UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS

General Certificate of Education Advanced Level

* 9 6 2 6 4 7 6 8 5 8 *

9700/43

BIOLOGY
Paper 4 A2 Structured Questions

October/November 2013
2 hours

Candidates answer on the Question Paper.

No Additional Materials are required.
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST
Write your Centre number, candidate number and name in the spaces provided at the top of this page.
Write in dark blue or black ink.
Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.
DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.
For Examiners Use

Section A
Answer all questions.

Section A

Section B

Answer one question

Circle the number of the Section B question you have answered in the grid below.

At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part
question.

Electronic calculators may be used.

6
7
8
9
Section B
10 or 11
Total

This document consists of 21 printed pages and 3 lined pages.

DC (SJF/CGW) 62404/2
UCLES 2013

[Turn over

2
Section A

For
Examiners
Use

Answer all the questions.

1

A mutation in a gene in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, gives rise to white-eyed flies
instead of the normal red-eyed flies. The allele for red eyes (R) is dominant to the allele for
white eyes (r).
A student crossed a red-eyed fly with a white-eyed fly.
The results are shown in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1
phenotype of fly

number of offspring

red-eyed female

54

red-eyed male

white-eyed female

white-eyed male

46

(a) In Drosophila, males possess two different sex chromosomes, X and Y, as in humans.
Complete the genetic diagram below to show how the results in Table 1.1 could have
been produced.
parental phenotypes

red-eyed fly

white-eyed fly

red-eyed female

white-eyed male

parental genotypes
gametes

offspring genotypes
offspring phenotypes

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[3]

3
(b) (i)

The chi-squared (2) test can be used to analyse the results in Table 1.1.

For
Examiners
Use

The expected ratio of red-eyed females to white-eyed males is 1:1.

Complete Table 1.2 and use this to calculate a value for chi-squared (2).
2 =

(OE)2
E

v = n1

key
= sum of
v = degrees of freedom
n = number of classes
O = observed value
E = expected value
Table 1.2

phenotype of fly

(OE)2
E

(OE)2

OE

red-eyed female
white-eyed male

2 = .................................................. [3]
(ii)

Use your calculated value of 2 and the table of probabilities below, to test the
significance of the difference between observed and expected results.
probability

degrees of
freedom

0.90

0.50

0.10

0.05

0.02

0.45

2.71

3.84

0.21

1.39

4.61

5.99

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 8]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

4
2

The evolutionary origin of the four-legged amphibians (such as frogs and toads) from fish
has been the subject of much debate for many years.
Among living fish, the rarely-caught coelacanth and the lungfish are thought to be most
closely related to these amphibians.
Samples of blood were taken from two coelacanths that were captured recently near
Comoros.
The amino acid sequences of the and chains of coelacanth and lungfish haemoglobin
were compared with the known sequences of amphibian adults and their aquatic larvae
(tadpoles). Organisms with more matches in the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide chain
share a more recent common ancestor than those with fewer matches.
The comparisons with three species of amphibians, Xenopus laevis (Xl), X. tropicana (Xt)
and Rana catesbeiana (Rc) are shown in Table 2.1.
Table 2.1
percentage of matches of amino acid sequence
species of
amphibian adults
fish species
chains

chains

(a) (i)

species of amphibian
larvae
(tadpoles)

Xl

Xt

Rc

Xl

Xt

Rc

coelacanth

42.0

47.5

no data

45.4

42.6

48.2

lungfish

40.4

42.1

no data

40.7

39.0

37.9

coelacanth

42.1

43.2

40.7

52.1

52.1

58.2

lungfish

44.1

45.9

41.4

47.3

45.9

48.6

Explain whether or not the information in Table 2.1 supports the suggestion that
coelacanths and amphibians share a more recent common ancestor than do
lungfish and amphibians.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [4]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

5
(ii)

Suggest why adults and tadpoles of the same species of amphibian have different
amino acid sequences in their haemoglobin.

For
Examiners
Use

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]
(b) Coelacanth haemoglobin has a very high affinity for oxygen, suggesting that coelacanths,
which have been captured at depths of between 200 m and 400 m, live in water that has
a low concentration of oxygen.
Explain how an environmental factor, such as the low concentration of oxygen in deep
water, can act:
(i)

as a stabilising force in natural selection

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [3]

(ii)

as an evolutionary force in natural selection.

