2024 CCEA A-Level Sports Science and the Active Leisure Industry MA11 模拟试题及答案详解

(i) A marathon runner is best suited by slow twitch/Type I fibres [1], because these fibres are fatigue-resistant and have a high capacity for aerobic (oxidative) energy production, suiting them to prolonged, lower-intensity endurance activity [1].
(ii) A 100 m sprinter is best suited by fast twitch/Type IIb fibres [1], because these fibres contract quickly and forcefully, producing a high power output, but fatigue rapidly, suiting them to short bursts of maximal-intensity effort [1].
Final answer: marathon runner = slow twitch/Type I (fatigue-resistant, aerobic); 100 m sprinter = fast twitch/Type IIb (powerful, fatigues quickly).

[4] Marked as 2 × [2]. For each activity: 1 mark for the correct fibre type; 1 mark for valid reasoning linking the fibre's characteristics (fatigue resistance/aerobic capacity, or power/speed of contraction) to the demands of the activity.

(i) Raising the dumbbell is a concentric contraction [1], because the biceps brachii shortens while producing tension/force to lift the weight [1].
(ii) Lowering the dumbbell under control is an eccentric contraction [1], because the biceps brachii lengthens while still producing tension, controlling and decelerating the weight's descent rather than letting it drop [1].
Final answer: raising the dumbbell = concentric contraction (muscle shortens); lowering the dumbbell = eccentric contraction (muscle lengthens under tension).

[4] Marked as 2 × [2]. For each action: 1 mark for the correct contraction type; 1 mark for valid reasoning (muscle shortening while producing tension = concentric; muscle lengthening while producing tension = eccentric).

A motor unit is a motor neurone together with all the muscle fibres it innervates [1]. The force of a contraction can be increased by recruiting more motor units to fire at the same time (spatial summation), since more muscle fibres are then contracting together [1]. Force can also be increased by increasing the frequency of nerve impulses sent to a motor unit: if impulses arrive faster than the muscle fibres can fully relax between them, the individual twitches add together, a process called wave summation [1], increasing the overall force produced, and, if the frequency is high enough, resulting in a smooth, sustained maximal (tetanic) contraction [1].
Final answer: force is increased by recruiting more motor units (spatial summation) and by increasing the frequency of nerve impulses so that individual twitches summate (wave summation), potentially up to a tetanic contraction.

[4] 1 mark: correct definition of a motor unit; 1 mark: recruiting more motor units increases force (spatial summation); 1 mark: increased frequency of nerve impulses causes individual twitches to add together (wave summation); 1 mark: correct link to increased overall force / tetanic contraction.

Intrinsic motivation is motivation that comes from within the performer [1], for example a personal sense of satisfaction, enjoyment or achievement — such as a runner who trains because they enjoy the feeling of self-improvement [1]. Extrinsic motivation is motivation that comes from external factors or rewards outside the performer [1]. Extrinsic rewards can be tangible, meaning physical rewards such as a trophy, medal or prize money — for example, a boxer training hard because of the prize money on offer for winning a title fight [1]; or they can be intangible, meaning non-physical rewards such as praise, applause or recognition from others — for example, a footballer feeling motivated by the praise and applause of the crowd after scoring a goal [1]. Distinguishing between the two: tangible rewards are physical/material items the performer receives, while intangible rewards are non-physical forms of recognition or approval [1].
Final answer: intrinsic motivation comes from within (e.g. personal enjoyment); extrinsic motivation comes from outside the performer and can be tangible (e.g. prize money/trophies) or intangible (e.g. praise/applause).

[6] 1 mark: correct definition of intrinsic motivation; 1 mark: valid sporting example of intrinsic motivation; 1 mark: correct definition of extrinsic motivation; 1 mark: valid tangible extrinsic reward example; 1 mark: valid intangible extrinsic reward example; 1 mark: clear distinction drawn between tangible and intangible rewards. All other valid examples will be given credit.

Zero transfer occurs when a previously learned skill has no effect, either positive or negative, on the learning of a new skill [1]; for example, a swimmer's front crawl technique is unlikely to have any transfer effect on their ability to learn a basketball free-throw shooting technique, since the two skills share no common elements [1–2].
Negative transfer occurs when a previously learned skill hinders or interferes with the learning of a new skill [1]; for example, a squash player learning badminton may find that their squash wrist-flick action interferes with learning the correct badminton overhead clear technique, since the required wrist and arm action differs between the two sports [1–2].
Final answer: zero transfer = no effect on learning a new skill (e.g. swimming technique on a basketball free throw); negative transfer = interferes with/hinders learning a new skill (e.g. squash wrist-flick interfering with a badminton clear).

[6] Marked as 2 × [3]. For each type of transfer: 1 mark for a correct definition; up to 2 further marks for a valid, clearly explained sporting example. All other valid examples will be given credit.

