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GCSEBiologyOCRBiology A (Gateway)Exam Questions6. Global ChallengesFeeding the Human Race

Feeding the Human Race (OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway))

Exam Questions

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Feeding the Human Race

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Feeding the Human Race

1
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The graph below shows the growth of the human population globally since 1630.

global-population-curve-since-1630

Which of the following options represents the longest time period taken for the population of humans to double?

  • 100 years

  • 200 years

  • 50 years

  • 400 years

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2
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Which Venn diagram (A - D) best summarises the similarities and differences between natural selection and selective breeding? Place each of the four statements below into the correct sector of the Venn diagram.

  1. Requires mutations to generate desirable alleles

  2. Reduces the gene pool

  3. Biotic and abiotic factors put selective pressures on individual animals or plants

  4. Only individuals with advantageous characteristics are able to mate

  • vda
  • vdb
  • vdc
  • vdd

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3
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Which of the following statements correctly describes a use of genetic engineering?

  • Only breeding from crop plants that are resistant to pests.

  • Altering the DNA in crop plants so that they are resistant to herbicides.

  • Using yeast to produce ethanol.

  • Production of insulin in the pancreas. 

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4
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What needs to be inserted into a maize plant's cells to allow it to gain resistance to insect pests?

  • An enzyme

  • A molecule of the insecticide

  • A length of DNA from a naturally-resistant species

  • A length of human DNA

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5
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Which one of the following would not be an unintended consequence of genetic modification of crop plants?

  • Higher crop yields.

  • Reduced biodiversity.

  • The inserted gene being transferred to weed crops, giving them resistance.

  • A side effect of poor growth.

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6
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What is the primary role of restriction enzymes in genetic engineering?

  • To cut open plasmid DNA

  • To join human DNA to plasmid DNA

  • To identify the location of human genes

  • To insert plasmids into bacteria

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7
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The drawings show typical cattle kept by farmers in 1900 and in 2000.

q6-paper2f-nov2020-ocrgcsebio

Which process would have been used between 1900 and 2000 to produce these changes in the cattle?

  • Artificial classification

  • Biological control

  • Natural selection

  • Selective breeding

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8
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Which of these is an advantage of using hydroponics for crop production?

  • Fertilisers are not required for crop growth.

  • The crops can be grown in areas where the soil is poor.

  • The crop plants do not need extra support.

  • The crops will not be eaten by pests.

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9
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A gardener releases spiders into a greenhouse. They eat the insects which are eating her plants.

What is this an example of?

  • Biological control

  • Gene technology

  • Homeostasis

  • Parasitism

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10
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In selective breeding which organisms breed?

  • Humans choose which organisms breed.

  • Organisms that are best suited to their environment will breed.

  • Random organisms will breed.

  • The youngest organisms will breed.

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11
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Plants can be grown in water. What is the name of this growth method?

  • Active transport

  • Germination

  • Hypothermia

  • Hydroponics

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12
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Higher tier only

Which of these is used to cut DNA molecules in genetic engineering?

  • Ligase enzymes

  • Plasmids

  • Restriction enzymes

  • Sticky ends

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13
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Which is an advantage of growing crop plants by hydroponics?

  • The plants can be grown where there is poor soil.

  • The plants can support themselves more securely.

  • The plants do not require minerals.

  • The plants require less sunlight.

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14
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What is the role of antibiotic resistance markers in producing genetically engineered bacteria?

  • To identify which genes to insert into the bacteria.

  • To identify which bacteria have taken up the plasmid.

  • To identify which plasmids contain the genes.

  • To identify which proteins are produced by the bacteria.

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15
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The prickly pear is a cactus plant that was introduced into Australia.

q8-paper2f-june2019-ocrgcsebio

The prickly pear cactus spread across the country.

To control the spread of the prickly pear cactus, a caterpillar was released to eat it.

What is the name of this type of control?

  • Biodiversity

  • Biological

  • Mutualism

  • Pesticide

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16
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Bacteria are used in genetic engineering.

A plasmid is used to transfer the required DNA into the bacterium.

What is the term used to describe the role of the plasmid in this technology?

  • enzyme

  • host

  • transgenic

  • vector

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17
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Some plants have been genetically engineered so that they grow larger.

Each cell of the plant has a new gene inserted so that it produces a different protein.

What does genetic engineering do to the plant?

  • It changes the phenotype and the genotype.

  • It changes the genotype but not the phenotype.

  • It changes the phenotype but not the genotype.

  • It changes neither the genotype nor the phenotype.

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