A giant tortoise moves slowly across the ground to find food. It grows throughout its life and can live for over 150 years. Explain why a giant tortoise is classified as a living organism by describing four characteristics of living organisms that it would show.

Cambridge International IGCSE Biology (0610) — 1.1 Characteristics of living organisms · Describe · 4 marks · View as Markdown

Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).

Model answer (4 marks)

1. The tortoise ingests organic compounds as food, providing energy, growth and repair.
2. It respires, breaking down nutrients in cells to release energy for metabolism.
3. It shows growth, with a permanent increase in size or dry mass over its life.
4. It reproduces, producing more tortoises of the same kind, and it excretes waste products of metabolism.

Examiner tips

  • Use the exact wording from the mark scheme (e.g., "ingests organic compounds", "respire", "growth", "reproduces"),
  • Include all four characteristics in separate bullet points or numbered sentences to show clear structure.

Common mistakes

  • Mixing up the order of the characteristics or omitting one;
  • Using vague terms like "eats" or "breathes" instead of the specific phrases required.

Mark scheme (4 marks)

  1. The tortoise carries out nutrition / takes in food / ingests organic compounds for energy, growth or repair
  2. The tortoise respires / breaks down nutrient molecules in cells to release energy for metabolism
  3. The tortoise shows growth / permanent increase in size or dry mass throughout its life
  4. The tortoise reproduces / produces more tortoises of the same kind OR excretes / removes waste products of metabolism

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