Marking

Schemes

The marking schemes were prepared for markers' reference. They should not be regarded as sets of model answers. Candidates and teachers who were not involved in the marking process are advised to interpret their contents with care.
The examination emphasises the testing of understanding, the practical application of knowledge and the use

of processing skills. Candidates are advised to study this document in conjunction with the examiner's
comments on candidates'performance in this booklet.

Paper

Section A

M_arks

l.

(a) r (b) o

xosmosis(l)
the cell may absorb inorganic solutes (e.g. salts) (1) from the extracellular fluid

(l)

to

(3)

.
2. (a) (i) (ii)

fJ.'J :::.:;ffi'::fl

llT'[ff

,ff

,T ll,:'/".,.ease

/ restorati on of

th e ce r r vo r um e

o .

as the site

of formation of the polypeptide (l) I fbr

transporting

the

(4)

(iii) . (iv) . (b) o o 3. (a) . . (b) r o . 4. (a) o (b) .

polypeptide / modification of the polypeptide / as the site of translation as the site of formation of the mRNA of amylase (l) / as the site of transcription / contains genetic information coding for amylase B (l) *Golgi apparatus / body (l)
(2)

*mucin (1) / mucus / lysozyme for lubricating the swallowing of food (1) / sticking food particles together / kills
germs in food

warm temperature / high light intensity promotes groMh of the algae (l) discharge of organic or nutrient-enriched matters to the sea provides nutrients fbr the growth of the algae (l )
the harmful algae produce toxins

(2)

(l)

in their cells

(4)

the toxins would be taken into shellfish which feed on the algae and eventually passed to humans along the food chain (l) as the toxins are not metabolized / excreted by the shellfish (l), the toxins may reach / bioaccumulate to a level that causes poisoning in humans (l)

the storage process allows sufficient time

(l) fbr the endogenous proteolytic

(l) / prevent spoilage

(2)

enzymes to digest partially the meat tissue (1), leading to tenderization of the meat storage at low temperature helps retard microbial growth

(l)
(4)

5
o

3'Tli:*X'Tiil:$ :i)".d

and pointed canines ror klring prey and tearing orr flesh (l) / large, powerful and sharp-edged molars / carnassial teeth for cutting flesh and crushing bones plants / herbivorous (l): and molars has sharp vertical ridges for grinding plant materials chisel-like for cutting plants

incisors are

103

6.

curve

compared to curve Y, curve X shows the haemoglobin starts loading and unloading oxygen at a lower concentration (1) and it reaches saturation at a lower oxygen tension (l), indicating a higher affinity for oxygen (l) at low oxygen
tension

x ( 1)

max.2

this enables the worm to acquire oxygen in the burrows in muddy soil which has low oxygen content (l)

(4)
7.

(a)

due to uncontrolled growth of insulin-secreting cells (l), this pancreatic cancer probably leads to an excessive secretion of insulin (l) as insulin stimulates the conversion of blood glucose into glycogen by the liver (l) / uptake of blood glucose by cells, excessive insulin secretion would reduce the blood glucose to a low level (l) as a result of insufficient blood glucose supplyto the brain (1), the man would feel dizzy

max.

)
I

(4) (b)
a o

some tissues of the pancreas secrete protease and lipase (l) they may be removed together with the cancerous tissues. The lack of protease and lipase would make the digestion of protein and fat difficult (l)

(2)

8.

(a) (b)

body balance

(l)

(4)

the position and / or movement of the head (l )

(c)
(d)

semi-circular canals (l ) hair cells

(l)
(3)

9.

(a)

B
F

(l) (l)

(b) (c)

c (l)

t04

Paper

Section B

Marks

10. (a)

o o o o o

correct correct correct correct

title (%)

(6)

choice of axes (%) labelling of axes with units (1%) plotting and joining of points (3) key I labels for the three line graphs (t/z)

Relationship of the change in blood levels of calcium, hormone X and hormone Y with time
300

254

Hormone level (arbitrary unit) Blood calcium (mmol L-r)

2.2

Time (hour)

(b)

from hour 0 to hour 4, decrease in blood calcium level resulted in an increase in the level of hormone X (l) from hour 4 to hour 10, blood calcium level rose and there was a corresponding decline in the level of hormone X (l) (i)
o o

(2)

(c)

when the level of hormone X rose, the level of hormone Y also increased the peak in hormone Y level lagged behind that of hormone X (l)

(l)

(2)

(ii)

in the first part, inject hormone X into the blood of rats (l), a rise in the blood (max.4) level of hormone Y (l) and calcium (l) would show the stimulatory effect of X on Y and calcium in the second part, inject hormone Y into the blood of rats (1), there should be a rise in the blood level of calcium (l) if the hypothesis is correct

Total: 14 marks

105

Marks
I

l. (a)

(i)

chemical

pregnant rats

M was absorbed from the alimentary canal into the blood of the (l) and was passed to the F' foetus through the placenta (l)

(2)

(ii) .
o

M treatment had no effect on the viability of the offspring (l) / number of live offspring born and no effect on the development of follicles (l) / the number of growing follicles in the female offspring but it caused a reduction in sperm count and sperm motility (l) in the male
chemical offspring

(3)

(b)

(i)

Concept for mark award:

fewer live offspring in sub-group B (l) due to reduced sperm formation (l) / formation of defective eggs / a lower fertilization rate / higher abortion rate I lower rate of successful implantation altered sex ratio (l) / more females than males produced, possibly due to selective adverse effects on sperms with Y chromosome (1
the total number of live offspring produced in sub-group B was smaller than that in sub-group A (l) this may be due to reduced sperm formation (l) / formation of defective eggs
(4)

e.g. .
o

I a lower rate of fertilization /

higher rate

of

abortion

lower rate of

successful implantation in sub-group B the sex ratio was altered by a reduction in the number of male offspring (1) / there were more females than males possibly because chemical M may have selective adverse effects on sperms carrying the Y chromosome (l )

ii)

Concept for mark

award:

(any

two)
I
ova

2 x (l

+l)
support full development of

mutation in DNA
foetus ( I )

(l)

in sperms

/ defective sperms or eggs -+ defective

malfunctioned / defective placenta

the foetus (l) defects in the maternal physiology all the foetuses (l 2x

(l) -+ cannot
(l) +

cannot support

full development of

e.g. Any two of the following:

there might be mutation in the chromosomal DNA (l) in sperms I ova I sperms or eggs might be defective, leading to the development of defective
foetus ( I )

(l+l)

(4)

o o

the placenta might be malfunctioned

support full development of the foetus

I had defects (l) (l)

so that

it could

not

there might be defects in the maternal physiology ( I ) (e.g. intestinal absorption, circulation), so that the female could not support the
development of all the foetuses and some eventually died

(l)

(l

bonus mark for pointing out the consequence on F2 arises from the effect chemical M on the F1)

of
13 marks

Total:

106

Marks

t2' (a) (i)

(2)

;mtilJt? c

showed the highest rerative

growth rate tyierd at

row

phosphate supply (25 and 50 mg per pot) as compared to A and B

(l)

(ii)

(2)

ilil:ff:J:: :,:il.ffi.:"J,1il:!',]nun,.
o/s

phosphate absorption

(r)
(2)

(iii) o

dry weight allows the comparison of the yield of seedlings among different species (l) whereas the absolute dry weight of seedlings are inherently different due to differences of the species ( I ), which makes
species

comparison impossible

(b) (i) (l) .

