1. C h a p t e r s 9 and 10
3 Name: Class: Date:
35 marks
Section A: Multiple-choice Questions (11 marks)
For each question, there are four possible answers, A, B, C and D. Choose the most suitable
answer and write its letter in the circle provided.
1. Why was the problem of pollution less serious 100 years ago?
A The world’s population was larger and people took care of the Earth.
B People who lived along rivers in the past did not pollute it.
C The world’s population was smaller and hence less waste was produced.
C
D There were fewer occurrences of volcanic eruptions.
2. Which of the following is a major cause of water pollution?
A Forest fires
B Improper disposal of sewage
C Volcanic eruptions
B
D Dust
3. How can air pollution affect human health?
A It can cause asthma attacks.
B It can cause hearing impairment.
C It can cause food poisoning.
A
D It can cause dengue fever.
4. How do farming activities cause land pollution?
A Oil spill from tractors contaminates the soil.
B Burnt vegetation left by shifting cultivation contaminates the soil.
C Methane produced from farm waste contaminates the soil.
D
D The excessive use of pesticides contaminates the soil.
5. Which of the following is a noise reduction method?
A Erecting lampposts along the sides of busy roads
B Building roads around the neighbourhood
C Encouraging the use of public transport
D
D Planting trees and shrubs along the roads
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2. 6. Which of the following shows individual effort in controlling the level of pollution?
A Practise the 3Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle
B Enforce laws to control pollution
C Pour corrosive chemicals down the sink
A
D Use normal light bulbs instead of fluorescent lights
7. Why is the Singapore Green Plan 2012 (SGP 2012) important to us?
A It shows the number of parks and park connectors Singapore has.
B It allows us to attend conferences on conservation.
C It helps to develop Singapore into a pleasant city to live in.
C
D It was presented at the World Summit in 2002.
8. Why is it important that Singapore participates in international environmental
programmes?
A To get other countries to solve our environmental problems
B To teach other countries how to be a ‘Clean and Green City’
C To enable her people to be aware of the environmental problems faced by other
countries
D To share our experiences and work with other countries to overcome D
environmental problems
9. Which of the following is a consequence of global warming?
A Formation of acid rain
B Increase in amount of CFCs in the atmosphere
C Rise in sea levels C
D Spread of air pollution
10. The main function of the ozone layer in the atmosphere is to .
A absorb excess carbon dioxide from the Earth
B block out the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays
C prevent CFCs from entering our atmosphere B
D reduce the amount of carbon dioxide escaping into outer space
11. Which of the following is an example of an individual effort to reduce global warming?
A Car-pooling
B Using more products with CFCs in them
C Imposing laws to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases
D Encouraging industries to burn more fossil fuels A
128 Self Test 3

3. Section B: Basic Techniques (6 marks)
1. Fig 1 shows the number of hotspots or areas affected by forest fires in Sumatra, Indonesia,
in January 2005. Study the figure and answer the questions that follow.
Hotspot counts in Sumatra (January 05)
350
300
Number of hotspots in Sumatra
250
200
150
100
50
0
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 05 5 5
-0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 -0 n-0 n-0 n- -0 -0
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja
n
Ja Ja Ja an an
1- 3- 5- 7- 9- - - - - - - - - - -J -J
11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31
Date
Fig 1
(a) Describe the pattern of hotspot occurrence in Sumatra in January 2005. (2 marks)
Hotspots began to appear from 11 January onwards. Their numbers rose and fell for
the rest of the month.
(b) Give two possible causes of the forest fires in Sumatra. (2 marks)
• Prolonged hot and dry weather conditions had caused the forests to catch fire easily.
• The forests were burnt to create land for agriculture.
(c) Why should we be concerned with the high number of forest fires in Sumatra? (2 marks)
Forest fires produce haze which can spread to Singapore and other neighbouring
countries. Haze reduces visibility and affects people’s health by causing asthma
attacks, bronchitis or difficulties in breathing.
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4. Section C: Structured Questions (18 marks)
Answer the following questions.
1. The photograph below shows a highly polluted coastline. Study the photograph and answer
the questions that follow.
(a) Identify the type of environmental pollution shown in the photograph. (1 mark)
Water pollution
(b) Give a possible cause of this pollution. (1 mark)
• People living along the coast could have thrown their rubbish directly into the water.
• Untreated sewage could have been discharged directly into the water.
(Accept other plausible answers.)
(c) Describe how this pollution will affect the marine life near the coast. (2 marks)
Some substances found in sewage such as detergents encourage the growth of algae
on the water surface. This prevents sunlight from reaching the plants beneath, causing
them to die as photosynthesis cannot occur. In turn, the animals that depend on these
plants for food will also be affected.
(d) Describe two ways in which people living along the coast would be affected by this
form of pollution. (2 marks)
• The people may fall ill from eating fish contaminated by water pollutants.
• As the supply of fish may be reduced due to the pollutants, the people who
depend on fishing for their livelihood may be affected.
(Accept other plausible answers.)
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5. 2. Read the extract from the poem, A Drive On The Highway by Sasi Dharan and answer the
questions that follow.
Five a.m.,
We are on the highway;
At the wheel,
My trusted cabdriver,
A man cheerful and careful;
A seasoned rider,
No anxiety there.
Traffic thickens:
Lorries, minis, transport buses,
Two wheelers,
Most polluting are most,
Roaring, grunting,
Humming, spluttering,
All kinds of noise;
Noise pollution,
Early morning air,
Thick with smoke and noise,
Smoke, dust, embers,
Sparks, carbon particles,
Honking, musical horns,
Speeding vehicles,
Vying with one another
To go past; Speed is
The way of the world
(a) List one word in the poem that is associated with noise pollution. (1 mark)
Roaring; grunting; humming; spluttering; honking
(Accept any one of the above.)
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6. (b) How would the people living near this highway be affected by the noise in the long
run? (2 marks)
• The people may suffer from hearing impairment or become deaf.
• The people may experience increased anxiety and stress levels, which may lead
to other health problems.
(c) Suggest three measures the government can take to reduce noise pollution along this
highway and places near it. (3 marks)
• Set limits on acceptable noise level produced by vehicles.
• Enforce laws that make it compulsory for all vehicles to have mufflers installed in
the engines.
• Create sound barriers by building tall wooden fences or by planting trees along
the highway.
(Accept other plausible answers.)
3. (a) The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty to address the problem of the rising
emissions of greenhouse gases. Despite its implementation, the efforts in reducing
greenhouse gases remain a challenge. Give a reason to explain why this is so.
(3 marks)
This is because some developed countries did not accede to the treaty as they were
concerned that the profits of their industries may be affected by the strict emissions
control which could lead to a loss of jobs for many of their people.
(b) State three measures Singapore has taken to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases
and CFCs. (3 marks)
• Singapore has imposed strict laws to control the amount of air pollutants emitted
by vehicles, industries and power stations.
• The government is working with private companies to develop a fleet of buses
that run on compressed natural gas as it is a cleaner alternative source of energy.
• Singapore has acceded to the Montreal Protocol and hence has banned the use of
ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs.
(Accept other plausible answers.)
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7. Worksheet 9.2 133

8. 134 Worksheet 9.2