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Primary 4 Science Semestral Assessment 2 (End of Year) Paper 1

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Questions

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Science Primary 4

School: TuitionGoWhere Secondary School (AI) Subject: Science Level: Primary 4 Paper: SA2 (End-of-Year Examination) Version: 1 of 5 Duration: 60 minutes Total Marks: 50

Name: ________________________ Class: ________________________ Date: ________________________

Instructions

Answer ALL questions.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
For multiple-choice questions, shade the correct option on the answer sheet.
Show your working clearly for questions that require explanation.
The use of calculators is not allowed.

Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (10 marks)

Questions 1–10: Choose the most accurate answer. Each question carries 1 mark.

1. Which of the following is a living thing?

A) Rock B) Plastic bottle C) Grass D) Metal spoon

2. Which characteristic is shared by ALL living things?

A) They can fly. B) They can grow. C) They are green in colour. D) They live on land.

3. Which of the following is a non-living thing?

A) Butterfly B) Mushroom C) Cloud D) Fish

4. A plant and a plastic flower look similar. How can you tell that the plant is a living thing?

A) It is colourful. B) It can grow and reproduce. C) It has petals. D) It is soft.

5. Which of the following groups contains ONLY living things?

A) Bird, stone, grass B) Dog, cat, fish C) Water, tree, ant D) Wood, flower, worm

6. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of living things?

A) They need food and water. B) They can move from place to place. C) They can reproduce. D) They respond to changes around them.

7. A seed germinates and grows into a plant. This shows that living things can

A) die. B) grow. C) float. D) change colour.

8. Which of the following is an example of a living thing responding to a stimulus?

A) A rock rolling down a hill. B) A sunflower turning towards sunlight. C) A balloon floating in the air. D) Ice melting into water.

9. What do living things need to survive?

A) Electricity B) Sunlight, water, air, and food C) Plastic bags D) Metal

10. Which statement is TRUE about living and non-living things?

A) All living things can move on their own. B) Non-living things can grow and reproduce. C) Living things need food, water, and air to survive. D) Non-living things can respond to changes around them.

Section B: Short Answer Questions (20 marks)

Questions 11–15: Write your answers in the spaces provided. Each question carries 2–4 marks.

11. Study the pictures below and classify each item as a living thing (L) or a non-living thing (N). (4 marks)

Item	Classification (L or N)
(a) A cat	____________
(b) A wooden chair	____________
(c) A potted plant	____________
(d) A glass of water	____________

12. Give two characteristics that all living things share. (2 marks)

(a) _______________________________________________________________

(b) _______________________________________________________________

13. Explain why a car is considered a non-living thing even though it can move. (2 marks)

14. The table below shows four organisms. Complete the table by stating one observable characteristic of each organism that shows it is a living thing. (4 marks)

Organism	Observable Characteristic
(a) A bird	________________________________________
(b) A tree	________________________________________
(c) A human	________________________________________
(d) A frog	________________________________________

15. A student says, "A mushroom is not a living thing because it does not move." Do you agree? Explain your answer. (3 marks)

Section C: Structured / Application Questions (20 marks)

Questions 16–20: Answer all questions. Show your reasoning clearly. Each question carries 4 marks.

16. The diagram below shows a pond ecosystem. Study it carefully.

(Imagine: a pond with fish, water lilies, water, rocks, sunlight, and a frog on a lily pad)

(a) List three living things shown in the pond ecosystem. (3 marks)

(i) _______________________________ (ii) _______________________________ (iii) _______________________________

(b) List one non-living thing shown in the pond ecosystem. (1 mark)

17. A scientist found an unknown object in the forest. She observed the following:

It does not grow.
It does not need food or water.
It does not reproduce.
It does not respond to touch.

(a) Is the object a living or non-living thing? (1 mark)

(b) Give two reasons from the observations to support your answer. (3 marks)

(i) _______________________________________________________________________

(ii) _______________________________________________________________________

18. Study the two organisms below:

Organism X: A butterfly that starts as an egg, becomes a caterpillar, forms a chrysalis, and then becomes an adult butterfly.

Organism Y: A grasshopper that starts as an egg, hatches into a small wingless nymph, and grows into an adult grasshopper with wings.

