Centre Number

Student Number

2014
HSC MID-YEAR EXAMINATION

Biology

Your teacher will advise you as to which sections of

General Instructions this paper to attempt.

Total marks 70
Reading time 5 minutes
This paper has two parts, Part A and Part B
Working time 2 hours
Write using black or blue pen Part A 18 marks
18 multiple choice questions to be completed of a
Draw diagrams using pencil possible 27 (Pages 3-12)
Attempt either questions
Use the multiple-choice answer sheet 1 - 9 Maintaining a Balance and/or
provided 10 - 18 Blueprint of Life and/or
19 - 27 Search for Better Health
Write your Centre Number and Student
Allow about 30 minutes for this part
Number at the top of this page, page 13
and on the multiple-choice answer sheet Part B 52 marks (26 marks per topic)
(Pages 13-28)
Attempt two of:
28 - 33 Maintaining a Balance (26 marks) and/or
34 - 39 Blue Print of Life (26 marks) and/or
40 - 45 Search for Better Health (26 marks)
Allow about 1 hour and 30 minutes for this part

Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to prepare this Examination in accordance with the Board of Studies documents. No guarantee or warranty is made or
implied that the Examination paper mirrors in every respect the actual HSC Examination question paper in this course. This paper does not constitute
advice nor can it be construed as an authoritative interpretation of Board of Studies intentions. No liability for any reliance, use or purpose related to
this paper is taken. Advice on HSC examination issues is only to be obtained from the NSW Board of Studies. The publisher does not accept any
responsibility for accuracy of papers which have been modified.
MIDBIO14_EXAM
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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 2
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2014 HSC MID-YEAR EXAMINATION

BIOLOGY

Part A 18 marks
Attempt Questions 1 - 9 Maintaining a Balance
10 - 18 Blueprint of Life
19 27 Search for Better Health
Allow about 30 minutes for this part

Use the multiple-choice answer sheet provided for Questions 1-20

Select the alternative A, B, C or D that best answers the question. Fill in the response oval
completely.
Sample 2 + 4 = (A) 2 (B) 6 (C) 8 (D) 9
A B C D
If you think you have made a mistake, put a cross through the incorrect answer and fill in the
new answer.
A B C D
If you have changed your mind and have crossed out what you consider to be the correct
answer, then indicate this by writing the word correct and drawing an arrow as follows:
correct

A B C D

1 In humans, what blood pigment absorbs oxygen in the lungs?

(A) Haemophilia
(B) Carboxyhaemoglobin
(C) Haemoglobin
(D) Plasma

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 3
2 A student observed a blood sample under a microscope. The field of view was 210
micrometers (m). The student counted 30 red blood cells across the field of view.
There were only a few white blood cells and they were approximately 2 times the size
of the white blood cells.

What is the size of the white blood cells the student observed?

(A) 14 m
(B) 420 m
(C) 60 m
(D) 7 m

3 The Red Kangaroo is well adapted to living in the hot Australian desert.
Which of the following correctly identifies whether the kangaroo is an endothermic or
exothermic organism and a response to increase temperature?

Ectothermic or endothermic Response to increased temperature

(A) Endothermic Licking forearms to assist evaporative

cooling
(B) Ectothermic Licking forearms to assist evaporative
cooling
(C) Endothermic Large tail to move faster across the
landscape
(D) Ectothermic Large tail to move faster across the
landscape

4 What is Enantiostasis ?

(A) The regulation of nitrogenous wastes in response to water availability

(B) The control of water balance in response to external changes
(C) The maintenance of body functions in response to changes in the environment
(D) The maintenance of a stable internal environment

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 4
5 The diagram below is a simplified representation of the circulatory system in
humans.

L M

N O

Which of the blood vessels labelled would contain valves?

(A) N
(B) L and M
(C) M and O
(D) L and N

6 Which of the following statements is NOT true about movement of water through the
plant?

(A) Water molecules tend to be attracted to the sides of the xylem which assists in
drawing water up from the roots
(B) The water usually moves in both directions throughout the plant
(C) As water evaporates from the plants more water is drawn up the xylem
(D) Water enters via the root hairs

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 5
7 Which process does the diagram below illustrate?

