3, 4 and 6 (2) [90 marks]

1. What feature of arteries is most important in maintaining sufficiently high [1 mark]

blood pressure?
A. A wide lumen
B. Elastic fibres in the wall
C. Valves at intervals
D. A thin wall

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

2. What is a feature of phagocytic white blood cells? [1 mark]

A. Stimulate blood clotting
B. Found only in the circulatory system
C. Form part of non-specific immunity
D. Produce antibodies
 Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]

3. The graph shows the results of measuring two factors in the blood of [1 mark]
patients with HIV/AIDS.

[Source: Courtesy ACRIA.]

What do X and Y represent?

 Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]

4. The graph shows a spirometer trace of oxygen consumption when [1 mark]

breathing at rest and during exercise.

[Source: Courtesy of Dr. Dafang Wang for his work at University of Utah.]

What explains the difference between the traces at regions X and Y on the graph?
A. At X, the internal intercostal muscles contract more than the external
intercostal muscles.
B. At Y, the ribcage moves up and out more than at X.
C. At X, the diaphragm flattens more per breath than at Y.
D. At Y, the intercostal muscles contract more slowly than at X.
 Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

5. How do neonicotinoid pesticides cause paralysis and death in insects? [1 mark]

I. Acetylcholine receptors are blocked.
II. Cholinesterase fails to break down the pesticide.
III. The pesticides bind to presynaptic receptors.
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I and III only
D. I, II and III

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
This multiple completion proved to be the hardest question on the paper, with
the correct answer being the 3rd most commonly chosen. The two most
popular answers both indicated that candidates thought neonicotinoid
pesticides bind to presynaptic receptors. Perhaps they had misread
‘presynaptic’ as ‘postsynaptic’. If so, the lesson here is that questions must be
read very carefully to avoid slips such as this.
6. A female is overweight, feels cold and tired, and often fails to ovulate [1 mark]
during the menstrual cycle. Which two hormones are probably secreted at
insufficient levels?
A. Estrogen and FSH
B. LH and thyroxin
C. Insulin and glucagon
D. Epinephrine and leptin

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
7. A pregnant woman had fetal cells removed by chorionic villus sampling [1 mark]
and tested. The following karyogram was produced.

[Source: Mediscan / Alamy Stock Photo]

What does this show?

A. The child is female with Down syndrome.
B. The child is female without Down syndrome.
C. The child is male with Down syndrome.
D. The child is male without Down syndrome.

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
8. A variety of Pelargonium has yellow leaves. When plants of this variety [1 mark]
are crossed, the resulting seeds produce green, yellow and white
seedlings in the ratio 1 : 2 : 1. If plants with yellow leaves are crossed with plants
with green leaves, what would the expected ratio of phenotypes in the offspring
be?

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
9. A pair of alleles controls the secretion of antigens corresponding to blood [1 mark]
group in saliva. Examine the pedigree chart.

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

Based on this pedigree chart, which best describes the allele conferring antigen
secretion in saliva?
A. Dominant
B. Recessive
C. Sex-linked
D. Co-dominant

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]
10. What is PCR used for? [1 mark]
A. Separate fragments of DNA by size
B. Amplify small amounts of DNA
C. Compare DNA samples
D. Genetically modify organisms’ DNA

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

11. What is the ecological term for a group of different types of organisms [1 mark]
that live together and interact with each other?
A. Community
B. Domain
C. Ecosystem
D. Population

Markscheme
A
 Examiners report
[N/A]

12. In the diagram, which of the processes labelled A to D transfers the [1 mark]
largest mass of carbon per year in a woodland ecosystem?

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
13. What material is formed when organic matter is not fully decomposed in [1 mark]
acidic waterlogged soils?
A. Coal
B. Hydrogen
C. Oil
D. Peat

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
14. The micrograph is of a longitudinal section through the small intestine. [1 mark]
Which letter represents the circular muscle layer?