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [3]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

6
(c) Explain the role of isolating mechanisms in the evolution of new species.
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [3]
[Total: 15]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

7
3

(a) Outline the role of oxygen in aerobic respiration.

..........................................................................................................................................

For
Examiners
Use

..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [3]
(b) Table 3.1 shows the results of some measurements of the energy released by different
respiratory substrates and the water produced in the process.
Table 3.1

respiratory
substrate

energy released / kJ

mass of water
produced / g

per g of
substrate

per dm3 of oxygen

consumed

per g of
substrate

carbohydrate

17.4

20.9

0.56

lipid

39.3

19.6

1.07

protein

17.8

18.6

0.45

(i)

Describe and explain the differences in energy released by the three respiratory
substrates.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [3]

(ii)

Suggest why more water is produced from the metabolism of lipid than from the
other two substrates.
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 7]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

8
4

Many women use knowledge of their menstrual cycle as a family planning method, avoiding
sexual intercourse during the part of the cycle when it is possible for fertilisation to occur.
This part of the cycle is known as the fertile window.
In women with regular, 28-day menstrual cycles, ovulation is likely to take place on day 14.
Most guidelines state that the fertile window lasts from day 10 to day 17 of the menstrual
cycle.
(a) Explain why the fertile window begins several days before ovulation takes place.
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(b) Fig. 4.1 shows how basal body temperature, and the concentration of luteinising
hormone, LH, varied during one menstrual cycle of a woman. Basal body temperature is
the temperature of the body just after waking in the morning.
body
temperature
36.8
36.7
basal body
temperature / C

36.6

concentration
of LH

36.5
LH
36.4
36.3
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 1 3
day of menstrual cycle
Fig. 4.1

(i)

On Fig. 4.1, sketch a curve to show the changes in the concentration of progesterone
in the blood during this menstrual cycle.
[2]

(ii)

The follicular phase of the menstrual cycle begins when menstruation starts, and
ends when ovulation takes place.
With reference to Fig. 4.1, suggest when the follicular phase began and ended
during this menstrual cycle.
began

UCLES 2013

ended

9700/43/O/N/13

[1]

For
Examiners
Use

9
(c) Three methods that a woman can use for determining her fertile window are:
method 1

using the date at which each menstruation begins to predict when

ovulation will occur

method 2

using disposable urine dip sticks to measure the amount of LH breakdown

products in urine (the more LH in the blood, the more breakdown products
are present in urine)

method 3

wearing an electronic device in the armpit that continuously measures

body temperature.

(i)

For
Examiners
Use

Suggest why using method 1 alone is not likely to be a very reliable method of
avoiding conception.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]

(ii)

Explain how method 2 could be used to avoid conception.

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]

(iii)

Suggest why method 3 is likely to be a better predictor of ovulation than measuring

basal temperature with a thermometer each day.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

10
(d) A study was carried out into the timing of the fertile window. The study involved 221
women who were trying to get pregnant.
Urine samples from each woman were tested for LH breakdown products every day for
several months. The women recorded the days on which they had sexual intercourse,
and also the days on which menstruation began.
136 of the women became pregnant during the study.
The results were used to calculate the probability of a woman being in the fertile window
on each day of her cycle. The results for women with regular 28-day cycles are shown in
Fig. 4.2.
0.6

0.4
probability
of being
in fertile
window
0.2

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25

27

29

day of menstrual cycle

Fig. 4.2
Discuss what these results suggest about the guidelines that the fertile window lasts
from day 10 to day 17 of the menstrual cycle.
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [4]
[Total: 15]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

11

Question 5 starts on page 12

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

12
5

Maize was developed from a wild plant called teosinte, which grows from Mexico south to
Argentina. It is thought that cultivated maize was derived from teosinte only once.
Maize has been found at archaeological sites dated to 5500 years ago.
(a) Fig. 5.1 shows the genetic diversity at ten gene loci in teosinte and in cultivated maize.
This was determined by sequencing the DNA base pairs at each locus, and calculating
how much each of these base sequences varied. The gene loci are numbered in order
of the degree of diversity in teosinte.
0.025

Key:
= teosinte
= cultivated
maize

0.020

genetic
diversity
/ arbitrary
units

0.015

0.010

0.005

10

gene locus
Fig. 5.1
(i)

Compare the genetic diversity of teosinte with that of cultivated maize.

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

13
(ii)

Suggest reasons for the differences in genetic diversity between teosinte and
cultivated maize.