The three stages of learning are the cognitive stage, the associative stage, and the autonomous stage.
Final answer: cognitive, associative, autonomous.

[3] 1 mark for each correct stage: cognitive; associative; autonomous.

In the cognitive stage, the performer is a beginner who is trying to understand what the skill involves; performance is often inconsistent and error-prone, and the performer relies heavily on visual demonstration and simple, clear instructions from a coach to build a basic mental picture of the skill [2–3] — for example, a complete beginner attempting their first golf swing, making many technical errors and needing to consciously think through each part of the action.
In the autonomous stage, the performer can execute the skill automatically, or habitually, with little conscious thought, which allows them to focus their attention elsewhere, such as on tactical decisions [2–3] — for example, an experienced golfer who can execute a consistent swing technique automatically, and can instead focus their attention on club selection and course strategy.
Final answer: the cognitive stage is characterised by inconsistent, error-prone performance and reliance on demonstration/instruction (e.g. a beginner's first golf swing); the autonomous stage is characterised by automatic, habitual execution that frees attention for tactics (e.g. an experienced golfer focusing on strategy).

[5] Up to 2–3 marks for the cognitive stage: correct characteristics (beginner, inconsistent/error-prone, relies on demonstration/instruction) with a valid sporting example; up to 2–3 further marks for the autonomous stage: correct characteristics (automatic/habitual execution, attention freed for other tasks) with a valid sporting example. Marks distributed so the total does not exceed 5. All other valid sporting examples will be given credit.

In the discovery style of teaching, the coach sets problems or scenarios and asks guiding questions, leading performers to work out solutions for themselves, rather than being told the answer directly.
Advantages: this style encourages performers to think for themselves and develop a deeper understanding of why a particular tactic works, which can improve their decision-making and problem-solving ability in match situations; this is well suited to an experienced group of hockey players, who already have the underlying technical skills and game understanding needed to meaningfully engage with tactical problem-solving. It can also increase engagement and motivation, since performers are actively involved in the learning process rather than passively receiving instruction, and the deeper understanding gained is likely to transfer well into real match situations.
Disadvantages: the discovery style can take considerably longer than simply being told the answer directly, which may be a drawback where training time is limited; if performers lack sufficient prior knowledge or experience, they may become frustrated or fail to discover the intended solution, meaning this style is generally less suitable for complete beginners. It also requires a skilled coach, able to ask well-structured, effective questions that genuinely guide performers toward useful solutions.
Overall, for an experienced group of hockey players developing new tactical passing patterns, the discovery style is likely to be well suited, since they already possess the necessary skills and game understanding to engage meaningfully with tactical problem-solving, and the resulting understanding should transfer well into matches; however, the coach should remain mindful of time constraints and ensure questions are carefully structured to avoid frustration.
Final answer: the discovery style can build deeper tactical understanding and decision-making and suits experienced performers well, but is more time-consuming and requires sufficient prior knowledge and a skilled coach to structure effective guiding questions.

Levels of response (8 marks). Level 1 (Basic, 1–3 marks): limited, undeveloped comment on the discovery style, with little application to the hockey scenario; weak written communication. Level 2 (Good, 4–6 marks): identifies advantages and disadvantages with reasonable development and some application to experienced hockey players; satisfactory written communication. Level 3 (Excellent, 7–8 marks): detailed, well-balanced analysis of advantages (deeper understanding, better decision-making, engagement, suitability for experienced performers) and disadvantages (time-consuming, need for prior knowledge, need for a skilled coach), clearly applied to the hockey passing-pattern scenario, with a justified conclusion; confident use of specialist terminology and clear written communication. All other valid responses will be given credit.

(i) Hip flexion as the kicking leg swings forward occurs at the hip joint [1], a ball-and-socket joint [1]; the main agonist is the iliopsoas (hip flexor group) [1], which shortens under tension, so this is a concentric contraction [1].
(ii) Extension of the knee just before ball contact occurs at the knee joint [1], a hinge joint [1]; the main agonist is the quadriceps group [1], contracting concentrically to extend the knee and drive the lower leg forward into the ball [1].
(iii) Plantar flexion of the ankle at ball contact occurs at the ankle joint [1], a hinge joint [1]; the main agonist is the gastrocnemius (assisted by soleus) [1], contracting concentrically to point the foot for a firm, accurate strike [1].
Final answer: (i) hip, ball-and-socket, iliopsoas, concentric; (ii) knee, hinge, quadriceps, concentric; (iii) ankle, hinge, gastrocnemius, concentric.

