S.K.H.

CHAN YOUNG SECONDARY SCHOOL

MOCK EXAMINATION 2021-2022
S.6 BIOLOGY 2
Marks

Name: _________________________

Class: __________ Class No.: ______

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Time allowed: 1 hour
2. This paper carries 40 marks.
3. There are TWO sections, A and D in this paper. Attempt ALL questions.
4. Write your answers in the Answer Book provided. Start each question (not part of a question)
on a new page.
5. Present your answers in paragraphs wherever appropriate.
6. Illustrate your answers with diagrams wherever appropriate.
7. The diagrams in this section are NOT necessarily drawn to scale.
___________________________________________________________________________

Section A Human physiology: Regulation and control

1. (a) The diagram below shows two nerves connecting the heart and the cardiovascular centre
of the medulla oblongata. The cardiovascular centre controls the cardiac output by
changing the number of nerve impulses sent to the heart along the two nerves.

(i) Name the group of cardiac muscle cells to which the two nerves from the
cardiovascular centre are connected. (1 mark)
(ii) Name the receptors that detect changes in blood pressure. State where they are
located. (2 marks)
(iii) State how the two nerves work together to cause the change in cardiac output
when the blood pressure is high. (2 marks)

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a protein hormone released by the heart when the
blood pressure is high. ANP stimulates dilation of the afferent arteriole and constriction
of the efferent arteriole in the kidneys.

(iv) Describe how ANP affects the volume of urine produced. (3 marks)

(v) Suggest how ANP causes a decrease in blood pressure. (2 marks)

P.1
S.6 BIOLOGY 2 Class: 6___ No.: ______ P.2

1. (b) During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (day 17 to 28), the temperature set point of
women is usually raised above the normal level by 0.2–0.5 C due to the increase in
progesterone level. Based on this knowledge, some scientists proposed that the increased
progesterone level during the luteal phase makes the thermoregulatory centre less sensitive
to changes in body temperature. An investigation was then carried out to test this idea.

In the investigation, 12 young and healthy women were tested twice throughout one
menstrual cycle, once during the middle follicular phase (day 6 to 9) and once during the
luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. They were asked to sit quietly inside a room set at a
temperature of 41 °C and a relative humidity of 21% for 30 minutes. Their body
temperature, skin blood flow rate at the forehead and sweating rate at the forehead were
measured at regular intervals. The results are shown below.

(i) Briefly explain why the body temperature of the subjects increases during the
investigation. (2 marks)

(ii) Explain why there is an increase in blood flow to the skin of the forehead during the
investigation. (3 marks)

(iii) Do the results support the hypothesis of the investigation? Explain your answer.
(3 marks)

(iv) Apart from maintaining the thickness of the uterine lining, suggest another
importance of the high level of progesterone during the luteal phase to the survival of
the foetus. (2 marks)

P.2
S.6 BIOLOGY 2 Class: 6___ No.: ______ P.3
Section D Biotechnology

4. (a) Bt maize is a genetically modified (GM) crop plant that contains the Bt gene from the
bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. The gene codes for a protein (Bt toxin) that poisons the
larvae of some insect pests that feed on the plant.

Scientists use Agrobacterium to transfer the Bt gene into the cells of maize plants.
The bacterium contains a plasmid with the gene for resistance against a chemical called
kanamycin. The flow chart below shows the main steps involved in the production of
Bt maize.

(i) The maize tissues used are obtained from meristematic tissues of the maize plants.
State one property of the cells in meristematic tissues that allows them to be
suitable for use in producing GM maize plants. (1 mark)

(ii) (1) Kanamycin is present in agar plate B. Suggest how it can be used to screen
for transformed maize cells. (2 marks)

(2) Other than kanamycin, suggest, with reasons, two ingredients that should
be present in agar plate B. (4 marks)

P.3
S.6 BIOLOGY 2 Class: 6___ No.: ______ P.4

4. (a) (iii) The caddisflies are a group of insects with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults.
Scientists carried out an experiment to investigate the effect of growing Bt
maize plants in a piece of farmland on the population of non-target insect
species (e.g. caddisflies) in a nearby river. In the laboratory, they fed caddisfly
larvae with maize leaves containing certain concentrations of Bt toxins for 15
weeks and measured the death rate of the caddisfly larvae.

