CBSS 2204/2Combined Humanities

Elective Geography2016 MYE

Answer Scheme

(a) Using the data in Table 1, draw a graph to present the origin of the tourists visiting Chinatown, on the graph paper provided.

[3]

Title: Origin of tourists visiting Chinatown

Title: 1m Labelled Axis: 1m Correct data presented: 1m

02468

1012141618

Australia China Japan USA Malaysia Others

Origin of Tourist

No. of Tourists

(b) One student thought that the age of tourists may be linked to the length of stay in Singapore. State a suitable hypothesis to test this idea, and explain how it can be tested.

[4] E.g. Tourists with older age tend to stay longer in Singapore. OR

E.g. The length of stay in Singapore increases with the age of tourists becoming more elderly. (1m) Use of scatter graph (1m) to show relationship between the two sets of

data and a best fit graph to show positive correlation (1m). Axis of graph – length of stay & age of tourists (1m) (Accept any other logical answers)

(c) Study the land-use map of Smith Street shown in Fig. 1A, and justify the accuracy of the data collected in Table 1 about the main reason why the tourists are visiting Chinatown.

[2] Majority of the tourists indicated the main reason for visiting Chinatown

is the cultural atmosphere. The land-use map shows evidence of an Opera House and Chinese

Theatre.

(d) (i) Figure 1B is a sample of the questionnaire used by the students. What is the type of questions used in the questionnaire?

[1]

The use of survey forms with close-ended questions [1]

(ii) Highlight one possible inaccuracy that may result from the use of such a questionnaire. Suggest and explain what can be done to improve it.

[3]

The use of such a questionnaire may restrict the answers given by tourists. (1m) OR

The disadvantage is that respondents are required to choose a response that does not exactly reflect their answer. OR

The options may not truly represent the reasons of the tourists for visiting Chinatown. OR

Data for 8-9 days are not indicated. (1m for inaccuracy) Suggest the use of open-ended questions (1m) for the question on

the reasons for visiting Chinatown. This would allow participants to respond to the questions exactly as

how they would like to answer them; the researcher can investigate the meaning of the responses

(2m for ways to improve + explanation)

2 A group of students carried out a fieldwork study on temperature and wind speed in their school. Table 2 shows the data they collected over four days.

(a) Identify the two weather instruments that the students used to obtain the readings shown in Table 2.

[2]

Temperature: Minimum and Maximum Thermometer/ Six’s Thermometer [1]

Wind speed: Anemometer [1]

(b) Describe the steps the students must do to ensure that the readings are accurate.

[4]

Temperature: Do not take reading in direct sunlight Thermometers should not be placed directly on the ground *Repeat reading and take average Wind speed: Avoid sheltered area Stand in an open area where the wind flows freely Hold up the anemometer *Repeat reading and take average Max 2 marks each for temperature and wind speed.

(c) The students think that there is a relationship between temperature and wind speed. State a suitable hypothesis to test this idea.

[2]

As temperature increases, wind speed increases. OR The higher the temperature, the faster the wind speed

(d) Using the information provided in Table 2, plot a scatter graph showing clearly the relationship between the mean temperature (x-axis) and mean wind speed (y-axis), on the graph paper provided.

[3] Title: Relationship between Temperature and Wind Speed

Appropriate title included Axes distributed 2 components on X and Y axis + labelled correctly Temperature and wind speed graphs plotted and sketched accurately

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

27 28 29 30 31 32

Mea

n W

ind

Spee

d (k

m/h

)

Mean Temperature (°C)

(e) Suggest ways in which the students can improve on their fieldwork investigation.

[2]

They could have collected the data a few times a day. (1m) They should be consistent in their timing of data collection. (1m)

3 (a) Explain how destination factors have helped increase global tourist numbers in the past decade.

