CCEA A-Level · thinka 原創模擬試題

2025 CCEA A-Level Geography 3910 模擬試題連答案詳解

Thinka Jun 2025 CCEA A Level-Style Mock — Geography 3910

200 270 分鐘2025
An original Thinka practice paper modelled on the structure and difficulty of the Jun 2025 CCEA A Level Geography 3910 paper. Not affiliated with or reproduced from CCEA.

部分 Assessment Unit A2 1: Physical Processes, Landforms and Management

Answer two questions, one from each of the two options you have studied (Options A, B, C, or D). Answer either the first or second question in each chosen option.
6 題目 · 70
題目 1 · Stimulus Analysis & Resource Interpretation (Part a)
8
OPTION A: PLATE TECTONICS

With reference to named places for illustration, describe and explain the formation of (i) a rift valley at a constructive margin within continental crust, and (ii) a deep sea trench and island arc at a destructive oceanic-oceanic plate margin. [8]
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解題

(i) Rift valley: at most constructive margins, new oceanic crust forms as plates move apart beneath the ocean. However, where a constructive margin develops within continental crust, the same divergent, tensional forces instead stretch and thin the thicker continental crust. As tension builds, the crust fractures along a series of roughly parallel normal faults, and the central block of crust between these faults subsides relative to the blocks either side, producing a long, steep-sided valley — a rift valley. The East African Rift Valley is a well-known example, formed as the African Plate is slowly splitting into the larger Nubian and smaller Somali sub-plates; if this rifting continues over geological time, the valley could eventually widen enough to flood and form a new ocean basin, in the same way the Red Sea (further north along the same rift system) has already begun to do.

(ii) Deep sea trench and island arc: where two oceanic plates meet at a destructive margin, the denser (usually older, cooler) of the two plates is forced to bend downward and subduct beneath the other. This bending of the subducting plate creates a long, narrow, very deep depression on the ocean floor at the point of subduction — a deep sea trench, such as the Mariana Trench, formed where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Philippine Sea Plate, and which contains the deepest known point in the Earth's oceans. As the subducting plate descends, it heats up and partially melts; the resulting magma, being less dense than the surrounding mantle and crust, rises up through the overriding oceanic plate. Where this magma reaches the seafloor and builds up over time, it forms a curved chain of volcanic islands — an island arc — running parallel to, and on the landward side of, the trench, as seen in the Mariana Islands.
Final answer: rift valley (e.g. the East African Rift Valley): where a constructive margin develops within continental crust rather than beneath an ocean, tensional forces as plates diverge stretch and thin the crust, causing it to fracture along parallel fault lines and the central block to subside relative to the sides, forming a steep-sided rift valley (which may eventually widen into a new ocean basin if rifting continues); deep sea trench and island arc (e.g. the Mariana Trench and Mariana Islands, where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Philippine Sea Plate): the denser oceanic plate bends and subducts beneath the other oceanic plate, creating a deep depression (trench) at the point of subduction, while partial melting of the subducted plate at depth generates magma that rises through the overriding oceanic plate to build a curved chain of volcanic islands (an island arc) parallel to the trench

評分準則

Level 1 (1-2 marks): basic statement that rift valleys/trenches form from plate movement, with little accurate process detail and/or no named example.
Level 2 (3-5 marks): sound description of ONE landform's formation with reasonable accuracy, or both covered only briefly; named example(s) present but underdeveloped.
Level 3 (6-8 marks): detailed, accurate explanation of BOTH landforms' formation (continental rifting/faulting/subsidence for the rift valley; oceanic-oceanic subduction/trench/magma generation/island arc for the second), integrating named examples (e.g. East African Rift Valley; Mariana Trench/Islands) to illustrate the processes described.
題目 2 · Stimulus Analysis & Resource Interpretation (Part a)
8
OPTION D: CLIMATE CHANGE

Describe and explain TWO natural causes of long-term climate change: (i) variations in the Earth's orbit and axial tilt (astronomic causes), and (ii) volcanic activity. [8]
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解題

(i) Astronomic (Milankovitch) causes: the Earth's orbit and orientation relative to the sun are not perfectly constant but vary in several regular, cyclical ways. Eccentricity describes how elliptical (rather than circular) the Earth's orbit is, which varies over a cycle of roughly 100,000 years and affects the total variation in solar radiation received over a year. Obliquity describes the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis, which varies between about 22.1 and 24.5 degrees over a cycle of roughly 41,000 years, affecting the strength of seasonal contrasts (a greater tilt produces more extreme seasons). Precession describes a slow 'wobble' in the direction the Earth's axis points, over a cycle of roughly 26,000 years, which changes which season occurs when the Earth is closest to the sun. Together, these three cycles alter the amount and, crucially, the geographical/seasonal distribution of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface at any given time, and are understood to be a major driver of the long, cyclical pattern of glacial and interglacial periods seen in the geological record.

(ii) Volcanic activity: very large volcanic eruptions can inject huge quantities of ash and, particularly, sulphur dioxide gas high into the stratosphere. This sulphur dioxide reacts to form fine sulphate aerosol particles that spread across large areas of the upper atmosphere and reflect a portion of incoming solar radiation back into space before it reaches the Earth's surface, which can measurably reduce global average temperatures for a period of roughly one to a few years after a very large eruption, before the aerosols eventually settle out of the atmosphere. Over much longer, geological timescales, sustained periods of unusually intense volcanic activity releasing very large volumes of carbon dioxide can instead contribute to longer-term warming, since CO2 (unlike the short-lived sulphate aerosols) is a persistent greenhouse gas.
Final answer: (i) astronomic (Milankovitch) causes: cyclical variations in the Earth's orbit around the sun (its eccentricity, or how elliptical the orbit is, over a roughly 100,000-year cycle), in the tilt of its axis (obliquity, over a roughly 41,000-year cycle) and in the wobble/direction of its axis (precession, over a roughly 26,000-year cycle) alter the amount and distribution of solar radiation reaching different latitudes at different times of year, driving long, cyclical glacial-interglacial climate changes; (ii) volcanic activity: very large eruptions inject huge quantities of sulphur dioxide and ash into the stratosphere, which reflects incoming solar radiation back into space and can cause short-term (typically a few years) global cooling, and over geological time, sustained periods of intense volcanic activity releasing large volumes of CO2 can also contribute to longer-term warming

評分準則

Level 1 (1-2 marks): basic statement that orbital changes and volcanic eruptions affect climate, with little accurate process detail.
Level 2 (3-5 marks): sound explanation of ONE cause (astronomic OR volcanic) with reasonable accuracy, or both covered only briefly.
Level 3 (6-8 marks): detailed, accurate explanation of BOTH causes: at least one correctly named Milankovitch cycle (eccentricity/obliquity/precession) with correct mechanism, AND the correct mechanism by which large eruptions cause short-term cooling (stratospheric sulphate aerosols reflecting solar radiation).
題目 3 · Diagrammatic & Process-Based Explanation (Part b)
9
OPTION A: PLATE TECTONICS

Study the information below about the lead-up to the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines.

- Mount Pinatubo sits above a destructive plate margin where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the Sunda (Eurasian) Plate.
- In the weeks before the main eruption, scientists from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and the US Geological Survey recorded a sharp increase in small earthquakes beneath the volcano, and measured a large rise in sulphur dioxide (SO2) gas emissions from the summit.
- Based on this monitoring data, scientists issued an escalating series of alert levels and recommended evacuation; roughly 60,000 people were evacuated from the danger zone in the days before the main eruption on 15 June 1991, which was one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century.

Using the information above only, describe and explain how the monitoring data described indicated that an eruption was becoming increasingly likely. [9]
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解題

Two independent lines of monitoring evidence are described, and both point in the same direction. First, the sharp increase in small earthquakes beneath the volcano is caused by magma physically forcing its way upward through cracks and fractures in the surrounding solid rock; as magma pushes into and through these fractures, it generates the seismic waves detected as small earthquakes. A rapid increase in the frequency of these small earthquakes is therefore direct evidence that a body of magma is actively moving upward beneath the volcano, rather than remaining static deep underground.

Second, the large rise in sulphur dioxide gas emissions is significant because magma held under high pressure deep underground holds dissolved gases (including sulphur dioxide) within it, in much the same way a sealed, pressurised drink holds dissolved carbon dioxide. As magma rises towards the surface, the pressure on it decreases, allowing these dissolved gases to come out of solution and escape upward through the volcano ahead of the magma itself. A large, measured increase in SO2 output at the surface is therefore a further, independent sign that magma has risen close enough to the surface for significant degassing to be occurring.

