New Curriculum Third Term Biology examination for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: Third Term
Subject: Biology
Time: 2 hours
Total Marks: 70

SECTION A: OBJECTIVES (40 Marks)
Instruction: Answer all 40 questions. Choose the most appropriate answer. Each question carries 1 mark.

1. A school plans a waste-recycling project. Identify the first sensible planning action.
   (a) burn the mixed waste to reduce its size    (b) identify waste categories and arrange appropriate collection methods    (c) send hazardous waste to pupils without safety guidance    (d) assume all collected materials have the same treatment
2. The main reason researchers share methods alongside findings is to ____.
   (a) allow others to evaluate and repeat the investigation    (b) prevent readers from checking measurements    (c) ensure that all independent studies get identical results    (d) substitute authority for evidence
3. All the following groups include microorganisms EXCEPT ____.
   (a) bacteria    (b) mature mango trees    (c) some fungi    (d) protozoa
4. Residents plant trees along a dusty roadside. What explains the likely reduction in airborne dust?
   (a) trees completely eliminate engine emissions    (b) roads cease to generate dust after planting    (c) plants convert all pollutants directly to oxygen    (d) vegetation can intercept some airborne particles
5. A village wants to keep wood supply while restoring forest cover. Which policy is most sustainable?
   (a) Regulated harvesting combined with replanting and protection of young trees    (b) Clear-felling every remaining mature tree each season    (c) Burning seedlings to prepare open land    (d) Removing rules for use of communal forests
6. Which activity most directly links biology to conserving nature?
   (a) Collecting organisms until a habitat is depleted    (b) Monitoring threatened species and protecting their habitats    (c) Introducing unknown pathogens into protected areas    (d) Clearing protected forest without assessment
7. Which research practice is LEAST compatible with bioethics?
   (a) Protecting personal medical information    (b) Using independent ethical review    (c) Explaining the purpose of a study in accessible language    (d) Concealing a serious foreseeable risk from volunteers
8. A pupil argues, 'Plants get all their food directly from soil.' Which correction is most accurate?
   (a) Green plants synthesise organic food by photosynthesis using light, carbon dioxide and water    (b) Plants obtain glucose solely by absorbing soil particles    (c) Photosynthesis happens only in animal cells    (d) Plants cannot absorb minerals through roots
9. Residents notice an oily film, dead fish and an unusual odour downstream of a workshop. Which pollution type is most directly indicated?
   (a) Noise pollution    (b) Thermal stress from sunlight alone    (c) Airborne dust without water contamination    (d) Water pollution
10. A school records cases of malaria after heavy rains. Which prevention measure targets the disease vector most directly?
    (a) Separate drinking-water pipes from drains only    (b) Reduce mosquito breeding sites and prevent mosquito bites    (c) Vaccinate against all bacterial diseases    (d) Disinfect notebook covers to prevent mosquito larvae
11. A farmer reports recurring outbreaks by one insect pest. Which scientific action should precede control?
    (a) applying the same treatment without identifying the organism    (b) assuming that insects can never affect yield    (c) removing all organisms from the farm ecosystem    (d) identifying the pest and studying its life cycle before choosing control
12. Fish mortality increases after a factory releases untreated waste. The correct step for investigators is to ____.
    (a) sample water at suitable upstream and downstream points and compare results    (b) assume the factory is harmless without measurements    (c) collect only the dead fish and ignore water samples    (d) alter the data until every site has equal results
