GCE Biology 1990 past questions and answers

Which of the following methods of reproduction is common to Paramecium and Amoeba?

1. A.Conjugation
2. B.Sexual reproduction
3. C.Binary fission
4. D.Budding
5. E.Fragmentation

Which of the following structures controls the activities of the living cell?

1. A.Nucleus
2. B.Centrosome
3. C.Chloroplast
4. D.Golgi body
5. E.Mitochondrion

Most of the energy in the cell is produced in the

1. A.mitochondrion
2. B.lysosome
3. C.plastid
4. D.Golgi apparatus
5. E.cytoplasm

The structure in the cell that controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell is the

1. A.cytoplasmic membrane
2. B.nuclear membrane
3. C.cytoplasm
4. D.protoplasm
5. E.endoplasm

Which of the following structures differentiates an animal cell from a plant cell?

1. A.Ribosomes
2. B.Cell membrane
3. C.Chloroplast
4. D.Mitochondrion
5. E.Lysosome

At the end of mitosis the number of cells produced from a parent cell is

1. A.four
2. B.six
3. C.eight
4. D.three
5. E.two

Which of the following statements is not correct of respiration?

1. A.Gaseous exchange occurs by diffusion
2. B.Oxygen combines with haemoglobin at the respiratory surface
3. C.Carbondioxide produced in the tissues is removed by the process of osmosis
4. D.There are no special organs for respiration in plants
5. E.In higher animals, respiratory gases are transported in solution

At which of the following stages of mitosis do the two daughter chromosomes separate completely?

1. A.Early prophase
2. B.Telophase
3. C.Anaphase
4. D.Late prophase
5. E.Metaphase

Below is a drawing of a stage in mitosis. Use it to answer questions 9 and 10.
Which of the following processes is not evident from the drawing?

1. A.Lining up of the chromosomes at the equatorial plate
2. B.Centromere attaching a pair of chromatids to a spindle fibre
3. C.Chromatids held by centromere
4. D.Absence of nuclear membrane
5. E.Chromatids moving to the poles

The drawing shows a stage in mitosis (questions 9 and 10).
The stage of mitosis represented in the diagram is known as the

1. A.telophase
2. B.metaphase
3. C.anaphase
4. D.interphase
5. E.prophase

Which of the following is not a function of the mammalian skeleton? It

1. A.gives the body its shape
2. B.provides a framework on which internal organs are suspended
3. C.protects soft and delicate parts of the body
4. D.provides attachment for muscles
5. E.contracts and relaxes to bring about movement

Use the diagram below to answer questions 12 and 13.
What type of vertebra is represented in the diagram?

1. A.Atlas
2. B.Axis
3. C.Cervical vertebra
4. D.Sacrum
5. E.Lumbar vertebra

Use the diagram of the vertebra (questions 12 and 13).
The structure labelled A represents the

1. A.transverse process
2. B.neural spine
3. C.neural canal
4. D.centrum
5. E.metapophysis

Which of the following statements is not correct about the functions of each group of mammalian vertebrae?

1. A.Cervical vertebrae support the neck
2. B.Thoracic vertebrae articulate with the ribs
3. C.Lumbar vertebrae provide attachment for abdominal muscles
4. D.Sacral vertebrae support the skull and allow nodding and rotating movements
5. E.Caudal vertebrae support the tail and provide attachment for tail muscle

The stems of young herbaceous plants are kept upright mainly by

1. A.osmotic pressure
2. B.turgor pressure
3. C.transpiration pull
4. D.suction pressure
5. E.root pressure

Different tissues in plants contribute to the support of the parts as a result of the following characteristics except

1. A.malleability
2. B.rigidity
3. C.flexibility
4. D.resilience
5. E.hardness

Water vapour is lost in plants during transpiration through

1. A.stomata and lenticels
2. B.xylem and stomata
3. C.sclerenchyma and stomata
4. D.parenchyma and lenticels
5. E.guard cells and lenticels

Gaseous exchange takes place in the adult toad through the

1. A.buccal cavity, bladder and lungs
2. B.buccal cavity, skin and lungs
3. C.tympanic membrane, lungs and gills
4. D.buccal cavity, skin and spiracle
5. E.gills, skin and buccal cavity

Breathing movement in mammals is accompanied by regular movements of the diaphragm and the

1. A.intercostal muscles
2. B.vertebral column
3. C.clavicle
4. D.pleural cavity
5. E.floating ribs

Which of the following are components of glomerular filtrate?