Because these are two separate, independently measured indicators (seismic activity and gas emissions) both showing a sharp increase at the same time, together they gave scientists strong, mutually reinforcing evidence that a large body of magma was actively and rapidly rising towards the surface, making an eruption increasingly likely in the near term — which is precisely why PHIVOLCS and USGS scientists escalated the volcano's alert level and recommended evacuation in the days before the actual eruption occurred.
Final answer: increased small earthquake activity beneath the volcano indicates magma is forcing its way upward through cracks in the rock, fracturing it and generating seismic waves as it does so, so a sharp rise in this activity signals magma is actively rising towards the surface; a large rise in sulphur dioxide gas emissions indicates that magma close to the surface is beginning to degas as pressure on it reduces, releasing gases that were previously dissolved within it, so a big increase in SO2 output is a further, independent sign that magma has risen close enough to the surface to begin releasing its gas content; together, sharply rising seismicity and sharply rising SO2 output are two independent lines of evidence both pointing to magma actively and rapidly approaching the surface, which is exactly why scientists escalated the alert level and ordered evacuation

評分準則

Level 1 (1-3 marks): basic statement that earthquakes/gas emissions indicate an eruption is coming, with limited explanation and little use of the resource.
Level 2 (4-6 marks): sound explanation of EITHER the seismicity mechanism OR the SO2 degassing mechanism, using some resource detail, but not both developed together.
Level 3 (7-9 marks): detailed, resource-grounded explanation of BOTH mechanisms (magma fracturing rock causing seismicity; magma degassing as pressure reduces causing rising SO2), explicitly linking the two independent lines of evidence to the conclusion that magma was rising and an eruption becoming increasingly likely, referencing the resource's monitoring/evacuation response. Answers not referring to the resource are capped at Level 2.
題目 4 · Diagrammatic & Process-Based Explanation (Part b)
9
OPTION D: CLIMATE CHANGE

Study the illustrative data below, showing the approximate relationship between atmospheric CO2 concentration and global average temperature anomaly (difference from a long-term average) since the start of large-scale industrialisation.

Period Atmospheric CO2 (ppm) Global temperature anomaly (°C)
Pre-industrial (approx. 1850) 280 approx. 0.0
Mid-20th century (approx. 1950) 310 approx. +0.1
Late 20th century (approx. 1990) 355 approx. +0.4
Recent (approx. 2020) 415 approx. +1.1

Using the information above only, describe the pattern shown, and explain why this evidence is used to support the theory of an enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human activity. [9]
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解題

The data shows that both atmospheric CO2 concentration and global average temperature anomaly have risen steadily and consistently since the pre-industrial period, and that the rate of increase in both has accelerated over time: CO2 rose only slightly between 1850 and 1950 (280 to 310 ppm, a temperature rise of only about 0.1°C), but rose much more steeply between 1990 and 2020 (355 to 415 ppm) alongside a much steeper temperature rise (0.4°C to 1.1°C) over that more recent period. Overall, CO2 has risen by approximately 48% (from 280 to 415 ppm) since the pre-industrial period, alongside a total temperature rise of around 1.1°C.

This close correlation is used as key evidence for an enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human activity for several reasons. First, the timing of this sustained CO2 and temperature rise coincides closely with the period of large-scale industrialisation, during which humans have burned steadily increasing quantities of fossil fuels (releasing CO2) and cleared large areas of forest (reducing the natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by photosynthesis). Second, CO2 is independently well understood, from basic physics, to be a greenhouse gas: it is transparent to incoming short-wave solar radiation but absorbs and re-radiates outgoing long-wave radiation from the Earth's surface, trapping additional heat within the atmosphere — so a rise in CO2 concentration of this scale would be expected, on physical grounds alone, to cause a rise in global temperature. Third, the scale, consistency and accelerating rate of the combined rise shown in the data is difficult to explain through natural climate variation (such as the slower astronomic or volcanic causes of climate change) alone, especially given how closely it coincides with the timing of industrialisation, pointing instead to an additional, human-caused warming effect superimposed on the underlying natural pattern.
Final answer: the data shows atmospheric CO2 concentration and global average temperature anomaly have both risen steadily and at an accelerating rate since the mid-19th century, with CO2 rising by nearly 50% (280 to 415 ppm) and temperature by around 1.1°C over the same period; this strong, sustained correlation between rising CO2 and rising temperature over a period that coincides closely with large-scale industrialisation (fossil fuel burning, deforestation) supports the theory that human CO2 emissions are enhancing the natural greenhouse effect, since CO2 is a known greenhouse gas that traps outgoing long-wave radiation, so a rise of this scale, timing and consistency is difficult to explain by natural climate variation alone and points to an additional, human-caused (anthropogenic) warming effect layered on top of natural variation

評分準則

Level 1 (1-3 marks): basic statement that CO2 and temperature have both risen, with limited explanation and little use of the resource figures.
Level 2 (4-6 marks): sound description of the correlation using some resource figures, with some explanation of the greenhouse mechanism or the human-activity link, but not both developed together.
Level 3 (7-9 marks): detailed, resource-grounded description of the correlated, accelerating rise in BOTH CO2 and temperature, AND a clear explanation of both the physical greenhouse mechanism (CO2 trapping long-wave radiation) and why the timing/scale of the correlation, coinciding with industrialisation, supports a human-caused (enhanced greenhouse effect) rather than purely natural explanation. Answers not referring to the resource figures are capped at Level 2.
題目 5 · Case Study Extended Evaluative Essay (Part c)
18
OPTION A: PLATE TECTONICS

With reference to a small-scale case study of volcanic activity:
- outline the causes and immediate impacts of the eruption; and
- evaluate how effectively the affected country prepared for and responded to the event. [18]
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解題

Case study: Mount Pinatubo, Philippines (1991).

Causes: Mount Pinatubo sits above a destructive plate margin, where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the Sunda (Eurasian) Plate. Partial melting of the subducted oceanic crust generates magma that rises through the overlying plate; after a long period of dormancy, this rising magma reactivated the volcano, culminating in the climactic eruption of 15 June 1991, one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century.

Immediate impacts: The eruption ejected enormous volumes of ash and sulphur dioxide gas high into the atmosphere. Its impacts were significantly worsened by coincidental timing: the eruption occurred at the same time as Typhoon Yunya was passing the region, and the typhoon's heavy rainfall mixed with falling volcanic ash to produce a dense, wet ash that accumulated on roofs across a wide surrounding area, causing widespread roof collapses that were themselves a major cause of casualties and damage. In the months and years following the main eruption, large volumes of loose volcanic ash and debris on the mountain's slopes were repeatedly remobilised by heavy rainfall into fast-moving volcanic mudflows (lahars), which continued to damage settlements, farmland and infrastructure in the surrounding lowlands for a considerable period after the initial eruption itself had ended.

Evaluation of preparation and response: The response to the immediate volcanic threat is widely regarded as highly effective. Continuous monitoring of the volcano by PHIVOLCS (the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology), supported by the US Geological Survey, detected the sharp rise in earthquake activity and sulphur dioxide emissions in the weeks before the eruption; scientists used this monitoring data to issue an escalating series of alert levels and to correctly forecast a major eruption, leading to the evacuation of roughly 60,000 people from the most dangerous zones before the climactic eruption occurred. Given the sheer scale of the eruption, this successful forecasting and evacuation is widely credited with keeping the direct death toll far lower than it otherwise would have been, and is often cited as a model example of effective volcanic hazard monitoring and evacuation. However, the response and preparation were considerably less effective in preventing the eruption's very substantial longer-term consequences: extensive agricultural land and infrastructure across a wide area were damaged or destroyed, both immediately and by the sustained lahar activity in subsequent years; and indigenous Aeta communities who had long inhabited the slopes of the volcano were permanently displaced from their traditional lands, with significant, lasting social and cultural impacts that immediate evacuation alone could not prevent. Overall, the response can be judged highly effective in protecting life through science-based monitoring and evacuation, but far less effective in preventing substantial long-term economic, environmental and social disruption from an eruption of this scale.
Final answer: case study: Mount Pinatubo, Philippines (1991) — located above a destructive plate margin where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the Sunda (Eurasian) Plate; the June 1991 eruption was one of the largest of the 20th century, ejecting huge volumes of ash and sulphur dioxide, and coincided with Typhoon Yunya, whose rain mixed with ashfall to create heavy, wet ash that collapsed roofs over a wide area, while subsequent volcanic mudflows (lahars) continued to damage the surrounding area for years afterwards; response was highly effective in protecting life, since PHIVOLCS/USGS monitoring of rising seismicity and SO2 emissions allowed scientists to correctly forecast the eruption and evacuate roughly 60,000 people beforehand, keeping the direct death toll relatively low for an eruption of this scale, though the response was less effective in preventing very substantial long-term economic damage and the permanent displacement of indigenous Aeta communities from the volcano's slopes

