Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge Ordinary Level

BIOLOGY 5090/11
Paper 1 Multiple Choice October/November 2015
1 hour
Additional Materials: Multiple Choice Answer Sheet
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READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write in soft pencil.

Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
Write your name, Centre number and candidate number on the Answer Sheet in the spaces provided
unless this has been done for you.
DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.

There are forty questions on this paper. Answer all questions. For each question there are four possible
answers A, B, C and D.
Choose the one you consider correct and record your choice in soft pencil on the separate Answer Sheet.

Read the instructions on the Answer Sheet very carefully.

Each correct answer will score one mark. A mark will not be deducted for a wrong answer.
Any rough working should be done in this booklet.
Electronic calculators may be used.

This document consists of 17 printed pages and 3 blank pages.

IB15 11_5090_11/2RP
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1 The diagram shows a plant cell. The cell is stained with iodine solution.

cell wall
nucleus

starch grain

After staining with iodine solution, what are the colours of the cell wall and the starch grain?

cell wall starch grain

A blue-black blue-black
B blue-black orange-brown
C orange-brown blue-black
D orange-brown orange-brown

2 What describes the diffusion of molecules?

A movement from a region of their higher concentration to a region of their lower concentration
down a concentration gradient
B movement from a region of their higher concentration to a region of their lower concentration
up a concentration gradient
C movement from a region of their lower concentration to a region of their higher concentration
down a concentration gradient
D movement from a region of their lower concentration to a region of their higher concentration
up a concentration gradient

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3 The diagram shows the concentration of magnesium ions in a healthy root hair cell of a plant and
in the soil water surrounding it.

concentration of
magnesium ions
concentration of
5 mmol per dm3
magnesium ions
3 mmol per dm3

For the plant to remain healthy, how will the magnesium ions move?

A into the cell by active transport

B into the cell by diffusion
C out of the cell by active transport
D out of the cell by diffusion

4 What is the enzyme that controls a reaction in which both the enzyme and the substrate can
denature at high temperatures?

A amylase
B insulin
C lipase
D protease

5 Which part of a leaf contains cells, but with the fewest chloroplasts?

A cuticle
B epidermis
C spongy mesophyll
D stomata

6 Which features of the mesophyll layer in a leaf aid rapid diffusion of carbon dioxide into the cells?

layer of moisture
air spaces on the outside of
the cell walls

A

key
B

= aids diffusion
C 
= does not aid diffusion
D  

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7 A student grows seedlings in four different test-tubes.

Tube W contains all the mineral ions needed for healthy plant growth.

The other three tubes contain

● water
● all minerals except magnesium ions
● all minerals except nitrates.

The diagram shows the appearance of these seedlings after two weeks.

W X Y Z
healthy little poor growth and hardly any
growth growth yellow leaves growth

What do tubes X, Y and Z contain?

X Y Z
A all minerals except all minerals water
magnesium ions except nitrates
B all minerals except water all minerals
magnesium ions except nitrates
C all minerals all minerals except water
except nitrates magnesium ions
D water all minerals except all minerals
magnesium ions except nitrates

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8 Which digestive processes take place in the mouth (buccal) cavity?

chemical mechanical dissolving

digestion digestion of nutrients

A



B


C


D 

9 What would be least likely to cause famine?

A decrease in human population

B decrease in rainfall
C increase in human population
D increase in rainfall

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10 The health of a population’s teeth can be measured by finding the average number of decayed,
missing or filled teeth per person. This is called the DMFT.

The graph shows the DMFT for four countries in the years between 1980 and 1995. Australia and
the USA have fluoride added to their water but Japan and Belgium do not.

8
key
7 Japan
6 Australia
USA
5 Belgium
DMFT
4

0
1980 1985 1990 1995
year

The following statements were made.

1 The health of teeth has improved in all four countries.

2 Japan showed the greatest improvement.
3 Adding fluoride to the water causes the health of teeth to improve.

Which statements are supported by the graph?

A 1 and 2 B 1 only C 2 and 3 D 3 only

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11 The diagram shows cross-sections through the root and stem of the same plant.

root stem

What is tissue T?

A epidermis
B mesophyll
C phloem
D xylem

12 The diagrams show a plant in a flask of water. It is left in the light at 16 °C for six hours.

cotton
wool

layer
of oil 6 hours

water

326.75 g 321.75 g

balance

What explains the change in mass after six hours?

A absorption of water into the root hairs

B evaporation of water from the flask
C photosynthesis in the leaves of the plant
D transpiration from the leaves of the plant

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13 Which organ receives blood from two major vessels and all of this blood leaves it in a single
major vessel?

A heart

B kidney

C liver

D lung

14 In the human circulatory system, what causes the transfer of materials from the capillaries to the
tissue fluid?

A active transport
B blood pressure
C capillarity
D osmosis

15 Which chamber of the heart would be the first to receive nicotine absorbed into the blood in the
lungs of a cigarette smoker?

