DEPARTMENT FOR CURRICULUM,

LIFELONG LEARNING AND EMPLOYABILITY MQF

Directorate for Learning and Assessment Programmes Level 1-3
Educational Assessment Unit
Annual Examinations for Secondary Schools 2023

YEAR 9 BIOLOGY TIME: 2 hours

Name: _____________________________________ Class: _______________

Note: Students need foolscaps to answer the questions in Section D.

SECTION
A B C D
Question
No. 1 2 3 4 5

Max.
11 9 15 10 10 15 15 15
mark

TOTAL
Actual MARK
mark

Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023 Page 1 of 12

Answer ALL questions in this paper.

SECTION A: Short-structured questions. This section carries 55 marks.

1a. Draw a neat diagram of a typical animal cell and label four structures. (1, 2)

b. Figure 1 below shows a Euglena. A Euglena is a unicellular organism that lives in

fresh and brackish water. Scientists that study animals (zoologists) and scientists
that study plants (botanists) fail to agree on the classification of Euglena. This is
because it has both plant and animal-like characteristics.

Figure 1: Diagram of a Euglena

https://quizlet.com/282964460/labeling-euglena-diagram/

i) From Figure 1, list one plant like characteristic of Euglena. (1)

____________________________________________________________

ii) Give the function of the structure named in b.i). (1)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

iii) Name one plant like structure that is missing in Euglena. (1)
_____________________________________________________________________________

Page 2 of 12 Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023

c. In multicellular organisms, cells are organised in groups of increasing complexity
and cell specialization takes place.

i) Name one specialised animal cell and explain how its structure makes it
more efficient at carrying out its function. (1, 2)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

ii) The following terms refer to different levels of cell organisation:

Organism, Organs, Tissues, Systems, Cell

Put them in order of increasing complexity. The first one has been done for
you. (1)

Cell ____________ ____________ _____________ _______________

iii) Define ‘tissues’. (1)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________
Total: 11 marks

2. Kurt went for a run as part of his daily exercise routine.

a. List the four structures in order through which air flows once it enters through
his nose on its way to the lungs. (2)

Nose ____________ ____________ _____________ _______________

b. Tick (✓) the appropriate column to show when the listed changes take place. (3)

Inhalation Exhalation
Diaphragm flattens

Intercostal muscles relax

Lungs expand

c. Smoking is a bad habit that impacts negatively on the human respiratory

system. Smokers suffer from emphysema. This is very evident during exercise.

i) Describe how the components of cigarette smoke may cause emphysema.

(1)

_________________________________________________________

ii) Explain how emphysema affects the structure of the alveoli. (1)

__________________________________________________________

Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023 Page 3 of 12

 iii) Explain why the effects of emphysema are ‘very evident during exercise’. (2)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________
Total: 9 marks

3. Figure 2 shows two photographs of onion bulb epidermal cells, with Photograph A
just before the cells were left in a concentrated salt solution. Photograph B shows
these cells when left in the salt solution for a few minutes.

Figure 2: Onion bulb epidermal cells

https://www.microbehunter.com/

a. Compare the cells of photographs A and B (Figure 2) by describing the changes

in the onion epidermal cells. (4)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

b. Name the osmotic response of the plant cells described in part a. (1)

________________________________________________________________

c. Using your biological knowledge, explain why and how this response occurred. (4)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
Page 4 of 12 Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023
d. Another student puts the onion bulb epidermal tissue in distilled water (pure
water) instead of a salt solution. The cells swell up.

i) Using one word, give the term that best describes the cells in this new (1)
state.

____________________________________________________________

ii) What prevents the onion cells from bursting as they take in water? (1)

____________________________________________________________

e. i) How does a whole plant look when it is short of water? (1)

____________________________________________________________

ii) Do the cells experience the same osmotic response outlined in part b? Give
one reason for your answer. (1,2)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Total: 15 marks

4. Proteins (antigens) on cell membrane of red blood cells are used to determine
the blood group of each individual.

a. List two other components of blood besides those mentioned above. (2)

________________________________________________________________

b. Human beings can have any one of the following four blood groups: A, B, AB and
O. The specific antigens and the antibodies found in the blood make blood
transfusion possible, only when considering the blood group one has. The table
below shows what happens when blood types are mixed.

Donor Blood
Recipient blood type
type
A B AB O
A No clumping1 Clumping2 No clumping Clumping
B Clumping No clumping No clumping Clumping
AB Clumping Clumping No clumping Clumping
O No clumping No clumping No clumping No clumping
Table 1: Mixing of different blood types

1
– No clumping of red blood cells 2 – Clumping of red blood cells forming large clots (No O2 uptake)

i) Two students have their blood group tested. When their blood is mixed
with a small amount of each of the four recipient blood types. They get the
following results:

• Student 1 – clumping when mixed with blood types A, B and O.

• Student 2 – no clumping when mixed with any blood type.

Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023 Page 5 of 12

 Determine the blood group of student 1 and student 2. (2)

Student 1 ____________________ Student 2 ______________________

ii) Blood group O is defined as the universal donor. Using the table, explain
why. (2)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

c. Draw a labelled cross-section of an artery and a vein to show the differences

between these two blood vessels. (4)

Total: 10 marks

5. Figure 3 shows a cross-section of an insect pollinated flower.

Figure 3: Cross-section of an insect pollinated flower

https://cmbiologynotes.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/parts-of-a-flower-labelled.jpg

a. Label parts of the flower A to E. (5)

A____________________ B______________________ C__________________

D_______________________________ E_______________________________

Page 6 of 12 Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023

b. Define the term pollination. (1)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

c. Describe the steps that follow pollination leading to seed formation. (4)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Total: 10 marks

SECTION B: Comprehension. This section carries 15 marks.

The crab invading the Mediterranean Sea

In October 2014, Lotfi Rabaoui was travelling the shallow sandy waters near
Ghannouch, a small coastal town in Tunisia, with a group of local fishermen.
Traversing the habitats of seagrass and algae, the fishermen made an unusual catch.

Tangled in their net was a species of crab, Portunis segnis or blue crab, that wasn’t
native to the region. More remarkable still, was that the fishermen didn’t find just one
blue crab – their nets had captured 24 of them.

Rabaoui, at the time researcher at the Faculty of Science of Tunis at the University of
Tunis El Manar, noted the discovery with interest. Little did he know, however, that a
year later this non-native, or alien species would become a national curse.
Adapted from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220809-how-the-mediterranean-became-the-
worlds-most-invaded-sea

The passage provides information about a marine ecosystem located in Tunisia.

1a. i) Define the term habitat. (1)

____________________________________________________________

ii) Distinguish between population and community. (2)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

iii) List one biotic component of this ecosystem from the passage. (1)

____________________________________________________________

Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023 Page 7 of 12

b. Alien species like the blue crab become invasive when they start having a
negative impact on the native species.

i) Define a native species. (1)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

ii) List one negative impact of alien species on the ecosystem. (1)

____________________________________________________________

c. The blue crab also forms part of an ecosystem found in Chesapeake Bay, New
York. Figure 4 below shows how different species in the area interact with one
another.

Figure 4: Food web of ecosystem in Chesapeake Bay

https://www.emaze.com/@aqolwqcw/Chesapeake-bay%27s

i) What do the arrows in the food web represent? (1)

____________________________________________________________

ii) Construct a food chain having three trophic levels. (1)

____________________________________________________________

iii) Identify the producer in the food web in Figure 4. (1)

____________________________________________________________

iv) The number of organisms decreases on going up the different trophic levels.
Explain why, giving one example. (2)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Page 8 of 12 Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023

 v) After mating, the female blue crab can keep the sperm for a year or more
before laying the eggs. This allows crabs mating in winter to wait until
warmer weather to hatch their eggs.

In view of this, predict how the blue crab population will be affected by the
rising sea water temperatures as a result of climate change. (2)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

vi) Using the food web and the relationship between organisms, explain how an
increase in the blue crab population may affect the local fishermen. (2)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Total: 15 marks

SECTION C: Data-Analysis. This section carries 15 marks.

The concentration of glucose and oxygen, and the temperature can affect the rate of
respiration. Figure 5 below shows the effect of the concentration of glucose on the
production of ATP.

9
8
7
6
5
ATP (µg)

4
3
2
1
0
2 4 6 8 10 12
Concentration of glucose (g/L)

Figure 5: Effect of glucose concentration on ATP production in cells

1a. Name the structure, in the cell, where aerobic respiration occurs. (1)

________________________________________________________________

Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023 Page 9 of 12

b. Distinguish between aerobic and anaerobic respiration. (2)
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

c. Give the dependent variable of this experiment. (1)

________________________________________________________________

d. Scientists can use a number of ways to measure the rate of respiration. Explain
why ATP is used for the rate of respiration. (1)
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

e. Give the amount of ATP produced when the concentration of glucose is 6 g/L. (1)

________________________________________________________________

f. Using the graph, describe and explain the general trend of the graph. (1, 2)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

g. The graph in Figure 5 is for aerobic respiration. In what way would the graph be
different if the experiment is done for anaerobic respiration? (3)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

h. Discuss the importance of ATP in organisms. (3)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Total: 15 marks

Page 10 of 12 Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023

Section D: Long-structured questions. This section carries 15 marks.

1a. Figure 6 shows two similar plants A and B. They have been growing in boxes
that allow light to enter from different directions for the last few days.

A B

Figure 6: Plant responses

https://www.nagwa.com/en/explainers/434109472654/

Use your biological knowledge to explain the differences observed. Make sure to
identify the stimulus and name the plant response in your answer. (5)

b. All living things need to reproduce. Write short notes on sexual and asexual
modes of reproduction. Make sure to include a definition, as well as advantages
and disadvantages of each mode. (6)

c. List two conditions required for germination to occur and explain why they are
important. (4)

Total:15 marks

Biology – Year 9 – MQF L1-3 – 2023 Page 11 of 12

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