NATIONAL

SENIOR CERTIFICATE

GRADE 11

JUNE 2024

AMENDED LIFE SCIENCES

MARKING GUIDELINES

MARKS: 150

This marking guideline consists of 11 pages.

 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES- MARKING GUIDELINES 2

PRINCIPLES RELATED TO MARKING LIFE SCIENCES

1. If more information is given than marks allocated
Stop marking when maximum marks are reached and put a wavy line and write '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 provincial memo discussion meeting.
14. If only the letter is asked for but only the name is given (and vice versa)
Do not credit.
15. If units are not given in measurements
Candidates will lose marks. Memorandum 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 learners' 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 guideline
No changes may be made to the marking guideline without consulting the provincial internal moderator.

Copyright reserved Please turn over

 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES – MARKING GUIDELINES 3

SECTION A
QUESTION 1

1.1 1.1.1 C

1.1.2 A
1.1.3 B
1.1.4 C
1.1.5 A
1.1.6 D
1.1.7 B

1.1.8 CNo answer – award 2 marks : Error in the question EXP 3 CO2
should’ve been 0.03
1.1.9 C (9 x 2) (18)

1.2 1.2.1 Thallus

1.2.2 Mutualism
1.2.3 Asexual/vegetative reproduction
1.2.4 Stamen/ Androecium
1.2.5 Humus
1.2.6 Invertebrate
1.2.7 Xylem
1.2.8 Rhizome
1.2.9 Assimilation
1.2.10 Anaerobic respiration (10 x 1) (10)

1.3 1.3.1 Both A and B/ B only

1.3.2 None/A only

1.3.3 B only (3 x 2) (6)

1.4 1.4.1 (a) C (1)

(b) B/ A (1)
(c) C (1)
1.5.2 A: Porifera
B: Cnidaria
C: Arthropoda (3)
(6)

Copyright reserved Please turn over

 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES- MARKING GUIDELINES 4

1.5.1 Chloroplast NOT chlorophyll (1)

1.5.2 (a) (Double) membrane (1)

(b) Lamellla/Thylakoid/granum (1)

1.5.3 (a) 1 - Starch grain (2)

(b) 5 - Ribosome (2)

4 - Stroma (2)

1.5.4 ATP/ Adenosine tri-phosphate (1)

(10)

TOTAL SECTION A: 50

Copyright reserved Please turn over

 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES – MARKING GUIDELINES 5

SECTION B
QUESTION 2
2.1 2.1.1 A - Vascular tissue /Conducting tissue/Xylem and Phloem
B - Seeds (2)
2.1.2 Bryophytes (1)
2.1.3 - Possess vascular/conducting tissue / xylem and phloem
- to push water up to tips of tall plants /for strengthening/for (2)
support
2.1.4 Spermatophytes/Spermatophyta (1)
2.1.5 - Gymnosperm seeds are naked/exposed on a cone
- Angiosperm seeds are enclosed in an ovary/ fruit (2)
2.1.6 - Produce pollen
- which is carried by wind to the female cones (2)
(10)
2.2 2.2.1 (a) Stigma (1)

(b) Ovary/Ovule (1)

2.2.2 - Serves as a passage for the pollen tube
- Connects the stigma and the ovary Any (1)
(Mark first ONE only)
2.2.3 - Stigma (1) is usually small and sticky
- so that pollen grains can attach from the insect body
OR
- Stigma is situated deep inside the flower which forces the
insect to touch the stigma when trying to get to the nectar.  (2)
2.2.4
WIND INSECT
Flowers are small Flowers are usually large
Flowers are green/dull Brightly coloured flowers
Reduced scent Highly scented
Pollen grains are smooth Pollen grains are rough
No nectar produced Nectar is produced 
Pollen light and dry Sticky pollen
Stigma protrudes outside Stigma within the flower/filament
flower/filaments are longer shorter
Large amount of pollen is produced Less amount of pollen is produced
No petals  Petals are present 
The filament is long and thin Filaments are not as long 
Anthers are easily moveable Anthers are not as moveable 
The stigma is large  The stigma is smaller 
No nectar is produced Nectar is produced 
(Mark first TWO only) 1 table + (Any 2 x 2) (5)
(10)
Copyright reserved Please turn over
 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES- MARKING GUIDELINES 6