[12] Marked as 3 × [4], 1 mark for each of: correct joint named; correct joint type named; correct agonist muscle named; correct type of contraction named (concentric in each case, since all three actions occur during the active, force-producing swing and strike phase). Accept rectus femoris as an alternative/additional agonist for hip flexion and soleus as an alternative/additional agonist for plantar flexion.

Cardiac hypertrophy is an increase in the size of the heart, particularly a thickening/enlargement of the ventricle walls (especially the left ventricle), which develops as an adaptation to regular endurance training [1]. This benefits an endurance athlete because a larger, stronger heart can pump a greater volume of blood with each beat (increased stroke volume), improving the delivery of oxygenated blood to the working muscles and allowing the athlete to maintain a given cardiac output at a lower heart rate [1].
Final answer: cardiac hypertrophy = an enlargement of the heart (especially the ventricle walls) from endurance training, allowing greater stroke volume and more efficient oxygen delivery.

[2] 1 mark: correct definition of cardiac hypertrophy (increase in heart size/ventricle wall thickness from training); 1 mark: a valid benefit stated (e.g. increased stroke volume, improved oxygen delivery, lower resting/submaximal heart rate).

Cardiovascular short-term responses: heart rate increases, driven by a combination of nervous (sympathetic) stimulation and hormonal stimulation (adrenaline), increasing cardiac output so that more oxygenated blood can be delivered to the working muscles. Stroke volume also increases, up to a point, because a greater venous return (more blood returning to the heart) stretches the ventricle walls and increases the force of the heart's contraction, and because the heart contracts more strongly during exercise. Blood flow is redistributed through the vascular shunt mechanism: vasoconstriction reduces blood flow to non-essential areas, such as the gut, while vasodilation increases blood flow to the working muscles, ensuring more blood reaches the tissues that need it most. As a result of the rise in cardiac output, blood pressure also rises slightly during exercise.
Respiratory short-term responses: both the rate and depth of breathing (ventilation) increase, allowing more oxygen to be taken in and more carbon dioxide to be removed; this is triggered by chemoreceptors detecting rising carbon dioxide levels and falling pH in the blood, as well as nervous stimulation associated with the onset of exercise. Gaseous exchange at the alveoli also increases, as more oxygen diffuses into the blood and more carbon dioxide diffuses out, meeting the muscles' increased metabolic demand for oxygen.
Overall, these short-term cardiovascular and respiratory responses work together to increase the delivery of oxygen to, and the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide from, the working muscles, supporting the increased energy demand of exercise.
Final answer: at the onset of exercise, heart rate and stroke volume both increase (raising cardiac output), blood is redistributed to working muscles via vasoconstriction/vasodilation, and blood pressure rises slightly; breathing rate and depth both increase and gaseous exchange at the alveoli increases — together increasing oxygen delivery to, and carbon dioxide removal from, the working muscles.

Levels of response (10 marks). Level 1 (Basic, 1–3 marks): identifies one or two responses (cardiovascular and/or respiratory) with limited, undeveloped comment; weak written communication. Level 2 (Adequate, 4–7 marks): describes several cardiovascular and respiratory responses with reasonable development; adequate written communication. Level 3 (Competent, 8–10 marks): comprehensive, well-balanced explanation covering cardiovascular responses (heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, vasoconstriction/vasodilation, blood pressure) AND respiratory responses (rate/depth of breathing, gaseous exchange), with clear physiological reasoning and a coherent overall summary; highly competent written communication and specialist vocabulary. All other valid responses will be given credit.

At altitude, the atmospheric (partial) pressure of oxygen is lower, so less oxygen is available in each breath than at sea level [1–2]; to compensate, the rate and depth of breathing increase to try to take in more oxygen, and the body increases production of erythropoietin (EPO) from the kidneys, which stimulates increased red blood cell and haemoglobin production, gradually improving the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity over a period of exposure [1–2]. This means training at altitude places greater physiological strain on the body for a given exercise intensity, and athletes often cannot sustain as high a training intensity initially as they could at sea level, though this strain drives the beneficial adaptation. At sea level, oxygen availability is higher/normal, so the body does not experience this additional strain, and athletes can typically sustain higher training intensities for the same level of effort, but they do not gain the specific EPO-driven red blood cell adaptations associated with altitude exposure [2–4].
Final answer: altitude training involves lower oxygen availability, causing increased breathing rate/depth and EPO-driven increases in red blood cells/haemoglobin over time (improving oxygen-carrying capacity), but with greater physiological strain and reduced sustainable training intensity compared with sea-level training, which allows higher training intensities but without this specific adaptation.

[8] Up to 4 marks for altitude: reduced oxygen availability/partial pressure [1]; increased breathing rate/depth [1]; increased EPO production leading to more red blood cells/haemoglobin [1]; greater physiological strain/reduced sustainable intensity [1]. Up to 4 marks for sea level: higher/normal oxygen availability [1]; lower physiological strain for the same effort [1]; ability to sustain higher training intensity [1]; no EPO-driven altitude-specific adaptation [1]. All other valid comparative points will be given credit.

