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A Level H1 Geography Practice Paper 4

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TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Geography H1 A-Level

TuitionGoWhere Exam Practice (AI)
Subject: Geography H1
Level: A-Level
Paper: Practice Paper (Version 4 of 5)
Duration: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Total Marks: 60
Name: __________________________
Class: __________________________
Date: __________________________

Instructions to Candidates

Answer all questions.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
You are advised to spend approximately 45 minutes on Section A and 45 minutes on Section B.
An insert containing Resources 1–4 is provided for Section A.

Section A: Source-Based Questions (30 Marks)

Study the Resources 1–4 in the Insert before answering the questions.

Resource 1: Graph showing the change in service provision (access to piped water and sanitation) in selected informal settlements in Lagos, Nigeria (2010–2020).
Resource 2: Photograph of a "slum upgrading" project in Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Resource 3: Table comparing carbon emissions per capita and renewable energy adoption rates in Singapore, Germany, and India (2022).
Resource 4: Map showing the spatial distribution of flood risk zones in Jakarta, Indonesia, overlaid with land-use types.

1. Account for the changes in service provision in the informal settlements of Lagos as shown in Resource 1. [5]

2. Explain the characteristics of the urban environment shown in Resource 2. [5]

3. Evaluate the usefulness of Resource 3 and Resource 4 in helping to understand the challenges of achieving sustainable urban development in rapidly growing cities. [8]

4. A group of 18-year-old students from a Singapore school conducted an investigation into the liveability of different neighbourhoods. They used a survey to assess residents' perception of safety and access to green spaces.
Explain how the students could minimise the impact of their investigation on the local community while ensuring data reliability. [4]

5. With reference to Resource 4, explain how land-use changes in Jakarta have influenced the hydrological processes within the drainage basin. [8]

Section B: Structured and Essay Questions (30 Marks)

6. "Slums are the greatest impediment confronting cities in achieving sustainable urban development."
How far do you agree with this statement? [15]

<br...... *(Space reserved for student response)*

7. Assess the success of strategies used to mitigate the impacts of climate change in a named city you have studied. [15]

End of Paper

Answers

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Geography H1 A-Level (Answer Key)

Paper: Practice Paper (Version 4 of 5)
Topic: Resources Sustainability

Section A: Source-Based Questions

1. Account for the changes in service provision in the informal settlements of Lagos as shown in Resource 1. [5]

Marking Guidance:
- Identification of Changes (2 marks): Candidates must identify specific trends from the graph (e.g., "Access to piped water increased from 40% in 2010 to 65% in 2020," or "Sanitation access improved more slowly than water access").
- Explanation of Causes (3 marks): Candidates must explain why these changes occurred.
  - Government/NGO Intervention: Investment in infrastructure projects or slum upgrading programmes.
  - Community Action: Self-help groups pooling resources to install local water points.
  - Economic Growth: Rising incomes allowing residents to pay for private connections.
  - Population Pressure: High density making centralized service provision more economically viable for providers.
- Note: Answers that only describe the graph without explaining the causes will be capped at 2 marks.

2. Explain the characteristics of the urban environment shown in Resource 2. [5]

Marking Guidance:
- Candidates should identify 3–4 distinct characteristics visible in the photograph and explain what they indicate about the settlement.
- High Density/Overcrowding: Buildings are closely packed with little space between them. Explanation: Result of rapid rural-urban migration and lack of affordable formal housing.
- Informal Construction/Materials: Use of mixed materials (brick, corrugated iron, wood). Explanation: Indicates self-built housing due to poverty and lack of building regulations.
- Steep Topography: Settlement built on a hillside. Explanation: Occupying marginal land that is less desirable for formal development, increasing risk of landslides.
- Limited Infrastructure: Narrow, unpaved pathways; visible wiring. Explanation: Lack of formal planning and municipal service provision.
- Award 1 mark for identification + 1 mark for explanation per point, up to 5 marks.

3. Evaluate the usefulness of Resource 3 and Resource 4 in helping to understand the challenges of achieving sustainable urban development in rapidly growing cities. [8]

Marking Guidance:
- Usefulness of Resource 3 (3 marks):
  - Strengths: Provides quantitative data on carbon emissions and renewable energy, allowing comparison between developed (Singapore, Germany) and developing (India) contexts. Highlights the trade-off between economic development and environmental sustainability.
  - Limitations: National-level data may mask intra-urban variations (e.g., slums vs. CBD). Does not show social sustainability aspects (equity, liveability). Snapshot data (2022) does not show trends over time.
- Usefulness of Resource 4 (3 marks):
  - Strengths: Shows spatial relationship between land use (urbanization) and physical risk (flooding). Helps visualize the impact of impermeable surfaces on hydrological processes. Specific to Jakarta, providing a concrete case study of environmental challenge.
  - Limitations: Static map; does not show temporal changes or future projections. Does not indicate the socio-economic vulnerability of populations in these zones. Lacks data on mitigation strategies already in place.
- Overall Evaluation (2 marks):
  - Combined, the resources offer a multi-dimensional view: Resource 3 addresses the global/climate dimension (mitigation), while Resource 4 addresses the local/environmental dimension (adaptation/risk).
  - However, both lack social data (poverty, governance, community resilience), which is crucial for a holistic understanding of "sustainable development." Therefore, they are useful but limited without supplementary qualitative data.

