Cambridge IGCSE Biology (BES) 0438 — 2012 May/June Paper 1 · Variant 3
0438/13/M/J/12 · 40 marks · ≈45 min
The question paper and its mark scheme, free to read here and free to download. This is Cambridge’s own paper, exactly as it was sat.
Question paper16 pages
















Mark scheme2 pages
Answers below. Sit the paper first if you are practising.


Paper as text
Question paper, page 1
This document consists of 14 printed pages and 2 blank pages. IB12 06_0438_13/3RP © UCLES 2012 [Turn over *6263117485* *6263117485* UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS International General Certificate of Secondary Education BIOLOGY (US) 0438/13 Paper 1 Multiple Choice May/June 2012 45 minutes Additional Materials: Multiple Choice Answer Sheet Soft clean eraser Soft pencil (type B or HB is recommended) READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST Write in soft pencil. Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid. Write your name, Center number and candidate number on the Answer Sheet in the spaces provided unless this has been done for you. 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 work should be done in this booklet.
Question paper, page 2
2 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 1 The diagram shows a fish. pectoral fin pelvic fin dorsal fin anal fin caudal fin Use the key to identify the fish. 1 black stripe across the eye … go to 2 no black stripe across the eye … A 2 black stripe on caudal fin … go to 3 no black stripe on caudal fin … B 3 black spot below dorsal fin … C no black spot below dorsal fin … D 2 The diagram shows a student’s drawing of guard cells. Which label is not correct? A chloroplast B cytoplasm C stoma D cell wall
Question paper, page 3
3 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 [Turn over 3 A living organism, X, can make its own food, get rid of toxic materials and detect and respond to stimuli. What other four processes must organism X carry out to stay alive? A excretion, growth, movement, sensitivity B excretion, growth, nutrition, respiration C growth, movement, reproduction, respiration D movement, reproduction, respiration, sensitivity 4 Which group of organisms has the following features? ● three pairs of jointed legs ● three-part segmented body ● one pair of antennae A arachnids B crustaceans C insects D myriapods 5 The table shows some characteristics of four different vertebrates. Which vertebrate is a reptile? fins legs scales hair A key B = feature present C = feature absent D
Question paper, page 4
4 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 6 Which diagram shows a plant cell? A B C D 7 Why do some root cells have root hairs? A for the maintenance of the temperature of the cell sap B to increase the surface area of the cells C to increase the volume of the cell sap D to provide a place for cell nuclei 8 The diagram shows a liver cell. Which structure is found in a palisade cell that is not present in this liver cell? A cell membrane B chloroplast C cytoplasm D nucleus
Question paper, page 5
5 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 [Turn over 9 A frog’s skin is permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide. When a frog is swimming in pond water, in which directions will oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse? from the frog’s skin into the water from the water into the frog’s skin A carbon dioxide oxygen B carbon dioxide and oxygen – C oxygen carbon dioxide D – carbon dioxide and oxygen 10 Which statement about cells or tissues, is correct? A Cells in the respiratory tract are long and thin. B Muscle cells are biconcave. C Red blood cells have no nucleus. D Xylem vessels have ciliated cells. 11 Which structures must be present in a cell for osmosis to take place? A cell (sap) vacuole and cell wall B cell wall and cell membrane C chloroplast and cytoplasm D cytoplasm and cell membrane 12 Which chemical reaction takes place in the stomach? A Proteins are digested by protease. B Proteins are digested into fatty acids. C Starch is digested into amino acids. D Starch is digested by lipase. 13 A person has bleeding gums. This could be caused by a lack of which nutrient? A calcium B iron C vitamin C D vitamin D
Question paper, page 6
6 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 14 Why does chewing food speed up digestion? A Bacteria in the food are killed. B Food is mixed with protease. C The surface area of the food is increased. D The taste of food is improved. 15 Which diagram shows the human double circulatory system? heart A heart B heart C heart D 16 Which row correctly identifies the chemical elements found in proteins? carbon hydrogen oxygen nitrogen A key B = present C = absent D
Question paper, page 7
7 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 [Turn over 17 The diagram shows a cell with groups of bacteria around its edge. cell cytoplasm bacteria spiral-shaped chloroplast The bacteria move to areas of high oxygen concentration. Which process in the cell causes the bacteria to form these groups? A digestion B photosynthesis C reproduction D respiration 18 The table shows the main contents of four meals. Which meal will be the most effective at preventing constipation? g / 100 g carbohydrate fat fiber (roughage) protein A 18 12 8 25 B 30 32 2 12 C 38 4 22 10 D 48 15 10 5 19 Which process depends on energy from respiration? A diffusion B osmosis C peristalsis D photosynthesis
Question paper, page 8
8 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 20 The diagram shows the human urinary system. X Which substance is not found in the liquid at X in a healthy person? A glucose B salt C toxins D urea 21 The diagram shows a section through part of the eye. suspensory ligament iris pupil lens X X is a circular muscle. What effect does it have when it contracts? A decreases the size of the pupil B increases the size of the pupil C pulls on the lens, decreasing its curvature D reduces the pull on the lens, increasing its curvature
Question paper, page 9
9 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 [Turn over 22 Which set of conditions would make the percentage of water in urine decrease the most? conditions temperature of the surroundings amount of activity A low low B low high C high low D high high 23 What is the equation for anaerobic respiration in yeast? A glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water B glucose → alcohol + carbon dioxide C glucose → alcohol + water D glucose → lactic acid + water 24 A natural method of birth control assumes that sperms live for three days after intercourse, ovulation occurs between days 13-15 of the menstrual cycle and released ova live for 36 hours. On which day of the cycle should intercourse not result in pregnancy? A day 7 B day 10 C day 12 D day 16 25 Read the following sentence. In order to prevent the human body from losing heat, the arterioles supplying the skin become narrow. Which process does this sentence describe? A constriction B shivering C sweating D vasodilation 26 Which statement describes human cells formed by meiosis? A They are genetically identical and they become gametes. B They are genetically identical and they become tissues. C They are not genetically identical and they become gametes. D They are not genetically identical and they become tissues.
