0460 Example Candidate Responses Paper 1 (For Examination From 2020)

Example Candidate Responses
Paper 1
Cambridge IGCSE™ / IGCSE (9−1)
Geography 0460 / 0976
Cambridge O Level
Geography 2217
For examination from 2020
Version 1
In order to help us develop the highest quality resources, we are undertaking a continuous programme
of review; not only to measure the success of our resources but also to highlight areas for improvement
and to identify new development needs.
We invite you to complete our survey by visiting the website below. Your comments on the quality and
relevance of our resources are very important to us.
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GL6ZNJB
Would you like to become a Cambridge International consultant and help us develop support
materials?
Please follow the link below to register your interest.
www.cambridgeinternational.org/cambridge-for/teachers/teacherconsultants/
Copyright © UCLES 2020

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment
is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department
of the University of Cambridge.
UCLES retains the copyright on all its publications. Registered Centres are permitted to copy material from this
booklet for their own internal use. However, we cannot give permission to Centres to photocopy any material that is
acknowledged to a third party, even for internal use within a Centre.
Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Question 1........................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Example Candidate Response – high....................................................................................................................... 6
Example Candidate Response – middle................................................................................................................. 10
Example Candidate Response – low...................................................................................................................... 14
Question 4...................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Example Candidate Response – high..................................................................................................................... 18
Question 6...................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Example Candidate Response – high..................................................................................................................... 32
Example Candidate Responses - Paper 1
Introduction
The main aim of this booklet is to exemplify standards for those teaching Cambridge IGCSE / IGCSE (9−1)
Geography 0460 / 0976 and Cambridge O Level Geography 2217, and to show how different levels of candidates’
performance (high, middle and low) relate to the syllabus requirements.
In this booklet candidate responses have been chosen from March 2020 exam series to exemplify a range of answers.
For each question, the response is annotated with a clear explanation of where and why marks were awarded or
omitted. This is followed by examiner comments on how the answer could have been improved. In this way, it is
possible for you to understand what candidates have done to gain their marks and what they could do to improve their
answers. There is also a list of common mistakes candidates made in their answers for each question.
This document provides illustrative examples of candidate work with examiner commentary. These help teachers
to assess the standard required to achieve marks beyond the guidance of the mark scheme. Therefore, in some
circumstances, such as where exact answers are required, there will not be much comment.
The questions and mark schemes used here are available to download from the School Support Hub. These files are:
0460 March 2020 Question Paper 12

0460 March 2020 Paper 12 Mark Scheme
Past exam resources and other teaching and learning resources are available on the School Support Hub:
www.cambridgeinternational.org/support
4
How to use this booklet

This booklet goes through the paper one question at a time, showing you the high-, middle- and low-level response for
each question. The candidate answers are set in a table. In the left-hand column are the candidate answers, and in
the right-hand column are the examiner comments.
Examiner comments are

alongside the answers. These
Answers are by real candidates in exam conditions. explain where and why marks
These show you the types of answers for each level. were awarded. This helps you
Discuss and analyse the answers with your learners in to interpret the standard of
the classroom to improve their skills. Cambridge exams so you can
help your learners to refine
their exam technique.
How the candidate could have improved their answer

(a) (iv) This answer started well with reference to low birth rates and high death rates. However, while the candidate
understood the significance of education about contraception, and the ability to afford it, they did not refer to the
fact that many people in these countries choose to have few children, or explain why. The candidate suggested that
high death rates may be attributed to a lack of health care, which is incorrect as the decrease in population shown
in Fig. 1.1 is occurring in MEDCs where health care facilities are generally adequate. Reference to climate (unless it
is changing) would not explain a population decrease and a natural disaster would be unlikely to have a significant
impact on the population size of these large countries.
This section explains how the candidate could
have improved each answer. This helps you to
interpret the standard of Cambridge exams and
helps your learners to refine their exam technique.
Common mistakes candidates made in this question