Caddisfly (Adult) Caddisfly larva are found in a nearby river.

The results are shown in the graph:

(1) Briefly describe the effect of feeding caddisfly larvae with Bt maize leaves.
(1 mark)

(2) Based on the results, some environmentalists warn that Bt crops can lead to a
decrease in the populations of other non-target species (e.g. caddisflies) and
thus have long-term negative effects on the nearby freshwater communities.
However, some scientists argue that the design of the investigation fails to
reflect the reality and the ecological effects of planting Bt crops are
inconclusive. Suggest the reasons behind the scientists’ claim. (2 marks)

P.4
S.6 BIOLOGY 2 Class: 6___ No.: ______ P.5

4. (b) β-thalassaemia is an autosomal genetic disease caused by a mutation in the HBB gene.
Patients suffering from the disease have a reduced number of functional haemoglobin,
causing symptoms like shortness of breath and tiredness.

One form of β-thalassaemia caused by substitution of a base can be detected using a

DNA test. The procedure of the test is shown below.

1 Obtain DNA sample from an individual and cut it using a restriction enzyme.
2 Separate the DNA fragments using gel electrophoresis.
3 Denature the DNA fragments in the gel and transfer them to two nylon membranes.
Soak one membrane into a solution containing a radioactive DNA probe
complementary to the normal allele, and another one into a solution containing a
radioactive DNA probe complementary to the diseased allele.
4 Wash off the unbound DNA probes and visualize the DNA probes on the
membranes.

A couple, both having no symptoms of the disease, underwent the test. The results are
shown below.

(i) In DNA tests for some other diseases, DNA fragments containing the normal and
the diseased alleles can be differentiated by observing the positions of the DNA
bands in the gel. Suggest why this is not possible in this test. (3 marks)

(ii) In the diseased allele, only one base is substituted. Explain why instead of using
DNA probes containing one base, DNA probes containing about 20 base are used
in the test. (2 marks)

(iii) Based on the results of the test, deduce the genotypes of the couple. (2 marks)

P.5
S.6 BIOLOGY 2 Class: 6___ No.: ______ P.6

4. (b) Scientists are developing another test for β-thalassaemia. In the test, same concentration of
DNA samples are obtained from individuals and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is carried
out. A DNA probe complementary to the diseased allele and with a dye attached is added
to the reaction mixture. The dye gives out green light only when the DNA probe binds to
the target sequence. The graph below shows the intensity of green light detected when PCR
is carrying out.

(iv) Explain the shape of the curve for the DNA sample of individual X. (2 marks)

(v) Suggest a reason to explain the difference in the intensities of green light detected when
PCR is carried out on the two samples. (1 mark)

End of Paper

P.6
S.6 BIOLOGY 2 Class: 6___ No.: ______ P.7

S.K.H. CHAN YOUNG SECONDARY SCHOOL

MOCK EXAMINATION 2021-2022
S.6 BIOLOGY 2
MARKING SCHEME
Question 1a
i Sinoatrial (SA) node / pacemaker 1m

ii Baroreceptors 1m
They are located on the walls of the aorta and carotid arteries. 1m

iii More nerve impulses are sent along the vagus nerve and fewer nerve impulses are sent along
the sympathetic nerve. 1m
This causes the cardiac muscles to contract slower and less strongly. 1m

iv As the afferent arteriole dilates and the efferent arteriole constricts, the hydrostatic pressure
inside the glomerulus increases. 1m
A larger volume of glomerular filtrate is formed because high pressure forces more water and
other small molecules into the Bowman’s capsule. 1m
As the volume of glomerular filtrate increases, a larger volume of urine is formed. 1m

v More water is excreted in urine. 1m

The volume of blood decreases, thus the blood pressure decreases. 1m

Question 1b

i As the temperature of the room is higher than their body temperature, 1m

their bodies gain heat by conduction, convection and radiation. 1m

ii Thermoreceptors in the hypothalamus / skin detect the increase in body temperature. 1m

