LIFE-SCIENCE-II · CSAT (대학수학능력시험)
LIFE-SCIENCE-II/11
Life Science II
Life Science II · 2020 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE)
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
4.0 / 5
50
30 min
Molecular genetics experiments, gene expression, evolution evidence, physiology mechanisms, and biotechnology interpretation.
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
50
Duration
30 min
Session difficulty
4.0 / 5
Calculator policy
No calculators in any CSAT section. All arithmetic must be done by hand. English includes a listening section with broadcast audio.
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
KICE Life Science II extends molecular biology, genetics, evolution, plant/animal physiology, biotechnology, and ecology with deeper experimental and data interpretation. The 2024 CSAT science inquiry format is 20 questions, 30 minutes, 50 points, with candidates selecting up …
KICE designs Life Science II items from the national curriculum achievement standards and publishes all questions and answers after the exam.
EBS-linked items about 50% means concepts, source themes, or problem types are linked, but wording and contexts are commonly transformed.
The official timing is 30 min for 20 questions; pacing practice should match the actual OMR marking burden.
KICE publishes annual test-design directions (출제 방향) emphasising syllabus-faithful items, EBS textbook linkage (~50% of Korean, Mathematics, and English items), and post-2024 exclusion of extreme “killer” items outside public-education scope.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Cognitive skills emphasised in official test design.
Conceptual models
Weight: 30100%Quantitative problem solving
Weight: 30100%Graphical and experiment interpretation
Weight: 2583%Scientific reasoning
Weight: 1550%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
Molecular genetics: Answering from memory before checking the condition in the stem. — Underline the limiting condition and restate it in…
Evolution: Treating a familiar source, graph, or scenario as identical to a past EBS example. — Compare variables and wording; transforme…
Physiology: Losing marks on easy items because time was spent on one high-difficulty question. — Use a two-pass strategy and mark unresol…
Biotechnology experiments: Eliminating options based on a keyword match rather than the full causal relationship. — Check subject, time p…
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Official body
Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE)
Grading system
KICE standard score (mean 50, SD 10; range 0–100) with percentile and Grade 1–9 bands
Scale band
Std score
Scale band
Percentile
Scale band
1
Scale band
2
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
1. Start from the model
Life Science II items usually become easier once the physical, chemical, biological, or earth-system model is named. Write the law, cycle, or mechanism before substituting numbers.
2. Annotate every diagram
Label axes, units, directions, phases, and variables in molecular diagrams, phylogenetic trees, and physiology graphs. Most upper-level distractors come from reading a diagram too quickly.
3. Link formulas to meaning
For base pairing, gene-expression logic, Hardy-Weinberg style reasoning, and feedback loops, memorize what each symbol represents and the condition where the formula applies, not only the algebraic form.
4. Treat experiments as arguments
In DNA, enzyme, and biotechnology experiments questions, identify hypothesis, control, independent variable, dependent variable, and conclusion before choosing.
5. Use dimensional checks
When a numeric answer appears plausible, check units and order of magnitude. This catches most coefficient and power-of-ten errors.
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
No data available in official reports
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Molecular biology: DNA
Official topic weighting
RNA, proteins, gene expression, mutation
Official topic weighting
Genetics, evolution, population genetics, classification, and phylogeny
Official topic weighting
Physiology: plants, animals, regulation, reproduction, and development
Official topic weighting
Biotechnology, ecology, ecosystems, and environmental biology
Official topic weighting
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Molecular biology: DNA, RNA, proteins, gene expression, mutation
Genetics, evolution, population genetics, classification, and phylogeny
Physiology: plants, animals, regulation, reproduction, and development
Biotechnology, ecology, ecosystems, and environmental biology
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Life Science II: 20 multiple-choice science inquiry questions
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Molecular biology: DNA
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiRNA, proteins, gene expression, mutation
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiGenetics, evolution, population genetics, classification, and phylogeny
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiPhysiology: plants, animals, regulation, reproduction, and development
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiBiotechnology, ecology, ecosystems, and environmental biology
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
KICE Life Science II extends molecular biology, genetics, evolution, plant/animal physiology, biotechnology, and ecology with deeper experimental and data interpretation. The 2024 CSAT science inquiry format is 20 questions, 30 minutes, 50 points, with candidates selecting up …
- 2Message
KICE designs Life Science II items from the national curriculum achievement standards and publishes all questions and answers after the exam.
- 3Message
EBS-linked items about 50% means concepts, source themes, or problem types are linked, but wording and contexts are commonly transformed.
- 4Message
The official timing is 30 min for 20 questions; pacing practice should match the actual OMR marking burden.
- 5Message
KICE publishes annual test-design directions (출제 방향) emphasising syllabus-faithful items, EBS textbook linkage (~50% of Korean, Mathematics, and English items), and post-2024 exclusion of extreme “killer” items outside public-education scope.
- 6Pitfall
Molecular genetics: Answering from memory before checking the condition in the stem. — Underline the limiting condition and restate it in…
- 7Pitfall
Evolution: Treating a familiar source, graph, or scenario as identical to a past EBS example. — Compare variables and wording; transforme…
- 8Pitfall
Physiology: Losing marks on easy items because time was spent on one high-difficulty question. — Use a two-pass strategy and mark unresol…
- 9Pitfall
Biotechnology experiments: Eliminating options based on a keyword match rather than the full causal relationship. — Check subject, time p…
- 10Strength
1. Start from the model: Life Science II items usually become easier once the physical, chemical, biological, or earth-system
- 11Strength
2. Annotate every diagram: Label axes, units, directions, phases, and variables in molecular diagrams, phylogenetic trees, and
- 12Strength
3. Link formulas to meaning: For base pairing, gene-expression logic, Hardy-Weinberg style reasoning, and feedback loops, memoriz
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2020 2020
Life Science II
KICE Life Science II extends molecular biology, genetics, evolution, plant/animal physiology, biotechnology, and ecology with deeper experimental and data interpretation. The 2024 CSAT science inquiry format is 20 questions, 30 minutes, 50 points, with candidates selecting up to
KICE Life Science II extends molecular biology, genetics, evolution, plant/animal physiology, biotechnology, and ecology with deeper experimental and data interpretation. The 2024 CSAT science inquiry format is 20 questions, 30 minutes, 50 points, with candidates selecting up …
KICE designs Life Science II items from the national curriculum achievement standards and publishes all questions and answers after the exam.
