Exampro GCSE Biology Name:

B1 Chapter 6 Variation Class:

Higher tier

Author:

Date:

Time: 63

Marks: 63

Comments:

Page 1 of 26
Q1. Read the information.

Insects can be both useful and harmful to crop plants.

Insects such as bees pollinate the flowers of some crop plants. Pollination is needed for
successful sexual reproduction of crop plants.
Some insects eat crops and other insects eat the insects that eat crops.

Corn borers are insects that eat maize plants.

A toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis kills insects.
Scientists grow Bacillus thuringiensis in large containers. The toxin is collected from the
containers and is sprayed over maize crops to kill corn borers.

A company has developed genetically modified (GM) maize plants. GM maize plants contain
a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis. This gene changes the GM maize plants so that they
produce the toxin.

(a) Describe how scientists can transfer the gene from Bacillus thuringiensis to maize plants.

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

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

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(3)

Page 2 of 26
(b) Would you advise farmers to grow GM maize plants?

Justify your answer by giving advantages and disadvantages of growing GM maize plants.

Use the information from the box and your own knowledge to help you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(4)
(Total 7 marks)

Page 3 of 26
Q2. Scientists have brought an extinct species of mountain goat, the Pyrenean ibex, ‘back to life’.
These scientists used skin cells from preserved Pyrenean ibex in cloning experiments.

The Scientists:

• removed the nuclei from domestic goat egg cells

• transferred cell nuclei from the skin cells of the Pyrenean ibex into domestic goat egg cells

• used the domestic goats as surrogate mothers for the embryos that developed.

The scientists made 439 cloned embryos, but only 57 were suitable for transfer into the
surrogate goat mothers. Only seven of the goats got pregnant and only one live offspring was
born.

Some biologists are very worried about using cloning to preserve endangered animals, because
cloned animals often have developmental problems. Some endangered animals are difficult to
breed in captivity. For these animals cloning is another way to continue the genetic line.

The biggest threats to endangered animals today are habitat loss, illegal hunting, pollution and
climate change. Many scientists say that cloning is not as important as trying to preserve the
wild places on Earth. The wild places are being lost very quickly and the animals and plants
living in the wild places are dying out.

(a) The Pyrenean ibex was ‘brought back to life’.

How is this process different from using adult cell cloning to clone a pet animal?

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

........................................................................................................................
(1)

Page 4 of 26
 (b) Evaluate the use of adult cell cloning to conserve endangered species.

Use the information given and your own knowledge and understanding.

Remember to give a conclusion to your evaluation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(4)
(Total 5 marks)

Q3. The diagram shows one method of cloning sheep.

Page 5 of 26
(a) The fusion of the body cell from the male sheep and the egg from the female sheep is an
example of asexual reproduction.

Explain why.

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) (i) Give the gender and face colour of the cloned lamb.

Gender ..........................................................

Face colour ...................................................

(1)

(ii) Give the reasons for your choice.

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

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

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

...............................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Page 6 of 26
Q4. Scientists in Korea have discovered a method of producing rabbit–human embryos.Rabbit–
human embryos could provide cells for research into human diseases such as motor neurone
disease. Rabbits produce large numbers of eggs. Rabbit–human embryos could overcome a
shortage of human embryo cells for research.

The diagram shows how rabbit–human embryos are produced.

(a) Which structures in the nucleus contain 99.5% of a cell’s genetic information?

........................................................................................................................
(1)

Page 7 of 26
 (b) Use the above information and your own knowledge and understanding to evaluate how
the production of rabbit–human embryos may help research into human diseases.

Remember to give a conclusion as part of your evaluation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(4)
(Total 5 marks)

Q5. Scientists have recently cloned a mouse that had died and been frozen for 16 years.

(a) Explain what is meant by a clone.

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(2)

Page 8 of 26
 (b) The scientists used an egg cell from a living mouse and the genetic material from a brain
cell of the frozen mouse.

