TANJONG KATONG GIRLS’ SCHOOL

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION SECONDARY FOUR

2192/01 COMBINED HUMANITIESSocial Studies

Thursday 2nd September 2010 1 h 30 min

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Write your name, register number and the question numbers clearly on each pieceof writing paper you use.

Write legibly in dark blue or black ink.

.Section A: Answer all parts of Question 1.

Section B: Answer one question.

Begin your answers to Section B on a fresh sheet of paper.

Write all answers on the writing paper provided.

Hand up Section A and Section B separately.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

You are advised to spend no more than 50 minutes on Section A.

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of the question or partquestion.

This Question Paper consists of 6 printed pages, including this page.

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Section A (Source-Based Case Study)

Question 1 is compulsory for all candidates.

Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer allthe questions.

You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition tothose sources you are told to use. In answering the questions you should useyour knowledge of the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.

1 (a) Study Sources A and B.

To what extent does Source B support Source A? Explain youranswer. [6]

(b) Study Source C.

Can you believe what Source C says about the ‘new generation of Tamils’? Explain your answer. [7]

(c) Study Source D.

How useful is Source D as evidence that the conflict in Sri Lanka can end in a lasting peace? Explain your answer [7]

(d) Study Source E. Why did the cartoonist draw this picture? Explain your answer. [5]

Has the conflict in Sri Lanka finally ended?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

For nearly three decades, this island paradise had been scarred by a bitter civilwar arising out of ethnic tensions. A ceasefire signed in 2002 was undermined byregular clashes between government troops and Tamil rebels, and in January2008, it ended. As violence escalated, the United Nations called Sri Lanka a“bloodbath” and the international community appealed for another ceasefire. InMay 2009, the Government of Sri Lanka led by President Mahinda Rajapaksaannounced a decisive military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) or Tamil Tigers. Can this pave the way for a resolution to the conflict?

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Source A: A report on an interview in early 2010 by Kumaran Pathmanathan (aSri Lankan Tamil living in Sri Lanka) who seeks welfare funds from Tamilsoverseas.

In an exclusive interview with The Island newspaper, Kumaran Pathmanathanwas confident that a group of like-minded Tamils based in various parts of theworld would support the initiative for the benefit of Sri Lankan Tamils, and saidPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa was genuine in his efforts at resolving differencesamong communities and helping to re-build the war-devastated regions.

“Within a year of the conclusion of the war, the majority of the people displacedby the conflict are back in their villages and ex-combatants of the LTTE areundergoing rehabilitation and the international community, too, is supportive ofSri Lanka’s efforts. None of these would have been possible without the politicalleadership given by President Rajapaksa,” he told the paper.

Source B: A report on a comment made by a government official in early 2010.

Government spokesman K Rambukwella (a Sinhalese) told a news conferencethat the group representing the Tamil diaspora*, which had been forced to fundthe militant activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, was now willing tocontribute to the welfare of the war-displaced civilians. Mr Rambukwella saidKumaran Pathmanathan, who had been responsible for raising funds forpurchase of military materials for the terrorist outfit, had realized his past folliesand joined the group which was willing to help in development activities.

*diaspora: a large group of people who come from a particular place and are nowliving in many different parts of the world.

Source C: An extract of a news report in late 2009 by the BBC (BritishBroadcasting Corporation).

The government says the rebels have been crushed. For the first time indecades, the army now controls the whole of Sri Lanka’s territory. The rebelmovement is over as a conventional military force and its leadership has beendecimated. But the Tamil Tigers controlled huge financial and logisticalresources, and were supported by many expatriate Tamils around the world.Analysts say that the manner in which the government pursued victory – ignoringinternational calls for restraint – may have radicalised a new generation ofTamils, both on the island and in the diaspora in Europe, Asia and NorthAmerica.

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Source D: An extract from a report by the international media in late 2009.

Pro-government Tamil minister Douglas Devananda says Tamils have committeda historical mistake once again by not supporting President Rajapaksa in theelections. He points out that Tamils had missed opportunities – like the India-SriLanka accord of 1987 and subsequent peace talks – with successive Sri Lankangovernments to find a peaceful solution. Those missed opportunities, he says,only increased the sufferings of the Tamils.

“The vote against the government in Tamil areas, in the elections, will onlyprolong the problem. It will not help in finding a solution,” Mr Devananda says.However, he admits that there have been shortcomings in the resettlement ofwar-displaced Tamils but insists that the government is trying to address theissue.

Source E: A cartoon drawn in August 2009, for the National Herald, a newspaperin India, by a cartoonist who has previously won a United Nations award.

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Section B Structured Essay Question (25 marks)

Answer one question only. Each question consists of two parts. You shouldanswer both parts of the question.

2 Public healthcare policies in Singapore and the United Kingdom

(a) The following strategies have been implemented to manage healthcare inSingapore.

