HKDSE BIOLOGY—Concepts and Applications

Mock Exam (March 2014)

BIOLOGY PAPER 1

Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes

This paper must be answered in English.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. There are TWO sections, A and B, in this Paper. You are advised to finish Section A in about
35 minutes.

2. Section A consists of multiple-choice questions in this question paper. Section B contains

conventional questions printed separately in Question-Answer Book B.

3. Answers to Section A should be marked on the Multiple-choice Answer Sheet while answers to
Section B should be written in the spaces provided in Question-Answer Book B. The Answer
Sheet for Section A and the Question-Answer Book B for Section B will be collected
separately at the end of the examination.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SECTION A (MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS)

1. Read carefully the instructions on the Answer Sheet. After the announcement of the start of the
examination, you should fill in the information required in the space provided. No extra time will be
given for filling in the required information after the ‘Time is up’ announcement.

2. When told to open this book, you should check that all the questions are there. Look for the words
‘END OF SECTION A’ after the last question.

3. All questions carry equal marks.

4. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS. You are advised to use an HB pencil to mark all the answers on the
Answer Sheet, so that wrong marks can be completely erased with a clean rubber. You must mark
the answers clearly; otherwise you will lose marks if the answers cannot be captured.

5. You should mark only ONE answer for each question. If you mark more than one answer, you will
receive NO MARKS for that question.

6. No marks will be deducted for wrong answers.

Not to be taken away before

the end of the examination
session
2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 1 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.
 SECTION A (MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS)

There are 36 questions in this section.

The diagrams in this section are NOT necessarily drawn to scale.

Directions: Questions 1 and 2 refer to the following photomicrograph of an animal cell.

1. What is/are the function(s) of structure X?

(1) protein synthesis
(2) ATP production
(3) provide support to the cell

A. (1) only
B. (1) and (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

2. Structure X is the most abundant in which of the following human cells?

A. red blood cells

B. pancreas cells
C. heart muscle cells
D. neurones

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 2 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

3. Susan examines some cells with a microscope. Which of the following features enables her to
identify the cells as eukaryotic cells?

A. presence of a nucleus
B. presence of ribosomes
C. absence of cell wall
D. absence of chloroplasts

Directions: Questions 4 and 5 refer to the following investigation on the enzyme catalase. Potato discs
containing catalase are immersed into hydrogen peroxide solution. The time taken for the coloured
liquid to move a fixed distance at various temperatures is recorded. The results are shown in the table
below.

Time taken for the

o
Temperature ( C) coloured liquid to
move 5 cm (s)
20 45
potato 30 16
coloured
discs liquid 40 8
hydrogen 50 12
peroxide
solution

4. What conclusion(s) can be drawn from the above results?

(1) Catalase is inactive at low temperatures.
(2) The optimum temperature of catalase is 40 oC.
(3) Catalase is denatured at high temperatures.

A. (2) only
B. (1) and (2) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

5. In order to show that an enzyme is involved in the above reaction, a control set-up is needed. The
test tube in the control set-up should include:

A. hydrogen peroxide solution only.

B. potato discs only.
C. ground potato tissues and hydrogen peroxide solution.
D. boiled potato discs and hydrogen peroxide solution.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 3 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

6. Which of the following substances would be absorbed into the central lacteal of a villus from the
gut lumen?
(1) glucose
(2) fats
(3) vitamin D

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

7. Villi contain smooth muscle fibres which can facilitate food absorption because smooth muscle
fibres

A. allow movement of the villus to increase its contact with food particles.
B. are smooth to reduce the resistance of the flow of food along the small intestine.
C. shorten the diffusion distance for food particles to enter the blood capillaries and lacteal in
the villus.
D. actively uptake food particles from the gut lumen into the villus against the concentration
gradient.

Directions: Questions 8 and 9 refer to the following graph which shows the rate of uptake of
magnesium ions into the root hair cells. The root hair cells are immersed in solutions of varying
concentrations of magnesium ions. The absorption rates under aerobic (Curve A) and anaerobic
conditions (Curve B) are recorded as follows:

Curve A (solution with oxygen)

10

Rate of uptake
of magnesium Curve B (solution without
ions oxygen)

0
P Q R

Concentration of magnesium ions in solution

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 4 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

8. Which of the following is the possible explanation for the rate of uptake of magnesium ions
between P and Q under aerobic condition?