D showed a higher uptake rate for phosphate (l) than the control, including a higher maximum (l). This could be achieved by synthesizing additional transport proteins for phosphate (1)

(3)

(2) o o o

species E was more efficient in absorbing phosphate at low phosphate (max.3) concentrations (l) as compared to the control the maximum uptake rate remained unchanged (l) this may be due to a higher efficiency I affinity of the transport proteins (l) developed in species E in response to phosphate deficiency, but the number of transport proteins remained unchanged (l)

(ii) .

all the transport proteins were saturated with phosphate atany one time
factors other than phosphate concentration became Iimiting

(l) /

(l)

Total: 13 marks

Paper

Section C

Marks

13. (a) Any two of the following:

(2)

. o .

ionizing radiation
chemicals

(l)

(l)
ward:

virus (1)

(b)

Any two of the following explanations: 2x (l,l) (accept other correct alternatives) o gene as allelic pairs (l) -+ recessive mutation masked by the effect of the normal

. o o
e.g.

allele

degenerative nature of the genetic code (l) + mutation in one base may not cause a change in the amino acid coded (l) / normal gene product can still be produced most mutations are repaired (l) -+ normal mRNA can still be formed (l)

(I)

(4)

the active site of the gene product may not be altered much
functionirrg of the gene product is maintained

(l)

(l) -+ normal

Any two of the following explanations: 2x (l,l) o genes usually occur as allelic pairs on homologous chromosomes (1), mutation in one allele, if recessive, would not cause harm because the normal allele can still

form the gene product (1) several codons code for the same amino acid (l) / due to the degenerative nature of the genetic code, mutation in one base may not lead to a change in the amino acid coded (l) / normal gene product can still be produced in some cases

(4)

t07

o o

most mutations are repaired by substituting I replacing the changed nucleotide(s) with the correct nucleotide(s) (l), so the normal mRNA can still be formed (l) changes in a few amino acids may not alter the conformation of the active site of the gene product (l), so the mutation may not affect the functioning of the gene product (l)

(c)

Concept for mark award: o relate the response of B cells upon vaccination to antibody production (l) r relate the response of T cells uDon vaccination to T cell oroliferation (l

(2)

e.g.

o f
(d)

response of SCID babies, the number of B / plasma cells formed after vaccination is very small (l) / no humoral immune ---r - response will be elicited, resulting in a low antibody level in "-r ^-)'---'-- -o --- the plasma

B cells lead to antibody production; due to the poor immune

(2)

cells also fail to proliferate (1) / no cell-mediated immune response elicited, resulting in the low level of T cells

will

be

Concept for mark award:

o r o
e.g. o

(l); so once the male inherits one recessive allele on the X chromosome (l ), he will develop the disease ADA SCID develops only when a person is homozygous for the mutated allele (l), the chance is lower (l) mutation leading to XSCID may occur at a higher frequency than that of ADA SCID in a oooulation ( I
XSCID is sex-linked

(max. 3)

. e
(e)

XSCID is sex-linked (1) / the mutated allele for XSCID is carried on the X chromosome; once the male inherits a copy of the mutated allele on the X chromosome (l), he will develop the disease as there would not be another normal allele to offset the effect of the mutated allele whereas in ADA SCID, individuals would only develop the disease when they inherit two copies of the mutated allele from the parents (l) / are homozygous for the mutated allele, thus the chance of developing the disease is lower (l) besides, the mutation leading to XSCID may occur at a higher frequency than that ofADA SCID in a population (l), resulting in a higher incidence of the former
Somatic gene therapv

(max. 3)

the change only occurs in

daughter
individual

the

Germ-line gene therapv the changes will affect all the cells
of the offspring

manipulated body cells and their

cells of the

treated

r .

the changes are not inheritable and affect only the individual who
undertakes the therapv

o .

the changes will be inherited in all

members of
senerations

the

subsequent

does not change the genome of the

population

may lead to changes in the genome

of the population

(*Any two of the above comparison)

(f)
Concept for mark

award:

(accept other reasonable answers)

o o . .

take in more refined food that lacks dietary fibre (l) -+ higher chance of colon / rectal cancer (1) have a more stressful lifestyle (1) -+ increase the chance of cancer development lack physical exercise (l) + higher chance of obesity (1) -+ increase the chance '^D'^-'

of cancer development reach older age (1) -+ higher chance

(max' 5)

of accumulating mutations in cells (l),

-+ death rate due to other

leading to cancer development medical advancement / better preventive measures (1)

diseases is lower

(l

108

e.g. o

o . o o

people in developed countries take in more refined food that lacks dietary fibre (l), leading to a higher chance of colon /rectal cancer (l) people in developed countries have a more stressful lifestyle (l) which may
increase the chance of cancer development

people in developed countries generally lack physical exercise (1), resulting in

[t"T:Omr.

of

obesity

(l),

which may increase the chance

of cancer

(max. 5)

people in developed countries can reach an older age (l), thus have a higher chance of accumulating mutations in cells (l), leading to cancer development due to medical advancement / better preventive measures (1), the death rate due to

other diseases is lower in developed countries (accept other reasonable answers)

(l)
(2)

(g)

Any two of the

o . o o o o

following:

(accept other correct

alternatives)

coronary heart diseases hypertension (l)

atherosclerosis
( 1)

(l)

constipation (l) scurvy (l) night-blindness (1)

Total: 20 marks
Paper

Section A Nucleotide number 20 A is changed to T

Marks

(a) (b)

(l)

(l)

Concept of mark award: [base sequence being the same as the coding sequence

(l)

except T is replaced by U
(2)

(l)l

AUG GUG CAC CUG ACU CCU GUG GAG

(c)

Met Val His Leu Thr Pro Val Glu

(2)
which can
be

(2)

(d)

(i)

;:'T)''Ji,'*l'l[t'?#ll",T'L'r",::3.'ti'5ltoo

' iJd{ l.1iffi,1itrjl#sr:TfiiT:f: h:H:,i$ H*::

(ii)
lii,f;:1"i#:;i##*1,T""
AS x AS
sickle-cell
be AS

recognized by the restriction enzyme (l); the B-chain gene is thus cut into two DNA fragments (l) of different lengths / masses (l bm) between C and

@)

(r) / heterozvsous because thev

AS

have

Q)

(iii) Parent

GameteAsASl Offspring AA Offspring normal

phenotype

AS trait

SS
sickle cell

I I

anaemia

Format of genetic diagram (parent, gamete and offspring The chance for the couple

indicated) to have a child with sickle-cell trait is 214 :'/r.(l)

109

(5)

(e)

Concept for mark award: r advantage of sickle-cell trait outweighs disadvantage of being

anaemlc

o o . o

malarial prevalent areas (l) malarial infection as selection agent (l) preferential survival of individuals with sickle-cell trait (l) reproduction to pass the S allele to subsequent generations (1), hence a rise in proportion of individuals with sickle-cell trait from one generation to another (1) reasons for fewer cases of sickle-cell trait in areas with low incidence of malaria:
e

(max.4)

(l)

e.g.

in malarial prevalent areas, the survival advantage brought by sickle-cell trait against malarial infection outweighs the disadvantages of being mildly anaemic (t)
o a

malarial infection acts as a selection agent for people with sickle-cell trait (1) people with sickle-cell trait have a higher chance to survive and reproduce (l), passing the S allele to the subsequent generations (l) the proportion of individuals within a population having sickle-cell trait increases

(max. 4)

from one generation to another

population

(l),

making the trait more common

in

the

in areas with low incidence of malaria, people with sickle-cell trait would not have such a selection advantage (l), instead being mildly anaemic is a
disadvantage ( I ), thus the trait is less common in these areas

Total: 20 marks

Marks

2.

