Département fédéral de l'économie,

de la formation et de la recherche DEFR

Commission suisse de maturité CSM

Examen suisse de maturité, session d’hiver 2024

MENTION ANGLAIS - GÉOGRAPHIE, DISCIPLINE FONDAMENTALE

Candidat-e : Nom :…………………...... Prénom :.…………………….. Numéro :…………..

Durée : 120 minutes

Matériel autorisé: Atlas mondial suisse

Une calculatrice (Casio FX-82 Solar / Solar II ou TI-30 eco RS)

Total de points : 35 points

Consignes générales
Avant de débuter, contrôler le présent document, notamment l’ordre et le nombre de pages. Les
réponses se font uniquement dans les espaces prévus à cet effet. À la fin de votre examen, vous
devez rendre uniquement ce document.
L’épreuve comporte 33 points pour le contenu et 2 points pour la qualité de la présentation (lisibilité
et langue). Les points relatifs à la présentation ne pourront être obtenus que si la moitié au moins
des questions a fait l’objet d’une réponse.

Nombre de points obtenus : Partie A : ………. sur 10 pts

Partie B : ………. sur 11 pts

Partie C : ………. sur 12 pts

Présentation : ………. sur 2 pts

Note

Total : ………. sur 35 pts

Examinateur(s)-trice(s) en charge de la correction : ……………………………………………………

……………………………………………………

1/8
Part A: general knowledge /10 pts

Answer the following questions by TRUE or FALSE (written in full). If the answers aren’t
written in full, one point will be withdrawn from the total.

1.1 Transport, energy Answer Points / 2

Piggybacking is the transport of truck trailers or containers by rail. ….. / 0,5
Transport by sea is by far the most voluminous transportation method in ….. / 0,5
terms of the tonnage of goods transported worldwide.
The price of a ton of goods transported by air is lower than the price of ….. / 0,5
a ton of goods transported by sea.
The second industrial revolution is related to the replacement of coal by ….. / 0,5
oil at the turn of the 20th century.

1.2 Climate, natural environments Answer Points / 2

A desert climate is one in which temperatures are particularly high. ….. / 0,5
The living environment is made up of flora, fauna, and soil. ….. / 0,5
By their very nature, ecosystems are in solid and stable equilibrium. ….. / 0,5
The ecumene is the unpopulated part of planet earth. ….. / 0,5

1.3 The Earth’s internal structure Answer Points / 2

Convection movements are circular currents of magma caused by dif- ….. / 0,5
ferences of temperature within the Earth's mantle.
Subduction zones are linked to tectonic plates moving away from each ….. / 0,5
other.
2 million years ago, there was a single continent called Pangea. ….. / 0,5
The Earth's landforms are the result of plate tectonic movements and ….. / 0,5
erosion mechanisms.

1.4 The atmosphere Answer Points / 2

The lowest layer of the atmosphere is called the stratosphere. ….. / 0,5
In the troposphere, temperature and atmospheric pressure decrease ….. / 0,5
with altitude.
The gas most present in the lower layer of the atmosphere is oxygen. ….. / 0,5
The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that maintains a con- ….. / 0,5
stant temperature in the lower layer of the atmosphere.

1.5 The hydrosphere Answer Points / 2

Over 97% of the Earth's water is salty. ….. / 0,5
Most fresh water is found in underground water tables. ….. / 0,5
Cirrus clouds are found in high-altitude and generally take the form of ….. / 0,5
white filaments.
Around two billion people worldwide currently do not have direct access ….. / 0,5
to drinking water.

2/8
Part B: comprehension, application 11 pts

2.1. Economic sectors

/ 0.75 pt
2.1.1. Give a simple definition of the three sectors of economic activity.

Primary sector

Secondary sector

Tertiary sector

2.1.2. In the table below, place each activity in the correct column. / 3 pts

Agriculture - Commerce - Industry (factories) - Health – IT (computer services) - Horticulture - Oil

extraction - Construction - Energy production (refining) - Tourism - Forestry - Education.

