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2017 Trial Examination

Letter
STUDENT
NUMBER

BIOLOGY
Unit 2 – Written examination

Reading time: 15 minutes

Writing time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

QUESTION & ANSWER BOOK

Structure of book
Section Number of Number of questions Number of
questions to be answered marks

A 25 25 25
B 6 6 50

Total 75

 Students are permitted to bring into the examination room: pens, pencils, highlighters,
erasers, sharpeners and rulers
 Students are NOT permitted to bring into the examination room: blank sheets of paper
and/or white out liquid/tape.
 No calculator is permitted in this examination.

Materials supplied
 Question and answer book of 19 pages.

Instructions
 Print your name in the space provided on the top of this page.
 All written responses must be in English.

Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised
electronic communication devices into the examination room.
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SECTION A– Multiple-choice questions

Instructions for Section A

Select the response that is correct for the question.
A correct answer scores 1 mark, an incorrect answer scores 0.
Marks are not deducted for incorrect answers.
If more than 1 answer is completed for any question, no mark will be given to that question.

Question 1
In birds sex chromosome inheritance follows a W and Z chromosome mode. Males are denoted
as ZZ and females are WZ. Based on this method of inheritance it would be expected that sperm
would contain the following alleles:

A. ZZ
B. Z
C. WZ
D. W

Plants undergo meiosis in order to produce gametes. During this process genetic material is
exchanged between chromosomes. When two gametes fuse offspring may develop. The offspring
of a cross were examined and counted and the data obtained is tabulated below.

Phenotype of the offspring Number of offspring produced

A purple seed cover containing two seeds 110
A purple seed cover containing one seed 305
A green seed cover containing two seeds 40
A green seed cover containing one seed 89

Question 2
In which phase of meiosis does the exchange process outlined above occur?

A. Anaphase II
B. Metaphase I
C. Telophase II
D. Prophase I

SECTION A - continued

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Question 3
Given that the following offspring were produced by the combination of two gametes from
different plants of the same species, what are the possible genotypes of the parents? White is
recessive to all other phenotypes.

Phenotype Pink bud plant White bud plant Yellow bud plant
Number of offspring 50 0 3

A. BPBP x BPBP
B. BPBP x BPb
C. Bpb x BPb
D. bb x BPBP

Question 4
The regeneration of skin cells is an important factor in the rehabilitation of skin burn sites.
Following a mild burn to the skin, the skin undergoes a series of blood clotting and repair cycles
that results in the increased formation of the basal skin layer that promotes further healing. If the
skin cells of an individual were observed under a microscope in this basal layer what type of
events could be noticed?

A. An increased proportion of cells undergoing the interphase component of the cell cycle in
comparison to healthy tissue.
B. An increased proportion of cells undergoing crossing over to produce new healthy cells.
C. A reduced proportion of cells being observed in the G1, S and G2 phases in comparison to
healthy tissue
D. A reduction in mitotic events in the area in comparison to healthy tissue.

SECTION A - continued
TURN OVER

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Question 5
A student observed cells undergoing mitotic events in the cell cycle and drew a diagram of these
in his workbook.

Which of the following stages was not observed by the student?

A. Telophase
B. Metaphase
C. Prophase
D. Anaphase

Question 6
The last phase of the process of binary fission includes:

A. the replication of DNA to make two identical copies.

B. the segregation of the replicated DNA.
C. the formation of a new cell wall.
D. the development of a cleavage furrow.

Question 7
The wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, has a haploid number of 40. This would indicate that the
diploid number of the wild turkey would be:

A. 20
B. 40
C. 60
D. 80

SECTION A - continued

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The following information is to be used for Questions 8 & 9

The ABO blood grouping system in humans indicates the blood type of an individual. If a person
requires an emergency blood transfusion it is necessary to ensure that the correct blood type is
given so that no further complications arise. The ABO gene is located at the end of the long arm
on chromosome 9 and has multiple alleles that control the final phenotypic outcome.

