Class

Candidate
Number

Name

ANGLO-CHINESE JUNIOR COLLEGE

Preliminary Examination 2009
BIOLOGY
HIGHER 1
Paper 1

8875 / 01
02 SEPT 2009

Multiple Choice
1 hour

Additional Materials:

Multiple Choice Answer Sheet

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Write your name, Centre number and candidate number on the multiple choice answer sheet
provided.
There are thirty questions in this paper. Answer all questions. For each question there are
four possible answers, A, B, C and D. Choose the one you consider correct and record your
choice in soft pencil on the separate answer sheet.
Read very carefully the instructions on the answer sheet.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Each correct answer will score one mark. A mark will not be deducted for a wrong answer.
Any rough working should be done in this booklet.
Calculators may be used.

This document consists of 11 printed pages and 1 blank page.

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1

What is the role of cholesterol in the cell surface membrane?

A

To allow active transport of sodium ions into cell.

To allow facilitated diffusion of chloride ions across membrane.

To provide hydrophilic channels.

To regulate fluidity of the membrane.

The diagram shows a cell found in an organ in the human body.

From its structure, what are the functions of this cell?

Intracellular digestion and storage of granules of product.

Phagocytosis, pinocytosis and secretion.

Secretion and transport of protective mucus.

Uptake and transport of ions and molecules.

The diagram represents a cell membrane.

Which structure allows the diffusion of Cl ions between the outside and inside of the
cell?
A

A only

B only

A and B

C and D

Anglo-Chinese Junior College

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4

An enzyme is a globular protein held together by several different types of bonds, giving
the enzyme primary, secondary and tertiary levels of structure.
Which combination correctly summarises the types of bond involved in each level of
structure?

Disulphide bonds

Hydrogen bonds

Ionic bonds

Peptide bonds

Primary

Tertiary

Secondary

Tertiary

Primary,
tertiary

Primary

Secondary,
tertiary

Secondary

Secondary

Secondary

Tertiary

Primary

Tertiary

Secondary,
tertiary

Tertiary

Primary

The diagram below shows a molecule.

Which substance below will contain this molecule?

Amylase

Amylose

Glycogen

Starch

Which molecule is found in glycogen?

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7

In an experiment using starch and amylase, the concentrations of starch and maltose
present in the reacting mixture are measured every minute for 20 minutes. 1%
hydrochloric acid is added after 10 minutes and the mixture is heated to 60C at 14
minutes.
Which graph represents the results of this experiment?

The figure below shows a hypothetical diploid cell with six chromosomes.

Which of the following statements are true?

I
II
III

This cell is at prophase of mitosis as the chromosomes are

distinct and nuclear membrane is disintegrating.
R and T have the same genes and same number of genes.
R and S have the same alleles and same number of genes.

I only

I and II only

I and III only

I, II, and III

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9

10

11

Which of the following enzymes synthesises DNA from an RNA template?

A

DNA ligase

DNA polymerase

Restriction enzyme

Reverse transcriptase

A molecule of tRNA has an anticodon sequence of AUC. What is the DNA sequence
that would code for the amino acid carried by this tRNA molecule?
A

ATC

AUC

TAG

UAG

Five different amino acids (numbered 1 to 5 below) form the following sequence in part
of a polypeptide chain:
2------3------4------1------3------5------2
Messenger RNA (mRNA) codons which correspond to these amino acids are:
amino acid 1
amino acid 2
amino acid 3
amino acid 4
amino acid 5

UGU
GAU
CAC
CAA
AAG

Which one of the following DNA base sequences could provide the code for the given
section of polypeptide?
A

CTAGTGGTTACAGTGTTCCTA

CTAGTGGTTACAGTGTTGCTA

CTAGTGGTTTCTGTGTTGCTA

CTAGTGGTTACAGTGTTCCTT

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12

Analysis of DNA produced the following ratios of nitrogenous bases.

Source of DNA
bean seeds
cow heart
human liver
rat bone marrow

Ratio of purines to pyrimidines

0.99
1.01
1.02
1.00

Which of the following statements is true?

13

Animal DNA contains more purines than pyrimidines.

Different parts of organisms contain different proportions of purines and

pyrimidines.

DNA contains thymine instead of uracil.

There are variations in the accuracy of analytical techniques.

The table shows a comparison between the genomes of a prokaryote and eukaryote.

Which feature of eukaryotes accounts for the differences in the number of proteins with
roles in protein synthesis?

14

The DNA of a eukaryote has histones.

The DNA of a eukaryote has introns.

The DNA of a eukaryote has more base pairs.

The DNA of a eukaryote is separated from the ribosomes by membranes.

Which of the following is not a requirement for the mechanism of RNA splicing?
A

Introns

Small nuclear ribonucleoproteins

5 and 3 splice sites

5 modified guanosine cap

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15

An investigator wanted to determine the function of protein X. He cloned gene X into

plasmid 1. He then set up another plasmid (plasmid 2) with a binding site for the
product of gene X plus a reporter gene. A reporter gene codes for the synthesis of a
product that is easily measured. The two plasmids (shown below) were then
introduced into the nucleus of a host cell.

He noted that there was an increase in the number of reporter gene transcripts.
Which of the following statements is a valid conclusion regarding gene X or product X?

16

17

Gene X is an enhancer sequence.

Gene X is the promoter sequence.

Product X is RNA polymerase.

Product X is a transcription factor.