(a)

o o a

rate of glycolysis would be higher under anaerobic conditions

because ATP production is lower in anaerobic conditions

(l)
(4)

(l)

the inhibitory effect of ATP on enzyme E is lower of intermediates A to B would be faster ( I )

(l)

and hence the conversion

(b)

(i)

competitive inhibitor competes with the substrate for the active site of the enzyme, thus with inhibitor concentration kept constant (l), increasing

substrate concentration
competitive inhibitor
reaction rate
(

will remove the inhibitory effect of the (l) / lead to the attainment of the same maximal

(2)

ii)

fluoride inhibits glycolysis ( I ) it would prevent / inhibit the uptake of plasma glucose by red blood cells for glycolysis (l) as a result, the plasma glucose level would not be changed (l) /would not decrease / the plasma glucose level so determined would not be lower than
the actual level

(3)

(c)

(i)
(

o a

pyruvate will be reduced by NADH to lactate ( I ) this will regenerate NAD (l) for sustaining glycolysis

(2\

ii)

Concept for mark award: . red blood cells as oxygen carrier (l) o absence of mitochondria -> lack of Krebs cycle and electron transport chain (l) / oxidative metabolism . little / no oxygen consumed due to lack of Krebs cycle and electron

(3)

transport chain
rved

(l) I

amount

of

oxygen carried

in red blood cells

is

ll0

e.g. . . o (d)
(i)

red blood cells serves in oxygen transport (l) a lack of mitochondria implies a lack of Krebs cycle and electron transport chain (l) / oxidative metabolism in the cells this results in little / no oxygen consumption (l) / helps to preserve the amount of oxygen carried in red blood cells

(3)

Concept for mark award: o G6PD deficiency results in a reduction in NADPH formation ( I )

membrane integrity cannot be maintained

o e.g. o . .

burst

(l) / RBCs

are more likely

to
/

, (3)

haemoglobin released to plasma is more likely to be broken down number of RBCs decreases

(l)

glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency brings about a reduction in the formation of NADPH (1) with insufflrcient NADPH, membrane integrity cannot be maintained (l) / the red blood cells are more likely to burst haemoglobin released into plasma is more likely to be broken down (l) /

(3)

haemoglobin level would drop

number

of red blood cells would

(l)
x
1)

decrease, resulting in symptoms of anaemia

(ii)

. o o o o o

reducing property

(I

(iii)

Two examples. one from anlz two of the following categories: (2

ATP /ADP

(2)

NAD / NADH NADP / NADPH

FAD / FADH mRNA / tRNA / rRNA (accept other correct answers)

Total: 20 marks

3. (a) o o
(#
(b)

Marks

photosynthetic activities is higher in summer (1) than in winter as the daylength is longer / air temperature is higher (# I ) and plant growth is faster (# I ) this will consume more carbon dioxide in air (#l), thus lower the atmospheric

(3)

carbon dioxide concentration

any two out of the 3 points)

Concept for mark award: o example of the human activity (l) o source of methane: from organic matter (l) o methane produced by anaerobic respiration

(3)

(l

e.g.

Any one of the following sets:

. o

domestic wastes are dumped in landfills (1)

organic matters (l) in the wastes are decomposed by anaerobic bacteria (l), forming methane
more livestock such as cows are reared byhumans for food (1) anaerobic bacteria (l) decompose organic matters (l) in the gut produce methane which is then released to the environment
(3)

OR

. .

of cows

to

OR

in rice cultivation (1), flooded fields favour the anaerobic activity of soil bacteria (l) which decompose organic matter (1) in soil and release methane

lll

(c)

carbon dioxide and methane absorb heat radiated from the Earth surface

re-radiate the heat back to the Earth (l), thus heat builds up atmosphere (l) / near the Earth surface, resulting in global warming

(l)

and

in the lower

(max.2)

(d)

Any one of the following

. o o o
(e)

sets: (l+l)
la
loss

more intense rainstorms (1) / typhoons or hurricanes / higher rainfall these changes rvould result in physical destruction of crops in fields (1) arable land due to flooding / mudslides
heat waves / intensified droughts / drier summers ( l)
these changes would impair crop growth

of
(2)

OR

(l) / result in a loss of arable land

An), two of the following: (accept other reasonable answers) Invasive species may: . cofflpete with local species for resources (l) . transrnit diseases that may kill local species (l) . be potential predators of local species (1) . lead to the decline / extinction of local species (l) o become prey of local species, which will then increase in population

(2)

(l)

(0

(l), cholera is caused by a kind of bacteria wliich is transmitted through contaminated food / water (l) warmer conditions favour the breeding i activity of mosquitoes (l), which is the vector of the malarial pathogen (l)
warmer conditions favour bacterial growth
baleen whales feed only on krill (l), so if the number of krill declines greatly, the u'hale population rvould drop as a result of food shortage (l) penguins have food sources (e.g. zooplanktons) other than krill (1), the nurrber of these organisms may increase as a result of the decline of krill (l), thus the penguin population is less affected

(4)

1u)

(4)

Total: 20 marks

Paper

Section B

Marks

4.

(a)

Concept for mark award:

how phospholipids lead to membrane fluidiry (2) and hence support functions
invagination of membrane (l) / endocy'tosis / budding off of vesicles exocy,tcsis (1) and intracellular vesicular transport (l) due to membrane fusion ( l) horv phospholipids form a bilayer (l) and the importance of this hydrophobic ( l) bilayer to membrane function:
substances ( I ) oteins ( I

max. 4

)
max. 4

(max. 6) r.5.

the phospholipids molecules in the membrane are capable of slight lateral movements ( I ), giving fluidity ( 1) to the membrane
vesicles from ER and Golgi apparatus

max.4

contained in vesicles by exocy4osis (1), and the intracellular vesicular transport of materials (l) e.g. transport of proteins in vesicles from RER to the Golgi
apparatus

n2

due to the hydrophobic nature (l) of the fatty acid chains, phospholipid
molecules spontaneously form a bilayer

(l) in aqueous surroundings

compartmentalization (1) and can help restrict the entry / exit of ions and polar molecules (l), thus establishing gradients of charges / concentration
across membranes

max.4

proteins (1) so that they can exert their respective functions

(r""^i)
max.
3

(b)

Concept for mark award: o how loading of sugars at the source end of the sieve tubes results in a rise in the pressure potential (4) o how unloading of sugars at the sink end of the sieve tubes results in a drop in the pressure potential (4) o the subsequent set up of a hydrostatic pressure gradient between the source and the sink (1) to drive the mass flow of solution containing the organic food (l)

max.3

)
(max. 6)

e.g.

at the leaf-end of the sieve tubes, active loading of sugars from the mesophyll cells into the sieve tubes occurs (l), making this end the source; this would lower the water potential (l) of this part of the sieve tubes and water enters the sieve tubes by osmosis from the xylem ( l), raising the pressure potential at the source

max.

0)
at the root

/ the fruits / active growing

regions

/ storage organs, unloading of

max.

sugars from the sieve tubes to the surrounding cells occurs (1), making this end of the sieve tube the sink; this rvould increase the water potential (l) of this part of the sieve tubes and water leaves the sieve tubes by osrnosis (l) along with the sugars, lowering the pressure potential at the sink (l) a hydrostatic pressure gradient (l) is set up between the source and the sink,

forcing a mass florv of solution along the sieve tubes

orsanic food from the source to the sink

(I

),

thus transportine

('"r-i)

(c)

Concept for mark award:

Relating features of the rnyofibril to the sliding-filament hypothesis: . filaments observed in the myofibril (l) r filaments inter-digit (l) with one another o relate these features to the sliding-filament hypothesis (3)
Changes irr the regions of the myofibril during contraction: . decreases in length of the light band (2) o increases in length of the dark ends of the dark bands (2) and decrease in length of the H-zone in the dark bands (2) . no change in length of dark bands (1) . decrease in leneth of sarcomere (1) / distance between two Z lines

max'

(max. 8)
e.g.

Relating features of the myofibril to the sliding-filament hypothesis: . filaments are observed in the myofibril (l) o the actln (thin) filaments and the myosin (thick) filaments inter-digit with one

another

(l)

during muscle contraction, actin filaments slide over myosin filaments (#l) to bring about an overall shortening of the length of the muscle fibre (l) I myofibril, while the length of the filaments remains unchanged (1)

ll3

Changes in the regions of the myofibril during contraction: o due to the sliding of the actin filaments into the myosin filaments (#1), the light band of the myofibril, which makes up of actin filaments only (l), decreases in length (1) o the dark ends of the dark bands, which represent the overlapping regions of the actin and myosin (1), increase in length (1); the H zone of the dark band, which is the region of myosin only (1), decreases in length or even disappears (1) o there would be no change in the length of the dark bands (l) o the overall lensth of the sarcomere decreases (l) / distance between two Zlines shortens

max. 6

(# marks to be awarded once only) (max. 8)

Marks

5.