Encouraging self-reliance Promoting a healthy lifestyle Keeping healthcare affordable

Which strategy has been more effective in managing the increasinghealthcare costs in Singapore? Explain your answer. [12]

(b) ‘The reformed National Health Service has been able to serve Britain well.’ Do you agree? Explain your answer. [13]

3 Managing International Relations

(a) The following strategies have been implemented for the defence ofSingapore.

Joint military exercises Defence industry 3rd Generation armed force

Which strategy has been more effective in enhancing Singapore’s nationalsecurity? Explain your answer. [12]

(b) ‘Singapore’s membership in ASEAN has been able to serve her well diplomatically.’ Do you agree? Explain your answer. [13]

PTO

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4 The Rise and Fall of Venice

(a) The following factors were responsible for the rise of Venice.

Capable leadership Political institutions Trade Developments

Which was more responsible for Venice achieving greater heights?Explain your answer.

[12]

(b) ‘Venice’s policies were always able to serve her well.’ Do you agree?Explain your answer. [13]

End of Paper

Setters: Mdm Azizan and Mrs R Lopez

Markers: Mdm Azizan, Mrs R Lopez and Mr Vincent Low

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Marking Scheme

Section A: Source-based Question

1. (a) Study Sources A and B.To what extent does Source B support Source A? Explain your answer. [6]

L Suggested Answer ML1 Support or does not support based on provenance/source type

Support e.g Both sources are textual sources.ORDoes not support e.g. Source A was a report about a Sri LankanTamil but Source B was a report on a Sri Lankan Sinhalese.

1

L2 Support because of similarity of topicSupport. Both sources are on the aftermath of the Sri Lankanconflict.

2

L3 Support OR does not support, based on source evidenceAward 3m for 1 point that support/does not support.Award 4m for 2 or more points support/do not support.

Yes, Source B supports Source A in saying that the Tamil diaspora isnow supporting Rajapakse and helping in the development of SriLanka after the civil war.

Yes, Source B supports Source A in saying that Kumaran is with theTamil group working for post-war development.ORNo, Source B does not support Source A because Source B saysKumaran was once financing terrorists but Source A gives theimpression that Kumaran was not involved with terrorists in the past.

No, Source B does not support Source A because Source Bsuggests that Tamil diaspora had supported LTTE in the past yearsbecause ‘they had been forced’ (or had been misled by people likeKumaran) but Source A is only focusing on the last one year andmakes no mention of the diaspora helping the terrorists in the pasteither willingly or unwillingly.

3-4

L4 Support AND does not support based on source contentsBoth of L3

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L5 Support in terms of purpose

Source A shows Kumaran assuring overseas Tamils of theSinhalese government’s efforts in rebuilding ‘the war devastated

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regions’ so that they will continue to contribute ‘welfare funds’.

Source B also shows the Sinhalese government representativeacknowledging Kumaran’s new initiative and also says that it is notholding grudges against the Tamil diaspora for their past support ofmilitants because it feels they had been ‘forced’. In this way theyprobably hope the diaspora will continue to help in developmentactivities. Thus Source B supports Source A in their purpose.

(b) Study Source C.Can you believe what Source C says about the ‘new generation’ of Tamils?Explain your answer. [7]

L Suggested Answer ML1 Provenance/Typicality

e.g. Yes I can believe it because it is from the media andjournalists always know what is going on.

e.g. No I cannot believe it because this is only one media stationand other media stations may not agree.

1

L2 Significance of the Provenance detected but not elaboratedYes, I can believe it because this source is from the BBC which isknown to be balanced and accurate in its reporting.

2

L3 Evaluate the reliability based on source content only

Yes, Source C claims that a new generation of Tamils wouldhave been ‘radicalised’ after knowing ‘the manner in which thegovernment pursued victory – ignoring international calls forrestraint’. They would feel very angry towards the Sinhalesegovernment for its treatment of civilian Tamils during and after theconflict.

3

L4 Cross-reference to other source(s)Award 4m for 1 successful checking.Award 5m for 2 successful checking..

Yes, Source D supports Source C in what it says about theTamils’ displeasure towards the Sinhalese government when itstates that Tamils in the Sri Lanka elections did not vote forRajapakse, probably out of anger at the heavy-handed lack ofrestraint by the Sri Lankan Government. The new generation ofTamils has felt and will feel resentment because of this.OR

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Yes, Source E supports Source C because it highlights the plightof the bloodied civilian who was injured in the cross-fire betweenthe Tiger and the Sinhalese government (represented byRajapakse), amidst the international calls for restraint. He isshown using a big stick to hit the Tiger which has in fact alreadybeen caught (as seen by the trap on his leg) but still thegovernment went ahead with full force and this would havearoused resentment among the ’new generation of Tamils’.ORNo, Source A does not support Source C’s claim of a ‘radicalisednew generation of Tamils’. This is because in Source A, Kumaranwas confident that ‘a group of like-minded Tamils based invarious parts of the world would support the initiative for thebenefit of Sri Lankan Tamils’ and ‘the international community,too, is supportive of Sri Lanka’s efforts’.ORNo, Source B does not support Source C. Source B reports onthe support given by supporters of LTTE who now form a group‘willing to contribute to the welfare of the war-displaced civilians’.

