9700 · May/June 2023 · examinable unit

9700/31 Question 2

Cambridge Biology · 20 marks. This page is the question object — what is being tested — not the mark scheme.

Stem preview

(a)(i) J1 is a slide of a stained transverse section through a plant leaf. (a) (i) Draw a large plan diagram of the region of the leaf on J1, indicated by the…

Full stem stays in the official paper. We show a short excerpt so you can identify the item, then attempt your own answer.

What the examiner is asking

This 9700/31 item (20 marks, May/June 2023) is testing whether you can apply the linked topic under timed exam conditions — not whether you can recall a textbook paragraph. Read the command word, identify the quantity or argument required, and plan the mark-earning steps before you write.

Prerequisite concepts

Core definitions and relationships for the linked topic
Command-word literacy (state / describe / explain / calculate / deduce)
Showing method lines examiners can credit even if the final answer slips

Similar practice

After you attempt this question, mark it, then take another 9700 past-paper item on the same topic so the weakness becomes a habit fix — not a one-off score.

Try it yourself — mark my answer How marks are awarded (assessment page)