How to pass the exam geography for 100 points. Where does the Volga flow
Why you should take the exam twice, what tasks are the most difficult and why read National Geographic.
OGE expert, teacher of geography at Foxford
The exam in geography lasts 3 hours, it consists of two parts and includes 34 tasks. In the first part - 27 tasks, where the answer is a number, a sequence of numbers, a word or a phrase. In the second part, there are 7 tasks in which you need to complete a drawing, solve a problem or describe the progress of the task.
Either a successful student of the Faculty of Geography or a fan of geography can pass the exam for 100 points. To cope with the tasks of the first part, you need to independently study articles and reference books, enjoy it - in a word, live in geography.
It is allowed to use a ruler, a non-programmable calculator and a protractor in the exam. You cannot bring atlases with you, but an administrative map of Russia and a political map of the world are attached to the examination materials.
The political map of the world, which is issued for the exam
Understanding geography is useful not only for applicants of the Faculty of Geology and Ecology, for whom it is compulsory USE. Future diplomats, for example, MGIMO students sometimes regret that they neglected school lessons, and already at the university they turn to tutors in geography.
How to prepare
Take your exam early
In most schools, the geography course ends in the 10th grade, so you can relieve yourself by taking the exam in advance. Remember: you can pass geography only once, either in 10th or 11th grade.
Solve demos at school
Almost half of the exam topics are studied in the 10th grade, so you need to listen carefully in the lessons. Useful information can be found in the textbook by V.P. Maksakovskii. However, the key to preparation is practice. It is necessary to solve as many probes, random tasks on the FIPI website as possible, and if complex ones come across, be sure to figure it out, google the answers. One demo version is available on the FIPI website, and 3-4 copies are sent to schools during the year. You need to delve into controversial issues and try to understand what the task developers are waiting for.
Write trial exams
Tricky tasks in samplers help to understand the subject more deeply. Recently, one task has put me in a dead end. Out of six countries, it was necessary to choose three, where nuclear power plants (NPPs) dominate. I immediately rejected the options where hydroelectric power plants predominate. He knew for sure that nuclear power plants were the basis of France's energy industry, but he could not choose between Belgium and Slovakia. Who even knows about European country the size of the Moscow region? If it was a real exam, I would appeal, but there are such controversial issues in the trial. Now I firmly remember that nuclear power plants dominate in Slovakia, and I tell all the students about this.
Study guides
If the subject is interesting, then you can even study the features of foreign countries on Wikipedia. Particular attention should be paid to energy and population data. For example, in the textbook about the demography and power plants of Portugal, it is not written, but they can ask at the exam. You can only prepare for such questions on your own.
Follow the periodicals
It is useful to subscribe to National Geographic magazine, which publishes interesting articles, including those on energy issues. In 2015, NatGeo spoke about Germany's plans to abandon thermal power plants and nuclear power plants in favor of alternative energy sources. Little-known information, but in the exam it can come in handy.
Practice with a teacher
First part of the exam full of surprises - it is not known which question will be encountered in the task: about Russia or about foreign country, about the production of aluminum or the cultivation of rice. You can prepare well for the second if you learn the algorithms and formulas. An experienced teacher can teach how to complete tasks 28-34 in the best way and suggest how to avoid common mistakes.
What tasks are the most difficult
The whole complexity of the exam in geography is in the first 25 tasks, because no one knows what questions will come across. For a student who has prepared and is familiar with the format of the exam, the second part is more predictable and usually less of a problem.
It can be difficult for graduates to mark the correct statements in tasks 3 and 15, because it is not said how many there should be. With tasks 5, 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13, it will not be easy if the student is poorly oriented on the map, does not remember the population density and common crops. You can’t use the Atlas, so all hope is for your own knowledge. The only way to cope with such questions - firmly memorize the material.
An example of task 5 from the FIPI 2019 demo
Students often make mistakes in question 19 about energy and natural resources. For example, graduates do not know in which countries of the world, regions and cities of Russia hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants and nuclear power plants are located. You need to think logically: if there are a lot of rivers, then hydroelectric power stations are being built, if there are coal deposits - thermal power plants, and if there is nothing, but the territory is developed, then nuclear ones. Nuclear power plants need skilled workers, so such plants are being built in France, Belgium, and Slovakia. At the same time, Japan and Germany are going to close existing nuclear power plants and switch to renewable sources.