Question 8
Which of the following statements best describes multiple alleles?

A. the presence of three alleles on a chromosome.

B. the phenotypic outcome is controlled by more than two alleles.
C. three or more alternative forms of a gene are present in a population
D. the interaction between two or more genes that are located on the same chromosome and are
often inherited together.

Question 9
In regard to the ABO blood grouping, which of the possible scenarios is not possible?

A. a mother with blood type O and a father with blood type B can produce a child with blood
type O
B. a mother with blood type O and a father with blood type O can produce a child with blood
type A
C. a mother with blood type B and a father with blood type A can produce a child with blood
type O
D. a mother with blood type B and a father with blood type B can produce a child with blood
type O

Question 10
Cancers are often the result of a disruption to the cell cycle. If a cell is able to pass the check
point designed to determine if DNA is damaged it will continue to proliferate into cancerous
cells. At the end of which of the following stages would the checkpoint be found?

A. G1
B. S
C. G2
D. Mitosis

SECTION A - continued
TURN OVER

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Question 11
Aneuploidy is the name given to a cell that contains an incorrect number of chromosomes. Cells
that demonstrate this often result from a failure of a chromosome pair to separate correctly
during a meiotic cell division. At which phase does this separation occur?

A. Anaphase I
B. Anaphase II
C. Metaphase I
D. Metaphase II

Question 12
A heterozygous pea plant with purple flowers is crossed with a homozygous pea plant with white
flowers. What is the chance of producing PP purple, Pp purple and pp white flowered plants in
the F1 generation?

A. 100% PP purple
B. 50% PP purple and 50% pp white
C. 50 % Pp purple and 50% pp white
D. 25% PP purple, 50% Pp Purple, 25% pp white

Question 13
The mother of three sons has a recessive inherited disorder found on the X chromosome. The
father does not have the disorder. It could be deduced from this information that:

A. if the parents were to have another son that he would also have this inherited disorder
B. if the parents were to have another daughter she would also have this inherited disorder
C. as the mother has the allele for the condition on her X chromosome then all of her sons must
have the disorder
D. it is possible for only one of the sons to have the inherited disorder

SECTION A - continued

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The following information is to be used for Questions 14 & 15

The abdomen colour of an insect has two different phenotypes, black and grey. It follows a
dominant/recessive mode of inheritance, with the black abdomen colour dominant over grey. It is
known that the gene for abdomen colour is linked to a gene that controls the shape of the
abdomen.

Question 14
Two black insects produced a large number of black offspring. These offspring were then
interbred to produce 105 black and 80 grey offspring. The two original black insects must have
been:

A. Heterozygous dominant
B. Heterozygous recessive
C. Homozygous dominant
D. Homozygous recessive

Question 15
Given that black bodied insects have a pointed abdomen and grey bodied insects have a rounded
abdomen, determine which of the following would represent the genotype of a black insect.
Abdomen colour alleles are denoted by B or b and abdomen shape by S (pointed) or s (rounded).

A. Bbss
B. bbSs
C. BBSS
D. bbSS

Question 16
Which of the following is the correct explanation of a linked gene?

A. Genes that are found on nearby chromosomes that are inherited together
B. Genes that are bound together during recombination of chromosomes that are inherited
together
C. Chromosomes that are joined together that result in an abnormal karyotype
D. Genes that are generally inherited together with loci that are close together on the same
chromosome

SECTION A - continued
TURN OVER

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Question 17
Which of the following is not an example of polygenic inheritance?

A. The range of skin colours found within a population

B. The difference in height of individuals within a population
C. The variation of eye colour within a population
D. The presence or absence of a widow’s peak hairline of individuals within a population.

Question 18
A range of changes occurs during the development of a human from a single cell. Which of the
following statements about embryonic and foetal development is correct?

