Observation

A few candidates could name the vertebrae in mammals with their location. Those that lost marks lost them to the spelling of the vertebrae.

Many candidates could not state the function of the listed parts in a dicotyledonous leaf and the stem of a flowering plant.

The expected answers are:

1. Vertebrae with corresponding location




Vertebrae	Location
Cervical	Neck
Thoracic	Chest/thorax
Lumbar	Abdomen/upper abdomen/loi;
Sacral	Hip/Lower abdome
Caudal	Tail/coccyx

Note: Correct location x 1 mark




Correct vertebrae x 1 mark




Vertebrae spellings must be correct to score



2. Function of
   
   

   1. Palisade
   
   

   - Manufactures food/carries out photosynthesis/site of photosynthesis;.

   
   

   - Contains chloroplasts for photosynthesis..

   
   
   2. Vascular bundle.
   
   

   - Contains xylem for transport of water/mineral salts/phloem for translocation of manufactured organic substances/hormones;.

   - Provides mechanical support.

   3. Epidermis
   
   .

   - It keeps the leaf’s shape;.

   - Reduces water loss/evaporation;.

   - Protects the internal structures of a leaf;.

   - Contains stomata for gaseous exchange.

3. Function of

   1. Sieve tube
   
   

   Translocates/transports manufactured foods to other parts of the plant.

   2. Cortex
   
   

   - The cells of cortex store starch;

   - Outer cortex cells of green stems contain chloroplasts and make food by photosynthesis/chlorophyllus cortex cells manufacture food.

   3. Pith
   
   

   - Cells of pith act as packing/food storage tissues;

   - Supports the stem.

4. Structural differences
External structural differences between stem and root of a maize seedling Note: Points must correspond to score.

Stem of a maize seedling	Root of a maize seedling
- Fibrous root absent	fibrous root present;
- Chlorophyllus/greenish	non chlorophyllus/non-greenish;
- Leaves are present	leaves are absent;;
- Thicker in sizel	thinner in size;
- Coleoptiles/shoot sheath present	coleoptiles/shoot sheath absent;
- Coleorhizae/radicle sheath absent	coleorhizae/radicle sheath present.

Just a few of the candidates could conveniently answer (d). others could not correspond their answers.