Practice Exam Questions
Paper 3 is an essay paper based on the 12 Asian History topics of which students at Island School study three. The PRC 1949-2005 is one of those topics. The paper consists of two questions for each of the 12 topics. Students must answer any three questions. Ideally you should answer one question from each of the three topics you have studied however you are free to answer both questions from a single topic. Paper 3 is 2 hours 30 minutes in duration which leaves about 50 minutes per essay question. The maximum mark for this paper is 45, with a maximum of 15 marks awarded per essay question. Try these exam essay questions from past papers:
May 2018 |
Evaluate the role of the Gang of Four in the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976. |
Discuss the successes and failures of Deng Xiaoping's implementation of the Four Modernizations. |
May 2017 |
Discuss the reasons why Mao Zedong launched the Hundred Flowers campaign (1956). |
To what extent were the aims of the Tiananmen Square demonstrators achieved? |
Nov 2017 |
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Mao's social policies. |
Discuss the reasons for, and the results for China of, the breakdown in Sino-Soviet relations by 1976. |
May 2016 |
Examine the achievements and failures of Mao Zedong's leadership between 1949 and 1976. |
"Jiang Zemin promoted economic development at the expense of political development." Discuss with reference to Jiang Zemin's leadership of China between 1989 and 2000. |
Nov 2016 |
"By 1961 the Chinese people's hopes for a more prosperous and a fairer China had not been realised." To what extent do you agree with this statement? |
Discuss the reasons for China's emergence as a global power by 2000. |
2015 |
Examine the methods used, and the level of success achieved, by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung) in his effort to impose Communist rule on the Chinese people by 1961. |
Evaluate the reasons why, and the ways in which, Deng Xiaoping (Teng Hsiao-p’ing) transformed China’s economy between 1976 and 1997. |
2014 |
‘To what extent do you agree that the control of the population was the main motive behind Mao Zedong’s policies?’ |
‘To what extent were China’s relations with other states in the region successful in the second half of the 20th century?’ |
2013 |
‘Why did Deng Xiaoping emerge as China’s ‘paramount’ leader by 1980?’ |
‘Explain why Sino-Soviet relations changed from being friendly to antagonistic in the period 1949 to 1969.’ |
2012 |
‘Assess the political developments in China under Deng Xiaoping 1976-1997.’ |
'Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung) was disappointingly inconsistent as a nation builder.” Is this a fair appraisal of Mao’s leadership between 1949 and 1976? |
2011 |
‘Evaluate the economic developments in China under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping between 1976 and 1997.’ |
‘Mao Zedong’s foreign policy aimed to ensure the security and unity of China.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?’ |
2010 |
‘An absolute monster or a great visionary – or both.’ Discuss this assessment of Mao Zedong in the period from 1949 until his death in 1976.’ |
‘For what reasons, and with what results until 1976, did relations between China and the Soviet Union break down in the late 1950s?’ |
2009 |
'With reference to other Chinese leaders of the period, to what extent, if any, has the role of Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung) in China’s development between 1949 and 1976 been over-estimated?' |
'Assess the impact of “The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution” on China in the period 1966–1976.' |
2008 |
'Assess the importance of Deng Xiaoping (Teng Hsiao-P’ing) in the development of China after 1949.' |
“Ten years of communist rule between 1949 and 1959 had transformed China into a major power.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? |
2007 |
'How far do you agree that concentration upon Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung) has overshadowed the contributions of other Chinese leaders to China’s development between 1949 and 1976?' |
'Analyse the impact on China of the “Four Modernisations” adopted after the death of Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung).' |
2006 |
'Compare and contrast the political ideals and achievements of Deng Xiaoping (Teng Hsiao-p’ing)and Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung) as leaders of China after 1949.' |
'Explain the changing relationship between China and the United States between October 1949 and 1980.' |
2005 |
'Why did the Great Leap Forward (1958) fail to achieve Mao Zedong.s (Mao Tse-tung.s) expectations?' |
'Assess the importance of Deng Xiaoping (Teng Hsiao-p.ing) to the history of modern China.' |