This document contains notes from progress tests on various topics: 1. The grade boundaries for the progress test, ranging from A to E. Most students were expected to score between A-C. 2. Key points about average income and variations between countries. Developing countries rely on manufacturing or trade, while quality of life is improving. Oil wealth contributes significantly to variations between some countries. 3. Factors affecting internet connectivity between Europe and Africa. Physical barriers like mountains and deserts impact Africa more, while certain coastal areas and countries have better connectivity. That's a high-level summary of the key information provided in the document in 3 sentences. Let me know if you need any clarification

1. Progress test 4 weeks in

2. Grade boundaries
• A – 29
• B – 25
• C – 22
• D – 18
• E – 14
I expected most people to get A-C, if you got less
than that, suggests you need to up your game

3. Average income and income variations
a) Ethiopia is an LDC
b) Would accept Singapore (although technically it
is now an MEDC) or Philippines. Had to be one
in the table (“from the list” Read the question!)
c) Various things could get a mark:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Developing through manufacturing/recently
Getting richer through trade
People’s quality of life improving
Examples other than the ones in the table (China,
India, Thailand, etc)

4. Average income and income variations
d) Had to use “evidence”, something about differences
in average income or, more difficultly using division of
wealth within a country (using figures preferably)
e) Various things could get a mark:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Oil! Hard to get decent marks if you didn’t mention it!
Wealth because oil costs a lot of money (wealth)
Demand/running out so cost is high (wealth)
Can decide who to sell it to (power)
Examples of member countries (always throw in an
example if you’re running out of ideas, they can’t take
marks away if you’re wrong!)

5. Facebook connectivity
a)
Hard to get three marks by just saying “Europe’s well connected, Africa
isn’t”. Other things you could say:
•
Europe very well connected in particular places (Italy, France,
England), less well in Spain and Norway
•
Middle of Africa very poorly connected (mention places, Sahara,
landlocked countries, etc)
•
Coastal areas of Africa have better (examples South Africa, Nigeria,
North Africa, Kenya)
•
Link to what you know about places, South Africa is relatively well
off, Kenya got a new broadband connection through fibre optics
recently, North Africa close to Europe, Nigeria member of OPEC
b) Physical! If you launched into poverty, population and stuff no marks!
•
Mountains, deserts, landlocked, islands, etc were what was needed
plus a reason why they made it harder to connect
•
Important to read the question. They throw in questions like this to
check you do! There’s another one later

6. European countries graph
a) UK, Germany, France
b) 28
c) Free trade/no taxes/tariffs on exports/imports (that’s
the vital bit) Additional marks for
i.
Examples of other trade blocs and members (it mentions the
EU so you couldn’t get marks for mentioning that again)
ii. Peace, countries that trade together/work together don’t fight
iii. Improve prosperity (better profits on trade and countries help
each other)
iv. People can get jobs in other countries in the bloc (BUT
REMEMBER THE ONLY TRADE BLOC WITH FREE MOVEMENT
OF PEOPLE IS THE EU)

7. Components of risk
a) I think everyone got this right!
b) Lots of possibles, most people came up with two decent
ones, eg
•
Poor infrastructure/housing quality/densely populated
cities
•
Lack of emergency services
•
Poor prediction and lack of evacuation
•
Poverty stops people recovering quickly
•
Lack of insurance
•
Health services can’t cope
c) Flood, cyclone, storm, drought, bush fire, NOT TSUNAMI
d) Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunami

8. Magnitude of recent disasters
a) Almost everyone got this right
The next two bits were designed to test your reading of the question!
b) Burma/cyclone (there was only one!)
c) Sichuan earthquake (quite a few people didn’t read “least”)
d) 2 or more (so if you said many different hazards, or lots of
different hazards you got away with it) + vulnerable population
e) Philippines generally very well done. Needed to mention the
different types of hazard, with a hydro-met and geo-phys + why
people are vulnerable.
Quite a lot of people mentioned plate boundaries and explosive
volcanoes, warm ocean (cause of cyclones), El Nino, which was all
good
People vulnerable because of poverty, poor quality housing, often
on the low lying coast, densely populated cities on coast, all good.
No mention of people - not full marks!