A. The root hair cells die as they cannot obtain enough magnesium ions from the surroundings.
B. The root hair cells absorb magnesium ions by simple diffusion.
C. The root hair cells actively uptake magnesium ions against the concentration gradient from
the surroundings.
D. There is excretion of excess magnesium ions from the root hair cells to the surroundings.

9. Adding which of the following substances to the solution can produce similar results as curve B?

A. excess magnesium ions

B. sodium hydrogencarbonate
C. potassium hydroxide
D. cyanide

Directions: Questions 10 and 11 refer to the diagram below, which shows the pathway and direction of
water movement through a plant.
leaf

(iii)
(ii)

stem

(i) root

tissue X

10. What are the processes (i), (ii) and (iii)?

Process (i) Process (ii) Process (iii)

A. active transport osmosis diffusion
B. osmosis evaporation diffusion
C. active transport osmosis evaporation
D. osmosis evaporation evaporation

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 5 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

11. Tissue X is important in herbal plants because it is responsible for
(1) transport of sugar.
(2) transport of water.
(3) transport of mineral salts.
(4) food production by photosynthesis.

A. (2) and (4) only

B. (2) and (3) only
C. (1), (2) and (3) only
D. (2), (3) and (4) only

12. Which of the following blood vessels carries oxygenated blood?

A. umbilical vein
B. coronary vein
C. pulmonary artery
D. vena cava

13. The diagram below shows the chromosomes of a germ cell of an animal.

What of the following is the gamete produced by this germ cell?

A. B. C. D.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 6 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

14. The graph below shows the changes in the amount of DNA in a cell during the cell cycle.

T1 T2 T3 T4

Amount of DNA in
individual cell
2
(arbitrary unit)

0
Time

Which of the following statements correctly describe the event taking place at the particular time
period?

A. DNA replication during T1

B. Pairing up of homologous chromosomes during T2
C. Separation of homologous chromosomes during T3
D. Cellular synthesis and growth during T4

15. The diagram below shows the regions of a plant root that carry out different stages of the growth
and development process.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Which of the labelled regions perform(s) cell differentiation?

A. (1) only
B. (4) only
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (1), (2) and (3) only

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 7 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

16. Which of the following reproduction methods cannot produce genetically identical offspring?

A. binary fission of bacteria

B. forming potato tubers
C. seed formation by flowering plants
D. cutting a leaf from the parent plant and then planting it in soil

Directions: Questions 17 and 18 refer to the following diagram which shows the male urinogenital
system of humans:

17. Structures X and Y are:

Structure X Structure Y
A. urethra sperm duct
B. ureter sperm duct
C. ureter urethra
D. sperm duct urethra

18. If duct X is blocked, which of the following will happen?

A. The man cannot ejaculate.

B. There is no sperms in the semen.
C. The man cannot carry out copulation.
D. No male sex hormones can be produced.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 8 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

19. The diagram below shows three seedlings growing in a light-proof box.

mica plate
agar block with
auxins
decapitated
coleoptile
P Q R

Which seedling(s) would bend towards the left side?

A. Q only
B. R only
C. P and Q only
D. Q and R only

Directions: Questions 20 and 21 refer to the diagram below, which shows the nervous connection of
the brain, spinal cord, some receptors and effectors of a man.

1 X
brain

Y
2

nerve endings
in finger
5
3 spinal cord

arm muscle

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 9 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

20. The man accidentally touched a sharp nail with his finger, his hand was withdrawn quickly.
Which of the following correctly shows the nervous pathway of this action?

A. 1→2→4
B. 1→2→3→5
C. 5→3→2→1
D. 5→3→4

21. The man goes jogging. Jogging requires the involvement of:

A. structure Y only.
B. structures X and Y only.
C. structures Y and Z only.
D. structures X, Y and Z.

Directions: Questions 22 to 24 refer to the following diagram which shows the elbow joint of humans:

muscle Q
muscle P
3
4
tendon R

1
2

22. Cartilage is found at

A. position 1.
B. position 2.
C. position 3.
D. position 4.

23. Tendon R can

A. protect the elbow joint during bending.

B. support muscle Q during contraction.
C. transmit the force of muscle contraction to bone 4.
D. maintain muscle P in suitable position during muscle contraction.
2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 10 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.
24. When the elbow joint bends,

