SECTION A

[25 marks]
You are advised to spend 40 minutes on this section.

Questions 1-25
For each of the questions in this section, circle the answer A,B,C or D in the answer
sheet provided.

Water changes its state when it is heated and cooled. Heating gives the molecules energy.
When the tightly bound molecules in ice are given energy, they cannot move out of their
places, but they do vibrate more than before. As they become hotter, they vibrate more
and more until when they have a certain amount of energy, the bonds holding them
together suddenly break.

1 When will the bonds holding the molecules of ice give way?
A When they are cooled
B When they are tightly bound
C When they have a certain amount of energy
D When they are unable to move out of their places

The zebra’s appearance is its defense, as it allows this shy animal to blend in with the
dense forest. The dark color of its body merges with the dark shades of the forest. The
stripes act as counter shading.

2 What can be concluded about a zebra’s appearance?

A It intimidates potential predators
B It makes it appears as a shy animal
C It enables it to outrun the predators
D It camouflages it from lurking predators

Problem Treatment/Solution
Bee stings which are acidic. Put baking powder, a weak
Wasp stings which are alkaline.
alkaline. Apply vinegar, a weak acid to the
affected
area.
Bacteria in the mouth Alkalis in toothpastes can help to
changes sugar reduce the
in our food into acid, causing acidity.
decay.

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 Our stomach produces Antacids, which are alkaline
hydrochloric substances are
acid to digest food. recommended to relieve pain.
Overeating causes extra
production of acids leading to
stomach aches.

3 What is the principle involved in the treatment or solution of the

problems above based on?
A neutralization
B preservation
C separation
D oxidation

Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating the tiniest units of matter, and making use
of the unusual properties many substances exhibit at these almost incomprehensible
scales.

4 What is the sentence mainly about?

A Effect of nanotechnology
B Causes of nanotechnology
C Characterization of nanotechnology
D Overall conclusion of nanotechnology

All oceanic crust is less than 200 million years old. It has four main layers. The top layer
is made of sand and mud laid down in the world’s seas. Beneath it is a layer of basalt.
Then comes a layer of another rock called gabbro, and finally a thin layer above the
mantel.

5 What is the arrangement of the oceanic crust in descending order?

A Sand and mud, mantle, gabbro, basalt
B Gabbro, basalt, sand and mud, mantle
C Sand and mud, basalt, gabbro, a thin layer above the mantle
D A thin layer above the mantle, gabbro, basalt, sand and mud

Many devices these days feature built-in wireless connectivity to help users get on the
Internet. The problem is that wireless hotspots are hard to find. These spots need to be
everywhere that people with wireless devices tend to congregate. Alternatively, wireless
service operators provide an easier and perhaps cheaper way to get connected.

6 What does the word hotspots refer to?

A wireless devices

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 B built-in wireless devices
C wireless service operators
D wireless connection points

The mass of a body resists any change in motion. The larger the mass, the harder it is to
move. This property of objects is called inertia.

7 Which of the following persons will have exert the most effort to skate on rollers?
A Mark (70.6 kg)
B Amelia (54.9 kg)
C Dennis (71.8 kg)
D Virginia (55.1 kg)

In the process of the water cycle, moisture gathers in the atmosphere. This can be seen as
a cloud. Clouds can contain millions of water droplets and ice as the process of
evaporation and condensation continuous. These droplets knock into each other. This
results in the electrons being knocked off. When this happens, electrons and positive ions
are created.

8 Which of the following describes the process above?

A Thunder
B Acid rain
C Lightning
D Tidal wave

Preventing obesity is much simpler than treating it. One obvious priority is getting bums
off seats, dragging children outside for exercise, away from TVs and computers. Soft
drink vending machines should also be phased out or just sell milk and water. Moreover,
there should be programmes to guarantee healthy breakfast and meals.

9 Based on the text, how can obesity be prevented?

A by cutting down time on computers and in front of TVs
B by removing soft drink vending machines
C through exercise and drinks
D through exercise and proper diet

Acetone is used in the preparation of cosmetic products. It is also used in the preparation
of lacquer for polishing metals and wooden furniture.

