Section A:Life and the environment1 Which one of the following taxonomic groups contains the greatest number of organisms?

A Kingdom

B Species

C Class

D Genus

2 The main taxonomic groups in order, starting with the largest, are:

A Kingdom, Phylum, Order, Class, Genus, Family, Species.

B Phylum, Order, Kingdom, Genus, Family, Class, Species.

C Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

D Kingdom, Order, Family, Class, Phylum, Genus, Species.

3 The scientific name of an organism is derived from its:

A Family and species names.

B Genus and species names.

C Class and family names.

D Order and family names.

4 The animals shown in the diagram were identified using a dichotomous key based on the visible characteristics listed below:

I body shape

II number of legs

III number of wings

IV number of eyes

V number of antennae

Which characteristics could be used to divide the animals into two groups?

A II, III, IV and V only

B I, II, III and V only

C I, II and IV only

D II, III and IV only

5 All of the following are components of an ecosystem EXCEPT for:

A producers.

B consumers.

C forest.

D physical environment.

6 A relationship between two organisms where one organism derives benefits from therelationship and the other organism derives no benefit, but is not harmed, is called:

A a feeding association.

B parasitism.

C mutualism.

D commensalism.

7 In an ecosystem a population is:

A all the organisms in the ecosystem.

B all the animals in the ecosystem.

C all the organisms of all species.

D all the organisms of one species.

8 All of the following processes result in energy loss from an ecosystem EXCEPT for:

A reproduction.

B respiration.

C excretion.

D egestion.

9 Decomposers are important in the process of decay because:

A they live in the soil.

B they release nutrients from dead organisms.

C they are microscopic.

D they kill other organisms.

10 In a food chain a plant is a producer because it produces:

A roots and stems.

B its own food.

C oxygen.

D carbon dioxide.

Section B: Cells11 A student observed a plant cell through a microscope and made an accurate drawing of the cell.

If her drawing was 80 mm in diameter and had a magnification of �2000, what was the realdiameter of the cell?

A 400 �m

B 32 �m

C 160 �m

D 40 �m

12 Most plant and animal cells contain:

A a cell wall, nucleus and cytoplasm.

B a cell membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus.

C a cell membrane, nucleus and vacuole.

D a cell wall, cell membrane and nucleus.

13 All of the following are organelles EXCEPT for:

A cell surface membrane.

B mitochondrion.

C vacuole.

D chloroplast.

14 Cells become specialised to carry out different roles.This process is called:

A speciation.

B diffusion.

C differentiation.

D evolution.

15 A collection of several tissues which carry out a particular function is called:

A an organism.

B an organ.

C a system.

D an organelle.

16 Which one of the following structures is responsible for controlling entry and exit of materialsinto and out of the cell?

A Nucleus

B Mitochondrion

C Cell membrane

D Chloroplast

17 Which of the following statements about diffusion is NOT true?

A Diffusion happens due to kinetic energy of molecules.

B Molecules diffuse down a concentration gradient.

C Molecules diffuse from an area where there are few of them to an area where there are more of them.

D Diffusion is the net movement of molecules.

18 Osmosis is:

A the movement of water molecules from a more dilute solution to a more concentrated solution through a partially permeable membrane.

B the movement of solute molecules from a more concentrated solution to a less concentrated solution through a permeable membrane.

C the movement of water molecules from a more concentrated solution to a more dilute solution through a partially permeable membrane.

D the movement of solute molecules from a more dilute solution to a more concentrated solution through a permeable membrane.

19 Active transport:

A produces energy in the cell.

B moves particles against a concentration gradient.

C is the diffusion of water into a cell.

D moves particles down a concentration gradient.

20 In a plant cell, turgor is caused by:

A the pressure of the cytoplasm and vacuole pushing against the cell wall.

B osmosis of water out of the cell.

C diffusion of water out of the cell.

D the strength of the cell wall.

Section C: Chemicals of life and nutrition21 Which of the following statements about photosynthesis is NOT true?

A It takes place in leaves which contain chlorophyll.

B Oxygen gas is produced as a by-product of the process.

C The rate of photosynthesis can be increased by increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air around a plant.

D It can only occur using light energy from the Sun.

22

The aim of the experiment shown above was to find out if:

A carbon dioxide is needed for photosynthesis.

B oxygen is needed for photosynthesis.

C potassium hydroxide affects the growth of plants.

D light is needed for photosynthesis.

23 Which one of the following chemicals is used to test for starch?

A Lime water

B Iodine solution

C Benedict’s solution

D Biuret reagent

24 In order to carry out photosynthesis, a plant needs:

A starch, oxygen, light and chlorophyll.

B water, oxygen, glucose and light.

C water, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll and light.

D carbon dioxide, starch, light and chlorophyll.

