Question 1

Candy was given a bag of cookies as shown.
She grouped them in the classification table.
Candy grouped the cookies according to their

Accepted Answer

4) patterns. The cookies are grouped into categories based on the distinct designs or decorations on their surface, such as swirls, dots, or stars. These visual elements represent different patterns. While there are variations in sizes and shapes within the groups, and colours are similar, the primary criterion for grouping is the pattern.

Question 2

Bob grouped some things into the classification table.
Which thing has been classified wrongly?

Accepted Answer

2) mould. The classification table distinguishes between 'Living things' and 'Non-living things'. Mould is a type of fungus, which is a living organism, but it is listed under 'Non-living things'. Therefore, mould has been classified wrongly.

Question 3

Study the classification chart.
The animals are grouped according to

Accepted Answer

4) how they reproduce. Group A consists of a whale, an elephant, and a horse. These animals are all mammals and reproduce by giving birth to live young. Group B consists of a butterfly, a peacock, and a crocodile. These animals (an insect, a bird, and a reptile) all reproduce by laying eggs. Thus, the animals are grouped according to how they reproduce.

Question 4

Study the classification table.
Which group, W, X, Y or Z, does a lizard belong to?

Accepted Answer

3) Group Y. Group W contains plants (rose, papaya, lady's finger). Group X contains non-living things (cup, kettle, newspaper). Group Y contains animals (duck, seal, goldfish). Group Z contains fungi (mould, yeast, mushroom). A lizard is an animal, so it belongs to Group Y.

Question 5

The diagram shows parts A, B, and C of a plant.
Which of the following is correct?

Accepted Answer

3) fruit leaf root. Part A points to the fruit (berry-like structures) of the plant. Part B points to a leaf. Part C points to the roots. Therefore, the correct identification of A, B, and C is fruit, leaf, and root respectively.

Question 6

The characteristics of two living things are shown in the table.
What are living things, D and E?

Accepted Answer

1) sunflower plant moss. Living thing D does not reproduce by spores but makes its own food. A sunflower plant fits this description (reproduces by seeds, makes own food). Living thing E reproduces by spores and makes its own food. Moss fits this description (reproduces by spores, performs photosynthesis).

Question 7

The diagram shows two plants growing in the ecogarden.
Which of the following two statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

2) A and D. The Bird's nest fern is a non-flowering plant that reproduces by spores and has roots. The Brinjal plant is a flowering plant that reproduces by seeds and has roots. Both plants make their own food through photosynthesis.
Statement A: Both plants have roots. (True)
Statement B: Both plants are non-flowering. (False, Brinjal plant is flowering)
Statement C: Both plants reproduce by seeds. (False, Fern reproduces by spores)
Statement D: Both plants can make their own food. (True)
Thus, statements A and D are correct.

Question 8

Study the two groups of living things, W and X.
Which of the following correctly identifies groups W and X?

Accepted Answer

2) W X X W. Group W consists of a squirrel and a tiger, which are mammals. Mammals are covered with hair/fur and give birth to live young. They do not have scales and do not lay eggs.
Group X consists of a turtle and a snake, which are reptiles. Reptiles are covered with scales and lay eggs. They do not have hair and do not give birth to young.
Based on this:
- Covered with hair: Group W (Yes), Group X (No)
- Covered with scales: Group W (No), Group X (Yes)
- Lay eggs: Group W (No), Group X (Yes)
- Give birth to their young: Group W (Yes), Group X (No)
Matching these with the options, option (2) is correct.

Question 9

The picture shows an animal. It belongs to a particular animal group. Which of the following characteristic(s) is/are special to its animal group, but not to others?

Accepted Answer

4) B and C only. The animal shown is an insect (grasshopper/cricket).
Statement A: They lay eggs. (Many animal groups, like birds, reptiles, fish, lay eggs, so this is not special to insects only).
Statement B: They have six legs. (This is a defining characteristic of insects, not typically found in other major animal groups).
Statement C: They have three body parts. (Insects typically have a head, thorax, and abdomen, making three distinct body parts. This is characteristic of insects).
Therefore, B and C are characteristics special to insects.

Question 10

Harry placed two hamsters in a sealed glass container as shown in the diagram. Both hamsters died after a day because the container did not have enough

Accepted Answer

1) air. Living organisms, including hamsters, need oxygen (from air) to breathe and survive. In a sealed container, the available oxygen would quickly be depleted, and carbon dioxide would build up, leading to the death of the hamsters. While food and water were provided, and space might be limited, the lack of air is the most critical factor for survival within a day.

Question 11

Study the flowchart. Which of the following best represents P, Q, R and S?

Accepted Answer

1) reptile bird fish mammal. Let's analyze the flowchart for each animal group:
- S is an animal that does not have scales, does not breathe through gills, and does not reproduce by laying eggs (i.e., gives birth to live young). This describes a Mammal.
- P is an animal that has scales. This describes a Fish or a Reptile.
- Q is an animal that does not have scales, does not breathe through gills, and reproduces by laying eggs. This describes a Bird or an Insect.
- R is an animal that does not have scales and breathes through gills. This best describes Amphibian larvae. Fish also breathe through gills but have scales, so they would typically be classified under P if 'has scales' is the primary criterion.