It is not easy to choose which countries, for example, export pig iron and steel. Logic will also help here: the Chinese are unlikely to sell anything abroad, they themselves need everything. If tiny Denmark and tourist Thailand are among the options, they can also be safely crossed out.
An example of task 19 from the FIPI 2019 demo
Task 22 is not difficult for those who know the formulas for calculating the resource availability for renewable and non-renewable resources. In the first case, the volume of reserves is divided by the number of inhabitants, and in the second - by the volume of production.
An example of task 22 from the FIPI 2019 demo
In task 23, graduates are mistaken due to inattention - they indicate the periods of the geological history of the Earth in the wrong order. By the way, in order to remember them, you can use a mnemonic device - a phrase in which the first letters of words correspond to the first letters of the names of chronological periods: “Every excellent student should eat donuts. You, Yura, are small - bring us a cheburek. Period names: Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Paleogene, Neogene, Quaternary.
How to do simple tasks
The question about the capitals of countries or constituent entities of the Russian Federation in task 18 will be mandatory, therefore it is simply necessary to learn the capitals of 60 countries. No one requires memorizing exotic states like Vanuata or Burkina Faso, but only those that are found in trial and demo versions.
As part of Russian Federation 85 subjects, but you only need to learn the capitals of the republics and autonomous regions. The fact is that fifty territories and regions bear the name of the main city: the Krasnoyarsk Territory with the administrative center in Krasnoyarsk, the Bryansk Region - Bryansk, etc.
The question about time zones in task 20 tests the ability to think logically and execute arithmetic calculations. It does not require knowledge of geography, since all the information for the calculations is already given.
An example of task 20 from the FIPI 2019 demo
In task 21, you need to subtract the number of departures from the number of arrivals. It is important to remember that growth can be negative.
An example of task 21 from the FIPI 2019 demo
Previously, cards were not issued during the exam, and assignments 24-25 caused difficulties for graduates. Now, with the help of maps of Russia and the world, it is easy to determine the country and region of the Russian Federation by description.
In task 30, for example, it is important to note that in both centers the atmosphere is polluted by thermal power plants. At the same time, a full-cycle metallurgical enterprise operates in the center "A", and the city itself is surrounded by mountains. There are two sources of pollution in point "A", and the mountains prevent the winds from carrying away dangerous particles.
An example of task 30 from the FIPI 2019 demo
Task 31 asks you to compare the proportion of the agricultural population of the two countries. It's important to remember that everything is relative. If there are 9.8 million people in Algeria and 1.1 million in Armenia, it must be calculated that for Armenia this is a little more than 30% of the total number of inhabitants, and in Algeria a little more than 25%. At the same time, you need to understand that in Armenia the share of agriculture in the economy is 22%, and in Algeria only 10%. Thus, in the Armenian economy in 2014, agriculture played a greater role than in Algeria.
An example of task 31 from the FIPI 2019 demo
In tasks 33 and 34 it is difficult to make a mistake if you understand the solution scheme. In task 33, you need to divide the value of the growth rate in 2016 by the average annual number. Since the answer is required to be given in ppm, the result of the calculation should be multiplied by 1000.
3298: 4069018 × 1000 = 0.810514969
or 3298: 4,069,018 × 1000 ≈ 0.8
Answer: 0.8‰
Task 34 is performed in two steps: at the beginning, we subtract the same indicator for 2016 from the resident population in 2017.
4 066 972 − 4 071 064 = −4092
This means that in 2016 the population of the Republic of Bashkortostan decreased by 4092 people.
Now, from the resulting number, subtract the value of the indicator of natural growth:
2) −4092 − 3298 = −7390
The migration growth of the population amounted to -7390 people.