L5 Both sides of the above 6

L6 L5 + Yes: Evaluation of source content based on provenance

Nevertheless, I can still believe what this source about a newgeneration of Tamils being radicalized because this source isfrom the BBC which is known to be balanced and accurate in itsreporting. It was also neutral in the conflict.

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(c) Study Source D.How useful is Source D as evidence that the conflict in Sri Lanka can end in alasting peace? Explain your answer. [7]

L Suggested Answer ML1 Answer based on provenance

It is useful because it is from the international media which isusually more objective and reliable.OR/ANDNo it is not useful because the comment is made by a Tamil whois ‘pro-government’ and thus he can be expected to be critical ofthe Tamils.

1

L2 Useful , based on source contentAward 2m for 1 point, unsupported.Award 3m for 1 point, supportedAward 4m for 2 points supported

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Yes, it is useful because I can infer that Tamils had missedopportunities for reconciliation in the past. This is useful inunderstanding the causes of the conflict.OR/ANDYes, it is useful because the source states that the Tamils aredoing it again i.e. missing the opportunities for reconciliation, sowhat hope is there of having peace in the future? In other words,the source is useful in showing that the level of distrust betweenthe Tamils and the Sri Lankan Government is too high for anykind of lasting peace.OR/ANDYes, it is useful in telling us about the mistakes of the Sri LankaGovernment as seen by its ‘shortcomings’ in the resettlement ofwar-displaced civilians. This is a cause of the lingering anger ofthe Tamils towards the Sri Lanka government.

L3 Evaluation of source content based on cross-reference toother sources, or to specific contextual knowledge on the SriLanka conflict.

Award 5m for 1 successful checking.Award 6m for 2 successful checking.

No it is not useful because of what is missing. (i.e. the source’slimitations). Source D does not show the government’s heavy-handed approach in the last stages of the war as seen in thecartoon in Source E. E.g. in Source E, the government leader isholding a very big stick to hit a tiger which is already trapped. Byhitting the tiger, an innocent civilian will also be hurt.ORIt is not useful because Source D has no mention of the role ofthe Tamil diaspora, then and now. The Tamils in Sri Lanka alonecould not have made the conflict so long-lasting. If they continueto be unhappy it will generate support from the diaspora tocontinue the conflict.

However Source D does not seem to place much importance onthe influence of the diaspora on whether the conflict will reallyend or not. This is unlike Sources A, B and C which point to theinfluence of the overseas Tamils in the past conflict.

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L4 L3 + understanding of the significance of the provenance

On the whole this source is useful because the Tamil politiciandoes give a balanced assessment of the weaknesses of both the

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Tamils and the government. This helps us understand that for theconflict to end, both parties need to do their part. Also it isprobably rare to find a Tamil in Sri Lanka who is able to be criticalof his own people. This enhances the reliability of hisassessment.

(d) Study Source E. Why did the cartoonist draw this picture? Explain your answer. [5]

L Suggested Answer ML1 Describes the cartoon

i.e. Does not identify a message but describes features of thecartoon, or repeats details from the provenance. Award 1 markfor each point described, to a maximum of 2 ms.

The cartoon shows a bloodied civilian caught in between the warin Sri Lanka. The cartoon shows a call to ‘Make Peace NotAggression’.

1-2

L2 Identifies the sub-message on the plight of the civilians.Answer makes Interpretations based on the idea that civiliansshould be protected in the cross-fire. Award 2m for one detail and3 for two or more.

The cartoonist portrays the heavy-handedness of the Sri Lankangovernment’s treatment of the civilian Tamils despite calls forrestraint. (2m)The Tiger had already been çhained (or trapped) but theGovernment went all out even though a civilian was caught in thecross-fire. (3m)

2-3

L3 Identifies the overall message of the cartoon.

The cartoonist wants to convey the Tamils’ indignation at theheavy loss of civilian life in the cross-fire in the final stages of thewar between the Tamil rebels and the Sri Lankan government.

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L4 L3 + Identification of purpose

The Indian cartoonist wants to highlight what was happening inSri Lanka during the final stages of the war, so that theinternational community would increase the pressure on the SriLankan Government to exercise restraint and stop the‘aggression’ against the Tamils.

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Section B: SEQ Answer

2a. The following strategies have been implemented to manage healthcare in Singapore.

Encouraging self-reliance Promoting a healthy lifestyle Keeping healthcare affordable

Which strategy has been more effective in managing the increasing healthcare costs in Singapore? Explain your answer. [12]

Suggested Answer ML1 Writes about the topic without focus on the question.