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10 In the light of this information, which of these products is manufactured with
acetone?
A Earrings
B Hair clips
C Nail clipper
D Nail varnish

To prevent the misuse and abuse of scientific knowledge, especially in genetics, a

code of ethics should be introduced. The code of ethics should cover the following
aspects :
●No cloning of humans should be attempted
●Humans should not be used as a subject in genetic engineering projects.

Should humans be used as a subject, it must be for medical and health reasons.

11 When can humans be used as a subject in genetic engineering projects?

A For cloning purpose
B For medical purpose
C For cosmetic purpose
D For research purpose

Acid is sour tasting, extremely corrosive, a good conductor of electricity, and will turn
litmus paper red. It also reacts with metal, sometimes violently, to liberate explosive
hydrogen gas. Base is bitter extremely caustic, a good conductor of electricity and will
turn paper blue.

12 From the text above, what characteristic is common for acid and base?
A Both have similar taste
B Both are extremely corrosive
C Both are good conductors of electricity
D Both change the colour of litmus papers into red

The greenhouse effect is a warming of the Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere that
tends to intensify with an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The atmosphere allows
a large percentage of the rays of visible light from the Sun to reach the Earth’s surface
and heat it. A part of this energy is reradiated by the Earth’s surface in the form of long-
wave infrared radiation, much of which is absorbed by molecules of carbon dioxide and
water vapour in the atmosphere and which is reflected back to the surface as heat.

13 When the greenhouse effect happens,

A water vapour molecules will absorb the infrared radiation
B long-wave infrared radiation will be reflected by the Earth’s surface

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 C earth’s surface tends to intensify with an increase of carbon monoxide
D a large percentage of the rays of sun reaches the Earth’s surface and cools it

14 What causes the increase of temperature in the greenhouse effect?

A the hole at the atmosphere
B the large amount of sunlight
C the increase of carbon dioxide
D the reflection of infrared radiation

The number of positively charged protons in the nucleus is the same as the number of
negatively charged electrons surrounding the nucleus. So the atom is neutral. However,
some atoms can lose electrons, while others can gain electrons. When this happens, the
atom is no longer neutral. An atom that has lost or gained electrons is called an ion.

15 Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A An atom is always neutral
B An atom can either lose or gain protons
C An atom that loses or gains electrons is called an ion
D An atom has the same number of protons and electrons

METAL REACTION WITH WATER

Sodium
Reacts violently with cold water, becoming so hot that it melts and whizzes around on a
layer of hydrogen. The reaction produces the compound sodium hydroxide.

Magnesium
Reacts very slowly with cold water forming magnesium oxide and hydrogen.

Iron
Reacts extremely slow with cold water (days or weeks) to produce iron oxide ( rust ) and
hydrogen.

Copper
Does not react with water and so it is often used for water pipes.

16 What would be the order of the metals from the least active to the most active?
A Iron ---- magnesium ---- sodium---- copper
B Sodium ---- magnesium ---- iron ---- copper
C Copper ---- iron ---- magnesium ---- sodium
D Copper ---- magnesium ---- sodium ---- iron

Fertilization involves the fusion of a spermatozon ( male gamete ) and an ovum ( female
gamete ) to form a single cell called zygote. The zygote starts to divide by cleavage and
slowly develops into embryo. After about seven weeks, the first bone cells appear in

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cartilage and the embryo becomes fetus. The fetus reaches full development after about
thirty-eight weeks of gestation.

17 Choose the correct sequence that shows reproduction in humans.

A Fertilization → zygote → embryo → foetus
B Fertilization → foetus → embryo → zygote
C Fertilization → zygote → foetus→ embryo
D Fertilization → embryo → zygote→ foetus

Lyra, also called the Harp, is a small constellation that can be seen from the Northern
Hemisphere. Its brightest star, Vega, is about 26 light-years from the earth. One light-
year equals 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometres). Vega is the fifth brightest star
visible, excluding the sun. Lyra has two notable features that can be seen through a small
telescope. One of them is Epsilon Lyrae, a binary star (pair of stars). A telescope can also
spot the Ring Nebula, a ring-shaped cloud of dust and gas surrounding a very faint star.
The nebula formed when the star blew off an outer layer of its atmosphere.