An example of tasks 33 and 34 from the FIPI 2019 demo
Why you should start with the second part
By the end of the first part, the tasks become predictable:
- in task 28, the student will have to build a profile of the terrain;
- in 29 - to give a detailed commentary based on data analysis;
- in 30 - to compare factors of air pollution;
- in 31 - to determine the importance of agriculture;
- in 32 - select points on the map or indicate the time of sunrise, and for this it is better to repeat the material of the sixth grade on the relative position of the Sun and the Earth;
- in 33 and 34 apply the calculation formulas.
Graduates who confidently complete tasks with a detailed answer are immediately accepted for the second part of the exam. In the second part, you need to demonstrate the skills that the student has acquired and consolidated on his own or in courses. If in the first part you may not be lucky with difficult question, then in the second it all depends only on the student.
I know a schoolboy who paid great attention to the tasks of the second part, but did not seek to broaden his horizons. As a result, he did an excellent job with tasks 28-34, but cut off on questions from the first part and scored 71 points. Therefore, do not think that the last tasks are more difficult. Maybe that's where they should start.
What to remember
- Countries, subjects of the Russian Federation and capitals need to be known by heart.
- The USE in geography is very different from the USE, which can be passed without special training, guided by common sense. In order to score more than 90 points on the exam, you will need not only outstanding erudition and the ability to complete tasks, but also a certain amount of luck.
- The main difficulty of the exam is the lack of an atlas at hand. You will have to load into your memory data on population density, minerals, energy, industry and agriculture in Russia and the world. It is worth paying special attention to those sections that are difficult for the student.
- In the second part of the exam, you do not need to look for pitfalls. Tasks are clearly formulated, and they must be completed according to the algorithm.
- For the exam in geography, it is necessary to comprehend and remember a huge amount of information. You can do this only if you really love the subject and are sincerely interested in it.
Ninth graders pass geography as an additional final exam. This subject, like other disciplines natural science cycle, not chosen as often as social studies, English language or computer science. This is due to the fact that in order to successfully complete the examination tasks, it is necessary to apply special skills here. Today we will talk about how difficult it is to pass the OGE in geography and how to properly prepare for it.
What will be on the exam?
A typical examination variant consists of 30 tasks of varying complexity. They are aimed at testing geographical knowledge obtained from grades 5 to 9. Most of the questions relate to the section "Geography of Russia". In order to successfully complete all tasks, you must be able to:
- collect and analyze geographic information;
- good orientation on the map;
- read the climatogram, graphs, diagrams;
- use statistical information;
- solve elementary geographical problems;
- make predictions based on initial information;
- compare facts from different geography courses;
- apply geographical knowledge in practice, in different circumstances.
The first 17 tasks have a basic level of difficulty, the next 10 - advanced and the last 3 - high level difficulties. For 27 tasks you need to give a short answer, for three tasks - a detailed one.
Students are given only 2 hours (120 minutes) to complete all tasks. On the exam, you can use geographical atlases for grades 7, 8, 9, a ruler and a non-programmable calculator.
Common Mistakes
Alas, even with a solid five in geography, you can write an exam not at all for the scores that you originally expected. What annoying mistakes do ninth graders make especially often?
- incomplete answer
This is due to carelessness. Reading the task fluently without thinking, you miss more than 30% of the information. As a result, you give a completely wrong answer, although you know everything. Every word, every wording must be taken literally. The answer should also not contain words in figurative meaning. Another point is a waste of time on too detailed answers: if two examples are required, then there should be only two. - Poor map knowledge
Searching for the desired region or city in the atlas, if you do not know where they are, takes up too much precious time. While doing test items pay more attention to the map. It's a shame to waste 10 minutes looking for Bratsk or Karelia, right? - Failure to use the atlas
Answers to most tasks are contained in atlases for grades 7-9, which can be used in the exam. The main thing is to be able to extract this valuable information. When buying an atlas, we recommend that you pay attention to its completeness - the more information, the better. Read them carefully in advance, so that later you don’t get confused in the symbols and don’t look for the right card for an hour. - Ignorance of geographical terms
The number of points that you will be given for a specific task depends on how freely and competently you operate with special terms when answering or manage with everyday logic.
