OCR GCSE 9-1 BIOLOGY B J257/03 B 2025
GCSE 9-1 BIOLOGY B J257/03 B READTH IN BIOLOGY HIGHER
TIER
, 1
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink. You can use an HB pencil, but only for graphs and diagrams.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided. If you need extra space use
the lined pages at the end of this booklet. The question numbers must be clearly shown.
• Answer all the questions.
• Where appropriate, your answer should be supported with working. Marks might be
given for using a correct method, even if your answer is wrong.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 90.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 32 pages.
*1892348822*
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink. You can use an HB pencil, but only for graphs and diagrams.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided. If you need extra space use
the lined pages at the end of this booklet. The question numbers must be clearly shown.
• Answer all the questions.
• Where appropriate, your answer should be supported with working. Marks might be
given for using a correct method, even if your answer is wrong.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 90.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 32 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
© OCR 2025 [601/8506/5] DC (SL/CB) 356625/5
OCR is an exempt Charity
Turn over
1 There are approximately 350 000 African savannah elephants.
(a) 130 000 of these elephants live in Botswana, a country in southern Africa.
Which of these is the closest approximation to the fraction of African savannah
elephants that live in Botswana?
Tick (✓) one box.
© OCR 2025
, 2
(b) The African savannah elephant is an endangered species.
Conservation efforts have been successful in increasing the number of elephants.
Suggest one method that may have been used to help conserve this species.
........................................................................................................................................
..................
........................................................................................................................................
............. [1]
(c) In May 2020, many elephants were found dead in a region of Botswana.
Scientists discovered that their death was caused by a bacterium that only causes
disease once in the blood of an elephant.
The bacterium usually lives in the nose of some elephants where it does not cause
disease.
Scientists think a rise in environmental temperature caused the bacteria to enter the
blood of these elephants.
(i) Suggest why the scientists may be concerned about this bacterium.
........................................................................................................................................
..................
........................................................................................................................................
............. [1]
(ii) Which of these will ingest and digest the bacterium?
Tick (✓) one box.
Antibodies
Platelets
Red blood cells
© OCR 2025 Turn over
, 3
White blood
cells
[1]
(iii) Which of these will tag the bacterium for attack?
Tick (✓) one box.
Antibodies
Platelets
Red blood cells
White blood
cells
[1] (d) To identify the type of bacterium responsible for the death of the elephants, the
scientists cultured the bacteria.
They poured some of the bacteria onto agar jelly in a Petri dish and spread it with a
glass spreader.
Then they incubated the Petri dish.
The diagram shows the equipment they used.
Glass bottle containing Petri dish containing Glass spreader the sample of
bacteria agar jelly
Suggest two ways the scientists could improve their method to make sure the
technique was aseptic.
1 .....................................................................................................................................
..................
........................................................................................................................................
..................
2 .....................................................................................................................................
..................
........................................................................................................................................
..................
(e) Some bacteria have evolved to become resistant to antibiotics.
The statements describe the steps in this process.
They are not in the correct order.
© OCR 2025
GCSE 9-1 BIOLOGY B J257/03 B READTH IN BIOLOGY HIGHER
TIER
, 1
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink. You can use an HB pencil, but only for graphs and diagrams.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided. If you need extra space use
the lined pages at the end of this booklet. The question numbers must be clearly shown.
• Answer all the questions.
• Where appropriate, your answer should be supported with working. Marks might be
given for using a correct method, even if your answer is wrong.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 90.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 32 pages.
*1892348822*
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink. You can use an HB pencil, but only for graphs and diagrams.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided. If you need extra space use
the lined pages at the end of this booklet. The question numbers must be clearly shown.
• Answer all the questions.
• Where appropriate, your answer should be supported with working. Marks might be
given for using a correct method, even if your answer is wrong.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 90.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• This document has 32 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
© OCR 2025 [601/8506/5] DC (SL/CB) 356625/5
OCR is an exempt Charity
Turn over
1 There are approximately 350 000 African savannah elephants.
(a) 130 000 of these elephants live in Botswana, a country in southern Africa.
Which of these is the closest approximation to the fraction of African savannah
elephants that live in Botswana?
Tick (✓) one box.
© OCR 2025
, 2
(b) The African savannah elephant is an endangered species.
Conservation efforts have been successful in increasing the number of elephants.
Suggest one method that may have been used to help conserve this species.
........................................................................................................................................
..................
........................................................................................................................................
............. [1]
(c) In May 2020, many elephants were found dead in a region of Botswana.
Scientists discovered that their death was caused by a bacterium that only causes
disease once in the blood of an elephant.
The bacterium usually lives in the nose of some elephants where it does not cause
disease.
Scientists think a rise in environmental temperature caused the bacteria to enter the
blood of these elephants.
(i) Suggest why the scientists may be concerned about this bacterium.
........................................................................................................................................
..................
........................................................................................................................................
............. [1]
(ii) Which of these will ingest and digest the bacterium?
Tick (✓) one box.
Antibodies
Platelets
Red blood cells
© OCR 2025 Turn over
, 3
White blood
cells
[1]
(iii) Which of these will tag the bacterium for attack?
Tick (✓) one box.
Antibodies
Platelets
Red blood cells
White blood
cells
[1] (d) To identify the type of bacterium responsible for the death of the elephants, the
scientists cultured the bacteria.
They poured some of the bacteria onto agar jelly in a Petri dish and spread it with a
glass spreader.
Then they incubated the Petri dish.
The diagram shows the equipment they used.
Glass bottle containing Petri dish containing Glass spreader the sample of
bacteria agar jelly
Suggest two ways the scientists could improve their method to make sure the
technique was aseptic.
1 .....................................................................................................................................
..................
........................................................................................................................................
..................
2 .....................................................................................................................................
..................
........................................................................................................................................
..................
(e) Some bacteria have evolved to become resistant to antibiotics.
The statements describe the steps in this process.
They are not in the correct order.
© OCR 2025