A. muscle Q becomes thinner.

B. muscle P contracts.
C. tendon R is lengthened.
D. muscles P and Q act antagonistically.

25. Which of the following comparisons between fungi and plantae is correct?

Fungi Plantae
A. absence of mitochondria presence of mitochondria
B. prokaryotic eukaryotic
C. absence of cellulose cell wall presence of cellulose cell wall
D. unicellular only multicellular only

26. The diagram below shows a food web in a grassland.

hawk

small birds snake

lizard

caterpillar snail rabbit

grass

According to the food web, the relationship(s) between small birds and the hawk is / are:
(1) predation
(2) competition
(3) commensalism

A. (1) only
B. (1) and (2) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 11 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

27. An experiment was performed to investigate the effects of various factors on the rate of oxygen
production in four flasks of algae. The settings are shown in the table below.

Carbon dioxide Temperature Light intensity

Flask o
concentration ( C) (arbitrary unit)
P 0.5% 25 0
Q 0.03% 25 5
R 0.5% 25 10
S 0.5% 15 5

Which flasks should be compared to find out the effect of light intensity on oxygen production?

A. P and Q
B. R and S
C. P and R
D. Q and S

28. Which of the following about acetyl coenzyme A involved in respiration is correct?
(1) Acetyl coenzyme A is formed from pyruvate during the link reaction.
(2) Acetyl coenzyme A enters the Krebs cycle and is regenerated to be reused in the link
reaction.
(3) Acetyl coenzyme A is involved in oxidative phosphorylation for the generation of ATP.

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (1) and (3) only

29. Peter is running a 800-metre race. Which of the following processes occur(s) in his skeletal
muscles to supply energy?
(1) Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + energy
(2) Glucose → lactic acid + energy
(3) Glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide + energy

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (1) and (3) only

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 12 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

30. Immunity gained by vaccination is called

A. passive, natural immunity.

B. passive, artificial immunity.
C. active, natural immunity.
D. active, artificial immunity.

31. A man with normal vision and a woman who is a carrier for colour blindness got married. What
is the probability of this couple having a son with colour blindness?

A. 0
B. 1/4
C. 1/2
D. 3/4

32. Which of the following is/are the example(s) of continuous variations in humans?
(1) waist length
(2) skin colour
(3) hair length

A. (1) only
B. (1) and (2) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3)

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 13 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

33. Person W has a genetic abnormality. The following karyotype shows the chromosomes of one
body cell of W.

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23

Which of the following regarding person W is correct?

(1) Person W is a female.
(2) The genetic abnormality that person W has is caused by an extra chromosome 21.
(3) All children of person W will have this abnormality.

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (2) and (3) only

34. The base sequence of a DNA strand is as follows.

AAA TAG CTT CTC

If an inversion mutation occurred during the replication of this DNA strand, which of the
following would be the base sequence of the newly synthesised DNA strand?

A. AAA TAG CTT GTC

B. AAA ATG CTT CTC
C. TTT ATC GAA GAG
D. TTT ATC AGA GAG

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 14 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

35. Insulin synthesised from genetically modified bacteria can

A. be used to treat all types of diabetic patients.

B. be used to help diabetic patients with malfunctioning pancreas that cannot secrete insulin.
C. be stored in the liver and be released when there is not enough insulin in the blood.
D. be ingested orally.

36. Which of the following substances contain(s) nucleotide(s)?

(1) triglyceride
(2) DNA
(3) NADP
(4) ATP

A. (2) only
B. (1), (2) and (3) only
C. (2), (3) and (4) only
D. (1), (2), (3) and (4)

END OF SECTION A
Go on to Question-Answer Book B for questions on Section B

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 15 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1A 16 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.
 B Name

Class
HKDSE BIOLOGY
Class number
Concepts and Applications

Mock Exam (March 2014)

BIOLOGY PAPER 1

SECTION B: Question-Answer Book B

This paper must be answered in English

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SECTION B Teacher’s

(1) After the announcement of the start of the examination, Use Only
you should first write your name, class and class Question No. Marks
number on this page.
1
(2) Refer to the general instructions on the cover of the
2
Question Paper for Section A.
3
(3) Answer ALL questions.
4
(4) Write your answers in the spaces provided in this
Question-Answer Book. Do not write in the margins. 5
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.
6
(5) Supplementary answer sheets will be provided on
7
request. Write your name, class and class number; fill
in the question number on each sheet, and fasten 8
them with string INSIDE this Question-Answer Book.
9
(6) Present your answers in paragraphs wherever
10
appropriate.
Total
(7) The diagrams in this section are NOT necessarily
drawn to scale.