(A) Active transport

(B) Diffusion
(C) Cohesion and adhesion
(D) Osmosis

8 Which of the following correctly identifies the urine concentration of freshwater and
marine fish?

Freshwater Fish Marine Fish

(A) Concentrated Concentrated
(B) Concentrated Dilute
(C) Dilute Concentrated
(D) Dilute Dilute

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 6
9 When a blood sample is centrifuged it separates into its components as illustrated in the
diagram below.

Correctly identify the components R, S and T in the diagram.

R S T
White blood cells
(A) Plasma Red blood cells
and platelets
White blood cells
(B) Plasma Red blood cells
and platelets
White blood cells
(C) Red blood cells Plasma
and platelets
White blood cells
(D) Red blood cells Plasma
and platelets

10 If a section of DNA contains 200 nucleotides of which 60 contain adenine, how many
nucleotides would contain cytosine?

(A) 20
(B) 40
(C) 60
(D) 70

11 Which statement correctly explains the relationship between proteins and polypeptides?

(A) A polypeptide is made up of many proteins

(B) A protein consists of a chain of amino acids which are composed of
polypeptides
(C) A polypeptide consists of one or more amino acids which are made up of
protein
(D) A protein consists of one or more polypeptides, which are a chain of amino acids

12 The whale and dolphin have similar body shapes.

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 7
 What is this is due to?
(A) Convergent evolution
(B) Punctuated evolution
(C) Divergent evolution
(D) Common ancestry

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 8
13 Which scientists were responsible for linking chromosomes to inheritance of particular
traits?

(A) Crick and Watson

(B) Franklin and Wilkins
(C) Pasteur and Koch
(D) Sutton and Boveri

14 How does the fossil record support the theory of evolution?

(A) The fossil record provides a series of related fossils

(B) The fossil record shows how dinosaurs became extinct
(C) The fossil record shows how organisms have changed over time
(D) The fossil record allows us to determine the age of living things

15 Colour blindness is a sex-linked recessive condition in humans. A male with normal

vision has children with a female who is colour blind. Which of the following options
represents a possible outcome for their children?

(A) All the sons will be colour blind

(B) 50% of the sons will be colour blind
(C) 50% of the daughters will be colour blind
(D) All of the children whether boy or girl will be colour blind

16 What does a nucleotide contain?

(A) The four bases adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine

(B) One sugar, one phosphate and one of four possible bases
(C) One base, one phosphate and one of four possible sugars
(D) Three bases to make one amino acid

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 9
17 The labrador is known for its gentle character and the poodle does not shed hair. When
they are breed together you get a labradoodle. What is this an example of?

(A) Artificial insemination

(B) Hybridisation
(C) Transgenics
(D) Recombinant DNA

18 Beadle and Tatum experimented on bread mould to get a better understanding of how
genes worked. They came up with a hypothesis that was then altered as our scientific
understanding increased. Identify the original hypothesis and the new altered
hypothesis.

Original Hypothesis New altered Hypothesis

(A) One gene - one polypeptide One gene one protein
(B) One gene - one polypeptide One gene one enzyme
(C) One gene one protein One gene - one polypeptide
(D) One gene one protein One gene one enzyme

19 What is the cause of an immune response in a recipient of an organ transplant?

(A) Antigens displayed on the cell surfaces of donor tissue

(B) Naturally occurring microbes in cell tissue of the donor
(C) Infection during the surgical procedure
(D) Misuse of immunosuppressive drugs

20 When a tissue is damaged or injured it can trigger the release of histamines. This
causes the blood vessels to dilate and consequent leakage of fluid that leads to
swelling. It also attracts white blood cells called phagocytes and causes an increase in
temperature.
What is the name of this process?

