2017 WAEC GCE Biology Practical Questions and Answers (Alternative Paper 3 Expo)
This article contains all past questions and answers for writing the WASSCE and WAEC GCE 2017/2018 and other years to come. Tags includes; 2017 waec biology practical answers, waec gce 2017 biology practical answer, waec biology practical question and answer, waec gce biology practical 2017, gce biology specimen 2017, WAEC and NECO GCE biology practical past questions and answers 2018/2019, waec specimen 2017 and 2017/2018 waec specimen.
Question 1
Study specimens G and H carefully and use them to answer questions 2(a) to 2(c).
(a) (i) Name the phylum of specimens G and H. [1 mark]
(ii) State two reasons for the answer given in 2(a)(i) [2 marks]
(b) Name the structures on specimens G and H that are used for defense [2 marks]
(c) (i) State the habitat of each of specimens G and H. [2 marks]
(ii) State two ways in which each of specimens G and H are of economic importance. [4 marks]
Study specimens M, N and P carefully and use them to answer questions 2(d) to 2(e).
(d) (i) Name the Class of organisms to which each of specimens M, N and P are associated. [3 marks]
(ii) State one function common to the specimens named in 2 (d) (i). [1 mark]
(iii) In a tabular form, state four observable differences between specimens M and P. [4 marks]
(e) Explain three features of biological importance in specimen M. [6 marks]
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Observation
Many candidates could answer this question properly but some could not spell the Phylum of specimens G and H properly while some candidates started the spelling of the phylum in small letter. Also the reason given for the answer in (a) (i) was incorrect.
Many candidates could state the structures on specimens G and H used for defense. Many could also state the habitat of specimens G and H and the economic importance.
Many candidates could not answer question (d) (i) and (ii) correctly. Candidates could answer question (d) (iii) well but (e) was not answered properly because they did not state the structures and functions.
The expected answers include:
(a) (i) Phylum of specimens G and H Arthropoda
NOTE: If two answers are given and one is wrong, mark both wrong.
(ii) Reasons
- Presence of jointed legs/appendages;
- Presence of chitinous exoskeleton;
- Metamerically segmented;
- Bilateral symmetry;
- Have three body layers/triploblastic.
(b) Structures of specimens G and H used for defence
G - Sting/Ovipositor;
H - (Strong and powerful/biting) mandible/jaw.
(c) (i) Habitats of specimens G and H
G - (Bee) Hive
H - Termitarium/anthill/termite mound/nest/soil/old logs of trees/timber of wooden buildings.
(ii) Economic importance of Specimens G and H
SPECIMEN G
- It pollinates flower;
- produces honey;
- produces wax;
- sting causes pain/death
- bee keeping is a source of employment/income.
SPECIMEN H
- it destroys wood/furniture/books;
- it destroys crops/plants;
- the termitarium is used for lawn tennis court;
- source of food/protein.
- aids soil aeration through tunneling;
- enhances penetration of water into the soil/increases porosity;
- introduces vegetable/plant matter into the soil/increases humus contents;
- their mound/termitarium forms impediments to land use.
(d) (i) Class of organisms to which specimens M, N and P belong
M - Aves
N - Osteichthyes
P - Mammalia
(ii) Common features of specimens M, N and P
Protection of the organism (against mechanical injury/desiccation)
(iii) Observable differences between specimens M and P
Specimen M/Quill feather
- Presence of inferior umbilicus
- Presence of superior umbilicus
- Presence of after shaft
- Presence of shaft/rachis
- Presence of Quill/calamus
- Presence of barbs
- Absence of hair/fur
- Texture is hard when touched
- Barbs are restricted to certain parts of the Quill
Specimen P/Mammalian skin with hair
- absence of inferior umbilicus;
- absence of superior umbilicus;
- absence of after shaft;
- absence of shaft/rachis;
- absence of Quill/calamus;
- absence of barbs;
- presence of hair/fur;
- texture is soft when touched;
- Hairs/fur cover the whole surface of the specimen.
Penalty: minus 1 mark for no tabulation.
(e) Structures of biological importance in Specimen M
- Presence of Quill feather; serves as water proof/protection/keeps the bird warm/insulation;
- vane is flat/broad; to provide surface area for flapping during flight/against desiccation;
- rachis/shaft which is centrally placed; to provide point of attachment to barbs/strengthen the feather;
- barbs with hooks; interlock to form the vane;
- the overlapping arrangements of Quill feathers over the body of birds; allows smooth movement/little resistance in flight;
- colouration of the Quill feather; enhances courtship display/camouflage.
NOTE: Correct structure alone can score one mark.
Correct structure and function to score two marks.
Question 2
Study specimens T, V and W carefully and use them to answer questions 4(a) to 4(d).
(a) Classify specimens T, V and Waccording to the following criteria:
(i) agricultural classification;
(ii) life cycle. [6 marks]
(b) State two ways in which specimen W is important to human nutrition. [2 marks]
(c) With a scalpel or knife, make a cross section of specimen T.
(i) What type of placentation is observed in the cut section of specimen T? [1 mark]
(ii) Name one example of a fruit with similar placentation as observed in the cut section of specimen T. [1 mark]
(iii) Make a drawing 10 cm – 12 cm long of the transverse section and label fully. [10 marks]
(d) Make a transverse section of specimen V and state:
(i) three observable differences;
(ii) three observable similarities between the transverse sections of specimens T and V. [6 marks]
Study specimens Xi and Xii carefully and use them to answer questions 4(e) (i) to 4(e) (iii).