13. A researcher investigating a suspected outbreak should begin by ____.
    (a) publicly naming patients before obtaining consent    (b) assuming all fevers have the same cause    (c) recording symptoms and possible exposures while following infection-control protocols    (d) selecting treatment from rumour without diagnosis
14. Which pair includes a beneficial and a harmful effect of microorganisms, respectively?
    (a) Food spoilage and disease transmission    (b) Infection and food poisoning    (c) Food decay and contamination    (d) Food fermentation and food spoilage
15. Which observation most clearly distinguishes noise pollution from air pollution?
    (a) Persistent high sound levels disturb nearby residents    (b) Visible smoke reduces air clarity    (c) Soot deposits cover leaves    (d) Dust particles irritate the eyes
16. A school separates paper, bottles and biodegradable waste before disposal. What waste-management principle is being applied?
    (a) Combining all waste to make classification easier    (b) Open dumping as the primary prevention technique    (c) Sorting materials for suitable reuse, recycling or treatment    (d) Disposing of recyclable materials by indiscriminate burning
17. What evidence would best challenge the misconception that respiration means only breathing?
    (a) Only birds carry out respiration    (b) Fungi have no energy requirements    (c) Breathing and cellular respiration are identical processes    (d) Cells can release energy from food even in organisms without lungs
18. A hillside is stripped of trees before heavy rains. Which outcome becomes more likely?
    (a) Automatic restoration of the soil cover    (b) Less surface water movement in every storm    (c) Increased runoff and soil erosion    (d) Permanent prevention of landslides
19. The correct step before publishing patient-related genetic findings is to ____.
    (a) post all names and medical histories automatically    (b) remove the methods section to save space    (c) apply consent and confidentiality safeguards to identifying information    (d) alter results to protect the researchers' reputations
20. A group obtains conflicting measurements from three sites. A defensible next step is to ____.
    (a) erase the values that disagree with expectations    (b) publish only the most convenient measurement    (c) check procedures and replicate sampling before explaining differences    (d) declare the ecosystem unchanged without analysis
21. Which statement does NOT follow from extensive deforestation?
    (a) Exposed soil may erode more rapidly    (b) Some organisms may lose shelter and food    (c) Wildlife habitat necessarily increases in diversity    (d) Changes in water movement can affect flooding
22. ________ is the consideration of responsibilities and moral questions arising from biological research and applications.
    (a) Photosynthesis    (b) Taxonomy    (c) Osmosis    (d) Bioethics
23. Some fungi break down dead leaves in the soil. Their ecological importance is to ____.
    (a) prevent all mineral recycling    (b) convert every leaf directly to a new animal    (c) return nutrients through decomposition    (d) stop microbial activity in surrounding soil
24. Why is Lassa fever classified as a zoonotic infection?
    (a) arise solely from eating excessive sugar    (b) spread only by hereditary transmission    (c) occur only in water without animal involvement    (d) pass from an infected animal reservoir to people
25. Two teams measured water quality using different units. What must happen before their data can be combined?
    (a) standardise the units and agree on compatible measurement methods    (b) average the unconverted values immediately    (c) discard all descriptions of sampling sites    (d) treat differing units as scientifically equivalent
26. ________ can enter an ecosystem from household refuse, transport and industrial activities.
