Diverse Living Spaces (Edexcel A Level Geography): Exam Questions

With reference to a named example, explain why people have different opinions about rural living spaces.

Explain why there are different perceptions of an urban area's attractiveness as a living space.

Study Figure 3

“ The landlord never got round to fixing my heating and hot water so the damp got worse. The children all have terrible coughs from the damp and it is freezing at this time of year. In the end a group of my friends paid for someone to come round. He found rat droppings behind the kitchen cabinets and said it was one of the worst infestations he had ever seen. The wires to the boiler had been eaten through! We are using plug-in heaters that my friends lent me, but these use a lot of my benefit money. We go and wash our clothes at my best friend’s house. I have phoned the landlord but she never actually does anything. I came to this country to keep my children safe. Sometimes I wonder if it was the right decision. At least they get to go to school and get a free meal.“

Figure 3

Blog from a refugee mother living in inner-city London (as dictated to a support worker)

Suggest reasons why perceptions of living in an inner-city area, such as in London, may vary.

Explain why some urban locations are perceived as undesirable by some groups.

Explain why different groups of people vary in their perceptions of one local place you have studied.

Study Figures 2a, 2b and 2c.

Suggest why greater ethnic diversity can help create more varied living spaces.

Study Figure 1. Suggest why perceptions of living in an inner-city area may vary between different groups of people.

With reference to a named example, explain why people have different opinions about rural living spaces.

With reference to Figure 4a and 4b and your own knowledge and understanding:

Figure 4a

Economic and social data for two contrasting cities of Belgium

Figure 4b

Map of Brussels and Charleroi, two cities in Belgium

Evaluate the reasons why some places appear to be more desirable than others.

Evaluate the view that some urban living spaces are more desirable than others.

Evaluate the difficulties of assessing how people perceive a place.