評分準則

Level 1 (1-6 marks): basic, generalised account of a volcanic eruption; case study named but with limited accurate place-specific detail; little or no evaluation of preparation/response; weak QWC.
Level 2 (7-12 marks): sound case study knowledge covering causes and impacts with reasonable accuracy, but evaluation of response is one-sided, undeveloped, or only one bullet requirement well addressed; adequate QWC. Answers omitting either bullet, or lacking place-specific reference, capped at Level 2 (12/18) maximum.
Level 3 (13-18 marks): detailed, accurate, place-specific account of the causes and immediate impacts (including the compounding effect of Typhoon Yunya and subsequent lahars) AND a balanced, well-evidenced evaluation of the effectiveness of preparation and response (successful monitoring/evacuation vs. long-term economic and social/Aeta displacement impacts). Excellent QWC: clear structure, accurate terminology, coherent argument throughout.
題目 6 · Case Study Extended Evaluative Essay (Part c)
18
OPTION D: CLIMATE CHANGE

With reference to named places in both an MEDC and an LEDC:
- outline the present and potential impacts of climate change (particularly sea level rise and increased storm frequency/intensity) in each; and
- evaluate the differing ability of the MEDC and the LEDC to adapt to these impacts. [18]
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解題

MEDC example: the Netherlands. Much of the Netherlands lies at or below sea level, making it highly exposed to the present and potential impacts of climate change, particularly rising sea levels and more frequent or intense North Sea storm surges. Following the devastating North Sea flood of 1953, in which a storm surge overwhelmed existing coastal defences and caused significant loss of life, the Netherlands developed the Delta Works, an extensive, continually upgraded system of dykes, dams and movable storm surge barriers designed to protect the country's low-lying land from flooding, and this infrastructure continues to be maintained, reinforced and adapted in response to projected future sea level rise.

LEDC example: Bangladesh. Much of Bangladesh consists of the low-lying delta of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river system, making it, like the Netherlands, highly exposed to sea level rise, but it faces this hazard alongside frequent, and reportedly increasingly intense, tropical cyclones forming in the Bay of Bengal, which bring damaging storm surges to its densely populated coastal areas. Present and potential impacts include the loss of agricultural land to rising seawater and saline intrusion, displacement of coastal populations, and periodic, severe loss of life and property during major cyclone events.

Evaluation of adaptive capacity: The two countries' ability to adapt to broadly similar physical hazards (sea level rise, storm surge) differs sharply because of their very different economic circumstances. The Netherlands, as a wealthy MEDC with a strong tax base and advanced engineering capacity, has been able to fund, build and continuously upgrade extremely large-scale, capital-intensive engineered flood defences, giving it a comparatively strong capacity to adapt to rising seas over coming decades, even though the ultimate physical and financial limits of this approach are not unlimited. Bangladesh, as an LEDC with much more limited government revenue and capital available for infrastructure, has instead focused adaptation efforts on lower-cost measures: extensive networks of community cyclone shelters, improved early warning and evacuation systems (which have measurably reduced cyclone death tolls over recent decades compared with historic disasters), raised embankments in some areas, and some adoption of adaptive agricultural techniques such as floating vegetable gardens in flood-prone areas. While these measures have achieved real, valuable reductions in loss of life, they are considerably less capable than the Netherlands' large-scale engineered defences of preventing the ongoing loss of land, livelihoods and permanent displacement of coastal populations. Overall, this comparison illustrates a wider global pattern: MEDCs generally have substantially greater financial and technical capacity to adapt to climate change impacts than LEDCs, even where, as here, the two countries face broadly comparable physical exposure to the same underlying hazards.
Final answer: MEDC example: the Netherlands, a low-lying country highly exposed to sea level rise, which has built and continually upgrades an extensive system of engineered flood defences (dykes, storm surge barriers such as those developed after the devastating 1953 North Sea flood) as part of its Delta Works programme; LEDC example: Bangladesh, an extremely low-lying, densely populated river delta nation, highly exposed to sea level rise, storm surge and increasingly intense cyclones from the Bay of Bengal, with far more limited financial capacity to build comparable large-scale engineered defences; adaptation ability differs sharply: the Netherlands' high wealth and technical capacity allow it to fund and maintain very large-scale, capital-intensive engineered protection, giving it a strong (though still not unlimited) capacity to adapt, whereas Bangladesh, despite implementing lower-cost adaptations (cyclone shelters, early warning systems, embankments, some floating/adaptive agriculture), has far less financial capacity for large-scale engineered protection and remains considerably more vulnerable to displacement and loss of life and land from the same physical hazards

評分準則

Level 1 (1-6 marks): basic, generalised statement about climate change impacts; countries named but with limited accurate detail; little or no evaluation; weak QWC.
Level 2 (7-12 marks): sound outline of impacts in ONE or BOTH countries with reasonable accuracy, but evaluation of differing adaptive capacity is one-sided, undeveloped, or only one bullet requirement well addressed; adequate QWC. Answers omitting either bullet, or lacking place-specific reference to BOTH an MEDC and an LEDC, capped at Level 2 (12/18) maximum.
Level 3 (13-18 marks): detailed, accurate, place-specific outline of impacts in BOTH a named MEDC and a named LEDC, AND a balanced, well-evidenced evaluation contrasting their differing financial/technical capacity to adapt (e.g. large-scale engineering vs. lower-cost measures) and the resulting differences in vulnerability. Excellent QWC: clear structure, accurate terminology, coherent evaluative argument throughout.

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部分 Assessment Unit A2 2: Processes and Issues in Human Geography

Answer two questions, one from each of the two options you have studied (Options A, B, C, or D). Answer either the first or second question in each chosen option.
6 題目 · 70
題目 1 · Definitional & Resource Interpretation (Part a)
8
OPTION A: CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY

With reference to named places for illustration, explain the push and pull factors driving international migration, and describe ONE barrier to migration. [8]
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解題

Push factors are conditions in a migrant's origin area that encourage them to leave. Economic push factors include limited local employment opportunities and low wages, which are significant drivers of migration from parts of Mexico and Central America; social and political push factors can include insecurity or violence in some origin areas, which similarly encourages people to seek to leave.

Pull factors are conditions in a potential destination that draw migrants towards it. In the case of migration towards the USA, key pull factors include the prospect of significantly higher wages and greater employment opportunities than are available in the origin area, the presence of established family members or wider community networks from earlier waves of migration (which can provide new migrants with initial support, information and connections), and the relative political stability of the destination country.

Barriers to migration are obstacles that make migration more difficult, costly or dangerous, and can prevent or delay movement even where push and pull factors are strong. A clear example is physical and legal border control: extensive border fencing, surveillance infrastructure, and formal visa and documentation requirements along the US-Mexico border all act as barriers, substantially increasing the cost, difficulty, danger and time involved in migrating, and preventing some would-be migrants from moving at all, or forcing them into more dangerous, undocumented migration routes.
Final answer: push factors (e.g. from parts of Mexico and Central America): limited local employment opportunities, low wages, and in some areas violence/insecurity, which encourage people to leave; pull factors (e.g. towards the USA): higher wages and greater employment opportunities, established family/community networks from earlier migrants, and political stability, which draw migrants towards the destination; barrier to migration: physical/legal border controls, such as border fencing, surveillance and visa/documentation requirements along the US-Mexico border, which increase the cost, danger and difficulty of migrating and can prevent or delay movement

評分準則

Level 1 (1-2 marks): basic statement that people migrate for a better life, with little accurate detail and/or no named example.
Level 2 (3-5 marks): sound explanation of push AND/OR pull factors with reasonable accuracy, or a barrier described, but not all three elements developed together with a named example.
Level 3 (6-8 marks): detailed, accurate explanation of BOTH push factors AND pull factors, with a clearly described barrier to migration, integrating a named example (e.g. Mexico/Central America to USA migration) throughout.
題目 2 · Definitional & Resource Interpretation (Part a)
8
OPTION C: ETHNIC DIVERSITY

With reference to a named country, explain how colonisation and international migration have created ethnic diversity. [8]
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解題

Jamaica's ethnic diversity can be explained largely through the combined processes of colonisation and subsequent international migration. From the 17th century, Jamaica was colonised by Britain and developed into a colonial economy heavily based on sugar plantations. To provide labour for these plantations, British colonisers were centrally involved in the transatlantic slave trade, forcibly transporting very large numbers of enslaved people from West Africa to Jamaica over more than a century; this forced migration is the origin of the African ancestry of the majority of Jamaica's population today.

Following the abolition of slavery across the British Empire in the 1830s, plantation owners faced a renewed labour shortage and responded by recruiting indentured labourers through organised international migration schemes, most significantly from India, with smaller numbers also recruited from China. These indentured labourers, who typically worked under fixed-term contracts in often difficult conditions, settled permanently in Jamaica in significant numbers, establishing distinct South Asian and Chinese communities alongside the already-established Afro-Jamaican and European (colonial) populations.