Arguments for: legal supplements such as creatine are permitted by sports governing bodies (they are not on the banned list), are widely available, and can produce genuine, evidence-based performance benefits — for example, creatine can increase phosphocreatine stores in the muscles, supporting repeated short bursts of high-intensity effort — generally without the serious health risks associated with illegal drugs such as anabolic steroids. Because they are legal and, in principle, accessible to any athlete who chooses to use them, some argue their use does not create the same kind of unfairness as an illegal, banned substance would.
Arguments against: even though legal, critics argue that reliance on supplements may undermine the spirit or ethos of sport, which some believe should be centred on natural talent and hard training rather than any performance-enhancing aid. Access to expensive supplements and the sports science support needed to use them effectively may still be unequal between individual athletes or between wealthier and less wealthy countries, potentially still creating an uneven playing field despite the substances themselves being legal. There are also concerns that normalising supplement use, even of legal substances, from a young age could create a culture that makes athletes more likely to progress toward illegal doping later in pursuit of further performance gains, and that there is not always enough long-term research into the safety of some legal supplements.
Overall, the ethics of legal supplement use in sport remain genuinely debated: while their legality clearly distinguishes them from banned performance-enhancing drugs, real questions remain about fairness of access and about the wider culture and spirit of sport, meaning individual athletes, coaches and governing bodies may reasonably reach different conclusions about their use.
Final answer: legal supplements like creatine are permitted, evidence-based and lower-risk than banned drugs, supporting their acceptability; but concerns about unequal access, the spirit of sport, and the risk of normalising performance-enhancement provide genuine arguments against their unrestricted use — the ethical debate remains unresolved.

Levels of response (12 marks). Level 1 (Basic, 1–4 marks): limited, one-sided or undeveloped comment on legal supplements; weak written communication. Level 2 (Adequate, 5–8 marks): discusses arguments both for and against with reasonable development and some relevant examples; adequate written communication. Level 3 (Competent, 9–12 marks): detailed, well-balanced discussion covering arguments for (legality, evidence-based benefit, lower health risk, accessibility) and against (spirit of sport, unequal access to resources/support, gateway/normalisation concern, limited long-term research), with a well-justified overall conclusion; highly competent written communication and specialist vocabulary. All other valid responses will be given credit.

Performer safety: developments in protective equipment, such as improved cricket helmet designs offering greater impact protection, or advances in rugby padding, have reduced the risk and severity of injury to performers. Video-assessment technology, such as the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) system used in rugby, allows medical staff to more accurately and consistently assess whether a player has suffered a concussion and should be removed from play, protecting player welfare in a way that would be difficult to achieve through visual judgement alone.
Spectator experience: technology such as instant video replays and big screens enhances spectators' understanding and enjoyment of a contest, allowing them to see key moments again from different angles. Technology used to assist officiating decisions, such as goal-line technology in football or Hawk-Eye in tennis, increases spectators' confidence in the fairness and accuracy of decisions, reducing controversy over disputed outcomes and generally improving trust in the result; however, some spectators criticise lengthy video reviews for interrupting the flow and spontaneity of a contest, which can be seen as a drawback of relying too heavily on this technology.
Overall, developments in sports technology and equipment have generally had a strongly positive impact on performer safety, and have enhanced many aspects of spectator experience, particularly around officiating accuracy and viewers' understanding of play; however, these benefits should be weighed against occasional drawbacks, such as disruption to the flow of a contest from lengthy reviews, meaning governing bodies must carefully manage how such technology is implemented and used in competition.
Final answer: sports technology (improved protective equipment, video-based injury assessment) has clearly improved performer safety, and technology such as video replays and officiating aids (goal-line technology, Hawk-Eye) has generally enhanced spectator understanding, enjoyment and trust in decisions — though lengthy video reviews can disrupt the flow of play, so governing bodies must manage its use carefully.

Levels of response (16 marks). Level 1 (Basic, 1–5 marks): limited, one-sided or undeveloped comment on technology's impact, with little reference to both performer safety and spectator experience; weak written communication. Level 2 (Good, 6–11 marks): evaluates the impact on both performer safety and spectator experience with reasonable development and some named examples; satisfactory written communication. Level 3 (Excellent, 12–16 marks): detailed, well-balanced, synoptic evaluation covering performer safety (protective equipment, video-based injury assessment) and spectator experience (replays, officiating technology, benefits and drawbacks such as disrupted flow), using precise named examples, with a well-justified overall conclusion; confident use of specialist terminology and clear written communication. All other valid, correctly named examples will be given credit.