GEOGRAPHY TOPICAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What is environmental management?

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section B Question 10.

(a) What is environmental management?

These are measures/controls taken to ensure sustainable utilisation of resources in a given environment/The planning and implementation of effective and proper utilization of the available resources in the environment.

(i) Explain four negative effects of floods.

Flooding leads to loss of life/destruction of property thereby causing human suffering/misery.
It causes destruction of vegetation on slopes thereby enhancing soil erosion.
It creates pools of water on the land surface forming breeding grounds for pests which causes diseases to people/animals.
It leads to water logging/leaching hence causing soil infertility.
It leads to destruction of aquatic habitats hence reduced fish production.
It causes flooding of settlements thereby leading to new temporary homes/displacement.
It destroys transport/communication network thereby hindering movement of goods/services.
Hoods pollutes sources of water/land which causes water borne diseases/eyesore.
Hoods wash away crops resulting in food shortage.

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Define the term fishing.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section B Question 9.

(a) Define the term fishing.

It is the extraction/exploitation of aquatic animals/fish.

(b) Explain two ways in which each of the following factors negatively affects fishing in Kenya.
(i) Agricultural activities.

Poor fanning methods cause soil erosion thereby leading to siltation of the lakes/rivers which hinders the movement of fishing vessels/ death of fish.
Agro-chemicals used on farms were washed into the lakes/rivers thus polluting the water/kill fish/eutrophication.
Abstraction of water from the river/lakes for irrigation reduces the level of the water thereby limiting the types of fish species.

(ii) Water weeds.

The growth of the weeds on the surface of the water harbours dangerous animal/predators thereby scaring away the fishermen.
The weeds growing on the water form a thick barrier/insulate the water thereby hindering the amount of sunlight required for the growth of Planktons.
The weeds on the water choke the fishing vessels thus hindering their movement.
The weeds compete for oxygen with fish which leads to death of fish.

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Explain four ways in which land is being rehabilitated in Kenya.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section B Question 8.

(a) Explain four ways in which land is being rehabilitated in Kenya.

By filling open pits/land scaping in order to be used for farming/settlement.
By constructing terraces thereby reducing the speed of surface runoff.
By planting trees/grass strips on degraded land thereby protecting it against the agents of erosion.
By building gabions in order to hold/trap the soil carried by water.
By constructing dykes along river banks/dams across rivers in order to control floods.
By supplying manure/fertilizer on derelict land in order to restore its fertility.
By irrigating semi-arid areas/during dry seasons in order to provide water required for crop growth.
Bush fallowing to allow land to regian fertility.
Mulching /cover crops/ cut off drains to retain soil moisture/add humus.
Drainage trenches to remove excess water from the land.
Controlled grazing to allow regeneration of pastures.

(b) (i) State two ways in which the salinity of the polders is reduced in The Netherlands.

Chemicals are applied to lower salts in the soils.
Fresh water is flashed to the soils to remove/dilute the excess salts.
Reeds are planted to use up the excess salts.
Continuous pumping of water from the polders.

(ii) Explain four ways in which the Zuyder Zee project benefits The Netherlands.

Reclamation has increased the size of the land which is used for farming/settlement.
The reclaimed land has increased agricultural output hence more food/raw materials for industries.
Damming created a freshwater lake thus improving the supply of water for domestic/industrial use/lowering salinity of the soil.
It has led to employment of many people thus improving their standards of living.
Roads have been constructed thus improving transportation.
Reclamation has created sceneries that have become tourists attractions thereby earning foreign exchange.
Construction of the great dyke shortened the coastal distance.
It also controlled the disastrous floods.

(a) Explain four ways in which land is being rehabilitated in Kenya. (b) (i) State two ways in which the salinity of the polders is reduced in The Netherlands. (ii) Explain four ways in which the Zuyder Zee project benefits The Netherlands. (c) You intend to carry out a field study on irrigation farming in Mwea Tebere Irrigation Scheme:

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Explain three social factors that influence agriculture.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section B Question 7.

(a) Explain three social factors that influence agriculture.

Gender influences productivity as the produce will depend on effort of the gender involved.
Some religious beliefs determine the type of livestock farming since they discourage rearing of certain animals.
The culture of a people determines the type of crops grown/livestock kept in order to meet their dietary needs.
Land tenure system allows/limits individuals/communities to use the available
land thus increasing/decreasing produce.
The interaction between people leads to adoption of new techniques in fanning /new foods.

