1 RESOURCES

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN

MAURITIUS EXAMINATIONS SYNDICATE

NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AT FORM III

NAME

SCHOOL
NAME

CLASS/SECTION

BIOLOGY
October 2013
1 hour

Students answer on the Question Paper.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your name, the name of your school and your class/section in the spaces provided above.
Write in dark blue or black ink.
You may use a soft pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
Any rough working should be done in the booklet itself.
Do not use correction fluid.

There are 8 questions in this paper.

Answer all questions.

All answers must be written in the spaces provided.

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
The total of the marks for this paper is 50.

This document consists of 10 printed pages

 2

Question 1 – Multiple Choice Questions (5 marks)

For each item, there is one correct answer. Draw a circle around the letter which
indicates the correct answer.

(a) Which one of the following is found only in plant cells?

A Cytoplasm B Nucleus
C Chloroplast D Cell membrane

(b) With the increase in recreational activities in our lagoon, the number of fish in the coral
reefs has decreased. Which one of the following explains this decrease in fish
population?

A The destruction of their habitat

B An increase in prey population
C A decrease in seawater temperature
D An increase in oxygen content of the sea water

(c) Study the diagram in Fig. 1.1.

endothelium

lumen(size allows only one red

blood cell through at a time)

Fig. 1.1

Which one of the following blood vessels isshown in Fig. 1.1?

A Aorta B Vena Cava

C Capillary D Pulmonary vein
 3

(d) Air passes through different parts of the body when we breathe in. Which one of the
following indicates the pathway taken by air when we breathe in?

A Nostrils – lungs – bronchioles –trachea – bronchus

B Nostrils – bronchioles – bronchus – trachea – lungs
C Nostrils – trachea – bronchioles – bronchus – lungs
D Nostrils – trachea – bronchus – bronchioles – lungs

(e) Table1.1 shows the results of an experiment carried out to study how physical exercise
affects heart rate.

Table 1.1
Stage of Heart rate of Person A Heart rate of Person B Heart rate of Person C
Activity (beats per minute) (beats per minute) (beats per minute)
Before
75 62 70
exercise
After
120 110 130
exercise

What conclusion can be drawn from the data in Table 1.1?

A Exercise triples a person’s heart rate.

B Heart rate is increased by exercise.
C Heart rate is not affected by exercise.
D Exercise decreases a person’sheart rate.
[5]

Question 2 (6 marks)

(a) Malaria is a communicable disease. Explain what is meant by the term communicable
disease.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ [1]
(b) Describe the mode of transmission of malaria.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ [2]
 4

(c) In order to stop the spread of malaria, the Ministry of Health often promotessensitisation
campaigns. What two pieces of advice might such campaigns contain?

(i) _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________ [1]

(ii)_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________
[1]

(d) Give one sign that an Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patient might
develop.
[1]
______________________________________________________________________

Question 3 (7 marks)

(a) Which twotypes of nutrients provide most of the energy in our diet?

(i) ______________________________________________________

(ii) ______________________________________________________ [2]

(b) Table 3.1 shows the recommended daily intake of energy, nutrients and minerals for 5
groups of people. Study the table and answer the questions which follow.
Table 3.1
Recommended Daily Intake
Group Energy(K Protein Carbohydrate(g) Fat Calcium( Iron(
J) (g) (g) mg) mg)
Male 15 – 18 yrs 11 510 55.2 360 109 1000 11.3

Female 15 – 18 yrs 8830 45.0 276 84 800 14.8

Male 19 – 50 yrs 10 600 55.5 331 100 700 8.7

Female 19 -50 yrs 8100 45.0 253 77 700 14.8

Pregnant female 8900 81.0 278 84 700 14.8

(i) Calculate the difference between the recommended daily intake of calcium for a
15 year-old male andthat of a 30 year-old male.
[1]
mg
_____________________________
 5

(ii) Suggest why two 16 year-old males of the same weight might need different
amounts of energy.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________ [1]

(iii) Suggest why the recommended daily intake in calcium ofa 15 year-old male is
different to that of a 30 year-old male.
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ [1]

(iv)Give a reason why the recommended daily intake of protein of a 25 year-old

pregnant female is different to that of a 25 year-old female who is not pregnant.
______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________ [1]