2.3 2.3.1 (a) Platyhelminthes (1)

(b) Annelida (1)

2.3.2 A – blind gut

B – through gut (2)
2.3.3 Bilateral symmetry (1)

2.3.4 - Organisms with bilateral symmetry develop an anterior and

posterior end
- with the development of cephalisation
- The organisms become more motile
- They have their sense organs concentrated on their head and
- develop a brain
- This means that the animal moves head first into the
environment
- The organisms become more motile
- and is able to detect food/danger quick
- and is able to detect food/danger quickly and
- can respond quickly Any (5)

2.3.5 - Phylum A is triploblastIc and (award 2 marks – not a

difference)
Phylum B is triploblastic
- Phylum A is acoelomate/ has no coelom and (4)
Phylum B is coelamate/ has a coelom (14)

2.4 - Potatoes are full of starch

- In the mouth
- teeth are used to chew the potato
- making smaller pieces on which enzymes can act
- Carbohydrase/salivary amylase
- breaks large polysaccharides into shorter polysaccharide (disaccharides)
chains
- The stomach churns and further breaks down the food increasing
surface area for enzymes to work
- In the duodenum, carbohyhdrase/pancreatic amylase
- breaks the starch into monosaccharides which can be absorbed
Any (6)

Copyright reserved Please turn over

 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES – MARKING GUIDELINES 7

2.5 2.5.1 Structure of a villus/villi (1)

2.5.2 Small intestine (1)

2.5.3 Absorption of digested nutrients (1)

2.5.4 (a) Columnar epithelial cell (1)

(b) Lacteal/ lymph vessel (1)

2.5.5 - Glucose
- Amino acids
- vitamins
- minerals
- water Any (1)
(Mark first ONE only)

2.5.6 - The thin columnar epithelium of the villus

facilitates easy absorption of nutrients
- The columnar epithelial cells have a brush border or microvilli
to enlarge the surface area for absorption
- The columnar epithelial cells produce carrier molecules
- which facilitate active absorption of nutrients against diffusion
gradients
- The goblet cells between the columnar epithelial cells secrete
watery mucus
that prevents friction and keeps the cells moist
- The villi contain many capillary blood vessels and lacteals in close
contact with the absorption surface
- to take the absorbed food away fast and therefore, maintain steep
concentration gradients for fast diffusion
- Epithelial cells have many mitochondria to provide energy for
active absorption  Any (2 x2) (4)
(Mark first TWO only) (10)
[50]

Copyright reserved Please turn over

 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES- MARKING GUIDELINES 8

QUESTION 3

3.1.1 An organism where the nuclear material is not enclosed in a

membrane/ cell with no definite nucleus (1)

3.1.2 (a) Cell wall (1)

(b) Nucleoid/chromosome/DNA (1)

3.1.3 Protects from drying out/desiccation/protects from antibiotics (1)

3.1.4 - Plasmid (4)/DNA from the bacterial cell/E.coli is removed and

- cut with (restriction) enzymes
- Human DNA with insulin gene is also cut and inserted into cut
plasmid
- The plasmid / recombinant DNA is re-inserted to the bacterial cell
to produce human insulin
- Human insulin is isolated and used to treat diabetics (5)

3.1.5 - Mutations occur spontaneously in bacteria

- Some mutations cause bacteria to be resistant to antibiotics
- By stopping to take antibiotics early in the course
- the bacteria that have acquired resistance multiply and increase (3)
their population size (12)
OR
- The first dose of antibiotics usually kills all the weak bacteria 
- If the course is not completed
- the stronger bacteria that are left behind multiply and become drug
resistant 

3.2.1 Type of sterilizing methodt (1)

3.2.2 - All volunteers were not:

