First exams in 2025

IB Style Test – HL Topic A2.3 Viruses

Theme A - Unity and diversity Level of Organisation: Cells

Name ___________________ Time allowed: 30 mins HL Mark: / 28(HL)

Section A Multiple choice (5 marks)

1. Which of the following features do viruses have in common with living organisms?

A. Plasma membrane.
B. Respiration.
C. Genetic code.
D. Protein synthesis.

2. Which of the following factors complicates the treatment of human viral infections?

A. RNA genetic material.

B. Rapid evolution by mutation.
C. Slow evolution by mutation.
D. Viral infections are usually fatal.

3. Which of the following is the best description of the relationship between a virus and host
organism?

A. Facultative parasitism.
B. Obligate symbiont.
C. Predator-prey.
D. Obligate parasitism.

4. Which of the following are structures that all viruses possess?

A. Protein capsid.
B. RNA.
C. DNA.
D. Enzymes.

5. Viruses have several forms of genetic information but many structural features in common.
What does this suggest in terms of their evolution?

A. Divergent evolution from a single common ancestor.

B. Evolution by mutation.
C. Divergent evolution from several possible origins.
D. Convergent evolution from several possible origins.

© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – HL Topic A2.3 Viruses
Theme A - Unity and diversity Level of Organisation: Cells

Section B Structured questions (9 marks)

The graph shows the known number of Ebola infections worldwide from 1976 to 2015.

a) Estimate the number of cases of Ebola in 1976-1977. (1 mark)

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b) The total number of case of Ebola from 2000 to 2009 was 1194. Calculate the total number
of cases that occurred from 1990 to 1999. (1 mark)

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c) Calculate the percentage increase in the total number of cases from 2000 to 2009 in
comparison to 1990 to 1999. (2 marks)

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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – HL Topic A2.3 Viruses
Theme A - Unity and diversity Level of Organisation: Cells

d) The Ebola virus first appeared in humans in 1976. Suggest how the virus first began to affect
the human population. (1 mark)
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e) A vaccine was trialled in 2018 and shown to be effective. It was made widely available from
2020. Suggest why a vaccine against a viral infection may prove ineffective in the long term.
(1 mark)

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f) The genetic material of the Ebola virus is single strand RNA. List two other forms of genetic
material found in viruses. (2 marks)

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g) The image below shows a particle of the Ebola virus.

The virus is approximately 1000 nm in length. Convert this size into µm. (1 mark)

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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

3
 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – HL Topic A2.3 Viruses
Theme A - Unity and diversity Level of Organisation: Cells

Extended response question (6 marks)

Compare and contrast the lytic cycle with the lysogenic cycle of viral infection of a host cell.
(6 marks)

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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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