(v) Suggest why a 15 year-old female might need more iron than a 15 year-old
male.
______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________ [1]

Question 4 (5 marks)

(a) Which one of the following is considered to have a higher biodiversity:

1. A large population of Kestrel in a forest

OR

2. Small populations of Kestrel, Pink Pigeon and Bulbul in a forest?

___________________________________________________________________ [1]

(b) The ‘Goyave de Chine’ plant was introduced in Mauritius from abroad. However,
environmental organisations are trying to control the spread of this plant. Explain why its
spread has to be controlled.
_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ [1]
 6

(c) Larry Harris,a famous scientist said that: ‘The tropical rain forests of the world harbour the
majority of the planet’s species, yet this wealth of species is being quickly spent.’

(i) Apart from species loss, name another consequence of deforestation.

_________________________________________________________ [1]

(ii) Suggest two ways in which the impact of deforestation can be reduced.

1. _________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2.___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________ [2]

Question 5 (5 marks)

Fig. 4.1 shows sections of two blood vessels: an artery and a vein.

artery vein
Fig. 4.1

(a) State one function of each of the blood vessels shown in Fig. 4.1.

Artery:___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________ [1]

Vein: ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________ [1]
 7

(b) Explain why a clot in the artery can be fatal.

Refer to the structure and function of the artery in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________ [2]

(c) Clots in the arteries are often due to a high level of blood cholesterol.
Name one disease that may be caused by a high level of cholesterol.

__________________________________________ [1]

Question 6 (8 marks)

(a) Outline the difference between breathing and respiration.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________ [2]

(b) Fill in the blanks.

During ________________________air moves from the atmosphere into the lungs. For

this to happen, the external intercostal muscles contract and the internal intercostal

muscles relax. This pulls the ribcage ________________________ and outwards,

hence increasing the volume of the ________________________ cavity. The diaphragm

________________________to extend the cavity further downwards.The size of the

lungs is increased, thus lowering the air pressure inside the lungs. [4]

(c) Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

(i) Giveone sign of TB.

________________________________________________________________ [1]
 8

(ii) Why does a person suffering from TB need to be isolated?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ [1]

Question 7 (7 marks)

(a) Water vapour leaves the plant through stomatal pores found in the leaves.
Name this process.

___________________________________________ [1]

(b) A pupil carried out an experiment to investigate the loss of water by plants. Two identical
bean plants, Plant A and Plant B, were used and the rate of water uptake was measured
at regular intervals. Plant A was placed under normal room conditions while Plant B was
placed near a blowing fan.The apparatus used is shown in Fig. 5.1.

calibrated
pipette plant
cutting
plant
calibrated
cutting
pipette
air-tight air-tight
seal seal

water-filled
tube
water-filled
tube

Plant A Plant B

Fig. 5.1

The distance moved by the water in the calibrated pipette was measured at regular
intervals and plotted on a graph. The graph obtained is shown in Fig. 5.2.
 9

7
Distan Plant B
ce 6
moved
by 5
water
in the
calibrat 4
ed
pipette 3
/ cm

1 Plant A

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Time taken /mins
Fig. 5.2

(i) Describe the trend in the rate of water loss of plants A and B.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________ [2]

(ii) Apart from air current, give another factor that affects the rate of water loss in plants.

___________________________________________________________________ [1]

(iii) Name the process by which water moves up the plant.

___________________________________________________________________ [1]

(iv) Name the vessel through which water moves up the plant.

___________________________________ [1]

(c) Food is manufactured in the leaves of green plants during photosynthesis. Through which
tissue is food transported to other parts of the plant?

_______________________________________ [1]
 10

Question 8 (7 marks)

(a) What type of specialised cells is responsible for the formation of a new individual in
sexual reproduction?

________________________________________ [1]

(b) Fig. 6.1 shows part of the male reproductive system.

Label parts AtoE on the diagram.

A:

B:

C:

D:

E:
[5]
Fig: 6.1

(c) A young woman wants to conceive a baby. She has a menstrual cycle of 28 days. InFig.
6.2, shade the 6 days when she will be in her most fertile phase.

Menstruation starts

[1]

Fig. 6.2
 11

BLANK PAGE
12