(A) The histamine response

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 10
 (B) Phagocytosis
(C) Inflammation
(D) Immune response

21 Certain substances can pass from the mother to baby via the placenta. What is this an
example of?

(A) Environmental disease

(B) Inherited disease
(C) Infectious disease
(D) Nutritional deficiency disease

22 Many new products called probiotics are being sold in supermarkets. These are
foods or supplements that contain micro-organisms, which are mainly bacteria that are
beneficial to health. Which type of patient would be given these probiotics?
(A) Those who had an imbalance of micro flora caused by taking antibiotics
(B) Those who had a deficiency disease because of inadequate intake of vitamins
(C) Those needing to boost their immune system to make antibodies against them
(D) Those needing them to respond to an antigen introduced into the body

23 The diagram illustrates the malaria parasite.

Whichofthefollowingcorrectidentifies the role of organisms involved in this life

cycle?
Human Plasmodium Mosquito
(A) Vector Pathogen Host
(B) Host Pathogen Vector
(C) Pathogen Host Vector

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 11
 (D) Host Vector Pathogen

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 12
24 What is meant by gene expression?

(A) The gene is undergoing replication

(B) A gene has been mutated into a different form
(C) A particular section of code has been removed from the sequence
(D) The particular code is switched on to produce a polypeptide

25 The table shows different diseases and their respective causative pathogens. Which
disease could be treated with antibiotics?
Pathogen Disease caused by Pathogen
(A) Prion CJD Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
(B) Plamodiun vivax Malaria
(C) Bacterium Vibrio cholerae Cholera
(D) Hepatitis A virus Hepatitis A

26 Many HSC students contract glandular fever in their last years of schooling. Students
experience:
Sore throat
Fever
Swollen lymph glands and spleen
Tiredness
What are these descriptions?

(A) Host response

(B) Cause
(C) Symptoms
(D) Treatment

27 Which of the following is a bacteria?

Answer Microscopic Has a cell Contains Contains
wall membrane DNA
bound nucleotides
organelles
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 13
 2014 HSC MID-YEAR EXAMINATION
BIOLOGY

Centre Number

Student Number

Part B 52 marks
Attempt Questions 28-33 Maintaining a Balance 26 marks AND/OR
34-39 Blueprint of Life 26 marks AND/OR
40-45 Search for Better Health 26 marks
Allow about 1 hour and 30 minutes for this part

Answer the questions in the spaces provided.

Show all relevant working in questions involving calculations.

Marks
Question 28 (3 marks) Marks

3
Draw a diagram below to show how the regulation of aldosterone levels in the blood is
an example of a negative feedback mechanism.

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 14
Question 29 (3 marks) Marks

(a) Identify and indicate clearly which of the following graphs demonstrates : 1

A: Substrate concentration on enzyme functioning

AND
B: Effect of temperature on enzyme functioning
Reaction rate

(b) For ONE of the above graphs explain the shape of the line. (Make sure your answer
clearly indicates which graph you are referring to.)
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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 15
Question 30 (6 marks) Marks

(a) During the unit of work on Maintaining a Balance you examined either by dissection or a 4
model the structure of the mammalian kidney. Draw a diagram of a longitudinal section of the
kidney labelling three parts of the structure.

(b) Name the microscopic functional unit of the kidney involved in filtering the blood and 1
reabsorbing nutrients.

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(c) This functional unit consists of a glomerulus and then the long tubule. On the diagram 1
you have drawn above, indicate using a symbol similar to one below, where in the kidney the
functional unit lies.

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 16
Question 31 (4 marks) Marks

Using an example identify the two stages of homeostasis and explain why this is 4
important.

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Question 32 (3 marks)

Identify an example of active transport in the mammalian kidney and explain why passive 3
transport is not a reasonable alternative.

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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 17
Question 33 (7 marks) Marks

Assess how an increased scientific understanding of the structure and function of blood has 7
impacted the development of technologies and the implications these have had on society.

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Question 34 (3 marks) Marks

Coat colour in cattle is a co-dominant inherited characteristic. When the red coat 3
colour allele (R) and white coat colour allele (W) both occur in the one animal (RW) a
roan colour is produced. The roan coloured hide is very valuable. Determine the
genotypes and phenotypes of each parent that will allow the farmer to guarantee all the
offspring will be roan. Use a punnet square to help support your answer.