(e) Carefully remove the bark of specimen Xi to expose the naked part.
(i) State two observable differences between specimens Xi and Xii. [2 marks]
(ii) If Xi and Xii are planted, what difference will be noticed after a month? [1 mark]
(iii) State one reason for the answer in 4 (e) (ii).
Observation
Majority of the candidates did so well in answering questions 4 (a) (i), (a) (ii) and (c) (i) but lost some marks to spelling mistakes.
Many candidates answered questions (b) and (c) (ii) properly. The drawing of transverse section of specimen T was answered quite well by some candidates but most lost marks to avoidable mistakes like in the title of the drawing and labeling properly.
Questions (d) (i), (d) (ii), (e) (i), (e) (ii) and (e) (iii) were answered correctly by many candidates -- The expected answers are:
4 (a) Classification of specimens T, V and W according to
Agricultural method
- T- Fruit crop
- V- Vegetable crop
- W- Root tuber
Life cycle
- T- Perennial
- V- Annual
- W-Biennial
(b) Ways Specimen W is important to human nutrition
- Source of food/starch/carbohydrate;
- Energy is produced;
- Used for industrial purpose/employment/source of income.
(c) (i) Type of placentation
Axile
(ii) Example of a fruit with similar placentation
Garden egg; pepper; tomato or any other correctly named fruit.
Drawing/Diagram of the Transverse section/TS/Cross section of specimen T/Orange/Lemon/Lime/or any other correctly named Citrus fruit
Quality
- NL- Neat Labels
- CL- Clarity of Lines
- Sz- Size (10-12cm)
- Mg- Magnification (x½ – x2)
Details
- CS- Cut surface with double lines
- PS- Placenta shown
- JS- Juice sac/succulent hair shown
Labels
Epicarp; mesocarp; endocarp; placenta; seed
(d) (i) Observable differences between the cross section of specimens T/Orange and V/tomato
Specimen T/Orange/Orange/Lemon/Lime/Citrus fruit
- Few or no seeds
- Bigger/larger seeds
- Epicarp/ mesocarp are hard
- Epicarp is yellowish/greenish
- Small placenta;
- Presence of succulent hairs in the endocarp
Specimen V/Tomato
- Many seeds present;
- Smaller seeds present;
- Epicarp/ mesocarp are soft/juicy;
- Epicarp/ mesocarp is bright red;
- Big/large placenta;
- Juicy pulp/endocarp.
(ii) Observable similarities between the cross section of specimens T/Orange/Lemon/Lime/Citrus fruit and V/tomato
- Both have fused epicarp and mesocarp;
- Both have seeds/berry;
- Both have succulent endocarp;
- Both have axile placentation;
- Both have are brightly coloured;
- Both are spherical in shape.
(e) (i) Observable differences between Specimens Xi and Xii
Xi
- No node present
- No internode
- Scale leaf/bark absent
- White wood/colour seen
Xii
- Node present
- Internode present
- Scale leaf/bark present
- Brown/Green stem
(ii) Difference to be noted
Xii will germinate while Xi will not germinate/will decay
(iii) Reason
Xii possesses axillary buds that will make it germinate but they were removed in Xi
General Comments
The standard of the paper was high and compared favorably with those of previous years. The questions were well framed and balanced, and were within the syllabus. The marking scheme was exhaustive.
The performance of candidates was better that that of last year with a raw mean score of 21 and standard deviation of 10.34 compared to a raw mean score of 18 and standard deviation of 10.49 for May/June 2014 WASSCE. The total number of candidates that sat for the examination was 1,182,038.
CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES
The observed weaknesses of the candidates include:
- inability to state the Class Osteichthyes;
- inability to state correctly the leaf arrangements, leaf shape and leaf venation of specimens A and B;
- inability to know that adaptation refers to the structures and function;
- inability to draw guidelines to touch the label on the diagram;
- using wrong magnification or not writing down the magnification of the diagram;
- using wrong titles for the diagram;
- inability to label diagrams correctly;
- inability to correctly identify the phylum of Specimens G (Worker bee) and H (Soldier termite);
- inability to reasons for the Phylum Arthropoda;
- writing axial instead of axile for the type of placentation of specimen T.
The following remedies were proffered to overcome the weaknesses:
- students should be abreast with the recent classification of organisms into Class and Order
- students should be made to draw often in class, so as to perfect their diagrams during examination;
- students should be encouraged to use modern text books;
- students should be exposed to practical and scientific knowledge;
- schools should endeavor to equip their laboratories;
- teachers should be exposed to field work and laboratory works;
- teachers should emphasize to students that whenever a question on adaptation is asked that they should relate structures with their respective functions.
CANDIDATES’ STRENGTHS
The observed strengths of the candidates include:
- adherence to rubrics;
- ability to start the taxonomic names with capital letter;
- spelling technical terms correctly;
- ability to give the agricultural classification of the given specimens in question 4;
- improvement in the diagram of cut surface by showing double lines e.g. drawing of citrus fruit;
- ability to answer question 4 excellently well.
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