(8) No extra time will be given to you for filling in your

name, class and class number after the ‘Time is up’
announcement.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 1 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

 Page total

SECTION B
Answer ALL questions. Put your answers in the spaces provided.

1. For each of the biological processes listed in column 1, select from column 2 one type of
membrane transport mechanisms that accounts for the process. (3 marks)

Column 1 Column 2
(a) Uptake of water from the soil into root A. Osmosis
hairs cells _______ B. Active transport
(b) Flow of sugars into sieve tube cells of C. Diffusion
phloem from the neighbouring cells _______ D. Exocytosis
(c) Secretion of insulin from the
insulin-producing cells in the pancreas _______

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

2. The diagram below shows the skull structures of two mammals, P and Q.

P Q

(a) Based on the dentitions shown above, deduce the type of diet taken by P and Q respectively.
(2 marks)

P:

Q:

(b) With reference to two observable features of P, describe how its teeth are adapted for its diet.
(4 marks)

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 2 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

 Page total

3. The diagram on the left shows the human female reproductive system, while the photograph on
the right shows a female condom.

open end closed end

Female reproductive system Female condom

(a) (i) The female condom is put into the vagina of a female during sexual intercourse. Label
in the above diagram the structure ‘vagina’. (1 mark)
(ii) How does the female condom provide contraception? (2 marks)

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(b) Another contraceptive method is to tie and cut both oviducts. A 28-year-old woman has just
received this operation. State whether or not this women will still have menstruation.
Explain your answer. (4 marks)

(c) The diagram below shows part of the process that a cell undergoes to form an ovum. X is a
feature of this process. Explain how this feature results in genetic variations among the ova
formed. (2 marks)

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 3 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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4. The graph below shows the changes in blood pressure in different parts of the human circulatory
system.

Blood
pressure

aorta arteries capillaries veins

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Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(a) With reference to the graph, describe and explain the changes in blood pressure as blood
flows from the aorta to the veins. (3 marks)

(b) (i) Explain the importance of low blood pressure in the capillaries. (1 mark)

(ii) The velocity of blood flow in the capillaries is also low. Explain the significance of
this. (1 mark)

(c) In the above graph, stretch a curve to show the change in oxygen content of blood as it
flows through the blood vessels. (2 marks)

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 4 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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5. During the last Ice Age, formation of glaciers destroyed many habitats, leaving bare rocks. The
flowchart below shows the primary succession that has taken place in one of these areas.

lichens, grass, ferns

bare rocks small shrubs woodland
mosses and herbs

(a) Explain what is meant by primary succession. (2 marks)

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(b) Lichen is an association between algae and fungi. State the type of relationship between
algae and fungi, and explain how they interact with each other. (4 marks)

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 5 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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6. David is a smoker. He has just taken a medical check-up and found that he has a high blood
cholesterol level. High blood cholesterol level has been shown to be associated with coronary
heart disease.

(a) Explain how high blood cholesterol level may contribute to coronary heart disease.
(3 marks)

(b) Give three pieces of advice to David to lower the risks of developing coronary heart disease.

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Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(3 marks)

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2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 6 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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7. An experiment was carried out to study the effect of different temperatures on the activity of
amylase. For each temperature, equal volumes of starch solution and amylase solution were
mixed together. The amylase activity was estimated by the rate of disappearance of starch using
the iodine test. The results obtained are shown in the table below:

Temperature (oC) Time taken for starch to disappear (minute)

10 20
20 17
30 11
40 3
50 13
60 33
70 ∞ (infinity)
80 ∞ (infinity)

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Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(a) Using the graph paper on the next page, plot a graph to show the results. (5 marks)

(b) Based on the results, describe the effect of temperature on amylase activity. (4 marks)

(c) Briefly describe the procedures used to obtain the above data using the iodine test.
(4 marks)

(d) Suggest another factor, besides temperature, that affects amylase activity. (1 mark)

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2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 7 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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Graph paper for question 7(a):

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2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 8 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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8. The pedigree below shows the inheritance of red-green colour blindness (an X-linked recessive
trait) in a family.

