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HKDSE Geography Practice Paper: Weather and Climate – Tropical Cyclones, Monsoons and Urban Climate
HKDSE Geography: Weather and Climate
HKDSE Geography paper on weather and climate: 12 questions, 100 marks, 75 minutes, with data calculations, full answers and marking points for S6.
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Paper details Level: S6 | Subject: Geography | Time: 75 minutes | Marks: 100 | Questions: 12
Section A (Questions 1 to 4, 30 marks)
Read each question and write the correct answer with an explanation.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The formation of a tropical cyclone requires particular conditions. State two of them, and explain the criterion used by the Hong Kong Observatory to classify a storm as a typhoon. | Conditions: a sea surface temperature of about 26.5 degrees C or above, supplying moisture and latent heat; a location between 5 and 20 degrees of latitude, where the Coriolis force is strong enough to make the airflow rotate; weak vertical wind shear so that convection can persist; and a large warm ocean surface providing energy. Classification: the Observatory classifies a storm by its maximum sustained wind speed near the centre, and a speed of 118 km per hour or above makes it a typhoon. Marking points: two conditions for 2 marks each and the criterion for 2 marks. Common weakness: saying only that the sea is warm without explaining the latent heat that drives convection. |
| 2 | The southwest monsoon prevails in Hong Kong in summer. Explain the cause of the monsoon and the relief factor that makes summer rainstorms frequent in Hong Kong. | Cause: in summer the Asian continent is strongly heated and forms a low pressure area, so air from the higher pressure over the ocean and the southern hemisphere flows towards the land and is deflected into a southwest wind near Hong Kong. In winter the pattern reverses and the continental high brings northeast monsoon winds southwards. Relief: Hong Kong is mountainous, and ranges such as Tai Mo Shan and Lantau Peak force the moist southwest air to rise and cool, producing relief rain, while the urban heat island strengthens convection and afternoon thunderstorms. Common weakness: saying only that the monsoon blows from sea to land without explaining the pressure difference and the Coriolis effect. |
| 3 | On one day the maximum temperature in Hong Kong was 33.2 degrees C and the minimum was 26.4 degrees C. Annual rainfall was 2,400 mm, of which 480 mm fell in June. (a) Find the daily temperature range. (b) Find June rainfall as a percentage of the annual total. | (a) 33.2 minus 26.4 equals 6.8 degrees C. (b) 480 divided by 2,400 multiplied by 100 equals 20.0 per cent. Marking points: credit for the equation, the unit and the answer. Common weakness: giving the answer without working, or forgetting to multiply by 100. |
| 4 | A tropical cyclone striking Hong Kong often causes severe damage. Explain its effects in terms of wind, rain and storm surge, and suggest two defensive measures for a city. | Wind: strong winds destroy signboards, scaffolding and trees, causing injuries and disrupting transport. Rain: torrential rain triggers landslides and flooding, worst in low-lying parts of the New Territories and in old districts with inadequate drainage. Storm surge: low pressure together with strong onshore winds pushes seawater towards the coast, flooding low-lying places such as Hang Fa Chuen and Tai O. Measures: strengthening buildings and signboards, clearing drains and slopes, providing typhoon shelters and evacuating low-lying residents, and issuing warnings with suspension of work and school. Common weakness: listing effects without grouping them, or giving measures that do not match the effects. |
Section B (Questions 5 to 8, 32 marks)
Answer the following questions. Show your working and units, and explain with geographical concepts.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | The maximum sustained wind speed near the centre of a tropical cyclone is 120 km per hour. (a) Convert it to metres per second (1 m/s = 3.6 km/h). (b) State the classification of this storm on the Observatory scale. | (a) 120 divided by 3.6 equals 33.3 metres per second, to one decimal place. (b) A speed of 118 km per hour or above is a typhoon, so this storm is classified as a typhoon. Common weakness: multiplying by 3.6 instead of dividing, or confusing a typhoon with a severe tropical storm, which ranges from 88 to 117 km per hour. |
| 6 | The central pressure of a tropical cyclone falls from 1,008 hPa to 960 hPa. (a) Find the percentage drop in pressure, to one decimal place. (b) Explain the link between falling pressure and storm surge. | (a) (1,008 minus 960) divided by 1,008 multiplied by 100 equals 4.8 per cent. (b) The lower the central pressure, the steeper the pressure gradient and the stronger the wind; low pressure lifts the sea surface and strong winds push the water towards the shore, so the sea piles up as a storm surge that is even higher when it coincides with a high astronomical tide. Common weakness: using 960 as the denominator, or describing only wind without the mechanism by which seawater is lifted. |
