How to prepare HKDSE GEOGRAPHY examination?

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How to prepare HKDSE GEOGRAPHY examination?
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I. HKDSE examination
40MC
4 -gt 1
5MC map reading
4 -gt 1
4 -gt 2
Questions from 2 different elective topics!!!
3 -gt 1
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II. Focus of each topic
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7 Compulsory Topics(Paper I 4DBQ, 2 essays)

• 1. Opportunities Risks
• 2. River Coastal Management
• 3. Industry
• 3. Global Warming
• 5. Disappearing Green Canopy
• 6. Farming
• 7. City

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Opportunities Risks

• 1. Landform features ridge, trench, fold
  mountains (characteristics formation annotated
  diagrams)
• 2. Hazards volcanic eruption (2005), earthquakes
  (2005, 2009), tsunami (2007)
• why how? (Annotated diagram labels only)
• Variation in damages between MDCs LDCs
• Variation in solutions between MDCs LDCs
• Reasons for staying in hazard prone areas
• 3. Intraplate vulcanicity / earthquakes - Hawaii

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River Coastal Management

• 1. Map Reading Skills (Case Tung Chung River)
• a) types of drainage pattern basin (radial,
  dendritic)
• b) draw watershed (along ridge spur)
• c) stream order (1st order, 2nd order..)
• d) draw the river profile (2007)
• e) delimit the 3 courses from the river profile
• f) draw cross section of river courses
• - upper course deep narrow V shaped valley,
  middle course wider V shaped valley lower
  course wide U shaped valley)

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• g) identify characteristics of upper and lower
  course from map

Upper course Lower course
1. gradient steep gentle
-gt spacing of contour lines Closely spaced Widely spaced
2. Width of river (measure the width of river on map x scale) narrow wide
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• h) identify fluvial landforms on map
• Meanders winding course (S-shaped)
• Waterfall overlap contour lines
• Gorge narrow valley
• Flood plain lowland adjacent to river in lower
  course
• Levees river banks in lower course
• Interlocking spur surrounded by alternate spurs

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• i) Vertical exaggeration (time)
• vertical scale / horizontal scale
• j) Relation between area scale
• Enlarged scale x times -gt area enlarges x2 times
• (Scale enlarged 2 times from 1200,000 -gt
  1100,000 gt area enlarges 4 times)
• Reduced scale x times
• -gt area reduces 1/ x2 times

1cm to 2000m
1cm to 1000m
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• 1. Map Reading Skills (coast)
• a) Name coastal erosional (sea cliff (map
  symbol)/ geo / wave cut platform and depositional
  features (beach / tombolo / spit / bar )
• b) Reasons for coastal erosional and depositional
  features (exposed headland Vs sheltered bay
  fetch, depth of sea check submarine contour
  lines)
• c) human modification along the coast
• e.g. reclamation white reclaimed land
• E.g. breakwater / typhoon shelter / pier

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River coastal management

• 1. River
• - What are the fluvial characteristics at each
  river course (especially gradient and mean
  velocity)?
• - How do human development (e.g. reservoirs /
  dams) affect the fluvial processes (erosion /
  transportation / deposition)?
• - Why do lots of development (residential /
  agricultural / commercial) focus along lower
  course of river?
• - How to interpret flooding from hydrograph?
• - How does urbanization speed up hydrograph?

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• 2. Hard and soft approach to manage river and
  coast
• How does each approach work?
• Which one is more effective / ineffective?
• Whats the impact of such approach?
• Whats the sustainable river and coastal
  management?

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Industry

• 1. Iron steel industry in China (2005, 2007)
• a) How does technology government
  (institutional factors) affect the location of
  Iron steel industry at different stages?
• b) Why does more iron and steel industry relocate
  to suburbs of urban areas lately?
• 2. IT industry (2006, 2007, 2009)
• a)What are the locational characteristics of IT
  industry in Silicon Valley and Hong Kong?
• b) Why does IT industry set up headquarters in
  MDCs TNCs in LDCs? (relocation of industry in
  HK to S. China)
• c)What are the impacts of multi-point production
  to MDCs / LDCs?
• d)Compare and contrast the characteristics of IT
  industry and iron and steel industry

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Global Warming

• 1. Source (2005, 2007)
• Combustion from factories, vehicles, power
  stations
• 2. Fact? Fiction? (NEW!!!)
• 3. Impact (2005, 2007)
• Impact to farming (2008)
• Case heat waves in Europe / Tuvalu (2009)
• 4. Solution
• Individual Vs Governmental Vs International
• 4. Difficulties
• Presentation Why did USA refuse to join Kyoto
  Protocol?
• Dilemma (short term) Vs environmental
  conservation (long term)

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Disappearing Green Canopy

• 1. How does TRF function as an ecosystem?
• 2. How does the vegetation in TRF adapt to the
  climatic conditions in TRF? (roots / leaves /
  layers)
• 3. How do human activities lead to the
  disappearance of TRF?
• 4) Why do TRF governments support such act?
• 5) How does deforestation affect the energy flow
  nutrient cycling of TRF ecosystem?
• 6) How to have a sustainable forest management