Describe how the process of adult cell cloning could be used to clone the frozen mouse.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(3)

(c) People could ask scientists to use this technique to clone long-dead relatives, whose
bodies have been deep-frozen.

Most people would be opposed to cloning a human from a deep-frozen, long-dead relative.

Give one reason why.

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

........................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 6 marks)

Q6. Organisms can be produced by asexual reproduction and by sexual reproduction.

(a) Give two differences between asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction.

1 .....................................................................................................................

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

2 .....................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
(2)

Page 9 of 26
 (b) Adult cell cloning is a type of asexual reproduction.

Explain why.

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

Q7. A child saved apple seeds from an apple she ate. She planted the seeds in the garden. A
few years later the apple trees she had grown produced apples.

(a) The apples from the new trees did not taste like the original apple.

Explain why.

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) (i) Apple trees can be reproduced so that the apples from the new trees will taste the
same as the apples from the parent trees.

Give one method used to reproduce apple trees in this way.

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

...............................................................................................................
(1)

Page 10 of 26
 (ii) Explain why the method you have suggested in part (b)(i) will produce apples that
taste the same as the apples from the parent trees.

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

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

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

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

...............................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q8. The picture shows a zebra fish.

Illustration © Emily S. Damstra

Zebra fish are small freshwater fish that usually have black and silver stripes.
Zebra fish can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions.

(a) Scientists have genetically modified zebra fish to act as pollution indicators.
The genetically modified zebra fish have a gene transferred from a jellyfish.
The gene allows the stripes of the zebra fish to change colour.

Describe how the scientists produced the genetically modified zebra fish.

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

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

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(3)

Page 11 of 26
 (b) Some scientists are worried about the production of genetically modified zebra fish.

Suggest reasons why.

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q9. (a) Animal breeders use sexual reproduction to produce new strains of animals.

How does sexual reproduction produce variation?

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) A salmon is a type of fish.

Scientists have created a GM (genetically modified) ‘super’ salmon.

The scientists transferred a gene from a fish called a pout into a salmon. The gene
increases the secretion of growth hormone in the salmon. The GM salmon grows much
faster than an ordinary salmon, reaching market size up to one year earlier. Many more
GM salmon will be grown in fish farms.

(i) Describe how a gene can be transferred from a pout into a salmon.

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

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

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

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

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

...............................................................................................................
(3)

Page 12 of 26
 (ii) The government might not allow the production of GM salmon.

Suggest one reason why.

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

...............................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 6 marks)

Q10. Plant hormones are used in horticulture.

(a) Name one plant hormone.

........................................................................................................................
(1)

Page 13 of 26
(b) The diagram shows how new plants are produced using tissue culture.

(i) Tissue culture is a type of asexual reproduction .

Give the main features of asexual reproduction .

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

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

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

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

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

...............................................................................................................
(3)

Page 14 of 26
 (ii) Another method of producing new plants is by taking cuttings.

Suggest one advantage of using tissue culture and not using cuttings to produce
plants.

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

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

...............................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 5 marks)

Q11. The diagram shows one method of producing herbicide-resistant crop plants.

(a) The herbicide-resistance gene is cut out of a chromosome of a herbicide-resistant plant.

How is the herbicide-resistance gene cut out of the chromosome?

Page 15 of 26
 ........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Apart from having the herbicide-resistance gene, the herbicide-resistant plants are
identical to the herbicide-susceptible plants.

Explain why.

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) Suggest one advantage to a farmer of growing herbicide-resistant crops.

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

........................................................................................................................
(1)

(d) Many people are opposed to the growing of herbicide-resistant crops produced in this way.

Suggest one reason why.

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

........................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 5 marks)

Page 16 of 26
Q12. The drawings show two different species of butterfly.

Amauris Hypolimnas

• Both species can be eaten by most birds.

• Amauris has an unpleasant taste which birds do not like, so birds have learned
not to prey on it.

• Hypolimnas does not have an unpleasant taste but most birds do not prey on it.