(a)

Reflexes

Tropism

o r . o
o

response

s elicited by

external or
be are

. o . o o o

internal st muli

stimuli involved mav or mav not

unilateral

response is elicited by external stimuli stimuli involved are unilateral

messages involved are chemical in nature (l) directional responses, either

messages involved
electrochemical in nature (1) most are non-directional responses quick responses
Don-Rrowth responses

l, I
I I I

towards or away from the stimulus slower responses

flroMh

responses

max.6
Significance: Significance:

protection against danger

damage

(I

o to position

its body parts so as to obtain adequate supply of light, nutrients, water (l) for better
groMh and survival
(I

photoreceptors from damage by strong light (1)

) leaves

or

phototropism helps

objects protects the skin from being burnt / cut (l)

towards
shoot

protects the eyes

production (l) / photosynthesis, for proper growth and development of

light for more

to bring

food

from

mechanical damage (1)

adjustment
function

environment

(l)

to changes in internal for optimum body

(l)
max.7

geotropism helps to bring root into

/ for homeostasis

response to increased carbon dioxide level in arterial blood so as to speed up the removal of

the soil for nutrient and water absorption (l) and for anchorage (l)
hydrotropism helps to bring roots to
areas of the soil content (l)

with hieher water

o as

carbon dioxide (1)

reactions

to perform in

max.4
body

functions (1)

muscle tone
posture ( I )

maintaining

to

mouth

prepare (l

for

digestion in

n4

dilation

of pupil under

dim

when distended by
(l)
max.4

conditions allows more light to reach the retina (l )

food peristalsis of intestine increases to help movement of food inside

(max. I l)
(b)

Any four of the following: . it has to be synthesized within presynaptic neurones ( I ) o it has to be found in vesicles present in presynaptic terminals r it has to be released by presynaptic stimulation (l) o it can bind specifically to the post-synaptic receptors (l) o it can induce post-synaptic potential (1)

(max. 4)

(l) / knobs

it has to be metabolically degraded

(l)

(c)

Concept for mark award: o contrast ecological distribution of reptiles and mammals:

e r
e.g.

relate the ecological distribution of reptiles to their dependence on environmental heat (l) and the variation in temperature in different regions of the Earth (1) relate the ecological distribution of mammals to their ability of generating metabolic heat ( I ) and maintaining a constant body temperature ( I

(max' 5)

o . o

reptiles are restricted ecologically such that they are more numerous in tropical areas (l) and are rare in habitats with extreme low temperatures, such as the polar regions (1) because being ectotherms, reptiles gain heat mainly from the environment (l) and the tropics are warmer (1), thus suitable for their survival mammals are more widely distributed ecologically (l) lcan be found from the tropics to the polar regions, because they can generate body heat (l) and can maintain a constant body temperature irrespective to changes in the external
temperature ( I )

(max. 5)

Marks

6.

(a)

Concept for mark award: For the comparison part: . similarities in terms of:

establishing a close relationship with host surface area for absorption (l)
differences in terms of:

mother; and having a large

max.

for food absorption

Reasons supporting the relationship being a kind of parasitism:

o .

foetus depends of the mother for food (1) cite example(s) to illustrate how the foetus brings harm to the mother

l
I

(l)

Reasons against the relationship being a kind of parasitism: relationship is not between two species (1

t'
I
I

(n.-10)

ll5

e.g.

Tapeworm

o o o

Foetus

both obtains digested food from the host / mother

both are living inside the host with the host / mother

mother (1)

by diffusion (l) establish a very close relationship

(l)

absorbs food through its body surface (l) / no specialized organ for
food absorptron

absorbs food at the placenta (l) / across the chorionic villi / presence

of a

specialized organ

for

food

uptake
a

r o

both have a large surface area for food absorption ( I ) the elongated and flattened body (1) o the numerous finger-like chorronrc helps to provide the large surface villi (l) help to provide the large
area

ho transport system to facilitate food absorption ( I )

o food absorbed is

surface area

quickly

transported away from the placenta by the umbilical vein (l) and this helps to maintain the concentration gradient for continuous diffusion

0)
max.
Considered as parasitism: o foetus is dependent on mother for provision of food ( I ) . it may bring harm to mother e.g. causes weakening of teeth and bones of the mother due to the uptake of calcium from these structure ( l), add stress to mother's backbone due to its weieht. etc.
8

Not considered as parasitism:

relationship is not between two different species (1)

(tr.*

l0)

(b)

o . o o r

continual stimulation of the nipples (l) by suckling send nerve impulses to the hypothalamus (l) rvhich stimulates the pituitary gland (1), resulting
secretion

and oxytocin secretion (l) prolactin stimulates the mammary glands to produce milk ( l)

in an increase in prolactin
(max.6)

(l)

ox),tocin stimulates contraction resulting in milk ejection

of

smooth muscle

of

mammary gland

(l),

(c)

r e r

in photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water (l) is assimilated to form glucose (l) I 3-C intermediate / triose phosphate nitrate (l) / ammonium ions and the carbon skeleton derived from glucose (l) / 3-C intermediate are used for synthesizing amino acids (l) amino acids are then condensed / polymerized to form proteins (1)

(max.4)

ll6

Paper

Section C

Marks

The assessment of essay is divided into2 areas, i.e. content and style.

Content
Ideas / concepts and mark allocation suggested in the marking scheme will give markers some guidelines in assessing essays in this section. Nevertheless these ideas / concepts should not be treated as the only acceptable answers. Markers should exercise their professional expertise in judging alternative options / viewpoints given by candidates which they consider relevant and appropriate. Markers are requested to go through a number of live scripts (with answers relevant but not stated in this marking scheme) and come up with suggested alternative answers for discussion at the markers' meeting. The chief examiner should be ccnsulted in
case ofdoubts on accuracy.

(max. 15)

Stvle

(max. 5)

Marks on style is based on the following:

Criteria on effective communication

Marks
awarded

Logical and

Clarity of expression Easy

understand, fluent, good command

systematic presentation

Marks
awarded

Relevance to the question

to

Well thought

structured
and z

showing coherence of orsanization of ideas

of language

No or little irrelevant
material

Language used
2

is

understandable, some

inappropriate use of
words

Most answers are organised, some

reoetitions of ideas

Irrelevant materials
I

obscure some minor

ideas

Markers have

Answers a
to

bit
but
is

disorganised,
are prominent

spend some time and effort to understand

paragraphing

evident, repetitions

Just
0

paragraphs
and
0

Language used
incomprehensible

ls

coherent
systematic

shown, ideas are not

Irrelevant material burying the major

ideas required by the question

Answers

chaotic,

showing no attempt
to organize thoughts

n7

Paper
7.

Section C
Concept for mark award:

Marks

o .

Knowledge on cycling of nutrients: harvesting of crops disrupts natural cycling of nutrients (2)
need to replenish soil nutrients by:

max.

enhance microbial activities involved in the nutrient cvcline

Knowledge on interdependence of organisms: o parasites / pathogens of crops (l) and its importance:

max. 9
5

diseases (1), crop rotation to break life cycle of pathogens / parasites ((1) to protect the crop from infection (1) feeding relationship of other organisms (pests) and the crop plants (1) and its

importance: parasitism / predation (2); crop rotation to break life cycle of pest competition and its importance:

o o

((l)
JJ^t r I I

mutualism and its importance e.g. legumes with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and their use (#3), keeping bees in orchards for pollinating fruit trees (l)

ff)-r

(max.l5)

e.g.