[Source: Henry Gray (1918) Anatomy of the Human Body]

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
15. Which part of the body secretes amylase, lipase and endopeptidase for [1 mark]
use in the digestion of food?
A. Mouth
B. Pancreas
C. Stomach
D. Small intestine

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
16. The diagram shows the human heart. [1 mark]

[Source: adapted to remove labels and arrows, recoloured and relabelled from
Wapcaplet/
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diagram_of_the_human_heart_(cropped).svg]

After a red blood cell picks up oxygen in the lungs, which sequence shows the
path it could take when passing through the heart during its circuit of the body?
A. I → II → III → IV
B. II → I → IV → III
C. IV → III → I → II
D. IV → III → II → I

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
17. What is non-specific immunity to disease? [1 mark]
A. Blocking prokaryotic metabolism with antibiotics
B. Production of antibodies by lymphocytes
C. Endocytosis of pathogens by white blood cells
D. Production of cloned plasma cells

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
18. The graph shows an action potential. [1 mark]

What is the threshold potential for this cell?

A. –80 mV
B. –70 mV
C. –55 mV
D. 40 mV

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
19. What is the role of the hormone leptin? [1 mark]
A. To regulate the metabolic rate
B. To inhibit appetite
C. To control circadian rhythms
D. To increase blood sugar concentration

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
20. On the graph, which curve represents the change in FSH levels during the [1 mark]
menstrual cycle?

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
21. The system of sex determination in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) is the [1 mark]
same as in other mammals. A chimpanzee has 48 chromosomes in the
nuclei of its body cells.
What can be deduced from this information?
A. The sex of the chimpanzee
B. The number of genes in each chromosome
C. Whether non-disjunction has occurred
D. The number of autosomes in a diploid cell

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
There were claims by some teachers that both C and D could be correct
answers. The instruction to students should always be to choose the best of
the available answers. This necessitates reading all four answers and not
stopping after reaching an answer that on the surface looks correct. Here
answer D is undoubtedly correct – if we know that chimpanzees have two sex
chromosomes and that there are 48 chromosomes in the nuclei of a
chimpanzee’s body cells, we can deduce the number of autosomes. 40 % of
candidates chose this answer and the high discrimination index shows that it
was favoured by the stronger candidates. Answer C is much less convincing
than D – the stage at which non-disjunction might or might not have occurred
isn’t specified so the deduction would be vague. Also, non-disjunction is
diagnosed by looking at the chromosome types, not just the overall
chromosome number.
22. At which stage of meiosis are bivalents formed? [1 mark]
A. Interphase
B. Prophase I
C. Prophase II
D. Metaphase II

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
This was a question that looked difficult because of the use of the word
bivalent. It was not expected that candidates would necessarily know the
term, but they were told that the diploid chromosome number of wild garlic is
14 and as there were 7 bivalents visible in the micrograph it was possible to
deduce that they are pairs of homologous chromosomes. According to the
programme, candidates are expected to know that homologous chromosomes
pair up in the early stages of meiosis, so answer B (Prophase I) should have
been chosen. The commonest incorrect answer was C (Prophase II). Perhaps
the seven bivalents were identified by candidates as seven chromosomes,
each of two chromatids. This possibility can be rejected because the paired
structures in the micrograph are held together in at least two places, which
must therefore be chiasmata rather than centromeres.
23. Creeper in chickens is a condition in which the chickens are born with [1 mark]
very short legs. The creeper allele (C) is dominant over the normal allele
(c). Embryos which are homozygous for the dominant allele fail to develop into
viable chickens and die before they hatch. What phenotypic ratio would you
expect in the live offspring of a cross between two creeper chickens?
A. All creeper
B. 1 creeper; 2 normal
C. 2 creeper; 1 normal
D. 3 creeper; 1 normal

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
24. Which pedigree chart is consistent with the inheritance of red-green [1 mark]
colour blindness?

