree: Humans should modify the physical environment to meet their needs.
AGREE (POSITIVE)
Technology can fulfill the needs of the people.
- People can use technology to convert food and materials from all parts of the world to make their lives more comfortable.
- An example of an urban system is Singapore. People make use of the materials from the physical environment and build high- rise buildings. People live in permanent settlements.
- The use of technology has enabled humans to clear large tracts of forests, swamps, terrace highlands and reclaim land from the sea, to make way for human activities..
Transport can help people to travel from one place to another within less time.
- An urban system has well connected roads, expressways, highways for the smooth working of traffic.
- Efficient transport and communication have given rise to trade and commerce.
- In Singapore different items of trade have been imported and exported due to ideal location of port.
Hi-tech farming can overcome the shortage of food.
- In a human environment, people cultivate plants which look natural, high complex tools and heavy machinery have introduced hi-tech farming, which have increased the quality and quantity of crops.
- Singapore also uses hi-tech farming to become more self-sufficient in terms of food production.
No I disagree: Humans should not modify the physical environment to meet their need.
DISAGREE (NEGATIVE)
Pollution
- Human activities at times can damage the environment.
- Air may become polluted due to smoke emitted from vehicles and industries.
- Water may also become polluted due to the discharge of waste or chemicals into rivers, lakes and seas.
Global warming
- People cut down trees to clear forests for settlement have lead to environmental degradation like global warming and increased amount of the green house gases.
- The increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps heat on the earth, resulting in increasing global temperatures.
- As world temperature rises, world sea levels may rise also, leading to flooding of cities and towns.
Conclusion
Humans are dependent on the environment for their survival. Modifications to the
physical environment is required but at the same time humans need to take care of the
environment and use the resources responsibly so that the resources can be sustained
for the future generation.
LORMS Descriptors
LEVEL 1(1-2m) One sided argument.
No example.
No conclusion.
LEVEL 2(3-4m) Consider both sides - 1 advantages and 1 problem.
Uses at least 1 example for advantage and 1 for the problem.
Vague conclusion.
LEVEL 3(5-6m) Considers both sides - 2 advantages and 2 problems.
Uses at least 2 examples.
Provides a solution to the problem in conclusion.
Examiner’s Report:
This question was very disappointing as many students did not do very well. Question 1a and 1B which were about the definition of physical and human environment and why Singapore is a human environment was done quite well. Question 1c which showed the photo of two housing types was the one that students did very badly for. Students were not able to compare the two pictures well. Many gave reasons such as height of the building and number of people it can contain – reasons which are obviously from their background knowledge and not evident from the photos. Students also had to compare the pictures by using one factor (e.g.: technology). Instead, the students did not use the skills needed to compare. They would lump all the points in one paragraph and then do the same for the other picture. The marker would be expected to ‘search’ for the factors by him/herself. This is not the right was of answering a comparison question and many students lost marks due to this. Question 1d (i) and (ii) were also not well done as many students once again used background knowledge when answering this question instead of using evidence from the photo given. Many effects were superficial reasons given such as there is deforestation when they was no picture evidence of this. Students need to USE the evidence from the pictures when answering question that require them to interpret pictures. The last part of question 1, question 1d(iii) was the LORMS question and was very well done. Most students did manage to get all the points and were able to give a balanced reasoning on the modification of environment. Other than that, overall, Question 1 was done averagely well.
Fig. 3
(i) Name the parts of the river marked ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’. [2]
A: Tributaries
B: Mouth
C: C: Source
D: Watershed
(½ mark per answer)
(ii) Using evidence from Fig. 3, describe two uses of the river. [2]
Water for domestic use for housing (1 mark)
Water for irrigation for the farm areas nearby (1 mark)
Accept other plausible answers
2b) Fig. 4 shows the profile of the river from the upper course to the lower course.