(b) (i) Describe the cultivation of oil palm from land preparation to harvesting.

The nursery is prepared where the oil palm seeds are planted.
The land is cleared of vegetation /ploughed
The holes are dug with spacing of 9m x 9m.
The seedling are transplanted from the nursery into the holes.
Weeding/spraying is done regularly to protect the plants against pests/disease.
Manuring/application of fertilizers.
The maturing trees flower/bear fruits after three years.
The mature/ripe fruits are harvested using a curved knife/chisch/hook.

(ii) Give three uses of palm oil in Nigeria.

Used as a lubricant.
Used in pharmaceutical.
As a cleansing agent in the tin industry.
Used as food.
Making margarine/cooking fat.
Making soap.
Making candles.
Making cosmetics.
Used in the confectionery industry.

(a) Explain three social factors that influence agriculture. (b) (i) Describe the cultivation of oil palm from land preparation to harvesting. (ii) Give three uses of palm oil in Nigeria. (c) Explain three reasons why horticultural farming is encouraged in Kenya. (d) Give three factors which favours beef farming in the Nyika plateau.

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Explain four economic factors that influence settlement.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section B Question 6.

Study the photograph below and use it to answer question (a)

(a) (i) Identify the type of photograph shown above.

Ground general view/Ground oblique.

(ii) Name the type of settlement shown on the photograph.

Informal settlement/urban/slum.

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Identify the two types of internal trade.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section A Question 5.

(a) Identify the two types of internal trade.

Retail trade
Whole sale trade

(b) Give three factors that limit trade among the member states of the common market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

Poor infrastructure/transport slows/delays movement of goods/services.
Difference in tariffs/custom duties hinders trading activities.
Difference in currency make s trans actions difficult.
Production of similar/duplication of goods limits trade.
Different levels of industrial development creates imbalance in trade.
Movement barriers limit free movement of people/goods/services.
Different political ideologies/political instability/insecurity.

(a) Identify the two types of internal trade. (b) Give three factors that limit trade among the member states of the common market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

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Give two reasons why Geothermal power has not been fully exploited in Kenya.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section A Question 4.

(a) Give two reasons why Geothermal power has not been fully exploited in Kenya.

The country faces a shortage of capital/inadequate capital required for exploitation.
There is shortage of skilled personnel as the country relies on expatriates.
The country faces low level of technology which hinders exploitation of the energy.
Most of the potential sites are found in remote/inaccessible areas which makes it difficult/expensive.

(b) State three causes of the energy crisis in the world.

There is a high demand for oil.
There are embargoes/controls oil production by the oil producing countries.
There is de-regulation of oil prices by the suppliers.
There is unequal natural pattern of crude oil occurrence.
There is political instability/wars in sonic of the oil producing countries.

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State two factors which influence the distribution of wildlife in East Africa.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section A Question 3.

Use the map of East Africa below to answer question (a)

(a) Name the game reserves marked P, Q and R.

P - Bokora
Q - Boni
R - Selous

(b) State two factors which influence the distribution of wildlife in East Africa.

Fairly level grounds favour some animals / rugged terrain discourages some of them.
Vegetation variation/distribution influences the type of wild animals/birds found in an area.
Drainage of an area influences the distribution/population of different types of species of plants/animals/birds.
Human activities conserve/destroy wildlife habitats/wildlife influencing the population/distribution.
The soil of a place determines the plant life which influence wild animals/birds.
The different types of climate influence the distribution/type of plants/animals/birds .
Change of altitude leads to variation in vegetation types/type of wild animals.
In high altitude areas windward slopes are forested / the leeward slopes have grasslands.

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Apart from coniferous forests, name two other types of natural forests.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section A Question 2.

(a) Apart from coniferous forests, name two other types of natural forests.

Tropical hardwood forests! Equatorial forest.
Temperature hardwood forests / tropical monsoon forests.
Mixed forests.
Montane forests.
Mangrove forests.
Temperate decidous.
Mediterenean forests.
Warm temperate evergreen.

(b) State three characteristics of coniferous forests which favour their exploitation.

The tree are light in weight.
The trees occur in pure stand
There is little undergrowth.
The trees have straight trunk.
The trees are tall.
The trees are soft.

(a) Apart from coniferous forests, name two other types of natural forests. (b) State three characteristics of coniferous forests which favour their exploitation.

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Give two uses of diamond.

3/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2014 Section A Question 1.

(a) Give two uses of diamond.