4. Explain how the students could minimise the impact of their investigation on the local community while ensuring data reliability. [4]

Marking Guidance:
- Minimising Impact (2 marks):
  - Timing: Conduct surveys during non-peak hours to avoid disrupting daily routines or traffic.
  - Sample Size/Method: Use small, discreet groups rather than large crowds; use digital surveys to reduce paper waste and interaction time.
  - Ethics: Obtain informed consent; ensure anonymity to protect privacy; avoid sensitive areas or private properties without permission.
- Ensuring Reliability (2 marks):
  - Standardization: Use identical questionnaires for all respondents to ensure comparability.
  - Sampling Strategy: Use systematic or random sampling to avoid bias, rather than just asking willing participants.
  - Pilot Study: Test the survey beforehand to clarify ambiguous questions.
- Note: Answers must link the method to both impact minimization and reliability.

5. With reference to Resource 4, explain how land-use changes in Jakarta have influenced the hydrological processes within the drainage basin. [8]

Marking Guidance:
- Candidates must link specific land-use changes shown in the map (e.g., expansion of residential/commercial zones into green belts) to hydrological processes.
- Increased Surface Runoff (2 marks): Replacement of permeable soil/vegetation with impermeable concrete/asphalt reduces infiltration. This leads to higher volume and velocity of surface runoff during rainfall events.
- Reduced Interception and Evapotranspiration (2 marks): Removal of trees and vegetation reduces the amount of rainfall intercepted by leaves and water lost to the atmosphere via transpiration. More water reaches the ground surface directly.
- Reduced Infiltration and Groundwater Recharge (2 marks): Impermeable surfaces prevent water from soaking into the ground. This lowers the water table and reduces base flow in rivers during dry periods, while increasing flood peaks during wet periods.
- Channel Modification/Drainage Issues (2 marks): Urbanization often involves straightening or culverting natural streams to make way for buildings. This speeds up water flow, reducing lag time and increasing flood risk downstream. Reference to the "flood risk zones" in Resource 4 supports this.
- Award marks for clear explanation of the process chain: Land Use Change → Hydrological Process Change → Outcome (Flood Risk).

Section B: Structured and Essay Questions

6. "Slums are the greatest impediment confronting cities in achieving sustainable urban development." How far do you agree with this statement? [15]

Marking Framework:
- Level 1 (1–5 marks): Basic description of slums. Simple agreement or disagreement without detailed reasoning. Limited or no case study evidence.
- Level 2 (6–10 marks): Recognizes slums as a challenge (e.g., poor sanitation, overcrowding). May acknowledge some positive aspects (affordable housing). Uses some case study examples but lacks depth in evaluation. Argument may be one-sided.
- Level 3 (11–15 marks): Balanced evaluation. Acknowledges slums as a symptom of broader systemic failures (rapid urbanization, inequality, lack of planning) rather than the sole "impediment." Discusses the role of slums in providing affordable housing and labor for the city (economic sustainability). Evaluates strategies (upgrading vs. clearance). Uses specific, well-integrated case studies (e.g., Dharavi in Mumbai, Kibera in Nairobi, or Favelas in Rio). Clear conclusion on "how far" the statement is valid.
Indicative Content:
- Arguments for Agreement: Slums often lack basic services (water, sanitation, waste management), leading to health hazards and environmental degradation. High density and poor construction increase vulnerability to disasters (fire, floods). Informal land tenure hinders investment in infrastructure.
- Arguments against Agreement (Slums as Solution/Resilience): Slums provide affordable housing for low-income workers essential to the city's economy. They exhibit strong social capital and community networks. They are often more resource-efficient (recycling, walking) than sprawling formal suburbs. The "impediment" is often poor governance and lack of inclusive planning, not the slums themselves.
- Other Impediments: Corruption, lack of funding, rapid population growth, climate change impacts, and political instability may be greater impediments than the existence of slums per se.
- Conclusion: Slums are a significant challenge, but labeling them the "greatest impediment" ignores their functional role in urban systems and the broader structural issues causing their formation. Sustainable development requires integrating slums, not just viewing them as obstacles.

7. Assess the success of strategies used to mitigate the impacts of climate change in a named city you have studied. [15]

Marking Framework:
- Level 1 (1–5 marks): Describes climate change impacts or lists strategies without evaluation. Little or no reference to a specific city.
- Level 2 (6–10 marks): Describes specific strategies in a named city (e.g., Singapore, London, New York). Some assessment of success (e.g., "it reduced flooding"). May lack balance (only positive or only negative). Limited use of data/evidence.
- Level 3 (11–15 marks): Detailed assessment of multiple strategies (mitigation and/or adaptation) in a specific city. Evaluates success based on criteria (effectiveness, cost, equity, sustainability). Acknowledges limitations or unintended consequences. Uses specific data/case study details (e.g., Singapore's ABC Waters Programme, green building standards, carbon tax). Clear, justified conclusion on the overall success.
Indicative Content (Example: Singapore):
- Strategy 1: Green Building and Urban Greening. Success: Reduced urban heat island effect, lower energy consumption. Evidence: Green Mark Scheme, Skyrise Greenery. Limitation: High maintenance costs, limited impact on overall national carbon footprint compared to industrial sectors.
- Strategy 2: Water Management (ABC Waters). Success: Enhanced flood resilience, improved liveability, water security (NEWater). Evidence: Integration of drains with parks. Limitation: High infrastructure cost, requires continuous technological investment.
- Strategy 3: Carbon Pricing/Tax. Success: Signals market to reduce emissions. Limitation: Tax rate may be too low to drive significant behavioral change initially; impact on cost of living.
- Overall Assessment: Strategies have been highly successful in adaptation (flood/water security) and improving liveability. Mitigation (carbon reduction) is progressing but faces challenges due to energy needs and land constraints. Success is context-specific: highly effective for a city-state with strong governance, but may not be replicable in less wealthy cities.