Geography 2023 HSC exam pack (archive)

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• use the first page of the answer booklet for an extended response to develop a plan to assist in the logical sequencing of information
• engage with what the question is asking rather than presenting a pre-prepared response
• relate to the question throughout the response rather than just at the beginning
• sustain their judgements, where appropriate, throughout the response with a clear connection to the question
• communicate ideas and information using geographical terms and concepts appropriately
• refer to case studies, illustrative examples and the Stimulus Booklet where appropriate
• present a sustained, logical and cohesive response that addresses the question
• review their response to ensure that it addresses question requirements. 

Question 21 

In better responses, students were able to:

• calculate the value of 49% for the ‘all other’ section in the table for vinegar production (a)
• locate the specific point where the three values of Olive Oil production intersect on the ternary graph (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding that the value of ternary graph points must add up to 100% therefore, to calculate the ‘all other’ percentage for vinegar in the table, the student needed to subtract 46% and 5% from 100% to identify the value (a)
• understanding the different axis lines of the ternary graph by looking at angled lines along each scale on each side. For example, Italy is the flat horizontal line (b).

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify ONE change in the global economic activity. For example, the COVID-19 virus forced a change in consumer demand towards sustainably produced products, or a change in technology such as the development of larger aeroplanes like the Airbus A380 (a)
• show a relationship between the change and the global economic activity. For example, the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in 2019 resulted in a massive reduction in international tourist numbers (a)
• provide a range of features of a local economic enterprise. For example, Tamburlaine Wines is Australia’s largest independent organic wine producer, with over 700 hectares of organically farmed vineyards in the Hunter Valley and Orange (b)
• address the statement relating to sustainability-focused choices for companies and consumers. For example, Tamburlaine Wines has made a concerted effort to make sustainability-focused choices in the production of their wines, as evidenced by the choice of the company to shift production to organic wines (c)
• discuss the sustainability-focused choices of consumers and the local economic enterprise. For example, consumer demand for sustainably produced wines played a role in Tamburlaine’s decision to now produce organic wines (c)
• refer to economic sustainability. For example, Tamburlaine’s decision to produce wines organically increased production costs and the price of their wines for consumers. This meant that some consumers could no longer afford their wines
• demonstrate an understanding of social sustainability. For example, many consumers are choosing not to purchase products that involve child-labour in the production process, in addition to discussing ecological sustainability (c).

Areas for students to improve include: 

• identifying a ‘change’ and how the change directly impacts on a global economic activity (a)
• understanding a local economic enterprise. For example, Hunter Valley wineries are not a single entity and therefore not an appropriate choice (b)
• understanding the features of a local economic enterprise rather than factors that affect the enterprise (b)
• understanding that the key word ‘discuss’ requires more than a description (c)
• ensuring the ‘statement’ is addressed in the response (c)
• understanding that a local economic enterprise is a single entity, for example, Taronga Zoo, whereas a global economic activity is a whole industry, for example, tourism.

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify ONE specific ecosystem and the biophysical interactions that result in unique characteristics in that ecosystem (a)
• provide examples of how the biophysical interactions resulted in the ecosystem's unique characteristics. For example, detail on biodiversity, specific adaptations of plants or animals, location, extent or size (a)
• provide details of a management strategy, how it influences the ecosystem’s resilience, and whether the influence was positive and/or negative (b)
• provide details of how the resilience was affected by the management strategy. For example, allowing for greater biodiversity, increasing the extent of the ecosystem, improving linkages between areas of an ecosystem, increasing population numbers and genetic diversity, allowing natural change to proceed (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• focusing less on providing details of the four spheres (a)
• providing specific examples of unique characteristics of an ecosystem (a)
• providing a clear connection of the management strategy and how it can influence an ecosystem’s resilience (b)
• providing supporting evidence of the effects the management strategy has on resilience. For example, the use of statistics such as an increase (or decrease) in population numbers (b).

Question 24 

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate why most new mega cities are located in the developing world where poorer countries experience high birth rates, and rapid rural-urban migration (a)
• compare the similarities and/or differences of ONE challenge such as housing within TWO mega cities in the developing world. For example, Mumbai and Lagos are similar, with 66% of people in Mumbai living in slums while in Lagos 70% of its population live in slums. In Mumbai the slums have a higher population density than Lagos (b)
• provide a detailed explanation of how urban dynamics such as suburbanisation, urban decay and urban renewal have resulted in spatial patterns of advantage and disadvantage in ONE large city in the developed world. For example, providing details of how the urban dynamics favour the wealthy in suburbs near the inner city in Sydney. Barangaroo and Millers Point have become more expensive with urban renewal, resulting in these areas only being affordable for higher income households. In contrast, lower income households have been pushed to the newly suburbanised areas in the west and southwest of Sydney where they have access to less services (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring the mega cities referred to are located in the developing world (a,b)
• making effective use of comparative language (c)
• making reference to the quote (c).

