ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Biology => Topic started by: squance on November 05, 2007, 10:14:17 am

Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: squance on November 05, 2007, 10:14:17 am
The biology exam was sooooooooooo easy!!!

And I managed to finish the whole exam!!!!

WOOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic!

What did everybody else think?
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: itsme on November 05, 2007, 10:18:17 am
Yeah, I did a lot better with this exam than the mid year.

Question: If everybody finds it easy how will they moderate it? :D
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: BA22 on November 05, 2007, 10:25:14 am
This will be considered a relatively tough exam by most. I thought it was fair and of comparable difficultly to the mid year. I think we'll see another ~80% A+ cut off
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 05, 2007, 10:29:32 am
easy?! ah crap :( i only just finished and found many qs ambiguous.

everyone at my school found it hard and incredibly long. did anyone see that for that MC about mitochondrial DNA, all the options were incorrect? :P
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: BA22 on November 05, 2007, 10:32:10 am
Quote from: "ninwa"
easy?! ah crap :( i only just finished and found many qs ambiguous.

everyone at my school found it hard and incredibly long. did anyone see that for that MC about mitochondrial DNA, all the options were incorrect? :P


nah they weren't

Mitochondrial changes at a slower rate than nuclear DNA. Nuclear DNA  can change by 50% per generation
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 05, 2007, 10:33:41 am
my textbook says mtDNA changes at a faster but more regular rate than nuclear DNA.

oh well, I picked that one anyway :P
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: BA22 on November 05, 2007, 10:36:13 am
Quote from: "ninwa"
my textbook says mtDNA changes at a faster but more regular rate than nuclear DNA.

oh well, I picked that one anyway :P


yeh, that was the only possible answer really, haha.

Note that mtDNA mutates at a faster rate, which is regular. But nuclear DNA will change more profoundly between generations as it is inherited from two sources

There was also a cool question about mutations in introns relating to pseudogenes. There really wasn't much on hominid development though. Yay.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 05, 2007, 10:38:44 am
oh, I see! thanks :)
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: astarael on November 05, 2007, 01:24:05 pm
but didn't the question say mutates?
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: BA22 on November 05, 2007, 01:33:11 pm
Quote from: "astarael"
but didn't the question say mutates?


i can't remember honestly, haha

But C was the only answer that seemed right to be honest
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: astarael on November 05, 2007, 01:59:20 pm
i'm 98% certain it did say mutates.  maybe they'll award marks for both B and C - they did that for one question on the midyear.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: BA22 on November 05, 2007, 02:53:54 pm
Quote from: "astarael"
i'm 98% certain it did say mutates.  maybe they'll award marks for both B and C - they did that for one question on the midyear.


what was alternative B?

Besides, the mutation rate of nuclear DNA can be varible, it can be fast or slow depending on the selective pressures of the phenotype that arises from such mutations.

mtDNA mutates at a  predictable rate
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 05, 2007, 02:58:44 pm
wasn't B something like mtDNA has more genes than nuclear DNA?

sigh, the more I think about it the more I realised how much I fluffed that exam. biology should get marked up more lol
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: BA22 on November 05, 2007, 03:07:04 pm
Quote from: "ninwa"
wasn't B something like mtDNA has more genes than nuclear DNA?

sigh, the more I think about it the more I realised how much I fluffed that exam. biology should get marked up more lol


Yeh bio can be a bit rough sometimes, if the performance was better, we might see more sclaing, bu unfortunately, like PE and HHD, it must go down.

Yeh alternative B is not correct. The human genome has more genes than the number of nucleotide base pairs in mtDNA, so it's a fair difference
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 05, 2007, 03:23:13 pm
does anybody have a copy of the exam btw?

i forgot to steal one off one of the teachers :P
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: munto on November 05, 2007, 04:20:29 pm
No sorry I haven't seen it. Would like to get my hands on it though, give you guys my thoughts.

In regards to mtDNA, it does actually mutate at a slower rate than normal DNA either in non coding regions or in coding regions and the in the other part it mutates at a much faster rate than normal DNA. Can't remember which one though, but that is definetly the case. Very nitpicky question though...

I know some people at my school didn't finish and my old biol teacher said it was one of the harder exams he has seen (he used to be a marker, and teacher for approx 20 years)

Thats a bit silly that there wasn't much on hominid evolution. It's a friggin' area of study... So I assume it was heavily balanced to basic evolution and basic genetics... hmmm...

GOOD LUCK FOR THE RESULTS GUYS!

*also if you found any strategies that worked for you in your study, add it into the exam tips thread and if it is a good suggestion I'll add it to the first post :)

CONGRATULATIONS!

as my old biol teacher would say: "you have crossed over from year 12 biol to (hopefully) university biol"

lol. oh how so cheesy
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: Collin Li on November 05, 2007, 04:35:30 pm
Quote from: "munto"
as my old biol teacher would say: "you have crossed over from year 12 biol to (hopefully) university biol"


The border is learning Chemistry :)
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: BA22 on November 05, 2007, 04:37:21 pm
Quote from: "coblin"
Quote from: "munto"
as my old biol teacher would say: "you have crossed over from year 12 biol to (hopefully) university biol"


The border is learning Chemistry :)


Yeh, i think VCE biology is waking up to that, Unit 3 is refered to as "The molecules of life" and is starting to examine some of the chem behind bio, especially with the properties of water
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 05, 2007, 04:38:04 pm
Quote from: "munto"
No sorry I haven't seen it. Would like to get my hands on it though, give you guys my thoughts.

