A given environment: geographic concepts and skills

Practice

Recall it first, then use it — testing yourself builds the memory, where rereading the notes above only feels easier.

Recall and application shuffled together — you have to work out what each item wants before you can answer it, which is the part the exam actually tests. Both kinds feed the same spacing schedule, so anything you miss comes back sooner.

Say the answer out loud before flipping — that attempt is where the learning happens, even when you get it wrong.

Exam-style only. Instant feedback, shuffled each attempt, best score saved on this device.

What actually comes up

A resource-booklet paper on an environment you have never studied — nothing below is content to memorise, since the place changes every year. What is worth knowing in advance is the FIXED task shape: (a) a précis map plus resource-reading skills, (b) identifying and judging change, (c) applying a named concept (often sustainability or perspective) — every year, on a different place.

Across 4 years

The pattern — what to prepare

The 2025 paper ↗ Marking schedule ↗

Part (a) — Précis map, a temporal pattern, and a timeline

Resources B, H, J, K and L cover Singapore's land use, a land-use figure and table, and a historical timeline.

• a(i) Using Resources B and K, complete the précis map to show Changi Airport area, Jurong Island area, Thomson Nature Park area, Sentosa Island, and the bridge linking Singapore to Malaysia at Johor (grid reference 033236). Include all mapping conventions. Achieved
• a(ii) Use the Figure 15 table and graph in Resource L to describe, in detail, ONE temporal pattern shown. Achieved
• a(iii) Give reasons for the pattern described above and shown on the Figure 15 graph in Resource L. Merit
• a(iv) Use Resource H and any other resources to accurately place five named events (a new port opens; the East India Company buys the island; Singapore Tourism Board established; first container terminal at Tanjong Pagar opens; Changi Airport opens) on a timeline, with an accurate title. Achieved

Part (b) — Land-use change, 1942 vs 2018

Resource J (1942 map) compared with Resource K (2018 map) of Singapore.

• b(i) List THREE changes in Singapore's environment (natural or cultural) between the 1942 and 2018 maps, with the location of each. Achieved
• b(ii) Select ONE example from the table above. Explain why this change is significant for people and/or the environment. Merit

Part (c) — Location, accessibility and change over time

Draws on the whole resource booklet and the answers already given in parts (a) and (b) — no new resource.

• c How has the location and accessibility of Singapore contributed to the development/change of its natural and cultural environment over time? Refer to a range of resources from the resource booklet. Excellence

The 2024 paper ↗ Marking schedule ↗

Part (a) — Précis map and why the site suited the Olympics

Figures 2 and 3 map Stratford, London.

• a(i)–(ii) Complete a précis map showing Westfield Stratford City, London Stadium, the A12 road, and Victoria Park, accurately located and labelled with a title, appropriate symbols, key, and north arrow. Achieved
• a(iii) Using specific information, describe the key natural and cultural features of Stratford and the surrounding area that made it a suitable location for the development of the Olympic village. Merit

Part (b) — Change before/after the 2012 Olympics

Continues using the Stratford resource booklet, plus Figure 9 (children in low-income families).

• b(i) Identify economic, social and environmental changes in Stratford before and after the 2012 Olympics, and whether each was positive or negative. Achieved
• b(ii) Which of the changes identified in part (i) was most significant for Stratford? Merit
• b(iii) Explain the reasons for your choice in part (ii). Merit
• b(iv) Describe a pattern seen in Figure 9, the graph showing the percentage of children living in low-income families. Achieved

Part (c) — Sustainability since the Olympic development

Draws on the whole resource booklet and the changes already identified in part (b) — no new resource.

• c How have social, environmental, and economic sustainability been affected by changes in the environment of Stratford, London, since the Olympic development? Refer to and integrate information from resources in the booklet and at least ONE geographic concept. Excellence

The 2022 paper ↗ Marking schedule ↗

Part (a) — Précis map and the Jordan Rift Valley

Resource A (Figures 1 to 4) shows features of the Dead Sea and Jordan Rift Valley.