    (a) Pollutants    (b) Food webs    (c) Taxonomic ranks    (d) Cell organelles
27. A community compares crop losses before and after disease-management training. The main reason to collect both sets of data is to ____.
    (a) replace all numerical results with testimonies    (b) prove cause without considering other changes    (c) eliminate the need for repeated seasons    (d) judge whether the intervention is associated with improved production
28. How does resource conservation differ from indiscriminate exploitation?
    (a) prevent any resource from ever being used    (b) protect resources and use them sustainably    (c) increase resource loss in the shortest time    (d) treat waste disposal as unrelated to ecosystems
29. Which statement is NOT an accepted biological correction of a misconception?
    (a) Every bacterium is harmful to human health    (b) Some bacteria help decompose organic material    (c) Fungi form a group distinct from plants    (d) Plants, like animals, carry out cellular respiration
30. Excessive smoke can damage human respiratory health because it ____.
    (a) automatically sterilises inhaled air    (b) exposes people to suspended particles and harmful gases    (c) prevents every microorganism from growing    (d) increases clean oxygen concentration in every setting
31. A popular biological claim conflicts with laboratory observations. Why should the claim be tested scientifically?
    (a) avoid revising inaccurate beliefs under any circumstances    (b) prove that all traditional knowledge is automatically false    (c) replace measurements with popular opinion    (d) distinguish evidence-supported explanations from assumptions
32. A health worker uses transmission patterns to design advice for a community. Which societal role of biology is illustrated?
    (a) taxonomic naming only    (b) healthcare and public health    (c) geological mineral extraction    (d) non-biological weather prediction
33. Volunteers are asked to give informed consent before joining a drug trial. What ethical aim is served?
    (a) ensure participants understand relevant risks and freely agree    (b) guarantee the treatment will work for every person    (c) prevent participants from asking questions    (d) authorise concealment of all trial outcomes
34. The ________ is the likely pollution source when smoky emissions leave a poorly maintained factory chimney.
    (a) community tree-planting scheme    (b) industrial combustion process    (c) protected forest reserve    (d) composted kitchen waste
35. Which measure is NOT a credible way of controlling water pollution?
    (a) Treating wastewater before discharge    (b) Preventing indiscriminate dumping into drains    (c) Discharging untreated sewage farther downstream    (d) Monitoring industrial effluent
36. All of these may support waste reduction EXCEPT ____.
    (a) reusing safe storage jars    (b) discarding reusable containers after every single use    (c) separating recyclable materials    (d) reducing unnecessary packaging
37. Explain the principal link between tree cover and the local water cycle by selecting the best statement.
    (a) trees remove the need for rainfall    (b) vegetation influences transpiration, interception and infiltration    (c) roots prevent any water from entering soil    (d) deforestation always raises soil fertility
38. Which feature is most important in a reproducible biology project report?
    (a) Conclusions stated without supporting observations    (b) Pictures included without labels or source data    (c) Methods and measurements described clearly enough to repeat    (d) Unexplained changes made to inconvenient results
39. Which infection is NOT caused by a virus?
    (a) Lassa fever    (b) HIV infection    (c) Typhoid fever    (d) Coronavirus disease
40. A sample contains single-celled organisms without a true nucleus. Which group is most likely represented?
    (a) Bacteria    (b) Protozoa with true nuclei    (c) Multicellular fungi    (d) Flowering plants

