4.1.3 Written Material

Exam code: 2217

Written by: Ashika|Reviewed by: Caroline Carroll|Updated 2 July 2026

Written Material

Many resources used in geography depend on the printed word
Understanding of any written material presented must be shown
This material can be from any secondary sources and include:
- Books
- Leaflets
- Posters
- Newspapers
- Journals
- Periodicals etc.
Interpretation of the material at a range of scales is needed
Consider and select a possible options in relation to the issue(s)
Justify any decision made, using information from the material to support the answer

Worked example

Increasing food supply can be done by increasing the area of cultivation or by making agriculture more intensive. Fig. 6.1 below describes some of these methods.

In some countries the area of irrigated agriculture has increased. There have been increased inputs of fertiliser. Deforestation has occurred and marsh has been drained. Some steep mountain slopes have been terraced. Agriculture has become more mechanised. Areas of unused bushland and other natural vegetation have been brought into cultivation. Improved crop varieties have been introduced and the methods of cultivation and harvesting have been improved.

Fig. 6.1

Using information from Fig. 6.1 only, describe:

(i) Two ways of increasing the area cultivated [2 marks]

(ii) Two ways of making agriculture more intensive [2 marks]

Any two ideas, such as:

Irrigation
Deforestation
Drainage
Terracing
Using areas of bush or natural vegetation

Any two ideas, such as:

Using more fertiliser
Improving crop varieties
Improving methods of cultivation and/or harvesting
Mechanisation once under either heading

The key word here is 'describe', not state
This means briefly stating how each idea has increased cultivation or how agriculture has been intensified etc.
- Mechanisation has intensified agriculture through cutting down time spent on jobs such as ploughing, sowing or harvesting
- Increasing the amount of fertiliser increases crop yields, and can shorten growing time, increasing opportunities to grow two crops in one season

Worked example

Read the figure below:

The communist government of Vietnam is penalising couples who have more than two children. In the early 1960s it imposed a two-child limit for couples and there have been campaigns to promote contraception and abortion in the country since 1997.

By 2000, the birth rate had been reduced considerably by the use of fines and confiscation of land. The original policy ended in 2003 but was revived in 2008 after an increase in the birth rate.

Villagers in Thua Thien-Hue province are being fined for having more than two children under the government two-child policy. Catherine Pham Thi Thanh, 44, said that since 1996 she has been fined a total of 3800 kilograms of rice for having six children. This is a great loss for the family which makes an annual profit of only 700 kilograms of rice from their farm.

Suggest how government policies and other factors may have reduced Vietnam's birth rate.

[4 marks]

Suggest means using overall knowledge and understanding to present a likely reason why

Identify four possible ideas for the four marks available

Any four from ideas such as:
- Government restricted family size/restricted number of children by the use of two-child limit
- People fined/had land taken off them/lost income if they did not follow the policy
- Contraception/abortions made available or made cheaper
- Campaigns for people to use contraception/abortions
- People concentrating on careers
- Education of women
- Education about family planning
- Later marriages
- Improvement of infant healthcare/lower IMR (infant mortality rate)
- Pensions
- Mechanisation of farms/less agricultural work/more emphasis on secondary and tertiary sector etc.

Written Material

Written Material

Build on this topic