(a) What is the main difference between the life cycles of Organism X and Organism Y? (2 marks)

(b) At which stage does Organism Y most closely resemble the adult? Explain why. (2 marks)

19. A class went on a nature walk. They recorded the following items:

Item Number	Item Observed
1	Ant
2	Fallen leaf
3	Mushroom
4	Puddle of water
5	Grasshopper
6	Plastic wrapper

(a) Which items are living things? Write the item numbers. (2 marks)

(b) Which items are non-living things? Write the item numbers. (2 marks)

20. Two students are debating:

Student A: "Fire is a living thing because it grows, moves, and needs air."

Student B: "Fire is not a living thing because it cannot reproduce or respond to changes like living things do."

(a) Who is correct? (1 mark)

(b) Explain your answer using two characteristics of living things. (3 marks)

END OF PAPER

Total: 50 marks

Answers

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - Science Primary 4

SA2 Answer Key — Version 1 of 5

Paper: SA2 (End-of-Year Examination) Total Marks: 50

Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (10 marks)

1. C) Grass

Marking note: Grass is a living plant. Rock, plastic bottle, and metal spoon are non-living. (1 mark)

2. B) They can grow.

Marking note: All living things grow. Not all living things can fly, are green, or live on land. (1 mark)

3. C) Cloud

Marking note: A cloud is made of water droplets and is non-living. Butterfly, mushroom, and fish are living things. (1 mark)

4. B) It can grow and reproduce.

Marking note: Growth and reproduction are key characteristics of living things. A plastic flower cannot grow or reproduce. (1 mark)

5. B) Dog, cat, fish

Marking note: All three are living things. The other options contain at least one non-living item. (1 mark)

6. B) They can move from place to place.

Marking note: Not all living things can move from place to place (e.g., plants are living but do not move from place to place). This is NOT a universal characteristic of living things. (1 mark)

7. B) grow.

Marking note: A seed germinating and developing into a plant is an example of growth, a characteristic of living things. (1 mark)

8. B) A sunflower turning towards sunlight.

Marking note: This is a living thing responding to a stimulus (light). The other options involve non-living things or physical changes. (1 mark)

9. B) Sunlight, water, air, and food

Marking note: Living things need sunlight, water, air, and food to survive. (1 mark)

10. C) Living things need food, water, and air to survive.

Marking note: This is the only correct statement. Not all living things can move on their own (e.g., plants), non-living things cannot grow and reproduce, and non-living things do not respond to stimuli. (1 mark)

Section B: Short Answer Questions (20 marks)

11. (4 marks — 1 mark each)

Item	Classification (L or N)
(a) A cat	L
(b) A wooden chair	N
(c) A potted plant	L
(d) A glass of water	N

Marking note: Cats and potted plants are living things. Wooden chairs and water are non-living things. Accept only L or N.

12. (2 marks — 1 mark each)

Accept any two of the following:

They can grow.
They can reproduce (produce young/offspring).
They need food and water (or nutrients).
They respond to changes around them (stimuli).
They can breathe / respire (take in air/gases).
They can excrete (remove waste).
Marking note: Award 1 mark for each correct characteristic, up to 2 marks. Answers must describe characteristics shared by ALL living things.

13. (2 marks)

A car is a non-living thing because:

It cannot grow on its own. (1 mark)
It cannot reproduce / it does not need food and water to survive (it uses fuel, not food in the biological sense). (1 mark)

Alternative acceptable answers:

It cannot respond to stimuli.
It cannot excrete waste.
It does not breathe/respire.
Marking note: Award 1 mark for each valid reason, up to 2 marks. The key point is that movement alone does not make something a living thing; the car lacks other essential life processes.

14. (4 marks — 1 mark each)

Accept any one valid observable characteristic for each organism:

Organism	Acceptable Answers
(a) A bird	It can fly / It lays eggs / It breathes / It eats food / It grows / It responds to sound
(b) A tree	It grows / It has leaves that make food / It reproduces (seeds/fruits) / It responds to sunlight
(c) A human	It breathes / It eats food / It grows / It can reproduce / It responds to touch
(d) A frog	It can jump / It lays eggs / It breathes / It eats insects / It grows / It lives near water

Marking note: Award 1 mark per correct characteristic. The characteristic must be observable and must be a characteristic of living things.