25 Leaves are thin and flat:

A so they don’t get damaged by the wind.

B to give them a large surface area for absorbing light.

C to make them light and easily supported.

D so insects can land on them.

26 Which of the following substances contains the elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen andnitrogen?

I DNA

II carbohydrates

III lipids

IV proteins

A I and II only

B III and IV only

C I and IV only

D II and III only

27 The chemicals that make up the bodies of animals and plants are called:

A organic molecules.

B inorganic molecules.

C metabolic molecules.

D anabolic molecules.

28 Simple sugars are called monosaccharides because:

A they only contain carbon.

B they consist of a single sugar unit.

C they are easy to digest.

D they are half as sweet as dissacharides.

29 Which of the following statements about lipids is NOT true?

A Lipids store energy in cells.

B Lipids contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

C Lipids are made up of glycerol and fatty acids.

D Most lipids are soluble in water.

30 Proteins are:

A used in respiration to produce energy.

B made of long chains of glucose units.

C very small molecules.

D formed from amino acids by condensation reactions.

31 Enzymes are called biological catalysts because they:

A work inside cells.

B speed up chemical reactions without being used up themselves.

C slow down chemical reactions.

D are involved in biological processes.

32 The optimum pH for most enzyme action is:

A pH 3.

B pH 5.

C pH 7.

D pH 9.

33 An enzyme which has an optimum pH of 3 will function best in the:

A mouth.

B stomach.

C small intestine.

D large intestine.

34 The optimum temperature for enzyme action is:

A 25 °C

B 30 °C

C 37 °C

D 45 °C

35 Enzymes catalyse specific reactions by having an active site where the substrate fits.This theoryis called:

A lock and key.

B nut and bolt.

C hammer and nail.

D action and reaction.

36 A balanced diet is one which:

A stops you from putting on weight.

B contains equal amounts of all the food groups.

C contains foods which have been weighed.

D contains all the essential food substances in the right amounts.

37 Which of the following conditions is NOT caused by a poor diet?

A Sickle cell anaemia

B Protein energy malnutrition

C Obesity

D High blood pressure

38 The following are all minerals EXCEPT for:

A calcium.

B magnesium.

C oxygen.

D iron.

39 A lack of vitamin D in the diet causes:

A beri-beri.

B rickets.

C scurvy.

D pellagra.

40 Which one of the following foods contains the most energy per 100 g?

A rice

B chips

C roast chicken

D fried beefburger

Section D: Transport41 Single-celled organisms do not need a transport system because:

A they have a cell membrane.

B they have a large surface area to volume ratio.

C they live in water.

D they don’t have blood.

42 Which of the following routes taken by blood in the body is correct?

A left ventricle → pulmonary artery → lungs → pulmonary vein → right atrium

B right ventricle → pulmonary vein → lungs → pulmonary artery → left atrium

C left ventricle → pulmonary vein → lungs → pulmonary artery → right atrium

D right ventricle → pulmonary artery → lungs → pulmonary vein → left atrium

43 The wall of the left ventricle is thicker than that of the right ventricle because:

A it has to pump blood to all parts of the body.

B it has to pump blood to the lungs.

C it is always full of blood.

D it contracts more often than the right ventricle.

44 Oxygen is carried around the body by the:

A white blood cells.

B plasma.

C red blood cells.

D platelets.

45 Which of the following is NOT found dissolved in plasma?

A Nutrients

B Hormones

C Oxygen

D Carbon dioxide

46 In a plant, water and dissolved minerals are transported in the:

A xylem.

B phloem.

C capillaries.

D chlorophyll.

47 Which of the following is NOT transported in phloem?

A sucrose

B amino acids

C water

D starch

48 The correct pathway of water through a plant is:

A root hair cell → xylem vessel → root cortex → spongy mesophyll → air space → stoma.

B root hair cell → root cortex → xylem vessel → spongy mesophyll → air space → stoma.

C root cortex → root hair cell → xylem vessel → air space Æ spongy mesophyll → stoma.

D root cortex → xylem vessel → root hair cell → spongy mesophyll → air space → stoma.

49 Which one of the following factors does NOT affect the rate of transpiration?

A light intensity

B temperature

C carbon dioxide levels

D humidity

50 Which of one the following statements about phloem cells is NOT true?

A Phloem transports sugars and amino acids to growing points in the plant.

B Phloem cells are controlled by companion cells.

C Phloem cells have cross-walls with holes called sieve plates.

D Phloem can only transport substances in one direction.

Section E: Breathing, respiration, homeostasisand excretion51 Which of the following statements about aerobic respiration is correct?

A It produces carbon dioxide, water and lactic acid.

B It happens during vigorous exercise.

C It releases less energy than anaerobic respiration.

D It requires oxygen.

