Secondary 4 Geography Preliminary Examination Paper 4

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Geography Secondary 4

Answer Key and Marking Scheme

Version 4 of 5

Section A: Map and Photograph Interpretation

1. Map Interpretation (a) Grid Reference: 4582 (or specific grid ref from insert, e.g., 452823). [1]

• Marking Note: Accept 4-figure or 6-figure if precise. Must be Easting then Northing.

(b) Relief Description:

• The land is steep/hilly. [1]
• Contour lines are close together / Height increases from Xm to Ym. [1]
• Marking Note: Must refer to contour spacing or specific heights.

(c) Distance Measurement:

• Measurement on map: e.g., 4.2 cm. [1]
• Conversion to km: e.g., 4.2 km (assuming 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 scale as per insert). [1]
• Marking Note: Allow ±1mm tolerance. Correct unit (km) required.

(d) Settlement Location:

• Located on flat land (contours far apart) suitable for building. [1]
• Close to water source/river/coast for transport or resources. [1]
• Protected from prevailing winds/high ground nearby. [1]
• Marking Note: Answers must reference map evidence (e.g., "flat land at grid 4483").

2. Photograph Interpretation (a) Structure: Sea wall / Revetment / Groynes. [1]

• Marking Note: Must match visual evidence in Photograph A.

(b) Features:

• Made of concrete/stone/wood. [1]
• Angled/slanted to break wave energy / Perpendicular to shore. [1]

(c) Advantage/Disadvantage:

• Advantage: Effective at stopping erosion immediately / Protects infrastructure behind it. [2]
• Disadvantage: Expensive to build/maintain / Unsightly / Causes erosion downstream (terminal groyne syndrome). [2]
• Marking Note: 2 marks for clear explanation of each.

Section B: Graph Construction and Interpretation

3. Rainfall Data (a) Range: 250mm - 90mm = 160mm. [1]

• Marking Note: Correct calculation.

(b) Graph Plotting:

• Points plotted correctly for all 12 months. [2]
• Points joined with a ruled line (not freehand). [1]
• Marking Note: Deduct 1 mark for each incorrect plot. Max 3 marks.

(c) Trend Description:

• Rainfall decreases steadily from January (240mm) to July (90mm). [1]
• The rate of decrease is consistent / sharpest between Jan-Feb. [1]

4. Energy Data (a) Angle Calculation:

• Working: $45/100 \times 360$. [1]
• Answer: $162^\circ$. [1]

(b) Pie Chart:

• Coal sector ($162^\circ$) drawn accurately. [1]
• Other sectors drawn proportionally. [1]
• Labels/Legend included. [1]

(c) Sustainability Evaluation:

• High reliance on Coal (45%) is unsustainable due to high CO2 emissions. [1]
• Renewable sources (Solar/Wind) are only 10%, which is low. [1]
• Mix is not sustainable; needs shift to renewables to reduce carbon footprint. [1]

Section C: Data Analysis and Fieldwork Skills

5. Fieldwork Methods (a) Hypothesis: The beach slope angle decreases/increases as you move from high to low tide mark. [1]

(b) Sampling Technique:

• Systematic sampling is needed to show the change across the profile. [1]
• Random sampling might miss key changes in slope or create gaps in data. [1]

(c) Relationship Description:

• As distance from high tide mark increases, the slope angle decreases/increases. [1]
• There is a negative/positive correlation. [1]

6. Scatter Graph (a) Correlation: Negative correlation. [1]

• Marking Note: As distance increases, land value decreases.

(b) Anomaly Reason:

• Presence of a shopping mall / transport hub / industrial park at that location. [1]
• This increases land value despite the distance from CBD. [1]

(c) Explanation of Land Value:

• Bid rent theory: Highest land value at CBD due to accessibility and competition. [1]
• As distance increases, accessibility decreases. [1]
• Demand for land decreases, lowering price. [1]

7. Climate Graph (Singapore) (a) Avg Temp: Approx $27^\circ\text{C}$ - $28^\circ\text{C}$. [1]

(b) Temp Variation:

• Located near the Equator (low latitude). [1]
• Receives consistent high solar insolation year-round. [1]

(c) Rainfall Peaks:

• Caused by the Inter-Monsoon periods. [1]
• Convergence of winds / ITCZ overhead leads to convectional rainfall. [1]
• Sumatra Squalls may also contribute. [1]

Section D: Synthesis and Evaluation

8. Tourism and Environment (a) Trend:

• Tourist arrivals increased steadily from 2010 to 2019. [1]
• Sharp drop in 2020 (due to pandemic). [1]

(b) Percentage Increase:

• Working: $(750 - 500) / 500 \times 100$. [1]
• Answer: $50\%$. [1]

(c) Evaluation:

• Agree: Data shows emissions rose with tourists; infrastructure strain, waste, pollution. [2]
• Disagree: Tourism can fund conservation (eco-tourism); emissions can be managed via green tech. [1]
• Conclusion: Depends on management; not "always" degradation if sustainable practices are used. [1]

9. Industrial Site (a) Physical Factors:

• Flat land (easy to build). [1]
• Near river/coast (water supply/transport). [1]

(b) Conflict:

• Noise/Air pollution affecting residents. [1]
• Increased traffic congestion. [1]

(c) Mitigation:

• Planting trees as a buffer zone. [1]
• Strict operating hours / Noise barriers. [1]

10. HDI and Carbon Footprint (a) Relationship:

• Generally, higher HDI (lower rank number) correlates with higher carbon footprint. [1]
• Country A has highest HDI and highest footprint; Country C has lowest HDI and footprint. [1]

(b) Country C Low Footprint:

• Low level of industrialization. [1]
• Limited access to energy/consumer goods. [1]

(c) Challenge for Country B:

• Economic growth (improving HDI) usually requires more energy/industry, raising emissions. [1]
• Difficult to decouple growth from carbon without expensive green technology. [1]
• Needs international support/technology transfer to develop sustainably. [1]

END OF MARKING SCHEME