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SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS/
NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS
LIFE SCIENCES P2
2021
MARKING GUIDELINES
MARKS: 150
These marking guidelines consist of 13 pages.
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Life Sciences Grade 12 Paper 2 NSC June 2021 Memo (English)
Grade 12 Life Sciences Paper 2 memorandum from the NSC June Exam 2021 (English), 13 pages. Read online or download the free PDF.
Life Sciences · Grade 12 · NSC June Exam · 2021. Memorandum. Read online or download the PDF.
- Subject
- Life Sciences
- Grade
- Grade 12
- Document type
- Memorandum
- Year
- 2021
- Exam period
- NSC June Exam
- Paper
- 2
- Curriculum
- CAPS
- Pages
- 13
- File size
- 422.6 KB
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This exam
NSC June Exam 2021
Questions in this paper
- Question 1.1GENETICS AND INHERITANCE
- Question 1.2MEIOSIS
- Question 1.3GENETICS AND INHERITANCE6 marks
- Question 1.4MEIOSIS13 marks
- Question 1.5DNA: THE CODE OF LIFE6 marks
- Question 1.6GENETICS AND INHERITANCE7 marks
Show all 15 questions
- Question 2.1DNA: THE CODE OF LIFE10 marks
- Question 2.2DNA: THE CODE OF LIFE6 marks
- Question 2.3EVOLUTION8 marks
- Question 2.4GENETICS AND INHERITANCE8 marks
- Question 2.5GENETICS AND INHERITANCE6 marks
- Question 3.1EVOLUTION10 marks
- Question 3.2EVOLUTION11 marks
- Question 3.3EVOLUTION9 marks
- Question 3.4EVOLUTION10 marks
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Life Sciences/P2 2 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
PRINCIPLES RELATED TO MARKING LIFE SCIENCES
1. If more information than marks allocated is given
Stop marking when maximum marks are reached and put a wavy line and 'max' in
the right-hand margin.
2. If, for example, three reasons are required and five are given
Mark the first three irrespective of whether all or some are correct/incorrect.
3. If whole process is given when only a part of it is required
Read all and credit the relevant part.
4. If comparisons are asked for, but descriptions are given
Accept if the differences/similarities are clear.
5. If tabulation is required, but paragraphs are given
Candidates will lose marks for not tabulating.
6. If diagrams are given with annotations when descriptions are required
Candidates will lose marks.
7. If flow charts are given instead of descriptions
Candidates will lose marks.
8. If sequence is muddled and links do not make sense
Where sequence and links are correct, credit. Where sequence and links are
incorrect, do not credit. If sequence and links become correct again, resume
credit.
9. Non-recognised abbreviations
Accept if first defined in answer. If not defined, do not credit the unrecognised
abbreviation, but credit the rest of the answer if correct.
10. Wrong numbering
If answer fits into the correct sequence of questions, but the wrong number is
given, it is acceptable.
11. If language used changes the intended meaning
Do not accept.
12. Spelling errors
If recognisable, accept the answer, provided it does not mean something else in
Life Sciences or if it is out of context.
13. If common names are given in terminology
Accept, provided it was accepted at the national memo discussion meeting.
14. If only the letter is asked for, but only the name is given (and vice versa)
Do not credit.
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Life Sciences/P2 3 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
15. If units are not given in measurements
Candidates will lose marks. Marking guidelines will allocate marks for units
separately.
16. Be sensitive to the sense of an answer, which may be stated in a different
way.
17. Caption
All illustrations (diagrams, graphs, tables, etc.) must have a caption.
18. Code-switching of official languages (terms and concepts)
A single word or two that appear(s) in any official language other than the learner's
assessment language used to the greatest extent in his/her answers should be
credited, if it is correct. A marker that is proficient in the relevant official language
should be consulted. This is applicable to all official languages.
19. Changes to the marking guidelines
No changes must be made to the memoranda. The provincial internal moderator
must be consulted, who in turn will consult with the national internal moderator
(and the Umalusi moderators where necessary).
20. Official marking guidelines
Only marking guidelines bearing the signatures of the national internal moderator
and the Umalusi moderators and distributed by the National Department of Basic
Education via the provinces must be used.