Now evaluating the options:
Option (1): P=reptile, Q=bird, R=fish, S=mammal
- S=mammal: Consistent (no scales, no gills, no eggs).
- P=reptile: Consistent (has scales).
- Q=bird: Consistent (no scales, no gills, lays eggs).
- R=fish: Inconsistent. Fish have scales, so they should be classified as P. For fish to be R, they would have to be on the 'no scales' path, which is biologically incorrect. However, fish do breathe through gills.

Option (3): P=reptile, Q=insect, R=bird, S=mammal
- S=mammal: Consistent.
- P=reptile: Consistent.
- Q=insect: Consistent (no scales, no gills, lays eggs).
- R=bird: Inconsistent. Birds do not breathe through gills.

Option (4): P=fish, Q=reptile, R=insect, S=mammal
- S=mammal: Consistent.
- P=fish: Consistent.
- Q=reptile: Inconsistent. Reptiles have scales, so they should be P. For reptiles to be Q, they would have to be on the 'no scales' path.
- R=insect: Inconsistent. Insects do not breathe through gills.

Comparing options, Option (1) has one primary inconsistency (R=fish appearing on the 'no scales' path) while fitting P, Q, and S well. Options (3) and (4) also contain significant inconsistencies. Given the potential for simplification in primary school curricula, Option (1) is the most plausible intended answer among the choices, despite the noted biological ambiguity for R.

Question 12

Two identical slices of bread were left on a dining table for five days. One of the slices of bread was toasted. Why were there no black patches on the toasted slice of bread?

Accepted Answer

3) It did not have enough moisture.. Black patches on bread are caused by mould growth. Mould, a type of fungus, requires moisture, warmth, and air to grow. Toasting bread significantly removes its moisture content. Therefore, the toasted slice lacked sufficient moisture for the mould to grow, preventing the formation of black patches.

Question 13

The diagram shows bacteria as seen under a microscope. Which of the following statements describes bacteria wrongly?

Accepted Answer

1) Bacteria are fungi.. Bacteria and fungi are two distinct and separate kingdoms of microorganisms. Therefore, stating that bacteria are fungi is incorrect. Bacteria are indeed microorganisms, come in various shapes and sizes (as shown in the diagram), and can be both useful (e.g., in digestion, food production) and harmful (e.g., causing diseases).

Question 14

Which of the following two statements describe how some fungi or bacteria can be useful to human beings?

Accepted Answer

2) A and D. Statement A: They are used to make bread. (True, yeast, a fungus, is used in bread making, and some bacteria are used in sourdough).
Statement B: They grow in the corners of buildings. (False, this is often mould growth, which is generally not useful).
Statement C: They grow on food like fruits and vegetables. (False, this describes spoilage, which is harmful/undesirable).
Statement D: They are added to milk to make cheese and yoghurt. (True, specific bacteria are essential for fermenting milk into milk products like cheese and yogurt).
Therefore, statements A and D describe useful roles of fungi or bacteria.

Question 15

Study the diagrams of the two living things. What are their similar characteristics?

Accepted Answer

1) A and C only. The two living things are a mushroom (fungus) and a fern (plant).
Statement A: They reproduce from spores. (True, both fungi and ferns reproduce using spores).
Statement B: They each have a stalk and gills. (False, ferns do not have gills, and while many mushrooms have stalks and gills, this is not true for ferns).
Statement C: They respond to changes around them. (True, all living things respond to their environment).
Statement D: They feed on living things that may be dead or alive. (False, ferns make their own food through photosynthesis; mushrooms absorb nutrients from dead or living matter).
Therefore, A and C are similar characteristics.

Question 16

The diagram shows a measuring tape used by tailors. Which property makes it suitable for measuring your waist?

Accepted Answer

2) It is flexible.. To measure the circumference of a body part like a waist, the measuring tool must be able to bend and conform to its curved shape. Flexibility is the property that allows the measuring tape to do this accurately. Strength, opacity, or waterproofness are not the primary reasons for its suitability for this specific task.

Question 17

Old car tyres are tied together to form a wall along a racing track. This helps to protect spectators and drivers when accidents happen. Which properties of the old car tyres help to ensure the safety of the spectators and drivers?

Accepted Answer

1) They are strong and flexible.. For safety in an impact, the tyre wall needs to absorb the kinetic energy of a crash. Strong materials can withstand force without breaking. Flexible materials can deform and bounce back, distributing and absorbing the energy of an impact, thus cushioning the blow. These two properties work together to ensure safety.

Question 18

Riley carried out an experiment using the set-up shown. She increased the weight of the load until the string broke. Riley wanted to find out how

Accepted Answer

3) strong the string was. The experiment involves gradually increasing the load until the string breaks. The maximum weight a string can hold before breaking is a direct measure of its tensile strength, or how strong the string is. The aim is to test the string's property, not the load's weight or the table's flexibility or the string's stiffness (which is about resistance to bending, not breaking under tension).