(a) (iv) Many candidates answered with irrelevant points because they did not recognise from Fig. 1.1 that the
countries experiencing a decrease in population were MEDCs. Many gave reasons for high death rates and reducing
birth rates which were typical of LEDCs and not of MEDCs. Examples of these are famine, poor sanitation and the
introduction of contraception. Many candidates related low birth rates to working women or education but did not link
that with their choice of having few children.
Often candidates were not awarded Lists the common mistakes candidates made
marks because they misread or in answering each question. This will help your
misinterpret the questions. learners to avoid these mistakes and give them
the best chance of achieving the available marks.
5
Question 1
Example Candidate Response – high Examiner comments
The candidate has identified the

correct formula.
Mark for (a)(i) = 1 out of 1
The rank order of the four

countries is correct.
Mark for (a)(ii) = 2 out of 2
The description is precise with

three valid ideas. The countries are
clustered; they are in the ‘northern
region’ and they are in Northern
Europe and Asia.
Mark for (a)(iii) = 3 out of 3
6
Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments
The candidate indicates that the

death rate exceeds the birth rate.
The candidate refers to

emigration, but does not state
that it is high or that it exceeds
immigration.
Mark for (a)(iv) = 1 out of 4
The candidate shows an

understanding of how equality for
women and improved health care
can reduce population growth.
Mark for (b)(i) = 2 out of 3
7
The Chinese one child policy

is well used by the candidate
to illustrate how incentives and
punishments can be used to reduce
population growth rates. In addition,
the reference to reducing the cost of
contraceptives is valid.
Mark for (b)(ii) = 4 out of 5
This is a well chosen example

of international migration. It is
well illustrated with statistics
(comparative total populations of
India and the USA) and some place
detail (e.g. Sikkim). The explanation
is comprehensive with developed
ideas referring to several valid pull
and push factors (employment, food
supply/drought and healthcare), so it
achieves Level 3.
Mark for (c) = 7 out of 7
Total mark awarded =

20 out of 25
8

• (a) (iii) The term ‘northern hemisphere’ would have been a more impressive use of geographical terminology than
‘northern regions….close to the Arctic pole’.
• (a) (iv) This answer started well with reference to low birth rates and high death rates. However, while the
candidate understood the significance of education about contraception, and the ability to afford it, they did not
refer to the fact that many people in these countries choose to have few children, or explain why. The candidate
suggested that high death rates may be attributed to a lack of health care, which is incorrect as the decrease in
population shown in Fig. 1.1 is occurring in MEDCs where health care facilities are generally adequate. Reference
to climate (unless it is changing) would not explain a population decrease and a natural disaster would be unlikely
to have a significant impact on the population size of these large countries.
• (b) (i) The candidate did not understand that giving pensions would reduce the need for the younger members of
the family to support the elderly and therefore reduce birth rates.
• (b) (ii) This answer could have included additional ideas such as forced sterilisation/abortion and propaganda.
The reference to immigration is simplistic and would have been more appropriate if it had referred to legislation to
reduce the amount of immigration.
9
Example Candidate Response – middle Examiner comments
The formula is correct.

The rank order is correct.

The only valid point provided

is the reference to the ‘north part of
the map’.
10
Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments
The candidate understands

that population decrease can be
explained by higher death rates than
birth rates and large amounts of
emigration. There is no explanation
of the low fertility rates or high death
rates.
The candidate understands how

equality for women and improved
health care can reduce population
growth rates, by in each case
referring to the significance of family
planning and contraception.
11
The references to incentives

provided by examples of anti-natal
policies, for example in China and
Singapore, are valid.
The case study is acceptable

and the candidate starts off well by
developing the idea of employment
opportunities. Several other points
are made, each one with limited
detail and the accompanying
statistics (for example, literacy)
and place detail (for example,
Amsterdam) are not correct. The
candidate has just entered Level 2
in this response.

15 out of 25
12

• (a) (iii) A descriptive word such as ‘clustered’ could have been used to describe the distribution, and parts of
continents could have been named (e.g. Northern Asia, Eastern Europe).
• (a) (iv) The candidate could have improved this answer by referring to the reasons why fertility rates are low and
death rates are high. The candidate suggested that high death rates may be attributed to poor sanitation and a lack
of medical facilities which would be unlikely in the MEDCs where population decrease is occurring (e.g. Russia,
Germany).
• (b) (i) The candidate understood that giving pensions would be likely to increase the revenue of the family, but did
not explain how this can reduce birth rates by reducing the need for the family to support the elderly. It was not
clear whether the candidate understood what a pension is.
• (b) (ii) The candidate focused entirely on incentives, and only provided limited detail. A better answer would have
included details about other aspects of anti-natal-policies, such as punishments for those who did not follow the
policy.
• (c) Several pulls and pushes were covered by the candidate, mostly in limited detail. The sections on education,
health care and crime could have been developed more fully, for example the better health care provided by more
doctors in the USA is likely to lead to better treatment for diseases and a longer life expectancy. Of course, the use
of statistics and place detail enhances answers, but they need to be accurate.
13
Example Candidate Response – low Examiner comments
This option is incorrect.

