Revision lesson
Marjorie Henry, Contributor

We are already a few days into the year 2008; however, it is not too late to wish for you a prosperous and productive year. For those of you who are in the fifth form/11th grade, you will begin to write your external examinations in another four months. With this in mind, I do trust that your Christmas holidays were not totally utilised for having fun, but that you took some time out to review your lessons and to do some real study.

During last term, I started to review the questions which were set for the June 2007 CSEC examinations. I chose to do this since this was the first examination based on the revised geography syllabus.

I have already discussed Section A, that is, question one on map reading, and two questions from Section B, that is, natural systems.

I will continue today with Question 4. Here is the entire question:

(d)(i) Explain how the vegetation of tropical continental areas is adapted to the climate. Include THREE ways in your response. (6 marks) (ii) Explain how climate influences the development of soil in tropical continental areas. Include TWO ways in your response. (6 marks)

Total 24 marks

Notice that for this question the stimulus material is a graph. This is quite different from the stimulus material for the questions already discussed.

It underscores the point made in a previous lesson about the different forms the stimulus material will take. Again, the instruction is to STUDY the graph then answer the four questions below it.

Just in case there are some of you who may not be familiar with this graph, let me take a moment to explain it.

It shows both the temperature and rainfall of an area. The line graph at the top is showing the temperature while the bar graph at the bottom is showing the rainfall of the area.

Here are the answers for the questions based on the graph:

(i)The LOWEST temperature recorded in the area is 20 degrees C. (ii)The annual temperature range is 10 degrees C. (NB: This is obtained by subtracting the lowest temperature 20 degrees C from the highest temperature 30 degrees C). (iii)The highest volume of rainfall recorded is 300 mm (iv)The type of climate represented by the graph is tropical continental.

4.(a) Study the following graph (Figure 4) which shows the average monthly distribution of rainfall and temperature for a particular area, then answer the questions below.

figure 4

With reference to Figure 4:

(i) State the LOWEST temperature recorded in that area. (1 mark)

(ii) Calculate the annual temperature range.

(1 mark)

(iii) How much rainfall is recorded in the month with the HIGHEST distribution?

(1 mark)

(iv) Identify the type of climate represented.

(1 mark)

(b) Describe the wind conditions associated with the passage of a hurricane at a site over which the eye passes. (4 marks)

(c) Describe any two of the following components of an ecosystem. (i) Producers (ii) Primary consumers (iii) Secondary consumers (4 marks)

Other names are Sudan or Savanna climate. This climatic type is characterised by an alternate hot, rainy season and cool, dry season. In the northern hemisphere, the hot, rainy season normally begins in May and lasts until September. Look closely at the graph and you will see that this is happening in the area selected. The discussion on the question will continue in the next lesson.

This Excelsior High School student pays close attention to what will be a masterpiece during art class, recently. -Michael Lee

Marjorie Henry is an independent contributor.