| 7 | Urban and rural temperatures are compared: the urban daily mean is 29.5 degrees C and the rural mean is 27.1 degrees C. (a) Find the difference. (b) Explain two causes of the urban heat island effect. | (a) 29.5 minus 27.1 equals 2.4 degrees C. (b) Concrete and asphalt absorb heat and release it at night; dense tall buildings block heat loss and ventilation and reduce the view of the sky; vehicles and air conditioners release waste heat; and the city has little greenery or water surface to cool the air by evaporation. Common weakness: writing only that there are many people and vehicles without explaining the energy balance. |
| 8 | A river has a cross section of 40 square metres and a mean velocity of 1.5 metres per second. (a) Find the discharge. (b) Explain how a rise in discharge increases flood risk downstream. | (a) 40 multiplied by 1.5 equals 60 cubic metres per second. (b) A higher discharge raises the water level and speeds up the flow, adding to the load on the channel; where drainage capacity is limited, the land downstream is flat, or urbanisation speeds up surface runoff, the flood peak arrives earlier and flood risk rises. Common weakness: giving the unit as cubic metres rather than cubic metres per second. |
Section C (Questions 9 to 12, 38 marks)
Write fuller answers and support them with specific examples and data.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Discuss the statement: Rainstorms in Hong Kong are caused mainly by tropical cyclones. | Stand and argument: tropical cyclones are indeed a major cause, bringing abundant moisture and strong convection that can deliver over 100 mm of rain in a few hours; however, rainstorms are also produced by monsoon troughs, an active southwest monsoon and local convection such as afternoon thunderstorms, and many black rainstorm cases are linked to troughs rather than cyclones; relief also concentrates rainfall on the southern slopes of the ranges. Conclusion: the statement is only partly correct, because monsoon systems and relief must also be considered. Marking points: a clear stand, both groups of causes, examples and a conclusion. Common weakness: giving examples without a judgement. |
| 10 | Climate change is raising sea level. Analyse three effects on the coastal areas of Hong Kong and evaluate the effectiveness of two adaptation strategies. | Effects: storm surges reach higher levels and flooding worsens in low-lying areas such as Tai O and Hang Fa Chuen; seawater intrudes into groundwater and salinises the soil, affecting farmland and vegetation; coastal erosion accelerates and seawalls and drainage systems come under greater strain. Strategies: hard measures such as raising seawalls and building flood storage tanks act quickly but are costly and change the landscape; soft measures such as restoring mangroves and wetlands and planning for managed retreat cost less and bring ecological benefits but need a long period and land. Evaluation: no single measure is sufficient, and a mix matched to local risk is needed. Common weakness: listing effects without any evaluation. |
| 11 | Compare the climate of Hong Kong with that of an inland city in southern China, and explain the differences. | Differences: Hong Kong has a smaller annual temperature range, a milder winter, higher humidity and more rainfall, while the inland city has a larger annual range, colder winters and hotter summers, and less rainfall concentrated in summer. Reasons: Hong Kong is coastal, and the high heat capacity of seawater moderates temperature, so the annual range stays small; sea breezes and the monsoon supply moisture, and the ranges force air to rise, giving relief rain. An inland city is far from the sea and strongly continental, being clearly affected by the winter continental high. Common weakness: writing only that Hong Kong is near the sea without using heat capacity or distance from the sea to explain. |
| 12 | A district has a population of 46,800 and an area of 5.2 square kilometres. (a) Find the population density. (b) Explain how high density affects the urban climate. | (a) 46,800 divided by 5.2 equals 9,000 persons per square kilometre. (b) High density means dense buildings and little green space, so more heat is released by human activity and the heat island is stronger; blocked ventilation corridors trap pollutants and reduce visibility; and greater use of air conditioning releases more waste heat, creating a vicious cycle. Common weakness: omitting the unit of persons per square kilometre. |
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