JAMB Biology 1979 past questions and answers

All living organisms

1. A.photosynthesize
2. B.respire
3. C.move
4. D.feed
5. E.transpire

Amoeba moves by means of

1. A.cilia
2. B.flagella
3. C.pseudopodia
4. D.swimmerets
5. E.setae.

Which of these tissues serves the function of support and water conduction?

1. A.Parenchyma
2. B.Collenchyma
3. C.Sclerenchyma
4. D.Xylem
5. E.Phloem

Which of these is the terminal portion of the alimentary canal of a mammal?

1. A.Oesophagus
2. B.Stomach
3. C.Rectum
4. D.Colon
5. E.Appendix

An organism which lives on the remains of a dead plant is

1. A.an endoparasite
2. B.a saprophyte
3. C.a commensal
4. D.a symbiont
5. E.an ectoparasite.

Which of the substances listed below is a trace element for plants?

1. A.Potassium
2. B.Sodium
3. C.Copper
4. D.Phosphate
5. E.Nitrate

The movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration is

1. A.diffusion
2. B.transpiration
3. C.osmosis
4. D.translocation
5. E.plasmolysis.

Which of the structures listed below is peculiar to the Axis vertebra?

1. A.Odontoid process
2. B.Anterior zygapophysis
3. C.Posterior zygapophysis
4. D.Lateral spine
5. E.Centrum

The complex relationship between the members of a community and between the community as a whole and its physical environment is

1. A.ecosystem
2. B.habitat
3. C.environment
4. D.niche
5. E.microhabitat

A Secchi disc is used in the determination of

1. A.rainfall
2. B.tides
3. C.waves
4. D.turbidity
5. E.current velocity

The carrier of the hereditary characters in plants and animals is the

1. A.cell
2. B.nucleus
3. C.chromosome
4. D.chloroplast
5. E.gene

Which of these is not an enzyme?

1. A.Pepsin
2. B.Gastrin
3. C.Amylase
4. D.Chymotrypsin
5. E.Trypsin.

The region of cell division in a root is

1. A.root cap
2. B.endodermis
3. C.xylem
4. D.piliferous layer
5. E.meristem.

Which of the statements below is not characteristic of wind pollinated flowers?

1. A.Stigmas are usually large and feathery
2. B.Nectary is usually absent
3. C.The pollen grains have rough spiny surfaces
4. D.The flowers are not scented
5. E.The pollen is light and smooth.

Which of the following is not an excretory organ?

1. A.Lungs
2. B.Kidney
3. C.Leaf
4. D.Large intestine
5. E.Skin

When the ciliary muscle of the eye contracts, the eye lens

1. A.bulges
2. B.contracts
3. C.rotates
4. D.flattens
5. E.is rounded

In which of these associations is much harm done to one of the partners?

1. A.Symbiosis
2. B.Epiphytism
3. C.Commensalism
4. D.Parasitism
5. E.Mutualism.

The part of the mammalian brain responsible for maintaining balance is

1. A.medulla oblongata
2. B.cerebellum
3. C.optic lobe
4. D.cerebrum
5. E.olfactory lobe.

A sugar solution was boiled with Fehling's solutions A and B and the colour remained blue. The sugar tested was

1. A.glucose
2. B.maltose
3. C.fructose
4. D.sucrose
5. E.lactose.

Alkaline pyrogallol was used in an experiment. That experiment must have been connected with

1. A.excretion
2. B.germination
3. C.transpiration
4. D.digestion
5. E.photosynthesis.

The plumule is best described as

1. A.part of the cotyledon
2. B.part of the endosperm
3. C.a miniature shoot
4. D.structure near the micropyle
5. E.structure opposite the hilum

A dry indehiscent, winged fruit formed from one carpel is known as a

1. A.schizocarp
2. B.caryopsis
3. C.samara
4. D.nut
5. E.follicle

Which of these is not a type of soil?

1. A.Sand
2. B.Granite
3. C.Loam
4. D.Clay
5. E.Sandy loam

The farmer cannot check soil erosion effectively by

1. A.constructing his ridges for planting across the slope
2. B.cultivating cover crops
3. C.practising strip cropping
4. D.clearing the land of vegetation
5. E.constructing terraces

A gland in the human body secretes two hormones, one of which causes a disease called diabetes when there is a deficiency. Which of these organs produces the hormones?

1. A.Spleen
2. B.Parathyroid
3. C.Adrenal body
4. D.Thyroid
5. E.Pancreas.

In which of the following tissues do the cells have the ability to divide?

1. A.Meristem
2. B.Sclerenchyma
3. C.Phloem
4. D.Collenchyma
5. E.Pith

Which one of the following is not an excretory product?