For making jewellery.
For polishing metals/abbrasive.
For making cutting/drilling instruments.

(b) Identify three problems facing diamond mining in South Africa.

Fluctuation of prices in the world market.
Low mineral content in the ore.
High cost of mining/processing / deep miner.
Reducing/depleting reserves.
Competition of skilled labour with other sectors of the economy.
Striking workers.

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Name two mountains in East Africa which are ice capped.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2014 Section B Question 10.

(a) (i) Name two mountains in East Africa which are ice capped.

Mt Kenya
Mt Kilimanjaro
Ruwenzori mountains

(ii) Identify three ways in which ice moves.

Plastic flowage
Basal slip
Extrusion flow
Internal shearing

(b) Describe the formation of the following glacial features:
(i) Hanging valley;
(ii) Pyramidal peak.

(i) Hanging valley

It is formed in glaciated highlands where there is a main valley and a tributary valley.
The two valleys get filled with ice. The main valley has more ice than the tributary valley.
As the ice gets heavy/ thick, it begins to flow down the slope eroding by plucking and ubrasion.
The main liver valley is deepened and widened more than the tributary valley.
When ice melts the tributary valley is left hanging at a higher level.
The tributary valley left hanging above the main river valley is known as hanging valley.

(ii)Pyramidal peak.

Ice accumulates in several shallow pre-existing depressions n the mountain sides.
As the ice moves, it plucks the rocks on the sides of the hollows/ depression.
Continued erosion by abrasion deepens and widens the hollows forming cirques.
Adjacent hollows (cirques) continue to be eroded causing back walls to receed until they are separated by narrow steep ridges called aretes.
Where aretes converge at the top of the mountain, they form a sharp - steep sided peak known as a pyramidal peak.

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Name two types of submerged highland coasts.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2014 Section B Question 9.

(a) (i) Name two types of submerged highland coasts.

Longitudinal / Dalmation
Ria
Fiord / Fjord

(ii) Identify two resultant features of the emerged highland coasts.

Raised geos / blow holes
Raised cliffs
Raised wave cut-platforms
Raised beaches
Raised caves
Raised notches
Raised archs/stumps / stacks.

(b) State three factors influencing deposition by ocean waves.

The existence of gentle sloping shore.
Presence of shallow water along the coastline.
The occurrence of a strong swash and weak backwash / constructive waves.
The existence of indented coastline.
Ample longshore drift materials to be deposited.

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What are the negative effects of climate change on physical environment?

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2014 Section B Question 8.

The map below shows some climatic regions of Kenya. Use it to answer question (a).

(a) (i) Name the climatic regions marked X and Y.

X - Desert climate
Y - Modified tropical climate

(ii) State three characteristics of the climatic region marked Z.

It has a small annual temperature range / 30 50 C.
It has a small diurnal range of temperature.
It has a mean annual temperature of between 200 C and 32° C/high temperature / moderate temperature.
Receives moderate to high rainfall / rainfall ranges between 750 mm and 1500 mm per year, with no distinct dry month! it rains throughout the year.
The relative humidity is high / 80%
The area receives convectional type of rainfall / rain falls mainly in the afternoon / accompanied by thunder and lightening.
It has a double rainfall maxima.
It experiences low pressure.
There is a thick cloud cover.

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Describe the solar system.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2014 Section B Question 7.

(a) (i) Describe the solar system.

It is the sun, planets and other celestriai bodies. They are held together by the force of gravity.
The celestrial bodies revolve / orbit the sun.
Most celestrial bodies are spherical in shape.

(ii) The local time at Manaul 60° W is 11.30 a.m. What is the time in Nairobi 37° E?

The difference in longitude is 60 + 37 = 97°
1° = 4 minutes

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Give the longitudinal extent of the area covered by the map.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2014 Section B Question 6.

Study the map of Migwani 1:50,000 (sheet 151/1) provided and answer the following questions.
(a)(i) Give the longitudinal extent of the area covered by the map.

38.01 E - 38.13 E / 12 ‘E (11’.30 - 12.30)
38°.00 30 - 38 13’ 30

(ii) What is the magnetic variation of the map?
(iii) Give the six-figure grid reference for the junction of the roads D503 and D507.

(ii) 2°23'
(iii) 119707 / 119708

(b) (i) Using a vertical scale of 1 cm to represent 100 metres, draw a cross section along the line marked J-K.

(ii) On it, mark and label the following:
• footpath;
• road;
• water pipeline;
• steep slope.

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