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Life Sciences/P2 4 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
SECTION A
QUESTION 1
1.1 1.1.1 C
1.1.2 C/D
1.1.3 A
1.1.4 C
1.1.5 D
1.1.6 D
1.1.7 B (7 x 2) (14)
1.2 1.2.1 Hydrogenbond
1.2.2 Monohybridcross
1.2.3 Stem cells
1.2.4 Centriole/Centrosome
1.2.5 MetaphaseI/II
1.2.6 Haemophilia
1.2.7 Speciation
1.2.8 Punctuated equilibrium
1.2.9 Genetics (9 x 1) (9)
1.3 1.3.1 Both A and B
1.3.2 B only
1.3.3 A only (3 x (6)
2)
1.4 1.4.1 Locus (1)
1.4.2 A - chromatid
C - centromere (2)
1.4.3 Crossing over (1)
1.4.4 Prophase I (1)
1.4.5 (a) Ggtt (2)
(b) (Plant) height (1)
(8)
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Life Sciences/P2 5 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
1.5.1 (a) Y (1)
(b) X (1)
1.5.2 4/Four (1)
1.5.3 A; C; T; G (must be in correct order) (1)
1.5.4 - (DNA) replication
- Transcription/Protein synthesis (2)
(Mark first TWO only) (6)
1.6 1.6.1 (a) 4/Four (1)
(b) 1/One (1)
1.6.2 IAi (2)
1.6.3 (a) Son 1 (1)
(b) Mother (1)
(c) Son 1 (1)
(7)
TOTAL SECTION A: 50
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Life Sciences/P2 6 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
SECTION B
QUESTION 2
2.1 2.1.1 (a) GAC (1)
(b) ACU (2)
2.1.2 (Gene) mutation (1)
2.1.3 - CTC on the DNA changed to CAC
- Codons (on the mRNA) changed/GAG changed to GUG
- Anticodons (on tRNA) changed/CUC replaced by CAC
- which resulted in a different amino acid/ Val (4)
2.1.4 - The cells will not receive enough oxygen
- resulting in reduced cellular respiration/ a person lacking
energy/becoming tired/ anaemia (2)
(10)
2.2 - Each tRNA carries an amino acid
- When the anticodon on the tRNA
- matches the codon on the mRNA
- the tRNA brings the (required) amino acid to the ribosome
- Amino acids become attached by peptide bonds
- to form the (required) protein (6)
2.3 2.3.1 Autosomes (1)
2.3.2 Female (1)
2.3.3 - The gonosomes/chromosome pair 23
- are identical/XX (2)
(Mark first ONE only)
2.3.4 The factors/alleles that control a characteristic separate (during
meiosis) so that only one is present in each gamete (2)
2.3.5 - A person with Down syndrome will have 3 chromosomes
- at position number 21 (2)
(8)
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Life Sciences/P2 7 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
2.4 2.4.1 - The grey fur colour is an intermediate phenotype/a blend of
black and white
- This indicates that neither of the alleles is dominant (2)
2.4.2 P1 Phenotype Grey x Black
Genotype BW x BB
Meiosis
G/gametes B, W x B, B
Fertilisation
F1 Genotype BB, BB, BW, BW*
Phenotype Black Grey*
P1 and F1
Meiosis and fertilisation
*2 compulsory marks + any 4
OR
P1 Phenotype Grey x Black
Genotype BW x BB
Meiosis
Gametes B W
Fertilisation B BB BW
B BB BW
1 mark for correct gametes
1 mark for correct genotypes*
F1 Phenotype Black Grey *
P1 and F1
Meiosis and fertilisation
*2 compulsory marks + any 4 (6)
(8)
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Life Sciences/P2 8 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
2.5 2.5.1 - The dominant allele is always expressed (in the phenotype)
when in the heterozygous condition
OR
- The dominant allele masks/hides the (phenotype of the)
recessive allele (2)
2.5.2 (a) N (1)
(b) Tt (1)
2.5.3 - J is a taster and therefore must have one dominant allele/T
- Individual K is tt
- Individual O is a non-taster/is homozygous recessive/tt
- She must have inherited a recessive allele/t from each parent
- Therefore, J must have one recessive allele/t
OR
- J is a taster and therefore must have one dominant allele/T
- If J is homozygous dominant/TT
- and K is homozygous recessive/tt
- then it is not possible to have child (O) who is homozygous
recessive/ tt
- as she must have inherited a recessive allele/t from each
parent Any (4)
(8)
[40]
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Life Sciences/P2 9 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
QUESTION 3
3.1 3.1.1 - Bare fingertips/nails instead of claws
- Opposable thumbs/ gripping ability
- Fingerprints
- Five fingers Any (1)
(Mark first ONE only)
3.1.2 Differences between African apes and humans
African apes Humans
- Small cranium - Large cranium
- Brow ridges are well - Brow ridges are not well
developed developed
- Large canines - Small canines
- Palate is long and - Palate is small and semi-
rectangular / U-shaped circular/ C-shaped
- Large jaws - Small jaws
- More protruding jaws/ - Less protruding jaws/non-
prognathous prognathous
- Cranial ridges present - No cranial ridge
- Foramen magnum in a - Foramen magnum in a
backward position forward position
- Sloping face - Flat face
- Less developed zygomatic - More developed zygomatic
arch arch