Fig. 4
(i) The area at A – B is often densely populated. Suggest 2 possible problems that the
people living around the area may face. [2]
- The Area A – B is the lower course and people may face floodings during heavy water flow [1]
- This may cause damage to their crops and houses which would result in huge economic cost [1]
Accept other plausible answers
(ii) With reference to Fig. 4, describe the characteristics of the river at A – B, C – D and E – F. [3]
3 marks (1 mark each area: A – B, C – D and E – F)
• A – B: Gentle gradient/slope mark) – Floodplain: Low lying and flat area prone to floods (½ mark) / Speed of water is slow moving (½ mark)
• C – D: Average gradient/ slope (½ mark) – Meander: bends on the river course/ speed of water is generally fast moving. (½ mark)
• E – F: Steep gradient/ slope (½ mark) – Tributaries: smaller rivers that branches out from the main river/ Water flows very fast and can cut to form valleys. (½ mark)
(iii) Name the feature marked ‘X’ and describe how it is formed. [5]
The feature marked ‘X’ is a delta (1m) – compulsory for the first 1 mark
(4 marks for formation – 1 mark per point)
• At the river mouth, the river deposits its sediments into a lake or sea
• There, the sediments build up slowly and obstruct the flow of the river to the sea.
• When this happens, the river has to flow along alternative channels called distributaries.
• When layers of sediments have been deposited at the river mouth, a delta is formed
2c) It is often said that the ‘Aswan High Dam is a blessing for the Egyptians’. How far do you
agree with this statement? [6]
Advantage
• Steady supply of water all year round from the reservoir at the back of the dam helps farmers in irrigation.
• Availability of hydroelectric power as the Aswan High dam allows electricity o be generated from the flow of water. In 1992, Aswan High Dam provided more than half of Egypt’s electricity needs.
• Traveling along River Nile made easy as there is water all year round and boatmen do not have to face flooding as water is regulated through the dam
Disadvantage
• Loss of soil fertility as sediments are now trapped in the reservoir behind the Aswan High Dam and affects farmers who now have to buy chemical fertilizers (can link to ill effects of chemical fertilizers).
• Decrease in supply of fish as the nutrients deposited in the Nile delta decreases, the fishes have less nutrients. Also affects fishes in the Mediterranean Sea.
• Loss of land for farming as the amount of sediments reduced together with the amount of water. This also depletes the delta formation
LORMS Descriptors
LEVEL 1(1-2m) One sided argument.
No example.
No conclusion.
LEVEL 2(3-4m) Consider both sides - 1 advantages and 1 problem.
Uses at least 1 example for advantage and 1 for the problem.
Vague conclusion.
LEVEL 3(5-6m) Considers both sides - 2 advantages and 2 problems.
Uses at least 2 examples.
Provides a solution to the problem in conclusion.
Examiner’s Report:
This question was well done by students who had studied the rivers chapter well. The questions were not direct and needed the students to think through the answer before getting the full mark. Question 2a (i) and (ii) were well done as it just required students to get the answers from the diagrams. Question 2b (i) and (ii) were not well done as it was a bit difficult for the students to get all the 4 points to get the entire 2 marks. Therefore, most of them only got 1 mark or 1½ marks. Very few managed to get the full 2 marks. This shows that the students have problems with elaborating their answers. Question 2b (iii) was well done by students who had studied how to draw and describe the formation of a delta. It was a simple recall question and most students managed to get the full 5 marks. The last question, 2c was an easy LORMS question the Aswan High Dam which most students did well. The only problem was that students could not elaborate with exact examples which caused them to lose marks and fall in level 2.
3a) Study Fig. 5 and answer the following questions.
Fig. 5
(i) Identify which climate types can be found at the places marked A, B and C? [3]
1 mark per point
Point A: Polar climate
Point B: Temperate climate
Point C: Tropical / Equatorial climate
(ii) Explain the differences in temperature patterns in the three climate types. [3]
Point C is likely to experience warm temperatures around 28 degree all year round. [1]
Point B will see temperatures rises in the summer period and drop in the winter period.
Temperatures can range from -20 degree C in winter to 35 degree C in summer. [1]
Point A will have temperatures below 0 degree C all year around. [1]
(iii) Describe 2 positive effects of weather and climate on people. [2]
People are developing technology to generate electricity from natural sources like
sunlight and wind. These energy sources do not cause pollution. [1]
The different climate allows people to grow a large variety of crops for consumption. [1]
3b) Fig. 6 shows a plan of a school.