15. (3 marks)

Disagree with the student. (1 mark)

A mushroom is a living thing because: (2 marks)

It can grow (it increases in size over time). (1 mark)
It can reproduce (it produces spores to make new mushrooms). (1 mark)

Alternative acceptable reasons:

It needs food and water to survive.
It responds to changes in its environment.
Marking note: Award 1 mark for stating disagreement. Award up to 2 marks for valid reasons. The key misconception to address is that movement is NOT a requirement for being a living thing. Fungi (mushrooms) are living organisms.

Section C: Structured / Application Questions (20 marks)

16. (4 marks)

(a) Three living things in a pond ecosystem: (3 marks — 1 mark each)

Fish
Water lily (plant)
Frog

Alternative acceptable answers: Any living organism found in a pond (e.g., duck, algae, dragonfly, turtle).

(b) One non-living thing: (1 mark)

Water / Rock / Sunlight / Mud / Sand
Marking note: Award 1 mark per correct answer. Answers must be appropriate for a pond ecosystem.

17. (4 marks)

(a) The object is a non-living thing. (1 mark)

(b) Two reasons: (3 marks — 1.5 marks each, or 1 mark + 2 marks)

(i) It does not grow — living things grow and develop over time. (1–1.5 marks)

(ii) It does not reproduce — living things can produce offspring of their own kind. (1–1.5 marks)

Alternative acceptable reasons:

It does not need food or water.
It does not respond to touch (stimulus).
Marking note: Award 1 mark for correct classification in part (a). Award up to 3 marks for valid reasons in part (b). Reasons must reference specific observations from the question.

18. (4 marks)

(a) The main difference: (2 marks)

Organism X (butterfly) goes through four stages including a pupal/chrysalis stage, while Organism Y (grasshopper) goes through only three stages and has no pupal stage. (2 marks)

Alternative acceptable answer:

Organism X undergoes complete metamorphosis (egg → larva → pupa → adult), while Organism Y undergoes incomplete metamorphosis (egg → nymph → adult). (2 marks)

(b) The nymph stage most closely resembles the adult grasshopper. (1 mark)

This is because the nymph looks similar to the adult but is smaller and does not have wings yet. (1 mark)
Marking note: For part (a), award 2 marks for a clear comparison. For part (b), award 1 mark for identifying the nymph and 1 mark for the explanation.

19. (4 marks)

(a) Living things: Item 1 (Ant), Item 3 (Mushroom), Item 5 (Grasshopper) (2 marks)

Marking note: Award 2 marks if all three are correct. Award 1 mark if one or two are correct.

(b) Non-living things: Item 2 (Fallen leaf), Item 4 (Puddle of water), Item 6 (Plastic wrapper) (2 marks)

Marking note: Award 2 marks if all three are correct. Award 1 mark if one or two are correct. Note: A fallen leaf is non-living because it has been separated from the tree and can no longer carry out life processes.

20. (4 marks)

(a) Student B is correct. (1 mark)

(b) Explanation using two characteristics of living things: (3 marks)

Fire is a non-living thing because:

Fire cannot reproduce — it cannot produce young or offspring of its own kind. (1.5 marks)
Fire cannot respond to changes like living things do — it does not react to stimuli in a biological way; it simply reacts to physical/chemical conditions (fuel, oxygen). (1.5 marks)

Alternative acceptable reasons:

Fire does not excrete waste.
Fire does not grow in the biological sense (it spreads, but this is not the same as growth in living things).
Fire does not need food in the biological sense.
Marking note: Award 1 mark for identifying Student B. Award up to 3 marks for explanation. The key teaching point is that fire exhibits some properties that resemble living things (it "grows," "moves," and "needs air"), but it lacks essential life processes such as reproduction and response to stimuli.

END OF ANSWER KEY

Total: 50 marks

Summary of Marks by Section

Section	Description	Marks
A	Multiple Choice (Q1–10)	10
B	Short Answer (Q11–15)	20
C	Structured / Application (Q16–20)	20
Total		50