- Less developed chin - More developed chin
- Diastema between the - No diastema between the
teeth teeth
(Mark first THREE only) Table 1 + (3 x 2)
(7)
3.1.3 - Short and
- wide/broad
- Cup-shaped Any (2)
(Mark first TWO only) (10)
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Life Sciences/P2 10 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
3.2 3.2.1
The number of cows producing milk with different
fat content
100 93
90
80
Number of cows
70 66
61
60
50
40
30
20 15
11
10
0
2,6 - 3 3,1 - 3,5 3,6 - 4 4,1 - 4,5 4,6 - 5
Fat content (%)
(6)
Guideline for assessing the graph
CRITERIA ELABORATION MARK
Correct type of graph (T) Histogram drawn 1
Caption of graph (C) Both variables included 1
Axes labels (L) X- and Y-axis correctly
1
labelled with units
Scale for X- and Y-axis (S) - Same width of bars for
X-axis and 1
- Correct scale for Y-axis
Plotting of bars (P) 1 to 4 bars plotted correctly 1
All 5 bars plotted correctly 2
3.2.2
x 100 = 4,47% (Accept 4,5)
(3)
3.2.3 Continuous variation (1)
3.2.4 There is a range of intermediate phenotypes/the fat content % is
a range (1)
(11)
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Life Sciences/P2 11 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
3.3 3.3.1 Phylogenetic tree/cladogram (1)
3.3.2 Emu and Cassowary (2)
(Mark first TWO only)
3.3.3 - A flightless common ancestor
- existed on one continent
- Due to continental drift the original population split
- and each population evolved independently
- as they experienced different environmental conditions
- Each continent now has a different species of flightless bird
Any (4)
3.3.4 - Allow time for them to interbreed/try to interbreed
- If they produce infertile offspring/cannot interbreed, they are
different species
OR
- Conduct DNA analysis and
- check for differences (2)
(9)
3.4 3.4.1 Survival of the owls (1)
3.4.2 The brown owls are less suited to survive than the white owls
OR
The white owls are more suited to survive than the brown owls
(2)
3.4.3 - There is a decrease in the number of white owls because
- there is less snow and
- white owls will not be camouflaged/will be more visible to
predators (3)
3.4.4 - They counted/sampled the number of owls at the beginning of
the 4-month period
- and again, at the end
- Then they calculated the differencebetween the two numbers (3)
3.4.5 (Same):
- Time period/4 months
- Population
- Season/winter
- Method of calculation Any (1)
(Mark first ONE only) (10)
[40]
TOTAL SECTION B: 80
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Life Sciences/P2 12 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
SECTION C
QUESTION 4
Lamarck (J)
- He would use his law of use and disuse
- and law of inheritance of acquired characteristics
- The ancestor of spider monkeys had short tails
- The ancestors continually stretched/used their tails
- to be able to hold on to tree branches
- As a result, their tails became longer
- and this characteristic was passed on to the next generation Any (6)
Darwin (D)
- Evolution occurs by natural selection
- There was variation in the ancestral population
- Some spider monkeys had short tails
- and some had long tails
- Those with short tails could not hold onto tree branches/fell on the ground
- They died/were attacked by predators
- The spider monkeys with long tails were able to hold on to tree branches/did not
fall to the ground
- and survived /were not attacked by predators
- and reproduced
- The characteristic for long tails was passed to the offspring Any (8)
Artificial selection (A)
- Humans select the spider monkeys with
- the long tails
- and mate them to produce offspring with long tails
- This is repeated over many generations Any (3)
Content: (17)
Synthesis: (3)
(20)
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Life Sciences/P2 13 DBE/2021
SC/NSC – Marking Guidelines
ASSESSING THE PRESENTATION OF THE ESSAY
Criterion Relevance (R) Logical sequence (L) Comprehensive (C)
Generally All information provided is Ideas are arranged in a All aspects required by the
relevant to the question logical/cause-effect essay have been sufficiently
sequence addressed
In this Only information relevant The description of the At least the following are
essay in to describing the evolution evolution of long tails in provided when describing the
Q4 of long tails in spider spider monkeys for each evolution of long tails in spider
monkeys in terms of: of: monkeys:
- Lamarck - Lamarck - Lamarck (J: 4/6)
- Darwin - Darwin - Darwin (D: 5/8)
- Artificial selection - Artificial selection - Artificial selection (A: 2/3)
is included. is logical and sequential.
There is no irrelevant
information.
Mark 1 1 1
TOTAL SECTION C: 20
GRAND TOTAL: 150
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