1 HUMAN RESOURCES,

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND

TERTIARY EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
MAURITIUS EXAMINATIONS SYNDICATE

NATIONALASSESSMENTATFORMIII
NAME

SCHOOL NAME

CLASS/SECTION

BIOLOGY October 2015

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.

You may use a soft pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
Any rough working should be done in this booklet.
Do not use correction fluid.

There are 7 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 (5 marks)

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

(a) Which one of the following structures is the hereditary material found inside the nucleus of
a cell?

A Haemoglobin

B Chromosomes

C Vacuoles

D Cytoplasm

(b) Which one of the following characteristics helps red blood cells to transport oxygen?

A They contain a dense cytoplasm.

B They have a fixed shape.

C They do not contain a nucleus.

D They do not have a cell membrane.

(c) A persons main artery, the aorta, is blocked by a layer of fat. Which one of the following
is a direct consequence of the blocked aorta on his body?

A Waste products will not be eliminated from his body properly.

B Food and oxygen will not be transported around his body properly.

C He will suffer from sexually transmitted diseases.

D He will lose a lot of weight.

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(d) A plant is placed on a window sill outside and is exposed to a calm breeze.
Which one of the following describes what will happen in the short term?

A The rate of transpiration will increase.

B The rate of transpiration will decrease.

C The plant will stop absorbing water from the roots.

D The plant will stop carrying out photosynthesis.

(e) Which one of the following forms part of the female reproductive system?

A Testicles

B Prostate gland

C Uterus

D Scrotum

Question 2 (5 marks)

(a) Differentiate between the process of breathing and respiration.

.. [2]

(b) Give the word equation for aerobic respiration.

.. [2]

(c) Explain why living things need energy.

.. [1]

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Question 3 (7 marks)

(a) A leafy green shoot of Balsam plant with a transparent stem is placed in a red coloured
solution (Eosine solution) as shown in Figure 1. It is noticed that after an hour red streaks
appear in the stem and the veins of the leaves become red.

Leaves

Red-coloured veins

Shoot

Stand

Beaker

Red Eosine solution

Fig. 1: Balsam plant in Eosine solution

(i) Name the tissue in the stem which is now stained.

.. [1]

(ii) Briefly explain what has happened in this experiment.

..

..

... [2]

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(b) Plants lose water from their surface during the process of transpiration. Table 1 shows the
rate of transpiration of a plant at different temperatures.

Table 1: Rate of transpiration at different temperatures

Temperature / oC 20 24 28 32

Transpiration rate / mmol/m2 / second 1.5 3.0 5.0 4.0

The points from Table 1 have been plotted on the graph below.
Transpirationrate/
mmol/m2/second

5.0 X

4.0 X

3.0 X

2.0

X
1.0

0
20 24 28 32
o
Temperature/ C

Fig. 2: Rate of transpiration against temperature.

(i) On Figure 2 draw the curve through the plotted points. [1]

(ii) What is the rate of transpiration of this plant at 26 C? [1]

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(iii) Describe the trend of the graph as the temperature increases from 20 C to 32 C.

..

..

..

.... [2]

Question 4 (8 marks)

(a) The first HIV/AIDS patient in Western Kenya was diagnosed in Kakamega General
Hospital in 1982. Since then, the number of victims has risen to hundreds of thousands.

Suggest two ways by which the HIV/AIDS virus has spread to the population around the
world.

(i) .

....

(ii) .

[2]

(b) It is being reported that the number of persons with HIV worldwide is no longer increasing.
Suggest one reason why.

...

.. [2]

(c) Nearly 3,000 people have died due to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Medical workers
need to wear protective suits, as shown in Figure 3, when in contact with the patients.

Fig. 3: Medical workers wearing protective suits

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(i) Explain why it is important for medical workers to wear protective suits.

..

. [2]

(ii) Suggest one reason why the outbreak of the virus has been particularly devastating
in the western African region.

..

. [2]

Question 5 (8 marks)

(a) The woodland caribou is a critically endangered animal in the United States. It is adapted
to live in snow and in harsh winter conditions. It lives in forests and eats lichens, shrubs,
leaves and grass. Figure 4 shows a drawing of the animal.

Short furred tail and ears

Furred muzzle
Long dense
insulating coat

Large hooves

Fig. 4: The woodland Caribou

(i) Suggest one reason why the population of the woodland caribou has declined in the
United States.

. [2]

(ii) Why is it important to prevent this animal from going extinct?

.. [2]

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(iii) Suggest one way by which the woodland caribou can be protected.

. [2]

(b) Aquaculture can greatly increase fish production. However, there is a threat that the
cultured fish from aquaculture practices escape into the open ocean. They will then be an
alien species.

How can such an alien species of fish cause damage to the marine ecosystem?

..

..... [2]

Question 6 (10 marks)

Reproduction is the process of maintaining the continuity of life.

(a) Explain why in humans children have the characteristics from both biological parents.

.. [2]

(b) Figure 5 shows the different stages in the development of an embryo inside the human
female reproductive system.

C
A

Fig. 5: Stages in the development of the embryo in the female reproductive system
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(i) Name the stages shown at A, B and C.

A: ..

B: ..

C: ..
[3]

(ii) Briefly describe the process taking place from stages A to C. (You should make
mention of the menstrual cycle).

..

..

... [3]

(c) Syphillis is a sexually transmitted disease. Give two ways to prevent the spread of
sexually transmitted diseases.

(i) ..

(ii) [2]

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Question 7 (7 marks)

Figure 6a shows the human respiratory system and Figure 6b shows part of the lungs with the
associated blood vessels and air passages.

bronchiole

Fig. 6a: Human Respiratory System Fig. 6b: Part of the lungs

(a) Give three events which happen during expiration.

(i)

(ii)

(iii) . [3]

(b) Name the structure shown by the letter A on the diagram in Figure 6b.

. [1]

(c) Name one disease that can affect structure A.

. [1]

(d) Give the cause of the disease given in part (c) and its effect on the health of a person.

Cause: .. [1]

Effect on the persons health: .

.... [1]

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