EARTH-SCIENCE · Common Test for University Admissions (大学入学共通テスト)
EARTH-SCIENCE/11
Earth Science
Earth Science · 2020 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: National Center for University Entrance Examinations (DNC)
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.0 / 5
100
60 min
Plate tectonics, weather/climate data, geological time and astronomy diagrams are high-yield because they combine concepts with visual evidence.
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
100
Duration
60 min
Session difficulty
3.0 / 5
Calculator policy
Scientific calculators permitted only where specified in the DNC implementation guidelines; programming functions and CAS are prohibited. En
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
地学 covers Earth materials and history, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes, atmosphere and oceans, weather and climate, astronomy and the solar system. R7 Common Test earth science emphasizes interpreting observations, maps, cross-sections, graphs and time-scale evidenc…
Earth Science follows the same science timing: 60 minutes/100 marks for one subject or 130 minutes/200 marks for two sciences.
For relative dating, older layers are generally lower, but intrusions, faults and unconformities must be ordered by cross-cutting relationships.
Seismic distance can be inferred from S-P time; larger S-P interval means farther epicentral distance.
The DNC Problem Evaluation Committee publishes per-subject reports after each January session, rating alignment with the Course of Study (学習指導要領), item difficulty balance, and whether items discriminate without exceeding syllabus scope.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Cognitive skills emphasised in official test design.
Diagram/map interpretation
Weight: 34100%Conceptual Processing reasoning
Weight: 2882%Quantitative/time-scale reasoning
Weight: 2059%Observation-based inference
Weight: 1853%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
Geology: Applying the law of superposition without checking faults, intrusions or unconformities. — Identify all cross-cutting relationsh…
Weather: Confusing wind direction with the direction air moves toward. — Remember wind is named from where it comes, then use pressure-gr…
Astronomy: Explaining seasons by Earth-Sun distance. — Use axial tilt and solar altitude/day length as the primary cause.
Seismology: Mixing P-wave/S-wave arrival time with wave speed. — Use arrival-time difference to infer distance; P waves arrive first beca…
Climate: Interpreting one weather event as a climate trend. — Distinguish short-term weather from long-term statistical climate patterns.
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Official body
National Center for University Entrance Examinations (DNC)
Grading system
Full science subjects are scored 0–100 raw; universities use deviation values (偏差値)
Scale band
0–100 raw
Scale band
Deviation 50 = mean
Scale band
University cut-off
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
Respect scale and time
Earth science spans seconds for seismic waves, days for weather, seasons for astronomy and millions of years for geology. Identify the relevant scale before explaining.
Read diagrams spatially
For cross-sections and weather maps, mark direction, altitude/depth, pressure or layer order. Spatial misreading causes many wrong answers.
Use plate-boundary logic
Divergent, convergent and transform boundaries produce different earthquakes, volcanism, crust and landforms. Match observations to boundary type.
Practise weather chart interpretation
Know high/low pressure, fronts, wind direction, isobars and precipitation patterns. Link steep pressure gradients to stronger winds.
Connect astronomy geometry
Moon phases, eclipses, seasons and apparent motion are geometry problems. Draw Sun-Earth-Moon or Earth-axis diagrams before answering.
Treat hazards scientifically
For earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and climate, separate natural mechanism, monitoring evidence and risk-reduction measure.
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
No data available in official reports
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Earth materials, geologic history and plate tectonics
Official topic weighting
Earthquakes, volcanoes and natural hazards
Official topic weighting
Atmosphere, oceans, weather and climate
Official topic weighting
Astronomy, solar system and universe
Official topic weighting
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Earth materials, geologic history and plate tectonics
Atmosphere, oceans, weather and climate
Astronomy, solar system and universe
Earthquakes, volcanoes and natural hazards
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Earth Science: for one science subject / for two science subjects Geology, hazards, atmosphere, oceans, climate, astronomy and data interpretation
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Earth materials, geologic history and plate tectonics
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiEarthquakes, volcanoes and natural hazards
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiAtmosphere, oceans, weather and climate
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiAstronomy, solar system and universe
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
地学 covers Earth materials and history, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes, atmosphere and oceans, weather and climate, astronomy and the solar system. R7 Common Test earth science emphasizes interpreting observations, maps, cross-sections, graphs and time-scale evidenc…
- 2Message
Earth Science follows the same science timing: 60 minutes/100 marks for one subject or 130 minutes/200 marks for two sciences.
- 3Message
For relative dating, older layers are generally lower, but intrusions, faults and unconformities must be ordered by cross-cutting relationships.
- 4Message
Seismic distance can be inferred from S-P time; larger S-P interval means farther epicentral distance.
- 5Message
The DNC Problem Evaluation Committee publishes per-subject reports after each January session, rating alignment with the Course of Study (学習指導要領), item difficulty balance, and whether items discriminate without exceeding syllabus scope.
- 6Pitfall
Geology: Applying the law of superposition without checking faults, intrusions or unconformities. — Identify all cross-cutting relationsh…
- 7Pitfall
Weather: Confusing wind direction with the direction air moves toward. — Remember wind is named from where it comes, then use pressure-gr…
- 8Pitfall
Astronomy: Explaining seasons by Earth-Sun distance. — Use axial tilt and solar altitude/day length as the primary cause.
- 9Pitfall
Seismology: Mixing P-wave/S-wave arrival time with wave speed. — Use arrival-time difference to infer distance; P waves arrive first beca…
- 10Pitfall
Climate: Interpreting one weather event as a climate trend. — Distinguish short-term weather from long-term statistical climate patterns.