52 Anaerobic respiration takes place:

A in situations where there is too little carbon dioxide.

B in situations where there is too little oxygen.

C during periods of rest.

D where there is no glucose available.

53 The following diagram shows a model used to show how breathing movements take place:

Which part of the model represents the diaphragm?

A rubber sheet

B balloon

C bell jar

D rubber bung

54 All of the following are features of a gas exchange surface EXCEPT for:

A large surface area

B good blood supply

C thick walls for protection

D ventilated by breathing movements

55 Which one of the following is NOT a harmful effect of smoking?

A lung cancer

B kidney disease

C emphysema

D coronary heart disease

56 Water is lost from the body in:

A exhaled air, sweat, urine and faeces.

B inhaled air, sweat, urine and faeces.

C exhaled air, food, sweat and urine.

D exhaled air, sweat, urine and cell respiration.

Questions 57 and 58 refer to the following diagram of a kidney tubule (nephron):

57 The site of reabsorption of MOST of the water from the filtrate.

58 The main site of action of ADH (antidiuretic hormone).

A C

B

D

59 Plants lose water through their leaves by the process of:

A perspiration.

B respiration.

C transpiration.

D conjugation.

60 In hot conditions the surface blood vessels in the skin undergo vasodilation.This allows:

A more heat to be retained in the body.

B more heat to radiate from the skin.

C more blood to flow through deeper vessels.

D the hairs on the skin to lie flat.

Section F:

Coordination, sensitivity and movement61 Which one of the following is NOT a receptor in the body?

A brain

B eye

C nose

D skin

62 Which one of the following diagrams illustrates short-sightedness?

63 Which one of the following is NOT a reflex action?

A blinking

B knee-jerk

C ducking to avoid a flying object

D learning to play the piano

64 The part of the brain that processes information from the sense organs is the:

A cerebellum.

B medulla oblongata.

C cerebrum.

D hypothalamus.

A B

C D

(F = Focal point)

65 When a person who has diabetes injects himself with insulin it:

A increases the rate of excretion of glucose by the kidneys.

B promotes the conversion of glucose into glycogen in the liver.

C stimulates cells in the pancreas to produce more insulin.

D inhibits the uptake of glucose by liver cells.

66 Plants make growth movements in response to all of the following stimuli EXCEPT for:

A heat.

B water.

C light.

D gravity.

67 Plant stems grow towards a light source.This is an example of:

A positive geotropism.

B negative geotropism.

C positive phototropism.

D negative phototropism.

68 All of the following have endoskeletons EXCEPT for:

A snakes.

B butterflies.

C birds.

D fish.

69 In the diagram of a section through asynovial joint, the part labelled Xrepresents the:

A tendon.

B muscle.

C ligament.

D cartilage.

70 The biceps and triceps are an antagonistic pair of muscles because:

A they are found in the upper arm.

B they both contract at the same time.

C they are attached to bones.

D one contracts while the other relaxes.

X

Section G: Reproduction and growth71 Asexual reproduction produces:

A genetically different offspring.

B egg and sperm cells.

C only egg cells.

D clones.

72 A species of mouse has 32 chromosomes in its muscle cells.What will be the numbers ofchromosomes in the mouse’s skin cells and sperm cells?

Skin cells Sperm cells

A 32 32

B 16 16

C 16 32

D 32 16

73 A cell in an embryo divides by mitosis three times in succession. How many cells will be formedfrom these divisions?

A 4

B 8

C 16

D 32

74 Which one of the following is NOT a function of the placenta?

A It supplies the uterus with blood.

B It supplies the embryo with oxygen and nutrients.

C It anchors the embryo in the uterus.

D It secretes female hormones.

75 In humans, an egg cell is released from an ovary approximately every:

A 8 days.

B 18 days.

C 28 days.

D 38 days.

76 Which of the following are advantages of asexual reproduction in a flowering plant?

I Large numbers of offspring are rapidly produced.

II Favourable genotypes are maintained from one generation to the next.

III The plant does not need to rely on wind or insects for pollination.

IV Several identical individuals grow close together.

A II and III only

B I and IV only

C I, II and III only

D I, II, III and IV

77 The following are all features of insect-pollinated flowers EXCEPT for:

A Stamens enclosed within the flower.

B Feathery stigma to catch pollen.

C Brightly coloured petals.

D Small, sticky pollen grains.

78 Seeds are dispersed from the parent plant:

A so the new plants can be eaten by animals.

B so they can germinate close to the parent plant.

C so they can pair up with other seeds.

D so the new plants can avoid competition for resources.

79 Which one of the following is the best way to measure growth of an organism?

A increase in mass

B increase in height

C increase in girth

D increase in metabolic rate

80 The length of an insect such as a grasshopper increases in steps.This is because:

A it jumps around a lot so is difficult to measure.

