New Senior Secondary Mastering Biology (Third Edition)

Book E3

Ch 1 Basic microbiology
Exercise
Section 1.1
Level 1 (p. 41)
1 C

Section 1.2
Level 1 (p. 41)
2 a During period I, the number of free-floating bacteriophages decreased and remained
low 1
as the viruses were attaching to the bacteria and taking over the cellular mechanism
of the bacteria. 1
b During period II, the number of free-floating bacteriophages increased 1
as the newly formed bacteriophages were released from the bacteria. 1

Level 3 (p. 41)

3 a i The top layer contains virus protein coats with radioactive sulphur. 1
In the bottom layer, some radioactivity is detected as some virus protein coats
may still be attached to the bacteria. 1
ii Radioactivity is detected in the bottom layer as the viruses injected their DNA
with radioactive phosphorus into the bacteria. 1
In the top layer, some radioactivity is detected as some viruses remain
free-floating and have not injected their DNA into bacteria. 1
b Yes. In the tube with radioactively labelled DNA (tube P), most radioactivity is
detected in the bottom layer where bacteria are found. 1
This shows that DNA has been transferred from the virus to the bacteria. 1
c This increases the reliability of the results. 1

Section 1.3
Level 3 (p. 42)
4 DSE Bio 2019 II Q3b

Section 1.4
Level 2 (p. 42)
5 a The bacteria may grow well at around 30 °C. Incubating the Petri dishes at this
temperature promotes the growth of the bacteria, 1

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without promoting the growth of human pathogens, which thrive at our body
temperature (37 °C). 1
b It is because the lid of Petri dish 1 was reopened to place the paper discs when a large
number of bacteria was already present on the agar. 1
Therefore, the risk of contamination is higher. 1
c In Petri dish 2, no bacteria were present around the disc soaked with antibiotic P. But
in Petri dish 1, bacteria were present around the disc because it was placed on the agar
after bacteria had grown already. This suggests that antibiotic P can inhibit the
growth of the bacteria but cannot kill them. 1
In both Petri dishes 1 and 2, no bacteria were present around the disc soaked with
antibiotic Q. This shows that antibiotic Q kills the bacteria. 1
In both Petri dishes 1 and 2, bacteria were present around the disc soaked with
antibiotic R. This shows that antibiotic R is ineffective against the bacteria. 1

6 DSE Bio 2015 II Q3a

Section 1.5
Level 1 (p. 44)
7 B

8 a Microbial cells scatter light passing through the culture. Therefore, the more cells are
present, the more turbid the liquid culture becomes. 1
b From time P to Q, the turbidity of the culture remains unchanged. 1
The yeast cells are adapting to the new environment and preparing for growth.
Therefore, the population shows no increase. 1
From time Q to R, the turbidity of the culture increases rapidly. 1
The yeast cells divide at maximum rate as the conditions are favourable for growth.
Therefore, the population increases rapidly. 1
c No. 1
Turbidity readings represent the total cell count. It does not distinguish between
living cells and dead cells. 1
Therefore, the rate of formation of new yeast cells may not equal to the death rate of
yeast cells from time R to S. 1

9 a The solution should be mixed thoroughly before each transfer. 1

This is to ensure the bacteria in the solution is evenly distributed. 1
b Autoclave the agar plates before use. 1
Seal the agar plates properly after inoculation. 1
(or other reasonable answers)
c Number of living bacteria in one bottle of the yoghurt drink:

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= 115 × 1/0.1 × 105 × 100

= 1.15 × 1010 1
10
The result shows that the bottle of yoghurt drink contains more than 10 living
bacteria. Therefore, the claim is valid. 1

Level 2 (p. 44)

10 C 11 C

12 DSE Bio 2012 II Q3b

13 a Glucose can be readily used in respiration. 1

Lactose needs to be broken down before it can be used in respiration. 1
b In the first hour, there is only a small increase in the number of E. coli because the
bacteria are adapting to the new environment and preparing for growth. 1
From 1 to 2 hours, the number of E. coli increases rapidly because the supply of
glucose is adequate and the other conditions are favourable for growth. 1
From 2 to 2.5 hours, the number of E. coli levels off because glucose is running out
and the bacteria are preparing to use lactose for respiration / synthesizing lactase. 1
From 2.5 to 3 hours, the number of E.coli increases rapidly again because the bacteria
produce enough lactase to break down lactose into galactose and glucose, which can
be used as an energy source for growth. 1
From 3 to 4.5 hours, the number of E. coli levels off again because lactose is running
out and the accumulation of toxic waste has made the conditions less favourable for
growth. 1

