2025 VJC Prelim P1

VICTORIA JUNIOR COLLEGE JC2 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2025 HIGHER 1 GENERAL PAPER 8881/01 Paper 1 1 hour 30 minutes READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST An answer booklet will be provided with this question paper. You should follow the instructions on the front cover of the answer booklet. If you need additional paper, ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet. Write in dark blue or black pen. Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid. Answer one question. Note that up to 20 marks out of 50 will be awarded for your use of language. All questions in this paper carry equal marks. This document consists of 2 printed pages. [Turn over

2 Answer one question Answers should be between 500 to 800 words in length. 1 To what extent can an environmentally sustainable lifestyle be achieved in your society? 2 Do global challenges unite more than they divide? 3 ‘Fads are of no concern since most are so short-lived.’ Do you agree? 4 Do schools still have a future in a technologically advanced world? 5 ‘Diplomacy matters more than military strength in today’s world.’ Discuss. 6 How important are the Arts in shaping national identity in your society? 7 Assess the view that the media should never withhold information from the public. 8 Is fear really a bad thing?

VJC 2025 JC2 GP Preliminary Examination Paper 1 Answer Guide Q1: To what extent can an environmentally sustainable lifestyle be achieved in your society? Requirements: Students should discuss the feasibility of living an environmentally sustainable lifestyle in Singapore, taking into account the various schemes, programmes and policies available from the government as well as NGOs and the private sector. In doing so, students should take into account and address the perceptions and motivations of the various stakeholder groups towards an environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Students can also consider a variety of characteristics of Singapore society to assess the extent of feasibility. Keywords: ● Environmentally sustainable lifestyle : ways of living, social behaviours and choices, that minimise environmental degradation (e.g. use of natural resources, CO2 emissions, waste and pollution) ● Your society : taken to be Singapore unless otherwise identified – affluent, well -informed, technologically advanced, lacking natural resources, etc. ● Can…be achieved: feasibility, possibility of the goal being accomplished Conceptual Understanding: ● Time/Trend: Students can consider the national and global trends regarding environmental sustainability (e.g. government campaigns, news coverage, consumer trends) and how much impact these have had on Singapore society. Students may also consider the current environmental state of the country and how it may act as an impetus to living in an environmentally sustainable manner. ● Impacts/Implications: Students can consider the effectiveness of efforts undertaken by various stakeholders to promote and sustain an environmentally sustainable lifestyle across different domains (economic, social, political, technological, etc.). Students can also consider the implications arising from living environmentally sustainable lifestyles and their desirability and feasibility. ● Purposes/Perspectives: Students can consider different perspectives of the various stakeholders in Singapore society (public, government, firms, NGOs) and how they view their efforts in achieving environmental sustainability, as well as why they undertake efforts to do so. Possible approach: Achieving an environmentally sustainable lifestyle is largely a struggle for Singapore. Despite continued efforts by individuals and the government, the prevailing attitude towards such a lifestyle is still not sufficiently supported by meaningful actions. Arguments Explanation / Examples Opposing Argument Changing attitudes towards recognising the importance of environmental sustainability leads to a commitment to such a lifestyle. There is greater awareness and education arising from improved access to information as Singapore has high internet connectivity, exposing Singaporeans to such issues. [T] This awareness thus leads to an increased motivation to live in a more environmentally sustainable manner. [I] Examples: ● Of over 1,000 Singaporeans polled by global strategic communications, advocacy and research group SEC Newgate, 75% have heard of the term “ESG”, higher than the global average of 53%, while 65% of Singaporeans surveyed have heard of the term “net zero”, compared to the global average of 54%. ● The National Youth Council’s sentiment polls in 2023 found that close to half of youths (45%) reported being supportive of sustainability initiatives regardless of potential

inconvenience it creates in their daily lives. It also found that two in five youths agreed that Singapore should prioritise environmental sustainability even if it leads to slower economic growth. Rebuttal Despite high levels of environmental awareness, actual adoption of sustainable behaviours among individuals and businesses remains limited. Although there have been numerous efforts to educate the public and businesses about the need to live in a more environmentally sustainable manner, behaviours do not reflect an acceptance of such messages. Reasons for the difficulty in changing public behaviour include the inconvenience or higher costs of doing so. [I] Examples: ● The household recycling rate in 2024 fell to a record low of 11 per cent, down from the previous low of 12 per cent in 2023 and 2022. This comes despite initiatives to encourage more household recycling, such as the distribution of recycling boxes to all h omes in 2023. Contamination also remains a major challenge for domestic recycling in Singapore. ● For firms, more paper and cardboard were thrown away because the business incentives for recycling these materials have weakened. Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary cited higher collection costs due to manpower shortage and rising transport costs, higher freighting cost and fluctuating offtake prices. Opposing Argument There is a strong government focus on promoting and achieving environmental sustainability. There is strong support for green options as the government is making the push to green technologies and green alternatives in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and achieve net-zero status. [P] This makes living in an environmentally sustainable manner an achievable goal. Examples: ● Green Plan 2030 – Eco Stewardship Programme to enhance environmental education in schools; Planting 1 million trees by 2030; Enterprise Sustainability Programme to help local enterprises adopt sustainability practices. ● Commitment to global emissions pledge by ratifying the 2016 Paris Agreement; national climate target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. ● Under the Enhanced Climate Friendly Households Programme, every Singaporean household receives $400 in Climate Vouchers which can be used to purchase energy- and water-efficient appliances. Rebuttal Even though the government has played its part in leading sustainability efforts, it requires a whole of society effort to make the change. Singaporeans are generally passive as they are used to a top - down manner of governance. As such they are happy to stick to the status quo and do not initiate lifestyle changes even if it may be better for the environment. There is a heavy reliance on institutional leadership which hinders personal accountability in environmental sustainability. [P] Example: ● Kantar Public Study – 83% of respondents expressed willingness to accept stricter environmental regulations yet many s