Knowledge of cycling of nutrients:

max.
2

due

constant harvesting, nutrients locked in the harvested plant parts are removed from the field / not recycled to the soil (l), resulting in a gradual depletion of soil nutrients (1)

to

to replenish the soil nutrient supply, farmers may form to the soil
as organic fertilizers (l); they will be decomposed by soil bacteria (l) and the minerals locked inside will be released / recycled (1) for crop growth

crop; roots of legumes are known to harbour some nitrogen-fixing bacteria (#l) which fixes atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia / organic nitrogen (#l); when the organic nitrogen is decomposed, it will increase the nitrate content
of the soil

(#l)

with the knowledge of the microbial activities involved in the cycling of nutrients, farmers can plough the earth to aerate the soil (l) so as to encourage the activities of putrefying bacteria and nitrifying bacteria (l) which together help to recycle organic nitrogen to nitrates (l) and discourage the activity of denitrifying bacteria (l) which convert nitrates to nitrogen gas (1)

118

Knowledge of interdependence of

organisms: .understandingthatthereare@(l)ofcropplants,farmers/ scientists can study and identify the parasites / pathogens and their routes of
transmission (1) / biology, so as to develop control measures to protect the crops from infection (@l), thus raising the yield:
pathogens / vectors of diseases

max. 9
5

understanding that there are organisms that feed on crop plants

(l),

farmers can:

protect the crops from damage (@1) / secondary infection, thus increasing the yield;

parasitism

introduced to control the population of the pest (l) (e.g. using the bacteria Bacillus thuringensls to control the pest of cotton plants);

/ predation in which the parasite /

predator

of the

pest

is

concept of competition:

themselves for space, light, water and nutrients, farmers would plant crops with sufficient spacing in between (l) / remove weaker plants;
and the crop (l), farmers may apply herbicides to control the growth of weeds ( I ) which compete with crop plants for nutrients / light / space I water

concept of mutualism:

(#l), farmers may grow

legumes

in fields so that the bacteria fixes

#3

atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia I organic nitrogen (#l); when the organic nitrogen is decomposed, it will increase the nitrate content of the soil (#l); pollinate their flowers for fruit formation

(l)

(max. l5) (# , @ and

each denotes similar points where marks are to be awarded once only)

ll9

Marks
8.

Concept for mark award: Reasons for decline in death caused by

Biological principles

e
q,)

c)

(l) advancement in
of the pathogens
(I)

infectious diseases discovery and mass production of antibiotics / antiviral agents / drugs techniques / medical knowledge / science allows quick identification
diagnostic

o to kill o to
effectively

pathogens
(I

quickly

and

reduce the number of viable pathogens in the community, thus lowering the chance of transmission (2\

. o o
q)

application

of antibiotics /

antiviral

o to prevent the spread of pathogens

from the animals to humans (l )

agents / drugs to animals with close contact to humans ( l)

advances

in medical knowledge / science for understanding

or

o to

break the transmission

link of

transmission routes (l ) quarantine (l) / isolation of persons

pathogens ( I )

who might have been infected

. . .

exposed to the pathogens

improved personal hygiene

(l)

improvement

in food and water

to prevent spreading pathogens in the human wastes to the environment /

water systems

max. 9

hygiene ( l) i specific example improvement in environmental hygiene (l) / specific example

programmes
irr

o to control disease vectors (1) o to reduce the viability of pathogens o to induce the
in the envirc''nment ( I )

(l)

o lmlnuntzailon
established
vaccine development (2)

and improvement

development of

irnmunity against the diseases, hence

reduce the number of infected individuals and the chance of

disease transmission (3)

max. I I
challenges in coming years:

comrnodities

easy spread of diseases around the world (2)

max. 6

wild

areas

transmission of pathogens in wild animals / soil to humans (2) (max.

15
)

e.g.

Reasons for the decline in death due to

Biological principles

infectious diseases discovery and mass production of

different types of antibiotics (l) I antiviral agents / more effective

drugs

antibiotics, antiviral agents and new

q)

q)

o advancement in diagnostic techniques / medical knowledge / science (e.g. DNA sequencing)

pathogens

drugs help to kill pathogenic bacteria and viruses in patients quickly and effectively ( I ), thus
reducing the death rate

as infected

(l)

allows quick identification of the for follow-up treatment

persons can recover faster, the number of viable pathogens harboured in the
lowered (#l )

community is thus reduced ([1), and the chance of disease transmission is

120

some

of the antibiotics /

agents

animals which may have close contacts with humans ( I ) advances in rnedical knowledge i science allorv scientists to better understand the transmission routes
of the pathogens (1) quarantine (l) / isolation of persons

antiviral

drugs are also applied to

this helps to prevent the spread of pathogens from these animals to

humans (1)

o this allows people to employ different methods to break the transmission link (l) and hence
prevent the spread ofthe pathogens

o . . .

who might have been infected or

exposed to the pathogens improved personal hygiene (l) improved food and water hygiene (l) / proper treatment of drinking water / proper food processing and storage improved environmental hygiene (l)

o o

these help prevent the spread of

pathogens

in the human wastes via

max. 9

0)

the environrnent lwater systems (l) improved environmental hygiene helps control the breeding of disease

domestic wastes before discharging into any

sewage treatment

of

vectors
rats

(l)

such as mosquitoes and

water system

proper drainage and

o this would reduce the viability of

pathosens in the environment ( I )

solid waste disposal inrmunization / vaccination:

been established in rvhich young clrildren receive vaccinations against some common

vaccinations can induce the body to

develop immunity against

diseases

infectious diseases during the early years of childhood (l), e.g. polio. measles, TB
developed e.g. vaccines (l) / hepatitis B
Note: # and

hence the number of inf-ected individuals are reduced (l) i the population of the pathogens in the community is reduced(O, and so is the chance of disease transmission

(l),

the

r#r\

for flu
points which are to be awarded once only max.I
I

( each denotes similar

challenges in coming years: increase in antibiotic resistance among the pathogens (l); infections by these resistant strains are difficult to treat and if not controlled properly it may cause an epidemic I a surge in that particular disease and its associated death

toll (l

H5Nl infection, people do not have immunity against these new strains (l)
and thus rnany people would be infected

max. 6

commodities

(l)

facilitates the spread of diseases around the world

(l)

areas (l), this provides opportunities for pathogens in wild animals / the soil to transmit to humans (l)

malaria and cholera (max. l5)

t2l

Candidates' Performan ce
In 2008,5413 candidates took the English-version papers and209l candidates took the Chinese-version papers, an increase of about 2lo/o compared with last year. The performance of candidates was satisfactory in general. Basic understanding and application of knowledge were observed in questions based on familiar topics in the curriculum. However, in certain questions candidates failed to read and analyse the questions carefully to understand the contexts described and to getthe gist of the questions, and candidates tended to give memorised answers. As in previous examinations, candidates taking the English-version papers were handicapped by an inability to express themselves clearly and precisely. Misspelling of biological terms was also common.

Paper

All questions in this paper were compulsory. The performance of candidates is summarized in the table below:
Question Number Section A Performance in General

o.l Q.l0
Q.1l
Q.

Satisfactory Satisfactory Fair Satisfactory Satisfactory

Section B

l2

Section C

Q.l3

Section A

The performance in this section was generally satisfactory especially for the matching type question. Many candidates had a good grasp of biological facts but were weak in applying this knowledge to daily examples. Some candidates misunderstood the requirements of the questions and recalled too many details which were irrelevant to the questions. Comments on the performance in individual questions are as follows:

Q.l

(a) (b)

Many candidates did not read the question carefully and mistook the cells for plant cells. They put down plasmolysis instead of osmosis.
Candidates were asked to interpret the graph and explain the changes in the cell volume. Many of them had the misconception that water will be regained because of the drop in water potential inside the cell. In fact at equilibrium there should be no difference in the water potential between the solution and the cell.

Q.2

(a) (b) (a) (b)

This question required candidates to identify organelles in the diagram provided and to state
their functions. The performance was satisfactory.
Candidates were tested on their knowledge

of secretory substances produced by the salivary glands. The performance was unsatisfactory. Instead of naming a secretory substance,
many candidates gave saliva/lysosome as the answer.

Q.3

The performance was fair. A number of candidates just stated the factors that cause red tides without describing their effects on algal groMh. The question tested candidates' understanding of how toxins produced by the algae might pose a health risk to humans. The performance was unsatisfactory. About half of the candidates failed to associate the risk with the harmful algal bloom. Instead they gave heavy metals and bacterial contamination as the cause of the risk, suggesting memorization.

133

Q.4

(a)

Candidates were asked about the tenderizing process in daily life application. Half of the candidates applied their understanding of rneat tenderizers to this unfamiliar situation. However, most of them did not point out that the storage process also allows time for the protease to work.

(b)

Many candidates wrongly stated that the temperature was optimum for enzyme activities. Candidates also wrongly said that 'low temperatures can prevent microbial growth'.

