Cambridge IGCSE™
GEOGRAPHY 0460/23
Paper 2 Geographical Skills May/June 2023
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 60
Published
This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.
Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.
Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.
Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2023 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level and Cambridge Pre-U components, and some
Cambridge O Level components.
This document consists of 6 printed pages.
© UCLES 2023 [Turn over
0460/23 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme May/June 2023
PUBLISHED
Generic Marking Principles
These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:
Marks must be awarded in line with:
the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:
Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:
Marks must be awarded positively:
marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
marks are not deducted for errors
marks are not deducted for omissions
answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these
features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:
Rules must be applied consistently, e.g., in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:
Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question
(however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the candidate
responses seen).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:
Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.
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Question Answer Marks
1(a)(i) Road less than 4 m wide. 1
1(a)(ii) Footbridge. 1
1(a)(iii) Coniferous/non-coniferous trees/woodland/forest. 1
1(a)(iv) 288 (metres above sea level). 1
1(a)(v) Middleton. 1
1(a)(vi) Whitlie Burn. 1
1(b) 218626/5. 1
1(c) Fishing; 2
Parking:
Picnic site;
Recreational route.
1(d) There are no settlements; 4
Highest point is 489 metres above sea level;
Gradients are steep;
No rivers flow above 475 metres above sea level.
1(e) Flows SW/ then SSW/S OR SW/SSW (overall); or opposite e.g., from 7
NE;
Steep gradient/variable gradient;
Waterfall;
River width varies/wider downstream/wider in S/SW/narrower in N/
NE;
(Joined by) tributaries/confluences/affluents;
More tributaries on western/north-western side;
Meanders/curves/bends/zig-zags;
Narrow valley floor/V shaped valley;
Steep (sided) valley;
Deep valley/gorge;
Steeper on eastern/south-eastern side;
Trees/woodland/forest;
Bracken/heath/rough grassland.
Note: Reserve 1 mark for each of valley and river.
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Question Answer Marks
2(a) High density/close together/clustered/congested; 5
Single storey;
(Built on) tyres/wheels/terraces;
Wood;
Metal sheets/corrugated iron/metal roofs; (accept any named metal)
Low pitch/flat roofs;
Windows;
Porch/veranda/balcony;
Aerial/dish.
2(b) Unstable buildings/houses likely to collapse/slide downhill; 3
Landslides/mudslides/rockfall;
Soil erosion/difficult to grow crops/exposed soil could wash away;
Low/dangerous electricity wires;
Difficult to access/difficult to walk on slope/only accessible on
foot/rocks are a trip hazard.
Question Answer Marks
3(a)(i) Warm/hot/tropical/high (temperature); 2
Ocean/sea;
High humidity.
3(a)(ii) Typhoons. 1
3(a)(iii) North-west/North-east. 1
3(b)(i) 1991. 1
3(b)(ii) Number of events varies (per year); 3
Scale of event/severity varies/power/magnitude (not earthquakes)
(per year);
Speed of formation;
Depends on population density/urban v rural;
Depends on the preparedness/education (about what to do);
Speed of response;
(Access to) emergency relief/medical aid;
Level of development/LEDC v MEDC/building condition;
Forecasting/warnings (may affect whether people evacuate).
Question Answer Marks
4(a)(i) (River) Tone. 1
4(a)(ii) Low lying land; 4
Silted rivers;
High tides;
Wettest January/high rainfall/heavy rain (in January).
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Question Answer Marks
4(b) Expensive; 3
Takes a long time to build;
Visual pollution/eyesore;
Noise pollution during construction;
Stops river traffic/boating;
Kills wildlife/affects habitat/prevents migration of fish;
Interferes with natural river flows;
May be placed on their property.
Question Answer Marks
5(a)(i) Positive correlation/directly proportional; 2
Fairly/relatively strong relationship;
As food supply increases then life expectancy increases;
OR
Better the food supply, the longer the life expectancy;
OR
Low food supply has low life expectancy and high food supply has
high life expectancy;
Some anomalies/exceptions (e.g., Japan, Lesotho).
5(b)(i) Drought; 2
Floods;
Tropical storms/cyclones/hurricanes/typhoons;
Pests/diseases or named example e.g., locusts/leaf curl virus;
Volcanic eruption.
5(b)(ii) Wars destroy farms/crops/kills or injures farmers/prevents food 4
distribution/blocks access to food supply;
Politically opposed countries may stop food exports/food aid which means
people are left to starve;
Influx of refugees can outstrip food supply;
Labour shortage/rural urban migration means less food produced;
Political corruption diverts money away from investment in
agriculture/unfair distribution of food;
Lack of/can’t afford investment in agriculture/machinery/fertiliser/HYV
seeds;
Poverty lowers the amount of income families have to spend on food;
Inflation/rising costs of production (e.g., feed and energy) increases
food prices, so can afford less;
Poor countries lack finance to import food thus reducing food supply;
Lack of transport network means food crops unable to reach
market/deteriorates before reaching market;
Lack of policies to control population growth means consumption outgrows
supply;
Focus on cash crops rather than food for local population;
Urbanisation/industrialisation reduces farmland.
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Question Answer Marks
6(a)(i) Clear/clean/blue/calm sea/water; 3
Sand/ beach;
Clear/blue skies/sunny;
Palm/coconuts trees/tropical vegetation.
6(b)(i) 8(%) (allow 8.05/8.06/8.1% based on measurement of 29 degrees). 1
6(b)(ii) (Divided/compound) bar graph/chart/donut graph. 1
6(c) Transport: 3
Use animal power;
Promote walking/cycling/more cycle paths/free public bikes;
Electric vehicles;
Restrict/ban vehicles on island;
Develop public transport;
Restrict visitor numbers/number of international flights/cruise ships to
the island;
Tax on car hire/increase tax on fuel/buying cars.
Agriculture:
Promote locally sourced food;
Prohibit deforestation/burning woods;
Reduce use of chemical fertilisers/use natural fertilisers;
Discourage the use of machinery such as tractors;
Encourage farmers to use renewable energy/solar power or wind turbines;
Reduce rice production;(due to production of methane).
Less animals raised (e.g., beef cattle)/more vegetables grown.
1 reserve for each category.
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