SAMPLE QUESTIONS
BIOLOGY The following example questions are similar to Question 1:
Example 1: Q: In the diagram of the human urinary system, state the function of the organ labelled X. A: Excrete urine or water or salts or urea.
Q: Name the product of excretion which is stored in the organ labelled Y. A: Water or salts or urea or urine. Example 2: Q: In an experiment to test for the presence of protein in egg white (albumen), chemicals are added to the egg-white. Name the chemical used. A: Sodium hydroxide or copper sulphate or potassium sodium tartrate or biuret solution.
Q: What colour would confirm the presence of protein in eggwhite? A: Violet or purple. Example 3:
Q: The genetic information of an organism is contained in chromosomes that are located in the nucleus of every cell of the organism. How many pairs of chromosomes are in most human cells? A: 23. Q: What are the major chemical components of chromosomes? A: DNA or protein. Example 4: Q: All living things are composed of cells, tissues, organs and systems. Name one tissue found in the human body. A: Muscle or connective or blood or epithelial or nervous. Q: What is an organ? A: A group of tissues working together.
The following examples are similar to the style of past Question 2’s:
Example 5: Q: Most of the food we eat requires digestion. What is meant by digestion? State clearly why we need to digest food.
A: What – Digestion is the breakdown of food. Why – so that the food (nutrients) can enter our bloodstream or to make the food soluble or to release nutrients or to get energy.
Q: The labelled diagram shows most of the organs involved in digestion and associated process in our bodies.
Give one function for each of the five organs labelled in the diagram. The word ‘digestion’ alone will not merit marks; if it is used in an answer it must be qualified in some way. A:
• Stomach – Helps kill bacteria, used in chemical digestion, mixes our food and produces enzymes or stores food.
• Liver – Produces bile, helps digest fats, it can process absorbed foods, it can break down alcohol, it can detoxify the body and it can produce urea.
• Pancreas – It can produce enzymes, it can help chemical digestion, it can regulate blood glucose and it can produce insulin and hormones.
• Small intestine – It completes digestion, it allows food into the bloodstream, it produces enzymes and it absorbs food.
• Large intestine – it absorbs water, it produces faeces, it can release solid waste and it produces vitamins.
Example 6:
Q: The diagram shows the hinge joint of the elbow.
Q: Name bone A. A: Humerus. Q: Where else in the body would you find a hinge joint? A: Knee or fingers or toes or jaw.
Q: Ligaments and tendons are found in a hinge joint. What is the function of a tendon? A: Connects muscle to bone.
Q: Muscle X in the diagram is contracted. What happens when muscle Y contracts? A: Arm will straighten.
The following example questions are similar to Question 3:
Example 7: The diagram below shows a food web from a mixed habitat.
Q: Identify a producer and a decomposer in this food web. A: Producer – grass. Decomposer – beetle or woodlouse.
Q: Choose an organism from a named habitat you have studied and describe how it is adapted to live there. A: Habitat – grasslands. Organism –rabbit. Adaption –brown for camouflage or long ears to hear predators.
Q: The diagram shows an experiment set up to show the transport of water through certain parts of a plant. A dye was used to show the movement of water through the plant.
Name the plant tissue of the stem through which water is transported. A: Xylem.
Q: Excess water is lost by transpiration through tiny holes (stomata) in the surfaces of leaves. Give one function of a leaf. A: Food storage or food manufacture (photosynthesis) or gas exchange or asexual reproduction.
Q: Germination is necessary to form new plants from seeds. The diagram shows the structure of the broad bean seed. Name parts A and B of the seed. A: A– Testa, B – Food store or cotyledon. Q: Which part of the new plant forms from C? A: Root.
The diagram below shows four test tubes set up to investigate the conditions necessary for germination. Test tubes A, B and D were left at room temperature and test tube C was placed in the fridge and left for same period of time. Q: In which test tube would you expect the seeds to germinate? A: Test tube B. Q: Why is water boiled and cooled in test tube D? A: To remove oxygen.
The diagram shows the fruits of two plants. Complete the table giving the usual method of dispersal of seeds contained in each fruit.