How do cities affect their inhabitants and the environment?

Question 1

What happens as cities grow and develop?

Answer 1

The inhabitants benefit from more opportunities.

Question 2

What challenges do cities’ inhabitants face as cities grow and develop?

Answer 2

The inhabitants would need to cope with increased pollution and resource depletion.

Question 3

What opportunities are there for people in cities?

Answer 3

1. Education and employment
2. Technological innovation

Question 4

What does education enable the people to gain?

Answer 4

Useful knowledge and skills

Question 5

What can people do with the useful knowledge and skills they had gained?

Answer 5

Apply what they have learnt when they gain employment, where they are engaged in paid work.

Question 6

What can people do when they receive wages for their work?

Answer 6

Purchase food and other necessities to improve their well-being.

Question 7

Why are cities centres of learning and hence home to a variety of educational institutions, including vocational schools and universities that cater to different interests?

Answer 7

1. They have large populations of children and young people of school-going age.
2. There are also adults who wish to pursue lifelong learning.

Question 8

Why do businesses thrive in cities?

Answer 8

Because of:
1. the developed infrastructure
2. availability of services and opportunites such as education.
3. benefits derived from the concentration of education institutions in cities.

Question 9

How do businesses benefit from the concentration of educational institutions in cities?

Answer 9

1. Businesses can hire directly from a large poor of skilled employees.
2. Businesses can also offer work-study arrangements with educational institutions to train their employees.

Question 10

What happens in work-study arrangements?

Answer 10

Students spend time working in a company while receiving training.

Question 11

Which is ‘technological innovation’?

Answer 11

The use of scientific knowledge to create new products or services.

Question 12

Why are cities known for technological innovation?

Answer 12

Because:
1. there are many skilled people living in cities such as researchers, designers and entrepreneurs.
2. there is also funding from governments and investros for these people to experiment with new ideas.

Question 13

How do technological innovations improve city life by addressing the urb

List some technological innovations found in cities that improve city life so that people can live more comfortably.

Answer 13

1. Shading
2. Transport
3. Vegetation
4. Building facade
5. Water bodies and features

Question 14

How do technological innovations improve city life by addressing the urb

What is shading?

Answer 14

Installation of sheltered bus stops and covered walkways, apart from trees, that provide shade and shield from rain.

Question 15

How do technological innovations improve city life by addressing the urb

What does the use of public transport, cycling and walking help to do?

Answer 15

reduce heat production from the transport sector.

Question 16

How do technological innovations improve city life by addressing the urb

Vegetation

Answer 16

Greenery on roofs and buidling facades prevents sunlight from heating up buildings.

Question 17

How do technological innovations improve city life by addressing the urb

Building facade

Answer 17

Light-coloured surfaces on buildings help reflect sunlight to reduce heat absorption.

Question 18

How do technological innovations improve city life by addressing the urb

Water bodies and features

Answer 18

Ponds and pools in the design of urban spaces help prevent overheating.

Question 19

Possible test question

What challenges do people in cities face in providing the people with a high quality of life?

Answer 19

1. Increased environmental pollution
2. Water pollution
3. Air pollution
4. Competition for natural resources such as land and water resources

Question 20

Why are cities major polluters of air and water?

Answer 20

Large amounts of fossil fuels are consumed in the cities daily / every day due to the high concentration of people, businesses and transport networks.

Question 21

Increased environmental pollution

What is the leading cause of environmental pollution?

Answer 21

Large amounts of fossil fuels consumed in the cities daily / every day due to the high concentration of people, businesses and transport networks.

Question 22

What does the large amounts of fossil fuels consumed in the cities daily / every day due to the high concentration of people, businesses and transport networks lead to / result in?

Answer 22

Environmental pollution

Question 23

What happens in environmental pollution?

Answer 23

Production and release of contaminants into the physical environment.

Question 24

What is the eventual consequence of environmental pollution?

Answer 24

Harm to human health

Question 25

# Water pollution What is water essential / necessary for?

Answer 25

human life

Question 26

Why are water supplies in cities often affected by improper management management of household and industrial waste?

Answer 26

Because of inadequate or broken sewage systems

Question 27

What happens when waste is disposed directly or leaked into waterways?

Answer 27

Water quality is ultimately reduced and pollution threatens human health and aquatic life.

Question 28

List the health risks associated / linked to air pollution.

Answer 28

1. Stress to heart 2. Stress to lungs 3. Asthma 4. Shortened life span 5. Eye irritation 6. Harm to blood

Question 29

Who are more affected by air pollution?

Answer 29

1. people with heart disease 2. people with lung disease 3. pregnant women 4. children under 14 5. outdoor workers 6. elderly people

Question 30

How can we protect ourselves from air pollution?

Answer 30

1. research pollution level in our area 2. eat foods which contain vitamin C 3. work out in the morning 4. avoid smoking 5. avoid high traffic roads 6. avoid exercising outdoors

Question 31

How does our national water agency, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) keep Singapore's tap water safe for drinking without boiling?

Answer 31

1. oversee the treatment and distribution of water. 2. Collect samples of water from reservoirs, waterworks and distribution systems and then test them at laboratories. 3. Use online sensors to monitor water quality at each stage of the treeament process and service reservoirs.