14 DSE Bio 2018 II Q3a

Level 3 (p. 46)

15 DSE Bio 2015 II Q3b

Reading to learn (p. 47)

1 The mouth cavity is warm, moist and with food residues that provide nutrients to
microorganisms. 3
2 The normal microbiota out-compete the pathogenic microorganisms for nutrients. 1
The normal microbiota produce substances that are harmful to the pathogenic
microorganisms. 1
The normal microbiota lining the body parts prevent the attachment of invading
pathogenic microorganisms onto the host cells. 1
(or other reasonable answers)

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3 Antibiotics kill the pathogenic microorganisms as well as the normal microbiota in the
body. 1
Taking probiotics could introduce beneficial microorganisms into the body. 1
The beneficial microorganisms would reproduce to form a large population which
prevents the growth of pathogenic microorganisms / out-compete the pathogenic
microorganisms. 1

Ch 2 Use of microorganism
Exercise
Section 2.1
Level 1 (p. 81)
1 D

2 a To mix nutrients and microorganisms well. 1

To ensure an even temperature throughout the culture. 1
b i This is to prevent contamination of the microbial culture by unwanted
microorganisms 1
which may compete with the microorganisms in the culture for resources 1
and may produce harmful substances in the culture. 1
ii This is to provide oxygen for microorganisms that respire aerobically. 1
c Temperature / pH / nutrient concentrations / oxygen concentration
(any 2 or other reasonable answers) 1×2

Section 2.2
Level 1 (p. 81)
3 DSE Bio Sample Paper II Q3a

Level 2 (p. 82)

4 DSE Bio 2017 II Q3a

Level 3 (p. 82)

5 a There is little change in the pH of the mixture during the first three hours. 1
Lactic acid bacteria in the mixture are adapting to the new environment and preparing
for growth. Only a small amount of lactic acid is produced. 1
From 3 to 8 hours, the pH of the mixture decreases rapidly. 1
The bacteria divide rapidly, forming a large population. Therefore, a large amount of
lactic acid is produced, lowering the pH of the mixture significantly. 1

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The pH levels off after 8 hours 1

because nutrients in the milk are used up. 1
b Yeast carries out aerobic respiration / alcoholic fermentation, producing carbon
dioxide. 1
Some of the carbon dioxide dissolves into the drink, making it sparkling. 1
c Different types of milk contain different amounts of lactose / nutrients. 1
Therefore, the amount of lactic acid / the compositions of metabolites produced by
the microorganisms will vary. 1
d Similarity:
Lactic acid fermentation is involved in the production of kefir and yoghurt. 1
Difference:
Yeast and lactic acid bacteria are involved in the production of kefir, while only lactic
acid bacteria are involved in the production of yoghurt. 1

6 a Glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate in glycolysis. 1

Pyruvate is then reduced to ethanol by NADH. 1
b Strain Y 1
It has a lower percentage of dead cells than strain X, especially when the ethanol
concentration reaches 10% or higher. 1
Hence, it has a higher tolerance to ethanol. 1
c Advantages:
The production process does not require high temperature and pressure. Less energy
is used. 1
Environmentally friendly as the ethanol is made from renewable resources. 1
Disadvantages:
Time-consuming. 1
Further processing / purification is needed. 1
(or other reasonable answers)

Section 2.3
Level 1 (p. 83)
7 a To mix the fungus with nutrients /
To ensure an even temperature throughout the medium. 1
b The temperature is measured by the sensor and monitored. 1
The water jacket cools the biodigester when required. 1
c High temperatures would kill the fungus. 1
d To prevent other microorganisms from entering the biodigester. 1
e Extraction / purification of penicillin 1
Making into tablets 1
Packaging 1

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Section 2.4
Level 1 (p. 83)
8 C

Level 2 (p. 84)

9 a The lactase produced by Aspergillus niger 1
because its activity at low pH is the highest among the three fungal lactases 1
and it is thus more likely to remain active in the acidic environment of the stomach.
1
b This is to stimulate the production of lactase in the fungi. 1
c Low temperatures reduce the rate of enzymatic reaction. 1
Passing the milk through the reactor several times provides enough time for all the
lactose in the milk to be broken down. 1
d Lactose was broken down into glucose and galactose by lactase. 1
Since the amount of sugars increases, the milk tastes sweeter. 1