[4]

Attractions More unique and interesting attractions are now available to

attract tourists [1] E.g. The Burj Al Arab in Dubai, a ‘seven star’ luxury hotel built on

artificial island and the Palms island, the world’s largest artificial islands for high-end residential, leisure and entertainment facilities [1]

Investment in infrastructure and services With better and more infrastructure like better airports and road

systems in a country, tourists will be more attracted to visit the country as it meets their needs [1]

E.g. Large airports like in Changi Airport in Singapore with a variety of facilities can accommodate a large number of tourists [1]

Access to information in destination country. The ease of obtaining information at the destination country

attracts people to travel to the country as it makes travelling more convenient for them [1]

E.g. Having signboards in different languages enable tourists from different countries to understand what is shown [1]

Accept any 2 factors, award up to 2m per factor.

(b) ‘Visitors have a more crucial role to play than tour operators in minimizing the impact of tourism on the environment.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer with reference to examples.

[8] Agree to a small extent as both roles are important, together with roles

of the local community and the government Visitors Tourists have the responsibility to respect the local environment and

population of the place they are visiting. Tourists must also be educated and informed with adequate

knowledge of the local communities and observe and respect local etiquette.

They should not intrude or interfere with the local socio-cultural environment and show great sensitivity to local customs and traditions.

As such, tourist should not exploit locals or attempts to bring their own lifestyle into the local community.

In addition, visitors should observe and adhere to regulations, information brochures, fencing barriers and signs. These measures can all help to conserve and preserve the integrity of tourist areas, especially the physical environment.

E.g. in a report in 2007, the Tourism Sustainability Group, set up by the European Commission encouraged tourists to select their holiday destinations based on the conservation efforts of the place. Tourists can do so by making informed choices about their carbon footprint, type of accommodation and their travelling habits and preferences. By doing so, tourists can help to fund conservation projects, provide employment and income opportunities for locals.

However, tourists may not cooperate and exhibit undesirable behaviour that can damage a tourist attraction. Examples of such behaviour include trampling, vandalism and littering.

Also, large numbers of tourists can cause permanent damage to the environment, so these do not help to minimize the impact of tourism on the environment.

Tour Operators Tour operators on the other hand, may belong to particular

associations that are concerned with conserving and protecting certain tourist sites. This is because fewer tourists would want to visit a degraded environment.

E.g. Phuket Alternative Tours (PAT), which was set up in Phuket in 2006. Tour operators who want to operate under PAT need to sign an Environmental and Cultural Code of Practice which commits them to adhere to some guidelines such as: Operate in an environmentally sustainable way, seek to enhance the natural environment and the way the industry uses it and create awareness about environmental conservation for visitors to Phuket.

However, tour operators are ultimately businesses and need to remain profitable. Their need to generate income can sometimes cause tour operators to be in conflict with other stakeholders

4 (a) Study Fig. 2, which shows the temperature and location of Dallas and San Diego.

With reference to Fig. 2, compare and account for the difference in temperature between San Diego and Dallas.

[4]

Compare: Similarity -- Mean annual temperature: SD - 21°C, Dallas - 18°C Difference -- Annual temperature range: SD - 3°C, Dallas - 2°C Answer must include similarities and difference for full 2m 1m per point, Max. 2m Account: San Diego experiences maritime effect while Dallas experiences continental effect (1m) June – October

SD: Air over the sea is cooler than air over land (because land heats up quickly while sea heats up slowly). Cold air over the sea helps lower temperatures of coastal areas.

Dallas: Air over land heats up intensely causing high temperatures (>27°C). Temperature is not affected by the sea.

OR October – May

SD: Air over the sea remains warmer than air over land. Warmer air over the sea helps to increase temperatures of coastal areas.

Dallas: Air over land loses heat easily causing lower temperatures (~5 oC)

1m per point, Max. 2m Total max 4m

(b) ‘Tourism always results in negative impacts on the environment.’ Do you agree with this statement? Support your answer with relevant examples.

[8] I do not agree that tourism always results in negative impacts on the

environment. However, there are more negative impacts to positive ones. Positive impact: Conservation of natural environments Funding provided by tourism helps to conserve environments such

as coral reefs, rainforests and mountainous areas. Revenue from entrance fees to national parks and diving sites, or even levies on nearby accommodations can be used to help protect and conserve the environment.

For example, the Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah, Malaysia, partly relies on visitor entry fees to pay its staff. The staff help rehabilitate orang-utans that have been orphaned or injured.

