Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge Ordinary Level

BIOLOGY 5090/11
Paper 1 Multiple Choice May/June 2018
1 hour
Additional Materials: Multiple Choice Answer Sheet
Soft clean eraser
*1840274284*

Soft pencil (type B or HB is recommended)

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write in soft pencil.

Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
Write your name, Centre number and candidate number on the Answer Sheet in the spaces provided
unless this has been done for you.
DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.

There are forty 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.
Electronic calculators may be used.

This document consists of 16 printed pages.

IB18 06_5090_11/3RP
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1 The diagram shows a palisade cell.

Which structure is the site of photosynthesis?

A C

2 Which process needs energy from respiration?

A movement of carbon dioxide into the alveoli

B movement of oxygen into red blood cells
C uptake of glucose by cells in the villi
D uptake of water by root hair cells

3 A plant is growing in a fertile, well-watered soil. It is absorbing nitrate ions by active transport and
water by osmosis.

How do the concentrations of nitrate ions and water in the plant’s roots compare to the
concentrations in the soil?

concentration of concentration of
nitrate ions in the roots water in the roots

A higher higher
B higher lower
C lower higher
D lower lower

4 In an enzyme’s action, where is the active site and where are the lock and the key?

active site lock key

A on the enzyme on the enzyme on the substrate

B on the enzyme on the substrate on the enzyme
C on the substrate on the enzyme on the substrate
D on the substrate on the substrate on the enzyme

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5 The diagram represents a cross-section of part of a leaf as seen using a microscope.

Where does translocation (movement of sucrose and amino acids) occur?

6 The diagrams show an experiment to find the rate of photosynthesis in an aquatic plant in
different conditions.

Which plant produces the most bubbles per minute?

A B

water
lamp

aquatic
plant

C D

ice ice

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7 A student grows seedlings in four different test-tubes.

Tube W contains all the mineral ions needed for healthy plant growth.

The diagram shows the appearance of these seedlings after two weeks.

W X Y Z
healthy little poor growth and hardly any
growth growth yellow leaves growth

What do tubes X, Y and Z contain?

X Y Z
A all minerals except all minerals water
magnesium ions except nitrate ions
B all minerals except water all minerals
magnesium ions except nitrate ions
C all minerals all minerals except water
except nitrate ions magnesium ions
D water all minerals except all minerals
magnesium ions except nitrate ions

8 Which substance is built up from amino acids?

A glucose
B glycogen
C protein
D urea

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9 Where does bile enter the alimentary canal?

A colon
B duodenum
C ileum
D stomach

10 The surface area of the small intestine is increased by the villi in the intestine wall.

How does the increased surface area help absorption of digested materials?

A It makes peristalsis more efficient.

B More mucus is produced for lubrication.
C More starch and protein can be absorbed.
D There is a greater chance of food molecules diffusing into the blood.

11 The photograph shows the cells of a vascular bundle from a stem, as seen using a microscope.

What is tissue G, and what is its function?

tissue function

A phloem transports sugars to the roots

B phloem transports water to the leaves
C xylem transports sugars to the roots
D xylem transports water to the leaves

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12 When plants are growing in soil saturated with water, their roots lack oxygen.

How will the functions of root hairs be affected in these conditions?

uptake of nitrate ions uptake of water

A slowed down slowed down

B slowed down unaffected
C unaffected slowed down
D unaffected unaffected

13 Which blood vessel transports blood into the liver?

A hepatic portal vein

B hepatic vein
C pulmonary vein
D renal vein

14 The diagram shows the blood pressure of a person at rest as the blood leaves the heart and
passes through arteries and then capillaries.

Which line shows the pressure of blood as it flows through veins before returning to the heart?

A
15

pressure of B
10
blood / kPa

5
C

D
(heart) arteries capillaries veins (heart)

blood flow

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15 The diagram shows a section through part of a vein.

1
2

What could be the first organs found in the directions 1 and 2?

1 2

A heart brain
B intestine liver
C kidney heart
D lung heart

16 Which word equation describes the respiration that occurs in an athlete’s muscle cells before the
start of a race?

A carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen

B glucose → alcohol + carbon dioxide

C glucose → lactic acid

D oxygen + glucose → carbon dioxide + water

17 Yeast is used in bread-making.

Why does the bread contain little or no alcohol?

A Alcohol is not produced by the yeast.

B Sugar is not used by the yeast.
C The alcohol evaporates during baking.
D The yeast produces lactic acid.

18 The table shows the effect of exercise on the rate and depth of breathing.

breathing rate volume of each

/ breaths per minute breath / cm3

at rest 12 500
after exercise 24 1000

What is the increase in the volume of air exchanged per minute after exercise, compared to at
rest?

A 1000 cm3 B 6000 cm3 C 18 000 cm3 D 24 000 cm3

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19 The diagram shows how a kidney dialysis machine works. Each shape represents a molecule
found in blood or dialysis fluid.

blood in blood out

dialysis membrane

dialysis dialysis
fluid out fluid in

Which shape represents urea?

A B C D

20 The diagram shows some of the structures seen in a section through human skin.

What is the function of structure X?