Together, these two processes — colonisation (bringing British colonial rule and the transatlantic slave trade) and subsequent international labour migration (indentured labour schemes after abolition) — explain why modern Jamaica has an ethnically diverse population, including groups of predominantly African, European, South Asian (Indian) and Chinese descent, among others.
Final answer: Jamaica: British colonisation from the 17th century established a colonial economy based on sugar plantations, and the resulting transatlantic slave trade forcibly transported large numbers of West Africans to the island, creating the ancestry of the majority of the population; following the abolition of slavery in the 1830s, plantation owners recruited indentured labourers through international migration, notably from India (and smaller numbers from China), to work on plantations, adding further distinct ethnic and cultural communities; together, colonisation (bringing British colonial rule and the associated slave trade) and subsequent international labour migration (indentured labour schemes) explain the ethnically diverse population of modern Jamaica, comprising groups of predominantly African, European, South Asian and Chinese descent, among others

評分準則

Level 1 (1-2 marks): basic statement that colonisation/migration created diversity, with little accurate detail and/or no named country.
Level 2 (3-5 marks): sound explanation of EITHER colonisation/the slave trade OR subsequent international (indentured) migration, with reasonable accuracy, but not both developed together.
Level 3 (6-8 marks): detailed, accurate explanation of BOTH colonisation (British rule, plantation economy, transatlantic slave trade) AND subsequent international migration (indentured labour from India/China after abolition), correctly and specifically applied to the named country (Jamaica).
題目 3 · Theoretical & Comparative Analysis (Part b)
9
OPTION A: CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY

Study the illustrative data below about in-migration to Delhi, India.

- Delhi's population has grown very rapidly through sustained rural-to-urban in-migration over recent decades, as people move from rural states seeking better-paid work and access to services.
- A significant proportion of new in-migrants initially settle in informal settlements on the urban fringe, where housing, water supply and sanitation infrastructure is limited and has not kept pace with the rate of population growth.
- Local authorities report increasing strain on schools, healthcare facilities and public transport capacity in areas of Delhi that have received the largest numbers of in-migrants.

Using the information above only, describe and explain the implications of sustained in-migration for service provision in Delhi. [9]
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解題

The resource shows that Delhi's population has grown very rapidly through sustained rural-to-urban in-migration, driven by migrants seeking better-paid work and improved access to services than are available in their rural areas of origin. This pattern of migration has two related but distinct sets of implications for service provision.

First, because a significant proportion of new in-migrants initially settle in informal settlements on the urban fringe, these areas often lack basic formal infrastructure from the outset, since such settlements typically develop faster than official planning and infrastructure provision can keep pace with: this explains the resource's description of limited housing, water supply and sanitation infrastructure in these areas. Formal city infrastructure networks (piped water, sewage systems, electricity) are expensive and slow to plan, fund and build, meaning they consistently struggle to extend to fast-growing informal areas at the same rate as population growth itself.

Second, in the more established parts of the city that also receive in-migrants, existing schools, healthcare facilities and transport systems were generally built and sized to serve the population present at the time they were constructed. As Delhi's overall population grows rapidly through continued in-migration, demand for these already-existing services rises faster than the services themselves are expanded, leading directly to the overcrowding and capacity strain the resource describes in schools, healthcare facilities and public transport in the areas most affected by in-migration.

In both cases, the underlying implication is the same: the rate of population growth from sustained in-migration is outpacing the rate at which infrastructure and services can realistically be planned, funded and built, whether that means a complete absence of formal services in new informal settlements, or growing strain on existing services in more established areas.
Final answer: sustained, rapid in-migration means Delhi's population is growing faster than planned infrastructure and services can be expanded to match, so demand for housing, water, sanitation, schools, healthcare and transport all rise faster than supply; because a significant share of new migrants initially settle in informal settlements that were never planned for, formal infrastructure (piped water, sanitation, schools) is often absent or inadequate there from the outset, while in more established parts of the city, existing services designed for a smaller population become overstretched (leading to overcrowded schools/healthcare facilities and transport capacity strain) as in-migrants also compete for these existing services

評分準則

Level 1 (1-3 marks): basic statement that migration strains services, with limited explanation and little use of the resource.
Level 2 (4-6 marks): sound explanation of EITHER the informal-settlement infrastructure gap OR strain on existing city services, using some resource detail, but not both developed together.
Level 3 (7-9 marks): detailed, resource-grounded explanation of BOTH the lack of formal infrastructure in new informal settlements AND the overstretching of existing services (schools, healthcare, transport) elsewhere in the city, correctly linking both to the pace of in-migration outstripping the pace of infrastructure/service provision. Answers not referring to the resource are capped at Level 2.
題目 4 · Theoretical & Comparative Analysis (Part b)
9
OPTION C: ETHNIC DIVERSITY

Study the information below about the historic Old City of Jerusalem.

- The walled Old City of Jerusalem, a small area of approximately 0.9 square kilometres, is traditionally divided into four named quarters: the Jewish Quarter, the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter and the Armenian Quarter.
- Each quarter has, over a long history, developed its own concentration of religious sites, community institutions (places of worship, schools) and residential population associated with that quarter's name.
- The Muslim Quarter is the largest of the four by both area and population; the Armenian Quarter is the smallest.

Using the information above only, describe the pattern of residential and cultural organisation shown, and explain how such long-established quarters can help to maintain distinct ethnic/religious identities within a single, ethnically diverse city. [9]
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解題

The Old City of Jerusalem, though occupying a very small total area of under one square kilometre, is organised into four traditionally named quarters, each historically associated with a particular religious/ethnic community: the Jewish Quarter, the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter and the Armenian Quarter. The resource shows that this is not merely a naming convention but reflects real differences in scale and concentration, with the Muslim Quarter the largest by both area and population and the Armenian Quarter the smallest, and each quarter having developed its own concentration of religious sites and community institutions associated with its name over a long history.

This quarter-based spatial organisation helps to maintain distinct ethnic/religious identities within the wider city for several linked reasons. Because each community's key religious sites, places of worship, schools and other institutions are geographically concentrated together within a single, clearly recognised quarter, it becomes much easier for that community to sustain daily religious practice, community organisation and cultural transmission to younger generations within a defined area, in the same way that residential concentration more generally reinforces group identity (through shared institutions and greater visibility, as a group). The long historical association of each quarter with a particular community — reflected in the very names of the quarters — also reinforces a strong sense of place-based belonging and continuity, since residents grow up within, and identify with, an area whose name and history is itself bound up with their own community's presence there, helping this distinct identity to be maintained and passed down across successive generations rather than gradually diluting within a more evenly mixed population.
Final answer: the Old City of Jerusalem is organised into four named quarters, each historically associated with, and today still concentrated by, a particular religious/ethnic community (Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Armenian), with the Muslim Quarter the largest and the Armenian Quarter the smallest; this quarter-based spatial organisation helps maintain distinct identities because each community's religious sites, schools, shops and other institutions are geographically concentrated together within their named quarter, making it easier to sustain community life, religious practice and cultural transmission to younger generations within a defined, recognised area, and the long historical association of each quarter with a particular community reinforces a strong, place-based sense of identity that is passed down and maintained over successive generations

評分準則

Level 1 (1-3 marks): basic statement that Jerusalem has different areas for different groups, with limited explanation and little use of the resource.
Level 2 (4-6 marks): sound description of the four-quarter pattern using some resource detail, with some explanation of how this maintains identity, but underdeveloped.
Level 3 (7-9 marks): detailed, resource-grounded description of the four-quarter pattern (including the size contrast given) AND a clear explanation of how geographical concentration of institutions and long-established place association help maintain and transmit distinct community identities. Answers not referring to the resource are capped at Level 2.
題目 5 · Case Study Extended Evaluative Essay (Part c)
18
OPTION A: CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY

With reference to a national-scale case study of government response to immigration:
- outline the nature of the government's response to both documented and undocumented immigration; and
- evaluate the effectiveness of this response. [18]
查看答案詳解

解題

Case study: the USA's response to immigration.

Nature of the response: The USA operates a formal legal immigration system for documented immigration, including routes based on family sponsorship (allowing citizens/permanent residents to sponsor certain relatives), employment-based visas (for workers with particular skills or job offers), and a refugee and asylum system for those fleeing persecution. Alongside this system for documented immigration, the USA has invested heavily in physical and administrative measures aimed at deterring and controlling undocumented immigration, particularly along its southern border with Mexico, including extensive border fencing, surveillance technology, and dedicated federal enforcement and border patrol agencies. In response to the presence of a substantial existing undocumented population, the government introduced targeted policies such as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) in 2012, which grants renewable, temporary protection from deportation, and eligibility to work legally, to certain undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children, without granting them permanent legal immigration status.

