Geography Paper 2 Questions and Answers - MECS Pre Mock Exams 2023

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. This paper has two sections: A and B
2. Answer all the questions in section A
3. Answer question 6 and any other two questions from section B
4. This paper consists of 3 printed pages. Ensure ALL the 10 questions are printed.

For examiners use only

QUESTIONS

SECTION A (25MARKS)
Answer all the questions in this section

1.                      
   1. Give the relationship between Geography and Agriculture.  (2mks)
   2. State three significance of learning Geography.  (3mks)
2.                        
   1. What is horticulture? (2mks)
   2. State three advantages of using green house in horticulture farming (3mks)
3.                      
   1. Name two minerals mined in South Africa (3mks)
   2. State three problems facing mining industry in South Africa (3mks)
4.                          
   1. State two factors necessary for a land to be reclaimed (3mks)
   2. Give three uses of polder land in Netherlands (3mks)
5. Give four ways in which Kenya will benefit as a result of oil discovery in Turkana County (4mks)

SECTION B
Answer question 6 and any other two questions in this section.

6.  The table below shows total number of livestock in Kenya in 1986 and 1996
   

   Type of livestock	Number in millions
   	1986	1996
   Cattle	19.0	20.7
   Sheep	17.0	26.7
   Goats	18.5	27.3
   Chicken	20.0	40

   1.                     
      1. Using a scale 1cm representing 5 million livestock, draw a comparative bar graph to represent the above given data.(8mks)
      2. State three advantages of comparative bar graph (3mks)
   2.                    
      1. Explain three factors that favour beef farming in Argentina (6mks)
      2. Name two exotic breeds of cattle reared in commercial ranches in Kenya (2mks) 
   3. Explain three ways which the government of Kenya assists nomadic pastoralists to improve the quality of their livestock (6mks)
7.                        
   1.                      
      1. Name three tree species found in the softwood forest of Canada. (3mks)
      2. State physical factors that favor the growth of softwood forest in Canada (3mks)
   2. State four characteristics of softwood forest in Canada (4mks)
   3. Give three reasons why it is necessary to carry out afforestation programmes in Kenya forest (3mks)
   4. State the differences between softwood forest of Canada and kenya under the following sub-headings:
      1. Species (2mks)
      2. Mode of transportation (2mks)
      3. Harvesting (2mks)
   5. Explain three significance of forests in kenya to human activities.6mks)
8.                      
   1. State three physical conditions that favour sugar cane growing in the lake Victoria basin in Kenya. (3mks)
   2. Describe the cultivation of sugarcane in Kenya. (6mks)
   3. Explain five problems facing sugarcane farming in Kenya. (10mks)
   4. Your class visited a sugar factory for a field study on sugar processing.
      1. Outline four stages of sugar processing that the class may have observed.(4mks)
      2. Name two by-products of sugar that the class may have identified during the study. (2marks)
9.                        
   1.                                                   
      1. What is wildlife? (2mks)
      2. Give three factors that favour the establishment of national park at Tsavo (3mks)
      3. Mention four tourists attractions in kenya .(4mks)
   2. Explain four factors that hinder the development of domestics tourism in Kenya (4mks)
   3. State four problems associated with tourism industry in Kenya (4mks)
   4. Explain four benefits of tourism in  the economy of Kenya  (8mks)
10.                      
    1.                          
       1. Name TWO types of fishing. (2 mks)
       2. State THREE reasons why marine fisheries are under developed in Kenya. (3 mks)
       3. State FOUR solutions to the problems facing the fishing industry in Kenya. (4 mks) 
    2.                        
       1. Give TWO modern methods of fish preservation. (2 mks)
       2. Describe the basket method of fishing. (5 mks)
    3.                          
       1. Name THREE countries in the North West Atlantic fishing ground. (3 mks)
       2. Compare fishing in Kenya and Japan under the following subheadings:
          • Continental shelf (2 mks)
          • Coastline (2 mks)
          • Ocean currents (2 mks)

