Page 1 of 12

AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION BOARD

HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
CLASS XII EXAMINATION
MAY 2014
Biology Paper II
Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Marks: 55

INSTRUCTIONS
Please read the following instructions carefully.
1.

Check your name and school information. Sign if it is accurate.

I agree that this is my name and school.
Candidate's signature

2.

RUBRIC. There are ELEVEN questions. Answer ALL questions. Questions 10 and 11 offer
TWO choices. Attempt any ONE choice from each.

3.

When answering the questions:

Read each question carefully.
Use a black pencil for diagrams. DO NOT use coloured pencils.
DO NOT use staples, paper clips, glue, correcting fluid or ink erasers.
Complete your answer in the allocated space only. DO NOT write outside the answer box.

4.

The marks for the questions are shown in brackets ( ).

H1402-1921120

Page 2 of 12

Q.1.

(Total 4 Marks)

How do plants remove the following waste products (by-products)?

Waste Product in
Plants

Way of Removal

Oxygen

Excess Water

Organic Waste

Carbon dioxide
Q.2.

(Total 4 Marks)

Draw the shapes of different types of chromosomes categorized on the basis of location of centromere.

H1402-1921120

Page 3 of 12

Q.3.

(Total 4 Marks)

Briefly describe the movement of sodium and potassium ions in order to change resting membrane
potential to active membrane potential.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Q.4.
a.

(Total 5 Marks)
The diagram shows the structure of a skeletal muscle fibre.

(3 Marks)

relaxed

contracted

What happens to I-band, Z-line and H-zone when a muscle fibre contracts?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

PLEASE TURN OVER THE PAGE

H1402-1921120

Page 4 of 12

b.

Why does hematoma form in a simple fracture?

(2 Marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Q.5.
a.

(Total 5 Marks)
Why is G1 phase of the cell cycle termed as the period of extensive metabolic activity? (2 Marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
b.

What are teratogens? Give TWO examples.

(3 Marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

H1402-1921120

Page 5 of 12

Q.6.
a.

(Total 5 Marks)
The more complicated a food web, the more stable the community is. How?

(3 Marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
b.

Which of the following figures gives quantitative information about feeding relationships? Why?
(2 Marks)

Figure 1

Figure 2

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

PLEASE TURN OVER THE PAGE

H1402-1921120

Page 6 of 12

Q.7.
a.

(Total 5 Marks)
Which process is shown in the given diagram? Where is it used?

(2 Marks)

electrode
samples
well

fragment P

buffer

gel
fragment Q

electrode

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
b.

Describe how fragment Q is different from fragment P.

(3 Marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

H1402-1921120

Page 7 of 12

Q.8.
a.

(Total 4 Marks)
Define organic evolution with reference to a verse from the Holy Quran.

(2 Marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
b.

With the help of an example describe how artificial selection benefits us.

(2 Marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Q.9.

(Total 4 Marks)

Fill in the following information about temperate deciduous forests.

Location in Pakistan

Soil Condition

Temperature Range

Average Rainfall

PLEASE TURN OVER THE PAGE

H1402-1921120

Page 8 of 12

Q.10.

(Total 7 Marks)
EITHER

a.

Certain endocrine hormones when produced in abnormal amount cause infertility in men and
women. Discuss the role of any THREE such hormones and their effects on the reproductive
cycle.
OR

b.

Describe the process of vernalisation in plants. How is the collective effect of photoperiodism
and vernalisation important to plants?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
H1402-1921120

Page 9 of 12

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

PLEASE TURN OVER THE PAGE

H1402-1921120

Page 10 of 12

Q.11.

(Total 8 Marks)
EITHER

a.

Demonstrate through a test cross the phenomenon shown in the picture below.

parents

F1 generation

OR
b.

The life style we exhibit today is different from the one our ancestors had a few centuries ago.
This gradual change has raised a number of environmental issues. Discuss any THREE
modifications in our living style that have led to depletion and degradation of resources.

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

H1402-1921120

Page 11 of 12

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

END OF PAPER
H1402-1921120

Page 12 of 12

H1402-1921120