What other mistakes can let you down? This is, first of all, the inability to establish a logical relationship between geographical features region and human activities. In second place is the incorrect definition of standard time. The third most common mistake is ignorance geographical coordinates, problems with finding a geographical point on the map using them. It is impossible to master these skills in a couple of days. Start preparing not a week in advance, but in the fall or even summer.
How to properly prepare?
- Only OGE, only hardcore.
Create conditions as close as possible to a real exam: turn off the phone and TV, radio, computer, only atlases (grades 7-9), a pen, a piece of paper, a collection of tasks should be on the table. Notice the time. You have only 120 minutes to solve one option. After completing the tasks, take a break and check yourself. Correct the mistakes and be sure to learn the topic where they were made. Your goal is to work through as many tasks as possible before the exam so that the skills become automatic. - Make friends with the atlas.
Do not spare money for good atlases, where there is a lot of valuable additional information. Do not be lazy and find on the map all the objects that are mentioned in the tasks. Try to extract from the atlas all the information about them that you can. - Draw geographical knowledge from everywhere
Read additional literature, including works of art- Jack London, Jules Verne, diaries of great travelers. First, you can take some rest for exciting reading, secondly, geography will “come to life” and become more interesting, thirdly, you will learn a lot interesting facts. Be sure to watch the news. For example, today you saw a report about China. Complete the following tasks.
- Locate China on the map.
- Name its capital and major cities.
- Determine their geographic coordinates.
- What is the name of the mainland and part of the world where China is located?
- What countries does it border on?
- Which seas wash the shores?
- In which climate zone country is located?
- Population? Official language? Religion? Country area? The main sectors of the economy?
This is an approximate plan for the characteristics of the country, you can supplement it and apply it not only to states, but also to regions of Russia. This exercise will only take about 20 minutes. By doing it every day, you will know geography well and be well versed in the current economic and political situation. If you decide to prepare yourself, then you will have to do at least three times a week, for 2-3 hours. In the case when you can not allocate so much time to one subject, it is better to enroll in preparatory courses. Under the guidance of an experienced teacher, you will be able to repeat the material and work through exam options Much faster and more efficient than at home.
For delivery at the end of school in the 11th grade. Not the most popular subject: if you give the figures for the country, it turns out that on average one graduate chose geography for two schools. Geography is required for admission to specialties in the following areas: geography, geology, cartography, hydrometeorology and ecology.
Check out general information about the exam and start preparing. Compared to last year, the version of KIM USE 2019 has not changed at all, so you can safely use the materials of past years.
EGE assessment
The minimum passing score in geography in 2019 is 37, to overcome the threshold it is enough to correctly solve the first 12 tasks. Translate primary scores into test scores and assess your level of knowledge of the subject according to the usual five-point system.
USE test structure
In 2019, the USE test in geography consists of two parts, including 34 tasks.
- Part 1: 27 tasks (1-27) with a short answer that is a number, a word (phrase) or a sequence of numbers.
- Part 2: 7 tasks (28-34) with a detailed answer, which is a picture, a solution to a problem, or detailed description throughout the course of the task.
Preparation for the exam
- Pass the USE tests online for free without registration and SMS. The presented tests are identical in their complexity and structure to the real exams held in the corresponding years.
- Download demo versions of the exam in geography, which will allow you to better prepare for the exam and make it easier to pass it. All proposed tests are designed and approved to prepare for USE Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements (FIPI). In the same FIPI, all official USE options.
The tasks that you will see, most likely, will not be found on the exam, but there will be tasks similar to the demo ones, on the same topic or simply with different numbers.
General USE figures
Year | Min. USE score | Average score | Number of applicants | Did not pass, % | Qty 100 points |
Duration- exam length, min. |
2009 | 34 | |||||
2010 | 35 | 53,61 | 22 256 | 6,3 | 17 | 180 |
2011 | 32 | 54,40 | 10 946 | 8 | 25 | 180 |
2012 | 37 | 55,8 | 24 423 | 8,3 | 64 | 180 |
2013 | 37 | 57,2 | 20 736 | 12,1 | 193 | 180 |
2014 | 37 | 52,9 | 235 | |||
2015 | 37 | 52,9 | 235 | |||
2016 | 37 | 235 | ||||
2017 | 37 | 235 | ||||
2018 |