MARKING SCHEME

1.                    
   1. Give the relationship between Geography and Agriculture. (2x1mks)
      • Agriculture uses geography to determine suitable climatic areas for crop growing and livestock keeping while Geography studies farming systems, their distribution and the factors affecting farming activities.
   2. State three significance of learning Geography. (3x1mks)
      • Geography helps learners to develop skills which are used to study the environment.
      • It teaches methods of collecting and representing geographical information
      • It enables learners to understand and appreciate different environmental influences of societies
      • Encourages international awareness and cooperation
      • Geography teaches how to manage time properly through field work
      • Geography is a tool of better citizenship
      • Geography is a career subject eg. geography teacher
      • Geography helps us to acquire positive attitudes and values in society.
2.                    
   1. What is horticulture? (2mks)
      • Is the cultivation of vegetables, fruits and flowers for commercial purposes
   2. State three advantages of using green house in horticulture farming (Any 3x1=3mks)
      • Climatic hazards such as hailstones/stong winds/excessive rainfall can be controlled
      • It is easy to control weeds plants are grown throughout the year
      • Pests/diseases is easily controlled .it is easier to control the amount of moisture that the flowers require
3.                    
   1. Name two minerals mined in South Africa (Any 2x1=2mks)
      • Gold
      • Diamond
      • Coal
      • Silver
      • Iron ore
      • Uranium
      • copper
   2. Give three problems facing mining industry in South Africa (Any 3x1=3mks)
      • some mines are very deep thus expensive/ difficult to mine
      • competition for skilled labour from other sectors of the economy
      • inadequate water supply for processing minerals
      • some mines are closed due to exhaustion of minerals
      • collapse of mines causes heavy losses of lives
4.                    
   1. State three factors necessary for a land to be reclaimed (Any 3x1=3mks)
      • The land should be large/extensive
      • The land should be accessible for easy transportation
      • Availability of gentle sloping land for mechanization
      • Availability of capitals to initiate the project
      • The climate should be suitable for the intended agricultural activities.
      • skilled man power should be available to make reclamation viable
   2. Give three uses of polder land in Netherlands (Any 3x1=3mks)
      • Its used for cultivation of crops
      • It is for settlement
      • Its used for establishment of transport network
      • Its use for setting up industries
      • Its used for pasture land for dairy animals
5. Give four ways in which Kenya will benefit as a result of oil discovery in Turkana county(Any 4x1mks)
   • It will open the area as a result of constructing roads
   • Exports of oil will earn Kenya more foreign exchange
   • Development of social amenities will improve the living standard of the people
   • Employment in oil field industries will improve living standard of the people
   • It will lead to rise and expansion of towns
6. The table below shows total number of livestock in Kenya in 1986 and 1996
   

   Type of livestock	Number in millions
   	1986	1996
   Cattle	19.0	20.7
   Sheep	17.0	26.7
   Goats	18.5	27.3
   Chicken	20.0	40

   1.                   
      1. Using a scale 1cm representing 5 million livestock, draw a comparative bar graph to represent the above given data. (8mks)
         