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Farming

• 1. Cases (California Sahel)
• a) How does climate create constraints
  opportunities to farmers? (2008)
• b) Why cant LDCs change farming constraints into
  opportunities?
• c) Adv disadv of different farming technology
  (2005-2007)
• d) Why cant sustainable farming be applied in
  LDCs?
• e) Why does famine happen in 3rd world countries
  but NOT in MDCs?
• f) Is famine man-made / natural? (2006)
• g) How to help starving people?
• Poverty reduction / self help scheme /
  intellectual aid / food aid (2005)

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City

• 1. Why land use conflict?
• A. Rural land use conflict
• - Population growth -gt urbanization -gt limited
  land in urban areas -gt urban encroachment in
  rural areas -gt land use changes (more
  residential, less agricultural land, more
  transport, more commercial)
• Evidence aerial photo, photo, map
• B. Urban land use conflict
• Urban decay -gt urban renewal
• Limited developable land -gt reclamation / new
  project
• 2. Solution
• Urban renewal (2005, 2007)
• New town (2007)
• Sustainable development

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• Draw SKETCH MAP to show major land use (2006)
• 1. fold the map or highlight the related grid
  squares
• 2. Check the scale same scale? new scale?
• Same scale original / same size
• Reduction of scale reduce the scale by half -gt
  area will be reduced by ¼ times
• 3. Draw the frame
• 4. Add grid squares, dominant feature (e.g.
  coastline, Kai Tak runway)
• 5. Draw dominant land use only (e.g. transport,
  built-up areas)
• 6. Ignore minor features (e.g. park, post office)
• 7. Add a key
• 8. Add title, scale

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Elective Topics

• Climate
• (factors affecting temperature compulsory topic)
• 2. Dynamic Earth

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Climate

• 1. Why do places have different rainfall? (2007)
• a) air movement
• 0o (equator / TRF) -gt rising air convection
  rain
• 60o -gt rising air -gt frontal rain
• 30o (desert) 90o sinking air stable weather
• b) windward Vs leeward
• Windward (relief rain) Vs leeward (rain shadow
  region)
• c) Wind
• Onshore (wet) Vs offshore (dry)
• D) Distance from the sea (Urumqi Vs HK)
• Continental climate (drier) Vs Maritime climate
  (wetter)

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• 2. Why do places have different temperature?
• elective topics (MC) (07,08)
• (annual mean ToC, annual / diurnal ToC range)
• A) Distance from the sea (East-West Variation)
• Continental climate (large annual Temperature
  range) Vs Maritime climate (small annual temp.
  range)
• b) altitude (e.g. Qing Zang Gaoyuan)
• Highland (cold Environmental lapse rate -gt lower
  annual mean temperature)Vs lowland (warmer)

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• c) latitude (2006) (North-South Variation)
• High latitude (polar climate -gt lower annual mean
  temperature) Vs low latitude (Equatorial climate
  large angle of solar incidence)
• d) urban rural difference
• Urban warmer heat island effect), smaller
  diurnal range of temperature
• Rural cooler, larger dirunal range of
  temperature
• e) clear sky Vs cloudy sky
• Clear sky (desert) -gt larger diurnal temperature
  range
• cloudy sky (TRF) -gt smaller diurnal temperature
  range

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• 3. Does climate vary over a place?
• A) shifting of wind belt (2009)
• Wind belt shifts northward in summer shifts
  southward in winter -gt places receive onshore
  wind may receive offshore wind (vice versa)
• B) Human activities (2005)
• - improper farming activities over-stocking in
  Sahel -gt less condensation nuclei -gt drier
• - industrialization urbanization -gt power
  station / cars / factories -gt more greenhouse
  gases in urban areas -gt hotter (heat island
  effect global warming)

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• 4. Relationship between climate man
• a) climate affect human activities? (2005)
• Favourable climate -gt settlement / economic
  development
• Unfavourable -gt less economic development
• Unless with technology to overcome the
  constraints into opportunities (California
• b) human activities affect climate
• global warming
• Heat island effect

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• 5. Climate of HK (sub-tropical monsoon climate)
• a) Summer
• i) SW onshore monsoon (hot wet)
• ii) Typhoon (weather changes at vortex eye)
• iii) Trough (LP -gt rain)
• Result flooding, rainstorm
• B) Winter
• i)NE / NW winter offshore monsoon (cold dry)
• ii) Front (frontal rain, cold surge)
• iii) Anticyclone (cold surge, sunny)
• iv) Ridge (HP sunny)

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• 6. Climate of China
• A) Annual mean temperature
• - decreases with increasing latitude
  North-South Variation (Factor latitude)
• - decreases towards inland East-West Variation
  (Qing Zang Gaoyuan)
• B) Annual temperature range
• - increases towards inland (Continental Vs
  Maritime)
• C) July (summer mean temperature) NW gt E
• inland absorbs heat faster continental climate
• D) Jan (winter mean temperature) W lt E
• - inland loses heat faster continental climate