SECTION B: THEORY (30 Marks)
Instruction: Answer Question 1 and any other TWO questions. Each question carries 10 marks. Show your reasoning and use labelled diagrams where appropriate.

Question 1 (10 marks)
(a) Identify two different forms of pollution found around a town and give one plausible source for each. (4 marks)
(b) Design an investigation comparing a stream above and below a suspected discharge. State three measures that improve the reliability and safety of the investigation. (6 marks)

Question 2 (10 marks)
(a) Explain two ecological consequences of removing most trees from a hillside. (4 marks)
(b) A community needs fuelwood but wants to restore forest cover. Propose three linked management actions and explain how each reduces long-term damage. (6 marks)

Question 3 (10 marks)
(a) Correct the statements “Plants do not respire” and “All bacteria are harmful”, giving a supporting biological explanation for each. (4 marks)
(b) Outline three safeguards that should apply to a human biological study using patients’ information. (6 marks)

Question 4 (10 marks)
(a) Distinguish a zoonotic disease from an infection transmitted only among people, citing Lassa fever as an example of the former. (4 marks)
(b) A school wants to investigate an increase in fever cases. Explain three precautions or evidence checks needed before proposing a control programme. (6 marks)

Objective Marking Scheme
Question 1 – ✅ (b) identify waste categories and arrange appropriate collection methods
Question 2 – ✅ (a) allow others to evaluate and repeat the investigation
Question 3 – ✅ (b) mature mango trees
Question 4 – ✅ (d) vegetation can intercept some airborne particles
Question 5 – ✅ (a) Regulated harvesting combined with replanting and protection of young trees
Question 6 – ✅ (b) Monitoring threatened species and protecting their habitats
Question 7 – ✅ (d) Concealing a serious foreseeable risk from volunteers
Question 8 – ✅ (a) Green plants synthesise organic food by photosynthesis using light, carbon dioxide and water
Question 9 – ✅ (d) Water pollution
Question 10 – ✅ (b) Reduce mosquito breeding sites and prevent mosquito bites
Question 11 – ✅ (d) identifying the pest and studying its life cycle before choosing control
Question 12 – ✅ (a) sample water at suitable upstream and downstream points and compare results
Question 13 – ✅ (c) recording symptoms and possible exposures while following infection-control protocols
Question 14 – ✅ (d) Food fermentation and food spoilage
Question 15 – ✅ (a) Persistent high sound levels disturb nearby residents
Question 16 – ✅ (c) Sorting materials for suitable reuse, recycling or treatment
Question 17 – ✅ (d) Cells can release energy from food even in organisms without lungs
Question 18 – ✅ (c) Increased runoff and soil erosion
Question 19 – ✅ (c) apply consent and confidentiality safeguards to identifying information
Question 20 – ✅ (c) check procedures and replicate sampling before explaining differences
Question 21 – ✅ (c) Wildlife habitat necessarily increases in diversity
Question 22 – ✅ (d) Bioethics
Question 23 – ✅ (c) return nutrients through decomposition
Question 24 – ✅ (d) pass from an infected animal reservoir to people
Question 25 – ✅ (a) standardise the units and agree on compatible measurement methods
Question 26 – ✅ (a) Pollutants
Question 27 – ✅ (d) judge whether the intervention is associated with improved production
Question 28 – ✅ (b) protect resources and use them sustainably
Question 29 – ✅ (a) Every bacterium is harmful to human health
Question 30 – ✅ (b) exposes people to suspended particles and harmful gases
Question 31 – ✅ (d) distinguish evidence-supported explanations from assumptions
Question 32 – ✅ (b) healthcare and public health
Question 33 – ✅ (a) ensure participants understand relevant risks and freely agree
Question 34 – ✅ (b) industrial combustion process
Question 35 – ✅ (c) Discharging untreated sewage farther downstream
Question 36 – ✅ (b) discarding reusable containers after every single use
Question 37 – ✅ (b) vegetation influences transpiration, interception and infiltration
Question 38 – ✅ (c) Methods and measurements described clearly enough to repeat
Question 39 – ✅ (c) Typhoid fever
Question 40 – ✅ (a) Bacteria

Theory Marking Scheme

Question 1:
(a) Water pollution e.g. untreated sewage/industrial discharge (2); air pollution e.g. exhaust smoke/industrial emissions (2). Accept other accurate matched forms. (4 marks)
(b) Sample comparable upstream/downstream locations (2); replicate/record a suitable indicator (2); wear appropriate protective equipment, avoid unsafe contact and record data honestly (2). (6 marks)

Question 2:
(a) Increased runoff and soil erosion (2); loss of habitat, altered transpiration/water cycle or reduced biodiversity (2). (4 marks)
(b) Allocate 2 marks each for regulated/rotational harvest, replanting and protecting seedlings, erosion buffers/soil cover, community monitoring or alternative fuel sources, with explanation. (6 marks)

Question 3:
(a) Plant cells respire to release energy even in darkness (2); many bacteria are harmless or useful for decomposition/fermentation (2). (4 marks)
(b) Informed consent with understandable information (2); protect identities and limit data access (2); independent ethical oversight, risk minimisation or accurate reporting (2). (6 marks)

Question 4:
(a) Zoonotic infection passes from animal reservoir to humans (2); Lassa fever associated with infected rodent exposure (2). (4 marks)
(b) Avoid assuming all fevers have one cause; seek diagnosis/exposure histories (2); protect confidentiality and follow infection-control procedures (2); identify plausible vector/reservoir and appropriate prevention e.g. mosquitoes for malaria, rodents for Lassa (2). (6 marks)
Accept scientifically correct equivalents. Award method marks for valid reasoning; do not award a mark twice for the same point.