Award 1 mark for one point and 2 marks for two or more

Due to improvements in medical technology, in the cost of trainingmedical staff and longer life expectancy, the provision of healthcareis becoming too costly for the government The limited resources thatthe government has must be wisely used for other important needssuch asdefence and education.

1-2

L2 Describes Given StrategiesAward 3 marks for one description and 4 marks for two or more

Encouraging self-reliance means that individuals take responsibilityfor their own healthcare by using Medisave or Medishield. Theseschemes are provided by the government.OrEncouraging a healthy lifestyle helps individuals stay fit and trim.Schools and workplaces have programmes that help promote healthof individuals and keep them free from diseases and illness.ORKeeping healthcare affordable especially for the needy has not beenoverlooked by the government. The needy, i.e. the lower incomeand the elderly who may not have sufficient Medisave or cash fortheirmedical cost enjoy the largest subsidies.

3-4

L3 Explains Given StrategiesAward 5 marks for one explanation of a strategy and 6 for anyadditional details.

It is important that individuals take responsibility for their own healthcare and not depend on the government for heavy subsidies. Tofacilitate this, the government has put in place the Medisave

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Scheme. With this scheme, the individual will be able to pay for hisown hospitalization fees and for certain treatment in private clinics.For long term hospitalization, Medishield, an insurance scheme canbe used to bear the cost since Medisave may not be sufficient.Again, this reflects personal responsibility and less dependence onthe government for cost of healthcare because the premiums forMedishield are paid by the individual through his Medisave. The twoschemes help lighten the government’s burden of paying forhealthcare services and there is thus no need to increase taxes.ORAdopting a healthy lifestyle helps to cope with rising cost ofhealthcare for both government and individuals. Here, thegovernment’s rationale is that a healthy person will not need medicaltreatment and hence will save on medical expenses. Therefore,schools and workplaces have programmes that help promote thehealth of individuals so that students and workers alike stay fit andtrim. This then keeps them free from diseases and illness and infact, negates the necessity for medical treatment. Sinceprevention is better than cure, the cost to the individual andsociety is curbed and such an arrangement works ineveryone’s favour.ORThe government has pledged to keep healthcare affordable. This isdone through subsidies and grants given to government hospitals,polyclinics and nursing homes. In government hospitals, the greatestsubsidies are given to Ward C to make sure that the needy haveaccess to basic healthcare at affordable cost. In 1993, thegovernment set up the Medifund at a cost of $200 million. Theinterest earned is distributed to public hospitals to provide help forneedy patients. This is especially helpful for those who have littleMedisave and no Medishield. Means testing was introduced toensure equitable distribution of subsidies. Thus subsidies, grantsand Medifund ensure that no Singaporean is denied basichealthcare since medical care cost remains affordable.

L4 Explains Given strategy and identifies/describes otherstrategies

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L5 Explains Given strategy and other strategiesAward 8 marks for one explanation, and 9 for another. The 10th markis for any additional details.

8-10

L6 L5 + Weighs the relative importance of the Given strategy andother strategies Award 11 marks for weighing of two strategies andthe 12th mark for discussion of another strategy or any other relevantdetail.

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2b.‘The reformed National Health Service has been able to serve Britain well. Doyou agree? Explain your answer. [13]

L Suggested Answer ML1 Writes about the topic without focus on the question.

Award 1 mark for one detail and 2 marks for two or more

In a welfare state, the government looks after its citizens fromcradle to grave.

In order to do this the people of the country agree to contribute to anational fund to help the more needy people of the country.

1-2

L2 Agrees or disagrees but does not give any clear explanation ofthe reasons. Award 3 marks for one vague reason and 4 marks fortwo or more details.

I agree that the NHS is able to serve Britain well. This is done byincreasing efficiency. One way to achieve this was throughprivatization which was carried out in order to make NationalHealth Service more cost effective.

With privatization, patients would have more choices and hospitalswould improve their services to meet people’s needs.

3-4

L3 Agrees or disagrees, explains reasonsAward 5 marks for explaining 1 reason for agree or disagree.Award 6 m for explaining 2 reasons for agree or disagree, up to amaximum of 7 m.

I agree that the reformed NHS is able to serve Britain well byincreasing efficiency. One way to achieve this was throughprivatization which made the National Health Service more costeffective by cutting back on government subsidies. Privatecompanies would have to be more efficient in order to make profits.Privatization was carried out by outsourcing non-medical servicesthereby freeing up resources within NHS hospitals to concentrateon medical services. Hence, more resources and time has nowbeen freed up for the provision of medical services by thereformed NHS.