Evaluation: This combined response has achieved some clear successes: the formal legal immigration system processes very large numbers of documented immigrants each year, supporting significant sectors of the US economy and providing a structured, functioning route for millions of people to migrate legally. However, the response has been considerably less effective in fully controlling undocumented immigration: despite very substantial and sustained government spending on border security and enforcement, the estimated undocumented immigrant population in the USA has persisted in the range of several million people over an extended period, indicating that enforcement measures alone have not been sufficient to prevent undocumented immigration or to remove the existing undocumented population at scale. Policies such as DACA, meanwhile, illustrate the limits of a purely administrative response to this reality: while DACA has provided meaningful temporary protection and work authorisation to hundreds of thousands of individuals, it grants no permanent legal status, remains subject to repeated legal challenges and reversal by different administrations, and leaves the underlying legal status of those affected, and of the wider undocumented population, unresolved. Overall, the USA's response can be judged effective in operating a large-scale, functioning system of legal immigration, but only partially effective — despite very substantial investment — in either preventing undocumented immigration or in providing a stable, comprehensive, long-term resolution for the undocumented population already present in the country.
Final answer: case study: the USA's response to immigration — includes a formal, points/category-based system for legal (documented) immigration (e.g. family sponsorship, employment-based visas, and a refugee/asylum system) alongside extensive physical border security infrastructure (fencing, surveillance, patrols) and enforcement agencies aimed at deterring and removing undocumented immigration, and policies such as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, introduced 2012), which grants temporary protection from deportation to certain undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children; response has been effective in maintaining a large, functioning system of legal immigration that supports the economy, but has been only partially effective in preventing undocumented immigration, with an estimated undocumented population in the many millions persisting despite substantial enforcement spending, and policies such as DACA remaining politically contested and only a partial, temporary solution rather than a permanent legal status

評分準則

Level 1 (1-6 marks): basic, generalised statement about immigration policy; case study named but with limited accurate detail; little or no evaluation; weak QWC.
Level 2 (7-12 marks): sound outline of the legal immigration system AND/OR enforcement/DACA-type policy with reasonable accuracy, but evaluation is one-sided, undeveloped, or only one bullet requirement well addressed; adequate QWC. Answers omitting either bullet capped at Level 2 (12/18) maximum.
Level 3 (13-18 marks): detailed, accurate outline of BOTH the documented (legal system) AND undocumented (border security/DACA-type) response, AND a balanced, well-evidenced evaluation of effectiveness (functioning legal system vs. persistent undocumented population/policy limitations). Excellent QWC: clear structure, accurate terminology, coherent evaluative argument throughout, handled with appropriate academic even-handedness.
題目 6 · Case Study Extended Evaluative Essay (Part c)
18
OPTION C: ETHNIC DIVERSITY

With reference to a national case study of ethnic conflict:
- outline the causes and nature of the conflict; and
- evaluate the effectiveness of attempts made to achieve reconciliation afterwards. [18]
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解題

Case study: the Rwandan genocide (1994).

Causes: The genocide's roots lay substantially in ethnic distinctions between Rwanda's Hutu majority and Tutsi minority, distinctions that were significantly hardened during the period of Belgian colonial rule, when colonial administrators introduced official identity cards recording ethnic classification and, at different points, administratively favoured one group over the other, embedding ethnicity as a rigid, state-recognised category in a way that had previously been considerably more fluid. In the decades following independence, political tension between these groups persisted and, in the years leading up to 1994, was inflamed by nationalist propaganda, including through radio broadcasts that promoted ethnic hatred.

Nature of the conflict: The genocide itself was triggered when the aircraft carrying Rwanda's president was shot down on 6 April 1994. Over the following approximately 100 days, extremist elements organised and carried out a systematic genocide, killing a commonly cited estimate of around 800,000 people, overwhelmingly Tutsi civilians alongside moderate Hutus who opposed the killing, in one of the fastest and most intensive episodes of mass killing in modern history. The genocide ended in July 1994 when the Rwandan Patriotic Front, a Tutsi-led rebel movement, took military control of the country.

Evaluation of reconciliation: In the years since 1994, Rwanda has pursued several distinctive approaches to reconciliation. Because the sheer number of people implicated in genocide-related crimes vastly exceeded what conventional courts could process within a reasonable time, Rwanda established community-based Gacaca courts, which tried a very large number of genocide-related cases at local level, drawing on a traditional community justice model, and this is widely credited with allowing the formal justice system to process cases at a scale that would otherwise have taken many decades. A National Unity and Reconciliation Commission was also established to promote reconciliation between communities, and official ethnic classification was removed from Rwandan identity documents, symbolically and practically aiming to reduce the state's role in reinforcing rigid ethnic categories going forward. These measures have been reasonably effective by some important measures: Rwanda has experienced sustained peace and significant economic development since the genocide, and the scale of case-processing achieved through the Gacaca courts would have been practically impossible through conventional courts alone. However, the effectiveness of these measures in fully addressing the underlying trauma, individual grief, and community-level division caused by violence of this scale and intensity remains a matter of ongoing assessment; formal institutional reconciliation measures, however successful in restoring order and enabling the country to rebuild, cannot be assumed to fully resolve the deeper social and psychological legacy of genocide for those directly affected. Overall, Rwanda's reconciliation efforts can be judged as a genuinely significant and, in important respects, effective response, though the true completeness of reconciliation after an event of this severity remains difficult to fully evaluate.
Final answer: case study: the Rwandan genocide (1994) — causes rooted in ethnic distinctions between the Hutu majority and Tutsi minority that were significantly hardened during Belgian colonial rule (which introduced ethnic identity cards and administratively favoured one group over the other at different points), combined with subsequent political tension and propaganda; the conflict itself was a genocide carried out over approximately 100 days after the president's plane was shot down in April 1994, in which a commonly cited estimate of around 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu people were killed, ending when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took military control of the country in July 1994; reconciliation attempts have included community-based Gacaca courts to try genocide-related cases at scale, a National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, and the removal of ethnic classification from official identity documents; these measures have been reasonably effective in enabling the country to rebuild, achieve sustained peace and process an enormous number of cases that formal courts alone could not have handled, though questions remain about how completely such measures can address the underlying trauma and division after violence on this scale

評分準則

Level 1 (1-6 marks): basic, generalised statement about ethnic conflict; case study named but with limited accurate detail; little or no evaluation; weak QWC.
Level 2 (7-12 marks): sound outline of causes and nature of the conflict with reasonable accuracy, but evaluation of reconciliation is one-sided, undeveloped, or only one bullet requirement well addressed; adequate QWC. Answers omitting either bullet capped at Level 2 (12/18) maximum.
Level 3 (13-18 marks): detailed, accurate outline of BOTH the causes (colonial-era ethnic hardening, propaganda) AND the nature of the conflict (1994 genocide, scale, ending), AND a balanced, well-evidenced evaluation of reconciliation measures (Gacaca courts, reconciliation commission, ID reform) weighing genuine achievements against the limits of what institutional measures can address. Excellent QWC: clear structure, accurate terminology, coherent evaluative argument, and appropriate academic sensitivity given the subject matter.

部分 Assessment Unit A2 3: Decision Making in Geography

Complete the decision-making report in the role specified, addressing all designated sections, constructing the required statistical graph, and providing a reasoned justification.
7 題目 · 60
題目 1 · Report 甲部: Proposal Description & Need
10
BACKGROUND: A quarrying company has proposed extending Dunmore Quarry, an existing limestone quarry near the village of Dunmore (population 900), by 60 hectares into adjacent farmland and woodland, extending its operational life by 25 years and supplying crushed limestone aggregate for regional construction. You have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the Resource Booklet below and recommend, to the regional planning authority, whether the extension should be granted permission.

RESOURCE 1 — Regional demand for construction aggregate (thousand tonnes per year):
2019: 420 2020: 395 2021: 460 2022: 510 2023: 560 2024 (projected): 610

RESOURCE 2 — Economic data:
- The existing quarry currently employs 85 people; without the extension, its remaining limestone reserves are projected to be exhausted within approximately 4 years, at which point these jobs would be lost.
- The extension is projected to secure these 85 existing jobs for a further 25 years and create an additional 20 jobs during construction of new processing infrastructure.
- The quarry currently generates approximately £180,000 per year in business rates for the local council; the extension is projected to generate an additional £45,000 per year.

RESOURCE 3 — Environmental and social data:
- The extension requires clearance of 15 hectares of mixed woodland, part of which is designated as a Local Wildlife Site.
- Blasting operations at the existing quarry already generate noise and vibration complaints from around 30 households within 1km; this is projected to rise to around 55 households within 1km of the expanded quarry boundary.
- Daily heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements on the local road through Dunmore village are projected to increase from approximately 90 to 150 per day if the extension proceeds.