A. Embryos become a foetus after two distinctive layers of cells are developed
B. Embryos contain only undifferentiated cells, where as a foetus contains only differentiated
cells.
C. Differentiated cells found within a foetus are able to begin distinctive, system-based
functions.
D. The foetus is composed of three layers including the endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm.

Question 19
Stem cells are an important area of research in developmental biology. Which of the following is
correct in regard to the types of stem cells found in the human body?

A. Pluripotent stem cells are only found in a small amount of adult tissues
B. Pluripotent stem cells can give rise to any type of cell within the body
C. Multipotent stem cells can be removed from embryos and foetuses.
D. Multipotent stem cells are easily found in a wide range of tissues.

Question 20
Which of the following statements regarding monohybrid cross predictions is incorrect?

A. Two homozygotes with the same genotype are able to produce offspring with the same
genotype.
B. Punnett squares are used to demonstrate the probability of obtaining specific genotypes
C. If only heterozygotes are shown to be possible in the offspring then both of the parents must
also be heterozygotes
D. Recessive homozygotes are usually found in the bottom right corner of a monohybrid cross
Punnett square
SECTION A - continued

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The following information is to be used for Questions 21 - 24

The pedigree below demonstrates the inheritance of Huntington’s disease within a family, an
inherited disorder that is characterised by deterioration of nerve cells resulting in a shortened life
span. The female in the parental generation has been tested and is homozygous for the condition.
P1

F1

F2

Question 21
The mode of inheritance Huntington’s disease would most likely be:

A. autosomal recessive
B. autosomal dominant
C. sex-linked recessive
D. sex-linked dominant

Question 22
It would be reasonable to conclude that the genotype for the F1 generation would be:

A. Male Hh x Female hh
B. Male hh x Female Hh
C. Male Hh x Female Hh
D. Male hh x Female hh

Question 23
The third male in the second generation is not genetically linked to the family. He is however
affected by Huntington’s disease. He has a daughter that does not have the disease. The genotype
and sex chromosomes present for this individual must be:

A. HH and XY
B. Hh and XY
C. Hh and XX
D. hh and XY

SECTION A - continued
TURN OVER

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Question 24
If the male outlined in Question 23 had another son, what would the chance of this child having
the disorder be?

A. 0%
B. 25%
C. 50%
D. 75%

Question 25
A karyotype was prepared after a child was found to have some physical abnormalities. After
careful examination it was noted that the child had two copies of the X chromosome and one
copy of the Y chromosome. Which condition would the child most likely have?

A. Down’s syndrome
B. Klinefelter’s syndrome
C. Turners syndrome
D. The child does not have a chromosomal abnormality.

END OF SECTION A

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SECTION B - Short-answer questions

Instructions for Section B

Answer all questions in the spaces provided

Question 1 (10 marks)

Methods of reproduction vary amongst organisms. Whilst many organism utilise meiosis to
reproduce, others use binary fission and mitosis . Some organisms utilise both. Some plants for
example can reproduce via vegetative reproduction in addition to sexual reproduction. Meiosis
and mitosis each have advantages and disadvantages with regard to reproduction that enable the
survival of a species over a period of time.

a. Outline the key advantages and disadvantages to each of the reproductive mechanisms.

Mitosis
Advantage:
__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark
Disadvantage:
__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark
Meiosis
Advantage:
__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark
Disadvantage:
__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark

SECTION A – Question 1 - continued

TURN OVER

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b. Some organisms have an asexual diploid stage followed by a haploid stage where sexual
reproduction occurs. What is the name given to this type of life cycle?

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark

c. In regard to ploidy level, compare the type of cells normally produced by meiosis and
mitosis.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
2 marks

d. Where does meiosis occur in the human body?

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark

e. What is the name given to the type of cells produced by meiosis?

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark

f. During meiosis pairs of chromosomes line up. What is the name given to the chromosomes
that line up together?

