Cambridge IGCSE™

BIOLOGY 0610/21
Paper 2 Multiple Choice (Extended) May/June 2021

45 minutes

You must answer on the multiple choice answer sheet.

You will need: Multiple choice answer sheet

*7525508104
Soft clean eraser
Soft pencil (type B or HB is recommended)

INSTRUCTIONS
• There are forty questions on this paper. Answer all questions.
* • For each question there are four possible answers A, B, C and D. Choose the one you consider correct
and record your choice in soft pencil on the multiple choice answer sheet.
• Follow the instructions on the multiple choice answer sheet.
• Write in soft pencil.
• Write your name, centre number and candidate number on the multiple choice answer sheet in the spaces
provided unless this has been done for you.
• Do not use correction fluid.
• Do not write on any bar codes.
• You may use a calculator.

INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 40.
• Each correct answer will score one mark.
• Any rough working should be done on this question paper.
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This document has 16 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

IB21 06_0610_21/3RP
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1 What is a characteristic of all living organisms?

A breathing - Not all living organism breath ( inhale – exhale)

B circulation (blood circulation - Not all living organism)
C egestion (excretion of unregistered food - Not all living organism)
D sensitivity (to sense something – all living organism)

Characteristics of Living Organisms

 Movement: an action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of

position or place
 Respiration: the chemical reactions that break down nutrient molecules in living cells to
release energy for metabolism
 Sensitivity: the ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external environment
and to make appropriate responses
 Growth: a permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell number or cell
size or both
 Reproduction: the processes that make more of the same kind of organism
 Excretion: the removal from organisms of toxic materials, the waste products of
metabolism (chemical reactions in cells including respiration) and substances in excess of
requirements
 Nutrition: the taking in of materials for energy, growth and development; plants require
light, carbon dioxide, water and ions; animals need organic compounds, ions and usually
need water

2 The table shows a section of DNA taken from four different organisms.

organism base sequence

W C A C A A T C G A A

X G T C A A T G G T G
Y C T C A A T C G T A
Z C T C A T T C G T A

Which two organisms are the most distantly related to each other?

A W and X B W and Z C X and Y D X and Z

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3 Scientists discover a new species of animal.

It has a segmented body with two pairs of legs on each segment.

To which group of animals does this new species belong?

A Arachnids - 4 pairs
B Crustaceans - 5 pairs
C insects - 3 pairs
D myriapods - many segment – 1 pair on each segment

4 The diagram shows a single-celled organism called Euglena.

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cytoplasm cell membrane

nucleus
large permanent
vacuole

chloroplasts

Which labelled structures would also be found in an animal cell?

A cell membrane, chloroplast, nucleus

B chloroplast, cytoplasm, nucleus
C cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus
D cell membrane, cytoplasm, large permanent vacuole

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5 The diagram shows some of the blood vessels and other structures in the human body.

The blood vessels shown are all parts of the same

A cell.
B organ.
C organ system. The blood vessels shown are all parts of circulatory system ( part of an organ
system)
D tissue.

6 A photograph shows a plant cell nucleus measuring 2 mm across.

If the magnification of the cell is 500, what is the actual size of the nucleus?

M=I/A
=>A= 2mm/500 = 0.004
A 0.00002 mm B 0.004 mm C 0.04 mm D 250 mm

7 By which process do oxygen and carbon dioxide move between cells and capillaries?

= (Exchange of
gases)

A breathing
B diffusion
C excretion

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D respiration

8 Which process is involved in the uptake of glucose by the epithelial cells of kidney tubules?

A active transport - (movement of glucose from lower concentration to higher region of

concentration using ATP)
B osmosis
C translocation
D transpiration (evaporation of H20)

9 Which element is found in proteins but not carbohydrates?

Proteins: N, S, C, H, O

Carbohydrates: C, H, O

A carbon
B hydrogen
C nitrogen
D oxygen

10 The diagram shows a short section of a single strand of DNA.

A C C T
T G G A
Which strand of DNA will combine with this strand to form part of a double helix?

A B C D
A C C T C A A G G T T C T G G A

A-T
G-C

11 Starch is digested by amylase in the mouth, but it is not digested in the stomach.

Amylase PH = 7
Stomach PH= 1.5 – 3.5 ( highly acidic) due to HCl –Kill pathogen and active pepsin to digest protein

What is the reason for this?

A All starch digestion is completed in the mouth.

B The pH in the stomach is not suitable for the amylase to work.
C The starch does not stay in the stomach long enough to be digested.

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D The temperature in the stomach is not suitable for the amylase to work.

12 Which statement describes a catalyst?

A a substance that decreases the rate of a chemical reaction and is not changed by the reaction
B a substance that decreases the rate of a chemical reaction and is changed by the reaction
C a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction and is changed by the reaction
D a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction and is not changed by the
reaction (the speed at which chemical
reaction proceeds)

13 A plant with striped leaves was kept in bright light for six hours.

white stripe

green stripe

Green – chloroblast - starch

White stripe – no chloroblast – no starch

Starch combine with iodine change starch to blue-black

And no starch combine with iodine => yellow brown

A leaf was taken from the plant and the chlorophyll was removed. The leaf was then tested for
starch using iodine solution.