Key
(1) (2) female with normal
vision
female with red-green
colour blindness
male with normal
(3) (4) (5) (6) vision
male with red-green
colour blindness
?
(7) (8) (9) (10) (11)

(a) Deduce the genotype of individual (4) without using a genetic diagram. (4 marks)

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(b) Using a genetic diagram, deduce the probability of individual (7) having red-green colour
blindness. (4 marks)

(c) Individual (2) has normal colour vision, but he finds it difficult to distinguish colours in a
dark environment. Explain why. (2 marks)

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2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 9 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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9. In the 1800s, the scientist Engelmann carried out an investigation to study photosynthesis. He
placed a filamentous green alga in a solution rich in oxygen-seeking bacteria. The filamentous
alga was then exposed to a spectrum of light produced from a prism.

filamentous
green alga

oxygen-seeking
red bacteria

spiral chloroplast
orange

yellow
prism
green

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Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

blue
white light

violet

(a) What was the objective of Engelmann’s investigation? (1 mark)

(b) Describe and explain the distribution of the bacteria. (4 marks)

(c) Suggest a suitable control set-up for the above investigation and predict the results of it.
(2 marks)

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2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 10 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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(d) Briefly describe the reactions by which the alga releases oxygen. (3 marks)

(e) Some algae live in the sea. As light penetrates seawater, red, orange and yellow light are
absorbed by the seawater. Algae that live in the sea usually have several different
photosynthetic pigments. What is the advantage of this? (2 marks)

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Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 11 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

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For the following question, candidates are required to present their answer in essay form. Criteria
for marking will include relevant content, logical presentation and clarity of expression.

10. Contrast the mechanisms of how the flow of substances is generated and maintained in the
human circulatory system and the water transport system in plants. (11 marks)

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Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

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END OF PAPER 1

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2014-MAR-MOCK-BIO 1B 14 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

 HKDSE BIOLOGY
Concepts and Applications

BIOLOGY MOCK EXAM MAR 2014

ANSWERS
Paper 1
Section A Multiple-choice questions (36 marks)

Question No. Answer Question No. Answer

1. A 19. A

2. B 20. D

3. A 21. B

4. B 22. B

5. D 23. C

6. C 24. D

7. A 25. C

8. C 26. B

9. D 27. C

10. B 28. A

11. B 29. C

12. A 30. D

13. D 31. B

14. C 32. B

15. C 33. B

16. C 34. D

17. D 35. B

18. B 36. C

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A1 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

Section B Structural questions (84 marks)
1. (a) A (1)
(b) B (1)
(c) D (1)
Total: 3 marks

2. (a) P: Carnivorous diet (1)

Q: Herbivorous diet (1)
(b) The canines of P are long, pointed and curved, (1)
which are used for killing prey and tearing flesh from prey. (1)
Some of the premolars and molars (called carnassial teeth) of P are very large and have
sharp edges. (1)
These teeth can cut through flesh and crush bones effectively. (1)
Total: 6 marks

3. (a) (i)

vagina

(1)
(ii) It acts as a physical barrier (1)
to prevent sperms from meeting the ovum. (1)
(b) The woman will still have menstruation. (1)
The operation does not affect her ovaries which produce female sex hormones (1)
and its transport by the blood. (1)
Under the influence of female sex hormones, the uterine lining undergoes periodic
thickening and shredding. (1)
(c) Non-sister chromatids of the homologous pair exchange genetic material with each other.
(1)
This results in genetic recombination. (1)
Total: 7 marks

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A2 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

4. (a) Blood pressure in the aorta is high as the blood is directly under the pumping action of the
heart. (1)
As blood flows through the arteries and capillaries, blood pressure decreases. This is
because the total cross-sectional area of the arteries and that of the capillaries are greater
than that of the aorta / the lumen of the arteries and capillaries are small. (1)
The blood pressure in the veins becomes even lower as the blood has overcome great
resistance after travelling a long distance. (1)
(b) (i) The capillary wall is thin / one-cell thick. High blood pressure would burst / damage
the capillary (1)
(ii) To allow more time for the exchange of materials between the blood and the tissue
cells (1)
(c) Shape of curve showing a drop in oxygen content at the capillaries (2)

aorta arteries capillaries veins

Total: 7 marks

5. (a) Primary succession takes place over a bare / uncolonised area. Lichens and mosses are
brought to the bare rocks by wind and they grow to form the pioneer community. (1)
The pioneer community gradually grows and develops into more complex organisms,
eventually progresses to the climax community. (1)
(b) Mutualism. (1)
Both algae and fungi are benefited from living together. (1)
Algae carry out photosynthesis to make food for both organisms. (1)
Fungi can hold water and provide anchorage to allow both organisms to grow on rocks and
trees. (1)
Total: 6 marks