The rank order is correct.

The answer shows no

understanding of what is meant by a
distribution. Reference to individual
countries is not sufficient.
14
Example Candidate Response – low, continued Examiner comments
The answer conveys the idea

that birth rates are lower than
death rates, though this is not well
expressed.

why equality for women can reduce
population growth, and uses the
availability of family planning
education for women as an
example.
15
The one child policy in China is

a valid policy to reduce population
growth rates. References are
made to incentives such as salary
bonuses and the availability of free
contraception.
Mexico to USA is a good

example of international migration.
The candidate has expressed three
simple ideas relating to education,
income and living conditions. This is
a Level 1 response.

9 out of 25

• (a) (iii) The word ‘distribution’ is a key word in this question, and required candidates to describe the spread of
countries with a population decrease. This could have been achieved, for example, by referring to the fact that the
countries are close together and in northern Asia.
• (a) (iv) The candidate could have referred to the reasons why birth rates are low and death rates are relatively
high, and could also have referred to the impact of negative net migration on population growth.
• (b) (i) The candidate did not know what a ‘pension’ was, and needed to explain why an increase in life expectancy
is likely to lower birth rates.
• (b) (ii) This answer would have been improved by the inclusion of other details of the one child policy, such as
punishments for those who did not follow it, and methods of enforcement. The inclusion of the simple evaluation of
the policy was not relevant as the question simply asked for a description.
• (c) In order to achieve a higher level in this question, the candidate needed to develop the ideas expressed in order
to more fully explain the push and pull factors identified.
16

• (a) (iii) Many candidates struggled to describe a distribution, and typically only scored one mark for identifying the
north or naming a continent such as Asia or Europe. Few were more precise and went beyond these simple ideas.
• (a) (iv) Many candidates answered with irrelevant points because they did not recognise from Fig. 1.1 that the
countries experiencing a decrease in population were MEDCs. Many gave reasons for high death rates and
reducing birth rates which were typical of LEDCs and not of MEDCs. Examples of these are famine, poor sanitation
and the introduction of contraception. Many candidates related low birth rates to working women or education but
did not link that with their choice of having few children.
• (b) (i) Many candidates confused pensions with income obtained through working and could not explain how
pensions could reduce population growth. Some candidates referred to improved health care increasing general
life expectancy without linking it to the lowering infant mortality, which can ultimately reduce population growth by
reducing birth rates.
• (b) (ii) Few candidates used the term anti-natal policy and some restricted their answers by referring narrowly to
specific incentives or punishments. A significant number included irrelevant evaluation of the policy at the expense
of including a variety of descriptive detail.
• (c) Many candidates only listed simple ideas and many answers consisted of a series of bullet points, frequently
listing push and pull factors separately. Some candidates relied on statistics alone rather than integrating these
into their explanations and developing their ideas. Many candidates included irrelevant information, ranging from
background information about the country to details of the problems caused by migration, both to the migrants and
the countries concerned.
17
Question 4
While it is true that the

watershed forms the ‘border of the
drainage basin’ on Fig. 4.1, the
answer does not make reference to
the high land which separates one
drainage basin from another.
The candidate correctly marks
the position of a source and
shown the direction of flow of the
Conestoga River.
18
A clear comparison is given: X

has steeper valley sides.
what a cross section is and shows
accurate knowledge of how cross
sections differ near the source and
further downstream. While the only
clear and direct comparison is of
the steepness of the valley sides,
the reference to the river valley at X
being V-shaped while the river valley
at Y has a flood plain, is sufficient
for further marks.
Two accurate benefits and two

problems are provided, and are all
well expressed using appropriate
terminology.
19
The command word is ‘describe’