Which diagram shows the result of the test?

A B C D
yellow-brown white blue-black yellow-brown

blue-black blue-black green green

A is the right answer

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14 The graph shows daily carbon dioxide uptake and transpiration (evaporation of water in leaf)
by the plant Agave americana.

The plant is adapted to live in very dry conditions. ( stomata will be closed in day time – less
transpiration – less water loss)

Stomata close here

transpiration
/g H2O per dm2 per
hour

0 4 8 12 16 20 24
time of day / hours
What can be
concluded from this graph?

A More stomata are closed during dark periods.

B More stomata are closed during light periods.
C There is no carbon dioxide uptake during dark periods.
D There is no water uptake during light periods.

15 Statements 1 to 4 describe stages in the development of cholera.

1 Chloride ions are secreted into the gut.

2 Osmosis causes water to move into the gut.

3 The infected person becomes dehydrated.
4 Toxins are produced by the pathogenic bacteria.

What is the correct sequence of the four stages?

A 1-2-3-4

B 1-4-3-2

C 4-1-2-3

D 4-1-3-2

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16 What are the products when proteins are broken down?

A amino acids
B fatty acids
C glycerol
D simple sugars = starch

fatty acids and glycerol = lipid

17 The diagram shows part of a cross-section of a root.

What are cells 1, 2 and 3?

1 2 3
A root cortex cell root hair cell mesophyll cell

B root hair cell root cortex cell xylem

C root hair cell root cortex cell mesophyll cell
D root cortex cell root hair cell xylem

18 The diagram shows an onion plant that has been grown from a seed. Each onion plant takes two
years to flower and produce more seeds.

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10 to storage

Budding phrase

Flowering phrase

6 is Source – region
where sucrose is produce
What is the onion bulb acting as in stage 3 and in stage 6?

stage 3 stage 6
A sink sink

B sink source
C source sink
D source source

19 What are the main vessels carrying blood to and from the kidney?

to kidney from kidney

A pulmonary artery pulmonary vein

B pulmonary vein pulmonary artery

C renal artery renal vein
D renal vein renal artery

Pulmonary is for lungs – Excluded

20 The photomicrograph shows human blood.

Which blood component makes antibodies? (white blood cells)

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A
C

A is phagocytes
C is lymphocyte
D is red blood cell

C is the correct answer

21 A child is vaccinated against measles. After a period of time the child is infected with the measles
virus.

The graph shows the concentration of measles antibodies in the child’s bloodstream during this
time.

antibody
concentration
in the blood

time

Which statement is consistent with the information in the graph?

A After the vaccination, the child produced memory cells.

B The child had passive immunity against measles.
C The measles virus contains antibodies.

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D The vaccination failed to protect the child against measles.

22 Which sequence of changes takes place when we breathe in?

A diaphragm contracts - volume of thorax increases - pressure in lungs decreases

B diaphragm contracts - volume of thorax increases - pressure in lungs increases

C diaphragm relaxes - volume of thorax increases - pressure in lungs decreases

D diaphragm relaxes - volume of thorax increases - pressure in lungs increases

Volume and pressure are opposite to each other

23 The list shows some processes that take place in a human body.

1 production of new red blood cells

2 transmission of nerve impulses from the eyes to the brain
3 diffusion of gases into and out of the lungs

Which processes use energy released by respiration?

A 1 and 2 only B 1 and 3 only C 2 and 3 only D 1, 2 and 3

Diffusion is a passive process

24 Which equation is aerobic respiration?

A 6CO2 + 6H2O => 6C6H12O6 + 6O2

B 6O2 + 6CO2 => 6H2O + C6H12O6

C C6H12O6 + 6O2 => 6CO2 + 6H2O

D C6H12O6 => 2C2H5OH + 2CO2

aerobic respiration uses oxygen and glucose(C6H12O6 ) to release enegy

25 Which statement about urea is correct?

A Urea is formed from excess amino acids in the kidneys and excreted by the liver.
B Urea is formed from excess glucose in the liver and egested by the kidneys.

C Urea is formed from excess glucose in the kidneys and egested by the liver.

D Urea is formed from excess amino acids in the liver and excreted by the kidneys .

26 The diagram shows the appearance of an eye when in bright light.

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bright light

in bright light circular muscle contract and radial muscle relax

Which row gives the correct states of the iris muscles in bright light?

radial muscles circular muscles

A contracted contracted

B contracted relaxed
C relaxed contracted
D relaxed relaxed

27 What is the effect of adrenaline on pulse rate and blood glucose concentration?

Adrenaline increase pulse rate and blood glucose concentration

pulse rate blood glucose

A decreases decreases

B decreases increases
C increases decreases
D increases increases

28 Which statements about auxin are correct?

1 Auxin is made in all cells in plants. X

2 Auxin causes cells to elongate.
3 Auxin moves between the cells by osmosis. X (move by disfusion)
4 Auxin is unequally distributed.