(a) Suggest why most birds do not prey on Hypolimnas.

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Suggest an explanation, in terms of natural selection, for the markings on the wings of
Hypolimnas.

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

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

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

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

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

........................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 5 marks)

Page 17 of 26
M1. (a) any three from:

• (gene) cut out

• (gene / cut out) from (bacterial) chromosome / DNA
accept (gene / cut out) from (bacterial) plasmid
• ref to enzymes (at any point)
• (gene spliced) into maize chromosome / DNA
• (gene added) at an early stage of development
3

(b) any four from:

• justification based on comparison of the relative merits of at least one

advantage and one disadvantage
max 3 marks if only advantages or disadvantages given

Advantages:

• less effort for farmer or less likely to harm farmer

ignore ref to cost
• (pesticide) always there or doesn’t wash away
allow examples eg no need to spray
• less insects to eat crop / maize or carry disease
allow pesticide doesn’t contaminate water courses
• so greater crop production / yield

Disadvantages:

• (toxin) kills other insects

ignore ref to cost
• so (some) crops don’t get pollinated / (sexually) reproduce
allow maize not pollinated
• possible harm when eaten by humans / animals
allow may have unpleasant taste
• damage to food chains
allow reduced biodiversity
• gene may spread to other species
4
[7]

M2. (a) two species / types involved

1

Page 18 of 26
 (b) full marks only if at least one pro, one con and an attempt at a conclusion

any three from:

pros (max two pros)

• useful if species difficult to breed

• prevents extinction / continues genetic line

cons (max two cons)

ignore reference to ethical issues / cruelty

• low success rate or figures given

• development problems

• diverts attention from habitat conservation / poaching / pollution /

climate change

• cloning reduces gene pool

3

conclusion

argued conclusion
must include references to both pros and cons and must be at end
of answer
1
[5]

M3. (a) there was no mixing of genes / genetic material

1

because the nucleus was removed from the egg cell before fusion
1

(b) (i) male and

white-faced
both required
1

(ii) because the genetic material / genes

1

comes from the white-faced male only

1
[5]

M4. (a) chromosomes

ignore gene / DNA
1

Page 19 of 26
(b) to obtain 3 marks candidates must give onereasonable pro and one
reasonable con

pros eg

any two from:

• overcomes shortage of human eggs / rabbits produce lots of eggs

ignore all embryos identical

• ethical / religious issues with using human embryos

• reduces tests on (adult) humans

• may provide cure for / cause of disease

• embryo not allowed to develop beyond 14 days

• no harm to rabbit

• 99.5 % human genetic information so very similar to human or will react

in the same way
max 2

cons eg

any two from:

• ethical / religious objections to mixture of human and rabbit genes

• ethical issues with experimenting with rabbits

allow some people object to using rabbits / cruel to rabbits

• ethical / religious objections to killing embryos

• 0.5% of rabbit genetic information might affect results

• 14 days too short a time to get results

max 2

plus

conclusion eg

• possibility of cure does / does not outweigh ethical / religious objections

Note: the conclusion mark cannot be given unless both an
advantage and a disadvantage have (already) been given

• cure does not justify mixing human and animal genes / killing embryos
do not award the mark if the conclusion only states that
advantages outweigh disadvantages
1
[5]

Page 20 of 26
M5. (a) genetically identical / same DNA / same chromosomes
gains 2 marks
accept identical without reference to genetic material for 1 mark
2

(b) remove nucleus from egg

allow use empty egg cell
1

insert genetic material / nucleus /DNA / chromosomes from frozen mouse

do not allow if reference to sperm
1

electric shock or allow to divide or insert into womb / uterus

1

(c) ethical / religious / emotional reasons

or

not known if it is safe / long term effects not known

ignore playing God / unnatural / immoral
1
[6]

Page 21 of 26
M6. (a) any two from:
assume it refers to asexual

• no fusion in asexual or sexual involves fusion

accept no fertilisation in asexual or fertilisation in sexual

or no mixing of genetic information in asexual or mixing of genetic

information in sexual
accept genes / alleles / chromosomes / genetics for genetic
information

or asexual involves splitting (of one individual)

