FRQ Practice for APES
Term What it means for FRQ
Define Give a definition - 1 sentence typically
Identify/Provide Give a definition or make a statement answering the question. 1 sentence
Describe Make a statement/definition and give an example. 2 sentences
Explain/Discuss Make connections. A happens, therefore this leads to B. This causes C to occur, therefore A and C have this relationship/connection. This is typically 2-3 sentences.
Natural Capital Resources produced by the earth Ex: air, soil, water
Natural Income Money derived by humans from natural capital Ex: money from timber, fishing, etc
Environmental/ ecological benefits Has to be related to the environment, and CAN’T be a benefit to humans EX: trees provide oxygen to animals; No credit: trees provide oxygen for humans
Ecosystem services (from environmental economics) Services from ecosystem for humans EX: Forests provide medicines for humans, or timber, clean water, fisheries
Economic benefits This has to be money. Relate to jobs/tourism.
Always make sure to show the direction of change. This increased, this declined. It is not enough to say it changed, you have to show which direction the change was in.
10 Reasons Students are losing points on FRQs
(Based on the last 5 years)
Being vague with phrases such as pollution, natural disasters, destruction, lung irritation, toxic, and contaminate. Also statements like: Weak immune system in children – weak is too vague to convey the immune system is underdeveloped.
Restating the question
Unreasonable solutions such as ban fishing all together from a migratory pathway. Maybe fishing in the breeding grounds instead. Or, closing beaches during nesting season. This is also tourist season so this is not a reasonable solution. Roping of nesting sites would be more reasonable.
Oversimplifying and leaving out the steps such as algae are consuming the oxygen rather than decomposers using the oxygen through cellular respiration to break down dead algae. Or, dispersants remove oil from water. Dispersants can break down the oil into smaller droplets which can allow bacteria to degrade the oil faster.
Not identifying direction of an effect such as increase or decrease.
Stating only one reason when the question asks for two.
Confusing environmental (effect on animals and plants), economic (money and jobs), and ecological (interactions of organisms with their environment).
Identifying when they should be describing.
Electricity production mishaps – ‘turning and turbine’ and leaving out the step of heating water through combustion and the steam turns the turbine.
Confusing words such as:
Barrier Islands vs barrier reefs
Global effects vs local effects
Permafrost vs sea ice
Biomagnification vs bioaccumulation
Ecosystem services vs ecosystem functions (capacity to provide services)
Biodiversity vs genetic diversity
Climate change vs ozone depletion
Urbanization vs urban sprawl (expansion of cities into rural areas)
Population size vs population density
Water pollution from fertilizer vs water pollution from pesticides or other contaminates.