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]

25. Which organism can best be described as a saprotroph? [1 mark]

A. A fungus that digests its food externally and absorbs the products of digestion
B. A beetle that feeds by ingesting the dung of other animal species and digesting
its food internally
C. A single-celled eukaryote that is able to photosynthesize and consumes smaller
organisms by endocytosis
D. A giraffe that feeds by ingesting leaves from an acacia tree
 Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]

26. The diagram shows the food web for an aquatic ecosystem in which [1 mark]
letters R–Z represent individual species.

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

Which organism is a tertiary consumer?

A. Organism T
B. Organism U
C. Organism W
D. Organism Y

Markscheme
B
 Examiners report
[N/A]

27. Which organisms produce methane in anaerobic environments such as [1 mark]

waterlogged soils?
A. Archaea
B. Fungi
C. Eukaryotes
D. Eubacteria

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]

28. Where in the human body is lipase produced? [1 mark]

A. Stomach
B. Pancreas
C. Gall bladder
D. Liver
Markscheme
B

Examiners report
This is one of the few questions in the exam that test a single piece of factual
knowledge. Guidance in the programme indicates that candidates are
expected to know that lipase is produced in the pancreas. This was answer B.
It was correctly pointed out by one teacher on a feedback form that cells in
the stomach wall also secrete a lipase, so answer B should not have been
included as a distractor. The aim of this exam is to test knowledge and
understanding of biology, not memorised statements from the programme.
29. What are these structures? [1 mark]

[Source: Burgstedt | Dreamstime.com]

A. Fatty acids in the small intestine

B. Bacteria in the large intestine
C. Villi in the small intestine
D. Feces egested from the large intestine

Markscheme
C
 Examiners report
Some teachers couldn’t see the point of this question. Candidates were not
expected to have seen a scanning electron micrograph of the ileum wall, but
they were expected to know the shape of villi, because without this they
cannot appreciate how a villus increases the surface area for absorption. They
should therefore have known that the structures visible in the micrograph are
the right shape to be villi. The choice of the correct answer then depended on
an understanding of scale bars and size units in biology. The finger-like
structures are about 50 μm in diameter – too large for fatty acid molecules or
bacteria and too small for fecal pellets. 70 % of candidates chose the correct
answer and the discrimination index was high.

30. Which feature of capillaries distinguishes them from arteries and veins? [1 mark]
A. Narrow diameter
B. Valves to prevent backflow
C. Thick muscular walls
D. Elastic tissue

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]
31. The diagram shows the major events involved in the formation of a blood [1 mark]
clot.

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

What is Factor Y?
A. Fibrin
B. Prothrombin
C. Fibrinogen
D. Thrombin

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
32. Which statement applies to HIV? [1 mark]
A. HIV infects red blood cells resulting in decreased production of hemoglobin.
B. HIV can be effectively treated using antibiotics.
C. HIV can only be transmitted by sexual intercourse.
D. HIV causes a reduction in production of antibodies.

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
33. The diagram shows a graph of an action potential. [1 mark]

[Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538143/figure/article-
17127.image.f1/?report=objectonly
Physiology, Action Potential by Michael H. Grider and Carolyn S. Glaubensklee.
Copyright © 2019, StatPearls Publishing LLC
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/]

What is happening at X?
A. Sodium channels close.
B. Calcium channels open.
C. Sodium channels open.
D. Potassium channels close.

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]
34. The diagram shows the human female reproductive system. [1 mark]

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

What is produced by structure X?

A. FSH
B. X chromosomes
C. Fertilized eggs
D. Estrogen and progesterone

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
35. The graph shows the incidence of trisomy resulting from non-disjunction [1 mark]
in pregnancies at different maternal ages.

[Source: Center for Disease Control]

What can be inferred from the graph?

A. The incidence of three copies of a chromosome increases directly in proportion
with the age of the mother.
B. The incidence of three sets of chromosomes increases from age 20.
C. The incidence of three copies of a chromosome increases the most from age
35.
D. The incidence of three sets of chromosomes increases the most from age 30.

