Cambridge O Level Pakistan Studies: Natural Resources — Practice Questions

These are original practice questions written in the style of Cambridge O Level Pakistan Studies (2059) assessment objectives. They are not taken from any past paper and are not endorsed by Cambridge International.

Use these questions alongside the Natural Resources study guide and revision notes.

Section A

1. Name the three major dams identified in this section. [3]

2. State the difference between a plantation and afforestation, as defined in this syllabus. [2]

3. Name three effects of deforestation. [3]

4. State the difference between marine and inland fishing locations in Pakistan. [2]

5. Name one metallic and one non-metallic mineral resource covered in this section. [2]

Section B

6. The Indus Water Treaty is one of the most exam-significant items in this section.

(a) Explain one reason the Indus Water Treaty was needed. [2] (b) Explain one consequence that has followed from the treaty. [2]

7. A factory near a river discharges untreated waste into the water, which is also used for irrigation downstream.

(a) Explain the effect this pollution has on water availability for farmers downstream. [2] (b) Suggest one solution to this water supply problem. [2]

8. A region plants new forest in the Indus Plain for timber production, while a different region plants trees on steep mountain slopes.

(a) Identify which activity is a plantation and which is afforestation. [2] (b) Explain the different purpose behind each activity. [2]

9. A mining company extracts a mineral resource for export, but local communities report damage to nearby land and water sources.

(a) Suggest one benefit this extraction could bring to Pakistan’s economy. [1] (b) Suggest one environmental problem the extraction could be causing. [1] (c) Explain why an answer evaluating this situation should pair a named benefit with a named environmental cost, rather than describing only one side. [2]

10. A fishing community reports improved catch sizes after adopting new fishing equipment, but is also concerned about overfishing in local waters.

(a) Suggest one improvement in fishing methods or processing that could explain the better catch sizes. [1] (b) Explain why an answer describing this improvement is incomplete without also addressing the sustainability concern raised. [2]

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Answers

1. Mangla, Tarbela and Warsak [3].

2. A plantation is new forest planted in the Indus Plain for commercial or resource use; afforestation is planting on mountain slopes and plateaux, typically to prevent soil erosion and manage water flow [2].

3. Any three of: soil erosion, silting, flooding [3].

4. Marine fishing takes place along the Balochistan and Sindh coasts; inland fishing takes place in rivers, lakes and fish farms [2].

5. Any correctly identified metallic mineral (for example, from Pakistan’s metallic mineral resources) and any correctly identified non-metallic mineral, such as limestone, gypsum or rock salt [2].

6. (a) The treaty was needed to divide and manage the shared use of the Indus river system’s waters between the countries through which it flows, since competing demands on a shared water source can otherwise lead to disputes over supply [2]. (b) Any reasonable consequence, for example: it established agreed rights to specific rivers for each country, which has shaped how water infrastructure (such as dams and irrigation systems) has since been planned and built [2].

7. (a) The pollution contaminates the water, reducing the amount of clean water available for irrigation downstream and potentially harming crops or requiring costly treatment before the water can be used safely [2]. (b) Stricter enforcement of industrial waste-treatment regulations before discharge is permitted, alongside investment in water-treatment infrastructure [2].

8. (a) Planting new forest in the Indus Plain for timber production is a plantation; planting trees on steep mountain slopes is afforestation [2]. (b) The plantation is aimed at commercial or resource use, such as producing timber for sale [1]; the afforestation is aimed at preventing soil erosion and managing water flow on steep terrain, rather than primarily for commercial production [1].

9. (a) For example, export revenue or providing raw material input for industry [1]. (b) For example, damage to land through extraction activity, or contamination of nearby water sources [1]. (c) Because an “evaluate” question is specifically asking for a weighed judgement, not a one-sided description; pairing a named benefit with a named environmental cost demonstrates the ability to assess sustainability, which is what this type of question rewards over listing benefits or problems in isolation [2].

10. (a) For example, adopting improved nets, boats, or fish processing techniques that increase catch efficiency or reduce spoilage [1]. (b) Because the syllabus explicitly pairs improvements in fishing methods and processing with the problems facing the fishing industry; an answer that only describes the improvement without addressing sustainability concerns such as overfishing does not engage with the full scope of what the question is asking about the industry’s future development [2].

A note on exam technique for this topic

Across all four sub-sections of this topic — water, forests, minerals and fish — the strongest answers follow the same underlying shape: name a specific resource or feature, state a specific cause or use, and pair it with a specific consequence or solution, rather than describing any one resource in general terms. The Indus Water Treaty in particular should always be treated as something to explain (its reasons and consequences), not simply a fact to state existed. Keep Section 1’s map knowledge (dams, rivers, coastal regions) close at hand while revising this section, since nearly every sub-topic here asks you to locate a feature before analysing it.