A 1 and 3 B 1 and 4 C 2 and 3 D 2 and 4

29 Scientists carried out a survey on the effect of giving up smoking on the risk of developing lung
cancer. The results are shown in the graph.

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The scientists made three conclusions:

1 Stopping smoking reduces the risk of developing lung cancer. Correct

2 Age increases the risk of lung cancer for smokers and non-smokers. Correct
3 The earlier people stop smoking, the lower the risk. Correct

Which conclusions are correct?

A 1, 2 and 3 B 1 and 2 only C 1 and 3 only D 2 and 3 only

30 A zygote has ten chromosomes in its nucleus.

Which row shows the number of chromosomes in the cells of this species?

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body cells sperm cells embryo cells

A 5 5 10

B 5 10 20
C 10 5 10
D 10 10 20

Body cells and embryo cells are diploid =>10

Sperm cells are haploid => 5

31 How will the composition of a pregnant woman’s blood change as it passes through the placenta?

Blood will have oxygen and it will be absorb by the fetus to perform respiration and gaining nutrition.
The concentration of urea will increase because the fetus will be excreting out the urea and waste
products into the mother blood and the concentration of the oxygen will decrease because the fetus
use the oxygen

concentration of concentration of
dissolved oxygen urea
A decreases decreases

B decreases increases
C increases decreases
D increases increases

32 What carries a copy of the gene to the cytoplasm to make a protein?

A alleles
B DNA molecules
C ribosomes
D mRNA molecules

33 Which statement about meiosis is correct?

A Daughter cells are genetically identical. (this is mitosis)

B The chromosome number changes from haploid to diploid. ( actually haploid so incorrect)
C It is used to produce body cells. (mitosis)
D It allows the formation of new combinations of chromosomes.

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34 Colour blindness is a characteristic that is sex-linked.

Which statement about colour blindness is correct?

A The gene for colour blindness is located on the Y chromosome and colour blindness is more
common in males than in females. (Incorrect)
B The gene for colour blindness is located on the X chromosome and colour blindness is
more common in males than in females.
Male can only be XH-Y or Xh-Y while female can be XH-Xh, XH-XH or Xh-Xh ( female can
be carriers)
C The gene for colour blindness is located on the X chromosome and colour blindness is more
common in females than in males. (color blindness is more common in males)
D The gene for colour blindness is located on the Y chromosome and colour blindness is more
common in females than in males. (Incorrect)
35 The graph shows the percentage of different blood groups in a human population.

40

30
percentage in
the population 20

10

0
A B AB O
blood group

Which type of variation is shown by human blood groups?

A continuous variation caused by genetic and environmental factors

B continuous variation caused by genetic factors only
C discontinuous variation caused by genetic and environmental factors ( not environmental factor)
D discontinuous variation caused by genetic factors only
Human blood group are not change by environment and is controlled by genes meaning they are
discontinuous so A and B is incorrect

36 New strains of the crop plant wheat can be produced by cross-breeding disease resistant plants
with those that give high yields of grain. (cause by human)

What is this an example of?

A natural selection
B artificial selection
C genetic engineering

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D asexual reproduction

37 The diagram shows the flow of energy.

1 3
Sun grass rabbit fox

Which form of energy is transferred at points 1 and 3 in the diagram?

1 3
A chemical chemical

B heat light
C light chemical
D light heat

Grass is a producer convert light energy to chemical energy by photosynthesis

Fox eat rabbit => this is chemical energy as the rabbit give the fox chemical energy when the fox eat the
rabbit

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38 The diagram shows the feeding relationships in a food web.

fox owl

blackbird

rabbit mouse grasshopper

grass wheat
Grass and wheat : producer
Mouse, rabbit and grasshopper are primary consumer
Owl and blackbird is secondary consumer ( wheat to mouse to owl,
grass to grasshopper to blackbird)
The Fox is the tertiary consumer ( grass to grasshopper to blackbird
to fox) and the secondary consumer (grass to mouse to fox)

Which organism may feed as both a secondary and a tertiary consumer?

A fox
B owl
C blackbird
D rabbit

39 Why are bacteria useful in genetic engineering?

A Their genetic code is different to other organisms. ( bacteria have universal sharing genetic
code)
B They have cell walls.
C They have plasmids.
D They reproduce sexually.
Plasmids are used in genetic engineering of DNA

40 Which hormones can cause the feminisation of male fish?

A adrenaline and progesterone

B adrenaline and testosterone
C oestrogen and progesterone (female hormones)
D oestrogen and testosterone
feminisation of male fish happen when there are high estrogen levels or female hormones in the
ocean => decrease sperm count

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