Write Section A of your report: an Introduction that describes the proposal and establishes the case for why the quarry extension may be needed, drawing on relevant evidence from the Resource Booklet. [10]
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解題

SECTION A: INTRODUCTION AND THE NEED FOR THE PROJECT

The proposal under review is an extension of Dunmore Quarry, an existing limestone quarry near the village of Dunmore, by 60 hectares into adjacent farmland and woodland, which would extend the quarry's operational life by a further 25 years.

The case for considering this extension rests substantially on two related pieces of evidence. First, regional demand for construction aggregate has risen strongly and consistently in recent years, from 420,000 tonnes in 2019 to a projected 610,000 tonnes in 2024 — an increase of approximately 45% over this period — indicating sustained and growing regional demand for the material this quarry supplies. Second, and more immediately pressing, the existing quarry's remaining limestone reserves are projected to be exhausted within approximately 4 years without the extension, at which point the 85 jobs the quarry currently supports would be lost entirely. This combination of rising regional demand and an imminent end to the existing quarry's operational life forms the core evidence-based rationale for considering this proposal now.

This report will examine, in turn, the evidence for the economic benefits and costs of the proposal, and the evidence for its environmental and social impacts, before reaching a final, justified recommendation as to whether the Dunmore Quarry extension should be granted permission.
Final answer: Section A should: describe the proposal (60-hectare extension of Dunmore Quarry, extending operational life by 25 years) and its location/context; establish need using the rising regional aggregate demand evidence (420,000 to a projected 610,000 tonnes/year, 2019-2024, a rise of about 45%) and the fact that, without the extension, existing reserves and the 85 jobs they support would run out within about 4 years; conclude by stating the report will weigh the economic and environmental evidence before reaching a justified recommendation

評分準則

Level 1 (1-3 marks): brief, generalised description of the proposal with little or no use of resource evidence to establish need.
Level 2 (4-7 marks): sound description of the proposal and some relevant use of resource evidence (e.g. demand trend or reserve life) to suggest a need, but underdeveloped or only partially linked to the case for the project; role/report format maintained reasonably well.
Level 3 (8-10 marks): clear, well-structured description of the proposal AND a well-evidenced case for need, explicitly drawing on specific figures from the Resource Booklet (aggregate demand trend and percentage change, remaining reserve life/job impact) integrated coherently and written consistently in the consultant role, setting up the rest of the report appropriately.
題目 2 · Report 乙部(i): Socio-Economic Impacts & Counterarguments
14
BACKGROUND: A quarrying company has proposed extending Dunmore Quarry, an existing limestone quarry near the village of Dunmore (population 900), by 60 hectares into adjacent farmland and woodland, extending its operational life by 25 years and supplying crushed limestone aggregate for regional construction. You have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the Resource Booklet below and recommend, to the regional planning authority, whether the extension should be granted permission.

RESOURCE 1 — Regional demand for construction aggregate (thousand tonnes per year):
2019: 420 2020: 395 2021: 460 2022: 510 2023: 560 2024 (projected): 610

RESOURCE 2 — Economic data:
- The existing quarry currently employs 85 people; without the extension, its remaining limestone reserves are projected to be exhausted within approximately 4 years, at which point these jobs would be lost.
- The extension is projected to secure these 85 existing jobs for a further 25 years and create an additional 20 jobs during construction of new processing infrastructure.
- The quarry currently generates approximately £180,000 per year in business rates for the local council; the extension is projected to generate an additional £45,000 per year.

RESOURCE 3 — Environmental and social data:
- The extension requires clearance of 15 hectares of mixed woodland, part of which is designated as a Local Wildlife Site.
- Blasting operations at the existing quarry already generate noise and vibration complaints from around 30 households within 1km; this is projected to rise to around 55 households within 1km of the expanded quarry boundary.
- Daily heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements on the local road through Dunmore village are projected to increase from approximately 90 to 150 per day if the extension proceeds.

Write Section B(i) of your report: discuss the socio-economic impacts of the proposed quarry extension, drawing on the Resource Booklet, and present balanced counterarguments. [14]
查看答案詳解

解題

SECTION B(I): SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT

The proposed extension offers a genuine and, in one important respect, urgent economic case. Without the extension, the existing quarry's 85 jobs are projected to be lost entirely within around 4 years as reserves run out; the extension would secure all of these jobs for a further 25 years, representing a substantial, sustained protection of existing local employment. The project would also create a further 20 temporary jobs during construction of new processing infrastructure, and would increase the quarry's annual business rates contribution to the local council from £180,000 to £225,000 (an additional £45,000 per year), providing extra revenue for local services.

Counterarguments: This case should, however, be understood accurately for what it primarily represents: job and revenue retention rather than substantial new economic growth. The great majority of the economic benefit (the 85 secured jobs) is about preventing a loss that would otherwise occur, rather than creating genuinely new employment for the area, and only the smaller 20-job construction uplift and the £45,000 additional business rates represent a true net increase. The 20 construction jobs are also, by nature, temporary. There is also a real, if harder to quantify in purely financial terms, social cost to weigh: daily heavy goods vehicle movements through Dunmore village are projected to rise substantially, from around 90 to 150 per day, which could increase road safety risk, noise, and general disruption for residents living along the route, a quality-of-life cost that does not appear directly in the economic figures but is a genuine consequence of the proposal for the local community. Overall, the socio-economic case for the extension is real, and the job-security element in particular is significant given the otherwise near-term loss of 85 local jobs, but it should be weighed as substantially a retention case rather than a case for substantial new economic growth, and alongside the genuine social costs the increased HGV traffic would impose on village residents.
Final answer: positive economic case: securing all 85 existing jobs for a further 25 years (which would otherwise be lost within about 4 years), 20 further construction jobs, and an additional £45,000/year in business rates for the council (on top of the existing £180,000/year); counterarguments: the extension only secures existing jobs rather than creating substantial new net employment, the 20 construction jobs are temporary, and increased daily HGV traffic through Dunmore village (rising from about 90 to 150 movements per day) could impose real social costs and safety/quality-of-life concerns on residents that are not captured in the financial figures, so the socio-economic case, while genuine, is significantly about job retention rather than substantial new growth

評分準則

Level 1 (1-5 marks): brief, largely one-sided description of economic impacts with limited use of resource data; little or no counterargument.
Level 2 (6-10 marks): sound discussion of the economic benefits using resource figures, with some counterargument presented, but underdeveloped, unbalanced, or not clearly linked to the specific figures given.
Level 3 (11-14 marks): detailed, well-evidenced discussion of BOTH the projected economic/job-security benefits (correctly citing the 85 retained jobs, 20 construction jobs, additional business rates) AND genuine, well-reasoned counterarguments (e.g. retention vs. new growth distinction, temporary construction jobs, HGV traffic/social cost on the village), presenting a balanced and consultant-appropriate assessment.
題目 3 · Report 乙部(ii): Environmental Impacts & Counterarguments
14
BACKGROUND: A quarrying company has proposed extending Dunmore Quarry, an existing limestone quarry near the village of Dunmore (population 900), by 60 hectares into adjacent farmland and woodland, extending its operational life by 25 years and supplying crushed limestone aggregate for regional construction. You have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the Resource Booklet below and recommend, to the regional planning authority, whether the extension should be granted permission.

RESOURCE 1 — Regional demand for construction aggregate (thousand tonnes per year):
2019: 420 2020: 395 2021: 460 2022: 510 2023: 560 2024 (projected): 610

RESOURCE 2 — Economic data:
- The existing quarry currently employs 85 people; without the extension, its remaining limestone reserves are projected to be exhausted within approximately 4 years, at which point these jobs would be lost.
- The extension is projected to secure these 85 existing jobs for a further 25 years and create an additional 20 jobs during construction of new processing infrastructure.
- The quarry currently generates approximately £180,000 per year in business rates for the local council; the extension is projected to generate an additional £45,000 per year.

RESOURCE 3 — Environmental and social data:
- The extension requires clearance of 15 hectares of mixed woodland, part of which is designated as a Local Wildlife Site.
- Blasting operations at the existing quarry already generate noise and vibration complaints from around 30 households within 1km; this is projected to rise to around 55 households within 1km of the expanded quarry boundary.
- Daily heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements on the local road through Dunmore village are projected to increase from approximately 90 to 150 per day if the extension proceeds.

Write Section B(ii) of your report: discuss the environmental impacts of the proposed quarry extension, drawing on the Resource Booklet, and present balanced counterarguments. [14]
查看答案詳解

解題

SECTION B(II): ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The proposed extension carries substantial environmental costs. It would require clearing 15 hectares of mixed woodland, part of which is formally designated as a Local Wildlife Site — a designation intended to recognise and protect land of significant ecological value at the local level. The loss or significant disturbance of this habitat represents a serious environmental cost, and one that is largely irreversible once the woodland is cleared and quarrying begins. In addition, the number of households affected by noise and vibration from blasting operations is projected to nearly double, from around 30 currently to around 55 within 1km of the expanded quarry boundary, representing a substantial increase in direct harm to local residents' quality of life.