• a(i) Complete a précis map of the Dead Sea by accurately locating and labelling the Mediterranean Sea, the Jordan River and its direction of flow, the boundaries of the Jordan Rift Valley, and the present-day areas of the Southern and Northern Basins, with a title, scale, north arrow and key. Achieved
• a(ii) Using specific information, describe the key physical features of the Jordan Rift Valley and surrounding area. Achieved

Part (b) — Climate, evaporation, and a factor diagram

Resource B (Figures 6 and 7) covers Sedom's climate and the Dead Sea catchment rainfall pattern.

• b(i) Using specific information on Sedom from Figure 6, complete a factor diagram describing ONE feature of each of temperature, precipitation and sunshine that contributes to the Dead Sea's high evaporation and salt concentration. Achieved
• b(ii) Using specific information from Figure 7, describe the pattern of rainfall in the Dead Sea catchment and explain why the Jordan River is important to the Dead Sea's water supply. Merit
• b(iii) Choose ONE of the concepts environment or pattern (page 2 of the resource booklet) and explain how it relates to part (b)(i) or (b)(ii). Merit

Part (c) — Shrinkage of the Dead Sea

Resource C (Figures 8 to 10) covers the declining water level, water diversion percentages, and consequences.

• c(i) Using specific information from Figure 8, describe the changing rate of decline in the level of the Dead Sea from 1930 to 2012. Achieved
• c(ii) Using specific information from Figure 9, state the total percentage of water diverted from the Jordan River for drinking water, and for each of the two countries taking the most water. Achieved
• c(iii) Using specific information from Figure 10, describe the consequences for the Dead Sea of water being diverted away from the Jordan River. Merit

Part (d) — Interaction and sustainability

Draws on Resource D and all other resources, and the answers already given in parts (a) to (c) — no new resource.

• d Explain the interaction between people and the environment, and how this affects the sustainability of the Dead Sea. Refer to and integrate the geographic concepts of interaction and sustainability, Resource D and all other resources, and your answers from parts (a) to (c). Excellence

The 2023 paper ↗ Marking schedule ↗

Part (a) — Effects of the Hoover Dam, and a matching concept sentence

Resources A to C on the Hoover Dam's construction.

• a(i) Use Resources A to C to identify one positive OR one negative impact the construction of the Hoover Dam had on EACH of the natural and cultural environments. Achieved
• a(ii) Select one sentence from either the concept of interaction or of change on page 2 of the resource booklet that best relates to your table from part (i), and copy it. Achieved
• a(iii) Using specific information from the effects on either the natural or the cultural environment, justify how the sentence you selected relates to your table from part (i). Excellence

Part (b) — Précis map and Las Vegas growth vs Lake Mead

Figure 3 map and 2018 Figure 8 satellite images of Lake Mead; Figures 5 and 6 on Las Vegas growth and population.

• b(i)–(ii) Complete a précis map showing the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas urban area, and the Nevada/Arizona state line, with a title, symbols, key and north arrow. Achieved
• b(iii) Calculate the straight line length of Lake Mead from east to west. Achieved
• b(iv) In which direction was the camera facing when the photograph in Figure 5 was taken? Achieved
• b(v) Using resources on page 5, describe the change in Las Vegas from 1972 to 2018. Merit
• b(vi) Using Figure 6, identify the years when the population increase was most rapid, and the years when it was slowest. Achieved
• b(vii) Using Figure 8, explain the relationship between the growth of Las Vegas and the size of Lake Mead. Merit

Part (c) — Change and people's perspectives

Draws on the whole resource booklet and the effects/précis map already given in parts (a) and (b) — no new resource.

• c Explain how the interaction between people and Lake Mead has affected people's perspective of the environment. Refer to and integrate the concepts of interaction, perspective and environment (or others from page 2), your answers in parts (a) and (b), and resources in the booklet. Excellence

Straight-line distance and précis-map grid references are transcribed exactly from the resource booklet's own printed instructions; satellite-image and photograph content is described from the question wording, not reproduced.

Past exams & resources

⏱ Timed opens the paper and starts a countdown matching the exam length. Official NZQA PDFs. If a link 404s, that year’s paper may sit under a slightly different code: browse the NZQA subject page.