NCHS Sec 3 SS EOY 2022 Student copy (3)

Name: RegisterNumber: Class: ENDOFYEAREXAMINATION2022SECONDARYTHREEEXPRESS HUMANITIES(SOCIALSTUDIES) 2272/012273/012274/012287/01 29September 2022, Thursday 1hour 30minutes Candidatesanswer ontheWritingPaper. READTHESEINSTRUCTIONSFIRST Writeyour name, classandindexnumber onall theworkyouhandin.Writeindarkblueor blackpen.Donot usestaples, paper clips, glueor correctionfluid. Answer all questions.Start eachsectiononafreshsheet of paper.At theendof theexamination, submit SectionAandSectionBseparately. Pleaseensurethat youhavefastenedeachsectionsecurelytogether. Thenumber of marksisgiveninbrackets[ ] at theendof eachquestionor part question.Thetotal marksfor thispaper is40. Setter: MsNgBi Ru Thispaper consistsof 5printedpagesincludingthecover page.

SECTIONA(Source-basedQuestion) Question1iscompulsoryforallcandidates. 1 ExploringCitizenshipandGovernanceStudytheBackgroundInformationandthesourcescarefully, andthenanswerall thequestions. Youmayuseanyof thesourcestohelpyouanswerthequestions,in additiontothosesourceswhichyouaretoldto use.In answeringthequestions,youshoulduseyourknowledgeoftheissuetohelpyouinterpretandevaluatethesources. 1 StudySourceA.Whydidthecartoonistpublishthissource?Explainyouranswer. [5] 2 StudySourcesBandC.HowdifferentarethesesourcesasevidenceoftheGSTincreaseinSingapore?Explainyouranswer. [6] 3 StudySourceD.HowusefulisthissourceinhelpingyouunderstandabouttheGSTincreaseinSingapore?Explainyouranswer. [6] 4 ‘ThemovetoincreasetheGSTbenefitsSingapore.’ Usingsourcesin thiscasestudy, explainhowfaryouwouldagreewiththisstatement. [8] IsitnecessaryforthegovernmenttoincreasetheGoodsandServicesTax(GST)inSingapore?BACKGROUNDINFORMATIONReadthiscarefully. Itmayhelpyoutoanswersomeofthequestions. 2

InFebruary2018,then-FinanceMinisterHengSweeKeatannouncedthattheGSTwouldincreasefrom7%to9%sometimebetween2021and2025asthegovernment'sspendingonhealthcare,infrastructureandsecurityhasgoneup.Morerecently, in February2022,currentFinanceMinisterLawrenceWongannouncedthatthegovernmentwilldelaytheplannedGSTincreaseto2023andstaggertheincrease– from7%to8%in2023and8%to 9%in 2024.Thisis in viewofSingapore’s economywhichis stillrecoveringfromtheCOVID-19pandemic.Supportersof the GSTincreaseunderstandthis decisionas a formof recoupinggovernmentrevenueaftertwo yearsof unprecedentedspendingdueto COVID-19.However, opponentssuggestthatthisdirectlyincreasesthecostsoflivingforeveryone,makingit moredifficultfor the peopleandbusinessesto stayafloat– urgingthegovernmentto reconsiderthisto safeguardcitizens’interests.Therefore,is theGSTincreasereallynecessary? SourceA: A cartoonpostedonFacebookinresponsetotheannouncementofa futureincreaseintheGST, publishedon3March2018. SourceB: Adaptedfroma localonlinebusinessmagazineforSingapore’s businesses,publishedinJune2022Healthcareandsocialexpenditureswillgoupexponentiallyandiftaxesarenotcollectedtofundthesecosts,it willbetheindividualhouseholdswhowillendupcarryingthem. 3