18 Which of the following statements is TRUE about Lyra?

A Lyra is Vega’s brightest star in the constellation
B The Harp has only a bright star called Vega, which is 26 light-years from
the Earth
C Lyra has a binary star called Epsilon Lyrae which can be seen through a
telescope
D Lyra has the Ring Nebula, a ring-shaped cloud of dust and particles
surrounding a faint star

19 Constellation refers to
A one of the heavenly bodies (except comets or meteors) that moves around
the sun in nearly circular paths.
B a bright heavenly body with a starlike centre and often with a cloudy tail of
light which always points away from the sun.
C a mass of stone or metal that enters the earth's atmosphere from outer
space with enormous speed; falling star; shooting star.
D a group of stars, usually having a geometric shape within a definite region
of the sky

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20 The diagram above describes the main parts of a typical laser. Which of
the following statements BEST describes the diagram?

A The atoms of the active medium can absorb the energy, store it for a while, and
release it as light.
B A typical laser has the energy source and mirrors that supply an electric current,
light, or other form of energy.
C Mirrors at the ends of the optical cavity reflect the light back into the active
medium and function like those in an optical telescope.
D A typical laser has three main parts namely an energy source, a substance called
an active medium, and an optical cavity

‘Power Bleaching’ which uses a light-emitting diode lamp is an alternative to teeth

whitening. It hastens the bleaching process. Carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide
penetrate tooth enamel to lighten discoloration caused by ageing and habits like smoking
and drinking tea or coffee.

21 What can best replace the word ‘hastens’ ?

A limits
B hampers
C speeds up
D encourages

22 Which of the following directly contributes to the process of lightening

discoloration?
A Power bleaching
B Tooth extraction
C Carbamide peroxide
D Light-emitting diode lamp

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 Mass is often defined as the amount of matter in an object. But physicists define
mass as a measure of inertia, a property of all matter. Due to inertia, a motionless object
tends to remain motionless. A moving object tends to continue to move at a constant
velocity that is, at a constant speed and in the same direction.
The greater an object's mass, the greater the force needed to change its velocity by
a given quantity in a given amount of time. An example of such a change would be an
increase in velocity from 15 meters per second northward to 20 meters per second
northward in 10 seconds.

23 Which of the following statements is NOT true ?

A The heavier an object is, the more force is needed to move it.
B Physicists always refer to mass as the amount of matter in an object.
C A moving object continues to move at a constant velocity because of
inertia.
D The greater an object's mass, the greater the force needed to change its velocity

24 What does the word velocity refer to?

A strength
B efficiency
C consistency
D quickness of motion

25 Based on the diagram, what happened to the cultures of antibiotic-producing

microbes grown in flasks?
A They were transferred to huge fermentation vats and filtered.
B They were transferred to huge fermentation vats and discarded.
C They were transferred to huge fermentation vats where chemical solution
was added.
D They were transferred to huge fermentation vats where the antibiotic substance
is extracted from the culture and purified.

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 SECTION B
[5 marks]

Questions 26-30
Read the following passage and then circle the BEST answer A, B, C or D in the answer
sheet provided.

Today, one-fifth of Malaysia’s population __(26) __ around 4.5 million use mobile
phones at home, at work and even on the streets.

What many users do not realize is that the mobile phone is a potent __(27)__ , which
emits microwave radiation that affects everybody’s system. According to the Consumer
Association, mobile phones can affect the brain and its function. Mobile phone use
increases the risk of a brain tumor by almost 2 ½ times.

Studies also show that mobile phones can increase the temperature on the surface of the
skin by up to 4.7 Celsius. A few minutes exposure to mobile phone-type radiation can
__(28)___ a 5 percent active cancer into a 95 percent active cancer for the __(29) __ of
the exposure and a short time afterwards.

The findings of scientists confirm and __(30)__ the conclusion that small amounts of
energy when delivered in a target way can have the same effects as massive doses of
chemicals.

26 A such as 29 A effect
B that is B affect
C as many as C change
D for example D transform

27 A transmit 30 A react
B transmitter B reassure
C transmission C reaffirm
D transmitting D reconfirm

28 A infects
B destroys
C damages
D poisons

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