NEW WORLD INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

ACADEMIC SESSION 2020 - 2021 PAPER

IGCSE – BIOLOGY 2 (25)
MOC EXAMINATION PAPER
4 (60)
PAPER
6 (15)
Grade: X A Max Marks: 100 TOTAL
(100)

Name: Saeed Hajhamad Elseddig DATE: 28 March 2021_

PAPER – 4

1. Plants produce glucose in leaves and convert some of it to sucrose.

(a) (i) Explain how glucose is produced in leaves. [3]

Glucose is made in the leaf by photosynthesis. Light energy is trapped inside the leaf by
chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and water react with each other inside the leaf with the presence of
light to produce glucose.

(ii) State the name of the process that plants use to move sucrose from a source to a sink. [1]

translocation

1
(iii) Roots can be an example of a sink.

Explain why sometimes roots act as a source rather than a sink. [2]

Sometimes roots release sucrose and glucose for respiration because sometimes leaves can’t
produce enough glucose.

(b) The movement of sucrose in plants can be modelled using laboratory apparatus. Fig. 1.1
shows the apparatus used to model the movement of sucrose in a plant:

• Partially permeable bags were attached tightly to the ends of tube Q.

• The bag representing a source was filled with a coloured sucrose solution.

• The bag representing a sink was filled with water.

• The containers and tube Q and tube S were filled with water.

Fig. 1.1

2
 Fig. 1.2 shows the position of the coloured sucrose solution 30 minutes after the apparatus was
set up. The arrows show the direction of the movement of the liquids.

Fig. 1.2
(i) State the name of the tissue represented by tube Q and the name of the tissue represented by
tube S in Fig. 1.2. [2]

Q phloem

S xylem

(ii) Explain why the sucrose solution moves along tube Q in the model in Fig. 1.2. [4]

Water moves into source bag from water potential to low water potential, sucrose molecules
cannot cross the membrane because they are too large to fit. Water moving in increases the
volume of solution in source bag, increased volume will cause increased pressure, which will
move the solution up tube Q. Then water will move out of the sink bag and sucrose will diffuse
along tube Q down the concentration gradient.

3
(c) In plants the movement of sucrose is usually continuous. However, after 2 hours the
movement of sucrose in tube Q in Fig. 1.2 stopped.
Suggest why the movement of sucrose in tube Q stopped. [1]
Water potential in the two bags are equal

(d) Amino acids are also transported through plants.

State the name of the mineral ion that is used to make amino acids. [1]

Nitrate ions

[Total: 14]

2. Grass plants are wind-pollinated. Fig. 2.1 shows a flower from a species of grass plant.

Fig. 2.1
(a) (i) Describe and explain how the features of the flower shown in Fig. 2.1 are adaptations for
wind-pollination. [3]

The stamens and the stigma are hanging outside the flower. The large anthers produce a high
amount of pollens that are easily released. The stigma has a large feathery surface to easily
catch pollens.

4
(ii) State one letter in Fig. 2.1 that identifies a structure where meiosis occurs. [1]
C

(b) Wheat has flowers similar to those in Fig. 2.1, but reproduces by self-pollination.
Explain the consequences of self-pollination for a population of plants. [4]
No agent of pollination will be required, which will increase the chances of a successful
pollination. The amount of pollens wasted is fewer than any other form of pollination. But the
diversity and variation will be reduced and there is the chance of getting a genetically inherited
disease and the ability to adapt to environmental changes are reduced which will increase the
risk of extinction.

(c) Wheat is an important crop plant in many countries. Wheat can be infected by diseases
leading to total loss of the crop which results in famine.
Outline factors, other than plant diseases, that can cause famines. [3]
Poverty in a highly populated area, tsunamis and earthquakes

(d) Black stem rust is a disease of wheat that is caused by a fungus.

Plant breeders used two varieties of wheat to produce a variety of wheat that is both rust-
resistant and has a high yield.
Fig. 2.2 shows the breeding programme that was used.

5
 Fig. 2.2
(i) Suggest how plant breeders make sure that the plants that they use for step 3 are rust-
resistant. [2]

Expose the plant to rust or fungus, check if the plant has the DNA for rust resistance, and only
use the plants that got that DNA

(ii) Suggest why step 3 is repeated for many generations before the new rust-resistant variety is
made available for farmers to grow. [1]
To make sure the plants are homozygous

(e) Wheat plants are monocotyledons.

State one feature of monocotyledons that can be used to distinguish them from dicotyledons. [1]
Parallel-veined leaves

[Total: 15]

3. (a) (i) Describe the main characteristics of a virus. [3]

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Viruses has a very small protein coat with no membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, organelles and
cause disease.

(ii) The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reproduces inside white blood cells and destroys
them.
Use your knowledge of the functions of white blood cells to suggest why the virus is named the
immunodeficiency virus. [2]
The immune system will be affected, the production of antibodies and the phagocytic action
will be reduced.

(b) (i) HIV causes a disease called AIDS. The virus may be transmitted during sexual
intercourse.
State two methods by which the spread of HIV by sexual intercourse may be controlled. [2]
1 Abstinence

2 Usage of antiretroviral drugs

(ii) HIV may be transmitted in other ways.

State two ways, other than during sexual intercourse, by which HIV may be transmitted. [2]
1 Sharing needles

2 Blood transfusion

[Total: 9]

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4. (a) Define the term allele. [2]
Form of a gene could be either recessive or dominant.