In regards to mtDNA, it does actually mutate at a slower rate than normal DNA either in non coding regions or in coding regions and the in the other part it mutates at a much faster rate than normal DNA. Can't remember which one though, but that is definetly the case. Very nitpicky question though...

I know some people at my school didn't finish and my old biol teacher said it was one of the harder exams he has seen (he used to be a marker, and teacher for approx 20 years)

Thats a bit silly that there wasn't much on hominid evolution. It's a friggin' area of study... So I assume it was heavily balanced to basic evolution and basic genetics... hmmm...

GOOD LUCK FOR THE RESULTS GUYS!

*also if you found any strategies that worked for you in your study, add it into the exam tips thread and if it is a good suggestion I'll add it to the first post :)

CONGRATULATIONS!

as my old biol teacher would say: "you have crossed over from year 12 biol to (hopefully) university biol"

lol. oh how so cheesy


there was also barely anything on protein synthesis / DNA ... copying (I've already forgotten the term) ....
EDIT: DNA replication  :oops:

at my school, after each chapter we got a "blue sheet" with dot points of everything we needed to know, and I got together all my ref material and made summary notes based on the "blue sheet". after my exams I'll see if I can scan them up :)
Title: Re: Exam Thoughts
Post by: Bombers on November 05, 2007, 05:43:57 pm
Quote from: "squance"
The biology exam was sooooooooooo easy!!!

And I managed to finish the whole exam!!!!

WOOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic!

What did everybody else think?


What the fuk, that exam was harder than mid yr. I totally screwed the meiosis question. :cry:
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: munto on November 05, 2007, 06:41:45 pm
Quote from: "coblin"
Quote from: "munto"
as my old biol teacher would say: "you have crossed over from year 12 biol to (hopefully) university biol"


The border is learning Chemistry :)


oh don't worry i do do that. given that i do think the biol course is more relevant than that bullshit we have to know for the production of aluminium using the hall heroult cell... L-A-M-E
Title: Re: Exam Thoughts
Post by: squance on November 06, 2007, 11:33:04 am
Quote from: "Bombers"
Quote from: "squance"
The biology exam was sooooooooooo easy!!!

And I managed to finish the whole exam!!!!

WOOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic!

What did everybody else think?


What the fuk, that exam was harder than mid yr. I totally screwed the meiosis question. :cry:


Nah...Mid year was harder
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 06, 2007, 01:49:29 pm
I thought midyear was sooo much easier ....... i had like 30 mins left to spare in that. this one i had none
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: un on November 06, 2007, 10:23:36 pm
agree. i found midyear much more relevant and easier.

This paper barely tested knowledge on human evolution, human intervention and tested all this random comprehension.

It reminded me of one of those long comprehension tests.

Lucky enough I was one of the few students who actually got to the last question.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: BA22 on November 07, 2007, 12:18:43 am
Quote from: "un"


Lucky enough I was one of the few students who actually got to the last question.


Really?

Wow, i finished with 5-7 minutes to go. I thought i struggled, haha.

I well aware of the arrogance of the remark, but meh . .i should be sleeping
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: squance on November 07, 2007, 09:25:13 am
Quote from: "ninwa"
I thought midyear was sooo much easier ....... i had like 30 mins left to spare in that. this one i had none


I didn't even finish the last two pages of the midyear...dats why I ended up with a stupid B as a grade
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: fELiX on November 08, 2007, 06:58:03 am
I found the BioloGAY exam gay.

It was like you study all this garbage in the study design and you get other rubbish in the test>>>
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: kido_1 on November 08, 2007, 07:12:55 am
This biology exam was not difficult. It was just wierd, ambiguous, quiet vague and a bit out of place.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: itsme on November 08, 2007, 09:06:28 am
I'm with you Kido.

The exam itself wasn't difficult, I just found it to be ambiguous.

I had a horrible midyear, (didn't like that exam at all).

This time round I'm pretty sure I nailed it. I am so relieved.

Maybe I can salvage a reasonable study score.

Oh well don't think it will be in my top 4!!!!!!!!!!
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: kido_1 on November 09, 2007, 02:27:04 pm
I am so over bio.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 09, 2007, 04:12:04 pm
Quote from: "kido_1"
I am so over bio.

Ditto.

What are you aiming for in bio btw? 50? :P
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: kido_1 on November 10, 2007, 07:20:17 pm
lol
No, not 50. probably mid 40 s (45-48)
And you? 50 (im guessing)
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 10, 2007, 08:15:29 pm
Heh, I wish. I'd be overjoyed if I could get above 40.

Yay no more bio :D
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: kido_1 on November 19, 2007, 10:32:11 am
The good thing about bio, is that now I do NOt have to read that same boring book with fish on its covers.