The heat loss centre in the hypothalamus is stimulated to send out nerve impulses 1m
to cause vasodilation of the arterioles near the surface of the forehead skin to increase blood
flow in the skin surface for promoting heat loss. 1m

iii If the thermoregulatory centre became less sensitive to changes in body temperature during the
luteal phase, the increase in sweating rate and skin blood flow at the forehead in the luteal
group would be smaller than that in the follicular group. 1m
However, the increase in body temperature brings about larger increases in sweating rate and
skin blood flow at the forehead in the luteal group than in the follicular group (e.g. the average
body temperatures of both groups increase by 1.2 oC during the investigation. But the average
sweating rate at the forehead in the luteal group increases by 0.36 μL/min, which is greater than
that in the follicular group (0.22 μL/min)). 1m
Therefore, the results do not support the hypothesis. 1m

iv The high level of progesterone inhibits the secretion of FSH and LH by the pituitary gland so
that maturation of follicles and ovulation do not occur. 1m
This increases the survival chance of the foetus by reducing the competition for resources by
other foetuses. 1m

P.7
S.6 BIOLOGY 2 Class: 6___ No.: ______ P.8

Question 4a

i These cells are able to undergo unlimited mitotic cell division /

able to differentiate into different types of plant cells. 1m

ii (1) The transformed maize cells have the plasmid with the kanamycin resistance gene, which
allows the cells to grow well and develop into a plantlet on the agar plate with kanamycin.
1m
The non-transformed maize cells do not have the resistance gene and do not grow well on
the agar plate / eventually die. 1m

(2) Sugar / glucose 1m

The maize cells cannot carry out photosynthesis / cannot produce their own sugar so they
need an external supply of sugar for respiration to release energy and as raw materials for
growth. 1m
Plant hormones / auxins 1m
This is to promote the growth and development of shoots and roots of maize plants. 1m

(or other reasonable answers)

iii (1) The higher the concentration of Bt toxins in the maize leaves, the higher the death rate of
the caddisfly larvae. /
The longer the period of feeding maize leaves with Bt toxins to the caddisfly larvae, the
higher the death rate of the caddisfly larvae. 1m

(2) In nature, the caddisfly larvae live underwater and fallen leaves from Bt maize plants may
not be their only food source. /
Some of the Bt toxin concentrations used in the experiment may be significantly higher
than the concentrations to which the caddisfly larvae are exposed in nature. /
Caddisfly is only one of the insect species in the river. Comprehensive field studies
should be carried out to determine the ecological effects of growing Bt maize plants on
nearby freshwater communities. 2m
(any two or other reasonable answers)

P.8
S.6 BIOLOGY 2 Class: 6___ No.: ______ P.9
Question 4b

i The substitution of base does not create nor destroy the cutting sites of the restriction enzyme.
1m
The length of the DNA fragments containing the normal allele and the diseased alleles obtained
after cutting the DNA samples with the restriction enzyme is the same. 1m
Therefore, the positions of the DNA bands formed in the gel after gel electrophoresis are the
same. 1m
ii The single base can be found at many other locations in the genome. A DNA probe containing
only one base will bind to other locations in the genome. 1m
The chance of having the same sequence of 20 bases at other locations in the genome is lower.
1m
iii The DNA probe complementary to the diseased allele bound to a DNA fragment in the wife’s
DNA, but the DNA probe complementary to the normal allele did not. This indicates that she is
homozygous with the diseased allele. 1m
Both the DNA probe complementary to the normal allele and the DNA probe complementary to
the diseased allele bound to a DNA fragment in the husband’s DNA. This indicates that he is
heterozygous. 1m
iv The number of DNA copies containing the diseased allele in the reaction mixture increases
exponentially when PCR is carrying out. 1m
As the number of copies increases, the number of DNA probes binding to the target sequence
increases, and so the intensity of green light given out by the dye increases exponentially. 1m
v Individual X has two copies of the diseased allele while individual Y has only one copy.
Therefore, in the reaction mixture containing the DNA sample of individual X, the amount of
DNA probes binding to the target sequence is doubled, and so the intensity of green light detected
is doubled. 1m

End of Paper

P.9