Diverse Living Spaces (Edexcel A Level Geography)

Exam Questions

41 mins3 questions
1
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20 marks

With reference to Figure 4a and 4b in the Resource Booklet and your own knowledge and understanding:

Economic and social data

Brussels in northern Belgium

Charleroi in southern Belgium

Population

2.3 million  Largest city and capital

204,000 5th largest city in Belgium

Unemployment (%)

16.9

25

Main types of employment in 19th/20th centuries

  • Finance and Commerce

  • Government

  • Coal mining and steel works, glass making and metalworking

Main types of employment in 21st century

  • Finance and Commerce

  • Headquarters for TNCs

  • Tourism

  • One of three bases for the  European Parliament

  • Public sector

  • Transport

  • Chemical industry

Transport links

  • Brussels Airport has international flights

  • High speed Eurostar train links to UK and Paris

  • Close to motorways

  • Brussels South Charleroi Airport, used by low cost airlines, with links to other European cities

  • On Belgian main line railway

  • Close to motorways

% with tertiary education

43.5

33.9

Life expectancy (male)

78.3

75.9

Life expectancy (female)

83.8

81.7

% aged over 65 years

14

22

% under 15 years

22

17

% 15-64 years

64

61

Crime and terrorism

  • Crime index: 52 (moderate)

  • Safety scale: 49 (moderate)

  • Airport damaged by two bomb blasts in 2016

Crime index: 66 (high) Safety scale: 34 (less safe)

Environmental quality

  • Air pollution above World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended levels due to vehicle exhausts

  • Numerous parks within the city provide green spaces

  • Air pollution is now rated ‘Good’

  • 62 waste heaps left behind by former industry are now covered with vegetation and provide ‘green lungs’ for the city

Figure 4a

Economic and social data for two contrasting cities of Belgium

fig-4b-qp-9geo-02-june-2019-edexcel-a-level-geo

Figure 4b

Map of Brussels and Charleroi, two cities in Belgium

Evaluate the reasons why some places appear to be more desirable than others.

(20)

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2a
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9 marks

Study Figure 3 in the Resource Booklet.

“ The landlord never got round to fixing my heating and hot water so the damp got worse. The children all have terrible coughs from the damp and it is freezing at this time of year. In the end a group of my friends paid for someone to come round. He found rat droppings behind the kitchen cabinets and said it was one of the worst infestations he had ever seen. The wires to the boiler had been eaten through! We are using plug-in heaters that my friends lent me, but these use a lot of my benefit money. We go and wash our clothes at my best friend’s house. I have phoned the landlord but she never actually does anything. I came to this country to keep my children safe. Sometimes I wonder if it was the right decision. At least they get to go to school and get a free meal.“

fig-3-qp-9geo-02-june-2018-edexcel-a-level-geo

Figure 3

Blog from a refugee mother living in inner-city London (as dictated to a support worker)

i)

Suggest one way the writer of the blog presents a negative view of her life in inner-city London.

(3)

ii)

Suggest reasons why perceptions of living in an inner-city area, such as in London, may vary.

(6)

2b
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6 marks

With reference to a named example, explain why people have different opinions about rural living spaces.

(6)

Named rural place: ...........................................................

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3
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6 marks

Explain why there are different perceptions of an urban area’s attractiveness as a living space.

(6)

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