and the map in Fig. 4.2 should be
used. The candidate refers to the
shape of the lake by using the term
‘oxbow’.
A clearly expressed and well

sequenced answer which shows
a good understanding of the
processes involved in the formation
of an oxbow lake, such as the one
shown in Fig. 4.2. The candidate
refers to erosion on the outer bend,
the narrowing of the meander neck,
the cutting off of the meander and
sealing by deposition.
20
A comprehensive Level 3
response which describes the
features of a delta and links ideas
together throughout to create
developed statements to explain its
formation. The process of deposition
is clearly and accurately explained,
along with its impacts in creating
deltaic islands, distributaries and
top set/bottom set beds. Appropriate
geographical terminology is
included, e.g. suspension load and
competence, and the candidate
uses a simple labelled diagram to
highlight some features.

20 out of 25

• (a) (i) The definition of ‘watershed’ should have referred to the high land which surrounds a drainage basin or
separates it from another.
• (a) (iii) Questions like this which ask for differences to be described could be best approached by using
comparative words or statements. For example, ‘at valley X the cross section will be narrower, with steeper sides,
more V shaped and less likely to have a flood plain’.
• (b) (i) More use could have been made of the map, Fig. 4.2, in order to describe the main features of the lake. For
example, the north to south orientation (using the north arrow) and the length and the width of the lake (using the
scale). The reference to its formation was irrelevant in this section.
• (b) (ii) The candidate could have further improved their answer by referring to the faster flow of the river on the
outside of the meander, which results in specific types of erosion, such as hydraulic action or abrasion.
• (c) While the candidate included a diagram in their answer, this did little to enhance it. In addition to the simple
descriptive labelling of the features, some aspects of the formation could be explained by detailed annotation (e.g.
flocculation due to the presence of salt water and the lack of tides, resulting in seaward extension of distributaries
as a result of deposition).
21
The definition needs to refer to

the high land or ridge which forms
this boundary.
The arrow shows the correct
direction of the flow of the river,
however, the ‘S’ is not placed in a
position to make it clear that the
candidate knows what the source of
a river is.
22
There is one clear comparison

given: the steepness of the slopes
(steep at X and gentle at Y). This
is a valid comparison of the cross
section of the valleys, however, the
rest of the answer relates to other
features, such as the river itself, and
is therefore not relevant.
Fishing for food is an

acceptable benefit, but the answer
does not state the benefit of a water
supply for the people living in the
area. It is unlikely that a river in a
country such as the USA would be
used to directly supply ‘clean water’.
The problems of flooding and the
danger of erosion are valid.
23
Apart from the reference to the

oxbow or horseshoe shape, there is
no other description of the features
of the lake.
Some understanding is shown,

especially the fact that the lake is
formed when the river cuts off the
meander and continues to flow in a
straight line. The helical (helicoidal)
flow within a meander is valid,
however the references to erosion
and deposition are too imprecise to
add anything to the explanation.
24
There are simple statements

which describe some of the features
of a delta (e.g. flat land, fertile). The
candidate includes some developed
explanation by referring to the
fact that the velocity is reduced on
entering the sea or a lake, thus
causing a build up of sediment.
This is a Level 2 response, despite
the simple nature of the rest of the
response, including the diagram.

12 out of 25

• (a) (i) The definition of ‘watershed’ in this answer should have referred to the high land or ridge which separates a
drainage basin from another.
• (a) (ii) The source of the river needed to be precisely labelled. There were many examples which could have been
labelled, but, whichever one was chosen the ‘S’ should have been very close to the point where the river begins.
The ‘S’ in this example is closer to a confluence.
• (a) (iii) This question asks for differences between the cross sections of the river valleys at X and Y. There is
no evidence in the answer that the candidate knew the meaning of this term, despite the valid reference to the
steepness of the valley sides at X. The references to the water, the river bed and the rocks and stones were not
relevant. In addition to the steeper sides, the cross section at X is narrower, more V shaped and less likely to have
a flood plain.
25
• (a) (iv) The candidate could have used irrigation or drinking water as a valid reference to the use of the river water.
Alternatively, the candidate could have referred to the use of the flood plain for grazing or the ease of transport
along the valley or river.
• (b) (i) The candidate explained how the lake was formed (repeating the information in the answer to the question
which follows) rather than describing the main features of the lake. The question was testing skills, such as using
compass directions and scale.
• (b) (ii) This question required a more precise explanation of the role of erosion and deposition in the formation of
the oxbow lake. For example, the fact that erosion occurs on the outer side of the meander due to the faster flow
and deposition seals the former meander once it has been cut off by erosion.
• (c) The candidate’s explanation could have been further developed in this answer, especially by referring to the
formation of the distributaries as a result of the deposition. The candidate should have used the correct term here,
not ‘tributaries’. The diagram is poor and barely recognisable as a delta. It could have been a more accurate shape
showing how the main river divides into distributaries, and included precise labelling of the features, or annotations,
to aid the written explanation.
26
This is not the correct definition.