Primary sector Secondary sector Tertiary sector

2.1.3. Referring to the data in the diagram on page 4: / 1.5 pt

Mention the proportion (in %) of economic sectors in Switzerland in 1900 and in 2020.

Economic sectors 1900 2020

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary

Explain why the economic sectors have followed such a course in Switzerland from the beginning
of the 20th century to the present day.
/ 1.5 pt

For primary sec-

tor

For secondary
sector

For tertiary sector

3/8
 Triangular diagram showing the distribution of the working population in the different activity sectors in
several countries, as well as trends in Switzerland since 1900.

Such a diagram allows to visualize

the proportion of correspondence to
the economic sectors according to
three elements.

Predominantly agricultural country

Predominantly industrial country (non-existing)

Predominantly tertiary country

Example of DRC
Congo :

TERTIARY SECTOR

Source : Berset, Christian, et al. Géographie générale: pour mieux comprendre le monde dans lequel je vis! Adapté de l’édition origi-
nale (1996/2006) rédigée par Christian Berset, Yvette Grangier et Alexandre Mauron, Christian Berset, 2020, p188

2.2. From a rural population to an urban world

2.2.1. Define the urbanisation rate: / 0.25 pt

2.2.2. Using the graph on the right about urban popu- Evolution of the share of urban population per continent
(in percentage) and forecast for 2050 (as of 2007, the ur-
lation: ban population takes over)

Make a general observation about the evolution of the

rate of urbanisation in the world. / 0.25 pt

2.2.3 Explain the evolution of the urbanisation rate. Give two different explaining factors.
/ 0.5 pt

4/8
2.2.4. Using the diagram below:

Conurbation formation and commuter flows

1st phase of rural exodus: from village to

New city
growing city, forming a conurbation
Pre-existing city or village
2nd phase of rural exodus and conurba-
tion growing Conurbation

3rdphase: re-urbanisation of the subur- Suburban belt, space that

ban area and de-population of the city gets urbanized.

Source : Berset, Christian, et al. Géographie générale : pour mieux comprendre le monde dans lequel je vis ! Adapté de l’édition origi-
nale (1996/2006) rédigée par Christian Berset, Yvette Grangier et Alexandre Mauron, Christian Berset, 2020, p156

2.2.4.1. Describe how a conurbation (urban area) is formed. / 0.75 pt

2.2.4.2 Define the process of “rurbanisation” (urban sprawl, green area on the diagram).
/ 0.5 pt

2.2.4.3. Give four reasons why parts of urban populations leave city centres to settle on the out-
skirts.
/ 2 pts

5/8
Part C: subjects to elaborate 12 pts.

3.1. Agriculture
/ 3 pt
3.1.1. Fill in the blanks in the table below.

Industrial agriculture Traditional agriculture Plantation agriculture

Localisation

Europe, North America

1. 1.Basic techniques 1.
Technical specifications

2.Animal energy
2. 2.

3.Mixed farming

3. 3.
4.Fallow lands or slash and burn
agriculture

Products for the global market

global market
Integration in

or not
Examples of
production

Wheat, maize, pork

3.1.2. Give three different current or future challenges facing Swiss agriculture.
/ 3 pts

Challenge 1

Challenge 2

Challenge 3

6/8
3.2. Demography and Swiss age pyramids

Based on the Swiss age pyramids below:

Age pyramids of the Swiss population according to gender

Number of people in thousands

A A

3.2.1. Provide two important transformations of the Swiss population (1900 – 2022).
/ 1 pt
1.

2.

3.2.2 Comment on the proportion of women and men in the 2022 pyramid. / 0.75 pt

3.2.3. Comment on the ratios between age categories (young, working, elderly) in the 2022 pyra-
mid.
/ 0.75 pt

7/8
3.2.4. Explain the bumps that are symbolised by an A on the 2022 pyramid.
/ 0.5 pt

3.2.5. Name three distinct consequences (economic, social, political, or other) of aging population
and explain them in the table below.
/ 3 pts

Consequences Explanations
1.

2.

3.

8/8