Another reason is that it now provides quality service. Patients aregiven more access to medical information and advice so that theycan decide on their own treatment and care. NHS plan 2000 andthe NHS Improvement plan 2004 have improved servicestandards The former has increased government spending and

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provided patients faster and more convenient services. The latteroffers 4 different healthcare providers which Britons can have achoice of and the treatment is paid for by the NHS. It also providesover the phone medical advice which will save the patient a trip tosee the doctor. Hence there is better healthcare as patients nowreceive faster feedback and faster treatment.ORI disagree because there has been an increase in governmentspending as there are still many people who qualify to receive freehealth and medical care provided by the British government. Allthese have led to an increase in government spending and thegovernment will still need to find ways to cope with the increase inspending. This is especially true with an ageing population andlonger life-spans in Britain because people who are old are morelikely to need healthcare.ORI disagree because the British government has to continuouslydivert resources to make up for the losses suffered in providingquality healthcare for the people. This means they have to spendless on other areas of development for the country and eventually,Britain’s economic growth is hindered. Businesses are driven outand people’s motivation to work is reduced in the long term,because they have to pay so much national insurancecontributions to support this kind of quality service.ORI disagree because waiting time for the British public has notlessened which causes a great inconvenience and even causes thegovernment to make use of healthcare services in neighbouringcountries. This in turn increases the government’s expenditureon the NHS. Thus the NHS does not serve Britain well.

L4 Agrees AND disagrees, explain reasonsAward 8 marks for explaining 1 reason for agreeing and 1 fordisagreeing, 9 marks for 1 + 2, 10 for 2 + 2 or 3 + 1 and the 11th

mark for any additional detail.

8-11

L5 L4 + Arrives at a balanced conclusion based on the reasonsdiscussed. Award 12 marks for conclusion based on clearevaluation of reasons and 13 marks for additional details whichenhance the evaluation.

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3a. The following strategies have been implemented for the defence ofSingapore.

Joint military exercises Defence industry 3rd Generation armed force

Which strategy has been more effective in enhancing Singapore’s national security? Explain your answer. [12]

Suggested Answer ML1 Describes Singapore’s security, but without focus on the

questionAward 1m for 1 detail, to a maximum of 2m

SAF is the most important segment of Singapore’s security.Singapore is a small state with limited resources and so security ofits installations are important to it.

1-2

L2 Describes the given strategiesAward 3m for one description and a 4th mark for any additionaldetail.

S’pore actively fosters friendly ties with armed forces of othercountries. This is conducted through bilateral and multilateralmilitary agreements, joint military exercises, training programmesand participation in the UN peace missions.ORSingapore’s Defence Industry focuses on buying and upgradingweapons as well as developing new weapon systems for the SAF’suse. The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) workswith other countries and local tertiary institutions on defence-relatedresearch.ORThe 3rd Generation armed force is an effective fighting force. Itmaximizes its capabilities through modern technology. This thenenables soldiers to fight decisively in war and respond flexibly inpeacetime

3-4

L3 Explains Given StrategiesAward 5 marks for one explanation of a strategy and 6 for anyadditional details.

S’pore actively fosters friendly ties with armed forces of othercountries. This is conducted through bilateral and multilateralmilitary agreements, joint military exercises, training prgrammesand participation in the UN peace missions. S’pore has military

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agreements with France, Australia, NZ and India to allow our troopsto train in their countries. S’pore also conducts regular militarytraining with neighbouring countries such as Malaysia andIndonesia. It is an effective deterrent strategy because anypotential aggressor will think twice since S’pore has manymilitary allies that can be consulted on for appropriatemeasures of defence.ORSingapore’s Defence Industry aims to develop the Army via the useof the latest technology and equipment. The Defence Science andTechnology Agency (DSTA) focuses on buying and upgradingweapons as well as developing new weapon systems for SAF’s use.By working with other countries and local tertiary institutions ondefence related research, the Defence Industry has developedequipment which enhances the SAF’s capability to engage anddestroy the enemy more effectively. Hence, the DSTA’s role isimportant as its continued research and upgrades of weaponsenable SAF to be an effective fighting force. This clearly is afactor in deterring potential aggressors.ORAdvances in information technology have made warfare morecomplex. The 3rd Generations SAF therefore aims to maximize theSAF’s defensive capabilities through modern technology. This willenable our soldiers to fight more decisively in war and respondflexibly in peacetime. It creates an ‘intelligent’ defence force wherethe surveillance and strike systems of the Air Force, Navy and Armyoperate together to provide early intelligence so that we can ‘lookdeep and strike deep’. This would destroy the enemy even beforethey can locate us. In this way, potential aggressors are clearlydeterred.

L4 Explains one Given Strategy and identifies/describes OtherStrategies

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L5 Explains two or more StrategiesAward 8 marks for one explanation, and 9 for another. The 10th markis for any additional details.

8-10

L6 L5 + Weighs the relative importance of the various strategies.Award 11 marks for weighing of two strategies and the 12th mark fordiscussion of another strategy or any other relevant detail.

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3b. ‘Singapore’s membership in ASEAN has been able to serve her welldiplomatically. Do you agree? Explain your answer. [13]

L Suggested Answer ML1 Writes about the topic without focus on the question.