B its head grow faster than its body.

C it sheds its exoskeleton periodically (ecdysis).

D its exoskeleton unfolds as it grows.

Section H: Genes and inheritance81 An alternate form of a gene is called an:

A amino acid

B allele

C aleurone

D auxin

82 Crossing two brown mice produced an offspring with a black coat.Which of the followingstatements MUST be correct?

I Brown coat is dominant to black.

II The brown mice were heterozygous for coat colour.

III The black mouse was homozygous for coat colour.

IV Crossing a black mouse with another black mouse could produce a brown offspring.

A I, II, III and IV

B I, II and III only

C II, III and IV only

D I, III and IV only

83 In pea plant size, tall is dominant to dwarf.You cannot tell whether a tall plant is homozygous(TT) or heterozygous (Tt).To find its genotype you perform a test cross.This involves:

A crossing the tall plant with a dwarf plant.

B crossing the tall plant with a true-breeding tall plant.

C crossing the tall plant with one that is neither tall nor dwarf.

D testing the plant.

84 Which one of the following is NOT an inherited disorder?

A cystic fibrosis

B sickle cell anaemia

C albinism

D rickets

85 Which of the following are examples of environmental variation in humans?

I hair colour

II height

III intelligence

IV body mass

A I, II, III and IV

B II and IV only

C II, III and IV

D III and IV only

86 Which of the following does NOT play a role in evolutionary change?

A mutation

B changes in the numbers of genes in a population

C natural selection

D artificial selection

87 Vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli have been bred from the original wild brassicaplant by:

A natural selection.

B artificial selection.

C evolution.

D mutation.

88 Genetic engineering involves:

A the transfer of genes from one species into another.

B the production of genetically modified engineers.

C the transfer of DNA from one protein to another.

D cutting up bacterial chromosomes and extracting the genes.

89 Which of the following is NOT a way in which infectious diseases can be transmitted?

A droplet infection

B eating contaminated food

C human induced

D sexual intercourse

90 Malaria is spread by:

A tsetse flies.

B humans.

C houseflies.

D mosquitoes.

91 Which of the following are natural barriers to infection?

I tears

II skin

III stomach acid

IV mucus

A I, II, III and IV

B I, III and IV

C II and IV only

D I and III only

92 The white blood cells that produce antibodies are called:

A phagocytes.

B B-lymphocytes.

C T-lymphocytes.

D erythrocytes.

93 Vaccination causes a person’s immune system to produce:

A antibiotics.

B antibodies.

C antigens.

D antitoxins.

94 AIDS is a killer disease because:

A it is caused by a virus.

B it is sexually transmitted.

C it can be transmitted in saliva.

D it destroys the body’s immune system.

95 Which one of the following is a biological component of a pond ecosystem?

A the presence of carnivorous fish

B the pH of the water

C the oxygen concentration in the pond water

D the temperature of the pond

96 A typical soil contains mineral particles, humus, water, air and:

A rocks.

B hydrogen.

C soil organisms.

D clay.

97 75 g of freshly dug soil was placed in an oven at 105 °C for 24 hours. It was allowed to cool,then reweighed. If the final mass of the dry soil was 66 g, what was the % water content of theoriginal soil sample?

A 9%

B 10%

C 11%

D 12%

98 All of the following can affect the size of a population EXCEPT for:

A availability of resources.

B soil composition.

C disease.

D predation.

99 An example of an air pollutant is:

A sulphur dioxide.

B nitrogen.

C hydrogen.

D sodium chloride.

100 All of the following are possible consequences of global warming EXCEPT for:

A polar ice caps melting

B a change in global rainfall patterns

C a decrease in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

D a change in the major ocean currents

Biology answers1 A 2 C 3 B 4 B 5 C

6 D 7 D 8 A 9 B 10 B

11 D 12 B 13 A 14 C 15 B

16 C 17 C 18 A 19 B 20 A

21 D 22 A 23 B 24 C 25 B

26 C 27 A 28 B 29 D 30 D

31 B 32 C 33 B 34 C 35 A

36 D 37 A 38 C 39 B 40 A

41 B 42 D 43 A 44 C 45 B

46 A 47 D 47 B 49 C 50 D

51 D 52 B 53 A 54 C 55 B

56 A 57 A 58 D 59 C 60 B

61 A 62 B 63 D 64 C 65 B

66 A 67 C 68 B 69 C 70 D

71 D 72 D 73 C 74 A 75 C

76 C 77 B 78 D 79 A 80 C

81 B 82 B 83 A 84 D 85 C

86 D 87 B 88 A 89 C 90 D

91 A 92 B 93 B 94 D 95 A

96 C 97 D 98 B 99 A 100 C