Correct answer: (a) 1 only
Explanation
- A
1 only
Statement 1 is correct: the Mekong rises on the Tibetan Plateau (Qinghai–Tibet highlands) and then flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Statement 2 is false because the Mekong Delta lies in southern Vietnam, not in southern Cambodia. Therefore only 1 is right, which is the official key.
- B
2 only
Only 2 would require the delta to sit in southern Cambodia. The lower Mekong does cross Cambodia, but the great delta that fans into the sea is in Vietnam. Statement 2 therefore fails, so ‘2 only’ cannot be the key.
- C
Both 1 and 2
Both 1 and 2 cannot stand together. The source on the plateau is true, but placing the delta in southern Cambodia is a standard map error. One true limb and one false limb is not ‘both’.
- D
Neither 1 nor 2
Neither 1 nor 2 would throw out the Tibetan-Plateau origin, which is geographically correct. The item is not a double-false pair.
Summary. Official key is (a) 1 only. The Mekong is a plateau-born river of mainland South-East Asia. Its delta, one of the world’s great rice bowls, is in Vietnam’s south, while Cambodia holds the Tonle Sap system and a long mid-course, not the delta. Examiners often swap Cambodia and Vietnam on this map. Honour the stored letter (a).