      2. State three advantages of comparative bar graph (Any 3x1=3mks)
         • Easy to construct/draw
         • Easy to interprete/read
         • It gives good visual impression.
   2.                            
      1. Explain three factors that favour beef farming in Argentina (3x2mks)
         • Replacement of coarse grasses with alfalfa/corn has improved the quality of pastures for the beef cattle
         • Cross breeding of the traditional cattle with higher quality breeds/Hereford/Aberdeen Angus improved the quality of the yield
         • The warm and wet/maritime climate of the area makes grazing of cattle possible throughout the year
         • Availability of water supplied using wind pumps ensures constant supply of water for cattle
         • Availability of vast land/pampas which was suitable for cattle grazing encourages beef ranching
         • Availability of market both local external encourages the farmers to expand the beef industry
         • Availability of refrigeration facilities enables beef to reach far off market while still fresh
         • Well developed railway network which help in transporting beef cattle to factories
           (Any 2x3=6mrks
      2. Name two exotic breeds of cattle reared in commercial ranches in Kenya. (Any 2x1mrks)
         • Aberdeen Angus
         • Hereford
         • Galloway
         • Charolais
         • Shorthorn
         • Sahiwal
   3. Explain three ways which the government of Kenya assists nomadic pastoralists to improve the quality of their livestock (Any 6x1=6mks)
      • The government has set up demonstration ranches to educate the pastoralists on better ways of keeping livestock
      • Cattle dips have been constructed to control pests/employ veterinary hence improving the quality of cattle
      • Boreholes/dams have been constructed to provide water for the livestock
      • Roads have constructed to enable the pastoralists to transport their animals to the market/make services accessible to farmers
      • It strengthens community education to teach pastoralists better livestock management
      • The government encourages group ranching to enable the pastoralists to view livestock keeping as a commercial undertaking
      • It has revived Kenya meat commission that buys animals from farmers to slaughter
7.                      
   1.                          
      1. Name three tree species found in the softwood forest of Canada. (Any 3x1=3mks)
         • Western hemlock
         • Birch
         • Pine
         • Cedar
         • Spruce
         • Douglas fir
         • cypress
      2. State three physical factors that favor the growth of softwood forest in Canada(Any 3x1=3mks)
         • high rainfall throughout the year has promoted the growth of forest
         • the ruggedness of the landscape is unsuitable for agriculture leaving forestry as the best alternative
         • thin soil is suitable for growth of softwood forest
         • high altitude is suitable for growth of forest
   2. state four the characteristics of softwood forest in Canada (4mks)
      • the trees are conical in shape
      • the tree species occur in pure stands
      • the tree grow tall and have straight trunks
      • the tress have narrow needle like leaves
      • the trees bear cones
      • the trees have wide shallow roots
      • the forest are evergreen
      • the forest have no undergrowth
      • the trees are flexible to resist strong winter wind
   3. Give three reasons why it is necessary to carry out afforestation programs in Kenya forest (Any 3x1=3mks)
      • to protect water catchment areas which are sources of rivers that provide water for irrigation/HEP generation
      • trees roots soil particles together thus protect it from erosion by wind/water
      • to create scenic beauty which attract tourists thus earn foreign exchange used to develop other sectors of economy
      • to expand the habitat for wildlife thus conserving its future generation
      • to provide continuous supply of wood fuel
      • to provide foreign exchange by reducing importation of forest products
      • to provide continuous supply of raw material for paper making
   4. State the differences between softwood forest in Canada and Kenya under the following subheadings
      1. The tree species (2mks)
         • Canada has exotic tree species while kenya has both exotic and indigenous
      2. Mode of transport of logs
         • In Canada logs are transported using roads, railways and waterways while in kenya majorly by roads and railways.
      3. Harvesting
         • In Canada harvesting is done through clear cutting while kenya there is selective harvesting of trees
   5. Explain three significances of forests in kenya to human activities. (6mrks)
      • Tree provide timber products which can be used in buildind and construction.
      • Some trees acts are extracted to make herbal medicine.
      • Some trees are sources of food eg. fruits
      • Forests act as a habitat of wild animals which attract tourist bringing foreign exchange.
8.                  
   1. State three physical conditions that favour sugar cane growing in the lake Victoria basin in Kenya. (3x1mks)
      • High temperatures(21◦c-27◦C)
      • High and well distributed rainfall (1200-1500mm annually).
      • Dry and sunny weather during harvesting to increase sugar accumulation in the cane.
      • Deep well drained soils.
      • Undulating/gently sloping land for machinery to be used and for easier transportation of cane to factories.
   2. Describe the cultivation of sugarcane in Kenya. (6x1mks)
      • Shallow furrows are made across the field at intervals of 1.2m-1.8m apart.
      • Pieces of sugarcane cuttings are laid horizontally in the furrows.
      • They are covered lightly with the soil which they grow a cluster of shoots called stool.
      • Nitrogenous fertilizer is applied when plants are growing at a high rate.
      • Weeding is done when the crop is fairly short.
      • After about 14 months the cane is ready for harvesting.
      • After harvesting two ratoons the stools are dug out, land tilled and new sets are planted.
   3. Explain five problems facing sugarcane farming in Kenya. (5x2mks)
      • Pests e.g. termites which attack setts lowering the farmers yield.
      • Diseases e.g. sugarcane mosaic which causes the crop to become stunted with leaves becoming yellow.
      • Mismanagement of some sugar factories resulting in their closure and subsequent loss of income and jobs.
      • Inability of some factories to cope with supply of cane from out-growers due to low production capacity and outdated technology.
      • Local sugar industry faces competition from cheap imported sugar from COMESA countries.
      • Strikes by cane farmers and transporters due to inadequate pay resulting in drop in output.
      • Frequent fires which destroy many hectares of cane annually.
        Your class visited a sugar factory for a field study on sugar processing.
        1. Outline four stages if sugar processing that the class may have observed. (4x1mks)
           • Washing
           • Cutting into small pieces
           • Crushing and squeezing the juice
