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CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS
Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education
MARK SCHEME for the October/November 2015 series
0610 BIOLOGY
0610/33 Paper 3 (Extended Theory), maximum raw mark 80
This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of
the examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not
indicate the details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began,
which would have considered the acceptability of alternative answers.
Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner
Report for Teachers.
Cambridge will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.
Cambridge is publishing the mark schemes for the October/November 2015 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE®, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some
Cambridge O Level components.
® IGCSE is the registered trademark of Cambridge International Examinations.
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Page 2 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
Abbreviations used in the Mark Scheme
• ; separates marking points
• / separates alternatives within a marking point
• R reject
• ignore mark as if this material was not present
• A accept (a less than ideal answer which should be marked correct)
• AW alternative wording (accept other ways of expressing the same idea)
• underline words underlined (or grammatical variants of them) must be present
• max indicates the maximum number of marks that can be awarded
• mark independently the second mark may be given even if the first mark is wrong
• ecf credit a correct statement that follows a previous wrong response
• () the word / phrase in brackets is not required, but sets the context
• ora or reverse argument
• AVP any valid point
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Page 3 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
1 (a) (i) hair / fur / whiskers ;
external ears / pinna(e) ;
nose / snout ; max [1]
(ii) 5 or 6 correct = 3
go to 2 3 or 4 correct = 2
1 or 2 correct = 1
go to 3
go to 4
go to 5
Phascolarctos cinereus C
Vombatus ursinus B
Sminthopsis A
longicaudata
Macropus rufus D
Paljara tirarense F
go to 6
Sarcophilus harrisii E
Dasyurus maculatus G
[3]
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Page 4 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
(b) (i) meiosis ; [1]
(ii) maintains / increases, population ; ignore survival unqualified
allows variation ; ora
adaptation to, new / changed, environment(s) ;
natural selection / evolution / formation of new species ;
AVP ; e.g. two parents contribute to survival of offspring
e.g. allows expression of recessive, alleles / traits / genes max [3]
(c) (i) gas exchange / named example with direction ;
transfer of (dissolved) nutrients, from maternal (circulation) / to ignore food / nutrition for nutrients
fetal ; A glucose / amino acids / ions / water
transfer of excretory products, from fetal / to maternal ; A urea / (nitrogenous) waste
by diffusion ;
produces / secretes, (named) hormone ; A progesterone / oestrogen / HCG / HPL / HCS
passive immunity / antibodies, from maternal / to fetal ;
prevents / limits, mixing of blood ;
ref to regulating blood pressure ;
AVP ; e.g. maternal / fetal attachment point
e.g. ref to counter current flow / maintains
concentration gradient
e.g. hormone function described max [4]
(ii) protection from (mechanical) shock (of fetus) ;
maintains (constant) temperature (of fetus) ;
allows movement (of fetus) ;
prevents dehydration ;
AVP ; max [2]
[Total: 14]
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Page 5 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
2 (a) hepatic portal vein ; [1]
(b) (semi lunar) valves ; in each case the explanation must be linked
prevent backflow ; to a correct feature
large, lumen ;
low, pressure / resistance to blood flow ;
thin / less elastic / less muscular, walls (than arteries) ; 2+2
low blood pressure ;
allows vein to be squeezed by (surrounding skeletal) muscles ; max [4]
(c) = (181 – 135) ÷ 135 (× 100) ;
= 34 (%) ;; max [2]
(d) (i) (liver) responds to insulin (from pancreas) ;
increased, uptake / respiration, of glucose ;
glucose converted to glycogen ; A glycogenesis R hormones carrying out
by enzymes ; conversions directly
glycogen is, insoluble / stored ;
negative feedback ; max [2] ignore homeostasis
(ii) temperature ;
water ;
AVP ; e.g. pH / ions / urea / carbon dioxide max [1]
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Page 6 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
(e) deamination ; A description of amino group removal
(part of excess) amino acids converted to urea ; ignore protein converted to urea
(part of) amino acid converted to ammonia ;
ammonia converted to urea ;
ammonia is harmful ;
(rest of) amino acid molecule, releases energy / converted to
glucose / glycogen / respired ;
(some amino acids) used to make proteins e.g. fibrinogen ;
AVP ; e.g. transamination max [3]
(f) bile production / AW ; R homeostasis, deamination, protein
breakdown / remove, hormones / red blood synthesis, transamination
cells / toxins / alcohol / drugs ;
storage of, iron / vitamin A / vitamin D ;
AVP ; e.g. cholesterol, synthesis / AW max [1]
[Total: 14]
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Page 7 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
3 (a) increased blood flow or heart, pumps / beats, faster ; ignore increased, pulse rate / heart rate
more, oxygen / glucose (for muscles) / carbon dioxide removed ;
more energy released by respiration ; R ‘energy produced’ / ‘energy created’
for muscle contraction ; max [2]
(b) increase in, time / exercise intensity / effort, increase in lactic acid
concentration ;
increase is, steady / proportional ;
after exercise lactic acid concentration continues to increase ;
after exercise / near end of exercise, concentration levels
off / AW ;
appropriate use of data ; max [3] units must be used at least once
(c) (i) the release of a relatively small amount of energy ; R ‘produce / AW, energy’