Award 1 mark for one detail and 2 marks for two or more

The aims of ASEAN are to promote economic, social and culturaldevelopment, protect the peace and stability of the region andprovide opportunities for members to discuss and resolvedifferences.ASEAN came into being because of the disputes, conflicts andchallenges in South East Asia during the 60’s.

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L2 Agrees or disagrees but does not give any clear explanation ofthe reasons. Award 3 marks for one vague reason and 4 marks fortwo or more details.

I agree because ever since Singapore joined ASEAN, she has beenable to forge better relations with its neighbouring countries such asMalaysia and Indonesia.

ASEAN also helps Singapore to manage environmental issues suchas the haze problem through peaceful dialogue. In itsEnvironmental collaboration to tackle the forest fires in Indonesia,Singapore assisted by monitoring forest fires through the use ofsatellite images.

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L3 Agrees or disagrees, explains reasonsAward 5 marks for explaining 1 reason for agree or disagree.Award 6 m for explaining 2 reasons for agree or disagree, up to amaximum of 7 m.

I agree because ever since Singapore co-founded ASEAN, she hasbeen able to make full use of its membership to forge betterrelations with its neighbouring countries such as Malaysia andIndonesia with whom we had problems such as the failed mergerand Confrontation in the 60’s. This was part of the reason forASEAN to be formed and ASEAN has served as a platform forSingapore to discuss its differences with neighbouringcountries peacefully.ORI agree because ASEAN helps Singapore to manage externalthreats such as the environmental haze problem through peacefuldialogue. Singapore was able to assist Indonesia by monitoringforest fires through the use of satellite images. Such collaborationthrough ASEAN, has strengthened Singapore’s relationship

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with its immediate neighbours and also protected us fromexternal environmental threats, thus serving her well.ORI agree because ASEAN has also enabled Singapore to speed upits economic development. Singapore is part of an attractivedestination for foreign investors because the South East Asianregion is economically vibrant for investment. The AFTA, anASEAN initiative, hopes to integrate the region’s economies into alarge single production base. This will enable Singapore tocapitalise on a regional market of 500 million people by 2015. Inthis way, ASEAN can serve us well because it will help toprotect us from economic uncertainties and competition fromcountries like China or India which have much bigger markets.ORI disagree because the AFTA is still not a reality and the manycountries of ASEAN with their diverse economies and paces ofdevelopment will find it hard to become fully integrated by 2015.Bilateral ties on the other hand are more secure. Singapore’srelations with Japan, USA and Germany since the 1970s havehelped us seize trading opportunities, thus serving her well.ORI disagree because it is often difficult to get a consensus ofopinion among member countries in ASEAN in cases where thereis any dispute which to resolve. On the other hand if there is a closebi-lateral relationship between two countries involved, there ismore chance of definite progress being made to resolve a dispute.Moreover, countries which have trade ties with Singapore willnot want to jeopardise their investments.ORI disagree because Singapore can forge deeper friendships bysending humanitarian aid to any particular country regardless ofwhether it is a member of ASEAN or not. Such bilateral relationshelp Singapore foster relations at a person-to-person level witha country and not just among the political leadership which isoften the case with ASEAN.ORI disagree because Asean cannot take any diplomatic action inany dispute between member states. On the other hand ourmembership in the international organization like the UnitedNations can serve us well. It is able to protect us diplomaticallybecause it has a Security Council whose resolutions must befollowed by members or else sanctions will be imposed.ORI disagree because ASEAN only has discussions and forumswhich cannot resolve issues in the same legally binding way thatthe International Court of Justice in the United Nations is able to

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do. In other words, Singapore is able to protect herselfdiplomatically by being a member of the UN.ORI disagree because our membership in ASEAN only raises ourvisibility as being a small member of a small region whereas the UNis a platform which helps us raise our visibility as a small country inthe world. In other words, UN membership allows Singapore togain recognition as a sovereign state. This is not guaranteed byASEAN membership. Hence it does not serve us well.

L4 Agrees AND disagrees, explain reasonsAward 8 marks for explaining 1 reason for agreeing and 1 fordisagreeing, 9 marks for 1 + 2, 10 for 2 + 2 or 3 + 1 and the 11th

mark for any additional detail.

8-11

L5 L4 + Arrives at a balanced conclusion based on the reasonsdiscussed. Award 12 marks for conclusion based on clearevaluation of reasons and 13 marks for additional detail(s) whichenhance evaluation..

12-13

4a. The following factors were responsible for the rise of Venice. Capable leadership Political institutions Trade Developments

Which was more responsible for Venice achieving greater heights? Explain your answer. [12]

Suggested Answer ML1 Describes Venice but without focus on the question

Award 1m for 1 detail, to a maximum of 2m

Venice is located in Northern Italy in a lagoon protected from theAdriatic Sea. Its strategic location near the Adriatic Sea andMediterranean Sea contributed to its development as a city-stateand rise as a maritime empire.