Q.5

The performance was fair. Candidates had no problem in deducing the diets but the reasoning was poor. Most of them did not describe the special feature of the teeth and their functions. The performance was very good. Nevertheless, the meanings of the answers were often distorted by wrong grammar and inaccurate expressions. For example, 'the afhnity of haemoglobin for oxygen' was written as 'the affinity for haemoglobin to oxygen', using the wrong prepositions. Some candidates also carelessly answered that 'the worm' or 'curve X' has a higher oxygen affinity, instead of the 'haemoslobin'of the worm.
(a)

Q.6

Q.7

The performance was generally good but still many candidates expressed the action of insulin

wrongly as if it converted glucose to glycogen directly.

(b)

The question tested candidates' knowledge of the digestive function of the pancreas. The performance was satisfactory. Some answers took on a wrong direction by following up on part (a). These candidates explained wrongly in terms of pancreatic hormones and blood
glucose level.

Q.8

The performance was

good.

Some candidates mistook the hairs of hair cells for the receptors.

Q.e

The performance was satisfactory.

Section B The objectives of questions in this section are to assess candidates' capability to analyse and interpret data, and to utilize conceptual ideas and theories to explain phenomena and make predictions. In general, candidates' performance was satisfactory. Of the three questions, Questions l0 and 12 were better answered than Question I L It is important to note that the candidates' innovative thinking remained weak as most of them did not know how to design an experiment to test a hypothesis.

l0 (a) (b) (c)

Good in general. A number of candidates did not write an appropriate title for the graph and did not use an appropriate scale for plotting the graph. Some of them plotted the curves separately in different graphs.

Good in general. Some candidates did not mention clearly the 'time periods' during which the changes of blood calcium level and hormone X level occurred.
(

i)

good. Since the question mentioned that an increase in hormone X level would bring about a rise in blood calcium, some candidates wrongly thought thata decrease in hormone X level would also bring about a drop in blood calcium.
Fairly

(ii) Poor.
QII

Most candidates did not know how to design an experiment to test the hypothesis

stated in the question.

(a) (i) (ii)

This part is supposed to be very direct and simple but the candidates' performance was only fairly good. A number of candidates did not mention that chemical M has to be absorbed from the small intestine into blood before it can reach the foetus via the placenta.
Good in general, but some candidates did not know the meaning of 'viability'

134

(b)

(i)

Good in general, but only a few candidates mentioned the term 'sex ratio'. Instead, most candidates used a number of words to paraphrase the meaning of the 'sex ratio', but the explanations provided for the observed change in the 'sex ratio' were not appropriate.

ii)

poor. Most could not explain that the effect of chemical the induced changes of the gametes from their parents.
Very
Very good performance.

M on the offspring was due to

12 (a) (i)
(

ii)

Very good performance.

iii) Very poor. Most candidates did not know how to present their idea correctly; they often answered in terms of 'data accuracy' instead of 'for data comparison'. This type of question
has been asked previously, but the performance in 2008 was very poor. This may show that some candidates did not have a good grasp of scientific data handling.

(b) (i)

Good in general, but some candidates mistook the independent variable on the x-axis as 'time'. Hence in part (2), some inappropriate terms such as initially / finally / at first llater
were used.

(ii)
Section C

Fairly good, but the concept of the 'limiting factor' was not well understood.

Thistext-response question was setto assess candidates'understanding of the application of biologyto daily life and the contribution of biology to the modern world. After identifying and synthesizing relevant information from the text, candidates were expected to communicate their ideas clearly and logically. Candidates' performance was satisfactory in general. They could have performed better if more attention had been directed to understanding the questions, especially for parts (c) and (d). Candidates who opted for the Chinese version of the paper expressed their ideas more effectively and accurately, particularly in part (f). Comments on the performance in individual parts are as follows:

Q.13

(a) Good. Many candidates were able to state two different (b) Fair.

types of agents that can induce mutation. However, some stated examples of the agents instead of the types.

gene

Candidates were weak in applying knowledge and concepts in genetics to explain why most mutations do not result in any important changes in body traits.

(c) Satisfactory. Many candidates were able to (d) Fair.

(e)

relate SCID

to poor immune responses.

Nevertheless, some candidates had difficulty in presenting the correct immune responses of T and B cells.

Candidates merely stated the phenomenon instead of explaining the mechanism underlying

why more individuals suffer from XSCID.

Fair. Many candidates inherited in subsequent

pointed out that changes resulting from germ-line gene therapy are generations, but those resulting from somatic gene therapy are not. However, they often failed to give another difference as requested.

(0

Satisfactory. Many candidates stated the reasons why cancer remains one of the top killer diseases in developed countries, though they often failed to elaborate on the reasons logically and clearly.
Candidates attempting the Chinese version of the paper performed better in this sub-question.

(e)

Good. Many

diet. However,

candidates stated the effects on health of insufficient vitamins and dietary fibre in the some candidates failed to identifo the diseases which are chronic in nature according to the question.

135

Paper 2

Candidates were to attempt any two questions in both section A and section B, and any one question in section C. The performance of candidates is summarized in the table below:

Question Number Section A

Q.1

Popularity 78% (E) t 72% (C)

Performance in General

Satisfactory Quite good Fair

Q.2
Q.3

6t% (E) t 4s% (c) 6t% (E) t 83% (C)

83% (E) t 70% (C)

Section B Q.4 Q.5 Q.6 Section C Q.7 Q.8 33% (E) t 2s% (C)

Satisfactory Satisfactory Fair

4e% (E) t se% (c)

68% (E) t 70% (C)

Fair
Good

67% (E) t7s% (C)

(E)

(c)

Engl ish-vers ion cand idates Chinese-vers ion cand idates

Section A

In this section, candidates were tested on their understanding of the concepts and their ability to apply these concepts. They were also tested on their ability to extract information provided in the questions to ansue:' them. The overall performance of candidates was satisfactory. There were candidates who performed verr
well and showed a thorough understanding of the biological concepts and were able to applythem in answerinq the questions. However, there were also many candidates who were weak in applying concepts. Candidates of the English-version paper and those of the Chinese-version paper alike had problems in conveying their ideas
clearly.

Q.l

In general, candidates performed satisfactorily in this question.

(a)

good. Most candidates were able to answer this part correctly, giving both the location of the mutation and the change from the 'A' nucleotide to the 'T' nucleotide. However, some candidates put down the nucleotide number but not the mutation. These candidates did not understand the requirement of the question, especially the meaning of identify'.
Very Very good. Most of the candidates who got this wrong gave the sequence of the opposite strand This suggests that they did not understand the concepts of 'anti-parallel' and transcription. Ir: transcription, mRNA is synthesized on the template strand. Therefore, the sense of the mRNA is anti-parallel to the template strand and the mRNA has the same sense as the non-template strand The non-template strand is the same as the coding strand. The sequence of the mRNA is thus the same as the coding DNA sequence with just the 'T' nucleotides changed to 'U'.

(b)

(c)

Very good except that a few candidates made careless mistakes in the translation of one or t\\'c
codons.

t36

(d) (i)

Satisfactory. In this part, candidates were tested on restriction enzyme digestion and DNA gel electrophoresis. Most knew that the DNA sample 'J' was cut by the restriction enzyme into two parts and they correctly pinpointed the restriction site. Some candidates answered that the DNA sample was cut into two 'strands'. This implies either an inaccurate use of biological terms or a poor understanding of the concept of restriction enzymes in DNA technology. Very few candidates managed to answer that the two bands derived from 'J' were of different sizes and even fewer candidates answered that 'J' was homozygous for the

[A] allele. Many candidates did not communicate their ideas in a straightforward and direct manner when they attempted to explain the observed results.

(ii)

Satisfactory. In this part, candidates need to analyse DNA gel electrophoresis results and to deduce the genotypes of the unknown samples. Many candidates answered correctly by matching the DNA bands in the unknown samples 'M' and 'P' to the known samples 'J' and 'K'. However, many answered wrongly by deducing the genotypes of the parents from the baby's genotype. These candidates did not understand the concept of DNA fingerprint analysis and they were not aware of the general significance of the known samples or
standards in experiments.

(iii)

Satisfactory. Most candidates gave the correct genetic diagram and managed to deduce all the possible genotypes of the offspring. However, many of them did not relate the genotypes to the correct phenotypes, despite the fact that the relevant information was provided in the question. As a result, they mixed up 'sickle-cell trait' and 'sickle-cell
anaemia', failing to get the correct phenotypes and consequently the correct probability.