Fig. 6
(i) Define the term ‘precipitation’. [1]
The falling of condensed water vapour is called precipitation. Rainfall is the most
common type of precipitation [1]
(ii) Which site, A, B, C or D, is the most suitable location for placing a rain gauge? Explain your answer. [5]
The best site is D because it is an open area [1]. It is away from trees and buildings and
therefore the amount of rain collected is not affected. D is also on a grass patch It is
also easier to partially bury the rain gauge on a grass patch, so as to ensure that the
container is stable. [2]
Positions B and C are too close to trees and buildings. [1]
A is on a hard surface can cause splashes when the rain hits the ground, resulting in
more water entering the container and thus lead to inaccurate readings. [1]
3c) ‘Man depends on the climate for his survival’. How far do you agree with this statement?
[6]
Yes I agree:
Agriculture
- Climate affects both rainfall and amount of sunlight received.
- Farmers depend on the climate to grow and produce agricultural output yearly.
- Changes in climate, such the increase in global warming worldwide is starting to cause a global food shortage and will affect the world’s food output.
- Certain areas that practice seasonal farming (e.g.: strawberries, apples, etc.) depend largely on the different seasons to ensure a good crop growth for their survival.
Sources of energy
- In countries with good amount of sunlight all year round, people depend on sunlight for solar energy. One example is Singapore whereby many people use solar power for their daily needs.
- Countries with high wind power can also use wind energy to produce electricity.
- Some countries also use force of running water to generate electricity.
No I disagree:
Advancement in technology
- An increase in technology can now overcome any factor and climate is no longer very important in making decisions which affect man’s survival.
- This would include using fossil fuels to generate electricity and also being able to store energy harnessed for future use.
LORMS Descriptors
LEVEL 1(1-2m) One sided argument.
4a) The shaded areas in Fig. 7 shows the distribution of tropical rainforests.
Fig. 7
(i) With reference to Fig. 7, describe the distribution of tropical rainforests around the world. [2]
- Tropical rainforest located near the Equator between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn
- Tropical rainforests experience the equatorial climate and have high amount of rainfall and sunlight.
(ii) Explain two ways in which the plants in tropical rainforests adapt. [2]
1 mark per point
- Buttress roots – very big roots to support the plant which can grow up to 50 meters in height.
- Leaves with drip tips to allow water to flow off quickly. Waxy and smooth surface to allow water to flow off due to high rainfall.
- Leaves broad to absorb more sunlight
4b) Fig. 8 (Insert on page 14) shows the profile of a tropical rainforest.
(i) Add labels to Fig. 8 (Insert) to describe the main features and the 3 distinct layers of the tropical rainforest. [5]
Emergent- Very tall trees, about 40-50 meters in height which rise above the others for sunlight.[1]
Canopy- Crown of trees interlock to form a continuous leaf cover called canopy.[1]
Undergrowth- A sparse layer due to lack of sunlight. Includes mosses, fungi, grass, ferns etc.[1]
(4c) Compare the characteristics of the temperate deciduous forest and temperate coniferous
forest. [5]
(1 mark per point – no marks if the student writes coniferous forest is ….. while deciduous forest is not)
(At least 1 similarity and 4 differences – must COMPARE)
Similarities
• Both have trees which can thrive below zero degree Celsius
• Both are found in continents like North America, Europe and Australia/Oceania
Differences
• Deciduous forest have three layers while coniferous forest has only one
• Colour of leaves for deciduous trees changes with season, This is because the production of chlorophyll in the leaves starts to lessen as is gets cooler and eventually stops as the leaves are shed during autumn. However, coniferous trees are evergreen plants which adapt to the cool climate by having ‘cone’ shaped trees which allow the snow to slide down.
• Deciduous trees have broad leaves which have a large surface area. To minimize loss of water during transpiration, these trees shed leaves during winter. While coniferous trees have needle like leaves which have very small surface area – water loss is minimized during winter.
• Deciduous trees shed leaves in autumn as precipitation decreases during winter months but coniferous trees do not shed leaves at all as they adapt to the environment.