Counterarguments: Some of these impacts could potentially be reduced through appropriate mitigation. Habitat compensation schemes — planting or restoring an equivalent or greater area of woodland elsewhere in the region — are sometimes used to offset unavoidable habitat loss from developments of this kind, though replanted woodland typically takes many years to develop comparable ecological value to the established woodland being lost, and would not restore the specific Local Wildlife Site designation itself. Blasting schedules and operational noise limits could also potentially be tightened and made conditions of any approval, to reduce (though not eliminate) the impact on the growing number of nearby households. It is also worth noting that, if this extension is refused, the regional demand for aggregate identified in Resource 1 would not disappear; it might instead need to be met by sourcing material from a more distant quarry, which could increase transport distances, fuel use and associated emissions, and simply relocate rather than remove certain environmental impacts.

However, these mitigating factors do not remove the fundamental, largely irreversible loss of part of a designated Local Wildlife Site, nor do they eliminate — only potentially soften — the near-doubling of households significantly affected by noise and vibration. These environmental and social costs must therefore be weighed as a serious and only partially mitigable factor against the scheme's economic benefits.
Final answer: negative environmental case: clearance of 15 hectares of mixed woodland, including part of a designated Local Wildlife Site, and a near-doubling of noise/vibration-affected households (from around 30 to around 55 within 1km); possible mitigating counterarguments: habitat compensation/replanting could be provided elsewhere to partly offset the woodland loss, blasting schedules and noise-limiting operational conditions could be tightened as part of any approval, and the alternative to expanding this quarry might be sourcing aggregate from a more distant quarry, which could increase transport-related emissions and impacts elsewhere — but the loss of part of a designated Local Wildlife Site is a serious and only partially mitigable ecological cost, and the near-doubling of affected households represents a real, direct increase in harm to residents

評分準則

Level 1 (1-5 marks): brief, largely one-sided description of environmental impacts with limited use of resource data; little or no counterargument.
Level 2 (6-10 marks): sound discussion of the environmental costs using resource figures, with some counterargument presented, but underdeveloped, unbalanced, or not clearly linked to the specific figures given.
Level 3 (11-14 marks): detailed, well-evidenced discussion of BOTH the environmental costs (correctly citing woodland/Local Wildlife Site loss, noise-affected households) AND genuine, well-reasoned counterarguments (e.g. habitat compensation, tightened operational conditions, the displacement effect of sourcing aggregate elsewhere), while recognising the limits of mitigation, presenting a balanced and consultant-appropriate assessment.
題目 4 · Report 部分 C: Decision & Justification
10
BACKGROUND: A quarrying company has proposed extending Dunmore Quarry, an existing limestone quarry near the village of Dunmore (population 900), by 60 hectares into adjacent farmland and woodland, extending its operational life by 25 years and supplying crushed limestone aggregate for regional construction. You have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the Resource Booklet below and recommend, to the regional planning authority, whether the extension should be granted permission.

RESOURCE 1 — Regional demand for construction aggregate (thousand tonnes per year):
2019: 420 2020: 395 2021: 460 2022: 510 2023: 560 2024 (projected): 610

RESOURCE 2 — Economic data:
- The existing quarry currently employs 85 people; without the extension, its remaining limestone reserves are projected to be exhausted within approximately 4 years, at which point these jobs would be lost.
- The extension is projected to secure these 85 existing jobs for a further 25 years and create an additional 20 jobs during construction of new processing infrastructure.
- The quarry currently generates approximately £180,000 per year in business rates for the local council; the extension is projected to generate an additional £45,000 per year.

RESOURCE 3 — Environmental and social data:
- The extension requires clearance of 15 hectares of mixed woodland, part of which is designated as a Local Wildlife Site.
- Blasting operations at the existing quarry already generate noise and vibration complaints from around 30 households within 1km; this is projected to rise to around 55 households within 1km of the expanded quarry boundary.
- Daily heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements on the local road through Dunmore village are projected to increase from approximately 90 to 150 per day if the extension proceeds.

Write Section C of your report: a conclusion that weighs the evidence discussed in Sections B(i) and B(ii), and states and justifies a clear recommendation on whether the quarry extension should be granted permission. [10]
查看答案詳解

解題

SECTION C: CONCLUSION AND JUSTIFIED DECISION

Having weighed the evidence presented in this report, this proposal presents a genuine trade-off between a significant, largely job-retention-focused economic case and a serious set of environmental and social costs. On the one hand, the extension would secure all 85 existing quarry jobs for a further 25 years (jobs otherwise projected to be lost within about 4 years), create a further 20 construction jobs, and generate an additional £45,000 per year in business rates, against a backdrop of clearly rising regional demand for aggregate (up around 45% since 2019). On the other hand, the extension would clear 15 hectares of woodland, including part of a designated Local Wildlife Site, would nearly double the number of households significantly affected by blasting noise and vibration (from around 30 to around 55), and would substantially increase daily HGV traffic through Dunmore village.

On balance, given the scale of local job dependency at stake and the clear evidence of rising regional demand, alongside the serious but partly mitigable nature of the environmental and social costs identified, my recommendation is that permission should be granted ONLY IF the development is made conditional on a robust package of mitigation measures being legally secured as part of any approval. This should include: a binding habitat compensation scheme to offset, as far as ecologically achievable, the loss of the Local Wildlife Site woodland; tightened, legally-enforceable blasting schedule and noise limit conditions to reduce the impact on the growing number of nearby households; and agreed restrictions on the routing and timing of HGV movements through Dunmore village to reduce disruption and safety risk to residents. Granting permission unconditionally would risk realising the full environmental and social costs without any guaranteed mitigation, while refusing permission outright would risk the near-term loss of 85 local jobs and forgo a well-evidenced response to genuinely rising regional demand. A conditional approval, tying the scheme's real economic benefits to enforceable environmental and social safeguards, represents the most balanced and justifiable recommendation based on the evidence available.
Final answer: a justified decision (either outcome can score full marks if properly justified) that explicitly weighs the significant, largely job-retention-focused economic case (85 jobs secured for 25 years, 20 construction jobs, extra £45,000/year rates) against the serious environmental/social costs (loss of part of a designated Local Wildlife Site, near-doubling of noise-affected households, increased HGV traffic through the village); a well-justified answer might recommend permission is granted ONLY IF conditional mitigation is legally required (e.g. binding habitat compensation for the Local Wildlife Site loss, tightened blasting/noise operating conditions, and a route/timing restriction on HGV movements through the village) rather than either accepting or rejecting the proposal unconditionally

評分準則

0 marks: a decision is stated without any justification or weighing of the evidence.
Level 1 (1-3 marks): a decision is stated with limited, one-sided justification, largely ignoring evidence on the other side of the argument.
Level 2 (4-7 marks): a decision is stated with reasonable justification that refers to evidence from both Sections B(i) and B(ii), but the weighing of trade-offs is underdeveloped or not fully consistent with earlier sections of the report.
Level 3 (8-10 marks): a clear, explicitly justified decision that directly and explicitly weighs specific economic evidence against specific environmental/social evidence from the candidate's own Sections B(i) and B(ii), reaches a coherent conclusion consistent with that weighing (any reasonable decision, including a conditional recommendation, can score full marks provided it is fully and consistently justified), and is written in a manner appropriate to the consultant role and formal report format.
題目 5 · Report Conventions (Role & Headings Format)
2
BACKGROUND: A quarrying company has proposed extending Dunmore Quarry, an existing limestone quarry near the village of Dunmore (population 900), by 60 hectares into adjacent farmland and woodland, extending its operational life by 25 years and supplying crushed limestone aggregate for regional construction. You have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the Resource Booklet below and recommend, to the regional planning authority, whether the extension should be granted permission.

RESOURCE 1 — Regional demand for construction aggregate (thousand tonnes per year):
2019: 420 2020: 395 2021: 460 2022: 510 2023: 560 2024 (projected): 610

RESOURCE 2 — Economic data:
- The existing quarry currently employs 85 people; without the extension, its remaining limestone reserves are projected to be exhausted within approximately 4 years, at which point these jobs would be lost.
- The extension is projected to secure these 85 existing jobs for a further 25 years and create an additional 20 jobs during construction of new processing infrastructure.
- The quarry currently generates approximately £180,000 per year in business rates for the local council; the extension is projected to generate an additional £45,000 per year.