(e)

Unsatisfactory. Most candidates had only a superficial understanding of the concept of selection and were unable to express their ideas properly. Many candidates explained in length why people with sickle-cell trait were more resistant to malarial infection, which was totally irrelevant. Most
candidates failed to point out that the [S] allele was passed from one generation to very few candidates answered that malaria serves as the selection agent.

another. Only

Q.2

Overall, candidates performed quite well in this question.

(a)

Most candidates realized that the rate of glycolysis is higher in anaerobic respiration, but they were weak in explaining why this is so. Many candidates explained why the rate would be lower in aerobic respiration instead of explaining why it should be higher in anaerobic respiration. This demonstrated their weakness in conveying their ideas properly. Many candidates also tended to write down whatever they remembered about aerobic and anaerobic respiration, failing to grasp the gist of the question.

(b) (i)

The question asked candidates to outline the principle of an experiment but many candidates gave the procedures instead. Many candidates used 'amounts' in place of 'concentrations' and gave rather vague and indirect statements like 'the reaction rate would be faster'and 'the inhibition becomes lower'. This probably reflects their inadequate understanding of the of inhibition'as well as their weakness in communication using precise scientific

;"rH:, (ii)

Most candidates answered vaguely that the results would be 'more accurate', because glycolysis would be inhibited by the addition of fluoride. They failed to state precisely the

;fffi #j,1??.1 m'ff

(c)

;'1,

JT, ij; "j. : il

o
(ii)
Performance was

i:l: l? ;l ". #." il ;jJ,l: r#'

e n'1

n'fh e

:i, h

il#,nTft*r;fuJi*#TH lfffi

j;1'tl#'::'y,"ffi;"ff*TilixT,""i;
lack

poor. Most candidates failed to answer correctly and said that the

of

#i{il:i#

iilii:**:*;:fl::
137

# #tr
f1#

::'r:"ff :lyffi r"T:

(d)

Very good performance. However, some candidates confused the concepts of 'reduction' and 'oxidation' in part (ii). In part (iii), most candidates answered correctly, but some just gave any biological molecules they knew, ranging from fatty acids, proteins, lipids, amino acids and even enzymes. This indicates a poor application of knowledge about nucleotides.

Q.3

This question was based on a familiar context but the overall performance of candidates was less than satisfactory. In general, candidates showed a lack of in-depth learning and the ability to apply concepts and basic knowledee to different scenarios.

(a) (b)

Satisfactory. However, many candidates did not write precisely and concisely, either in English or
Chinese.

Performance was quite poor. Only a few candidates correctly pointed out that methane is formed from anaerobic fermentation of organic maffers. Most candidates wrongly thought that methane was generated from the burning of fossil fuels.

(c)

Fair performance. Many candidates obviously lacked a clear concept of the greenhouse effect. They wrote that methane and carbon dioxide absorbed radiation/light/heat from the sun and this made the earth warmer. Terms like'light','energy'and'radiation'were loosely used, Only a
few candidates managed to answer correctlv that 'heat' was reflected back to the earth's surface. Fair performance. Many candidates mistook'melting of polar ice'and'increase in the number of pests'as a climatic change.

(d) (e)

Satisfactory. However, a few candidates answered the effects on the ecosystem rather than
effects on the local species per se.

the

(f) Fair. (g)

Many candidates mixed up the two diseases and answered as if they were transmitted in a way. Many lacked the basic knowledge that cholera is caused by a bacterium and that the mosquito is the vector for malaria. similar
Performance was satisfactory. Most candidates gave the correct explanation but only a few

of

them rvere able to point out that the supply of alternative food sources for penguins might increase.

Section B

This section required candidates to present answers in paragraph form. The use of table format in 'compare and contrast' type of questions was permitted, but candidates were not allowed to present their answers only in 'point-form'.

Q.4

The overall performance of candidates in this question was satisfactory.

(a) (b)

Quite a number of candidates failed to discuss the various membrane functions based on the properties of the membrane. They simply regurgitated everything they had learned on this topic.
Many candidates did not indicate that the transport of food by mass flow occurs in the sieve tubes of the phloem. An enclosed structure (e.g. a pipe or a sieve cell) is essential for the build-up of a hydrostatic pressure gradient. Incorrect spelling of the term 'phloem'was common. The performance in this part was the best among the three two terms'sarcomere' and'sarcolemma'.

(c) Q.5 (a)

parts.

Some candidates mixed up the

The overall performance of candidates in this part was satisfactory. However, many failed to make comprehensive comparisons between the two types of responses, for example the direction of the response and the sources of stimuli. Most candidates gave relevant examples to explain the significance of reflex and tropism.
138

(b)

Candidates' performance in this part was satisfactory. Many of them knew the action of a neurotransmitter and were able to point out certain criteria for a substance to be considered as a neurotransmitter. However, some of them misunderstood the question; they wrongly answered this part by describing detailed experimental procedures.

(c)

fair. Many candidates did not compare the heat source for reptiles and mammals. This reflected that they did not understand the concept of ectotherm and endotherm. Many candidates wrongly stated that reptiles prefer to live in water and did not know that most reptiles are terrestrial.
The performance in this part was The performance of candidates in this part was fair. Most candidates failed to give specific differences in terms of the sites of absorption of digested food and the ways to enhance the efficiency of food absorption. Quite a number of candidates wrote a lengthy comparison of the means of attachment of the two organisms, immune responses and other irrelevant differences. In the second part of this question, most of the candidates did not consider the foetus-mother
relationship from different perspectives and their comments on whether or not this relationship was parasitism were inadequate.

Q.6

(a)

(b)

This part was well-answered. Most candidates had a good understanding of the concept mechanism of lactation.

and

(c)

The performance of candidates in this part was fair. A lot of candidates gave a lengthy description on the details of the Calvin cycle, Krebs cycle and I or translation. They were weak in putting down succinctly the key concepts of how inorganic substances are assimilated to form proteins.

Section C

In general the performance of candidates in question 8 was beffer than that in question 7. A considerable number of candidates answered question 7 by recalling information about the nutrient cycles without any reference to the measures adopted by the farmer. In contrast, fewer irrelevant materials were included in the answers to question 8.

Q.7

There were excellent as well as grossly unsatisfactory answers, reflecting a wide range of abilities among candidates. Apparently some of the candidates did not read the question carefully, or failed to understand the gist. Thus a substantial part of the answer was merely a regurgitation of facts pertaining to the water cycle, carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle. There was little or no mention of how farmers make use of the knowledge of nutrient cycling and interdependence of organisms in their farming practice to enhance crop production. Instead, some candidates presented detailed descriptions of photoautotrophs, chemoautotrophs, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, parasitism, commensalism and predation. Other candidates suggested measures to increase crop growth, such as providing adequate water supply, appropriate light intensity, using greenhouses, applying lime to soil and the use of hydroponics. All

these were not related to the two ecological concepts stated in the question. The introduction of predators of denitrifying bacteria to the soil to reduce denitrification, and the addition of putrefuing bacteria to facilitate decomposition and nitrification, were often mentioned. Some candidates had an erroneous concept of nitrogen fixation. Others mixed up the roles of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and nitrifying bacteria. Some candidates quoted examples to illustrate symbiosis, predation and parasitism, which were inappropriate in the context of the question e.g. lion and rabbit for predator-preyrelationship. Misspelling was sometimes detected in words like 'leguminous', 'nodule', 'pesticide' and 'predator'.

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Q.8

This was a much more popular question than question

whole quite good, probably due

to the wealth of information from mass media regarding

7.

The performance of candidates was on the

food,

environmental and personal hygiene and the high incidence of influenza before the examination. Most materials in the answers were relevant, with the exception of excessively lengthy discussion about the primary and secondary immune response to vaccination. Some candidates erroneously proposed the use of gene therapyto treat infectious diseases in general, and organ transplants to treat hepatitis in particular. A few candidates failed to differentiate between antibiotics and antibodies. Very few pointed out that administration of vaccines or antibiotics to animals can reduce the spread of pathogens from animals to humans. Some candidates held the following misconceptions: (i) antibiotics can be used to eliminate viruses, (ii) antibiotics produce mutations in bacteria leading to antibiotic resistance, and (iii) cancers are infectious diseases. Instead of writing on the discovery / development of new therapeutic agents like antibiotics and vaccines, many candidates attributed the reduced incidence of infectious diseases simply to the affluence of developed countries. The following words were sometimes misspelt: condom, hygiene, mutation, transmission and wound.