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A3 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

6. (a) A high blood cholesterol level increases the risk of plaque formation / atherosclerosis on the
inner walls of arteries. (1)
When plaque builds up in coronary arteries, their lumens become smaller or completely
blocked. (1)
The heart muscles which are supplied by these narrowed arteries receive less oxygen and
nutrients and may die. (1)
(b) Any three of the following: (1 mark each, max. 3)
Reduce the intake of (saturated) fats / cholesterol in his diet. (1)
Exercise regularly. (1)
Quit smoking. (1)
(Or other reasonable answers)
Total: 6 marks

7. (a) Correct title, e.g. Effect of temperature on amylase activity (1)

Correct choice of axes (1)
Axes with labels and units: (1)
- X: Amylase activity (1/t x 100 per minute)
- Y: Temperature (oC)
Correct plotting of data points (1)
and correct smooth curve joining all points (1)

30

25

Amylase
activity 20
(1/t x 100
per minute) 15

10

0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Temperature (oC)

(b) At low temperatures (10 to 30 oC), amylase activity is low but it increases as temperature
increases. (1)
o
At 40 C, amylase activity is the highest. This is the optimum temperature for amylase to
work at. (1)

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A4 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

 At high temperatures (from 40 to 70 oC), amylase activity drops as amylase starts to
become denatured. (1)
At 70 and 80 oC, no amylase activity was detected. (1)
3 3
(c) Put test tubes with 2 cm starch solution and 2 cm amylase solution into water baths of
10 oC, 20 oC, 30 oC, 40 oC, 50 oC, 60 oC, 70 oC and 80 oC for 15 minutes. (1)
Add iodine solution into each spot of a spot tile.
Mix the enzymes and starch solution of the same temperature and start the timer. (1)
At one-minute intervals, transfer a drop of reaction mixture to the iodine solution on a
spot of the spot tile. (1)
The time at which iodine solution no longer turns blue-black is recorded. (1)
(d) pH / presence of inhibitors (1)
Total: 14 marks

8. (a) As the father of individual 4 is red-green colour blind, he must have an X chromosome
carrying the recessive allele for red-green colour blindness. (1)
Individual 4 is a female, so she must have inherited the X chromosome carrying the
recessive allele from her father. (1)
As she has normal vision, she must have an X chromosome carrying the dominant allele for
normal vision. (1)
Therefore, individual 4 is heterozygote. (1)
(b) Let XB be the dominant allele for normal vision, (0.5)
b
and X be the recessive allele for sex-linked red-green colour blindness (0.5)

Parents individual 3 individual 4

(male with normal vision) (carrier female)
XB Y XB Xb

Gametes XB Y XB Xb

F1 genotype XB XB XB Xb XB Y Xb Y

F1 phenotype normal carrier normal colour-blind

female female male male
(2)
The probability of having a red-green colour blind girl (individual 7) is 0. (1)
(c) Cone cells are responsible for colour vision, (1)
but these cells cannot be stimulated by dim light. (1)
Total: 10 marks

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A5 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

9. (a) To find out the effect of light of different colours on photosynthesis. (1)
(b) The green alga carried out photosynthesis to release oxygen. (1)
The bacteria need oxygen for respiration. (1)
Most bacteria were attracted to the red and violet lights, (1)
indicating that the rate of photosynthesis is higher in red and violet lights. (1)
(c) Similar to the experimental set-up but without the prism. (1)
The bacteria would distribute evenly. (1)
(d) Light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll. (1)
ATP is generated by photophosphorylation. (1)
Some of the energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen released
is taken up by a hydrogen acceptor, while the oxygen is released as a gas. (1)
(e) Having multiple types of photosynthetic pigments can absorb lights of different colours. (1)
This maximises the rate of photosynthesis. (1)
Total: 12 marks

10. Generation of flow (max: 3)

Human circulatory system Water transport system in plants

More active (1)
More passive (1)

