Geography 2016 HSC exam pack (archive)

Question 21

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• applying the correct formula (part a)
• correctly identifying a population trend/change and linking this to a problem that City X may face (part b).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• ensuring that the problems described relate to population changes experienced by City X rather than general urban issues (part b)
• supporting the response with specific reference to both population pyramids (part b).

Question 22

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• understanding the requirements of the key word ‘describe’ (part a)
• using appropriate geographical terms
• supporting the response with illustrative examples and key terminology.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• differentiating between an economic activity and an economic enterprise
• providing a balanced response when describing TWO impacts (part a)
• understanding the difference between the factors affecting an economic activity and the impacts of the economic activity (part a)
• understanding the requirements of the key words ‘account’ (part b) and ‘explain’ (part c)
• clearly differentiating between current trends and future directions of an economic activity (part b)
• understanding the concept of environmental constraint (part c).

Question 23

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• identifying an urban dynamic of change and a suburb/country town by name (part a)
• understanding that the growth of regional centres has led to the demise of small towns (part b).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• using appropriate terminology of urban dynamic of change and not terms such as gentrification, adaptive reuse, urban sprawl or ruralisation (part a)
• providing features and characteristics of world cities to illustrate their economic and cultural significance (part c).

Question 24

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• identifying an appropriate contemporary management strategy and outlining its purpose (part c)
• Identifying relevant human activities and showing how they may affect an ecosystem in the area (part d).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• understanding the concepts of weather and climate and their connection to changing ecosystems (part a)
• recognising the difference between traditional and contemporary management strategies as well as using the correct terminology for a strategy (parts b and c)
• explaining how human activities may affect an ecosystem in the area rather than merely describing the impacts (part d).

Question 25

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• describing responses to the challenges of living in mega cities
• communicating using appropriate geographical terms and concepts.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• understanding the requirements of the key word ‘analyse’
• relating the implications of the responses to the challenges of living in mega cities
• referring to relevant case studies and illustrative examples.

Question 26

Candidates showed strength in:

• describing biophysical interactions
• referring to a relevant case study.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• understanding the requirements of the key word ‘analyse’
• not confusing human impacts with biophysical interactions.

Question 27

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• describing some factors that have influenced the nature or spatial pattern of an economic activity
• using appropriate geographic terminology.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• understanding the requirements of the key word ‘explain’
• differentiating between an economic enterprise and an economic activity
• not confusing the impacts of an economic activity with the factors that influence the economic activity
• referring to relevant case studies and illustrative examples.