by the breakdown of glucose ; ignore ‘use’ unqualified
in the absence of oxygen / without oxygen ; max [2] ignore air / fermentation unqualified
(ii) (by) diffusion ; [1]
(iii) (blood) plasma ; [1]
(d) in trained cyclists
lower anaerobic respiration / more aerobic respiration ;
less lactic acid produced (during exercise) ;
because more oxygen supplied to muscles ;
less oxygen debt ;
less oxygen required, to oxidise / breakdown, lactic acid ;
(breakdown) to glucose / carbon dioxide and water ;
quicker, removal / breakdown, of lactic acid ;
appropriate comparative data quote with units ; max [4]
[Total: 13]
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Page 8 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
4 (a) root hairs ;
water moves, from high water potential to low water potential / down
water potential gradient ;
by osmosis ;
through partially permeable membrane ;
through protein pores (in membrane) ; max [4]
(b) (i) movement of gas / oxygen / carbon dioxide, into and out of leaf ; ignore air
for, photosynthesis / respiration ;
allows transpiration ;
enables water to be pulled up the plant / AW ; max [2] A transpiration pull
(ii) greater density / more stomata, in variety A ;
four times more ; [2]
(iii) more stomata / AW, in variety A ;
more transpiration in variety A ; ora
greater opportunity for loss of water vapour through stomata in
variety A ; ora
by evaporation, from surfaces of (mesophyll) cells / into air spaces
(in leaf) ;
loss of water from leaf (cells) lowers water potential ;
(this) pulls on / creates tension (in water column in xylem) ; A transpiration pull
cohesion of water molecules / AW ; max [3] A ‘stick together’ / ref to polar
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Page 9 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
(c) sunken stomata ; ignore ref to stems / roots
hairs ;
fleshy / succulent, leaves ;
thick cuticle ;
small surface area ;
few / shedding of, leaves ;
AVP ; e.g. rolling of leaves / reflective surfaces max [2]
(d) water vapour condenses to form, clouds / fog / dew ;
precipitation ;
rainwater drains into rivers ;
seeps / AW, into soil / forms ground water ; max [2]
[Total: 15]
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Page 10 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
5 (a) increases, landfill / rubbish heaps / AW ;
swallowed / ingested / eaten / cannot be digested ;
trapped / entangled / suffocate / injure / cut / strangle / AW ; ignore dies unqualified
plastic blocks light for photosynthesis ;
release, toxins / poisons ;
large pieces of plastic may block flow of water (in a river) ; mp6 and 7 are linked
reducing (concentration of) dissolved oxygen ;
habitat / ecosystem, destruction / creation ;
persistent / cannot decompose ;
AVP ; e.g. bioaccumulation / production of plastic pollutes
the environment / eyesore max [3]
(b) (i) more waterborne and airborne (chemical) waste to make paper
bags ;
plastic needs oil (extraction) ; ora for paper bags
paper bags require trees (to be felled) ; A deforestation / ora for plastic bags
more energy needed to make paper bags ; ora for plastic bags
appropriate comparative use of data with units ; max [3]
(ii) (heavy metals / acid) are toxic / harmful to organisms ;
bioaccumulation / biomagnification (of heavy metal) / description ; ignore acid rain throughout
decreases pH ;
(acid) burns, shells / skin / plants ;
aquatic, habitat / ecosystem, destruction ; ignore ‘polluted’ unqualified
AVP ; any qualified consequence of a named heavy metal max [2] e.g. Minimata disease caused by mercury
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Page 11 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
(c) (i) more energy used to make than recycle (plastic bags) ;
594 kJ to make and 17 kJ (per bag) to recycle (plastic bags) ;; max [2] 577 kJ (per bag) difference
(ii) deforestation / description ;
two examples of the effects of deforestation
e.g. soil erosion / habitat loss / soil fertility
/ reduced biodiversity ;;
increase in carbon dioxide (from deforestation / coal / oil, power
stations) ;
carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas ;
causes global warming / enhanced greenhouse effect ;
two examples of the effects of global warming
e.g. rising sea levels / climate change / desertification
/ increased yield ;;
AVP ; e.g. increased use of fossil fuels
ref to power stations, affecting breathing / asthma
/ causes acid rain max [4]
[Total: 14]
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Page 12 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
6 (a) taking a, gene / DNA / allele, from one species ;
inserting it into another organism ;
OR
changing the, genetic material / chromosome of, an organism / cell ;
by removing / changing / inserting, genes / DNA / alleles ; max [2]
(b) Letter Name Description
from fig
M chromosomes threads of DNA found in the
nucleus
N gene / allele ; section of DNA removed from
human cell
Q
plasmid vector / loop / circle, of DNA (that
can carry a foreign section of
DNA) / separate piece of DNA
(from chromosome) ;
R bacterial (cell) ; type of cell that is genetically
A yeast engineered
O insulin / protein ; specific chain of amino acids
coded by the section of DNA
removed from the human cell
P
fermenter (container in which)
bacteria / microorganisms / cells,
reproduce / grow / produce
insulin ;
[5]
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Page 13 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
Cambridge IGCSE – October/November 2015 0610 33
(c) clone / (genetically) identical ; A no variation
rapid / less energy to reproduce (asexually) / only one parent /
no gametes ;
large quantity of insulin produced ;
all bacteria, have the insulin gene / produce insulin ;
same insulin produced ;
once cells are engineered does not have to be repeated ;
AVP ; e.g. cheap / ethical or religious reasons / less allergic only accept in context of comparisons with
reaction / no immune rejection / more efficient / no risk animal insulin extraction methods
of disease (transmission) max [3]
[Total: 10]
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