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Cambridge IGCSE™

BIOLOGY 0610/42
Paper 4 Theory (Extended) May/June 2023
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 80

Published

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 International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2023 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level and Cambridge Pre-U components, and some
Cambridge O Level components.

This document consists of 12 printed pages.

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

 the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
 the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
 the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

 marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond
the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
 marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
 marks are not deducted for errors
 marks are not deducted for omissions
 answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors.

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GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or
grade descriptors in mind.

Science-Specific Marking Principles

1 Examiners should consider the context and scientific use of any keywords when awarding marks. Although keywords may be present, marks
should not be awarded if the keywords are used incorrectly.

2 The examiner should not choose between contradictory statements given in the same question part, and credit should not be awarded for
any correct statement that is contradicted within the same question part. Wrong science that is irrelevant to the question should be ignored.

3 Although spellings do not have to be correct, spellings of syllabus terms must allow for clear and unambiguous separation from other
syllabus terms with which they may be confused (e.g. ethane / ethene, glucagon / glycogen, refraction / reflection).

4 The error carried forward (ecf) principle should be applied, where appropriate. If an incorrect answer is subsequently used in a scientifically
correct way, the candidate should be awarded these subsequent marking points. Further guidance will be included in the mark scheme
where necessary and any exceptions to this general principle will be noted.

5 ‘List rule’ guidance

For questions that require n responses (e.g. State two reasons …):

 The response should be read as continuous prose, even when numbered answer spaces are provided.
 Any response marked ignore in the mark scheme should not count towards n.
 Incorrect responses should not be awarded credit but will still count towards n.
 Read the entire response to check for any responses that contradict those that would otherwise be credited. Credit should not be
awarded for any responses that are contradicted within the rest of the response. Where two responses contradict one another, this
should be treated as a single incorrect response.
 Non-contradictory responses after the first n responses may be ignored even if they include incorrect science.

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6 Calculation specific guidance

Correct answers to calculations should be given full credit even if there is no working or incorrect working, unless the question states ‘show
your working’.

For questions in which the number of significant figures required is not stated, credit should be awarded for correct answers when rounded
by the examiner to the number of significant figures given in the mark scheme. This may not apply to measured values.

For answers given in standard form (e.g. a  10n) in which the convention of restricting the value of the coefficient (a) to a value between 1
and 10 is not followed, credit may still be awarded if the answer can be converted to the answer given in the mark scheme.

Unless a separate mark is given for a unit, a missing or incorrect unit will normally mean that the final calculation mark is not awarded.
Exceptions to this general principle will be noted in the mark scheme.

7 Guidance for chemical equations

Multiples / fractions of coefficients used in chemical equations are acceptable unless stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

State symbols given in an equation should be ignored unless asked for in the question or stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

Mark scheme abbreviations

 ; separates marking points

 / alternative responses for the same marking point
 R reject the response
 A accept the response
 I ignore the response
 ecf error carried forward
 AVP any valid point
 ora or reverse argument
 AW alternative wording
 underline actual word given must be used by candidate (grammatical variants excepted)
 () the word / phrase in brackets is not required but sets the context

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

1(a) it is made of (named) tissues (in a leaf) ; 2

(tissues), working together / for a specific (named) function(s) ;

1(b) ref to photosynthesis ; 6 MP1 A transpiration

B is the palisade (mesophyll / tissue / layer / cells) and C contains
spongy (mesophyll / tissue / layer / cells) / vascular
bundles / xylem / phloem ;

any three from:

layer B
cells are, tightly / vertically, packed or columnar or few cross walls ;
(cells / layer) positioned (immediately) below, layer A / the upper
epidermis ;
to (maximise) light (energy) reaching, cells / chloroplasts / layer ;
ref to many chloroplasts / lots of chlorophyll ;
(large) vacuole keeps the chloroplasts towards the sides of cells ;

any three from:

layer C
cells are loosely packed / layer contains (interconnecting) air spaces
(between cells) ;
(mesophyll / air spaces) to allow, gas exchange / diffusion of (named)
gases ;
(mesophyll / air spaces) to allow evaporation (of water) from cell
surfaces (into air spaces) ;
(xylem) has, thick / lignified / waterproofed / pitted, cell wall ;
(xylem) (long) continuous tube / no cytoplasm / hollow or no
end / cross, walls ;
(xylem) to allow transport of, water / mineral ions ;
(phloem) to allow, translocation / transport of, sucrose / sugar / amino
acids ;

