NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE, SINGAPORE

Senior High 1
Common Test
Higher 2

CANDIDATE
NAME
BIOLOGY
CLASS

1bi2____ / 1IPbi2__

REGISTRATION NUMBER

BIOLOGY

9648/01

Paper 1

29 May 2013
30 minutes

Additional Materials:

Multiple Choice Answer Sheet

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write in soft pencil.
Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.
Write your name, subject title, test name, Biology class and registration number on the Answer
Sheet provided.
There are twenty questions on 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 the instructions on the Answer Sheet very carefully.
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.

For Examiners Use

Total

/ 20

This document consists of 12 printed pages.

NJC 2013

9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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2
1

The electron micrograph shows a eukaryotic cell.

Which of the following correctly identifies and describes the structure and function of the
organelle?

organelle A:
contains genetic hereditary material and is the site of translation

organelle B:
composed of microtubules and plays a role in nuclear division

organelle C:
consists of stacks of curved flattened membranous sacs and packages secretory
vesicles for secretion at the cis face

organelle D:
single membrane bound organelle and is the site of aerobic cellular respiration

Cyanide inhibits oxygen utilization by the cells in an animals body by primarily binding to
cytochrome c oxidase, an enzyme that is involved in ATP synthesis.
If a cell is exposed to cyanide, which organelle would have a high concentration of cyanide?
A

endoplasmic reticulum

lysosomes

mitochondria

ribosomes

NJC 2013

9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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The diagram shows part of a cell that secretes chymosin.

Some cells similar to that shown in the diagram were grown in a culture. Radioactive amino
acids were added to the solution in which they were being grown. At various times, samples
of the cells were taken and the amount of radioactivity in different organelles was measured.
The results are shown in the following table:

What is the best possible explanation of the results obtained?

A

Radioactive amino acids entered the cell by endocytosis, resulting in radioactivity in the
vesicles in the early stages.

Radioactivity in the rough endoplasmic reticulum decreased across time as the proteins
were modified to remove radioactivity.

Radioactivity was detected in the Golgi apparatus at one minute as amino acids entered
the Golgi apparatus via endocytic vesicles.

Radioactivity was still present in the rough endoplasmic reticulum at 120 minutes as
some proteins synthesized by the bound ribosomes were retained in the rough
endoplasmic reticulum membrane.

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9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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The diagram shows some biomolecules numbered 1 to 10.

Which of the following statements concerning the biomolecules is/are false?

I.

Triacylglycerol may be made up of one molecule of 6 and three molecules of 7.

II.

Molecules 5 and 10 may be joined together by a glycosidic linkage to form a

disaccharide.

III.

Molecules 1 and 3 are saturated fatty acids while molecule 4 has an unsaturated
chain.

IV.

All of the molecules, except molecules 4, 6 and 10, may be monomers of biological
macromolecules.

I and II only

III and IV only

I, II and III only

I, II, III and IV

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9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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Which statement about the primary structure of a protein is not correct?

A

It determines the three-dimensional shape of that protein.

It is stabilized by hydrogen bonds.

It is the sequence of amino acids in that protein.

It is unique to that protein.

The diagram shows the structure that is formed when a low concentration of phospholipids
are placed in water.

Why does this structure form?

so that region Y is exposed to water

so that region Z is shielded from water

so that the aqueous solution enclosed by the structure is compartmentalized from the
exterior aqueous solution

so that the organic solution enclosed by the structure is compartmentalized from the
exterior aqueous solution

What is needed for osmosis to occur?

I.

a concentration gradient of solutes

II. a partially permeable membrane

III. a supply of ATP
A

I only

II only

I and II only

I, II and III

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9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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A certain eukaryotic microorganism called paramecium contains contractile vacuoles that

pump excess water out of the cell to compensate for water absorbed by osmosis from its
surroundings. When placed in solution A, it was observed to form contractile vacuoles at a rate
of 11 per minute. The same paramecium was then placed in solution B where it was observed
to form contractile vacuoles at a rate of 4 per minute.
What could account for these observations?

Solution A is hypertonic to solution B.

Solution A is hypotonic to solution B.

Solutions A and B are isotonic.

Solutions A and B are hypertonic to the paramecium.

Amylase is an enzyme that breaks down starch. A student investigated the effect of pH on
amylase activity by using a starch agar plate. Six circular wells were cut into the agar plate.
Each well contained the same concentration and volume of amylase, and a buffer solution of
different pH. The agar plate was then left for 24 hours.
The diagram shows the results.

What is the best explanation of the results?

A

Amylase activity was highest at pH7.

Amylase was completely denatured at pH1 and pH11.

The effect of pH on amylase activity is reversible.

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9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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The primary structure of amylase is disrupted at extreme pH.

10

Lactose is a disaccharide present in milk. The enzyme -galactosidase catalyses the

conversion of lactose to glucose and galactose.
10 cm3 of a 1% -galactosidase solution was added to 10 cm 3 of milk. The graph shows the
total amount of glucose produced over the next 10 minutes.

total amount
of glucose
produced

time

Then, 10 cm3 of a 2% galactosidase solution was added to 10 cm3 of milk.

