Question Distribution Analysis
(Past Papers in AL Biology from 1990–1994 )
Syllabus Topics
Section I
The Variety of Living
Organisms
1. The variety of life
Micro-organisms:
Viruses / Bacteria / Fungi
Protozoans
Years
90
91
92
93
94
Paper I A1
IA1
IA1
IA1
IA1
Taxonomic group; Taxonomic group;
Cnidocil;
Life cycle of
Features & habitat
Human diseases
Gammae;
nematoblasts
bacteriophage
of mosses & ferns
eg.cholera, malaria,
notochords;
(hydra; jelly fish);
measles,
nematocysts;
chaetae
IIC11 Essay:
Plants:
etc.
Pseudopodia;
(earthworm);
Application in food
Algae / Bryophytes / Ferns
strobili (cones);
Tube feet
industry
Gymnosperms
IA4
malpighian tubules
(sea urchin);
/Angiosperms
Life cycle of
Rumen (cow)
IIB5
homosporous fern.
IA3
Differences bet.
Alternation of
Feeding
Hydroid
Animals:
generations
mechanism of filter
coelenterates,
Cnidarians /
feeder
tapeworm &
Platyhelminthes / Annelids
IA6
earthworm
Arthropods / Molluscs /
Nephridium;
Echinoderms / Chordates
Malpighian tubule
2. Classification
Section II
The Cell
1. The chemical
constituents of cells
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleotides
nucleic acids
Inorganic components
2. Cell structure
IIB6
Role of water in
organisms
IA2
Nucleolus /
ribosomes;
ER / Golgi
apparatus
IIA2
Meristem; xylem;
sieve tubes
IA2
Labeling
Plant cell; fx of
organelles
IA2(a)
Cell organelles
surrounded by 2
layers of membrane
IA3
Collenchyma &
sclerenchyma
3. Membrane
permeability
IIA2(a)
Diffusion;
active transport
IIA2(c)
Active transport in
mammals
4. Enzymes
(a) Enzymes as organic
catalysts
(b) Factors affecting
enzyme activity
Syllabus Topics
Section III
The Functioning of
Living organisms
1. Nutrition
Years
90
91
92
93
94
(a) Modes of nutrition
(b) Autotrophic
nutrition
(i) Photosynthesis
-- Photo-chemical reactions
-- Carbon fixation
-- Site of photosynthesis
-- Factors affecting
photosynthesis
IA3
Equation of
photosynthesis
IB11
IIB3(a)
Effect of light
Adaptations of leaf
intensity on
photosynthetic rate
IIB3(b)(c)
of different plants
Rate of
photosynthesis;
IIB8 Essay:
limiting factors
Way of
carbon  cell wall
formation
IA2
(ii) Mineral nutrients
Roles of Ca2+ / N
required by
photosynthetic plants in plant growth
IIA1(b)
Contrast light &
dark reactions
IIA1(a)
Accessory
pigments;
absorption
spectrum
IB9
Minerals in 6
plants
(iii) Chemosynthesis
(c) Heterotrophic nutrition
(i) Holozoic nutrition
-- Ingestion
-- Digestion
-- Absorption / assimilation
-- Egestion
-- A balanced diet
IIB5
Liver; food
requirements for
human;
symbiosis in
ruminants
IIC11 Essay:
Nutritional diff.
Betw. Western &
Chinese diet
IA8
Fx & source of
Ca2+ / I- / Fe to man
IIA1
Differences Betw.
Herbivores &
carnivores
(ii) Saprophytic
nutrition
IIB5 Essay:
Parasitic fungus &
animal; overcome
(iii)Parasitic nutrition
IA3(b)
Small intestine;
tissue type & fx
Deficiency
symptoms of
vitamins B, C, D
2. Respiration
IA4
Flow diagram;
3 stages of resp.;
carbohydrates
(a) Cell respiration
(i) Aerobic respiration
-- Glycolysis
-- Krebs cycle
-- Oxidative
phosphorylation
IB10
Effect of KCN on
resp. of yeasts
IA2(b)(c)
IIA2(a)-(c)
Draw
3 stages; products;
mitochondrion;
roles of ATP
structure related to
fx
(ii) Anaerobic respiration
IIA 2(d)
Protein, less
efficient
(b) Energy release
(c) Gaseous exchange
IIA1(a)-(d)
between organisms and
O2 debt; effect of
environment
(i) Gaseous exchange in temperature on
ectotherms; rate &
mammals
IIB7
Problems of
multicellular
organisms; eg.