Paper

Practical Examination
Identification of unknown plant tissues using the iodine, biuret and Benedict's tests.

Q.l

This is a typical and straightforward food test question. Candidates would most likely be able to guess the identity of the tissues by looking at their appearance and texture; yet many of them failed to deduce the identities of the tissues based on the results of the food tests. Most of the candidates did
not tabulate their results properly.

Q.2

Botanical spot The candidates'techniques for sectioning of plant materials and slide preparation were not satisfactory. Drawings and labelling based on the prepared slides were also poor. Most candidates were unable to compare and contrast the morphology of the specimens by using appropriate biological terms in their
descriptions.

Q.3

Zoological spot

Most of the candidates were able to identiff the specimens using the key provided. Some apparently lacked training in using the microscope. Many candidates did not put a title on their drawings.

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TEACHER ASSESSMENT SCHEME SUPERVISOR'S REPORT ADVANCED LEVEL BIOLOGY In the 2008 A-level Biology Examination,7483 candidates from 4ll schools participated in the Teacher Assessment Scheme (TAS). The TAS schools were divided into 24 groups. A coordinator was assigned to monitor the assessment work of the teachers in each TAS group. Based on the review of sampled student reports submitted by individual schools, the coordinator provided feedback to the TAS teachers about the quality of their assessment and made recommendations to the TAS Supervisor on the moderation of the TAS scores of individual schools.
This year, most candidates were able to achieve satisfactory standards in the practical skills assessed by the Scheme, and the teachers involved were able to assess their students according to the guidelines in the TAS Handbook. Specific comments on the candidates' performance in individual assessment areas of the Scheme
are given below.

Area A

Practical skills and abilities

The general performance of the candidates in Area A was satisfactory. However, teachers tended to be lenient in area Al (Abilities to organize and perform practical work), and some awarded exceptionally high scores or even full scores in this area to their students, whose performance in other areas such as A2 and B was rather
poor.

The standard of high power (HP) drawings was not satisfactory. The most common and serious problem is that students tended to draw too many cells in their HP drawings, which failed to show any cellular details. It appears that many candidates did not understand the purpose of making HP drawings. Furthermore, they had difficulty in interpreting cellular structures as observed under high power magnification, which is cognitively more demanding than making whole-specimen or low-power drawings.

These problems can be illustrated by the following HP drawings made by candidates:

t4l

Cross section oF

Heltqnthus stem, H.P. G2AO)

Oastric glandoF stomqch ,T.5. (4 x Lo)

In the high power drawings of the leaf and stem shown above, a large number of cells were drawn but no cellular details, such as the cell wall, cytoplasm, nucleus and vacuole, are shown. As a result, the differences between the cell types are not presented explicitly. In the high power drawing of the gastric gland, the different
types of cells and their nuclei are also poorly represented.
Teachers can help their students to improve in this area by alerting them to the requirement and importance of a

HP drawing, together with constant feedback on the quality of their drawings. Other common weaknesses found in candidates'biological drawings are listed as follows:

o r r .

incomplete titles;

low-power drawings being too diagrammatic, resembling textbook diagrams rather than actual specimens; individual cells shown in low-power drawings; annotations lacking a specific focus or too simple for advanced-level work.

Furthermore, some candidates only made a minimal number of drawings throughout the AL course. Consequently, they had few opportunities to improve their drawing skills. On the other hand, more and more teachers made good use of the TAS as an opportunity for assessment for learning. By providing constant feedback on students'work, these teachers ensured that their students learn from their mistakes and make steady
improvement throughout the AL course.

Area B - Reporting of investigatory work

1 (Quality of the written accounts on the design and method of investigation), teachers in general demonstrated good and consistent marking standards. The candidates wrote a clear and comprehensive procedure, and many demonstrated an understanding of the purpose of a hypothesis and different types of

In Area

variables. However, the following weaknesses in Area B 1 were prevalent among candidates:

. . . r . .

no principle of design;

great elaboration on theories

investigation;

or biological

principles that were not relevant

to the design of

the

no diagram for the experimental set-up; confusion about the concepts of hypothesis, prediction and assumption; no consideration of independent and dependent variables or the need for a control; precautions being too general and not relevant to the investigation concerned.

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The following extracts from students'reports illustrate some of the common problems:

Extract

1:

Aim: To investigate the effects of different chemicals on the permeability of cell membrane of beetroot cells.
Hypothesis: Cell membranes are mainly composed of phospholipids, proteins and cholesterol. If a solvent can dissolve the main components of the cell membranes, the pigment inside will leak out into the solvent. Hence, the more damage the solvent can do to the cell membrane, the more pigment will leak out, and the darker the solvent will become.
Variables: dependent variable Independent variables

colour of solvent

choice of solutions as solvents, volume of solution, size of beetroot discs.

In order to study the effects of different chemicals on the permeability of cell membrane of beetroot cells, it is not necessary to put forward a hypothesis. Rather, the 'hypothesis' stated in Extract I is the theoretical background that should be considered in designing the investigation. There is some confusion in the concept of independent variable, which should be different chemicals. The volume of solutions used and the size of
beetroot discs should be the controlled variables.

Extract 2:
Objective: To investigate the eflect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis
Hypothesis: The rate of photosynthesis is directly proportional to the light intensity.

Assumptions: Assume the bubbles are equal in size. Assume all the cells oxygen Hydrilla produced would not dissolve in water.

in Hydrilla are alive, and

the

This investigation also does not require a hypothesis. The 'hypothesis' stated above is a prediction of the result. Making such a prediction is undesirable as the students may become biased by the preconception when they collect the data. The concept of 'assumptions' is difficult for students. In the above example, we are not sure whether the size of bubbles is the same throughout the experiment, but making the assumption that bubbles size is equal is necessary when comparing the rate of photosynthesis in different light intensities. This implies that the conclusion may be wrong if it turns out that the bubbles vary in size. However, it is not necessary to assume that'all cells are alive'and 'oxygen would not dissolve in water'.

Extract 3: Aim: To determine the water potential of cell sap in red onion epidermal cells at incipient plasmolysis.
Hypothesis: When the concentration of the outside solution is the same as that of the cell sap, there should be no net water flow in or out of the cell ....
Assumptions: Assume that the water potential of different cells in the epidermis is similar to each other. Assume there is enough time for the reaction to occur. Variables: Independent variables Dependent variables

concentration of sucrose solution, duration of experiment.

number of plasmolysed cells.

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As illustrated by this example, some students could not distinguish between water potential and osmotic potential. This investigation should be concerned with finding the osmotic potential of the cell sap of plant cells. Again, this investigation does not require the formulation of a hypothesis. The independent variable should be the concentrations of sucrose solution only, and not the duration of the experiment. The dependent
variable should be the percentage of plasmolysed cells rather than the number of plasmolysed cells.
The general performance of the candidates in Area 82 (Quality of the recording and presentation of results) was satisfactory. However, the following problems were common in the candidates'reports:

r r .

tables or graphs lacking a meaningful title; joining points with straight lines instead of a smooth curve to produce a graph for estimating a biological value: no repeated collection of data to reduce sampling error.

In Area 83 (Quality of the interpretation of the results and conclusion), candidates were generally weak in
discussing the trends or relationships as shown by the experimental data. The main weaknesses include:

. r . I

describing the experimental results with little interpretation; focusing on the errors of the experiment and means of improvement; stating the overall trend with little reference to the actual data obtained; drawing conclusions with no reference to the aim of the investigation.

Concluding remarks Most teachers demonstrated a good understanding of the requirements of the TAS and a good standard of bit lenient. There is, however, a tendency for teachers to make a minimal number of assessments in the whole AL course, particularly in Area A2 and Area B. Such a practice greatly reduces the practical experience of the students and also has a negative impact on the effect of the TAS as a means of assessment for learning.
assessment, although some teachers were a

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