By the pumping action of the heart (1)
Affected by external environmental

is myogenic (heart rate and strength of conditions (e.g. humidity, temperature
contraction regulated by medulla and wind speed) (1)
oblongata and hormones) (1)
Assisted by increase in stomatal size in
respond to high light intensity (1)

Maintenance of flow (max: 5)

Human circulatory system Water transport system in plants

Elastic fibrous tissues of arteries to
Xylem vessels are rigid and fixed in
maintain high blood pressure (1) diameter. (1)

Change in diameter of blood vessels (e.g.
Water is transported up by tension
vasodilation) to regulate amount of blood developed in xylem vessel (1)
flow to different tissues (1)
Cohesion between water molecules

Valves in veins to prevent backflow of ensure movement of continuous water
blood (1) movement in xylem vessel (1)

Contraction of skeletal muscles to help
squeeze blood forwards in veins (1)

Communication: max 3
Total: 11 marks

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A6 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

Paper 2
Section A
1. (a) (i) To ensure that the urine previously present in the bladder would not interfere with the
urine volume measured. (1)
(ii) Time is needed for the absorption of solution from the intestine and the formation of
urine. (1)
(iii) Urine output rate increased to 4.6 mL/min at 30 min and gradually fell to 2.5 mL/min
at 90 min. (1)
The water drunk is absorbed and the water potential of the blood rises. (1)
This is detected by the osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus
stimulates the pituitary gland to release less ADH. (1)
The wall of the collecting ducts then becomes less permeable to water, (1)
hence a smaller proportion of water is reabsorbed from the glomerular filtrate. (1)
As a result, a larger volume of dilute urine is formed.
(iv) (1) All solutions lead to an increase in urine output rate. (1)
The extent of increase caused by drinking tea is greater than the effect caused
by salt solutions. (1)
The more concentrated the salt solution is, the smaller the extent of increase is.
(1)
(2) The two salt solutions are more hypertonic than tea. (1)
(Or Tea contains chemicals that stimulate urination.)
Total: 11 marks

1. (b) (i) At the start of exercise, respiration rate of muscles increases and the muscles release
more carbon dioxide into blood and so the pH of blood decreases. (1)
Release of lactic acid from muscles also cause pH to fall. (1)
This stimulates chemoreceptors in carotid and aortic bodies to send nerve impulses to
the cardioacceleratory centre (in the medulla oblongata). (1)
Cardioacceleratory centre send more nerve impulses to the SA node of the heart (via
sympathetic nerve), (1)
to stimulate the heart to beat stronger at a higher frequency. (1)
(ii) (1) The trained person has a lower heart rate than the untrained person. (1)
This is because trained people have stronger cardiac muscles to pump more
blood in each heartbeat. (1)
(2) This allows trained people to deliver more blood to respiring muscles efficiently
for vigorous contraction. (1)
(iii) Increase in sweat production / vasodilation in the skin (1)
Total: 9 marks

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A7 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

Section B
2. (a) (i) Species A: dominate the upper shore (landward) (1)
Species B: distribute evenly along the transect (1)
Species C: dominate the lower shore (seaward) (1)
(ii) Species A. (1)
The upper shore is above the sea level and has only short time of being submerged by
seawater. (1)
Species A has adaptations against water loss from their body surface by evaporation.
(1)
(iii) When gastropods feed on food debris, the heavy metal ions are absorbed / ingested
into their bodies. (1)
The heavy metal ions cannot be metabolised or excreted but remain inside their bodies.
(1)
As top consumers feed on a lot of low-level consumers like gastropods, the level of
ions accumulates and magnifies up the food chain. (1)
The level may become so high that it exceeds the tolerance level of top consumers and
is lethal to them. (1)
Total: 10 marks

2. (b) (i) Trend (Any two)

The abundance of total stock in the 2000s is much lower compared with the 1970s. (1)
The fall in the abundance of large individuals is greater than small individuals. (1)
The level of abundance of large individuals is higher than small ones in the 1970s, but
the situation reverses in the 2000s. (1)
Underlying reasons
Overfishing on adults due to increased consumption of sushi and sashimi in the recent
decades (1)
Destruction of natural habitats for Atlantic Salmon due to construction / pollution /
dynamite fishing (1)
(ii) Any two sets of the followings:

Set up moratorium (1) +
to allow growth of juveniles into adults. (1)

Set up minimum limit for the size of the fish caught (1) +
to allow growth of juveniles into adults. (1)

Inspect more on possible oil spillage and other accidents (1) +
and minimise the damage done to the habitat. (1)

Mandate sewage treatment before discharge / set up sewage treatment plant /
limit large construction projects in coastal areas (1) +
to reduce pollutants released to the habitats. (1)

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A8 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.