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
This question was in badly answered by the most capable candidates and
therefore discriminated very badly. Unfortunately, candidates confused the
words sets and copies. Some candidates believed the increase was
proportionate, failing to realize a straight line should have been drawn if this
was the case.
36. The pedigree chart shows a family affected by cystic fibrosis. [1 mark]

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

What is the genotype of the affected boy’s father?

A. AA only
B. Either AA or Aa
C. Aa only
D. aa only

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
This was a good question, it discriminated very well and was not too difficult.
37. The children in a family have blood groups A, B and O. What are the [1 mark]
genotypes of their parents?
A. IAIA and IBi
B. IAi and IBi
C. IAIB and ii
D. IAIB and IBi

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

38. Genetically modified maize, called Bt maize, is thought to be affecting the [1 mark]
monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in the USA. What is the reason for
this?
A. The monarch butterfly feeds on maize nectar, which contains Bt toxin.
B. The monarch caterpillar feeds on maize leaves, which contain Bt toxin.
C. Bt toxin kills the plants that the monarch caterpillar usually eats.
D. Bt toxin is in maize pollen, which blows on to plants that the monarch
caterpillar eats.

Markscheme
D
 Examiners report
Teachers complained that this question was too specific as students not
familiar with the monarch butterfly may not know how to respond to this even
if they are familiar with the dangers of genetically modified crops. In section
3.5 it sates as a skill that candidates should analyse data on risks to monarch
butterflies of Bt crops, therefore the question is fair. The data available deals
with Bt maize and its pollen on milkweed affecting monarch butterfly larvae.

39. In an ecosystem, in the transfer of carbon from producers to consumers, [1 mark]

what is carbon transferred as?
I. Carbon dioxide
II. Protein
III. Hydrogencarbonate ions
A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. I and III only

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
40. The Silver Springs feed into the Silver River in Florida. The diagram shows [1 mark]
a pyramid of energy for the Silver Springs ecosystem. The units are kJ m–2
y–1.

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

What do level I and level III represent in the pyramid of energy?

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
This question was easy, most candidates recognized that I was the producer
and only a few believed II was a tertiary consumer instead of a secondary
consumer.
41. Which is not essential in a viable mesocosm? [1 mark]
A. Light source
B. Autotroph
C. Saprotroph
D. Herbivore

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]

42. What is an advantage of capillary walls being one cell thick in the [1 mark]
systemic circulation?
A. To allow carbon dioxide to diffuse into tissues
B. To allow oxygen to diffuse out of tissues
C. To allow glucose to diffuse into tissues
D. To allow urea to diffuse into tissues

Markscheme
C
 Examiners report
[N/A]

43. What causes the atrioventricular valves to close during a heartbeat? [1 mark]
A. Pressure in the atria is higher than in the ventricles.
B. Pressure in the atria is lower than in the ventricles.
C. Pressure in the arteries is higher than in the ventricles.
D. Pressure in the arteries is lower than in the ventricles.

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

44. In premature babies born earlier than the 30th week of pregnancy, type II [1 mark]
pneumocytes are usually not fully developed, so they do not carry out
their function normally. What is a possible consequence of this?
A. The number of alveoli reduces.
B. The size of the alveoli increases.
C. Capillary networks do not develop fully and oxygen is not absorbed.
D. Surface tension between alveoli does not decrease and the alveoli stick
together.
 Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]

45. The diagram shows a motor neuron. [1 mark]

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

What are the biochemical nature and function of the myelin sheath?
A. The myelin sheath is mainly protein which allows growth of the axon.
B. The myelin sheath is mainly protein which acts as membrane carriers.
C. The myelin sheath is mainly lipid which allows saltatory conduction.
D. The myelin sheath is mainly lipid which provides an energy source.

Markscheme
C
 Examiners report
This question had a very high discrimination index, showing only the most
capable candidates were able to answer the question.