1-2

L2 Describes the given FactorsAward 3m for one description and a 4th mark for any additionaldetail.

Capable, far sighted leaders made outstanding contributions in thegrowth & development of Venice. Doge Orseolo establishedrelations with Germanic Kings in the West. Doge Dandolo directedthe Fourth Crusade, a military campaign to free Jerusalem fromMuslim control.Doge Pietro Ziani further expanded trade for the Venice empire in

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the Mediterranean Sea.

The Venetians adapted their system of government to meet thedemands of the growing city-state. They achieved this byexpanding the Great Council. More committees were created tohandle matters of law, finances & coinage. A Council of Ten wasestablished to effectively check power. In the election of leaders, aunique combination of balloting and voting was done.

Venetians used their skill as diplomats and enterprising attitude. Forexample, Marco Polo travelled to. Venetians used their extensiveknowledge in shipbuilding to build superior vessels propelled by oarsand sails such as the Venetian great galley, a combination ofmerchant and war vessel. The Senate organised and efficientlymonitored the schedule of trade voyages.

L3 Explains Given Factor or Other Factors(s)Award 5 marks for one explanation of a factor and 6 for anyadditional details.

Capable, far sighted leaders made outstanding contributions in thegrowth & development of Venice when they reconciled feudingcities and negotiated treaties with major powers. Doge Orseoloestablished relations with Germanic Kings in the West to protectVenice’s independence in the early days and obtain favourabletrading terms. By subduing the pirates of Dalmatia, he also madethe sea routes and passage of trading ships safe andconducive for trading to take place. Doge Dandolo used the FourthCrusade, a military campaign to free Jerusalem from Muslim control,as a campaign to take over the Byzantine capital at Constantinople.He thus weakened the Byzantine Empire and helped Venice gainrecognition from other states by controlling this important city.Doge Pietro Ziani further expanded trade for the Venice empire inthe Mediterranean Sea when he gained control of important routesin the Mediterranean Sea. Hence all these capable leaders helpedVenice gain important territories and secure important traderoutes so that it could become greater.ORThe Venetians adapted their system of government to meet thedemands of the growing city-state. They achieved this byexpanding the Great Council so that more nobles would be able toparticipate in decision-making. Thus there was no rivalry amongthe nobles which would have destabilised the government. AsVenice grew, there was also a need for specialisation of duties inthe Great Council. Hence, more committees were created to handlematters of law, finances & coinage.

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AND/ORA Council of Ten was established to effectively check power (evenat the highest level, the Doge) and ensure that no corruption orabuse of power took place. The Council of Ten also acted as acheck on the leaders so that they would not be complacent butwould look into the stability, prosperity and expansion of Venice atall times. In the election of leaders, a unique combination ofballoting and voting was done to prevent any one family fromdominating the government. These political institutions broughtstability to Venice by ensuring high standards of governancewith a lack of corruption. This stability was crucial for Venice tobecome greater.ORVenetians used their skill as diplomats to obtain favourable tradingterms from competitors and bring in highly prized spices from theEast. Their enterprising attitude allowed them to stay ahead of theircompetition by exploring new trade routes to get supplies &markets in unknown lands. For example, Marco Polo travelled toChina and this enabled Venice to expand its trade. Venetians usedtheir extensive knowledge in shipbuilding to build superior vesselspropelled by oars and sails and hence travel further, facilitatingthe expansion of trade and territorial control. The Venetian greatgalley, a combination of merchant and war vessel, was formidableenough to discourage pirates from attacking it thus ensuringgreater security for her trade.AND/ORTheir innovations in maritime technology allowed Venice to traveleven in winter and dominate trade in the Mediterranean Seathroughout the year. The Senate organised and efficientlymonitored the schedule of trade voyages. It grouped traders andordered them to travel in convoys as it was more profitable to tradein larger quantities. Thus Venice was able to expand its trade.Venice also made use of its strategic location at the tip of theAdriatic Sea to go by overland and sea routes to Arabian ports andgain a trade monopoly in spices, sugar and diamonds. It then soldthese goods to Central & Southern Europe at very high prices,resulting in large profits. Unlike its competitors, Venice could alsooffer a large variety of goods to the Europeans because its navyhad dominated the region to safeguard its monopoly. Thewealth generated by such trade developments turned Veniceinto one of the greatest cities in Europe.

L4 Explains Given Factor and identifies/describes Other Factors 7

L5 Explains Given Factor AND Other Factor(s)Award 8 marks for one explanation, and 9 for another. The 10th mark

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is for any additional details.

L6 L5 + Weighs the relative importance of the Given factor andOther Factor(s) Award 11 marks for weighing of two factors and the12th mark for discussion of another factor or any other relevantdetail.

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4b. Venice’s policies were always able to serve her well. Do you agree? Explainyour answer. [13]

L Suggested Answer ML1 Writes about the topic without focus on the question.