1. A.All the components of blood except mineral salts
2. B.Water and salt only
3. C.All the components of blood except plasma protein and cells
4. D.Plasma proteins, red and white blood cells
5. E.Blood cells, amino acid, salts and nitrogenous wastes

The mechanism by which useful materials in the glomerular filtrate are taken back into the blood is known as

1. A.filtration
2. B.reabsorption
3. C.haemolysis
4. D.osmosis
5. E.dialysis

Which of the following takes place during the process of detoxication in the liver?

1. A.Poisonous substances in the body are converted into harmless substances
2. B.Fats and oils are broken into finer particles through emulsification
3. C.Excess glucose in the blood are converted into glycogen and stored
4. D.Worn-out red blood cells are broken down
5. E.Enough heat is generated to sustain the activities of the liver

The cup-shaped part of the Bowman's capsule contains the

1. A.nephridium
2. B.glomerulus
3. C.loop of Henle
4. D.nephron
5. E.convoluted tubule

The increase in width of blood vessels in the mammalian skin at high temperatures is known as

1. A.vasolidation
2. B.sweating
3. C.vasoconstriction
4. D.shivering
5. E.evaporation

The condition known as cretinism is caused by the deficiency of

1. A.adrenalin
2. B.vitamin A
3. C.insulin
4. D.thyroxin
5. E.vitamin C

Which of the following parts of the mammalian brain is involved in taking the decision to run rather than walk?

1. A.Cerebellum
2. B.Medulla oblongata
3. C.Cranial nerves
4. D.Mid brain
5. E.Cerebrum

The brain and spinal cord make up the

1. A.peripheral nervous system
2. B.autonomic nervous system
3. C.central nervous system
4. D.somatic nervous system
5. E.sympathetic nervous system

Which of the following is not true about auxins? They

1. A.are manufactured by plants
2. B.are used in the site of production
3. C.are normally present in minute quantities in the cells of plants
4. D.regulate growth rate of plants
5. E.regulate direction of growth in plants

Which of the following stimuli are not perceived through the skin of mammals?

1. A.Light
2. B.Pressure
3. C.Pain
4. D.Heat
5. E.Cold

Use the diagram below to answer questions 31 and 32.
The structures labelled III, VI, IV and II respectively represent the

1. A.uterus, cervix, oviduct and ureter
2. B.cervix, oviduct, uterus and ureter
3. C.oviduct, uterus, ureter and cervix
4. D.vagina, cervix, oviduct and uterus
5. E.uterus, cervix, ovary and oviduct

Use the diagram of the female reproductive system (questions 31 and 32).
The gamete is produced in the structure labelled

1. A.I
2. B.II
3. C.IV
4. D.VI
5. E.V

What is the difference between viviparous and oviparous animals?

1. A.Possession of yolked eggs
2. B.Laying of unfertilized eggs
3. C.Possession of yolkless eggs
4. D.Protection of eggs from predator
5. E.Laying and brooding of eggs

The structure of the embryo which develops and makes contact with the uterine wall is known as the

1. A.umbilical cord
2. B.placenta
3. C.allantois
4. D.amnion
5. E.chorion

The organ located in the mammalian abdominal cavity just below the diaphragm and lying on top of the stomach is the

1. A.bladder
2. B.intestine
3. C.liver
4. D.pancreas
5. E.chorion

Which of the following is the effect of using artificial pollination in plant breeding?

1. A.Production of healthy crops
2. B.Improvement of the variety of crops
3. C.Making crops susceptible to diseases
4. D.Lengthening the maturity time of crops
5. E.Encouraging competition amongst crops

A dry indehiscent fruit containing one seed and possessing a hairy pappus is described as

1. A.a nut
2. B.a drupe
3. C.a cypsela
4. D.a follicle
5. E.an achene

Thunderstorm can be beneficial to plants because it

1. A.kills the pest that attacks crops
2. B.destroys some of the major crops
3. C.adds nitrates to the soil
4. D.adds lime to the soil
5. E.makes rain water available to plants

Which of the following reagents is used for the test for starch?

1. A.Millon's reagent
2. B.Fehlings' solution
3. C.Sudan III
4. D.Iodine solution
5. E.Benedict's solution

Which of the followning is an autotrophic mode of nutrition?

1. A.Chemosynthesis
2. B.Saprophytism
3. C.Parasitism
4. D.Symbiosis
5. E.Commensalism

Which of the following is not a way of reducing air pollution?

1. A.Siting factories and power stations away from residential areas
2. B.Building tall factory chimneys
3. C.Passing waste gases through filters and absorbers
4. D.Using lead-free petrol in cars
5. E.Recycling tins, cans and bottles

Which of the following factors is not associated with aquatic habitat?