- Under dental treatment
- Using antibiotics
- Using antiseptic mouthwashes
- Treatment of toothbrushes with sterilizer was done once daily
- Toothbrushes were kept in each sterilizer for five minutes
- Method of isolating and counting bacteria from toothbrushes
- Same type /size of toothbrush
- Toothbrushes were all transported after 21 days/ duration was
the same
- Toothbrushes were all transported in sterile bags
- Same number/ Six toothbrushes/volunteers in all groups
- All volunteers were adults
(Mark first THREE only) Any (3)

Copyright reserved Please turn over

 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES – MARKING GUIDELINES 9

3.2.3 - To serve as a control

- to show that reduced bacterial contamination is due to the
presence (2)
of a sterilizing agent
3.2.4 Dettol is the most effective sterilizing agent
OR
Hot water is the least effective sterilizing agent (2)
3.2.5

Graph showing the percentage bacterial

contamination of tootbrushes exposed to
different sterilizing agents
Bacterial Contamination

120
100
100
80
(%)

60 50
37,5
40
20 12,5

0
Dettol Salt Hot water None
Sterilizing Agent

Criteria for marking the graph:

Criteria Mark allocation
Bar graph is drawn (T) 1
Caption of the graph includes both variable (C) 1
Correct labels on the X-axis and Y-axis with
1
correct unit on the Y-axis (L)
Correct scale for Y-axis and equal width and
1
space between the bars(S)
Plotting of bars correctly done for: (P)
1-3 Bars 1
All 4 bars 2
(6)
(14)

Copyright reserved Please turn over

 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES- MARKING GUIDELINES 10

3.3.1 (a) - The leaf must be free of starch at the start of the experiment
so that evidence of the need for the factor being investigated
can be provided during the experiment
- to remove starch so that the starch present afterwards shows
that photosynthesis has occurred
- To make sure the starch tested at the end of the investigation
is the only one that was produced during the investigation  
- To ensure that the starch present is due to the investigation
not from before  (1)

(b) The variegated plant is placed in a dark cupboard for 48 hours (1)

3.3.2 The need for light during photosynthesis// light (1)

3.3.3 - The black paper must be placed on both sides of the leaves – top
and bottom

- To make sure that the black paper is securely attached/ does not
fall off/ does not come off

- To make sure that the black paper does not let any light through

- Black paper must be carefully placed around the leaf to not squash
the cells underneath (1)

3.3.4 - The parts covered in black paper will turn reddish-brown/ brown
after iodine is added
- proving that photosynthesis requires light (2)
(6)

3.4 3.4.1 - As carbon dioxide levels rise, so too does the rate of
photosynthesis
- When the optimum level of carbon dioxide is
reached, the rate of photosynthesis levels off
- Very high levels of carbon dioxide increases (4)
acidity/forms carbonic acid
However, there is a limited number of chloroplasts available and
- once they are all working to full capacity
- no further increase in photosynthesis is possible
3.4.2 - As the temperature increases so does the rate of photosynthesis up
to a certain point ✔
- If the temperature increases beyond the optimum level that causes
the enzymes to denature ✔ therefore decreasing the rate of
photosynthesis. ✔ /Causing the photosynthesis to stop
OR
- photosynthetic reactions are enzyme controlled
- High temperatures cause the enzymes to denature (2)
Copyright reserved Please turn over
 (Gr 11/ JUNE 2024) LIFE SCIENCES – MARKING GUIDELINES 11

3.4.3 - At temperatures above 35° all photosynthesis stops

- The temperatures in deserts often get far higher than 40° (2)
(8)

3.5 3.5.1 Glucose + oxygen  carbon dioxide + water + energy (ATP) (2)

3.5.2 - Glucose is broken down/ glycolysis occurs

- In the absence of (sufficient) oxygen 
- into two pyruvic acid molecules
- which are converted into lactic acid Any
(3)
3.5.3
- After exercise rate and depth of breathing increases.
- More oxygen is transported to muscles/ Enough oxygen is
(3)
supplied to the cell
- The lactic acid is converted back into pyruvic acid 
- for aerobic respiration to occur
3.5.4 12s ÷ 60s × 8 litres = 1,6 litres (2)
(10)
[50]

TOTAL SECTION B: 100

GRAND TOTAL: 150

Copyright reserved Please turn over