46. Which hormone is part of a negative feedback control system and acts on [1 mark]
cells in the hypothalamus?
A. Insulin
B. Glucagon
C. Melatonin
D. Leptin

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
47. The diagram shows the human female reproductive system [1 mark]

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2019]

Which labels indicate where fertilization occurs and where luteinizing hormone
(LH) acts?

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
Although fertilization can occur in the uterus it is more usual that this occurs
in the oviducts.
48. Which statement correctly describes genome and proteome? [1 mark]
A. Only the genome but not the proteome can be analysed using gel
electrophoresis.
B. The genome and the proteome are the same in all tissues in an organism.
C. In cells of different tissues, the genome is the same while the proteome varies.
D. Only mutations in the proteome but not in the genome cause any variability.

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
This question showed some weakness of understanding among better
candidates. In section 3.1 it states that the genome is the whole of the genetic
information of an organism while in the protein section 2.1 it mentions the fact
that every individual has a unique proteome. In 3.5 it clearly states that gel
electrophoresis is used to separate proteins or fragments of DNA according to
size, therefore excluding A as an answer. Answer B is incorrect, as it is
mentioning tissues (unicellular organisms do not have tissues) and the
proteome differs in different tissues. Answer D is too obviously wrong so
hardly any candidate chose it.
49. The image shows the chromosomes in four cells of an insect at the end of [1 mark]
meiosis.

What is the diploid number of this insect?

A. 16
B. 8
C. 4
D. 2

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
50. A human gene has two alleles. One allele, P, is dominant over the [1 mark]
recessive allele p. Embryos that are homozygous for the dominant allele
die in the uterus. What is the expected ratio of genotypes for the live offspring of
a heterozygous man and a heterozygous woman?
A. 1 : 1
B. 2 : 1
C. 3 : 1
D. 4 : 0

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

51. In cats, black coat colour is dominant over gray. A female black cat, [1 mark]
whose mother is gray, mates with a gray male. What is the predicted ratio
of phenotypes in the offspring?
A. 100 % black
B. 50 % black to 50 % gray
C. 75 % black to 25 % gray
D. 100 % gray
Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
52. The image shows the results of Griffith’s experiment with S and R strains [1 mark]
of Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice (Mus musculus).

What is an explanation for the results?

A. Mice vary in their resistance to bacteria.
B. The R strain and S strain mated.
C. R strain bacteria are more heat-stable than S strain.
D. DNA was transferred from heat-killed S cells to R cells.

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
53. The diagram shows interactions between food chains in an ecosystem in [1 mark]
the African savannah.

Which arrows indicate the flow of chemical energy?

A. I and II only
B. I and III only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and III

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
54. The Australian pitcher plant (Cephalotus follicularis) is a green plant that [1 mark]
traps and feeds on flies and other live insects. What is this plant’s mode
of nutrition?
A. Producer and saprotroph
B. Autotroph and detritivore
C. Autotroph and heterotroph
D. Consumer and saprotroph

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
55. In 1789 Gilbert White, a naturalist, observed eight breeding pairs of swifts [1 mark]
(Apus apus) in the English village of Selborne. On average, each pair of
swifts produces two offspring per year. This would allow the population to rise to
1030 swifts over 200 years. A bird survey carried out in 1983 revealed only 12
breeding pairs in this village.
What could have prevented the numbers rising to 1030?
I. The number of nesting sites remained the same.
II. The food supply of the swifts remained constant.
III. Predatory birds in the area were exterminated.
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and III

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
56. Which products are formed by the action of the enzymes protease and [1 mark]
amylase?

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
57. Limpets are molluscs with conical shells that cling tightly to rocks on [1 mark]
seashores. In a study of two species of limpets found on rocks along the
Oregon coast, 30 randomly placed quadrats were used to determine how often the
two species occurred together. The table shows the data that were collected.