Award 1 mark for one detail and 2 marks for two or more

Venice had thrived until the 15th century but faced many challengesfrom the 15th century. These challenges were brought about by bothdevelopments in Europe and within Venice.

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L2 Agrees or disagrees but does not give any clear explanation ofthe reasons. Award 3 marks for one vague reason and 4 marks fortwo or more details.I agree because In the early years, she had a policy of bribingpirates to stop harassing her ships because her navy was still weak.I agree because merchants and skilled craftsmen were offeredspecial incentives such as housing and citizenship to live in Venice.ORI agree because merchants and skilled craftsmen from other partsof Europe were offered special incentives such as housing andcitizenship to live in Venice.ORI disagree because the system of rotation of duties which wassupposed to prevent any individual or family from dominating thegovernment backfired.ORI disagree because to finance the cost of wars with the Ottomansand other states, the government began to suspend the salaries ofcivil servants. Some of the nobles in the civil service had alreadylost part of their income due to disruption of trade.ORI disagree because Venice increasingly employed foreignprofessional soldiers to fight their battles. In 1619, some mercenarysoldiers plotted to seize the Ducal Palace and kill the Senatemembers. They also planned to rob the nobles’ palaces.ORI disagree because Venetians had become used to living in peaceand stability. When those in power had such complacency, they

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shifted their focus away from security matters. The interests ofVenice were not the first priority anymore. The rich nobles were lessinvolved in the administration & development of the city-state.Instead they became more distant from the commoners andindulged in lavish parties and celebrations, some of which lasted aslong as 6 months. They became addicted to gambling and lost theirfortunes.

L3 Agrees or disagrees, explaining reasonsAward 5 marks for explaining 1 reason for agree or disagree.Award 6 m for explaining 2 reasons for agree or disagree, up to amaximum of 7 m.

I agree because Venice’s policies ensured that her trade wasalways secure from pirates. In the early years, she bribed them tostop harassing her ships because her navy was still weak. Thispolicy served Venice well because it gave her the time and moneyto build up her navy. Then later when she had a strong navy, shestopped paying bribes or annual gifts to the pirates because hernavy could protect her traders. She also made her traders travel inconvoys for safety. Thus her policies always served her well.ORI agree because Venice’s policies ensured that immigration wasencouraged especially after the Black Death had killed about 3/5 ofthe population in 1347. Not only did Venice need skilled craftsmen,they also needed people in manual occupations such as thegalleys’ oarsmen. Merchants, and skilled craftsmen from other partsof Europe were offered special incentives such as housing andcitizenship to live in Venice. In this way, Venice would alwayshave enough people to sustain its commercial activities andthus her policies served her well.ORI disagree because the system of rotation of duties which wassupposed to prevent any individual or family from dominating thegovernment backfired as competent leaders were replaced afteronly one term. This policy did not serve Venice well especiallywhen scholars had to serve as naval commanders in the warsagainst the Ottomans even though they had no military or navalexperience. As a result, Venice suffered heavy losses against theOttomans which were a severe threat in the later centuries.ORI disagree because to finance the cost of wars with the Ottomansand other states, the government began a policy of suspending thesalaries of civil servants. Some nobles in the civil service hadalready lost part of their income due to disruption of trade after theOttoman wars began. As a result of this new policy, they became

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poor and resorted to corruption. Since their votes in the GreatCouncil were important for nominees to get important posts, thepoor nobles started to sell their votes. In this way Venetianpolicies enabled the wrong kind of leaders to surface. Theseleaders regarded their office as a trophy rather than a service to thestate and implemented policies for their own interest, not for theinterest of Venice.ORI disagree because Venice increasingly employed foreignprofessional soldiers to fight their battles. It had to do so becauseits small population had been reduced significantly by the BlackDeath. However these mercenaries were often untrustworthybecause they were loyal to whichever country could pay them more.They would also act in their own interest. For example in 1619,some mercenary soldiers plotted to seize the Ducal Palace and killthe Senate members. They also planned to rob the nobles’ palaces.Although the plan was discovered by the Council of Ten, Venicecould never fully rely on mercenary army again.ORI disagree because Venetians had become used to living in peaceand stability. When those in power had such complacency, theyshifted their focus away from security matters. The interests ofVenice were not the first priority anymore. The rich nobles were lessinvolved in the administration & development of the city-state.Instead they became more distant from the commoners andindulged in lavish parties and celebrations, some of which lasted aslong as 6 months. They became addicted to gambling and lost theirfortunes. Thus the policies which enabled people with suchattitudes to be in positions of influence led to Venice becominga troubled land without focus and hence it declined.

L4 Agrees AND disagrees, explain reasonsAward 8 marks for explaining 1 reason for agreeing and 1 fordisagreeing, 9 marks for 1 + 2, 10 for 2 + 2 or 3 + 1 and the 11th

mark for any additional reason which is well-explained.

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L5 L4 + Arrives at a balanced conclusion based on the reasonsdiscussed.

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