Danho
ZIMSEC O Level · 2248/2 · N2015

Geography Paper 2 November 2015

Questions
26
Total marks
225
Time allowed
150 min
Syllabus code
2248/2

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Questions
26
Pass mark
16
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Answer every question in the printed order, get marked at the end, then see the answers.

The questions

Question 101

[1 marks]River processes and volcanoes
What term describes the sheer force of moving river water against the banks and bed of a channel, which compresses air into cracks and joints in the rock and forces it apart?

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 102

[1 marks]River processes and volcanoes
On the outer bank of a meander bend, water flows faster and hydraulic action and abrasion undercut the bank. Which landform results directly from this erosion on the outer bank?
  1. AA river cliff, formed by erosion undercutting the outer bank.
  2. BA slip-off slope, formed by gentle deposition of sand and gravel on the inner bank.
  3. CAn oxbow lake, cut off from the main channel after the neck of a meander is breached.
  4. DA levee, built up along the riverbank by repeated flooding and the deposition of coarse silt.

Question 103

[1 marks]River processes and volcanoes
Which of the following is an argument against establishing a settlement near a desert area?
  1. ASevere water scarcity for both domestic and agricultural use.
  2. BFertile soils that support consistently high crop yields.
  3. CMild, stable year-round temperatures ideal for farming.
  4. DAbundant, reliable water supply for irrigation and domestic use.

Question 201

[1 marks]Weather instruments and climate
A town's climate graph shows its heaviest rainfall falling in June, July and August, with the highest temperatures occurring around April and a slight dip in temperature during the rainy season. In which hemisphere is this town most likely located?
  1. AA region where both hemispheres' seasons occur at once, giving two separate wet seasons each year.
  2. BSouthern Hemisphere, where the rainy season falls between November and March, opposite the pattern shown.
  3. CAn equatorial region with no seasonal variation in rainfall at all, receiving rain evenly throughout the year.
  4. DNorthern Hemisphere, where the rainy season falls around the mid-year 'high-sun' months.

Question 202

[1 marks]Weather instruments and climate
A town recorded a mean maximum temperature of 32°C and a mean minimum temperature of 15°C in December. Calculate the mean range of temperature for that month.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 203

[1 marks]Weather instruments and climate
Which of the following describes the conditions under which convectional rainfall forms?
  1. ATwo air masses of markedly different temperature meet along a front, forcing moist warm air to rise gently over the colder air.
  2. BAir sinks steadily over a stationary high-pressure zone, warming and drying out completely as it descends toward the surface.
  3. CIntense heating of the ground surface causes air to warm, rise rapidly and cool, forming tall cumulonimbus clouds.
  4. DMoist air is forced to rise over a mountain barrier lying directly across the prevailing wind direction, cooling as it climbs.

Question 301

[1 marks]Ecosystems -- savanna and rainforest
What term describes an organism that feeds directly on producers/plants, occupying the first consumer level in a food chain?

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Question 302

[1 marks]Ecosystems -- savanna and rainforest
Which of the following is an adaptation of savanna vegetation to a climate with marked wet and dry seasons?
  1. ABroad, thin leaves that maximise transpiration throughout the year, even during the driest months.
  2. BShallow roots restricted to the top few centimetres of soil, spreading wide to catch light dry-season showers.
  3. CEvergreen leaves retained throughout the long dry season despite the risk of water loss through the leaf surface.
  4. DThick, corky, fire-resistant bark and deep tap roots that reach down to the water table.

Question 303

[1 marks]Ecosystems -- savanna and rainforest
Which of the following is a likely change to vegetation structure after the destruction (clearance) of a tropical rainforest?
  1. AThe canopy layer becomes even denser, blocking more sunlight from the ground than before clearance began.
  2. BExposed soil becomes vulnerable to erosion and nutrient leaching once the canopy is removed.
  3. CButtress roots and lianas increase in number as more sunlight reaches the newly exposed forest floor.
  4. DThe multi-layered structure becomes more complex, with additional canopy layers forming above the gap.

Question 401

[1 marks]Forestry, mining and energy
Name one country in West Africa well known for having valuable tree species used for hardwood timber, such as Iroko, Mahogany or Obeche.

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Question 402

[1 marks]Forestry, mining and energy
As a mining commissioner seeking sustainable management of minerals, which of the following measures would be most appropriate?
  1. ARemoving all limits on the tonnage of ore that a single claim may extract each year.
  2. BExempting mining companies entirely from rehabilitating land once ore extraction has finished.
  3. CRequiring environmental impact assessments before mining licences are granted.
  4. DIgnoring artisanal and small-scale mining activity entirely when granting new mining licences.

Question 403

[1 marks]Forestry, mining and energy
In a country's electricity generation for the year 2000, thermal power stations produced about 640 billion Kwh, hydro-electric stations produced about 90 billion Kwh, and nuclear stations produced about 330 billion Kwh. Which of these three sources generated the most electricity that year?

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Question 501

[1 marks]Farming systems and irrigation
State one output (final product) obtained from a cattle ranch.

