AP®GeographyCollege BoardHuman GeographyExam QuestionsCities & Urban Land-Use Patterns & ProcessesFree Response Questions

Free Response Questions (College Board AP® Human Geography): Exam Questions

21 mins3 questions
1a
1 mark

In developed countries, brownfield sites are being redeveloped to increase the sustainability of the city.

Define the concept of a brownfield site

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1b
1 mark

Describe the environmental challenges a brownfield site poses to a city.

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1c
1 mark

Explain ONE cause of economic decline that created a brownfield site.

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1d
1 mark

Describe one type of redevelopment in a brownfield site.

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1e
1 mark

Explain ONE economic benefit of redeveloping a brownfield site.

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1f
1 mark

Explain ONE social benefit of redeveloping a brownfield site.

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1g
1 mark

Explain the degree to which the redevelopment of brownfield sites can lead to gentrification.  (Response must indicate the degree [low, moderate, high] and provide an explanation.) 

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2a
1 mark

Megacities are cities with more than 10 million inhabitants and recently metacities have formed. These cities lead to social, economic and environmental challenges.

Define the concept of a metacity.

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2b
1 mark

Identify ONE reason megacities and metacities are mainly found in LDCs.

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2c
1 mark

Explain ONE economic reason that drives the growth of megacities.

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2d
1 mark

Explain ONE social challenge associated with the growth of megacities. 

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2e
1 mark

Describe ONE response a megacity has tried to overcome the social challenge.

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2f
1 mark

Explain how infrastructure development can impact the sustainability of megacities.

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2g
1 mark

Explain the role of government policies in managing the rapid expansion of megacities.

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3a
1 mark

The size of settlements, their function and their global influence are ranked using a hierarchy. Divided by urban and rural, settlements range from large-scale global cities to isolated and dispersed homes.

Define the concept of a conurbation.

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3b
1 mark

 Outline the function of a regional city.

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3c
1 mark

Explain how cities may have a comparative advantage.

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3d
1 mark

Explain the characteristics of ONE of the five rings in the Burgess concentric zone model.

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3e
1 mark

Explain ONE difference between the Harris and Ullman multiple nuclei model and the Latin American city model.

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3f
1 mark

Outline ONE of the key principles of the Gravity Model.

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3g
1 mark

 Explain the relationship between land price and distance to the CBD.

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