- 11Strength
Respect scale and time: Earth science spans seconds for seismic waves, days for weather, seasons for astronomy and millions
- 12Strength
Read diagrams spatially: For cross-sections and weather maps, mark direction, altitude/depth, pressure or layer order. Spatia
- 13Strength
Use plate-boundary logic: Divergent, convergent and transform boundaries produce different earthquakes, volcanism, crust and l
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2020 2020
Earth Science
地学 covers Earth materials and history, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes, atmosphere and oceans, weather and climate, astronomy and the solar system. R7 Common Test earth science emphasizes interpreting observations, maps, cross-sections, graphs and time-scale evidence t
地学 covers Earth materials and history, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes, atmosphere and oceans, weather and climate, astronomy and the solar system. R7 Common Test earth science emphasizes interpreting observations, maps, cross-sections, graphs and time-scale evidenc…
Earth Science follows the same science timing: 60 minutes/100 marks for one subject or 130 minutes/200 marks for two sciences.
For relative dating, older layers are generally lower, but intrusions, faults and unconformities must be ordered by cross-cutting relationships.
Geology: Applying the law of superposition without checking faults, intrusions or unconformities. — Identify all cross-cutting relationsh…
Weather: Confusing wind direction with the direction air moves toward. — Remember wind is named from where it comes, then use pressure-gr…
- Total marks
- 100
- Duration
- 60 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.0 / 5
- Calculator policy
- Scientific calculators permitted only where specified in the DNC implementation guidelines; programming functions and CAS are prohibited. En
Session analysis
地学 covers Earth materials and history, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes, atmosphere and oceans, weather and climate, astronomy and the solar system. R7 Common Test earth science emphasizes interpreting observations, maps, cross-sections, graphs and time-scale evidence to explain Earth and space phenomena. National Center for University Entrance Examinations (DNC) emphasises plate tectonics, weather/climate data, geological time and astronomy diagrams are high-yield because they combine concepts with visual evidence.. Priority revision: Earth materials, geologic history and plate tectonics, Earthquakes, volcanoes and natural hazards, Atmosphere, oceans, weather and climate, Astronomy, solar system and universe. Earth science spans seconds for seismic waves, days for weather, seasons for astronomy and millions of years for geology. Identify the relevant scale before explaining.
Updated 2026-07-03
Paper breakdown
Earth Science: for one science subject / for two science subjects Geology, hazards, atmosphere, oceans, climate, astronomy and data interpretation
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by syllabus topic
Revision priority from official test-design weighting.
Mark accessibility
Estimated difficulty spread based on official design.
Plate tectonics, weather/climate data, geological time and astronomy diagrams ar
Paper structure
Official paper breakdown for this subject.
Earth Science
100·10·100%
Official syllabus scope
地学 covers Earth materials and history, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes, atmosphere and oceans, weather and climate, astronomy and the solar system. R7 Common Test earth science emphasizes interpreting observations, maps, cross-sections, graphs and time-scale evidence to explain Earth and space phenomena.
Difficulty verdict
Rated 3/5 for January sessions. Plate tectonics, weather/climate data, geological time and astronomy diagrams are high-yield because they combine concepts with visual evidence.
What examiners measure
1. Interpret geological maps, cross-sections, seismograms, weather charts and astronomical diagrams. 2. Explain Earth processes using scale, time, energy and material cycles. 3. Apply plate tectonics, atmospheric/oceanic circulation and celestial motion concepts. 4. Use data and observations to infer events, ages or mechanisms. 5. Connect natural hazards and environmental change to scientific evidence.
Where the marks are
Highest-weight syllabus areas: Earth materials, geologic history and plate tectonics; Earthquakes, volcanoes and natural hazards; Atmosphere, oceans, weather and climate; Astronomy, solar system and universe.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Earth Science follows the same science timing: 60 minutes/100 marks for one subject or 130 minutes/200 marks for two sciences.
- For relative dating, older layers are generally lower, but intrusions, faults and unconformities must be ordered by cross-cutting relationships.
- Seismic distance can be inferred from S-P time; larger S-P interval means farther epicentral distance.
- Weather maps require pressure-gradient reasoning: closer isobars usually indicate stronger wind.
- Plate boundaries connect to hazard distribution. Deep earthquakes are typical of subduction zones, while mid-ocean ridges are shallow and divergent.
- Astronomy calculations and diagrams often use angle, period and relative position rather than advanced mathematics.
- Climate and ocean questions often involve heat transport, currents, atmospheric circulation and albedo feedbacks.
- Paper 1: Earth Science · 100 marks · 60 min for one science subject / 130 min for two science subjects · Geology, hazards, atmosphere, oceans, climate, astronomy and data interpretation.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 60 min for one science subject / 130 min for two science subjects
- Total marks
- 100
- Weighting
- 100%
- Question types
- Geology, hazards, atmosphere, oceans, climate, astronomy and data interpretation
- Earth science spans seconds for seismic waves, days for weather, seasons for astronomy and millions of years for geology. Identify the relevant scale before explaining.
- For cross-sections and weather maps, mark direction, altitude/depth, pressure or layer order. Spatial misreading causes many wrong answers.
- Divergent, convergent and transform boundaries produce different earthquakes, volcanism, crust and landforms. Match observations to boundary type.
Common mistakes
Geology
Applying the law of superposition without checking faults, intrusions or unconformities.
How to avoid: Identify all cross-cutting relationships before ordering events.
Weather
Confusing wind direction with the direction air moves toward.
How to avoid: Remember wind is named from where it comes, then use pressure-gradient and Coriolis context.
Astronomy
Explaining seasons by Earth-Sun distance.
How to avoid: Use axial tilt and solar altitude/day length as the primary cause.
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.