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Question 502

[1 marks]Farming systems and irrigation
Irrigation schemes in Zimbabwe are often concentrated along river valleys in semi-arid areas. Which of the following best explains why?
  1. ASteep, rocky terrain in the area makes canal construction the easiest in the country.
  2. BLow, unreliable rainfall makes irrigation necessary, aided by a nearby permanent river and fertile alluvial soils.
  3. CThe area receives the highest, most reliable rainfall in the country, making irrigation unnecessary but convenient.
  4. DThe area has no rivers, so irrigation water must be piped in from distant dams.

Question 503

[1 marks]Farming systems and irrigation
Which of the following is a disadvantage of using modern agricultural machinery on smallholder farms?
  1. AIt improves the precision and uniformity of farm operations compared with manual methods.
  2. BIt reduces dependence on manual labour and the drudgery of hand cultivation and weeding.
  3. CIt has a high initial capital cost that is often unaffordable for smallholder farmers.
  4. DIt speeds up ploughing, planting and harvesting operations across large areas of land.

Question 601

[1 marks]Informal sector and industrial location
What term describes small-scale economic activities that are not registered with or regulated by government and operate outside the formal tax and legal system?

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Question 602

[1 marks]Informal sector and industrial location
Which of the following is a characteristic of Zimbabwe's informal sector?
  1. ASmall-scale, labour-intensive operations that are largely unregistered and untaxed.
  2. BOperations restricted exclusively to fixed, permanent factory premises rather than street pavements.
  3. CPredominantly capital-intensive operations using advanced automated machinery imported from overseas.
  4. DLarge-scale operations with heavy capital investment and full tax registration with the government.

Question 603

[1 marks]Informal sector and industrial location
In a model of industrial location within a city, heavy bulk-handling industries such as oil refining are typically sited at a waterfront location rather than in the CBD. Which of the following best explains this?
  1. AThe waterfront offers direct access to sea transport for importing bulky raw materials and exporting products cheaply.
  2. BThe waterfront has no space available for large industrial plants once port facilities are built.
  3. CThe waterfront has the highest land prices anywhere in the city, attracting only prestige offices and corporate headquarters rather than industry.
  4. DThe waterfront is furthest from any transport routes, ensuring privacy from prying competitors and the public.

Question 701

[1 marks]Rural settlement and urban housing
State one factor that favours the nucleation (clustering) of rural settlements around a central point, such as a shared resource or a defensive site.

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Question 702

[1 marks]Rural settlement and urban housing
On a map of a Zimbabwean commercial farming area, buildings are spread thinly across large individual farm plots, each with its own separate homestead rather than clustering with neighbours. Which term best describes this settlement pattern?
  1. AA radial settlement pattern, with buildings arranged in a circle around a central point.
  2. BA dispersed/scattered settlement pattern, with buildings spread thinly across the land.
  3. CA nucleated settlement pattern, with buildings tightly clustered together.
  4. DA linear settlement pattern, with buildings strung out along a single route.

Question 703

[1 marks]Rural settlement and urban housing
Which of the following is a reason why many people in Zimbabwean towns and cities fail to own houses?
  1. ALack of access to credit/mortgage finance, combined with high building costs relative to incomes.
  2. BLow cost of land and building materials relative to incomes, making construction affordable for most families.
  3. CEasy access to low-interest mortgage finance for all residents regardless of income or employment status.
  4. DA steady oversupply of serviced residential land in most cities, keeping plot prices consistently low.

Question 801

[1 marks]Migration and population growth
Which of the following best illustrates the term 'temporary migration'?
  1. AA person moving house permanently within the same suburb of the same town for better accommodation.
  2. BA tourist visiting a game park for a short weekend holiday before returning home the following week.
  3. CA family permanently relocating to another country with no plan or intention of returning at any future date.
  4. DSeasonal migrant workers moving to work on commercial farms during the planting season and returning home afterwards.

Question 802

[1 marks]Migration and population growth
State one reason for the decline in a developing country's birth rate from the 1960s onward.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 803

[1 marks]Migration and population growth
As a planning officer seeking to reduce a country's high rate of natural population growth, which of the following measures would be most appropriate?
  1. ALowering the legal age of marriage to encourage earlier and more frequent childbearing among young couples.
  2. BDiscouraging female education and employment opportunities for women beyond primary school level.
  3. CPromoting family planning services and improving access to contraceptives.
  4. DRemoving population education entirely from the secondary school geography curriculum.

Question 902

[1 marks]International trade and transport
Which of the following best defines the term 'debt crisis'?
  1. AA policy where a government forgives all domestic taxes for one full year to stimulate spending.
  2. BA situation where a country is unable to repay or service its external debt and struggles to secure further loans.
  3. CA situation where a country has far more foreign currency reserves than it could ever realistically need.
  4. DA temporary dip in a country's export earnings that self-corrects naturally within a single calendar month without any external assistance.

Question 903

[1 marks]International trade and transport
Which of the following is a problem commonly associated with developing transport infrastructure in a country such as Zimbabwe?
  1. AAn unlimited supply of foreign currency for importing vehicles, spare parts and heavy construction equipment without restriction.
  2. BA complete absence of vandalism or theft affecting roads, bridges and railway infrastructure.
  3. CFlat, uniform terrain everywhere in the country, making road and rail construction cheap and simple.
  4. DHigh cost of constructing and maintaining infrastructure, worsened by difficult terrain and limited government funding.

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