Which statistical method will determine whether these two species occur together
by chance or by some kind of interaction?
A. Chi-squared test
B. t-test
C. Standard deviation
D. Means and ranges

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]
58. Florey and Chain’s penicillin experiments would not be compliant with [1 mark]
current protocols on testing. How was their work out of compliance with
today’s standards?
A. They did animal testing.
B. They tested on humans after animal testing with only eight mice.
C. They did not use sterile technique for culturing the bacteria.
D. They used lethal quantities of bacteria during their tests.

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

59. Why are antibiotics effective in curing diseases against some pathogens [1 mark]
but not others?
I. Antibiotics interrupt processes found in some but not all pathogen cells.
II. Some pathogens have no metabolic processes to interrupt.
III. Some pathogens have developed genetic resistance to specific antibiotics.
A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. I, II and III
 Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]

60. What helps to regulate the levels of glucose in blood? [1 mark]

A. Insulin and glucagon
B. Kidneys and liver
C. Glycogen and insulin
D. Digestion and respiration

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]
61. The image shows a neuron. Which letter shows the myelin sheath? [1 mark]

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]

62. Which hormone controls metabolic rate? [1 mark]

A. Glucagon
B. Insulin
C. Thyroxin
D. Melatonin

Markscheme
C
 Examiners report
[N/A]

63. Which pituitary hormones regulate the human menstrual cycle? [1 mark]
A. FSH and LH
B. Progesterone and estrogen
C. HCG and estrogen
D. FSH and oxytocin

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]

64. What is the same in all parts of homologous chromosomes? [1 mark]

A. Base pair sequence
B. Alleles
C. Sequence of genes
D. Deletions
 Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]

65. What helps make the genome of each human unique? [1 mark]

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
66. Animals in the highest trophic level of a food chain will often be the [1 mark]
largest in body size but will be few in numbers. What accounts for the
small numbers?
A. Food eaten by animals at the highest trophic level has a lower energy content
per gram
B. Energy losses through the food chain
C. Conversion of heat energy into chemical energy
D. Biomass of producers is small

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

67. Which conditions favour peat formation? [1 mark]

 Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

68. In addition to carbon dioxide, which of these greenhouse gases is the [1 mark]
most significant?
A. Methane
B. Ozone
C. Nitrogen oxides
D. Water vapour

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
69. Common pesticides used by gardeners contain neonicotinoids. [1 mark]

[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2018]

What is the effect of a neonicotinoid pesticide on the transmission of a nerve
impulse between neurons in an insect?
A. It prevents the release of acetylcholine from the presynaptic membrane.
B. It widens the synaptic cleft so diffusion of acetylcholine across the gap is
slower.
C. It irreversibly binds with acetylcholine receptors on the postsynaptic
membrane.
D. It interferes with the enzymatic breakdown of acetylcholine by
acetylcholinesterase.

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
70. What explains the presence in living humans of DNA sections which are [1 mark]
identical to DNA found in Neanderthals who lived 40 000 years ago?
A. Genetic mutation
B. Inheritance
C. Adaptation
D. Speciation

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
71. The photomicrograph drawing shows a longitudinal section of the small [1 mark]
intestine.

[Source: Henry Gray (1918) Anatomy of the Human Body]

What is the function of the tissue layers labelled X and Y?
A. Secretion of digestive enzymes
B. Absorption of digested food
C. Transport of absorbed foods
D. Movement of food in the intestine

Markscheme
D
 Examiners report
[N/A]

72. Which vessel carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart? [1 mark]
A. Aorta
B. Pulmonary artery
C. Vena cava
D. Pulmonary vein

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

73. A combination of antibiotics and bioengineered antibodies to bacterial [1 mark]

antigens is now being used in hospitals to treat bacterial infections. What
makes this method more effective than just using antibiotics alone?
A. Increases selective pressure on bacteria to evolve antibiotic resistance
B. Bacteria become noticeable to phagocytes
C. Antibodies can be cloned by the immune system
D. Blocks metabolic pathways in bacteria
 Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

