OxfordAQA IGCSE Pakistan Studies: Globalisation, Transport and Communication — Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: Globalisation, Transport and Communication study guide | Globalisation, Transport and Communication revision notes

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What do these questions practise? The three key developments of optional topic 3.2.3 in OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies 9236: globalisation and TNCs, transport networks, and expanding communication and financial networks. Short items come first, followed by explain and evaluate items in the style of Paper 2 Section C.

Short answer

1. Define globalisation. [1]

2. State two characteristics of a transnational corporation. [2]

3. Name three seaports of Pakistan. [3]

4. State one reason why air transport is important in the north of Pakistan. [1]

5. Give two examples of how consumer culture in Pakistan’s cities has changed. [2]

6. What does CPEC stand for? [1]

Explain

7. Explain two positive impacts of TNCs on Pakistan’s economy. [4]

8. Explain why the road and rail network is less dense in Balochistan than in Punjab. [4]

9. Explain how dry ports benefit exporters in inland cities. [3]

10. Explain two challenges of expanding internet access in rural Pakistan. [4]

11. Explain how mobile wallets support economic development. [3]

12. Describe two negative impacts of TNCs on the environment or people of Pakistan. [4]

13. Explain why Gwadar has been chosen for development as a major port. [3]

Evaluate

14. “CPEC will bring more benefits than costs to Pakistan.” Evaluate this view. [9]

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Answers

1. The increasing interconnection of countries through trade, investment, migration, technology and culture [1].

2. Any two: operates in more than one country [1]; headquarters usually in a richer country [1]; very large investment and turnover [1]; global brands [1]; organises production and sales across borders [1].

3. Karachi Port (Keamari), Port Qasim, Gwadar [3].

4. Roads through the mountains are slow and often blocked by landslides or snow, so flights to towns such as Gilgit and Skardu save time [1].

5. Any two: growth of online shopping [1]; mobile payments [1]; popularity of global brands [1]; large shopping malls [1]; influence of social media on fashion and food [1].

6. China–Pakistan Economic Corridor [1].

7. Any two developed: create jobs [1], which raise incomes and spending [1]; bring technology and training [1], which improve local skills and productivity [1]; pay taxes [1], which fund public services [1]; increase exports [1], which earn foreign exchange [1].

8. Balochistan is mountainous and dry, with plateaux and deserts, so building costs are high [1]; landslides, flash floods and shifting sand raise maintenance costs [1]. Its population is small and scattered, so demand is low [1]. Punjab is flat and densely populated, with farming and industry, so routes are cheaper to build and heavily used [1].

9. Goods are cleared through customs inland, close to factories, which saves time [1]. Sealed containers travel by rail or road to the seaport without further checks [1]. This reduces delays and congestion at Karachi’s ports and lowers costs for exporters [1].

10. Any two developed: mountainous or desert terrain raises the cost of masts and fibre cables [1], and low population density means few customers to pay for them [1]; unreliable electricity [1] makes masts and devices hard to run [1]; low incomes and digital literacy [1] limit use even where coverage exists [1]; a gender gap in phone ownership [1] excludes many women [1].

11. Mobile wallets let people without bank accounts make and receive payments [1], so workers can receive wages and remittances safely and small traders can sell more easily [1]. Government cash transfers can be paid directly, reaching women and rural households, which increases financial inclusion [1].

12. Any two developed: factories producing for global brands may discharge waste water or smoke [1], polluting rivers and air near industrial areas [1]; heavy water use by bottling or textile plants [1] can lower local water supplies [1]; low wages or long hours in some supplier factories [1] harm workers’ well-being [1]; local small businesses may close because they cannot compete [1], causing job losses [1].

13. It is a deep-water port that can take very large ships [1]. It lies near the Strait of Hormuz and major Gulf shipping routes [1]. It is the southern end of CPEC, giving China and Central Asia a shorter route to the sea, and it reduces pressure on Karachi’s congested ports [1].

14. Level-marked. Benefits: investment in motorways and railways reduces transport costs [1–2]; new power stations helped reduce load-shedding [1–2]; Gwadar and special economic zones may attract industry and trade [1]; construction and operation jobs [1]. Costs: debt repayments and payments to power producers strain public finances [1–2]; many contracts and skilled jobs go to Chinese firms [1]; security risks and questions over benefits for local people in Balochistan [1–2]; environmental impacts, including coal-fired power plants [1]. Top-level answers reach a supported judgement, for example that long-term benefits depend on Pakistan using the infrastructure to raise exports. Maximum 9.

Frequently asked questions

How much detail should a 9-mark answer have? Several developed points on each side, specific examples (named routes, ports or projects), and a conclusion that weighs them.

Can I use CPEC in answers on transport and on globalisation? Yes. It is foreign direct investment as well as a transport and energy programme.

Based on the OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies (9236) specification, Version 1.9, topic 3.2.3.