How to prepare HKDSE GEOGRAPHY examination?

I. HKDSE examination

40MC

4 -> 2

3 -> 1

4 -> 1

4 -> 1

Questions from 2 different elective topics!!!

5MC: map reading

II. Focus of each topic

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

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

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)

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

Upper course

Lower course

1. gradient steep gentle

-> spacing of contour lines

Closely spaced

Widely spaced

2. Width of river(measure the width of river on map x scale)

narrow wide

• 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

• i) Vertical exaggeration: (time)

• vertical scale / horizontal scale

• j) Relation between area & scale:

• Enlarged scale x times -> area enlarges x2 times

• (Scale enlarged 2 times from 1:200,000 -> 1:100,000 => area enlarges 4 times)

• Reduced scale x times

-> area reduces 1/ x2 times

1cm to 1000m

1cm to 2000m

• 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

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?

• 2. Hard and soft approach to manage river and coast

• How does each approach work?

• Which one is more effective / ineffective?

• What’s the impact of such approach?

• What’s the sustainable river and coastal management?

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

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)

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

Farming• 1. Cases (California & Sahel)• a) How does climate create constraints & opportunities to

farmers? (2008) • b) Why can’t LDCs change farming constraints into

opportunities?• c) Adv & disadv of different farming technology (2005-2007)• d) Why can’t 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)

City• 1. Why land use conflict?• A. Rural land use conflict• - Population growth -> urbanization -> limited land in urban areas ->

urban encroachment in rural areas -> land use changes (more residential, less agricultural land, more transport, more commercial)

• Evidence: aerial photo, photo, map• B. Urban land use conflict• Urban decay -> urban renewal• Limited developable land -> reclamation / new project • 2. Solution• Urban renewal (2005, 2007)• New town (2007)• Sustainable development

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 -> area will

be reduced by ¼ times3. Draw the frame4. 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 key8. Add title, scale

Elective Topics

1. Climate

(factors affecting temperature: compulsory topic)

2. Dynamic Earth

• 1. Why do places have different rainfall? (2007)• a) air movement• 0o (equator / TRF) -> rising air = convection rain• 60o -> rising air -> 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)

Climate

• 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 -> lower annual mean temperature)Vs lowland (warmer)

• c) latitude (2006) (North-South Variation)• High latitude (polar climate -> 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) -> larger diurnal temperature

range • cloudy sky (TRF) -> smaller diurnal temperature

range

• 3. Does climate vary over a place?• A) shifting of wind belt (2009)• Wind belt shifts northward in summer & shifts

southward in winter -> places receive onshore wind may receive offshore wind (vice versa)

• B) Human activities (2005)• - improper farming activities: over-stocking in

Sahel -> less condensation nuclei -> drier• - industrialization & urbanization -> power

station / cars / factories -> more greenhouse gases in urban areas -> hotter (heat island effect & global warming)

• 4. Relationship between climate & man

• a) climate affect human activities? (2005)

• Favourable climate -> settlement / economic development

• Unfavourable -> less economic development

• Unless with technology to overcome the constraints into opportunities (California

• b) human activities affect climate

• global warming

• Heat island effect

• 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 -> 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)

• 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 > E• inland absorbs heat faster = continental climate• D) Jan (winter mean temperature): W < E• - inland loses heat faster = continental climate

• 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 > W (Coast: SW / SE onshore wind + maritime

climate)• ii) winter: E > W (inland = HP = outblowing offshore wind

+ continental climate)

8. Climatic Hazards• A. Drought (demand of water >>> supply of water)

• Drought (Human >>>> Physical)

LARGE demand of water SMALL supply of water

Physical High evaporation in desert 1. Less & unreliable rainDelay summer monsoonEarly winter monsoon

human - Rapid industrialization & urbanization- Irrigation

1. Deforestation -> less evapotranspiration

2. Polluted water -> fresh water scarcity

8. Climatic Hazards• B. Sandstorm (Physical?? Human??)

PHYSICAL HUMAN

Outblowing strong offshore wind from Northern China

Overcultivation, overgrazing=> Deforestation = no vegetation to hold the soil

Lots of dust & sand supply from desert (Gobi Desert)

Bare soil -> soil, water & wind erosion = desertification

DYNAMIC EARTH• 1. Formation and characteristics of rocks

(especially granite & tuff)

• 2. compare and contrast igneous / sedimentary / metamorphic rocks

• 3. How rock cycle works?

• 4. Role of water / runoff & vegetation in slope stability (refer to HKAL essay)

• Water is essential in weathering -> thick regolith

• Water erosion = runoff

• Water = lubricant, lower soil cohesion -> landslide

• Steep slope -> gentle slope

• 5. Role of vegetation in affecting slope stability. (refer to HKAL essay)

• Vegetation = stress: widen cracks (biological weathering -> denudation

• Vegetation = strength (roots hold the soil)

6. Role of granite (geology) in shaping the landscape of HK• Granite: well jointed rock -> less resistant• Cracks allow penetration of water -> 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

7. Role of man in shaping the landscape of HK

• A) Rapid population growth -> demand of land for residential, transport, residential …… land use

• Coast: Reclamation

• slope: cutting / deforestation

• B) Tame river: River training work

III. Examination Techniques

• 1. Select suitable question

• a) 1st round: Look through all questions write down the focus for each question. (Q2:city, Q3:energy). Don’t 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

• 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. Don’t change your mind after decision has been made

• g) Think carefully before you answer. Don’t cross out the answer after you have completed most of it

• 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)

• 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

How to have better structure?

1. Introduction

- Be precise (< 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

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!!)

Revision before HKDSE

• 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)

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

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