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DSE History Mock (Paper 2 Essays): WWI Causes, Cold War, Globalisation
TUTORZONE ORIGINAL MOCK PAPER · HKDSE HISTORY PAPER 2 (ESSAY, 20TH-CENTURY WORLD)
Written to the HKEAA 2027 framework: History public examination is 100%, with Paper 1 at 60% (data-based questions, 2 h, compulsory) and Paper 2 at 40% (seven essays, answer any two, 1 h 30 min). This paper demonstrates three Paper 2 essays (20th-century world history, 25 marks each) with model-answer points.
What is in the DSE History exam?
Direct answer: the public examination is 100%: Paper 1 60% (data-based questions – documents, statistics, maps, cartoons, photos, 2 h, compulsory) and Paper 2 40% (seven essays, answer any two, 1 h 30 min).
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (essays) | Two of seven essays, 20th-century world history | 40% | 1 h 30 min |
| Paper 1 (data-based questions) | Documents, statistics, maps, cartoons, photos – all compulsory | 60% | 2 h |
| Whole subject (public examination) | Paper 1 60% + Paper 2 40% | 100% | 3.5 h total |
Two essays in 1 h 30 min is about 45 minutes each. Answers need point, example and evaluation, with a concrete example (year, person, event or treaty) behind each point.
How this paper was built
This is a TutorZone original mock paper: the questions follow the 2027 framework (Paper 2 at 40% over 1 h 30 min, answer two of seven) and the model-answer points are our own.
The questions and answers are TutorZone originals; no HKEAA question or in-copyright text is reproduced.
Pacing
| Section | Marks | Suggested time | What to do first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (essays) | 40% | about 45 min per essay | point, example, evaluation |
| Paper 1 (data-based questions) | 60% | quote sources first, then analyse | distinguish fact, opinion and judgement |
| Whole subject (public examination) | 100% | the papers are sat separately | re-check the framework figures each year |
How do I score well on the Paper 2 essays?
Direct answer: give point, example and evaluation, with a concrete example (year, person, event or treaty) per point, and answer every part of the question (e.g. discuss and evaluate).
Paper 2 essays: 3 demonstrated (25 marks each)
Paper 2 is answer two of seven; three essays are demonstrated here for the common areas (WWI, Cold War, globalisation).
Question 1 (25 marks)
Essay 1: the causes of the First World War. Discuss the causes of the First World War, and evaluate which factor was most decisive.
Question 2 (25 marks)
Essay 2: the outbreak of the Cold War. Analyse the causes of the Cold War, and explain its impact on Europe or Asia.
Question 3 (25 marks)
Essay 3: the causes and impact of globalisation. Discuss the causes of late-20th-century globalisation, and assess its positive and negative impacts.
What is the key skill for Paper 1 data-based questions?
Direct answer: quote the source first, then analyse and evaluate, and distinguish fact, opinion and judgement and detect bias.
Model-answer points and marks per essay
Question 1
Model-answer points (25): (1) Long-term: the alliance system (Triple Alliance vs Triple Entente), the arms race, imperialist rivalry and nationalism (the Balkan powder keg) (10). (2) Short-term: the 1914 Sarajevo assassination and the July Crisis (5). (3) Evaluation: the alliance system was decisive – it turned a local Balkan conflict into a world war through interlocking alliances (10).
Question 2
Model-answer points (25): (1) Causes: the US-Soviet ideological conflict, the post-war power vacuum, the Berlin crises, the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, and the NATO-Warsaw Pact stand-off (12). (2) Impact (Europe): the division of Germany and Europe, the Berlin Wall (1961) as the symbol of the Iron Curtain, and the arms and nuclear race (13).
Question 3
Model-answer points (25): (1) Causes: IT and transport revolution, trade liberalisation (WTO), the rise of multinationals, and the end of the Cold War opening global markets (10). (2) Positive: economic integration and growth, cultural and information exchange, cross-border cooperation (8). (3) Negative: widening rich-poor and North-South gaps, pressure on local cultures, and the rise of anti-globalisation movements (7).
Which 20th-century topics does History usually test?
Direct answer: the causes and impact of the two World Wars, the Cold War, globalisation, East Asian modernisation, European integration and the UN.
Where these marks are usually lost
| Mistake | What it looks like | What it costs | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vague essays | “Very important” with no example | The scheme wants concrete examples | Give a year, person or event per point |
| One side only | Causes but no evaluation | Questions ask for discussion and evaluation | Break the question down and answer each part |
| Ignoring the sources | Stating without quoting the data | Data-based answers must use the sources | Quote the source first, then analyse and evaluate |
How to use this paper
First sit: the full 1 h 30 min answering two essays with no references.
Mark it: check every point has a concrete example and every part of the question is answered.
Second sit: redo three to seven days later, aiming for two essays inside 1 h 15 min.
What should I do after finishing this paper?
Direct answer: log the points lacking examples and add them; redo in three to seven days; and drill the quote-analyse-evaluate frame for Paper 1 data-based questions.
FAQ
Is this an HKEAA paper?
No. The questions and model-answer points are TutorZone originals, not HKEAA questions or marking references.
How many papers does History have?
Two: Paper 1 60% (data-based, 2 h, compulsory) and Paper 2 40% (seven essays, answer any two, 1 h 30 min).
How many essays in Paper 2?
Answer any two of seven essays, 25 marks each, 50 marks in total (40% of the subject).
Official references
| Resource | What to check |
|---|---|
| HKEAA 2027 HKDSE History Assessment Framework | Confirm the 60% / 40% split and question types |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-dse-chinese-history-paper-1-mock-2027/ | Chinese History Paper 1 mock |
Related: practice area · Chinese History Paper 1 mock · Tourism and Hospitality mock
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