depth of breathing
(ii) Gaseous exchange
in other organisms
IIC9 Essay:
Smoking is
hazardous to
health; economic
cost to HK
IA 3(d)
Trachea;
tissue type & Fx
IA4
Lenticels in plants;
spiracles in insects
IIA3(a)
Adaptation of leaf
3. Transport in organisms
(a) The circulatory system
in mammals
IIA 1(e)
IIB6 Essay:
IA3(a)
IB8
Efficient
Capillary;
Effect of electrical
O2 dissociation
stimulation &
curves; animal size circulation of blood Tissue type & Fx
of mammal
chemical on
IIB5 Essay:
cardiac output &
Circulatory system
heart rate
in insects/mammal;
Adv. & disadv.
IIB7
Role of blood in
respiratory gases
IA9
O2 dissociation
curve
(b) Transport in
angiosperms
IIA3
Transpiration;
xerophytes;
translocation
IA7
IIA2
IIA2(b)
Leaves not thin & Pathways for water Environmental
flat?
passage from root factors affect salt
to leaves
absorption in plants
IIB8
Effect of temp. in
plants & animals;
Transpiration
4. Support and movement
(a) Support in animals
IIB7(a)
Bone; cartilage
IIB7(d)
(b) Support in plants
Aquatic &
terrestrial plants;
adaptive features
IIB7(b)(c)
(c) Locomotion in animals
Ligaments; tendon;
Amoeba;
paramecium
IIA3(a)-(c)
Tactic movement;
vertebrates
IIA4
Joint;
neuromuscular
junction; muscle
contraction
IIA3(a)
Joints
IIA3(b)
Skeletal & smooth
muscles
IIA3(a)(b)
Tropic movement
(d) Movement in plants
5. Perpetuation of species
IA7
Amoeba; obelia;
moss; bread mould;
adv.
(a) Asexual reproduction
(b) Sexual reproduction
IIA2
(i) The structure and
Adaptation of
function of flowers
flowering plants on
(ii) The reproductive
land; compare
system in mammals
sexual & asexual
(iii) The transfer of
reproduction;
gametes & fertilization dispersal of fruits
(iv) The formation of
& seeds
the seeds and fruits
(v) The germination of
seeds
(vi) The mammalian
foetus and the newborn
6. Growth and
development
(a) The measurement of
growth
(b) Primary and secondary
growth in plants
(c) Metamorphosis in
animals
(d) The control of growth
and development
7. Response and
coordination
(a) The detection of
environmental conditions
(i) The skin
(ii) The eye
(iii) The ear
IB11
Exp. on crop plant;
reduced yield by
mayweed
IIC13 Essay:
In vitro
fertilization;
possibilities
IA3(c)
Oviduct;
tissue type & Fx
IIC13 Essay:
Treatment of
human infertility
IB12(e)
Juveniles;
animal size
IB7
IIB4 Essay:
Female hormones; Successful sexual
removal of ovary;
reproduction in
pituitary
flowering plants &
mammals
IA5
Development of
IA3
dicot. seed &
Annotated diagram
fertilized ovule of sperm; structure;
Fx
IB12
Juvenile fish;
hormones;
mixed sexes
IIB8 Essay:
Light affect growth
IA6
of plants
Adv. & disadv. of
metamorphosis in
animals
IIA3
Draw ear;
head movement;
human retina
IIB6 Essay:
Fx in hearing &
balance
IA6
Instinctive &
learned behaviour
synaptic
transmission;
neurones; CNS
(d) Phytohormones
flowering plants
IB8
Shell length of
mussels; growth
curves
(a) Response to the
environment
IIA4
(b) Nervous coordination in
Action potential;
mammals
(c) Hormonal coordination
in mammals
IA2
Artificial vegetative
propagation;
IA5
Testosterone;
progesterone;
source
IIA3(c)
Sympathetic &
parasympathetic
NS; Autonomic fx;
eg.
IIB6 Essay:
Importance of
pituitary gland
IB9
Effect of kinetin on
movement; uptake
of a.a. of leaf
IIB7 Essay:
Hormones in
flowering plants
IB9
Plant hormones on
growth of pea
seedlings
8. Homeostasis
IA6
(a) Regulation of water and
Osmoregulation;
mineral salts
IB10
Exp. on urine
excretion; annelid; output; osmolarity;
insects
drinking liquids;
plot graph
IB10
Amoeba;
contractile vacuole;
mean fluid output
(b) Regulation of body
temperature
IIB6
Thermoregulation
of skin; other fx.
