MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND

1 HUMAN RESOURCES,
TERTIARY EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
MAURITIUS EXAMINATIONS SYNDICATE

NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AT FORM III

NAME

SCHOOL NAME

CLASS/SECTION

BIOLOGY October 2016

1 hour

Students answer on the Question Paper.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your name, the name of your school and your class/section in the spaces provided above.

Write in dark blue or black ink.

Any rough working should be done in this booklet.
Do not use correction fluid.

There are 8 questions in this paper.

Check that this document consists of 10 printed pages and 2 blank pages.
Any discrepancy in the document must be immediately notified to the responsible officer in your
school.
Answer all questions.
All answers must be written in the spaces provided.

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
The total of the marks for this paper is 50.

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Question 1 – Multiple Choice Questions (5 marks)

For each item, there is one correct answer. Draw a circle around the letter which
indicates the correct answer.

(a) Which one of the following is absent in cells of plant roots?

A Cytoplasm B Chloroplast

C Nucleus D Cell wall

(b) Two ways by which molecules move in and out of cells are diffusion and osmosis.
Which of the following is not involved in osmosis?

A Cell wall only B Cell membrane only

C Both cell wall and cell membrane D None of the above

(c) Fig. 1 shows horizontal sections through a stem and a root. Identify the regions which
transport sugars.
stem root
1
3

Fig. 1

A 2 and 3 B 1 and 3

C 2 and 4 D 1 and 4

(d) Which one of the following best describes the structure of the capillary?

Size of Lumen Wall Valves

A Small Thick, Elastic Absent

B Large Thin, Elastic Present

C Large Thick, Non-elastic Present

D Small Thin, Non-elastic Absent

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(e) Which route is taken by air as it passes into the lungs of a mammal?

A Trachea alveolus bronchiole bronchus

B Alveolus trachea bronchus bronchiole

C Bronchus trachea bronchiole alveolus

D Trachea bronchus bronchiole alveolus

Question 2 (6 marks)

Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through the heart.

1 3

4
2

Fig. 2

(a) On Fig. 2, four blood vessels are numbered 1 to 4.

(i) Draw a circle around one of the numbers that shows an artery. [1]

(ii) Place a tick () on one blood vessel carrying deoxygenated blood. [1]

(iii) Draw an arrow ( ) to show the direction of blood flowing along blood vessel
marked 4. [1]

(b) (i) Name the chamber marked A.

A: …………………….………….. [1]

(ii) Name structure B.

B: ………………………………… [1]

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(c) Why is structure B important in the heart?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

Question 3 (6 marks)

blood vessel

C D
Fig. 3

(a) (i) Identify the two types of blood cells labelled C and D in Fig. 3.

C: ………………………..…… [1]

D: ………………………..…… [1]

(ii) State the function of each cell.

C: …………………………………………………………………………………………. [1]

D: ……………………………….………………………………………………………… [1]

(b) Suggest two ways by which cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and
heart attack can be avoided.

1. ………………………………………………………………………….………..…………..

………………………………………………………………………….…………………… [1]

2. …………………………………………………………………..……………………………

………………………………………………………………………….…………………… [1]

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Question 4 (5 marks)

Fig. 4 shows two microscopic cells, A and B. (10 µm = 0.01 mm)

A B

Fig. 4

(a) (i) Identify cell B.

B: ……………………………. [1]

(ii) State its function.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

……………….……………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(iii) Name the organ that manufactures cell B.

……………….……………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(iv) Name the structures present in the nucleus which control production of proteins.

……………….……………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(b) Syphilis and AIDS are sexually transmitted diseases.

Give one reason why Syphilis can be treated with antibiotics but not AIDS.

……………….…………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

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Question 5 (5 marks)

Fig. 5 shows three cells p, q and r after they have been placed in different solutions G, H and I.

p q r

cell in solution G cell in solution H cell in solution I

Fig. 5

(a) Which cell has been placed

(i) in distilled water?