• no gametes in asexual or
sexual involves gametes
accept named gametes

• only one parent in asexual or

sexual involves two parents

• no variation in asexual
or asexual produces clones
or sexual leads to variations
allow offspring of sexual have characteristics of both parents for
this point
ignore sexual intercourse
ignore external / internal
ignore plants / animals
ignore mitosis / meiosis
2

(b) nucleus of egg removed or

involves empty egg cell
1

so only one nucleus or one set of genetic information / genes / chromosomes

or
so genetic information / genes / chromosomes from one parent only
1
[4]

M7. (a) seeds produced by sexual reproduction / fusion of gametes / fertilisation

allow produced by pollination / crossing
1

mixture of genes / genetic information / chromosomes / DNA

or from two parents / apple trees
if no other mark obtained allow 1 mark for apples had different
genes / genetic information / chromosomes / DNA
or
mutation occurred
ignore environmental effects / cloned
1

Page 22 of 26
 (b) (i) cuttings / tissue culture
accept grafting
allow adult cell cloning
ignore cloning unqualified
ignore genetic engineering
ignore asexual reproduction
1

(ii) asexual reproduction

allow produced by cloning / mitosis
1

have identical genes / genetic information / chromosomes / DNA

or no mixing of genes / genetic information /chromosomes /DNA

1
[5]

M8. (a) (jellyfish) gene(s) cut out

1

ref to enzymes (at any stage)

1

(gene) transferred to zebra fish at early stage of development / embryo / egg

ignore removal of zebra fish genes
1

(b) any two from:

ignore unethical / religious / unnatural

• could transfer gene to other (fish) species

• effects on food chains

accept effects on other species / humans who eat them

• effects on zebra fish themselves, eg may out compete non GM zebra fish
2
[5]

M9. (a) fusion of gametes / named gametes

allow meet / join / fertilise
1

results in mixing of genetic information / DNA / chromosomes

accept genetic information / DNA / chromosomes from two parents
1

(b) (i) use enzyme

1

Page 23 of 26
 to cut gene from pout chromosome / DNA
1

insert gene into salmon chromosome / DNA / egg / embryo / nucleus

accept use of plasmid as carrier
ignore salmon / cell
1

(ii) eg fear of gene transfer to wild salmon / extinction of wild salmon /

fear of harmful effect on consumers / unsure of long term effects
ignore cruel / ethics / morals / religion / unnatural / economics
1
[6]

M10. (a) auxin

accept other named plant hormones
1

(b) (i) any three from:

• no (fusion of) gametes / fertilisation

allow no meiosis or new cells only produced by mitosis

• only one parent

allow not two parents

• no mixing of genetic material

• no genetic variation or genetically identical offspring

allow clones
3

(ii) more / many offspring / plants (produced from one parent plant)
allow less damage to parent plant
ignore speed / cost
1
[5]

M11. (a) (use of) enzymes

1

(b) asexual reproduction / no gametes / no fusion / only one parent

ignore clones
1

cells all contain same genetic information / same genes (as parent) / same DNA
1

(c) can spray crop with herbicide – only weeds killed

crop survives herbicide insufficient
1

Page 24 of 26
 (d) any one from:
allow ‘think that GM food is bad for health’

• fears / lack of knowledge about effects of GM food on health

ignore not natural or against religion

• crop plants may pass on gene to wild plants

• encourages use of herbicides

1
[5]

M12. (a) wing pattern similar to Amauris

allow looks similar to Amauris
1

birds assume it will have an unpleasant taste

1

(b) mutation / variation produced wing pattern similar to Amauris

do not accept breeds with Amauris
do not accept idea of intentional adaptation
1

these butterflies not eaten (by birds)

1

these butterflies breed or their genes are passed to the next generation
1
[5]

Page 25 of 26
Page 26 of 26