           • Suspension and precipitation of non-sugars
           • Boiling of the juice
           • crystallization
        2. Name two by-products of sugar that the class may have identified during the study. (Any2x1=2mrks)
           • Molasses is used as a sweetener for livestock feeds.
           • Bagasse or fibre left after squeezing the juice is used as fuel for boilers, for preparing pulp for making paper used for making cement and fertilizer bags and as fodder or manure.
           • Filter cake resulting from filtration process is used as manure for cane
9.                              
   1.               
      1. What is wildlife? (Any 2x1=2mks)
         • Are the animals ((fauna) and plants (flora) existing in their natural habitat
      2. Give three factors that favor the establishment of national park at Tsavo (Any 3x1=3mks)
         • Availability of large tracts of land sparsely populated land
         • Availability of wide variety of vegetation which provides food for wild animals
         • The harsh climatic conditions that discourage farming/settlement thus wildlife conservation is the best alternative land use
         • The vegetation found in Tsavo are provides habitat for wild animals
         • Mzima springs river Tsavo and voi provides drinking water for animals
      3. sandy beaches
         • the great riftvalley
         • the flamingos
   2. Explain four factors that hinder the development of domestic tourism in Kenya (Any 4x2=8mks)
      • The roads leading to the tourist site are poorly maintained. This discourages people from visiting such sites
      • There is low public awareness of tourist sites due to inadequate publicity
      • Tourists attractions are familiar to local people hence they fail to appreciate their beauty and value
      • Negative attitude towards local tourism limits the number of people who engage in tourism
      • Insecurity from gangsters in the national parks/game reserves scare people away from visiting them
      • The high accommodation in the game lodges discourages local tourism 2marks each
   3. State four problems associated with tourism industry in Kenya (Any 4x1=4mks)
      • Tourism have led to increase in drug abuse
      • A number of youths especially at the coast dropped out of school to become tour guides/beach boys/curio sellers
      • Tourism has led to the spread of diseases such STIs
      • Tourism has led to pollution of environment/national parks/game reserves
      • Other emphasis on tourism has led to the neglect of other sectors of the economy
      • It has to increase in crime/insecurity
      • It has encouraged poaching/illegal collection of marine resources
      • It has led to international terrorism/piracy
      • Erosion of social value/culture
   4. Explain four benefits of tourism in the economy of Kenya (Any 4x2=8mks)
      • It provides employment opportunities in hotels, transport sectors thus reducing unemployment/raising the standard of living
      • Kenya earn foreign exchange which is used to develop other economic sectors
      • The need for food in tourist hotels and lodges has stimulated the growth of agricultural sector
      • Tourists provide a ready market for trade items such as handicrafts and curio thus earn Kenyans a direct income
      • Construction of roads to tourist sites also benefits the local people in transport their products to the market /general development of the country
      • Establishment of National parks has enabled Kenyan to protect preserve its rich cultural heritage
      • Tourism encourages cultural exchange which provides international co-operation
10.                        
    1.                        
       1. Name TWO types of fishing. (2 mks)
          • Pelagic
          • Demersal
          • Fresh water
          • Inshore
       2. State THREE reasons why marine fisheries are under developed in Kenya. (3 mks)
          • The continental shelf is narrow
          • The coastline is fairly straight and lies few indentations
          • The waters are relatively warm for the growth of plantations
          • The fishermen have inadequate capital to purchase modern fishing equipment
          • Fishermen have inadequate skills.
          • There is low demand for marine fish locally
          • There is limited market due to competitors from the developed countries.
       3. Identify FOUR solutions to the problems facing the fishing industry in Kenya. (4 mks)
          • The government should encourage the development of cooperatives to enable the fishermen to market t their fish
          • Roads leading to the freshwater lake should be developed trouble to enable fish to reach the market fast.
          • The government and local financial institutions should make funds available for fishermen through offering loans to assist them purchase fishing equipment
          • Legislation against dumping should be enforced so that pollution of fisheries can be reduced/treatment of industrial effluents before releasing them into the rivers and lakes
          • Licensing of fishermen by the government can assist in monitoring the number of fishermen hence reducing overfishing.
    2.                
       1. Give TWO modern methods of fish preservation. (2 mks)
          • Canning
          • Refrigeration
       2. Describe the basket method of fishing. (5 mks)
          • The basket is funnel shaped to allow entry for fish
          • The basket is lowered in water with the mouth facing downstream in a river/in a lake the basket is placed facing any direction
          • At the mouth of the basket there is a valve which restricts the outward movement or escape of fish once inside the basket
          • The basket is held in place by rope/stones/sticks to prevent it from being swept downstream
          • It is left in the water for some time after which the fish are removed.
          • At the mouth of the basket there is a valve which restricts the outward movement or escape of fish once inside the basket
          • The basket is held in place by rope/stones/sticks to prevent it from being swept downstream
          • It is left in the water for some time after which the fish are removed.
    3.                      
       1. Name THREE counties in the North West Atlantic fishing ground. (3 mks)
          • Mexico
          • USA
          • Canada
       2. Compare fishing in Kenya and Japan under the following subheadings:
          • Continental shelf (2 mks)
            Kenya has a deep narrow continental shelf discouraging the growth of planktons while Japan has broad shallow and extensive continental shelf favoring the growth of planktons
          • Coastline (2 mks) 
            Kenya has an almost straight/regular coastline discouraging the breeding of fish while Japan has an irregular/indented coastline encouraging the breeding of fish.
          • Ocean currents (2 mks)
            Kenya experiences warm waters because of the warm Mozambique current thereby discouraging the survival of fish while Japan experiences cool waters caused by the meeting of cold Oya Siwo and warm Kuro Siwo currents that is ideal for the survival of fish.

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