Which graph shows the results that would be obtained?

total amount
of lactose
converted

total amount
of glucose
produced

time

total amount
of lactose
converted

time

total amount
of glucose
produced

time

NJC 2013

9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

time

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11

In the breakdown of glucose to release energy in the process of respiration, there are
different stages of metabolism. These include the following conversions between different
carbon-containing compounds:
-ketoglutarate succinate fumarate malate
If the enzyme responsible for the conversion of succinate to fumarate is inhibited irreversibly,
which of the following would occur?

12

I.

some accumulation of succinate

II.

continued breakdown of -ketoglutarate

III.

gradual disappearance of fumarate

IV.

an immediate stop to the production of malate

I and IV

II and III

I, II and III

I, II, III and IV

The photomicrograph shows a pair of homologous chromosomes at prophase I of meiosis.

Which statement incorrectly describes the chromosomes at prophase I of meiosis?

A

Alleles are exchanged between sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes.

Homologous chromosomes pair up to form a tetrad.

New linkage groups are formed after crossing over.

The centromere position on the paternal homologue is similar to that on the maternal
homologue.

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9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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13

The graph shows the DNA content per cell of cells sampled at various successive stages of
their cell cycle.

Which combination represents the correct match between the sample of cells and the stage of
their cell cycle?

14

sample

stage of cell cycle

Go phase

after S phase

after meiosis and cytokinesis

after mitosis and cytokinesis

The diagram shows the karyotype of a boy with Down Syndrome (a genetic disorder caused
by the presence of a third copy of chromosome 21).

Which of the following could possibly result in this genetic disorder?

A

A gene mutation occurred in chromosome 21.

A haploid egg fused with a diploid sperm.

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C
The cell replicated all its DNA twice.
D
15

The homologous pair of chromosome 21 failed to separate during anaphase I.

The stop codons on mRNA are UGA, UAG and UAA.

Which of the following statements is true?

16

Each pre-mRNA only has one stop codon.

No tRNA can bind to any of the three stop codons.

There are three tRNAs bearing the anticodon ACU, AUC or AUU.

The same release factor can recognize all three stop codons.

The diagram shows the process of translation.

Which two of the following statements are correct?

I.

The ribosome is translocating from right to left.

II.

The diagram shows degeneracy of the genetic code.

III.

The polypeptide will not be able to dissociate from the tRNA right after histidine is
added.

IV.

The number of hydrogen bonds formed between the respective codons and
anticodons of the two tRNAs (shown in the diagram) are equal.

I and III

I and IV

II and III

II and IV

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17

In a bacterial cell, a mutation in the gene coding for an amino-acyl tRNA synthetase leads
to the attachment of alanine instead of serine to the entire tRNA Ser population, forming
alanyl-tRNASer.
How would protein synthesis in a cell containing such mutant enzyme be affected?

18

Proteins synthesized in the cell would contain alanine as the only type of amino acid.

Proteins synthesized in the cell would contain only alanine where serine would normally
occur.

Proteins synthesized in the cell would contain only serine where alanine would normally
occur.

Proteins synthesized in the cell would contain serine and alanine in equal amounts.

The diagram shows the control elements associated with two genes that are found in the
human genome.

Which of the following statements about the two genes is/are true?
I.

The glucagon gene is only found in the cells that secrete glucagon while the insulin
gene is only found in the cells that secrete insulin.

II.

Binding of control elements, specific transcription factors and RNA polymerase at the
promoter initiates transcription of the glucagon gene.

III.

The glucagon gene will be transcribed at a high level when transcription factors bind to
control elements A, B, and C.

IV.

The expression of insulin can only be suppressed when transcription factors bind to
control elements D, E and F.

III only

II and III only

I, II and IV only

II, III and IV only

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9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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19

The diagram shows part of a haemoglobin gene in a human cell.

In one form of the blood condition, thalassemia, a mutation occurs in an intron of the
haemoglobin gene.
Which stage of gene expression would this mutation directly affect?
A

activation of haemoglobin gene by a steroid hormone

attachment of haemoglobin mRNA to a ribosome

initiation of transcription of haemoglobin gene

splicing of haemoglobin pre-mRNA

20

The diagram shows the structure of a human gene. The numbers within the boxes indicate
the number of nucleotides in each region, inclusive of the bases stated in the diagram.
The DNA sequences (not drawn to scale) corresponding to the first start codon and the first
stop codon are also indicated.

3
48

90

130

222

850

126

ATG
TAC

132
TAA
ATT
5

3
= exon

= intron

What is the length (in nucleotides) of the primary RNA transcript and how many amino acids
are there in the protein coded by this human gene?
length of primary RNA transcript

number of amino acids in protein

1418

146

1418

472

1598

146

1598

206

NJC 2013

9648/01/SH1/H2/Biology/Common Test

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