Section 2.5
Level 1 (p. 84)
10 A

Level 2 (p. 84)

11 a Fats and oils are less dense than water. Therefore, they tend to float on water, forming
an oil film on the sewage surface. 1
The oil film prevents oxygen in air from diffusing into the sewage. With less oxygen,
the aerobic decomposition of organic matter in the sewage by aerobic
microorganisms becomes slower. 1
b Lipase P 1
because it has higher activity than lipase Q at normal ambient temperatures
(20–35 °C). 1

Section 2.6
Level 1 (p. 85)
12 a Under anaerobic conditions, 1
the organic matter in manure is decomposed 1
by anaerobic bacteria. 1
This produces methane, the main component of biogas. 1
b These farm animals consume different types of food / have different types of
digestive systems. 1
Therefore, the amount of organic matter available for decomposition in their manure
varies. 1

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Level 2 (p. 85)

13 DSE Bio 2016 II Q3b

Level 3 (p. 85)

14 DSE Bio 2013 II Q3a

Section 2.7
Level 2 (p. 86)
15 a Lactose in milk is used by the lactic acid bacteria in lactic acid fermentation. 1
The lactic acid produced reduces the pH of the milk, causing the milk to separate into
curd and whey. 1
b i Large amounts of rennin can be produced in a shorter time. / Lower production
cost. 1
No welfare issues to consider. 1
(or other reasonable answers)
ii GM bacteria that escape into the environment accidentally may transfer their
modified genes to the wild types, causing genetic pollution. These genes may
have unexpected and adverse effects on the wild types. 1
(or other reasonable answers)

Reading to learn (p. 87)

1 Burning crude oil will produce large amounts of air pollutants while using microorganisms
will not. 1
2 The GM bacteria may clean up oil spills faster. 1
3 The GM bacteria may transfer their genes to the wild types, causing genetic pollution.
These genes may have unexpected and adverse effects on the wild types. 1
The GM bacteria may out-compete the wild types and upset the ecological balance,
resulting in a decrease in biodiversity. 1

Ch 3 Harmful effects of microorganisms

Exercise
Section 3.1
Level 1 (p. 117)
1 D 2 A

Level 2 (p. 117)

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3 a The surface molecules on the influenza virus are specific. 1

They can only bind with receptors on the cells of the respiratory tract. 1
b The initial number of influenza virus that enters the human body is too small.
Therefore, symptoms do not appear after the initial contact. 1
Symptoms only appear after a large number of viruses have been produced and
caused much damage to the host cells or tissues. 1

4 DSE Bio 2017 II Q3b

Section 3.2
Level 1 (p. 118)
5 C

6 a Diarrhoea 1
Vomiting 1
(or other reasonable answers)
b Food poisoning 1
The symptoms start to appear one hour after the lunch. There is not enough time for
the pathogens to multiply to large numbers and cause the symptoms. 1
Therefore, this incident is more likely to be caused by the toxins which are already
present in foods. 1
c Store food at or below 4 °C 1
to slow down the growth of bacteria and the formation of toxins in food. 1
Keep good personal hygiene in kitchen 1
to prevent the spread of pathogens to food. 1
Level 2 (p. 118)
7 a Most of the cases occur from April to October. 1
The temperature in these months is higher. 1
This allows the bacteria to reproduce at a faster rate. 1
b Once ingested, ciguatoxins cannot be excreted or broken down by organisms. They
accumulate up the food chains. 1
Since large fish usually occupy higher trophic levels in the food chains, the amounts
of ciguatoxins in them are high enough to cause food poisoning in humans. 1
c Similarities:
Both are transmitted by contaminated food. 1
Both result in similar gastrointestinal symptoms. 1
Differences:
Food-borne infection caused by Salmonella is due to the infection of the live bacteria
while food poisoning caused by ciguatoxins is due to ingestion of toxins produced by
algae. 1

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Food-borne infection caused by Salmonella can be prevented by cooking food

thoroughly while food poisoning caused by ciguatoxins cannot. 1

Section 3.3
Level 1 (p. 118)
8 C

Level 2 (p. 119)