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark

SECTION A – continued

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Question 2 (8 marks)
Below is a diagram of the percentage of time spent in each phase for a particular cell undergoing
the cell cycle.

Cell Cycle

5
4 3%
12%
1
29%

1 2 3 4 5

3
32%

2
24%

a. Complete the table below by filling in the names of the phases 1 to 3 as shown in the diagram
and providing an outline of the key events in each.

Number and % of time Name of phase of cycle Key event that occurs in
spent stage.
1 – 29%

2 – 24%

3 – 32%

3 marks
SECTION A – Question 2 - continued
TURN OVER

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b. Name and briefly describe each of the events that occurs during stage 4.

4 marks
c. Explain the significance of stage 5 as the final process in the cell cycle.

1 mark

Question 3 (4 marks)
A small section of a plant was removed and placed into the ground by a gardener. A new plant
subsequently developed from this cutting.

a. Determine if the type of reproduction that has occurred was sexual or asexual. Explain your
reasoning with reference to the scenario.

2 marks

SECTION A – Question 3 - continued

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b. What is the specific name of this reproductive mechanism in plants?

1 mark
c. Despite the new plant growing from the old one, they looked very different. Explain why this
has occurred.

1 mark

Question 4 (9 marks)
Galactosemia is a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by the inability of the body to
produce the GALT enzyme. Individuals with the condition are unable to break down galactose, a
common sugar found in most dairy products. As a result, toxic substances accumulate in the
body. and this can result in an enlarged liver, renal failure and other medical complications.

a. Define an autosome.

1 mark

b. How many autosomes can be found within the somatic cells of the human body?

______________________________________________________________________________
1 mark

SECTION A – Question 4 - continued

TURN OVER

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c. Assign appropriate genotypes to the following individuals with regard to the galactosemia
condition.

i. An individual that has the trait: ________________

ii. An individual that does not have the trait: _______________

2 marks

d. What term is used to describe the physical expression of a genotype?

__________________________________________________________________________
1 mark

e. Draw a Punnett square and determine the genotypic and phenotypic ratios of the offspring
from two affected individuals that are both heterozygous for the trait.

3 marks
f. Outline how an individual with this genetic condition could prevent the onset of further
medical complications due to the incomplete breakdown of galactose.

1 mark

SECTION A – continued

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Question 5 (9 marks)
The inheritance of red-green colour blindness is an X-linked recessive condition. The gene
responsible for this form of colour blindness results in the incomplete production of a protein
involved in the formation of colour detecting pigments in the eye. Below is a family tree that
shows the occurrence of this condition in a specific family.

P1

I II

F1

I II III IV V VI

F2
I II III IV

a. Describe one way that this pedigree demonstrates that the mode of inheritance is X-linked
recessive.

1 mark

b. Explain what is meant by the term X-linked recessive and describe the typical pattern of
inheritance seen with regard to males and females.

2 marks
SECTION A – Question 5 - continued
TURN OVER

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c. Some males and females within the bloodline are not affected by the condition.
i. Determine the genotypes of the unaffected females in the diagram.

1 mark

ii. If the youngest unaffected female was to have children with an unaffected male, what
would be the chance of them having an:

Affected female child? __________________

Affected male child? __________________

2 marks
d. What could be assumed about the parents of the oldest unaffected female?

1 mark
e. What could be assumed about the parents of the oldest affected male?

1 mark

f. If the youngest female in the diagram was affected by the condition, then what could have be
said about the mode of inheritance?

1 mark

SECTION A – continued

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Question 6 (10 marks)

Within Area of Study 3 in this Unit, you will have investigated issues surrounding genetics within
society. Complete the table below to outline a benefit and a possible problem of each of the
following issues.
Issue Benefit Potential Problem
Genetic Modification of
Organisms

Use of forensic DNA

databases

Use of assistive reproductive

technologies

Use of predictive genetic

testing in adults

Use of predictive genetic

testing in embryos

10 marks
END OF QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK

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