1. A.Urine
2. B.Sweat
3. C.Faeces
4. D.Salts
5. E.Carbon dioxide

Bacteria inhabiting legume root nodules and which add atmospheric nitrogen to the soil are referred to as

1. A.denitrifying bacteria
2. B.nitrifying bacteria
3. C.nitrogen fixing bacteria
4. D.nitrogen freeing bacteria
5. E.nitrogen putrefying bacteria

One of the following statements is not true of viruses.

1. A.They are micro-organisms
2. B.They are smaller than bacteria
3. C.They can be seen with an ordinary light microscope
4. D.They cause to tobacco disease
5. E.They cause polio and smallpox

If you cross-breed a tall variety (Tt) of maize with a short variety (tt), the ratio of tall to short plants in the offspring will be

1. A.2:1
2. B.1:2
3. C.1:1
4. D.1:3
5. E.3:1

The digestive enzyme that coagulates proteins in milk is

1. A.ptyalin
2. B.pepsin
3. C.renin
4. D.trypsin
5. E.amylase

The hepatic portal vein is characterized by

1. A.beginning and ending with capillaries
2. B.connecting the liver and kidney
3. C.carrying deoxygenated blood
4. D.ending with large capilarries
5. E.having no capillaries.

In the above diagram (Fig. 1) the cell which controls the opening and closing of stomatal pore is

1. A.1
2. B.2
3. C.3
4. D.4
5. E.5

The blood vessel which carries digested food from the small intestine to the liver is the

1. A.renal vein
2. B.renal artery
3. C.hepatic artery
4. D.hepatic portal vein
5. E.coeliac artery.

The maize grain is regarded as a fruit and not a seed because

1. A.it is covered by a sheath of leaves
2. B.the testa and fruit wall fuse after fertilization
3. C.it has both endosperm and cotyledon
4. D.it has coleorhiza and coleoptile
5. E.the pericarp and seed coat are separate.

Identical twins are produced under one of the following conditions:

1. A.Two ova fertilized at the same time by two sperms
2. B.One ovum fertilized, divides to give two embryos
3. C.One ovum fertilized, twins formed shortly before birth
4. D.Two ova fertilized by one sperm
5. E.One ovum fertilized by two sperms.

Figure 2 is a section of a drupe. The part numbered 2 is

1. A.epicarp
2. B.endocarp
3. C.mesocarp
4. D.seed
5. E.pericarp

The one-seeded fruit in which the pericarp and seed coat have become fused together is known as

1. A.achene
2. B.samara
3. C.caryopsis
4. D.legume
5. E.drupe.

The major function of contractile vacuole in Amoeba is

1. A.to secrete enzymes to digest food particles
2. B.to store excess food materials
3. C.to excrete nitrogenous wastes
4. D.to absorb water from the surroundings
5. E.to collect and expel excess water in the cytoplasm.

Grasses → grasshoppers → lizards → snakes → hawks.In the above food chain the organisms which are the least in number are

1. A.grasses
2. B.grasshoppers
3. C.lizards
4. D.snakes
5. E.hawks

Which of these is not true? Grasses in the above food chain

1. A.trap all the sun energy
2. B.trap a small percent of the sun energy
3. C.are primary producers
4. D.are eaten by primary consumers
5. E.contain chlorophyll.

Insects show considerable powers of water conservation. This is due to the fact that

1. A.the chitinous cuticle is impregnated with tanned proteins
2. B.nitrogenous waste is eliminated as urea
3. C.chitin is impermeable to water
4. D.the malpighian tubules are impermeable to water
5. E.the cuticle is covered with wax.

Root hairs have their origin from

1. A.endodermis
2. B.pericycle
3. C.cortex
4. D.epidermis
5. E.xylem

The element nitrogen is utilized in

1. A.formation of ATP
2. B.formation of glucose
3. C.formation of amino acids
4. D.photosynthesis
5. E.none of the above.

Magnesium is utilized in the formation of

1. A.ATP
2. B.glucose
3. C.amino acids
4. D.chlorophyll
5. E.fats

One significant difference between roots and stem is that

1. A.branch roots originate in the pericycle while branch stems do not
2. B.stems are always above the ground while roots are always below the ground
3. C.stems are positively geotropic while roots are negatively geotropic
4. D.stems are sometimes used for storage while roots are never so used
5. E.stems grow in both length and circumference while roots grow only in length.

The arrangements below are steps in protein digestion. Which is the correct sequence?
a — polypeptides, b — proteins, c — amino acids, d — peptones

1. A.a → b → c → d
2. B.c → d → a → b
3. C.b → c → a → d
4. D.b → d → a → c
5. E.b → a → c → d