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Question 35 (4 marks)

During the Biology course you were required to process and analyse information from
secondary sources to explain a modern day example of natural selection.

(a) State the example you studied and describe how Darwin would explain this as an 3
example of natural selection.

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(b) Comment on how you assured the reliability of the information you gathered. 1

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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 19
..........

Question 36 (5 marks)
Marks
On a farm in Wyoming, USA, goats are being milked for their spider webs. Professor 5
Lewis and his team have successfully implanted the silk-making genes from a golden
orb spider into a herd of goats and are now, finally, producing one of nature's strongest
products in useable quantities.

Observe this image of spidergoat.

Assess this image in terms of how it represents the development and use of transgenic
species.

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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 20
 Question 37 (3 marks) Marks

Analyse, using an example, how advances in technology have changed scientific 3

thinking about evolutionary relationships.

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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 21
Question 38 (6 marks) Marks

(a) Construct a pedigree to depict the following family. 4

One couple has a son and a daughter with normal skin pigmentation. Another couple
has one son and two daughters with normal skin pigmentation. The daughter from the
first couple has three children with the son of the second couple. Their son and one
daughter have albinism (lack of skin pigmentation): their other daughter has normal
skin pigmentation.

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(b) Is albinism a recessive or dominant condition? Justify your answer.

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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 22
 Question 39 (5 marks) Marks

Draw a flow chart to represent one methodology of cloning and state or indicate 5
clearly the two individuals that have the same genotype.

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 Question 40 (3 marks) Marks

Australian Scientist Sir Frank MacFarlane Burnet studied the bodys immune response. 3
The diagram below illustrates part of this functioning.

Complete the following table identifying the parts labelled and their function.

Part Name Description of function

X

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 24
Question 41 (5 marks) Marks

The following information outlines the risk of having a child with Down Syndrome in
relation to the age of the mother.

Mothers Age (years) Risk of child with

Down Syndrome
(1 in 100 live births)
28 0.10
30 0.11
33 0.17
35 0.29
38 0.50
40 1.00
45 3.00
49 10.00

(a) On the grid below, draw an appropriate graph of the data from this table. 4

(b) State the relationship between a mothers age and the chance of having a child with 1
Down Syndrome.

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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 25
Question 42 (6 marks) Marks

Robert Koch established a way to test the link between a pathogen and the disease it
causes. These are known as Kochs postulates.

(a) With reference to the diagram outline the 4 main steps in Kochs postulates. 4

(b) Discuss an ethical issue that may arise if we applied Kochs postulates directly to 2
humans.

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 26
 Question 43 (4 marks) Marks

(a) Annotate the diagram below to identify four defence barriers that prevent the entry 2
of pathogens.

(b) Outline the way in which vaccinations prevent infection. 2

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MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 27
Question 44 (3 marks) Marks

In 2011 a total of 57,596 import consignments (goods which are shipped or brought 3
into the country) were rejected or delayed because they did not meet Australian import
requirements.
Discuss the role of quarantine in preventing the spread of plant and animal diseases
into Australia.

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 Question 45 (5 marks) Marks

You have been asked to carry out a first hand investigation to test for microbes in water
samples from around the school including: drinking bubblers, bird bath, rain water
collecting at a low part of the playground and the wash basin.

(a) Identify one risk and the precaution needed to be taken during this investigation. 1

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(b) Outline a reliable and valid method you could use. 4

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 Centre Number Student Number

BIOLOGY MULTIPLE-CHOICE ANSWER SHEET

ATTEMPT ALL QUESTIONS

Question 1 A B C D

2 A B C D

3 A B C D

4 A B C D

5 A B C D

6 A B C D

7 A B C D

8 A B C D

9 A B C D

10 A B C D

11 A B C D

12 A B C D

13 A B C D

14 A B C D

15 A B C D

16 A B C D

17 A B C D

18 A B C D

19 A B C D

20 A B C D

21 A B C D

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 30
 22 A B C D

23 A B C D

24 A B C D

25 A B C D

26 A B C D

27 A B C D

MIDBIO14_EXAM Page 31
 BLANK PAGE

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