TERM 1 EXEMPLAR TEST

GRADE 8

SUBJECT: NATURAL SCIENCES

FORMAL ASSESSMENT TASK
2021

TOTAL MARKS: 60

DURATION: 1 Hour

Name: ________________________________________________________

Class: __________________________ Date: ________________________

School: _____________________ Teacher: _________________________

MARKS OBTAINED =

60

1
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read all the instructions carefully.

2. Answer all the questions in the spaces provided.
3. Write neatly and legibly.
4. Use a lead pencil to draw
___________________________________________________________________

SECTION A
QUESTION 1
1.1. Four possible answers are given. House the correct answer and write only the
letter (A – D) next to the question number (1.1 – 1.7) e.g. 1.1.9. Z.

1.1.1. What kind of factors of the ecosystem are air, water, sunlight and
temperature? (1)
A. Biotic
B. Living
C. Abiotic
D. Dead
1.1.2. Process by which energy is released from food. (1)

A. Photosynthesis
B. Respiration
C. Predation
D. Decomposition
1.1.3. A ____________ is a group of organisms of the same species in an area. (1)
A. Community
B. Population
C. Biosphere
D. Ecosystem
1.1.4 Grass is eaten by a prairie dog. A coyote eats the prairie dog. This is an
example of a ___________. (1)
A. Nutrition map
B. Food web
C. Food chain
D. Energy pyramid
1.1.5 In the organisms shown below which are decomposers? (1)
A. Bird
B. Snake
C. Grass

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 D. Mushroom
1.1.6. What is the equation for photosynthesis? (1)
A. Sunlight + water → glucose + O2
B. CO2 + Sunlight + water → glucose + O2
C. Sunlight + water → glucose + CO2
D. CO2 + Sunlight → glucose + O2
1.1.7. The process of making food in a plant is called_________ (1)

A. Transpiration
B. Respiration
C. Photosynthesis
D. Fertilisation

1.2. Match the descriptions in column B with relevant concepts in column A.

Write down the number of the description in Column A and the letter of the correct
description in Column B in the space provided below. (5)

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1.2.1. Decomposers A. The area where plants and animals live.

1.2.2. Parasitism B. The study of living organisms and the places where
they live.

1.2.3. Ecology C. The relationship between humans and tapeworms.

1.2.4. Producers D. Breakdown the remains of dead plants and animals.

1.2.5. Herbivores E. Make their own food

F. A herd of springbok on the grasslands
G. Feed on plant materials.

1.2.1. ________; 1.2.2. _________; 1.2.3. ________; 1.2.4. _________ 1.2.5. ________

1.3. Give one word for the following descriptions:

1.3.1. The variety of life that is found in one ecosystem. (1)
_________________________________________________________________

1.3.2. A relationship where one party benefits while the other party is neither
advantaged nor disadvantaged. (1)
_________________________________________________________________
1.3.3. All the organisms of a specific type that live in an ecosystem. (1)
_________________________________________________________________

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1.3.4. An area where all living and non-living factors interact with each other and
are interdependent on each other, eg. a jungle. (1)
__________________________________________________________________
1.3.5. A relationship where both parties benefit. (1)
__________________________________________________________________
[17]

QUESTION 2: PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Grade 8 learners conducted an investigation to test for the presence of starch

in a green leaf. The steps that they followed are shown below. Read the steps
carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

 They heated a green plant leaf in boiling water for 30 seconds

 They then added the leaf to boiling ethanol in a water bath for a
few minutes
 After that they washed it with water to rehydrate and soften the
leaf and spread onto a white tile
 They added iodine solution from a dropping pipette
After a few minutes, they observed if a colour change occurs.

2.1. Why do they need to boil the plant leaf in water? (1)
______________________________________________________________________
2.2. Describe what happens when the leaf is boiled in the ethanol. (3)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2.3. Explain why ethanol is heated using a hot water bath instead of using a
Bunsen burner. (1)
______________________________________________________________________
2.4. Explain why it is needed to wash the leaf with water after it has been removed
from the ethanol. (2)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

2.5. When iodine solution is added to the leaf a colour change is observed. Describe
the colour change. (2)
______________________________________________________________________
2.6. Write a conclusion for this investigation. (1)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
[10]

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QUESTION 3: INTERDEPENDENCE IN THE ECOSYSTEM
Study the picture of the grassland habitat below and answer the questions that
follow.

3.1. List ANY THREE abiotic things in the grassland ecosystem shown in the
image. (3)
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________

3.2. For each of the animals, discuss how you think the organisms below are
interacting with the abiotic environment.
a) The eagle (2)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b) The trees and grass (2)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
c) The mouse (2)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
d) The worm and insect (2)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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3.3. In the picture above, the arrows show the movement of water through the
ecosystem. What do we call this movement of water? (1)
________________________________________________________________________
[12]
QUESTION 4: FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS

2.1 Study the schematic representation of a food web below and answer questions
that follow:

4.1 This is an example of a food web. How does it differ from a food chain? (2)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4.2 What do the arrows in this food web represent? (1)
__________________________________________________________________________
4.3 What would happen to this ecosystem when all trees are cut? (1)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4.4 Write ONE organism from the schematic diagram which represents:
4.4.1. Producers (1)
__________________________________________________
4.4.2. Primary consumers (1)
__________________________________________________
4.4.3. Secondary consumers (1)
__________________________________________________
4.5 Which animal is ONLY dependent / reliant on the snail for food? (1)
___________________________________________________________________________

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4.6 Discuss the threats to this ecosystem. (3)

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
[11]
QUESTION 5: MICRO-ORGANISMS
Look at the following CAPTION and answer the questions that follow.

5.1. Explain in your own words why a microorganism is said to be 'microscopic'.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________(2)
5.2. “Coronaviruses are types of virus, not bacteria”. Justify this statement by
providing differences between a virus and bacteria. (4)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

5.2. Name 2 foods that are made using microorganisms. (2)

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

10. Suggest ANY THREE ways in which one can prevent the spread of
corona virus. (3)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
[10]

TOTAL: 60 Marks