EBS-linked items about 50% means concepts, source themes, or problem types are linked, but wording and contexts are commonly transformed.
Molecular genetics: Answering from memory before checking the condition in the stem. — Underline the limiting condition and restate it in…
Evolution: Treating a familiar source, graph, or scenario as identical to a past EBS example. — Compare variables and wording; transforme…
- Total marks
- 50
- Duration
- 30 min
- Session difficulty
- 4.0 / 5
- Calculator policy
- No calculators in any CSAT section. All arithmetic must be done by hand. English includes a listening section with broadcast audio.
Session analysis
KICE Life Science II extends molecular biology, genetics, evolution, plant/animal physiology, biotechnology, and ecology with deeper experimental and data interpretation. The 2024 CSAT science inquiry format is 20 questions, 30 minutes, 50 points, with candidates selecting up to two inquiry subjects and EBS linkage around 50%. Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) emphasises molecular genetics experiments, gene expression, evolution evidence, physiology mechanisms, and biotechnology interpretation.. Priority revision: Molecular biology: DNA, RNA, proteins, gene expression, mutation, Genetics, evolution, population genetics, classification, and phylogeny, Physiology: plants, animals, regulation, reproduction, and development, Biotechnology, ecology, ecosystems, and environmental biology. Life Science II items usually become easier once the physical, chemical, biological, or earth-system model is named. Write the law, cycle, or mechanism before substituting numbers.
Updated 2026-07-03
Paper breakdown
Life Science II: 20 multiple-choice science inquiry questions
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by syllabus topic
Revision priority from official test-design weighting.
Mark accessibility
Estimated difficulty spread based on official design.
Molecular genetics experiments, gene expression, evolution evidence, physiology
Paper structure
Official paper breakdown for this subject.
Life Science II
50·10·100%
Official syllabus scope
KICE Life Science II extends molecular biology, genetics, evolution, plant/animal physiology, biotechnology, and ecology with deeper experimental and data interpretation. The 2024 CSAT science inquiry format is 20 questions, 30 minutes, 50 points, with candidates selecting up to two inquiry subjects and EBS linkage around 50%.
Difficulty verdict
Rated 4/5 for November sessions. Molecular genetics experiments, gene expression, evolution evidence, physiology mechanisms, and biotechnology interpretation.
What examiners measure
1. Analyze DNA replication, transcription, translation, mutation, and gene regulation. 2. Interpret population genetics, evolution, classification, and phylogenetic evidence. 3. Explain plant and animal physiology using mechanisms and feedback. 4. Evaluate biotechnology, molecular experiments, and data-based claims. 5. Connect ecological systems with energy flow, material cycles, and human impact.
Where the marks are
Highest-weight syllabus areas: Molecular biology: DNA, RNA, proteins, gene expression, mutation; Genetics, evolution, population genetics, classification, and phylogeny; Physiology: plants, animals, regulation, reproduction, and development; Biotechnology, ecology, ecosystems, and environmental biology.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- KICE designs Life Science II items from the national curriculum achievement standards and publishes all questions and answers after the exam.
- EBS-linked items about 50% means concepts, source themes, or problem types are linked, but wording and contexts are commonly transformed.
- The official timing is 30 min for 20 questions; pacing practice should match the actual OMR marking burden.
- Distractors usually represent common misconceptions, not random wrong answers, so elimination must be evidence-based.
- High-discrimination items often combine two syllabus domains or require interpreting a new source, graph, table, or scenario.
- A full mock should include answer-sheet transfer and a post-test error log organized by domain and mistake type.
- Life Science II uses graphs, diagrams, experiments, and model-based reasoning more than isolated factual recall.
- Science inquiry timing is tight; students should know which diagrams or calculations can be completed in under one minute.
- Paper 1: Life Science II · 50 marks · 30 min · 20 multiple-choice science inquiry questions.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 30 min
- Total marks
- 50
- Weighting
- 100%
- Question types
- 20 multiple-choice science inquiry questions
- Life Science II items usually become easier once the physical, chemical, biological, or earth-system model is named. Write the law, cycle, or mechanism before substituting numbers.
- Label axes, units, directions, phases, and variables in molecular diagrams, phylogenetic trees, and physiology graphs. Most upper-level distractors come from reading a diagram too quickly.
- For base pairing, gene-expression logic, Hardy-Weinberg style reasoning, and feedback loops, memorize what each symbol represents and the condition where the formula applies, not only the algebraic form.
Common mistakes
Molecular genetics
Answering from memory before checking the condition in the stem.
How to avoid: Underline the limiting condition and restate it in your own words before selecting an option.
Evolution
Treating a familiar source, graph, or scenario as identical to a past EBS example.
How to avoid: Compare variables and wording; transformed linkage often changes the required inference.
Physiology
Losing marks on easy items because time was spent on one high-difficulty question.
How to avoid: Use a two-pass strategy and mark unresolved items after 60-75 seconds.
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.