(b) In mice, the allele for black fur (B) is dominant to the allele for white fur (b).
Two mice with black fur were mated to produce offspring, all of which were black.
One of these black offspring was then mated with a mouse with white fur. Equal numbers of
mice with black fur and with white fur were produced.
Complete the genetic diagram to show the pattern of inheritance in each cross.
phenotypes of first parents black fur × black fur

genotypes of first parents BB × Bb

gametes B+B+B+b

genotypes BB + Bb

phenotype all have black fur

phenotypes of second parents black fur × white fur

genotypes of second parents Bb × bb

gametes B + b +b + b

genotypes Bb + bb

phenotypes black fur white fur

[8]
[Total: 10]

5. The American writer Ernest Hemingway lived on the island of Key West in Florida, USA in
the 1930s. During this time he was given a male cat by a sea captain.
The cat had more toes than usual. This inherited condition is called polydactyly. The allele for
polydactyly is dominant.
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(a) Define the term inheritance. [1]
Transmission of genetic information from a generation to generation.

(b) Fig. 5.1 is part of a pedigree diagram for Hemingway’s cats.

Fig. 5.1

(i) State the genotypes of cats 5, 6 and 14 in the pedigree diagram in Fig. 5.1.
Use the letters T and t. [3]
Cat 5 Tt

Cat 6 tt

Cat 14 Tt

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(ii) Explain why none of the offspring of cats 3 and 4 have inherited polydactyly.
Use the information in Fig. 5.1 in your answer. [1]
Cats 3 and 4 are homozygous recessive

(c) Scientists published the results of an investigation into the DNA of cats with and without
polydactyly.
They compared the base sequence from a particular region of DNA that controls the
development of the limbs.
Table 5.1 shows the base sequences.
Table 5.1

(i) Describe how the base sequences of the cats with polydactyly differ from the base sequence
of cats without polydactyly. [2]
Cats with normal number of toes have AGA for bases 7, 8 and 9 and the cats with polydactyly
have GGA or AGT

(ii) State the name of the process by which base sequences in DNA are changed. [1]
Mutation

(iii) The base sequences in Table 5.1 provide evidence that indicates which country the male cat
given to Hemingway in the 1930s came from.
Suggest which country this cat came from and give a reason for your choice. [2]
The cat came from the USA because it got the same base sequences as the cats from Oregon
and Missouri.

10
(d) Fig. 5.2 shows part of a DNA molecule from a chromosome of a cat.
Complete Fig. 5.2 by writing the letters for the base sequence of the other strand of the DNA
molecule. [2]

Fig.5.2 T

[Total: 12]

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 PAPER - 6

(a) Beetroot is the large fleshy root of a beet plant. The cells of beetroot contain a coloured
pigment. This pigment may leak from the cells if the cell membranes are damaged.
A student investigated the effect of temperature on the leakage of pigment from beetroot cells.
Step 1 Cylinders of varying length were cut from a beetroot. The student was provided with two
of the beetroot cylinders. The student cut both cylinders to 3 cm in length.
Step 2 The student labelled one test-tube C and another test-tube H.
Step 3 The student put some cold water into test-tube C and some hot water into test-tube H.
Step 4 The student measured the temperature of the water in test-tube C and in test-tube H.
Sections of the thermometers are shown in Fig. 1.1.

Fig. 1.1

12
Step 5 The student put one beetroot cylinder into test-tube C and one beetroot cylinder into test-
tube H. A stopper was placed in each test-tube.
Step 6 The student waited for 10 minutes.
Step 7 After 10 minutes the student shook both test-tubes.
Step 8 The student observed the colour of the liquid in both test-tubes.

The student’s observations are shown in Fig. 1.2.

Fig. 1.2
(i) Prepare a table to record the results shown in Fig. 1.1 and Fig. 1.2. [3]

Temperature/ °C Colour

21 Light red

13
63 Dark red

(ii) State a conclusion for these results. [1]

More pigment is leaked at higher temperatures

(iii) In step 1 the two beetroot cylinders were cut to the same length.
Suggest why this was necessary. [1]
To have the same surface area exposed to water.

(iv) Identify one possible source of error in step 3.

Suggest a piece of apparatus that could be used to reduce this error. [2]

error Volume of water is not mentioned

apparatus Burette

(v) In step 7 the student shook the test-tubes. It was important that the shaking of both testtubes
was the same.
Suggest two ways that this could be achieved. [2]

14
1 Duration of shaking

2 Intensity of shaking

(b) A student repeated the investigation in 1(a) at five different temperatures. They carried out
three trials at each temperature.
The student measured the percentage of light that passed through the liquids in the test-tubes.
The coloured pigment reduces the percentage of light that can pass through the liquid. The
higher the pigment concentration the less light passes through the liquid.
The student’s results are shown in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1

(i) State the variable that was changed (independent variable) in the investigation described
in 1(b). [1]
Temperature

(ii) Suggest two ways in which the method described in 1(b) is an improvement to the method
used in 1(a). [2]

15
1 Wide range of temperatures

2 Repeat the experiment

(iii) The student decided that the result for trial 2 at 20 °C was anomalous.
State what is meant by an anomalous result. [2]
Result that doesn’t fit the pattern

(iv) State how the student dealt with the anomalous result when calculating the average value
for 20 °C. [1]
Did not include the anomalous result.

[Total: 15]

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