1(c)(i) guard (cell) ; 1

1(c)(ii) gas exchange (described) / (regulation of) transpiration / AW ; 1

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

1(c)(iii) reduce water loss (through transpiration) ; 1

ref to preventing wilting ;

1(d) any three from: 3

stomata will take longer to close / reduces (stomatal) closure / reduces
(stomatal) response ;
reduced, water vapour / concentration / diffusion, gradient (between
the air spaces and the outside) ;
so the (guard) cells do not lose water (as, quickly / much as the first
experiment) ;
the (guard) cells, stay / become, turgid or (guard) cells take longer to
become flaccid ;

Question Answer Marks Guidance

2(a) circle one pair of the inward pointing horizontal sections opposite 1
each other ;

2(b) 21(%) ; 1

2(c)(i) gene ; 1

2(c)(ii) any five from: 5

ribosomes make, proteins / polypeptides ;
mRNA is copied from, gene / DNA ;
DNA stays in the nucleus / mRNA is made in nucleus / mRNA leaves
nucleus / mRNA moves to cytoplasm ;
mRNA passes through ribosome / AW ;
ribosome, assembles amino acids / translates mRNA (into a
protein) / AW ;
(protein synthesis) uses energy ;
order of amino acids determined by base sequence of,
mRNA / DNA / gene ;

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

2(c)(iii) any two from: 2

carriers ;
receptor(s) (proteins) ;
maltase / enzyme ;
AVP ;

Question Answer Marks Guidance

3(a)(i) correct readings from graph ; 3 MP1 correct readings from graph (180 and 100)
–44 (%) ;; MP2 correct answer to any number of significant
figures i.e. -44.4 recurring
MP3 correct rounding to two significant figures
ecf from previous step

3(a)(ii) any three from: 3

daily doses / use (of erythromycin), peak, 1989 / at 2.8 doses per 1000
people ;
(bacterial) infections (resistant to erythromycin) peak, in 1993 / at 180
bacterial infections per 1000 people ;
no record of resistant infections, until 1991 / from 1983 to 1989 / first 6
years ;
delay (of 4 years) between peak of doses and peak of (resistant)
infections ;

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

3(a)(iii) any two from: 2

fewer doses of erythromycin used ;
development of new, antibiotics / treatments / vaccines ;
any example that would cause a reduced usage of antibiotics ;; MP3 examples:
 only giving antibiotics when essential
 do not use antibiotics for viral infections
more, awareness / education about, overuse of antibiotics / antibiotic
resistance ;
improved, detection / screening (of pathogens to avoid spread) ;
ref to improved, cleanliness / hygiene or more people
vaccinated / population has reached herd immunity ;
isolating infected individuals ;

3(a)(iv) any five from: 5

ref to (random) mutations occur (in some of the bacteria) ;
(genetic) variation (in ability of bacteria to survive antibiotic
treatment) ;
bacteria with (antibiotic) resistance, survive / reproduce ; ora
pass on resistant, gene / allele (to offspring / other bacteria) ;
increase in frequency of resistant, allele / gene (in the population) ;
ref to natural selection / become (better) adapted (for the new
environment) ;
AVP ; e.g. gene (for resistance) transferred to other
bacteria in a plasmid

3(b)(i) any two from: 2

cell wall ;
circular DNA ;
DNA is, free in cytoplasm / not in a nucleus ;
cell membrane ;
cytoplasm ;
ribosomes ;
unicellular / single-celled (organisms) ;
asexual reproduction ;

