INTERACTIVE
MULTIPLE CHOICE
QUESTIONS
Living organisms
The answers are provided.
Explanations of why the alternatives
are unsatisfactory are also offered
These multiple choice questions are similar to the ones set
by the GCSE and IGCSE Examination Boards except that,
in some cases, there may be more than one acceptable
answer.
For this reason, even if you select a correct answer at your
first attempt, it is worth looking at all the alternatives
(a) to see if there is a better answer and
(b) to see why some of the alternatives are unacceptable.
First slide
Question 1
One of the characteristics of living organisms is
that they all respire.
Respiration is…
(a) obtaining oxygen by breathing
(b) obtaining energy from sunlight
(c) obtaining energy by chemically
breaking down food
(d) breaking down large molecules to
smaller molecules by digestion
Question 2
No
‘Breathing’ is the method by which most animals obtain
oxygen from their surroundings (air or water). It is not a
characteristic of all living organisms.
No
Only plants can obtain energy from sunlight
Yes
Nearly all living organisms obtain their energy by breaking
down food substances either aerobically (with the use of
oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen)
C6H12O6 + 6O2
6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
Aerobic respiration
C6H12O6
2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + energy
Anaerobic respiration (alcoholic fermentation)
No
Breaking down large molecules by digestion uses
energy rather than releasing it and is a property of
animals, fungi and bacteria
Question 2
1cm
a
These animals are all
classsed as …
(a) insects
(b) spiders
1cm
(c) invertebrates
(d) arachnids
Question 3
.05mm
b
c
No
Insects have three pairs of legs. These organisms all
have four pairs
No
c is a spider but a is a scorpion and b is a mite
No
They are invertebrates, but so are worms, molluscs,
crustacea etc. ‘Invertebrate’ is a descriptive term not a
classification
Yes
a is a scorpion, b is a mite and c is a spider
Question 3
The classificatory term ‘Mustela erminea’, refers to…
(a) a Species
(b) a Class
(c) an Order
(d) a Genus
Question 4
Yes
The ‘double-barrelled’ name ‘Mustela erminia’ indicates
that this is a species of animal, namely, the stoat
No
This animal is a stoat and its Class is Mammalia (the
mammals)
No
The animal is a stoat which belongs to the Order
Carnivora (the carnivores).
No
The Genus is ‘Mustela’
Mustela erminea is the stoat
Mustela nivalis is the weasel and
Mustela putoria is the polecat
Question 4
Which of the following is a defining characteristic of
mammals?
(a) They maintain a constant body temperature,
above that of their surroundings (‘warm blooded’)
(b) Their young are born alive
(c) They suckle their young
(d) They have four limbs
Question 5
No
Mammals do maintain a constant body temperature above
that of their surroundings but so do birds
No
Live birth is a mammalian characteristic but it is not
exclusive to mammals. Some reptiles (e.g. chameleons),
some fish (e.g.guppies) and even some insects (e.g. aphids)
give birth to living young
Yes
Suckling their young on milk is an exclusive mammalian
characteristic
No
Amphibia, reptiles and birds also have four limbs
Question 5
A fish obtains its oxygen from ….
(a) the O of H2O
(b) the oxygen dissolved in water
(c) the air
(d) its food
Question 6
No
Fish are unable to decompose water to release oxygen
Yes
It is atmospheric oxygen dissolved in water that the fish uses
No
There are certain fish, (called. ‘lung fish’) which live in
poorly oxygenated waters, that can get some of their oxygen
from atmospheric air but they are a small minority
No
Fish do not get oxygen from their food
Question 6
Which of the following features adapt a bird for flight?
(a) Hollow bones
(b) Wings
(c) Powerful pectoral muscles
(d) Feathers
Question 7
Yes
Hollow bones reduce the bird’s weight
No
Birds’ wings are essential for flight not an adaptation to
flight. Without wings there is no flight*
* Nevertheless, if asked to list a bird’s adaptations to flight, it
might be expedient to include ‘wings’
Yes
The development of large, powerful pectoral muscles is
an adaptation to flight. These are the muscles which
move the wings during flapping flight
No
Only a small proportion of feathers contribute to flight.
Even flightless birds have feathers.
Question 7
An example of sensitivity in plants is …
(a) germination of seeds
(b) seed dispersal
(c) wilting
(d) phototropism
Question 8
No
Admittedly, most seeds need water before they will
germinate but this is essential for germination to take place
rather than a response to a stimulus
No
Many forms of seed dispersal need specific conditions
but these are not the same as a ‘stimulus’
No
Wilting takes place when a plant loses more water than it is
absorbing. It is not a response to a stimulus
Yes
Phototropism is a response to a stimulus. The stimulus is
light coming from one side of the plant and the response is
a growth movement towards the light source
Question 8
These microscopic organisms
(not drawn to the same scale)
are all members of the
Kingdom …
(a) Monera
Chlamydomonas
Euglena
Amoeba
(b) Protozoa
Vorticella
(c) Protophyta
Paramecium
(d) Protoctista
Question 9
No
The Kingdom Monera includes bacteria and
blue-green algae
No
The term ‘Protozoa’ refers to the one-celled organisms
that feed like animals i.e, take in sold food and digest it.
Amoeba, Paramecium and Vorticella are Protozoa, but
Protozoa do not constitute a Kingdom
No
The term ‘Protophyta’ describes those single-celled
organisms that feed like plants, i.e. they contain
chloroplasts and make their food by photosynthesis.
Chlamydomonas and Euglena are examples of
Protophyta but the Protophyta do not constitute a
Kingdom
Yes
'The Kingdom Protoctista includes all the single-celled
organisms that are not bacteria or blue-green algae
Question 9
Fungi get their food by…
(a) absorbing nutrients from the soil
(b) secreting enzymes and reabsorbing
the digested products
(c) ingesting other organisms and digesting
them
(d) making their food during photosynthesis
Question 10
No
Not all fungi live in the soil. Though the soil may
contain mineral ions it does not contain any nutrients.
Yes
Fungi secrete enzymes into their surroundings (e.g. soil
or decaying organic matter). The enzymes digest the
organic matter and the soluble products are absorbed into
the fungal hyphae
No
Fungi do not ingest other organisms
No
Fungi do not contain chlorophyll and are therefore unable
to make their food by photosynthesis
Question 10
Growth takes place as a result of …
(a) cell division
(b) intake of food
(c) increase in mass
(d) increase in size
No
Cell division usually contributes to growth but growth does
not result solely from cell division.
For example, the frog’s egg cell undergoes rapid and repeated
cell division but does not increase in size or mass
Single cell
32 cells
It must also be remembered that single-celled
organisms grow without cell division
No
Organisms must have food in order to grow but there may be
periods in their lives where all the food is needed to provide
energy and no growth can take place. Intake of food does not,
therefore, necessarily result in growth
Yes
An increase in mass results in growth. It is usually
accompanied by an increase in size
No
Increase in size usually accompanies growth but unless
there is a corresponding increase in mass it cannot be
called growth. For example a butterfly emerging from a
pupa increases its size but there is no increase in mass
Pupa
Butterfly
End of questions
Back to start
End show