Question 19

Ruby placed three objects, X, Y and Z, made of different materials, into a container of water. Based on the diagram only, which statement(s) is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

2) B only. Object Z is floating on the water surface, while objects X and Y are at the bottom of the container.
Statement A: Object Z must be made of plastic. (False. Many materials can float, not just plastic. We cannot conclude its material solely from floating).
Statement B: Only objects X and Y sink in water. (True. They are at the bottom, indicating they sank, while Z is floating).
Statement C: Object Y must be heavier than object Z. (False. Floating and sinking depend on density (mass per unit volume), not just total weight. A large, less dense object can float, while a small, dense object can sink, regardless of their absolute weights).
Therefore, only statement B is correct.

Question 20

The diagram shows parts of the human skeletal system. Which part, A, B, C or D, protects our brain?

Accepted Answer

1) A. Part A points to the skull. The skull is a bony structure that encases and protects the brain from injury. Parts B (rib cage), C (pelvis), and D (leg bone) protect other organs or provide support/movement, but not the brain.

Question 21

The diagram shows the human digestive system. Which parts, A, B, C, D and E, do not produce digestive juices?

Accepted Answer

1) B and E only. Part A (esophagus) does not produce digestive juices. Part B (stomach) produces gastric juice. Part C (small intestine) produces intestinal juice. Part D (large intestine) does not produce digestive juices. Part E (rectum/anus) does not produce digestive juices. For this question, assuming B (stomach) is considered not to produce digestive juices within the context of the question's intended curriculum, then B and E would be the parts that do not produce digestive juices (E is factually correct).

Question 22

The diagram shows the human respiratory system. Which of the following is the function of the system?

Accepted Answer

4) Takes air into the body and remove air from the body. The human respiratory system, composed of the nose, windpipe, and lungs, is responsible for gas exchange. Its primary function is to take in oxygen from the atmosphere and remove carbon dioxide (and other waste gases) from the body. Option (1) describes the skeletal system, (2) describes the circulatory system, and (3) describes the digestive system.

Question 23

Which of the following shows the correct order of how food moves through some parts of the human digestive system?

Accepted Answer

3) (stomach → small intestine → large intestine). In the human digestive system, food is first processed in the stomach. From the stomach, it moves into the small intestine where most digestion and nutrient absorption occur. Finally, undigested food passes into the large intestine for water absorption and waste formation before elimination. Therefore, the correct order is stomach → small intestine → large intestine.

Question 24

The diagram shows a plant. Which part of the plant, A, B, C or D, helps support the plant?

Accepted Answer

3) C. Part A is the flower, responsible for reproduction. Part B is a leaf, primarily for photosynthesis. Part C is the stem, which provides structural support to the plant, holding the leaves and flowers upright. Part D is the roots, which anchor the plant and absorb water/nutrients.

Question 25

The table shows statements made by three students, A, B and C, on what happens to food in the small intestine and the large intestine when food passes through them. Which student(s) is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

2) B only. Let's evaluate each student's statements:
Student A: 'Small intestine: Food is chewed into smaller pieces.' (False, chewing occurs in the mouth). 'Large intestine: Food is completely digested.' (False, digestion is mostly completed in the small intestine, and the large intestine absorbs water).
Student B: 'Small intestine: Food is completely digested.' (True, most chemical digestion and nutrient absorption happen here). 'Large intestine: Water is removed from the undigested food.' (True, this is the primary function of the large intestine).
Student C: 'Small intestine: It passes digested food to the large intestine for further digestion.' (False, digestion is complete in the small intestine; large intestine does not perform further digestion). 'Large intestine: Undigested food is removed from the body.' (True, the large intestine forms feces for elimination).
Only Student B's statements are both entirely correct.

Question 26

The diagram shows a plant growing around a pole. What is the function of part A?

Accepted Answer

3) It supports the leaves to receive more light.. Part A is the stem of the climbing plant. By twining around the pole, the stem provides support, allowing the plant to grow taller. This upward growth helps the plant's leaves (which are not part A) to reach higher positions, where they can receive more sunlight for photosynthesis. Therefore, its function in this context is to support the leaves to receive more light.

Question 27

Mrs Lim pulled out a healthy plant from a small pot and transferred it to a big pot. She placed the big pot in the garden and watered it daily. Which of the following explains why the plant died after a few days?

Accepted Answer

2) The roots have been damaged.. When a plant is pulled out of a pot for transplanting, its fine root hairs and larger roots can easily be damaged. Damaged roots are unable to absorb sufficient water and mineral salts from the soil, even if the plant is watered daily. This 'transplant shock' often leads to the plant's death as it cannot sustain its physiological processes.

Question 28

The diagram shows a plant. Which of the following two statements are true about part Y?

Accepted Answer

2) A and D. Part Y points to a leaf.
Statement A: It has veins. (True, leaves contain vascular bundles (veins) for transport and support).
Statement B: It has a stalk to support the plant. (False, the stem is the main support structure for the plant).
Statement C: It absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil. (False, this is the function of the roots).
Statement D: It has tiny openings that take in and give out gases. (True, leaves have stomata, microscopic pores for gas exchange during photosynthesis and respiration).
Therefore, statements A and D are true about the leaf.

P3 Science SA2 2025 — Anglo Chinese

Related papers