Year 6 Geography exam worksheet exploring UK trade balance data and cocoa supply chains to develop rigorous analytical reasoning and geographical application skills.
An end-of-topic assessment combining multiple choice recall questions with longer written answers, designed to test understanding across the full ability range.
Subject: Geography | Year: 6
Name: _________________________ Class/Set: ____________ Date: ____________
Mark the correct answer.
⇨ The data provided in the table below shows a summary of the UK's trade balance for specific categories of goods in a single calendar year.
| Category | Exports (£ Billions) | Imports (£ Billions) |
|---|---|---|
| Food & Drink | 25 | 48 |
| Machinery | 55 | 62 |
| Chemicals | 60 | 50 |
| Fuels | 30 | 45 |
Q1: Based on the table, which category of goods does the UK export more of than it imports? a) ☐ Food & Drink b) ☐ Machinery c) ☐ Chemicals d) ☐ Fuels
Q2: What is the definition of an 'import' in the context of global trade? a) ☐ A product grown locally and sold to people in the same town. b) ☐ A product or service brought into a country from abroad for sale. c) ☐ A tax that a government places on goods entering the country. d) ☐ A product or service sent to another country for sale.
Q3: If a country exports more value in goods than it imports, what is this economic situation called? a) ☐ A trade deficit b) ☐ A trade surplus c) ☐ Fair trade d) ☐ Globalisation
Q4: Which of the following is a primary reason why the UK imports a high volume of 'Food & Drink' throughout the year? a) ☐ The UK has no farmland available for growing crops. b) ☐ British consumers only want to eat food from other continents. c) ☐ The UK climate is unsuitable for growing certain products, like bananas or cocoa, all year round. d) ☐ It is illegal to sell British-grown food in large supermarkets.
Q5: Why might a 'supply chain' be affected if a major shipping canal is blocked? a) ☐ It would only affect the country where the canal is located. b) ☐ It causes a delay in the delivery of components and finished goods, potentially increasing prices. c) ☐ It would mean that aeroplanes can no longer transport any goods. d) ☐ It would have no impact because most trade happens over land.
Answer in the spaces provided.
⇨ The following extract describes the journey of a cocoa bean from a farm in Ghana to a supermarket shelf in the UK.
The process begins on a small farm in West Africa, where farmers harvest cocoa pods by hand. Once the beans are fermented and dried, they are packed into sacks and transported by lorry to a port. From there, they are loaded onto large container ships bound for European processing plants. In these factories, the beans are roasted and turned into chocolate bars. Finally, the finished products are distributed to regional warehouses before arriving at a local supermarket.
Q6: Explain why a 'Fair Trade' agreement is important for the farmers mentioned in the text above. [4 marks]
Q7: Analyse how the interconnectedness of global trade might make the UK vulnerable to events happening in other parts of the world. Use an example to support your answer. [6 marks]
Total Marks: _______ / 15
⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE
Q1: c
Explanation: The UK exports £60bn and imports £50bn of chemicals. In all other categories, the import figure is higher than the export figure.
Q2: b
Explanation: 'Import' specifically refers to bringing goods into a country. Option (d) describes an export.
Q3: b
Explanation: A 'surplus' indicates an excess of value leaving (selling) compared to entering (buying).
Q4: c
Explanation: Climate is a geographical constraint on trade; the UK cannot produce tropical goods domestically in sufficient quantities.
Q5: b
Explanation: This tests the concept of the supply chain. Delays in one part of the global network have "knock-on" effects for retailers and consumers.
Model Answer: "Fair Trade is important because it ensures that farmers in Ghana receive a fair and stable price for their cocoa beans, even if global prices drop. This prevents them from living in poverty. Additionally, they receive a 'premium' which can be spent on community projects like building schools or improving local water supplies, helping the whole village."
Model Answer: "The UK is vulnerable because it is not 'self-sufficient' and relies on global trade links for much of its food and energy. If a disaster happens abroad, the supply chain is broken. For example, if there is a severe drought in Spain, the UK might face a shortage of fresh vegetables in supermarkets. This interconnectedness means that problems in one country quickly become problems for UK consumers, often leading to higher prices or empty shelves."
Evaluating the UK's trade balance through the Chemicals and Food and Drink data table forces pupils to move beyond simple retrieval into the realm of empirical analysis. By explicitly naming the journey of a cocoa bean from Ghana, this Exam Questions resource provides a concrete anchor for abstract global interconnectedness. The structural transition from low-stakes multiple-choice recall to high-tariff six-mark evaluative writing reduces cognitive overload by gradually increasing the demand for evidence-based justification. This architecture ensures Year 6 learners successfully navigate the AO1 to AO3 transition, securing the disciplinary depth required for secondary readiness.
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