Negative impacts: Increased congestion Large numbers of tourists can cause overcrowding in areas close to

popular attractions. Due to the large crowd, tourist shops and accommodations can cluster near such areas and make them even more congested.

This often causes vehicular and pedestrian traffic to become congested as well.

For example, in Rome, Italy, many older walkways and narrow streets are filled with tourists.

Vandalism Cultural, historical or natural sites may be vandalized by individuals

or developers. For example, the thousands of stones and bricks of the Great Wall of

China, which is visited by about 10 million tourists a year, are covered with graffiti.

Pollution and littering Pollution and litter from tourists have become a major problem. Authorities sometimes fail to implement measures that would

properly manage waste left behind by tourists, which can lead to degradation of such areas.

For example, tourists often dump plastic bottles, food packaging and old batteries overboard from cruise ships. This causes harbours, marinas as well as the ocean to be polluted.

For example, many islands in the Caribbean have limited space on land to treat waste from ships. As a result, solid and liquid wastes are sometimes dumped into the Caribbean Sea by ships.

Destruction of habitats When too many tourists visit a destination, they may destroy habitats

Fig. 3

With the help of Fig. 3, explain how the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is formed. [4] Area where two oceanic plates move away from each other

North American and Eurasian plate (Fig. 3) Magma moves up to the surface and cools to form new sea floor

forming the mid-oceanic ridge Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Fig. 3)

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

North America

South America

Africa

Europe

(b) Study Fig. 4, which shows a map of volcanoes and earthquake zones.

Using Fig. 5, compare the distribution of volcanoes and earthquake zones.

[4]

[Similarities – 2m] Both volcanoes and earthquake zones can be found along the

Pacific Ring of Fire They can be found along the convergent plate boundaries of

where the Pacific plate meets Australian plate, Eurasian plate, North American plate and South American plate. (this is actually the elaboration of the Pacific Ring of Fire)

[Differences – 2m] Earthquakes can be found where the Eurasian plate meets the

African/Iranian/Arabian plate but there are no volcanoes found there

Volcanoes are found along the divergent plate boundary of the Atlantic ocean/where the Eurasian plate meets the North American plate but it is not an earthquake zone.

(c) Study Fig. 5, which shows some of the responses that occur after an earthquake.

With the help of information from Fig. 5, explain the differences between short-term and long-term responses to earthquakes.

[4]

Short term responses are those responses that take place immediately after the earthquake and may last for weeks.

Whereas long term responses are those concerned with rebuilding and rehabilitation for the people and it can stretch over months and years.

Examples for short term responses are search for and rescue for survivors, providing medical aid for the injured people, and providing basic necessities of food, water and shelter.

But examples for long term responses are improving infrastructure such as building earthquake-resistant buildings, compensation pay-outs by insurance companies for those people and recovering economically.

[2m for each comparison; reserve 1m if comparative words like ‘while’ or ‘but’ are not used]

(d) With the aid of a well-labelled diagram, describe the features and possible impacts of a shield volcano.

[5]

[Description of impacts – 2m] Loss of agricultural land, property and lives caused by fast-flowing

lava Creates fertile land Places with scenic beauty can bring in tourists [Diagram and labelling of shield volcano showing basic features - 2m; Describe features – 1m; Describe Impacts – 2m]

(e) ‘Distance from the epicentre is the most important factor which determines the extent of damage of an earthquake.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer.

[8] I agree to a large / small extent that distance from the epicentre is the

most important factor which determines the extent of damage of an earthquake. Distance from epicentre Damage will generally be greater if an area is closer to the epicentre

of the earthquake where seismic waves are the strongest For example, during the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand in

2011, the epicentre was in a town only a few kilometres away from the city centre. When the earthquake struck, it caused extensive damage to infrastructure and killed 185 people.

However, there are other factors that determine the extent of damage

of an earthquake. Magnitude of an earthquake Earthquakes of greater magnitudes will generally cause more

extensive damage and destruction. For each increasing magnitude on the Richter scale, the impact of the earthquake becomes 10 times greater than the previous one. For example, the 9.0 magnitude in Tohoku, Japan in 2011 had a death toll of 28,000 people.