3(b)(ii) movement / swimming / AW ; 1

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

4(a)(i) aquatic plants  midges  stoneflies  salmon  herons ; 4

aquatic plants  mayflies  salmon  herons ;
aquatic plants  freshwater shrimps  salmon  herons ;
all arrows drawn correct way from food to feeder and no additional
wrong links and drawn as a food web ;

4(a)(ii) 3 MP1 one correct organism in primary and one

name of trophic level organism in Fig. 4.1
correct organism in secondary consumer rows
producer aquatic plants MP2 tertiary consumer and one correct tertiary
consumer organism
mayflies / midges / (freshwater) MP3 quaternary consumer and one correct
primary consumer quaternary consumer organism
shrimps and

secondary consumer salmon / stoneflies ;

tertiary consumer and salmon / herons ;

quaternary consumer and herons ;

4(a)(iii) any three from: 3

primary consumers (tissues) contain chemical energy ;
energy is transferred to, secondary consumers / predator (from
primary consumers / prey, that are eaten) ; ora
(named) food particles (of primary consumer) are digested (to make
energy / glucose, available for respiration) ;
energy (released) is used for, growth / to make, more / new / larger,
cells / mitosis ;
energy is used for, protein synthesis / reproduction / assimilation /
storage as fat / storage as glycogen ;

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

4(a)(iv) any three from: 3

fewer herons (as less, food / salmon) ;
more, mayflies / stoneflies / (freshwater) shrimps (as less salmon to
eat them) ;
fewer midges (as more stoneflies) ;
fewer / more, no change in, aquatic plants (as more,
mayflies / freshwater shrimps / fewer midges, feeding on them) ;

4(b) (organism) that gets its energy, from dead / waste organic, material ; 1

4(c) any four from: 4

as fewer trophic levels / plants are at a lower trophic level (than
salmon / livestock) ; ora
idea that energy transfer along food chain is inefficient ;
(energy lost in) respiration / heat / (named) metabolic
process / movement / muscle contraction ;
ref to (more) material that is lost as, faeces / egested / inedible / not
digestible (in longer food chains) ;
(energy lost in) excretion / urine ;

Question Answer Marks Guidance

5(a) mitochondrion ; 2
(aerobic) respiration ; A release energy
A cytoplasm for MP1 with correct function for MP2
i.e. allows / location of, (biochemical / metabolic)
reactions / cell processes
ecf MP2 from incorrect structure in MP1

5(b) length of the (cell structure), in 1

image / picture / photomicrograph / diagram
and
magnification ;

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

5(c) 0.75 (m) ; 1 A 7.5 x 10-1

Question Answer Marks Guidance

6(a)(i) either (all) roots have grown, downwards / with gravity (no matter 1
which way they were facing at the start)
or roots show positive, gravitropism / geotropism
and
either (all) shoots have grown, upwards / in opposite direction to
gravity (no matter which way they were facing at the start)
or shoots show negative, gravitropism / geotropism ;

6(a)(ii) gravitropism ; 1

6(a)(iii) any five from: 5

(auxin) made in / released from, (shoot) tip ;
(auxin) moves by diffusion ;
(auxin) stimulates cell elongation ;

in B / Petri dish 1:
(auxin) has a higher concentration of auxin on the lower surface (of
the shoot) ; ora
(auxin stimulates cell) elongation more on lower side of the shoot ;
ora
shoot grows away from the pull of gravity / AW ;

in E / Petri dish 2:
(auxin is) equally distributed (in the shoot) ;
(auxin stimulates cell) elongation equally on, both / all, sides of the
shoot ;
(shoots grow neither up or down / shoot grows straight) because the
effect of gravity is, constantly changing / countered by rotating (the
Petri dish)

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

6(b)(i) example of an appropriate environment condition ; 1 e.g., temperature

6(b)(ii) any two from: 2

(oxygen) aerobic respiration ;
(water) used in (named) cell process ;
(water) is a solvent / AW ;
(water) used for turgor ;
AVP ;

Question Answer Marks Guidance

7 soluble ; 8
stomach ;
hydrochloric acid ;
(named) microorganisms / pathogens ;
pancreas / small intestine ;
alkaline ;
bile / bile salts ;
emulsification ;

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