……………………………………….. [1]

(ii) in a concentrated salt solution?

……………………………………….. [1]

(b) Describe what has happened to cell r when left in solution I.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………….…………………………….……………………………………...………………[2]

(c) In cell r, place the letter N to show the position where the nucleus could then be found. [1]

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Question 6 (5 marks)

(a) (i) What do you understand by the term ‘biodiversity’?

……………….………………………………………………………………………...……

……………….……………………………………………………………………..….…… [1]

(ii) Give 2 reasons why it is very important to maintain biodiversity.

1. ……………………………………………………………………..…………..….………

……………………………………………………………………....…………………… [1]

2. ……………………………………………………………………..………..…….………

……………………………………………………………………....…..….…..……….. [1]

(iii) Suggest one way by which humans can threaten (harm) biodiversity.

……………….………………………………..…………………..………………..………..

……………….…………………………………………………………………..………..… [1]

(b) Suggest one way how you can improve the environment where you live.

……………..……….……………………………………………………………..………………

……………….…………………………….……………………………………..……………… [1]

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Question 7 (11 marks)

Fig. 6 shows a student carrying out an experiment on breathing.

jar air

water

Fig. 6 support for jar

(a) State 3 ways in which the air in the jar will differ from atmospheric air.

(i) ………………………………………………………………………………………..……. [1]

(ii) ………………………………………………………………………………………..……. [1]

(iii) ………………………………………………………………………………………..……. [1]

(b) Table 1 shows changes in breathing in an athlete at rest and under heavy exercise.

% oxygen % oxygen Number of breaths

in inhaled air in exhaled air per minute

At rest 21 17 12

During exercise 21 15 30

Table 1
From the information given above, suggest why these changes have occurred during
exercise.

(i) Changes in % oxygen in exhaled air: ………………………………….………………

………………………………….…………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………..……. [2]

(ii) Changes in number of breaths: ……………………………………………….…………

………………………………….…………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………..……. [2]

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(c) Give two differences between breathing and respiration.

(i) ………………………………………………………………………………..…………….

…………………………………………………………………………….………………. [1]

(ii) ……………………………………………………………………………….…………….

……………………………………………………………………………….………….… [1]

(d) Name 2 respiratory diseases caused by smoking cigarettes.

1. ………………………………………….. [1]

2. ………………………………………….. [1]

Question 8 (7 marks)

(a) Define communicable infectious disease.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………… [2]

Read the passage below and answer the question that follows.

History of Zika

Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 and named after the Zika forest in Uganda. In 1952,
the first human cases were detected. Since then, outbreaks of Zika have been reported in
tropical Africa, Southern Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species
mosquito, the same that spread Dengue and Chikungunya viruses.

Zika virus can be transmitted during sexual intercourse even if the infected person does not
show any symptoms at that time. Thus, a pregnant woman, who has been infected with the
Zika virus, can pass the virus to her foetus during her pregnancy where severe reduction in
brain size has been noted.

It has been noted that the virus can remain a longer time in semen than in other body fluids. To
date, there are no reports that infants could get the virus through breastfeeding. For this reason
and due to the benefits of breastfeeding, mothers are encouraged to breastfeed even in areas
where the virus is found. No vaccine exists yet to prevent Zika.

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(b) Suggest and explain two methods by which the control of Zika can be successful.

1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………….………….…………… [1]

2. …………………………………………………………………………………….…...………

……………………………………………………………………….……….……………… [1]

(c) Fig. 7 shows the number of HIV (AIDS) cases recorded in a European country from 1983
to 1997.
Number of cases

Year of diagnosis

Fig. 7

(i) Calculate the percentage decrease in HIV cases from 1993 to1997. Show your
working.

Answer: ……………………. [1]

(ii) Suggest 2 reasons for the decrease in HIV cases during that period.

1. …………………………………………………………………………….……..………

………………………………………………………………..………………………… [1]

2. …………………………………………………….……………….……..……………..

……………………………………………………………………..…………………… [1]

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