• Three or four variety of trees dominate the forest for deciduous (sycamore, oak, maple) while only one variety of tree is present in coniferous forest (fir or pine)
• Deciduous forest has abundant undergrowth with shrubs, grasses, mosses and ferns but coniferous forest has little/sparse undergrowth with lichen and mosses.
Any 5 points for 5 marks
(4d) The Tropical Rain Forest in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve should be preserved.” Do you agree? [6]
Yes I agree the Tropical Rain Forest in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve should be preserved.
BENEFITS
DIVERSE SPECIES OF TREES AND ANIMALS
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve occupies 164 hectares.
There is a rich diversity of trees and plants.
It is currently home to more than 800 flowering plants and 500 species of animals.
RECREATION AND RESEARCH
Tropical rainforest is used for recreation and research. It is an area for people to come and take in the fresh air and to take walks. At the same time, scientists use the nature reserve to carry out their research on the hundreds of species of tropical plants and trees.
SOURCE OF FRESH AIR
The rainforest areas in Singapore act like green “lungs”. They absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen during photosynthesis, thus supporting the renewable of air in highly urbanized Singapore.
CATCHMENT AREAS
MacRitchie, Peirce (upper & lower) and Seletar reservoirs are preserved by the dense growth of forest. The rainwater is stored in these reservoirs.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Some plants in the rainforest have medicinal properties that can cure colds, insect bites, etc.
No I disagree this rainforest should not be preserved.
PROBLEMS
SHORTAGE OF LAND
Land is particularly short supply in Singapore and housing, infrastructure, water catchment and military needs compete strongly with recreational and conservation interests.
BREEDING GROUND OF HARMFUL INSECTS
LORMS Descriptors
LEVEL 1(1-2m) One sided argument.
No example.
No conclusion.
LEVEL 2(3-4m) Consider both sides - 1 advantages and 1 problem.
Uses at least 1 example for advantage and 1 for the problem.
Vague conclusion
LEVEL 3(5-6m) Considers both sides - 2 advantages and 2 problems.
Uses at least 2 examples.
Provides a solution to the problem in conclusion.
Examiner’s Report:
This question was very simple, however, students did not do as well as expected. Firstly, question 4a was a very simple question which required students to simply state the areas where tropical rainforest would survive. Sadly, many students interpreted the question in every other way except the correct manner. Only very few very able to give the right answer. Many wrote in lengths about the climate-vegetation relationship but did not link it to tropical rainforests. The second question, 4b was very simple but the question had required the students to describe the different layers. There were quite a handful of students who simply listed the 3 layers instead of describing and therefore lost a lot of marks. Question 4c was well done by most students who had studied the TCF and TDF. However, the two main problems were lack of elaboration and secondly, some students lumped all the information on TCF and TDF in two separate paragraphs without comparing the two only got ½ mark over 5 marks for this question. Lastly, question 4d the LORMS question was very well done as this was an exercise students had practiced many times in class and there was a lot of content especially in the textbook on BTNR so students did not have much problems going up to level 3.
No example.
No conclusion.
LEVEL 2(3-4m) Consider both sides - 1 advantages and 1 problem.
Uses at least 1 example for advantage and 1 for the problem.
Vague conclusion
LEVEL 3(5-6m) Considers both sides - 2 advantages and 2 problems.
Uses at least 2 examples.
Provides a solution to the problem in conclusion.
Examiner’s Report:
This question was not well handled by students who chose this option and very few students chose to do this question. Students did not have problems handling question 3a(i) and 3b(i) if they had studied as it was a simple recall question. However, most of them scored zero for 3a(ii) as it required them o link the diagram into answering their question. Most students simply left the latitudes out when answering about the temperatures. Some students did have problems trying to answer the question on the 3b (ii) as it was a question they had to analyze the data. Students did not elaborate well and therefore only scored a maximum 2 marks out of the 5. The LORMS question was also quite difficult and students had to think out of the box to come up with examples to back their answers. Due to this, many of them scored a maximum of level 2. Thus, this was a question not very well done.
No comments:
Post a Comment