For
Examiners
Use

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [3]
(iii)

Explain how these data support the idea that wild relatives of crop plants, such as
maize, should be conserved.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]

(b) Most farmers today grow maize from seeds that have been produced by crossing two
different homozygous parents.
Explain why this is done.
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [3]
[Total: 10]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

14
6

Fig. 6.1 is a trace that shows the changes that occur in the membrane potential of a neurone
during an action potential.

membrane
potential / mV
C

+30
0
B

70
0

E
1

3
4
time / ms

Fig. 6.1
(a) Using the letter(s) A to F from Fig. 6.1, state which letter(s) corresponds to the following:
(i)

depolarisation

............................

(ii)

hyperpolarisation

............................

(iii)

the membrane is most permeable to potassium ions

............................

(iv)

resting potential

............................

[4]

(b) Saxitoxin is a powerful poison produced naturally by single-celled, eukaryotic,

photosynthetic, marine organisms. Shellfish may consume organisms containing
saxitoxin but are unaffected. If humans were to eat shellfish containing saxitoxin they
would become very ill and may die.
(i)

State the kingdom to which the organisms that produce saxitoxin belong.
.............................................................................................................................. [1]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

15
(ii)

Saxitoxin blocks sodium ion channels in the cell surface membranes of neurones.
Describe the role of sodium ion channels in the transmission of a nerve impulse.

For
Examiners
Use

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [3]
(iii)

Suggest why saxitoxin may be fatal to humans.

..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 10]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

16
7

The light-dependent stage of photosynthesis takes place on the thylakoids of the chloroplast.
Fig. 7.1 shows some of the components involved in the light-dependent stage.
reduced
2NADP

LIGHT-INDEPENDENT
STAGE

light

ATP

2e

2NADP
+
2H+

light
stroma

2e

electron
transport
chain
ADP
+
Pi

2e

thylakoid
membrane

2e
H2O

thylakoid
space
O2 2H+
Fig. 7.1

(a) With reference to Fig. 7.1, identify structures A and B.

A ......................................................................................................................................
B .................................................................................................................................. [2]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

17
(b) Describe the roles of the following substances in the light-independent stage of
photosynthesis:
(i)

For
Examiners
Use

RuBP
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]

(ii)

reduced NADP
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]

(iii)

ATP.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 8]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

18
8

The Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, is fished for food.

(a) Fig. 8.1 shows the size of the stocks of Atlantic cod between 1968 and 2000.
300
280
260
240
220
200
180
160
size of Atlantic
cod stocks
/ thousand tonnes 140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000
year
Fig. 8.1
Calculate the overall rate of decrease in size of the stocks of Atlantic cod between 1968
and 2000.

answer ...................... tonnes per year [2]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

19
(b) Suggest how the stocks of Atlantic cod may be increased.
..........................................................................................................................................

For
Examiners
Use

..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [3]
[Total: 5]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

[Turn over

20
9

The passage below summarises the effects of auxin on the growth of a shoot.

For
Examiners
Use

Complete the passage by using the most appropriate scientific term(s).

Auxin is synthesised in the growing tips of shoots (apical buds). It is transported from here
down the shoot by from cell to cell and also to a lesser extent
by flow in the .

Auxin seems to be involved in determining whether a plant grows upwards or whether it

branches sideways. When the apical bud is actively growing, it tends to stop lateral buds
from growing. This is called apical . The plant grows upwards
rather than branching out sideways.

However, if the apical bud is cut off, the lateral buds start to grow. It is thought
that removal of the apical bud causes the concentration of auxin in lateral buds to
so the buds can now grow by cell
and cell .
[Total: 7]

UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

21
Section B

For
Examiners
Use

Answer one question.

10 (a) Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease caused by an autosomal recessive allele. Gene
therapy has been attempted to treat CF since 1993. Outline the basic principles of gene
therapy for the treatment of CF.
[8]
(b) Describe the role of a genetic counsellor in dealing with genetic diseases in humans and
discuss the circumstances in which a couple might be referred to a genetic counsellor.
[7]
[Total: 15]

11 (a) Describe the role of the hormone insulin in maintaining a constant blood glucose
concentration.
[6]
(b) The hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) is produced by a woman in the
early stages of pregnancy. Describe how a pregnancy test kit can detect the presence
of HCG.
[9]
[Total: 15]
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

22

.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

23

.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
UCLES 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use

24

.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
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 2013

9700/43/O/N/13

For
Examiners
Use