The arrow is reversed and
shows the river to be flowing
upstream. The ‘S’ is marked close to
the main channel and, even though
the source of a small tributary is
fairly close by, it is not clear enough
to show that the candidate knows
the meaning of the term.
27
The candidate is writing about

the problems of living close to the
river at valley X and valley Y, rather
than the cross section of the valleys.
A suitable area to grow crops,

and the likely destruction of them
by floods are a valid benefit and
problem. The second problem given
by the candidate, referring to ‘up in
the mountains’, indicates a lack of
recognition that the area is part of a
flood plain.
28
The only description here is the

‘oxbow’ shape, as the majority of
the answer attempts to explain its
formation.
The explanation of the

processes occurring is not clearly
expressed. However, some
relevant knowledge is shown by the
reference to erosion on the outside
edges, and the river forming a new
path as a result.
29
There is limited detail here,

with a little simple description and
explanation (e.g. flat land, slow
speed), although the importance
of deposition is overlooked. There
is an attempt to show the main
features on the diagram, particularly
the distributaries, but these are not
labelled.

7 out of 25

• (a) (i) The candidate should have learned the basic terms used in the geography of rivers and drainage basins
(in this case watershed and source) and be aware that a river flows from its source in the higher land at the
watershed, to its mouth.
• (a) (iii) In this question, the focus should have been on comparing the cross sections at X and Y, not other aspects
of the river.
• (a) (iv) The candidate could have referred to the use of the water for drinking or washing, the river for fishing or
the use of the flat land of the flood plain for transportation. The problem of river erosion along the flood plain could
have been mentioned.
• (b) (i) The candidate should have described the main features of the lake, rather than attempting to explain how it
has formed.
• (b) (ii) This question required a more precise explanation of the role of erosion in the formation of the oxbow lake.
For example, the fact that erosion on the outer bend narrows the neck of the meander, before being cut through
during times of high discharge or flooding.
30
• (c) The sequence of events forming the delta needed to be more carefully considered, particularly the role of
deposition in its formation. For example, the candidate’s reference to the slow speed of the water could have been
linked with the deposition of material, around which distributaries form.

• (a) (i) Many candidates had no real understanding of the term ‘watershed’, and many that did understand the term
referred to it as ‘land surrounding the drainage basin’ or ‘boundary’ without reference to this being high land.
• (a) (ii) More than half of the candidates wrongly drew the arrow pointing upstream and identified the source where
the river left its drainage basin.
• (a) (iii) Many candidates followed up their mistake in the previous answer by identifying the valley at Y as being
further upstream, consequently any differences they identified were the wrong way round. Many candidates did not
refer to the valley ‘cross section’ and instead wrote about the river, the river channel or the long profile.
• (a) (iv) Lower level answers referred vaguely to a ‘water supply’ rather than stating that this will be a benefit in
terms of providing drinking water or water for irrigation. The problems of river erosion and the difficulty of crossing
the river were rarely mentioned as many candidates focussed on nothing other than flooding.
• (b) (i) Many candidates did not follow the instruction to ‘use the map’, but wrote about still water and deposits.
A common error was to explain the formation of an oxbow lake rather than describe its features, with many
candidates who did this repeating their answers in the following question.
• (ii) Common weaknesses included: not identifying that erosion took place on the outer bank, and attributing the
cutting off of the meander to deposition rather than erosion. Clearly deposition plays a part in sealing off the
meander, but erosion is necessary for the meander to be cut off.
• (c) Diagrams were generally poor, sometimes with no labels at all, and added little to the written text. A common
error was to refer to the distributaries as tributaries.
31
Question 6
The answer is correct.