A left atrium
B left ventricle
C right atrium
D right ventricle

16 What is the composition of expired air?

composition (%)
gas
A B C D

oxygen 4 16 16 21
carbon dioxide 21 4 0.04 0.04
nitrogen 74 78 78 78
water vapour variable saturated saturated variable

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17 What happens when we breathe out with force?

external internal
diaphragm
intercostal muscles intercostal muscles

A contracts contract relax

B contracts relax relax
C relaxes contract contract
D relaxes relax contract

18 Which changes occur as a person exercises?

depth of breathing breathing rate

A decreases decreases
B decreases increases
C increases decreases
D increases increases

19 A person drinks a large amount of water.

How does this affect the water potentials of the liquids in the renal arteries, the renal veins and
the ureters?

water potential water potential water potential

in renal arteries in renal veins in ureters

A higher higher higher

B higher little change higher
C lower lower little change
D lower lower lower

20 What are the responses to decreased body temperature?

A shivering and vasoconstriction in blood vessels near the skin surface

B shivering and vasodilation in blood vessels near the skin surface
C sweating and vasoconstriction in blood vessels near the skin surface
D sweating and vasodilation in blood vessels near the skin surface

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21 What are the symptoms of diabetes?

concentration of glucose
in blood in urine

A + + key
B + – + = increased
C – + – = decreased
D – –

22 Which row correctly describes the connections of the neurones in a reflex action?

receptor to central central nervous

between neurones
nervous system system to effector

A motor neurone relay neurone sensory neurone

B motor neurone sensory neurone relay neurone
C sensory neurone motor neurone relay neurone
D sensory neurone relay neurone motor neurone

23 What does the hypothalamus control?

A body temperature
B heart rate
C insulin secretion
D rate of breathing

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24 The diagram shows the main muscles and bones of the arm.

What happens when muscle X contracts?

A The lower arm is extended.

B The lower arm is raised.
C The upper arm is lowered.
D The upper arm is raised.

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25 The graph shows the relative risk of lung cancer, according to the years of smoking and the
number of cigarettes smoked each day.

45
over 20 cigarettes per day
40
35
30
relative 25 10-19 cigarettes per day
risk
20 less than 10 cigarettes per day
15
10
5
0
0-20 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+
years of smoking

The following statements were made.

1 The relative risk of lung cancer depends on the number of cigarettes smoked each
day.

2 The relative risk of lung cancer depends on the number of years of smoking.

3 The relative risk of lung cancer depends on the tar content of the cigarettes smoked.

Which statements are supported by the data in the graph?

statement 1 statement 2 statement 3

A



B


C


D 

26 Foods can be made by treating milk in different ways.

1 Bacteria are added.

2 The milk is acidified.
3 The milk proteins are coagulated.

Which processes occur in both cheese and yoghurt production?

A 1, 2 and 3 B 1 and 2 only C 1 and 3 only D 2 and 3 only

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27 An ocean is polluted by an oil spill.

What is least likely to speed up the rate of decomposition of oil by microorganisms?

A aerobic conditions
B mixing by wave action
C presence of salt water
D spraying the surface of the sea with warm water

28 The diagram shows a food chain.

mahogany tree → caterpillar → songbird → hawk

Which type of organism is present in the largest numbers in this food chain?

A carnivores
B consumers
C herbivores
D producers

29 The diagram shows changes in the appearance of a leaf over a period of time, as it lies on the
damp ground.

Which type of organism is most likely to cause these changes?

A carnivore
B decomposer
C herbivore
D producer

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30 The diagram shows some stages in the nitrogen cycle.

Which arrow represents the action of nitrogen-fixing bacteria?

A
nitrates nitrites

atmospheric
B nitrogen
D

plant protein ammonium

C compounds

31 Which method of malarial control is effective against both adult and larval forms of the mosquito?

A covering standing water

B draining swamps
C spraying insecticides
D spraying oil on standing water

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32 Which graph shows changes that occur in a river after being polluted by sewage?

A B

concentration concentration
of nitrogen of nitrogen
compounds compounds

0 0
0 distance 0 distance
sewage downstream sewage downstream
added added

C D

concentration concentration
of nitrogen of nitrogen
compounds compounds

0 0
0 distance 0 distance
sewage downstream sewage downstream
added added

33 The diagram shows peas growing on the plant.

R
Q
P

What are the labelled structures?

P Q R

A fruit seed pericarp

B fruit testa seed
C seed fruit pericarp
D seed fruit testa

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34 What passes down a pollen tube after pollination?

A female nucleus
B male nucleus
C ovule
D pollen grain

35 The diagram shows a developing fetus in the uterus.

What is the function of X?

A absorbing nutrients from the mother’s blood

B contracting to push the baby out at birth
C prevention of disease
D protecting from mechanical damage

36 Some signs of syphilis are listed.

1 fever
2 loss of appetite
3 non healing skin ulcers
4 skin rash
5 small, painless sores
6 swelling of lymph nodes

What are the first signs of syphilis?

A 1 and 2 B 3 and 4 C 4 and 5 D 5 and 6

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37 In horses, red hair is dominant to brown.

A breeder crosses a number of heterozygous red-haired horses.

Approximately what percentage of the offspring will be red-haired?

A 25% B 50% C 75% D 100%

38 Which row in the table is correct?

chromosome in chromosome in
sex of baby
mother’s ovum father’s sperm

A X X male
B X Y male
C Y X female
D X Y female

39 Which statement is correct?

A Evolution is natural selection.

B Evolution results in natural selection.
C Natural selection and evolution are independent of each other.
D Natural selection results in evolution.

40 Bacteria can be genetically engineered to produce human insulin by adding a human insulin gene
to the bacterial DNA.

What is an advantage of this procedure?

A The bacteria do not need a source of glucose.

B The bacteria grow faster than before being engineered.
C The insulin does not need to be purified before being injected into a patient.
D The insulin is unlikely to cause an immune response when injected into a patient.

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