Exam Content

The exam questions will cover material that a senior high school biology student is likely to have come across in their studies. The content of the exam will reflect the similarities in the secondary school biology curricula among the provinces. The major topics covered on the exam include:

• General biochemistry

  basic chemical concepts, chemical bonds, biochemical reactions, biologically important organic molecules

• Cell structure and processes

  cell structure and function, membrane structure, transport across membranes

• Cell metabolism

  energy in the cell, enzymes, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, mitosis, cell cycle

• Genetics

  meiosis, sexual and asexual reproduction, Mendelian inheritance, DNA, genes and chromosomes, protein synthesis, mutation, genetic disorders in humans, gene expression and manipulation

• Evolution

  historical context for evolutionary theory, evidence for evolution, population genetics, evolutionary mechanisms, adaptation, speciation, extinction

• Biological diversity

  taxonomy, phylogeny, origin of life, microbial, fungal, plant, and animal diversity

• Plant structure and function

  structure, growth, and reproduction, transport mechanisms, growth regulators

• Vertebrate structure and function

  digestion, circulation, gas-exchange, reproduction, development, homeostasis, excretion, and nervous, endocrine, and immune systems

• Ecology

  species interactions, matter exchange and energy flow, population dynamics, human ecology, conservation biology

• "Hot" biology topics in the news