1. A.Temperature
2. B.Light intensity
3. C.Turbidity
4. D.Wave action
5. E.Humidity

Which of the following types of soil has the highest water-retaining capacity?

1. A.Clay
2. B.Laterite
3. C.Loam
4. D.Gravel
5. E.Sand

Changes in energy flow between organisms in a habitat can be represented by a

1. A.pyramid of biomass
2. B.pyramid of numbers
3. C.pyramid of energy
4. D.food chain
5. E.food web

Which of the following processes is not involved in the carbon cycle?

1. A.Burning
2. B.Decay
3. C.Transpiration
4. D.Respiration
5. E.Photosynthesis

Which of the following processes are involved in a water cycle?

1. A.Evaporation, condensation and precipitation
2. B.Evaporation, percolation and transpiration
3. C.Evaporation and precipitation
4. D.Evaporation and transpiration
5. E.Precipitation and condensation

Water in the human body is derived from the following sources except through

1. A.drinking water
2. B.food substances
3. C.cytoplasm of worn-out cells
4. D.respiratory activity
5. E.absorption by the skin

The conservation of natural resources can be achieved by the following except

1. A.creation of national parks
2. B.formation of conservation societies and agencies
3. C.establishment of game reserves
4. D.deregulated harvesting
5. E.making laws on conservation

Water rises most rapidly in

1. A.sandy soil
2. B.clayey soil
3. C.sandy-loam soil
4. D.loamy soil
5. E.humus soil

Thrombocytes are blood cells responsible for initiating

1. A.phagocytosis of bacteria
2. B.synthesis of ribosomes
3. C.clotting of the blood
4. D.immunity to certain infectious diseases
5. E.removal of carbondioxide from tissues

When gametes from pure breeding parents with contrasting features such as tallness and shortness are involved in monohybrid cross, the offspring in the first filial generation are usually

1. A.pure breed
2. B.heterozygous dominant
3. C.homozygous recessive
4. D.mutants
5. E.co-dominant

A pair of genes which controls a trait is described as

1. A.dominant
2. B.recessive
3. C.allele
4. D.variant
5. E.hybrid

The precondition for transfusion of blood to an accident victim is

1. A.seeking the consent to his parents
2. B.ascertaining the religious belief of the victim
3. C.cross-matching the blood group of the donor with that of the accident victim
4. D.curing the donor of any disease traced in his blood
5. E.rewarding the donor with food and money

Adaptive radiation as illustrated by the variety of forms in insects can be regarded as

1. A.a behavioural modification
2. B.a case of rapid population growth
3. C.a physiological process
4. D.an evidence of evolution
5. E.a population control mechanism

Which of the following statements about the modifications of pentadactyl fore-limb is not correct?

1. A.Wings are modified for flying in birds
2. B.Flippers are modified for grasping in sharks
3. C.Legs are modified for walking and running in antelopes
4. D.Arms are adapted for grasping and holding in human beings
5. E.Flippers are modified for swimming in whales

The process by which plants and animals are modified in structure, physiology and behaviour in order to survive is known as

1. A.evolution
2. B.adaptation
3. C.succession
4. D.aggregation
5. E.hibernation

What is the significance of the bee dance to other bees?

1. A.Warning signal
2. B.Presence of food
3. C.Mating signal by the male
4. D.Scaring the enemies away
5. E.Time for nuptial flight

Which of the following statements is not associated with the theory of natural selection?

1. A.There is a struggle for existence
2. B.There is competition among the offsprings
3. C.The weaker offsprings are eliminated
4. D.Food and other needs are abundant
5. E.Nature selects those that survive to reproduce their kind

(a) Describe briefly the process involved in the breakdown of glucose in the cell of living organisms to produce energy (A T P).
(b) State two conditions under which glycogen can be converted to glucose to produce energy.
(c) Describe an experiment to demonstrate that oxygen is released by green plants during photosynthesis.

(a)(i) Give two reasons why termites are described as social insects (ii) Name four castes found in the termite nest, stating one role of each caste
(b) Describe five behavioural adaptations of termites which enable them to survive in their environment.

(a) Describe the process of succession in an abandoned farm land
(b) List seven ways by which micro-organisms can be controlled to maintain good health.

(a) Explain briefly how the process of meiotic division contributes to variation in a population
(b) State Mendel's first and second laws of inheritance
(c) A pure breeding brown coloured rat, BB was crossed with a pure breeding white rat bb. By means of diagram only, show the genotypes of the offspring up to the second filial generation.