RESOURCE 3 — Environmental and social data:
- The extension requires clearance of 15 hectares of mixed woodland, part of which is designated as a Local Wildlife Site.
- Blasting operations at the existing quarry already generate noise and vibration complaints from around 30 households within 1km; this is projected to rise to around 55 households within 1km of the expanded quarry boundary.
- Daily heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements on the local road through Dunmore village are projected to increase from approximately 90 to 150 per day if the extension proceeds.

State the correct report format and the sub-headings, in order, that your report should use to address this decision-making exercise. [2]
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解題

A Decision Making Exercise answer should take the form of a formal written report, not a continuous essay, addressed to the body that commissioned it (here, the regional planning authority), with a clear title identifying the proposal under consideration. The report should be organised under the designated sub-headings, presented in order: Section A: Proposal Description & Need; Section B(i): Socio-Economic Impacts & Counterarguments; Section B(ii): Environmental Impacts & Counterarguments; and Section C: Decision & Justification. Presenting the answer under these headings, in this order, ensures the report is easy for the commissioning body to navigate and directly addresses each required element of the brief.
Final answer: a formal report addressed to the regional planning authority, with a title, and the sub-headings, in order: Section A: Proposal Description & Need; Section B(i): Socio-Economic Impacts & Counterarguments; Section B(ii): Environmental Impacts & Counterarguments; Section C: Decision & Justification

評分準則

1 mark: report is correctly presented in formal report format (not essay format), addressed appropriately and titled.
1 mark: all four designated sub-headings given, in the correct order, matching the structure specified in the exercise.
Total [2].
題目 6 · Report Conventions (Role & Headings Format)
2
BACKGROUND: A quarrying company has proposed extending Dunmore Quarry, an existing limestone quarry near the village of Dunmore (population 900), by 60 hectares into adjacent farmland and woodland, extending its operational life by 25 years and supplying crushed limestone aggregate for regional construction. You have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the Resource Booklet below and recommend, to the regional planning authority, whether the extension should be granted permission.

RESOURCE 1 — Regional demand for construction aggregate (thousand tonnes per year):
2019: 420 2020: 395 2021: 460 2022: 510 2023: 560 2024 (projected): 610

RESOURCE 2 — Economic data:
- The existing quarry currently employs 85 people; without the extension, its remaining limestone reserves are projected to be exhausted within approximately 4 years, at which point these jobs would be lost.
- The extension is projected to secure these 85 existing jobs for a further 25 years and create an additional 20 jobs during construction of new processing infrastructure.
- The quarry currently generates approximately £180,000 per year in business rates for the local council; the extension is projected to generate an additional £45,000 per year.

RESOURCE 3 — Environmental and social data:
- The extension requires clearance of 15 hectares of mixed woodland, part of which is designated as a Local Wildlife Site.
- Blasting operations at the existing quarry already generate noise and vibration complaints from around 30 households within 1km; this is projected to rise to around 55 households within 1km of the expanded quarry boundary.
- Daily heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements on the local road through Dunmore village are projected to increase from approximately 90 to 150 per day if the extension proceeds.

Write an appropriate opening statement for your report that clearly establishes and maintains your role as the independent planning consultant throughout. [2]
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解題

An effective opening statement must immediately and explicitly establish the role specified in the exercise (an independent planning consultant), state who the report is being written for, and set out the purpose of the report, all in a professional, objective, advisory tone that is then maintained consistently throughout the rest of the report.

Example opening: 'I have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the evidence presented in the Resource Booklet and to advise the regional planning authority on whether the proposed extension of Dunmore Quarry should be granted permission. This report sets out my assessment of the socio-economic and environmental evidence and my justified recommendation.'

This opening explicitly names the role (independent planning consultant), the commissioning body (the regional planning authority), and the purpose (an evidence-based recommendation), establishing a professional, first-person advisory voice that should then be sustained through every subsequent section of the report.
Final answer: e.g. 'I have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the evidence presented in the Resource Booklet and to advise the regional planning authority on whether the proposed extension of Dunmore Quarry should be granted permission. This report sets out my assessment of the socio-economic and environmental evidence and my justified recommendation.' — written consistently in the first person, in a professional, objective, advisory tone throughout

評分準則

1 mark: opening statement explicitly and correctly establishes the specified role (independent planning consultant) and names the commissioning body/audience.
1 mark: tone is professional, objective and consistent with a formal advisory report.
Total [2].
題目 7 · Graphical Construction & Presentation
8
BACKGROUND: A quarrying company has proposed extending Dunmore Quarry, an existing limestone quarry near the village of Dunmore (population 900), by 60 hectares into adjacent farmland and woodland, extending its operational life by 25 years and supplying crushed limestone aggregate for regional construction. You have been appointed as an independent planning consultant to review the Resource Booklet below and recommend, to the regional planning authority, whether the extension should be granted permission.

RESOURCE 1 — Regional demand for construction aggregate (thousand tonnes per year):
2019: 420 2020: 395 2021: 460 2022: 510 2023: 560 2024 (projected): 610

RESOURCE 2 — Economic data:
- The existing quarry currently employs 85 people; without the extension, its remaining limestone reserves are projected to be exhausted within approximately 4 years, at which point these jobs would be lost.
- The extension is projected to secure these 85 existing jobs for a further 25 years and create an additional 20 jobs during construction of new processing infrastructure.
- The quarry currently generates approximately £180,000 per year in business rates for the local council; the extension is projected to generate an additional £45,000 per year.

RESOURCE 3 — Environmental and social data:
- The extension requires clearance of 15 hectares of mixed woodland, part of which is designated as a Local Wildlife Site.
- Blasting operations at the existing quarry already generate noise and vibration complaints from around 30 households within 1km; this is projected to rise to around 55 households within 1km of the expanded quarry boundary.
- Daily heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements on the local road through Dunmore village are projected to increase from approximately 90 to 150 per day if the extension proceeds.

Using Resource 1 (regional aggregate demand, 2019-2024), describe how you would construct a suitable graph to show the trend over this period, stating the type of graph, and the axes and scale you would use. Calculate the percentage change in aggregate demand between 2019 and the 2024 (projected) figure. Explain how you would integrate this graph and calculation into Section A of your report to support your discussion of the need for the quarry extension. [8]
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解題

Graph choice: A line graph is the most suitable graph type here, because the data forms a continuous time series (aggregate demand recorded for consecutive years) and a line graph is the standard, clearest way to show a trend, including the small dip and subsequent recovery visible in this data, changing over time.

Construction: The horizontal (x) axis should be labelled 'Year' and show 2019 to 2024 at equal intervals. The vertical (y) axis should be labelled 'Regional aggregate demand (thousand tonnes per year)' and should use a linear scale starting at 0 (to avoid misrepresenting the data) and rising in even intervals — for example, steps of 50 — to at least 650, comfortably accommodating the highest value (610). Each year's value (420, 395, 460, 510, 560, 610) would be plotted as a point above its year and the points joined with straight line segments, with the 2024 value marked as a projection (for example, using a dashed final line segment).

Calculation: Percentage change from 2019 to 2024 (projected) = [(610 − 420) / 420] × 100 = (190/420) × 100 = 45.238... ≈ 45.2% (3 s.f.).

Integration into Section A: This graph and calculation would be placed early in Section A, immediately after introducing the proposal, to visually and numerically establish the scale of the growth in regional aggregate demand driving the 'need' for the project. The graph would clearly show the small dip in 2020 followed by a strong, sustained recovery and continued growth, and the calculated 45.2% increase would be quoted directly in the text to give a precise, evidence-based figure supporting the argument that regional demand for the material this quarry supplies has grown substantially and is likely to continue rising, providing the evidential foundation for the rest of the report's discussion of need.
Final answer: a line graph, with year (2019-2024) on the horizontal axis and aggregate demand (thousand tonnes/year) on a vertical axis scaled from 0 to at least 650 in even intervals (e.g. steps of 50); percentage change from 2019 (420,000 tonnes) to 2024 projected (610,000 tonnes) = +45.2% (3 s.f.); this graph and calculation would be placed in Section A, directly supporting the argument that regional demand for aggregate has grown substantially (aside from a small dip in 2020) and is projected to continue rising, establishing the underlying 'need' the report must address

評分準則

M1 correct graph type identified and justified (line graph, for a continuous time series showing trend). [1]
M1 correct axes described (year on x, aggregate demand/thousand tonnes on y). [1]
M1 sensible, even scale described, starting at 0 and comfortably covering the data range. [1]
M1 correct method for percentage change ((610−420)/420 × 100). [1]
A1 correct value 45.2% (accept 45.2% or unrounded 45.24%). [1]
B1 valid point about integrating the graph early in Section A to establish the 'need'. [1]
B1 valid point referencing the 2020 dip and subsequent recovery/growth shown by the graph. [1]
B1 valid point using the calculated percentage as quantified evidence linked to the argument for the extension. [1]
A response that fails to draw/describe an appropriate graph at all is capped at a maximum of 3/8. Total [8].

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