32
The candidate uses scale and

direction to work out both answers
correctly.
All three pieces of evidence

quoted by the candidate are correct.
There are three pieces of

evidence: the removal of the stream,
the removal of woodland, and the
taking down of a farm building. The
candidate refers to each of these
increasing the amount of land
available to use for farming.
33
All three choices are correct.

The farm is arable as only crops
are grown, commercial because the
crops are sold and intensive as the
area of land is small but inputs and
outputs are large (e.g. fertilizers and
pesticides).
There are three inputs, two

processes and four outputs correctly
identified.
34
A well chosen case study with

developed ideas about the impact
of several natural factors, such
as drought, pests and soil quality.
The candidate shows a clear
understanding of how these factors
result in low yields of crops and
cause food shortages.

22 out of 25

• (a) (iv) The candidate could have referred to the removal of field boundaries to create larger fields, particularly
in the south west corner of the farm. The removal of this boundary, in addition to creating a larger field will have
brought more land under cultivation as a result of the removal of the hedgerow or fence separating the two fields.
The reference to the pasture being used for crops was incorrect, as this does not create more land for farming, it
just uses it in a different way.
• (b) (ii) The candidate referred to soil as an input, but did not refer to it being fertile.
• (c) This was a good Level 2 answer with several relevant developed ideas, however, in order to achieve Level
3 (and therefore full marks), it required some more accurate place detail. The candidate attempted to do this by
referring to the location of Darfur. Darfur is not in South Sudan, but is a region in the west of Sudan. The candidate
could also have been more precise when they referred to Darfur being ‘near to’ the Libyan desert, or they could
have included climatic statistics. ‘Near to’ is never sufficient when describing a location.
35

36
Both answers are correct.

The candidate refers to the

farmer replacing areas of barley
with wheat. This implies that less
fields were planted with barley in
2014 than in 1974, due to demand
decreasing. The reference to
growing wheat in the largest quantity
and growing ‘more of something
which has a high price’ is sufficient
evidence of the increase in the price
of wheat between 1974 and 2014.
The use of the land which had

previously been a stream is the only
valid point made.
37
Arable and commercial are

correct choices, however the farm
described in Fig. 6.2 is intensive, not
extensive.
Greenhouse, fertilizers and

pesticides are correct inputs, as are
the processes and outputs selected
by the candidate.
Darfur is a good choice of

case study. The candidate enters
Level 2 by developing the impact
of drought on the output of crops.
The candidate also expresses other
simple ideas such as no river and
less soil fertility.

16 out of 25

• (a) (iii) This question was looking for a comparison between 1974 and 2014. This was just achieved by inference
in the sections on barley and wheat. However, it would have been clearer if the candidate had made a more
direct comment such as ‘less fields were planted with barley in 2014 than 1974’. The candidate correctly referred
to pasture being used for animals in 1974, but made no reference to the situation in 2014, either directly or by
inference.
• (a) (iv) The candidate referred to the farmer stopping the grazing of animals after 1974. However, the conversion
of this pasture land to arable land would not have increased the area used for farming, because pasture and arable
land are both types of farmland. Other ideas which could have been referred to were the removal of woodland, field
boundaries and an isolated farm building in order to use that land for farming.
• (b) (i) This small 90 hectare farm could be described as ‘intensive’ due to the use of large amounts of inputs per
hectare. Extensive farming would not be profitable on a farm of this size.
• (b) (ii) ‘Fertile soil’ would have been acceptable, or ‘flat land’.
• (c) The candidate should have developed the simple ideas (e.g. soil fertility, lack of rivers) to further explain how
they contribute to food shortages. Alternatively, ideas could have been developed relating to pests and diseases
impacting the yield of crops and animals. The information about independence and the temporary camp were not
relevant as they are not natural factors and the locational information (South Sudan) is incorrect.