Acetylation of histones promotes loose chromatin structure. Recent evidence has

shown that such chemical modifications of histones play a direct role in regulation of
gene transcription. Suggest how this works.
A

Acetylation of histone tails neutralises their negative charges and encourage

binding of DNA polymerase I.

Helicase action is enhanced with acetylation of the histones.

RNA polymerase work better by binding to acetyl groups.

When nucleosomes are highly acetylated, the chromatin becomes less compact
and DNA is more accessible for transcription.

A girl has blood group A and her brother has blood group B. Which
combination of genotypes cannot belong to their parents?

Mother
IA IA

Father
I B IO

I A IB

IA IB

IO IO

IA IB

IB IO

IA IO

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18

Fruit flies homozygous for long wings were crossed with flies homozygous for
vestigial wings.
The F1 generation was raised at 3 different temperatures. The F1 flies were then
crossed with each other to produce the F2 generation. The results of the F1 and F2
generation are shown below.
Temperature F1 result
21C
26C
31C

All long wings

All long wings
All long wings

F2 result
3/4 long wings, 1/4 vestigial wings
3/4 long wings, 1/4 intermediate wings
All long wings

Which of the following statements is correct?

19

Heterozygous flies have vestigial wings only at 21C and below, but have long
wings at 31C and above.

Long wing and vestigial wing alleles show codominance at 26C.

Long wing allele is dominant at higher temperatures, but vestigial wing allele is
dominant at lower temperature.

Vestigial wing allele is recessive, but causes a vestigial wing phenotype only at
lower temperatures.

Below is the pedigree for the hereditary disease agammaglobulinemia, a disease in

which the patients demonstrate a lack of immunity to pathogenic bacteria and
viruses. What is the most likely mode of inheritance of this disease?
normal female
normal male
affected female
affected male

Autosomal dominant

Autosomal recessive

Sex-linked dominant

Sex-linked recessive

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20

21

22

In many breeds of cattle, the polled condition (the absence of horns) is dominant over
the presence of horns, and the true breeding red cattle crossed with true breeding
white cattle produce roan offspring. Which one of the following crosses will be likely
to produce only horned roan offspring?
A

horned red x horned white

horned roan x horned roan

polled red x horned white

polled white x horned white

Which of the following statements is true?

A

Continuous variation shows a normal distribution and is only influenced by

genetic factors.

Continuous variation is controlled by two or more genes and the traits are
qualitative.

Discontinuous variation shows traits that follow discrete distribution and is

mostly influenced by environmental factors.

Discontinuous variation shows traits that are controlled by one or two genes
and is not influenced by environmental factors.

14

C-labelled carbon dioxide was supplied to photosynthesising algae. The

relative amounts of three organic compounds were measured. The diagram
shows the results.

Which of the following compounds corresponds to the respective graphs 1, 2 and 3?

1

GP

RuBP

Sugar

GP

Sugar

RuBP

RuBP

GP

Sugar

RuBP

Sugar

GP

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23

24

Which of the following statements regarding events in the functioning of

Photosystem II is false?
A

The electron vacancies in P680 are filled by electrons derived from water.

The P680 chlorophyll donates a pair of protons to NADP+, which is thus

converted to NADPH + H+.

The energy absorbed by accessory pigments is passed to a molecule of P680

in the photosynthetic unit.

Excited electrons from P680 are passed down the electron transport chain
before being taken up by P700.

When cyanide is bound to cytochrome oxidase, the cell can no longer produce ATP
aerobically. Which statement below best explains this?
A
B
C
D

25

It prevents pyruvate from being synthesised in glycolysis, hence stopping the

Krebs cycle.

In which of the following scenarios would allopatric speciation occur most quickly?
A

A population of cheetahs undergoing little or no evolutionary change.

A population of fishes undergoing directional selection due to the introduction of

a new predator.
A population of giraffes free to roam the entire nature reserve after the artificial
removal of all predators.
A population of snails separated by a new fast-flowing river.

C
D

26

It prevents NADPH from being oxidised to NADP+, hence preventing electron

flow down the electron transport chain.
It prevents oxygen from accepting electrons and protons to form water, hence
preventing electron flow down the electron transport chain.
It prevents photolysis from occurring to produce oxygen.

The table below shows the number of amino acid differences in the alpha
haemoglobin chains between the crocodile and various organisms.

Crocodile

Lungfish

Coelacanth

Shark

Goldfish

85

78

77

70

Which organism is most closely related to the crocodile?

A

Coelacanth

Goldfish

Lungfish

Shark

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27

28

29

30

Which of the following techniques does not involve complementary base pairing?
A

DNA fingerprinting

Gel electrophoresis

Polymerase Chain Reaction

Use of gene probe

Which of the following characteristics is undesirable in cloning vectors used in

genetic engineering?
A

Ability to replicate in the host cell.

Have at least two gene markers.

Have at least two restriction sites of a particular restriction enzyme.

Small in size.

Which of the following is not an example of genetically modified organisms?

A

AquaAdvantage Salmon that grow to adult size quickly.

Bt corn plants that are insect-resistant.

Golden Rice that produce high levels of beta-carotene.

Milk-producing cows injected with bovine somatotrophin (BST).

Which of the following statements about hematopoietic stem cells is false?

A

They are able to reproduce continually.

They are easy to isolate and propagate.

They are present in minute quantities in the human body.

They can be induced to differentiate under appropriate conditions.

-End of Paper-

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