Relationships & Connections (AQA A Level Geography): Exam Questions

Figure 5a was painted in 1935. It shows the High Level Bridge across the River Tyne, and some housing and industry in Gateshead.

Figure 5b is a photograph of the same place taken in April 2015.

Figure 5a

Figure 5b

Evaluate the usefulness of Figure 5a and Figure 5b in showing the nature and extent of either economic change or demographical and cultural change in this area.

Figure 4a shows a tweet about a protest in Grasmere, a village located in the Lake District National Park.

Figure 4b shows a news report about the protest in Grasmere.

Figures 4a

A tweet about a protest in Grasmere, a village located in the Lake District National Park

Figure 4b

A news report about the protest in Grasmere

Protesters to mass at Grasmere ‘to save beauty of the Lakes’

Earlier this month more than 200 people gathered in the village of Grasmere to object to plans by Lowther Estate, which owns the lake, to moor 10 holiday yachts on its shores. Proposals include allowing holidaymakers to stay on the boats overnight, accommodating up to six people for a week, and allowing them to freely navigate Grasmere.

Local people say commercialisation will destroy the beauty and tranquillity of the national park for future generations. The lake is overlooked by Dove Cottage – home of William Wordsworth – who described Grasmere as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”.

Andy Astle, 62, a retired Royal Mail manager who has lived in the village for almost five decades, and Joe Nichols, also a local resident, said they had been forced to act to protect the national park as a public space and save its heritage. Nichols said he expected thousands of people to join the protest. He said, “Over the last two years Lowther Estate have desperately tried to exploit the land for commercial gain at the expense of the environment.” He added: “We can no longer tolerate the constant attempted abuse of areas which should be protected by those who own them.”

David Bliss, chief executive of Lowther Estate, argues that the yachts do not constitute a new development. “The first thing is that they are definitely not houseboats and they already exist on Windermere, Ullswater and Derwentwater, and the second is that they are not detrimental to the area. They will complement other boats already used in Grasmere,” he said.

Using Figure 4a, Figure 4b and your own knowledge, to what extent do you agree that place-meaning is based on different perspectives?

Figure 3a shows qualitative data measuring personal well-being across selected inner London boroughs.

Figure 3b shows average income of employed residents in each selected borough.

Figure 3a

Figure 3b

Analyse the data shown in Figure 3a and Figure 3b.

Using Figure 2 and your own knowledge, explain how migration has shaped the character of a place you have studied.

Figure 2: Country of birth of Tower Hamlets residents, Census 2021 (% of total population)

Source: Office for National Statistics, Census 2021.

Study Figure 3. To what extent has gentrification benefited Tower Hamlets?

Figure 3: Average residential property prices (£) by ward, Tower Hamlets, 2005 and 2022

Source: Land Registry House Price Index, 2022.

‘The impact of globalisation has transformed and improved places beyond recognition.’

With reference to your distant place, critically assess this statement.

You have studied either economic change or changing cultural characteristics. Assess the contrasting impact of one of these factors on the characters of your local and distant places.

Assess the view that past connections have been more important than present connections in shaping the character of places.