74. After 8 hours of sleep and before eating, which hormone will be secreted [1 mark]
and what cells secrete it?

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
75. How are the insides of alveoli prevented from sticking together? [1 mark]

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

76. How does potassium move across the membrane of a neuron during [1 mark]
repolarization?
A. Simple diffusion
B. Facilitated diffusion
C. Endocytosis
D. Active transport
 Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

77. What hormone controls the metabolic rate of body cells? [1 mark]
A. Insulin
B. Leptin
C. Melatonin
D. Thyroxin

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
78. Some yeast genes can be replaced by human genes that then continue to [1 mark]
produce the same human proteins in the yeast cells. Which statement
helps to explain this evidence?
A. The DNA of yeast and humans is identical.
B. Yeast and humans have the same number of chromosomes.
C. The genetic code is universal.
D. Yeast and humans are both eukaryotes.

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]

79. What determines the genomic size of a species? [1 mark]

A. The total amount of DNA
B. The total number of genes
C. The total number of alleles
D. The total number of chromosomes

Markscheme
A
 Examiners report
[N/A]

80. What happens during meiosis I and meiosis II? [1 mark]

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
81. What is the percentage risk of a child inheriting Huntington’s disease if [1 mark]
only one parent has the disease?
A. 0 %
B. 25 %
C. 50 %
D. 100 %

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]

82. Which technique is used to amplify very small samples of DNA? [1 mark]
A. Cloning
B. Gel electrophoresis
C. PCR
D. DNA profiling

Markscheme
C
 Examiners report
[N/A]

83. The image shows a food web. [1 mark]

[Source: Adapted from Thompsma/Wikipedia]

Which organism in the food web is assigned to its method of nutrition?
A. A violet webcap fungus is both an autotroph and a heterotroph.
B. A pillbug is a secondary consumer.
C. Bacteria are saprotrophs.
D. A violet webcap fungus is a detritivore.
 Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]

84. The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a photosynthetic plant. It [1 mark]

obtains nitrogen but not energy by digesting captured insects.

[Source: adapted from www.flytrapcare.com]

Which term describes this plant?
A. Secondary consumer
B. Autotroph
C. Primary consumer
D. Saprotroph

Markscheme
B
 Examiners report
[N/A]

85. What describes a possible cause of a negative carbon flux in the [1 mark]
atmosphere due to processes occurring in a forest ecosystem?
A. The trees grew more so fixed more carbon dioxide.
B. There was more respiration by soil organisms.
C. There was more burning of forests.
D. There was more decomposition of leaf litter.

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]
86. The diagram shows the human digestive system. Which organ is [1 mark]
responsible for the majority of the absorption of digested food?

[Source: BruceBlaus/Wikimedia. File licensed under CC BY 3.0

(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)]

Markscheme
C

Examiners report
[N/A]
87. The body has different defenses against infectious disease. Which cells [1 mark]
provide non-specific immunity?
A. Memory cells
B. Phagocytic white blood cells
C. Plasma cells
D. Hybridoma cells

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]

88. Florey and Chain injected four mice with Streptococcus bacteria and then [1 mark]
penicillin and all four mice recovered from the infection. What would be
essential to show that penicillin caused their recovery?
A. A control group that was infected but not treated with penicillin
B. Experiments to test for effects of penicillin on other bacteria
C. Experiments to test for effects of different dosages of penicillin in mice
D. Determination of the chemical structure of penicillin
 Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]

89. What is the role of type II pneumocytes? [1 mark]

A. To carry out gas exchange
B. To keep the alveoli moist
C. To increase surface tension
D. To maintain partial pressures of gases

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
 90. What process is blocked by neonicotinoid pesticides in insects? [1 mark]
A. Transmission of the nerve impulse in the presynaptic neuron
B. Formation of the synaptic vesicles
C. Release of the neurotransmitter
D. Binding of neurotransmitters to postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]

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