40
Both answers are correct. The

candidate has clearly crossed out
an answer they gave incorrectly.
The reference to the farmer

growing more barley in 1974 is
correct, despite the reference to
2004 (rather than 2014).
The candidate refers to the use

of the area which was previously
woodland. and the removal of
streams to create land which can be
used for farming.
41
‘Arable’ is the only correct

choice.
The candidate does not seem to

be familiar with the idea of farming
as a system and has not identified
inputs, processes and outputs from
Fig. 6.2.
42
This is not an appropriate

choice of case study, and the
content does not refer to any
natural factors which result in food
shortages.

7 out of 25

• (a) (iii) The answers relating to pasture and wheat needed to be much more clearly expressed with a clear
comparison between 1974 and 2014. For example, the candidate could have used a comparative word such as
‘more’ (e.g. more wheat fields in 2014) or given evidence for each year (e.g. one field of wheat in 1974, but three
fields of wheat in 2014).
• (a) (iv) Much of the earlier part of the answer was not relevant to the question. Instead, reference could have been
made to other relevant evidence, such as the removal of field boundaries and a farm building.
• (b) (i) and (ii) The candidate’s answers to these two sections showed a lack of familiarity with basic terminology
used in the study of agriculture. The candidate should have known the meaning of words like intensive and
commercial, and been able to complete a simple systems diagram by inserting inputs, processes and outputs.
• (c) A better choice of country for this case study would have been an LEDC such as Ethiopia or Sudan.
Alternatively, a region such as Darfur could have been chosen, where natural factors such as drought, infertile soils
and insect pests contribute to food shortages.
43

• (a) (ii) Some candidates were unable to use scale and direction well to identify the correct crops.
• (a) (iii) Some candidates only referred to one of the two years shown on the map, and did not make any form of
comparison.
• (a) (iv) Relatively few candidates referred to field boundaries having been removed to create more space for
farmland. Many candidates wrote about farm buildings but did not specify that one had been removed from a field
to increase available farmland. A common misconception was that the reduction in pasture would increase the area
for farming.
• (b) (i) ‘Plantation’ was often included as an answer rather than ‘intensive’. ‘Mixed’ farming was another common
distractor chosen.
• (c) While many candidates recognised the significance of drought, a common mistake was to refer at length to
human factors (e.g. war, or lack of finance to buy inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides) rather than referring
to additional natural factors (e.g. pests, or lack of soil fertility). In addition. Some candidates did not develop their
reference to relevant factors, such as drought, by linking it with a low yield of crops or failed harvests.
44
Cambridge Assessment International Education
The Triangle Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8EA, United Kingdom
t: +44 1223 553554
e: info@cambridgeinternational.org www.cambridgeinternational.org
Copyright © UCLES November 2020

0460 Example Candidate Responses Paper 1 (For Examination From 2020)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

0460 Example Candidate Responses Paper 1 (For Examination From 2020)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Example Candidate Responses

Copyright © UCLES 2020

0460 March 2020 Question Paper 12

How to use this booklet

Examiner comments are

How the candidate could have improved their answer

Common mistakes candidates made in this question

Example Candidate Response – high Examiner comments

The candidate has identified the

The rank order of the four

The description is precise with

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

The candidate indicates that the

The candidate refers to

The candidate shows an

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

The Chinese one child policy

This is a well chosen example

Total mark awarded =

How the candidate could have improved their answer

Example Candidate Response – middle Examiner comments

The formula is correct.

The rank order is correct.

The only valid point provided

Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments

The candidate understands

The candidate understands how

Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments

The references to incentives

The case study is acceptable

Total mark awarded =

How the candidate could have improved their answer

Example Candidate Response – low Examiner comments

This option is incorrect.

The rank order is correct.

The answer shows no

Example Candidate Response – low, continued Examiner comments

The answer conveys the idea

The candidate understands

Example Candidate Response – low, continued Examiner comments

The one child policy in China is

Mexico to USA is a good

Total mark awarded =

How the candidate could have improved their answer

Common mistakes candidates made in this question

Example Candidate Response – high Examiner comments

While it is true that the

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

A clear comparison is given: X

Two accurate benefits and two

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

The command word is ‘describe’

A clearly expressed and well

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

Total mark awarded =

How the candidate could have improved their answer

Example Candidate Response – middle Examiner comments

The definition needs to refer to

Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments

There is one clear comparison

Fishing for food is an

Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments

Apart from the reference to the