Question 25 

In better responses, students were able to:

• engage with the graph of a global trend in technology advances and correctly select ONE topic area that illustrates the positive effect of technology
• provide a detailed explanation of how technology has positively affected ONE topic area. For example, where drones are used for aerial spraying of vineyards to save time and decrease costs in viticulture production.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing an understanding of the stimulus and how to integrate the graph with a topic area. For example, how plane technology has developed to make tourism easier, faster and cheaper over time
• providing detail in the reasoning of how technology has positively affected a topic area by supporting with illustrative examples and statistics. 

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a well-developed and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a global economic activity such as tourism, viticulture and wine making, dairy farming, aquaculture and rice production
• provide a comprehensive discussion of the impacts of economic activity in a global context, including the positive and negative social, economic and environmental impacts of the activity. Impacts could include, but are not limited to:
  • health benefits of banana production for people’s nutrient intake (social)
  • increased job creation from viticulture and wine making (economic)
  • preservation and conservation of environments for tourism (environmental)
  • health issues caused by excessive intake of alcohol from viticulture and wine making (social)
  • overreliance on a volatile tourist market for employment (economic)
  • reduction in biodiversity in planting a monoculture for wheat farming (environmental)
• integrate specific and explicit case studies/examples with explicit data, statistics and evidence from the Stimulus Booklet to support discussion.  

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding that 'discuss', requires more than just providing a description of the impacts
• providing valid evidence such as statistics, examples and geographical terminology to add depth and structure to their response
• not confusing the impacts 'of' the activity with the impacts 'on' the activity
• using a variety of illustrative examples relating to the global economic activity rather than just relying on those relating to the economic enterprise studied.

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of a world city through a city's economic and cultural dominance, with detailed reference to flow of information, capital, people, goods and services to highlight this dominance. Examples could include:
  • stock exchanges
  • education and innovation
  • sporting and cultural events
  • location of transnational corporations
  • global networks
• support their knowledge and understanding of characteristics of world cites with factual detail and reference to world cities
• show a highly developed understanding of analysis, in order to draw out implications of a world cities character
• reference a range of examples of world cities, for example, London, Paris, or Tokyo and could also include New York City from the Stimulus Booklet.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding that analysing the character of a world city was more than just a description of the character or listing that is evident in the Stimulus Booklet for New York City
• understanding the requirements of the question, that is, to draw out the implications of the character rather than just describing or outlining the character
• providing supporting evidence with illustrative examples and case studies using formal and factual expression, rather than colloquial expressions or general discussion.

Question 28

In better responses, students were able to: 

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of ecosystems and the negative impacts humans have had on them over time, by applying relevant case studies and supporting judgements with evidence of:
  • human induced climate change causing warming of oceans which results in coral bleaching events, pushing ecosystems beyond their point of elasticity and creating a loss of biodiversity over time
  • compaction of soil in sand dunes, causing loss of vegetation cover, resulting in faster erosion and destruction of dunes system, reduction in habitat size leading to loss of species diversity
  • deforestation resulting in loss of biodiversity and habitat fragmentation
  • introduction of exotic species, greater competition for resources with native species, resulting in native species dying out
• make a well-informed judgement as to the extent of the impacts on the ecosystem by expanding on the effects and looking at the consequences of those impacts elaborating on them with illustrative examples. For example, over harvesting of pippies resulting in insufficient quantity of food for migratory birds leading to a reduction in bird species, which affects the nutrients deposited by birds. This leads to poorer soil quality resulting in a lack of vegetation, as a result greater erosion of the foredunes makes the dunes system more susceptible to storm surges and being washed away
• make a judgement as to what extent negative human impacts are disrupting essential natural ecosystems services and functioning
• integrate specific and explicit case studies and examples with relevant and accurate data, statistics and evidence from the Stimulus Booklet and other sources to support judgements.

Areas for students to improve include: 

• directly answering the question in relation to the extent of the negative impacts on the ecosystem, and not just identifying impacts. Responses should give a clear description of the impact and how this impact has affected the functioning of the ecosystem
• assessing the cause of the impact and the effect on the ecosystem over time
• integrating relevant case studies where appropriate and using illustrative examples and the Stimulus Booklet to support the response.