A to cause capillaries to constrict

B to detect changes in temperature
C to receive impulses from the central nervous system
D to stimulate sweat glands to release sweat

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21 The diagram shows a section through an eye.

Which part is the receptor for the stimulus that results in a change in the size of the pupil?

B D

22 The diagram shows the brain in vertical section.

Which structure co-ordinates the menstrual cycle?

23 Which of these is a reflex action?

A increasing the blood glucose level by eating rice

B lifting a book off the table by contracting your arm muscles
C preventing an insect from flying into your eye by blinking
D using your brain to work out the answer to a problem

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24 Which bones meet at the elbow joint and what kind of movement do they allow?

bones movement

A humerus and scapula in one plane only

B humerus and scapula in three planes
C ulna and humerus in one plane only
D ulna and humerus in three planes

25 The diagram shows the percentages of injecting and non-injecting drug users who suffer from
HIV / AIDS in a particular part of the world.

20

percentage of
users suffering 10
from HIV / AIDS

0
injecting non-injecting
users users

What accounts for the difference between the two groups of drug users?

A Condoms are used more often by injecting drug users.

B Injecting drugs is more common in areas of dense population.
C The same needle may be used by several injecting drug users.
D There are more injecting drug users than non-injecting drug users in this part of the world.

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26 Penicillin is produced by the fungus Penicillium. The stages involved are listed.

1 Corn and yeast are added to the fungus.

2 Penicillin is extracted.
3 Penicillin is secreted by the fungus.
4 The product is filtered.

What is the sequence of these stages?

A 1→3→4→2

B 2→3→1→4

C 3→1→2→4

D 4→3→1→2

27 Which table shows the features of bacteria, fungi and viruses?

A feature bacteria fungi viruses

cell membrane    key

cell nucleus    = yes
cell wall    = no

B feature bacteria fungi viruses

cell membrane   
cell nucleus   
cell wall   

C feature bacteria fungi viruses

cell membrane   
cell nucleus   
cell wall   

D feature bacteria fungi viruses

cell membrane   
cell nucleus   
cell wall   

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28 The graph shows changes in the populations of plant and animal plankton in a lake.

key

plant
population
plankton
size
animal
plankton
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
month

Consider the following statement in relation to the data provided by the graph.

‘Population changes in animal plankton lag behind similar changes in plant plankton because the
animals feed on the plants.’

Into which category does the statement fall?

A It is a reasonable interpretation of the data.

B It is a restatement of the data, not an interpretation.
C It is contradicted or not supported by the data.
D More data are required in order for this interpretation to be made.

29 Which sequence is a food chain?

A decomposer → carnivore → producer → herbivore

B decomposer → herbivore → producer → consumer

C producer → herbivore → carnivore → carnivore

D producer → producer → consumer → decomposer

30 Which stage of the carbon cycle depends on the presence of bacteria and fungi in the soil?

A combustion
B decomposition
C photosynthesis
D respiration

31 Which term correctly describes the malarial pathogen?

A bacterium
B insect
C parasite
D vector

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32 Which two air pollutants contribute to acid rain?

A carbon dioxide and methane

B oxygen and oxides of nitrogen
C sulfur dioxide and methane
D sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen

33 The diagram shows the chromosomes in a cell.

Which diagram shows the product of one division of the cell by mitosis?

A B

C D

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34 The diagram shows the stigma, style and ovary of a flower.

Where does fertilisation take place?

D
C

35 In which part of the human female reproductive system does a zygote start to divide to form a ball
of cells?

A cervix
B ovary
C oviduct
D uterus

36 What is the best way to prevent the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)?

A Always keep fit by taking regular exercise.

B Do not drink from a cup that has been used by an infected person.
C Have regular tests for HIV infection.
D Use condoms during sexual intercourse.

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37 The diagram shows a pair of chromosomes from the same cell.

P Q

A gene is found at the point labelled P.

In a heterozygous individual, what will be found at the equivalent position labelled Q?

A a different allele of a different gene

B a different allele of the same gene
C a different gene of the same allele
D the same gene of the same allele

38 Which characteristics show continuous and discontinuous variation in humans?

continuous variation discontinuous variation

A blood groups skin colour

B free or attached ear lobes blood groups
C height free or attached ear lobes
D intelligence hair colour

39 Which statements about natural selection are correct?

natural selection can natural selection can natural selection can

lead to better adapted lead to extinction lead to gene
species surviving of a species mutations occurring

A true true true

B true true false
C true false true
D false true true

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40 Which statements about genetically engineered plants show potential benefits?

1 The increased yield from genetically engineered plants allows a smaller area of land
to be farmed.
2 Genetically engineered plants may have improved nutritional value.
3 Some plants can be genetically modified to give resistance to diseases.
4 Cross-pollination with weeds could produce new varieties of weeds.
5 The use of genetically engineered crops may explain the increase in allergies in
children.
6 There is more research needed on the long term effects of genetically engineered
crops on the environment.

A 1, 2 and 3 B 1, 5 and 6 C 2, 3 and 4 D 4, 5 and 6

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