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• 7. Climate of China
• A) Annual Precipitation (maritime Vs
  continental)
• Rainfall decreases from SE (humid regions) to NW
  (arid regions)
• B) Rainfall distribution (hot summer dry winter)
• i) summer E gt W (Coast SW / SE onshore wind
  maritime climate)
• ii) winter E gt W (inland HP outblowing
  offshore wind continental climate)

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8. Climatic Hazards

• A. Drought (demand of water gtgtgt supply of water)
• Drought (Human gtgtgtgt Physical)

LARGE demand of water SMALL supply of water
Physical High evaporation in desert Less unreliable rain Delay summer monsoon Early winter monsoon
human - Rapid industrialization urbanization - Irrigation Deforestation -gt less evapotranspiration Polluted water -gt fresh water scarcity
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8. Climatic Hazards

• B. Sandstorm (Physical?? Human??)

PHYSICAL HUMAN
Outblowing strong offshore wind from Northern China Overcultivation, overgrazing gt Deforestation no vegetation to hold the soil
Lots of dust sand supply from desert (Gobi Desert) Bare soil -gt soil, water wind erosion desertification
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DYNAMIC EARTH

• 1. Formation and characteristics of rocks
  (especially granite tuff)
• 2. compare and contrast igneous / sedimentary /
  metamorphic rocks
• 3. How rock cycle works?

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• 4. Role of water / runoff vegetation in slope
  stability (refer to HKAL essay)
• Water is essential in weathering -gt thick
  regolith
• Water erosion runoff
• Water lubricant, lower soil cohesion -gt
  landslide
• Steep slope -gt gentle slope
• 5. Role of vegetation in affecting slope
  stability. (refer to HKAL essay)
• Vegetation stress widen cracks (biological
  weathering -gt denudation
• Vegetation strength (roots hold the soil)

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• 6. Role of granite (geology) in shaping the
  landscape of HK
• Granite well jointed rock -gt less resistant
• Cracks allow penetration of water -gt denudation
• Physical weathering block disintegration (Shek
  O)
• Chemical weathering honeycomb weathering,
  spheroidal weathering, tors, weathered profile
• Water erosion gullies (Castle Peak)
• Mass wasting on granite slopes

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• 7. Role of man in shaping the landscape of HK
• A) Rapid population growth -gt demand of land for
  residential, transport, residential land use
• Coast Reclamation
• slope cutting / deforestation
• B) Tame river River training work

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III. Examination Techniques
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• 1. Select suitable question
• a) 1st round Look through all questions write
  down the focus for each question. (Q2city,
  Q3energy). Dont look at the details yet.
  (1minute)
• b) 2nd round look through the questions you have
  studied / have confidence.
• c) Ignore the question you are NOT familiar

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• d) Make remarks for each sub-question (e.g. tick,
  cross). Add up the total marks that you know for
  the question.
• e) Finalize the questions (attempt the question
  if you know more than 80)
• f) Suggestion Select all questions at the
  beginning. Dont change your mind after decision
  has been made
• g) Think carefully before you answer. Dont
  cross out the answer after you have completed
  most of it

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• 2. Spend the time wisely
• A) Read find the focus of each question (3
  mins)
• B) Study the question (3 mins)
• C) Answer the questions (25 mins / Q)

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• 3. Sequence of questions
• Suggestion 1
• Answer the questions which you are unfamiliar
  first as your minds are clearer
• Answer your best question at the end
• Suggestion 2
• Answer the familiar question to gain confidence

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How to have better structure?
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• Introduction
• Be precise (lt 5 lines)
• show standpoint (if any)
• NO definition is needed
• 2. Write Heading
• Marks will NOT be deducted if you write heading
• Heading helps the marker to know which part you
  are answering give marks accordingly

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• 3. Clear structure
• never in lengthy paragraphs
• 1 major argument / factor per paragraph
• Small paragraphs per page
• Write clear topic sentence (pattern) at the
  beginning
• 4. Use keywords (You are NOT writing a
  composition, must have geographical keywords /
  concepts!!)

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Revision before HKDSE
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• 1. Do the un-attempted questions in MOCK
• 2. Revision all tests / examination
• 3. Glance through the HKAL presentation (Get the
  focus of each question)
• 4. Study the format of structured questions in
  each topic.
• 5. Study topic summary / chapter keywords
• 6. Study the focus of each topic (this handout)
• 7. Choose topics to study (NOT encouraged until
  the last moment)
• 8. Highlight data / examples when you do revision
  (in notes or use a separate sheet to record them)

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1-2 days before the examination

• 1. Revise map reading
• 2. Revise area of interest
• 3. Revise test / examination
• 4. Study topic summary
• 5. Study structured question format

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Examination day

• 1. Sleep well the night before
• 2. Look at topic summary / keywords / format
• 3. Look at your record of examples / data
• 4. Have a good breakfast
• 4. Bring a clock / watch for better time
  management
• 5. Bring stationery for map reading
• - a long ruler, calculator, a thread, colour
  pencils, protractor
• 6. Break relax, revise map reading skills