(c) Regulation of blood
glucose level
IB8
Pancreatic
hormones;
carbohydrates;
Plot graph
IIC11 Essay:
(d) Defence against disease
Transplantation of
in mammals
IIB8
Effect of temp. in
animals & plants
IB11
Renal reabsorption
of glucose
IA5
Blood clotting
tissues & organs by
artificial devices
IIC13 Essay:
Antibiotics;
consequences
Syllabus Topics
Section IV
Genetics and Evolution
1. Genetics
IA6(a)
IIB5 Essay:
Differences Betw.
Adaptations of
Urea & urine
flowering plants &
mammals to dry
environments
IA5
IIC9 Essay:
IA5
Diff. Betw.CMIR
AIDS & its
Immunological
& HIR
concern for modern basis of ABO blood
society
groups;
IIC9 Essay:
blood transfusion
Cancer treatable by
modern medicine?
IIC7 Essay:
Prevention of
diseases is better
than cure
Years
90
91
(a) Nature and action of the
gene
IIA1(a)
Allele; polyploidy;
hybrid vigour
(b) the role of gametes in
inheritance
IA6
Diff. betw. mitosis
& meiosis
(c) The inheritance of
discrete characters
IIA1(b)
Incomplete
dominance; feather
colour; colour
intensity; genotype
92
93
IIA1(a)
Codon & anticodon
IA4
Mitosis
IIA4(a)-(c)
Haemophilia
IIA1(b)
Colourblindness &
haemophilia
IIA4(d)(e)
Mutations
(e) Mutation
IB13(d)
Induce mutation
2. Evolution
IIB8
Speciation;
evolutionary
significance of
genetic variation;
natural selection
IA8(b)
Paleontology
(fossils)
(b) The mechanism of
evolution
3. Plant and animal
breeding
IB13
Plant sensitive to
herbicide;
mutant genotypes
IIA1(a)
Continuous &
Discontinuous
variation
(d) Discontinuous and
continuous variation of
characters
(a) Evidence of evolution
94
IA8(a)
Selective breeding
IIC10 Essay:
Biotechnology
useful to man
IIC10 Essay:
Biotechnology
revolution in
agriculture
IIC11 Essay:
Application in food
industry
Syllabus Topics
Section V
Inter-relationships of
Organisms with Each
Other and With Their
Environment
1. Populations
Years
90
91
92
93
94
IA6(b)
Biome & habitat
IIC11 Essay:
Biological
consequences of
natural disasters
2. The ecosystem
(a) Concept of the
ecosystem
IA7
Niche; habitat;
production;
biomass;
succession;
zonation
IB12
IIC12 essay:
Gonad size of
Soil will soon face
marine larval
extinction
invertebrates;
diff. environmental
conditions
IB9
IIA4
Distribution of
Field study of a
barnacles; different
named local
parts of rocky
habitat;
shore
inter-relationship of
organisms
IIA1(c)
Flow chart; energy
flow; carbon cycle;
photoautotrophic &
(b) Energy flow and
nutrient cycling in the
ecosystem
chemoheterotrophic
organisms
IB10
Two protozoan
species; population
IB11
Interaction betw.
grass & legume;
biomass;
inoculation with
Rhizobium
(c) Interdependence of
organisms
(d) Succession
IA7
Biodeterioration;
micro-organisms
3. The economoc
significance of
micro-organisms
4. Man’s impact on the
environment
(a) Resource exploitation
IIC12 Essay:
World's food
supply & demand
(b) The effects of
agriculture
IIC10 Essay:
Adverse effects on
biosphere
(c) Pollution
(i) Atmospheric
pollution
IIC9 Essay:
Biological
significance of
greenhouse effect
to plants
(ii) Water pollution
5. Man’s responsibility
for environmental
protection and
conservation
IIC11 Essay:
Development of
marine farming as
food for man
IIC10 Essay:
Ecological
problems of Tolo
Harbour
IIC12 Essay:
Rapid destruction
of world's tropical
rain forests
IA6(a)
Non-renewable
resources
IB10
Exp. on uptake of
faecal bacteria by
oysters in HK
coastal waters
IIC9 Essay:
Impact of solid
wastes disposal
IIC13 Essay:
Waste recycling
IIC8 Essay:
Country Parks in
HK
IA6(b)
Eutrophication
IIC10 Essay:
Pros & cons of role
of zoos
IIC12 Essay:
Education;
animal rights
Miscellaneous
THE END