Even so, magnitude of an earthquake does not always determine the extent of damage… for example, compared to the magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Tohoku, Japan, an earthquake measuring 7.0 in magnitude in Haiti in 2010 had a death toll of more than 300,000 people.

Level of preparedness The amount of preparation taken by the authorities and citizens also

makes a significant difference to the impact of an earthquake. These preparations include having evacuation plans, trained rescue workers and a range of action plans. The damage caused by an earthquake is more manageable when people are better prepared for it. For example in Japan, earthquake drills take place every month, with the children being taught to go head-first under the desk and cling to table legs until the quake is over. Fatalities rates can be greatly reduced when people are prepared.

6 (a) Study Fig. 6, which shows an area before and after a volcanic eruption.

(i) Compare the physical features of the volcano before and after the eruption as shown in Fig. 6.

[3]

Before eruption After eruption Fertile soil for farming Covered in lava/ ash Crater/ Peak of

volcano destroyed Extended coast/ more

land Steep sided as shown by closer contour lines

Less steep

Depression/ crater Less lowland/ more

highland/ bigger volcano

[Award 3m for any 3 changes in physical features No marks awarded for changes or affecting human livelihood]

(ii) Describe the effects of the eruption on the human activities in the area. [4] Destruction of fishing port;

Roads are buried by lava/ash; Settlements/ housing/ buildings destroyed; Farmlands lost; Fishing industry affected as lava extended into sea; etc. [Award 4m for any effects on human livelihood/ activities]

(b) What are the main threats caused by genetically modified crops? [4] GM food may have potential health risks

There is also the fear of the unknown side effects GM crops may lead to loss of biodiversity of species GM crops may also cause loss of natural plant species when

genes from GM food crops are passed onto non-modified crops. The gene pollution is irreversible and hence loss of natural plant species.

(c) Fig. 7 shows an impact of excessive food consumption in countries.

Fig. 7

Describe the impact shown in Fig. 7 and explain why it is a problem to

many countries.

[5] Describe

Food wastage Fig. 7 shows a person working in a bakery throwing away excess

bread into the bin (possibly still edible) Explain why it is a problem Food wastage is a serious problem in DCs Consumers in DCs waste as much food as the entire amount of

food available in Sub-Saharan Africa for local consumption, i.e. 230 million tonnes each year

Wastage puts more strain on landfills Resources (e.g. water, oil) used to produce the food are wasted

as well [2 marks for description; 3 marks for explanation]

(c) “Disposable income has the greatest effect on food consumption patterns.” How far do you agree with this statement? Support your answer using evidence.

[8]

I agree with the statement to a small extent. Disposable income Disposable income refers to the amount of income left to an

individual after taxes have been paid. People use their disposable income to buy food. Higher incomes in more developed countries enable people to

buy greater quantities and varieties of food. In less developed countries, a growth in purchasing power could

be observed as these countries develop further economically. For example, from 1959 to 1991, there is a change in food

consumption patterns when Taiwan experienced high economic growth, causing income per capita to surge to the same level as a developed country. Meat consumption in Taiwan increased four times while fish consumption increased by two times.

However, income may not always affect food consumption patterns. Socio-cultural factors (e.g. religious beliefs) There may be socio-cultural factors that could cause food

consumption patterns to change. For example, people’s religious beliefs would mean that certain

food products may be included or excluded from their diets. Believers of Islam do not consume pork and those who practice

Hinduism do not consume meat or very little of it, resulting in less consumption of such meat products.

Political factors (e.g. stability of food supply) Political factors such as the stability of food supply also affect

trends in food consumption. Stability of food supply can be affected by civil war and natural

disasters, leading to severe food shortages and destruction of crops.

For example, civil war in Libya in April 2011 resulted in rapid depletion of food stocks. Heavy fighting and crossfire prevent people from venturing out to find or buy food. Governments may take action either by increasing food production or by increasing food imports.

Developed countries tend to fare better in solving food shortages compared to less developed countries as they own more resources.

The End