Singaporeanscanpreparefortherateincreasessinceitwillbestaggered.Theycanstillreconsidertheirspendingpatternsandexplorealternativesforgoodsandservices.ThegovernmentalsohasmeasuresinplacetolessentheimpactoftheGSThike.Examplesofthesearethe$6.6billionAssurancePackageandtheextensionoftheGSTVoucherschemetargetedatthelower-incomegroups. SourceC: Adaptedfroma FacebookpostbyMrPritamSingh,LeaderoftheOppositionParty. Thiswaspublishedon28February2022.WhiletheGSThikewasanticipated,itcomesatadifficulttimeforourpeople.Inflationison theupswingandpricesarehigh.Thereis realconcernon thegroundthattheannouncementtoraisetheGSTwillleadtopricerisesacrosstheboard. TheWorkers’Partypositionisthatthereareotheroptionsforraisingrevenue.AStraitsTimescolumnlastmonthdiscussedtheurgencyofrebuildingpublicfinancesinthefaceof Budgetdeficits*.TheGSThikewasheldupasbeing“oneofthelargestandmoststable”sourcesofrevenue,creatingtheimpressionthatthisistheonlyviableoptiontosupporttheneedyandfinancehealthcare,andtobalancetheBudget.Wedisagreethattherenootheroptions.*deficitsrefertoalossinbudgetSourceD: Adaptedfroma BudgetspeechmadebyMinisterofFinance,MrLawrenceWong,publishedon2March2022.Healthcarespendingwillbethemaindriveroftheincreaseinsocialspendingaswearelivinglonger. Takethenumberofpeoplewhoareaged90andabove.In2010,wehadabout10,000.By2030,thenumberswillincreasemuchmore.It isalsomorelikelyforourseniorstobehospitalisedandtheirlengthofstaytendstobelonger. I hadconsideredthetimingoftheGSTincreaseverycarefully, beforedecidingtostarton1 Jan2023,tostaggertheincreaseovertwosteps.Someask:“whathappensifinflationturnsouttobepersistent,orhigher– wouldit notbebettertowaituntilwearesurethatinflationhascomedownbeforeraisingGST?”I fullyunderstandtheseconcernsbutwecannotkeepdelayingtheGSTincreasegivenourpressingrevenueneeds. SourceE: AdaptedfromanonlinearticlepublishedbyanaccountingfirminSingapore.Whilethe GSThikewill increaseinflation,it wouldbe goodfor thecountryandbusinessesinthelongrunasithelpstheeconomytogrow. Inflationisusuallytemporary.Moreover, thehike’s impactisnotfeltassoonasit isimplemented,butmuchlater. WiththehelpofthestaggeredGSThikesandthegovernmentgrants,theeffectislikelytobeneutralisedin abouta year. However, thiswouldimpacttheSmallMediumEnterprises(SMEs)thataredealingwiththerisingcostin theworkforce,logisticsandelectricity.Theyarealreadystrugglingtomaintainthecurrentpricesoftheirgoodandservices,andafurtherincreaseinthesellingpricewouldaffecttheirbusiness. SECTIONB(Structured-ResponseQuestion) Question2iscompulsoryforallcandidates. 4

2 LivinginaDiverseSociety.Studytheextractscarefully, andthenanswerthequestions. Extract1At the NationalDay Rally2022,PrimeMinisterLee HsienLoongacknowledgedSingaporeans’concernsoverthelargeimpactsofnon-residentslivingandworkinghere.Nevertheless,hehighlightedthat“Singaporemustremainconnectedtotheworldandbuildaworld-classtalentpool”inordertosecureourfuture.Extract2Onesourceoftensionin a diversesocietytodayis thecompetitionforresources.Theseresourcescouldbeintheformofjobopportunitiesoravailabilityofinfrastructure.Extract3Anothersourceof tensionin a diversesocietyarisesfromracialprejudicesandmisconceptions.Anexamplecanbeseenin thedenialofrentalaccommodationtosomeracesinSingapore. 5. Extract1 illustratestheimportanceofforeigntalenttoSingapore’ssuccessandalsosomeconcernsofSingaporeans.Inyouropinion,howcanwebemoreacceptingofforeigntalentinSingapore?Explainyouranswerwithtwosuggestions. [7] 6. Extract2 and3 highlighttwosourcesof tensionin a diversesocietylikeSingapore.DoyouthinkthatcompetitionforresourcesorracialprejudicesposesagreaterthreattoSingapore’sharmonytoday?Explainyouranswer. [8] - EndofPaper-Copyright Acknowledgements: SourceA https://www.facebook.com/TAVSingapore/posts/4363003437094288SourceB https://sbr.com.sg/economy/news/why-gst-hike-should-push-through-despite-rising-goods-pricesSourceC https://www.wp.sg/budget-2022-charting-our-new-way-forward-together-speech-by-lo-pritam-singh/SourceD https://www.mof.gov.sg/singaporebudget/budget-2022/budget-debate-round-up-speech/#Raising-Revenue--GST-and-other-optionsSourceE https://timcole.com.sg/gst-increase-from-7-to-9-how-does-it-impactbusinesses/#Impact_of_GST_Increase_on_BusinessesExtract 1 https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/National-Day-Rally-2022-English 5