9 a The percentage of spoiled strawberries decreases as the concentration of oxygen
decreases at both temperatures. 1
When the oxygen concentration decreases, less oxygen is available for aerobic
respiration of microorganisms. 1
The growth of these microorganisms is inhibited and thus the spoilage process slows
down. 1
b Farmers should store their strawberries at 5°C and 10% oxygen to preserve them. 1
Extra cost is required to reduce the oxygen concentration from 10% to 3%. However,
there is no significant reduction in the percentage of spoiled strawberries to justify the
cost. 1
c The cells in fresh fruits and vegetables may carry out anaerobic respiration in the
absence of oxygen. 1
The ethanol produced during anaerobic respiration may damage the cells. This will
affect the texture and flavour of the fruits and vegetables. 1

Section 3.4
Level 1 (p. 119)
10 C 11 D 12 A

Level 2 (p. 120)

13 DSE Bio 2016 II Q3a

14 a The viral RNA directs the host cell’s machinery 1

to synthesize many viral proteins 1
and copies of the viral RNA. 1
The viral RNA and proteins then assemble into new viruses. 1
b The virus replicates, producing more viruses in the host cells. 1
The newly formed viruses are then released from the host cells to infect more cells.
Hence, symptoms appear after 24 hours. 1
c The outermost layer of noroviruses is a protein coat. 1
Alcohol does not damage the protein coat / cannot penetrate the virus. 1

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15 DSE Bio 2018 II Q3b

Level 3 (p. 121)

16 DSE Bio 2012 II Q3a

17 DSE Bio 2019 II Q3a

Reading to learn (p. 122)

1 They can share nutrients / gain some protection against adverse conditions such as drying
or disinfectants. 1
(or other reasonable answers)
2 Hospitalized patients often have weakened immune systems. 1
If biofilms form inside medical tubing and implants, 1
the microorganisms in biofilms may cause infections or diseases in these patients. 1
3 Disinfectants are used on non-living objects 1
whereas antibiotics are used to kill bacteria or inhibit their growth in the human body. 1

Cross-topic exercise 13
Multiple-choice questions (p. 124)
1 D 2 A 3 B 4 C
5 B

Short question (p. 125)

6 a Each colony arises from one microbial cell only. / All living microbial cells in the
food sample form colonies. 1
b A high aerobic colony count implies that there may be hygienic issues during the
production process. Bacteria are thus introduced into the food. / A high aerobic
colony count means that the food may not be stored properly. This allows the bacteria
to grow and multiply to large numbers. 1
A high E. coli count implies that the food may be contaminated with faeces 1
because E. coli is commonly found in faeces. 1
(or other reasonable answers)
c The temperature used in pasteurization is lower than that in UHT. 1
Therefore, more bacteria will remain alive after pasteurization. Thus, a higher
microbiological limit of aerobic colony count is set for pasteurized products. 1

7 a From January to April, the number of people admitted to hospital with cholera
increases as sea temperature increases. 1
Both figures reach the peak in April and decrease in May and June. 1

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b No. The data from January to June only show a positive correlation between the
number of people admitted to hospital with cholera and sea temperature. There may
be no causal relationship between the two variables. /
This study only recorded the number of people admitted to hospital with cholera.
There might be a number of people with cholera who were not in hospitals and thus
not included in the study. /
The data in October and November show a negative correlation between the two
variables. (any 2) 1×2
c Those people have produced memory cells 1
in previous infections. 1

Structured questions (p. 126)

8 a During the first 15 days, the populations of both mesophilic bacteria and fungi
decreased 1
as the temperature increased to 50–75 °C, which might kill these microorganisms. 1
b The fungi produce spores that are resistant to high temperatures. These spores
germinate when the conditions become favourable. 1
Fungi / fungal spores may be re-introduced into the organic waste from the
environment. 1
c i Nitrogen is used for the synthesis of organic compounds such as amino acids
and proteins. 1
If the C/N ratio is high, the organic waste will contain too little nitrogen to
support the growth of the microorganisms. 1
ii Microorganisms use carbon compounds as an energy source. During aerobic
respiration, glucose is broken down into carbon dioxide, which is then released
into the atmosphere. The carbon content decreases. 1
Since nitrogen will be incorporated into the microorganisms for growth, most
nitrogen will remain in the microorganisms or in the waste. As a result, the C/N
ratio decreases during composting. 1

9 DSE Bio 2013 II Q3b

10 DSE Bio 2014 II Q3b

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