CGS 4E SS 2024 QP

CRESCENT GIRLS’ SCHOOL SECONDARY FOUR PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2024 HUMANITIES 2260/1 Paper 1 Social Studies 2261/1 2262/1 22 August 2024 1 hour 45 mins READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST Write your name, class and register number on your writing paper. Write in dark blue or black pen on both sides of the paper. Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid. Section A Answer all questions. Section B Answer both questions. Start each section on a fresh piece of writing paper. At the end of the examination, fasten the answers to Section A and Section B separately. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question. This paper consists of 7 printed pages. Class: Register No: Name:

2 Section A (Source-Based Case Study) Answer all questions. Exploring Citizenship and Governance Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions. You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources which you are told to use. In answering the questions, you should use your knowledge of the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources. 1 Study Source A. What is the message of Source A? Explain your answer using details from the source. [5] 2 Study Sources B and C. How different are the two sources? Explain your answer. [7] 3 Study Sources D and E. Does Source D make Source E surprising? Explain your answer. [7] 4 Study Source F. How far does this source prove that there is a need to prioritise development over conservation in Singapore? Explain your answer. [6] 5 “The Singapore government is the key stakeholder in deciding between conservation and development in Singapore.” Using sources in this case study, explain how far you would agree with this statement. [10]

3 Should Singapore prioritise conservation over development? BACKGROUND INFORMATION Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions. In land -scarce, resource -starved Singapore, the use of land for housing and economic development has always been of the highest priority since its founding days. Yet at the same time, Singapore has always been aggressive in its pursuit of being a ‘City in Nature’ – an endeavour which has been earning it accolades as a top destination for tourism, events-hosting, and immigration. In recent times, the trade -off between conservation of Singapore’s limited, natural environment and development of these lands for housing and infrastructure has risen again as a national issue. The current government must grapple with increasing demands f or housing, the aspiration of a more environmentally conscious population, the direct impact of climate change, as well as Singapore’s obligations to the international community via various climate-related treaties. Read the following sources to find out about the different views on prioritising between conservation and development. Source A: Adapted from a local cartoon published following the decision to clear the 700 hectares Tengah secondary forest to develop Singapore’s newest Housing Board Town, Tengah. Developer$ Hou$ing Agent$ “Run, Forest! Run!” Singaporeans

4 Source B: Adapted excerpt from a motion by Member of Parliament, Christopher de Souza, titled “ Preservation of Dover Forest in Ulu Pandan” on 1 February 2021. Mr de Souza is the MP of Ulu Pandan, where Dover Forest belongs. Of particular importance to Ulu Pandan residents and I are the proposed development of Dover Forest, which is a 33 -hectare forest within my ward. It is not just a forest but a shared and extended green landscape that the residents have, for a long time, admired and grown used to. It would be too easy to just say "halt and do not demolish Dover Forest" without giving alternatives. So, to preserve as much of the forest as possible, one way to achieve this is using the vacant plots of land next to the Community Centre, around the mark et, and the fields next to the now -defunct schools, all in Ulu Pandan. These can be redeveloped for more and taller housing, meaning the ability to accommodate new residents. This is my suggestion as an alternative, instead of felling Dover Forest. If more flats need to be built, we have a solution in Ulu Pandan itself. Source C: An excerpt from an online forum post, on a Singapore -based thread, titled ‘Am I the only one who feels as though the Dover Forest issue has a lot of class element to it?’ in February 2021. Who are the people who are opposing Dover Forest developments? I feel that many of those who oppose development on Dover Forest tend to come from the current residents who are upper -middle class. Most Singaporeans like us who have never lived in such expen sive areas would love the opportunity to buy a home there. The ones opposing the development are mostly rich people who live in that area, so it really feels like a “Not In My Back Yard" type of scenario here. What's worse is that those people have the most classist* sort of responses. "Why not build in Paya Lebar Airbase?" "Why not build over golf courses?" Do you know where the airbase is? Where most of the golf courses are? They are in the most inconvenient parts in the middle of nowhere. And making developers buy over those properties will just add more costs to new homebuyers. But who cares about them, right? We got ours already. *classist – describes any action/decision/suggestion motivated by the idea that one class deserves better treatment than other classes in society.

5 Source D: Excerpt from a commentary on Today online, ‘Are you prepared to give up a home to save a forest?’, published on 12 February 2021. According to the Meteorological Service Singapore, our island is heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world thanks to the urban heat island effect, where heat is trapped in urban infrastructure such as buildings. Compounded with warming caused by climate change, it is even more imperative to keep pockets of forests around the island so that our neighbourhoods keep cool. Singapore has the technology and capacity to build taller blocks of flats without having to touch existing forests. Singaporeans are starting to make it known that they care about preserving forests, as seen by the recent spate of petitions. A recent study also found that 60 per cent of Singaporeans valued the environment over economic growth, and that this figure has grown over the last two decades. Hopefully, our government recognises that there is a growing group in the new generation that do not want to sacrifice the environment to put a roof over their heads. Source E: Excerpt from a Straits Times article, ‘Parliament: Decisions to clear land and forest cover not taken lightly, says Desmond Lee’, published on 23 February 2021. Nature is an important buffer against climate change, and decisions to clear land and forest cover are not taken lightly, Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee told Parliament. Additionally, because of its small size, Singapore must continue to be judicious with land use to meet its needs as a city and country. "Any decision to clear land and forest cover is not taken lightly," Mr Lee said. "It is a decision we make after very careful deliberation and inter-agency discussion, taking into account Singaporeans' needs and the trade-offs involved." He cited the case of Singapore's newest Housing Board town, Tengah. This 700ha area was billed as a "forest town" but has since drawn flak for causing significant deforestation in the area. "Tengah was needed to provide homes over the next two decades for 42,000 familie