Also. No more perrsonal stories that I have to flip over.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: golids on November 19, 2007, 08:11:33 pm
Quote from: "kido_1"
The good thing about bio, is that now I do NOt have to read that same boring book with fish on its covers.

Also. No more perrsonal stories that I have to flip over.


not me though, thinking of taking up some tutoring next year
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 19, 2007, 08:30:54 pm
Quote from: "kido_1"
The good thing about bio, is that now I do NOt have to read that same boring book with fish on its covers.

Also. No more perrsonal stories that I have to flip over.

My book had a starfish on the cover. Close enough :P

We didn't get any interesting personal stories. Just boring VCE-related pics. Also a disturbing one of a child with smallpox. Ugh.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: golids on November 19, 2007, 08:53:14 pm
lol my text book had the one with the std infected gonads lol
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: kido_1 on November 19, 2007, 08:55:53 pm
It is funny how pointless everything we learnt in bio is, the DAY AFTER the test.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 19, 2007, 09:05:08 pm
Quote from: "golids"
lol my text book had the one with the std infected gonads lol

=\
right, I officially have no right to ever complain about the smallpox child again :?
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: kido_1 on November 19, 2007, 09:09:36 pm
The Nature Of Biology text book is so THICk and HEAVY as well. I swear, I could do weights with that text book.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: munto on November 19, 2007, 09:44:56 pm
Quote from: "golids"
lol my text book had the one with the std infected gonads lol


lol yeah me too. i'm tutoring too...
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 19, 2007, 10:25:36 pm
Quote from: "kido_1"
The Nature Of Biology text book is so THICk and HEAVY as well. I swear, I could do weights with that text book.

Isn't that the one written by the chief examiner? Lucky you.

I had ... I can't remember ... I think it was Nelson Biology (does that exist?) ... it was ok but there was a discrepancy between what it said and what the answer on one of the questions in the unit 3 exam was (the first line of defence one ... my book said skin, yours would have said INTACT skin, and we all lost a mark for that)
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: munto on November 20, 2007, 08:35:21 am
yeah nature of biology is written by the chief examiner.

conflict of interest much?
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: kido_1 on November 20, 2007, 06:54:12 pm
Isn't Doris Gleeson or someone with a similar name the Chief Examiner for Unit 4?
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: golids on November 20, 2007, 07:12:01 pm
Quote from: "kido_1"
Isn't Doris Gleeson or someone with a similar name the Chief Examiner for Unit 4?


Dawn Gleeson. met her on the kwong lee down young scholar program and she does 1st and 2nd year bio IIRC. Really knowledgable and nice. If i do biomed hope i get her as a lecturer
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: Collin Li on November 20, 2007, 07:16:38 pm
Quote from: "golids"
Quote from: "kido_1"
Isn't Doris Gleeson or someone with a similar name the Chief Examiner for Unit 4?


Dawn Gleeson. met her on the kwong lee down young scholar program and she does 1st and 2nd year bio IIRC. Really knowledgable and nice. If i do biomed hope i get her as a lecturer


Hey, she lectured my girlfriend in Biology. It's so boring!
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: golids on November 20, 2007, 07:19:17 pm
Quote from: "coblin"
Quote from: "golids"
Quote from: "kido_1"
Isn't Doris Gleeson or someone with a similar name the Chief Examiner for Unit 4?


Dawn Gleeson. met her on the kwong lee down young scholar program and she does 1st and 2nd year bio IIRC. Really knowledgable and nice. If i do biomed hope i get her as a lecturer


Hey, she lectured my girlfriend in Biology. It's so boring!


the course or her
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: golids on November 20, 2007, 07:20:12 pm
Quote from: "golids"
Quote from: "coblin"
Quote from: "golids"
Quote from: "kido_1"
Isn't Doris Gleeson or someone with a similar name the Chief Examiner for Unit 4?


Dawn Gleeson. met her on the kwong lee down young scholar program and she does 1st and 2nd year bio IIRC. Really knowledgable and nice. If i do biomed hope i get her as a lecturer


Hey, she lectured my girlfriend in Biology. It's so boring!


the course or her


that's dawn not your GF :wink:
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: Collin Li on November 20, 2007, 07:53:04 pm
LOL.

Biology, not Dawn... and not my gf, hahaha.
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: golids on November 25, 2007, 11:35:32 am
FYI

met my teacher during th week and she said that the mitochondrial DNA MC was bogus and everyone was awarded i mark

cya
Title: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: ninwa on November 25, 2007, 02:12:01 pm
Quote from: "golids"

met my teacher during th week and she said that the mitochondrial DNA MC was bogus and everyone was awarded i mark


not surprised :) seeing as all the options were wrong!
Title: Re: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: squance on December 01, 2007, 12:30:33 pm
FYI

met my teacher during th week and she said that the mitochondrial DNA MC was bogus and everyone was awarded i mark

cya

Serious??? woo hoo!!
Title: Re: 2007 Unit 4 Exam Thoughts
Post by: golids on December 01, 2007, 03:37:27 pm
FYI

met my teacher during th week and she said that the mitochondrial DNA MC was bogus and everyone was awarded i mark

cya

Serious??? woo hoo!!

absolutely