Geography 2017 HSC exam pack (archive)

Students should:

• address the key words in the questions – describe, explain, analyse, evaluate
• use relevant geographical terminology
• answer the question being asked (rather than writing everything they know about the topic)
• use case studies, examples and statistical data where appropriate
• engage with the stimulus material where possible
• for short answer questions, use the number of lines in the exam paper as an indication of the expected length of the response
• only answer two of the extended response option questions, and make sure they are topics they have studied in class
• write a plan for the extended response questions so that they can structure their responses in a clear and logical manner.

Students can prepare for this examination by:

• revising using past HSC exam papers and marking guidelines
• writing plans for questions from past HSC exam papers
• keeping up to date with relevant currents affairs related to topics they have studied.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• draw a cross-section and label a human feature on the cross section (part (a))
• calculate a gradient using the correct formula (part (b))
• calculate a vertical exaggeration using the correct formula (part (c)).

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• apply the key to illustrate the précis map (part (a))
• give a brief explanation or make a clear judgement on or give a valid reason for protecting and managing an ecosystem (part (b))
• identify an ecosystem at risk and the major event(s) or issue(s) related to the nature of the ecosystem and the rate of change in that ecosystem.

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand the meaning of exurbanisation and provide an appropriate example (part (a))
• understand the meaning of ‘culture of place’ and use the sources provided to show how it is expressed in Reykjavik (part (b))
• differentiate between mega cities and world cities, using examples, and discuss both nature and spatial patterns (part (c))
• use appropriate geographical terminology.

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe elements of the nature of an economic enterprise (part (a))
• understand the concept of an internal linkage associated with an economic enterprise (part (b))
• understand the concept of an external linkage associated with an economic enterprise (part (c))
• identify sociocultural factors and describe how they affected one economic activity (part (d))
• understand the requirements of the key words ‘describe’ and ‘outline’
• use appropriate geographical terminology.

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify and define an economic activity
• understand and had a deep knowledge of the term ‘ecological sustainability’
• identify the challenges of ecological sustainability and linked these to the economic activity
• explain clearly and in detail how the economic activity has responded to the challenges identified
• refer to the sources provided and other relevant examples and case studies where appropriate, using statistics to support their response
• provide logical, cohesive responses using appropriate geographical terminology and concepts.

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a large city in the developed world and the changes in social structure and patterns of advantage and disadvantage in the city
• demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of the social structure and patterns of advantage and disadvantage in the city
• provide comprehensive reasons for the changes in social structure and the patterns of advantage and disadvantage in the city
• refer extensively to relevant case studies, illustrative examples and the sources provided, where appropriate
• present a logical and cohesive response using appropriate geographical information, ideas, concepts and statistical data.

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify and describe natural stress, such as cyclones, and human-induced modifications, such as tourism and agriculture, in an ecosystem at risk
• show how natural stress and human-induced modifications could lead to vulnerability and resilience within the ecosystem
• explain how the ecosystem has responded to natural stress and human-induced modifications, demonstrating both the vulnerability and resilience of the ecosystem
• incorporate relevant case studies, illustrative examples and the sources provided, where appropriate
• provide responses that had a clear and concise structure, and were detailed, logical and cohesive
• display a highly developed use of appropriate geographical terminology
• strengthen their arguments with deep knowledge and statistical data.