Promote education on environmental conservation (1) +
to raise awareness of the public (especially the next generation) on the
importance of sustainable development. (1)
(iii) Yes. The abundance of total stock has increased since 2008. (1)
The increase in the abundance of small fish is the greatest. (1)
Total: 10 marks

Section C
3. (a) (i) Using the streak plate method can spread out / isolate bacterial population on the agar
plate (1)
for identification / test. (1)
(ii) (1) Any two of the following:
Spray the bench and the hands with ethanol before and after the experiment. (1)
Heat the inoculating loop with Bunsen flame after each inoculation. (1)
Perform the whole process near a Bunsen flame. (1)
(2) To avoid introduction of other microorganisms from the surroundings that may
interfere with the test result. (1)
(iii) To ensure that the bacteria are evenly spread into individual bacterial cells / bacterial
cells are isolated for further testing / identification. (1)
(iv) Lysozyme in saliva (1)
Gastric acid in the stomach (1)
(v) Prescribe antibiotics (1)
to kill the bacteria or stop bacterial growth inside the patient’s body. (1)
Total: 10 marks

3. (b) (i) Aspergillus niger bacteria: (any two)

can divide / grow rapidly. (1)

are not pathogenic (does not produce toxin). (1)

have high success rate in pectinase gene expression. (1)
(ii) Pectinase can break down the pectin / cellulose fibres in the cell wall (1)
to release the trapped juice in the flesh / releasing contents in the cell sap. (1)
(iii) Stirrer can increase the dissolved oxygen level in the nutrient medium (1)
so that sufficient oxygen is available for bacteria to carry out aerobic respiration for
growth / survival. (1)
(iv) As nutrients / energy source for Aspergillus niger bacteria (1)
to grow / divide rapidly. (1)
(v) Heating can provide an optimum temperature for pectinase to act on the substrate. (1)
Crushing of fruit increases the surface area for pectinase to act on. (1)
Total: 10 marks

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A9 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.

Section D
4. (a) (i) The transformed yeast cells will have resistance against antifungal X but will be
susceptible to antifungal Y. (1)
(ii) Subunit vaccines would not cause the disease (1)
but can still initiate immune response in the recipient’s body. (1)
(iii) Spread yeast cells onto an agar plate containing antifungal X and incubate to allow
colonies to form (1)
Select yeast cells from each colony and transfer them to another agar plate containing
antifungal Y and then incubate to allow colonies to form (1)
The transformed yeast cells are resistant to antifungal X but not Y. Colonies that are
resistant to antifungal X but not Y have taken up the recombinant plasmid. (1)
Colonies that survive on both agar plates have not taken up the recombinant plasmid.
(1)
(iv) Any three of the followings:

The genes might be wrongly inserted into a region that is over-expressed or
under-expressed. (1)

The inserted gene may split up functional genes. (1)

It is highly controversial as the change will be inherited to future generations
(playing the role of God). (1)

The time of antibody production cannot be controlled. (1)

Immunity is not elicited by white blood cells, and immunity is lost once the
pathogen mutates a bit. (Or any reasonable answers) (1)
Total: 10 marks

4. (b) (i) Bone marrow from a healthy donor contains stem cells that can differentiate into
normal red blood cells. (1)
(ii) Yes.
The cells of the transplanted bone marrow are somatic cells. (1)
The transplantation does not alter the genetic composition of the germ cells. (1)
(iii) Insert the normal gene for haemoglobin (1)
into vectors (e.g. viruses). (1)
Injection of vectors into the bone marrow / germ cells (1)
The normal gene may then be integrated into the DNA of the bone marrow cells /
germ cells and be expressed. (1)
(iv) People who are heterozygous have a normal allele and so can produce functional
haemoglobin. (1)
Their survival / reproductive chances are not affected. (1)
Therefore, they can pass the recessive allele to the next generation. (1)
Total: 10 marks

2014 MAR MOCK BIO ANS A10 © Aristo Educational Press Ltd.