Question paper, page 10
10 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 27 The diagram shows a food chain. Which organism is the producer? A rose-bush B greenfly C ladybird D bluebird (ladybug) 28 What special dietary advice should be given to a pregnant woman? A Eat less fiber (roughage). B Eat less protein. C Eat plenty of fat. D Eat plenty of iron. 29 In addition to a suitable temperature, what else is necessary for seed germination? A carbon dioxide and sunlight B mineral ions only C sunlight only D water and oxygen 30 A short-toed animal was crossed with a long-toed animal of the same species. All the offspring had short toes. One of these offspring was crossed with another long-toed animal of the same species. Which ratio of short-toed to long-toed animals should be expected? A 1 : 1 B 2 : 1 C 3 : 1 D 4 : 1 31 Which types of variation can be inherited? variation caused by genes variation caused by the environment A B C D
Question paper, page 11
11 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 [Turn over 32 Which diagram shows the flow of energy in an ecosystem? A Sun plants animals bacteria B Sun plants animals bacteria C Sun plants animals bacteria D Sun plants animals bacteria 33 Which process is an example of development? A a cell absorbing water and increasing in size B a cell dividing by mitosis C a root tip cell becoming a phloem cell D a sperm cell fertilizing an egg cell 34 The graph shows how oxygen concentration and the number of bacteria change when sewage is added to a river. sewage added distance downstream / m 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 dissolved oxygen bacteria amount / arbitrary units P What describes the oxygen concentration and the number of bacteria between the point at which sewage is added and point P? A Oxygen concentration and number of bacteria stay the same. B Oxygen concentration decreases and number of bacteria increases. C Oxygen concentration increases and number of bacteria decreases. D Oxygen concentration remains the same and number of bacteria increases.
Question paper, page 12
12 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 35 The diagram shows the results of a survey on the types of animals found along a stretch of river near to a factory. rat-tailed maggot sludge worm blood worm mayfly nymph stonefly nymph mayfly nymph stonefly nymph shrimp caddis fly larva blood worm leech water louse snail factory emptying pollutants into the water direction of water flow Which of the following animals lives in the most polluted water? A blood worm B caddis fly larva C leech D stonefly nymph 36 During aerobic respiration glucose is broken down. This process recycles A carbon only. B carbon and water. C energy only. D water only.
Question paper, page 13
13 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 [Turn over 37 The diagram shows a food web. lettuce plants slugs toads fungi snakes Fungi are decomposers. What is their importance in this food web? A They control the number of toads. B They provide energy for plant growth. C They provide food for snakes. D They release minerals for plant growth. 38 On the map shown, sulfur dioxide is produced at X. Which region is most likely to experience acid rain? A B C D sea land mass X wind direction
Question paper, page 14
14 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 39 What name is given to the diagram below? age in years 85+ 80-84 75-79 70-74 65-69 60-64 55-59 50-54 45-49 40-44 35-39 30-34 25-29 20-24 15-19 10-14 5-9 0-4 thousands 0 5 10 15 20 20 15 10 5 0 males females A a food web pyramid B a population pyramid C a pyramid of biomass D a pyramid of energy 40 In an ecosystem, which are the only organisms to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? A carnivores B decomposers C herbivores D producers
Question paper, page 15
15 © UCLES 2012 0438/13/M/J/12 BLANK PAGE
Question paper, page 16
16 Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity. University of Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge. © UCLES 2012 0610/13/M/J/12 BLANK PAGE
Mark scheme, page 1
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS International General Certificate of Secondary Education MARK SCHEME for the May/June 2012 question paper for the guidance of teachers 0438 BIOLOGY (US) 0438/13 Paper 1 (Multiple Choice), maximum raw mark 40 Mark schemes must be read in conjunction with the question papers and the report on the examination. • Cambridge will not enter into discussions or correspondence in connection with these mark schemes. Cambridge is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2012 question papers for most IGCSE, GCE Advanced Level and Advanced Subsidiary Level syllabuses and some Ordinary Level syllabuses.
Mark scheme, page 2
Page 2 Mark Scheme: Teachers’ version Syllabus Paper IGCSE – May/June 2012 0438 13 © University of Cambridge International Examinations 2012 Question Number Key Question Number Key 1 C 21 D 2 A 22 D 3 C 23 B 4 C 24 A 5 B 25 A 6 B 26 C 7 B 27 A 8 B 28 D 9 A 29 D 10 C 30 A 11 D 31 B 12 A 32 A 13 C 33 C 14 C 34 B 15 D 35 A 16 A 36 B 17 B 37 D 18 C 38 A 19 C 39 B 20 A 40 D
What you needed in this session
Cambridge’s own grade thresholds for 2012 May/June, Paper 1 · Variant 3. A higher threshold means an easier paper — the bar moves with how the cohort did.