WAEC Biology 1988 past questions and answers

Euglena moves by the

1. A.whipping action of its flagellum
2. B.beating of its cilia
3. C.rotating action of the flagella
4. D.pushing out a jet of water from an organelle
5. E.beating the pseudopodia and cilia simultaneously

Which of the following is not present in the nucleus of a cell?

1. A.Chromosomes
2. B.Nucleolus
3. C.Mitochondrion
4. D.Genes
5. E.Chromatin

The network of double membrane that helps to convey materials through the cytoplasm is the

1. A.plasma membrane
2. B.vacuolar membrane
3. C.nuclear membrane
4. D.endoplasmic reticulum
5. E.mitochondrion

In aerobic respiration, oxidative phosphorylation takes place in the

1. A.cytoplasm
2. B.mitochondria
3. C.lysosome
4. D.vacuoles
5. E.ribosomes

Study the diagram below and use it to answer Questions 6 and 7.
What stage of mitotic division is represented in the diagram of the cell illustrated above?

1. A.Prophase
2. B.Telophase
3. C.Anaphase
4. D.Metaphase
5. E.Interphase

Study the diagram of a cell in mitosis (Questions 6 and 7).
This stage of mitosis is characterized by the

1. A.movement of the chromosomes to the poles
2. B.arrangement of chromosomes on the equitorial plate
3. C.centromeres moving apart along the spindle
4. D.interaction of the spindles with the chromosomes
5. E.condensation of chromosomes and formation of spindles

The ability of organisms to maintain a constant internal environment is known as

1. A.diuresis
2. B.endosmosis
3. C.plasmolysis
4. D.dialysis
5. E.homeostasis

Double fertilization is said to occur in flowering plants because

1. A.two embryos are formed
2. B.one egg is fertilized twice
3. C.two sperms fertilize each egg
4. D.one embryo and an endosperm nucleus are formed
5. E.two sperms and two pollen grains are involved

The bicuspid valve is located between the

1. A.left auricle and left ventricle
2. B.aorta and the left ventricle
3. C.superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava
4. D.right auricle and the superior vena cava
5. E.right auricle and the right ventricle

The pulmonary artery carries

1. A.deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs
2. B.oxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs
3. C.oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the right auricle
4. D.deoxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the right auricle
5. E.oxygenated blood from the lungs to the right auricle

Which of the following blood components has the greatest affinity for oxygen and carbondioxide?

1. A.Blood plasma
2. B.Leucocytes
3. C.Thrombocytes
4. D.Erythrocytes
5. E.Lymphocytes

The thoracic cavity is separated from the abdominal cavity by a sheet of muscle called

1. A.pleural membrane
2. B.intercostal muscle
3. C.diaphragm
4. D.pericardium
5. E.epiglottis

Which of the following organs is responsible for controlling the body temperature regulation and water balance in mammals?

1. A.Kidney
2. B.Hypothalamus
3. C.Parathyroid
4. D.Adrenal
5. E.Thymus

Deamination is the process during which

1. A.excess amino acid is broken down into ammonia and a keto-acid
2. B.fats and oils are converted into an emulsion for absorption
3. C.excess glucose is converted and stored as glycogen in the liver
4. D.glycogen is reconverted into glucose through the action of glucagon
5. E.excess amino acid is converted into proteins

Which of the following statements on urine production is not correct?

1. A.Concentrated urine is produced under the control of antidiuretic hormone
2. B.The total volume of urine produced depends on the need for water excretion
3. C.if there is an excess intake of water, dilute urine is excreted
4. D.if there is a shortage of water in the body the volume of urine produced decreases
5. E.in the presence of antidiuretic hormone dilute urine is produced

The pigment in the malphigian layer responsible for skin colouration is known as

1. A.haemoglobin
2. B.haemocyanin
3. C.chlorocruorin
4. D.haemoerythrin
5. E.melanin

Co-ordination is achieved in the body of mammals through the action of the

1. A.endocrine and nervous systems
2. B.skeletal and nervous systems
3. C.muscular and nervous systems
4. D.circulatory and nervous systems
5. E.skeletal, muscular and nervous system

Which of the following statements is correct of hormones? Hormones are

1. A.secreted into blood through ducts
2. B.secreted directly into the blood stream
3. C.inactive chemical substances in the blood stream
4. D.non-specific in their mode of action
5. E.secreted at the site of the target organs

The pituitary is called 'master gland' because

1. A.it is located in the brain
2. B.its secretions are more numerous than those of any other gland
3. C.its secretion controls other glands
4. D.it is the only organ that produces hormone
5. E.It regulates muscular movements

Auxins are produced in the

1. A.petiole of leaves
2. B.parenchyma of roots and shoots
3. C.epidermis of roots and shoots
4. D.apical regions of roots and shoots
5. E.sclerenchyma tissues of roots and shoots

Which of the following specialized structures are stimulated by touch, pressure, pain, heat and cold?

1. A.Receptors
2. B.Synapse
3. C.Cell bodies
4. D.Myelin sheath
5. E.Relay neurones

Which of the following is not correct about a fruit? It

1. A.may contain many seeds
2. B.is a mature ovary
3. C.is covered by the pericarp
4. D.may develop from the receptacle
5. E.possesses only one scar

Which structure in the maize grain stores food?

1. A.Radicle
2. B.Embryo
3. C.Cytoplasm
4. D.Seed coat
5. E.Endosperm

Which of the following does not occur during photosynthesis?

1. A.Energy from sunlight is absorbed
2. B.Carbondioxide is evolved
3. C.Glucose is synthesized
4. D.Oxygen is given off
5. E.water is split

Even though some flowering plants contain accessory pigments which give them colours they still contain the pigment

1. A.melanin
2. B.chlorophyll
3. C.xanthrophyll
4. D.carotene
5. E.chlorocruorin

Which of the following is not regarded as a micro-nutrient or trace element for plant growth?

1. A.Phosphorus
2. B.Zinc
3. C.Boron
4. D.Silicon
5. E.Molybdenum

In a water culture experiment a plant showed poor growth and yellowing of the leaves. These symptoms were probably due to the absence of

1. A.calcium
2. B.phosphorus
3. C.iron
4. D.zinc
5. E.copper

The relationship between a herbivore and the bacteria which live in its caecum is known as

1. A.parasitism
2. B.symbiosis
3. C.commensalism
4. D.saprophytism
5. E.predation

Autotropic nutrition may be defined in terms of food obtained

1. A.from other organisms in exchange for some products
2. B.by the breakdown of complex substances
3. C.by an organism utilizing its own store of energy
4. D.by synthesizing simple substances using energy from an external source
5. E.in a synthesized form from other living organism

Which of the following is not classified as a terrestrial habitat?

1. A.Forest
2. B.Guinea Savannah
3. C.Afro Alpine
4. D.Littoral zone
5. E.Desert

Which of the following does not contribute to the biomass in an ecosystem?

1. A.Producers
2. B.Food chains
3. C.Consumers
4. D.Micro-organisms
5. E.Saprophytes

Which of the following is not a characteristic feature of tropical rainforest habitat?

1. A.Trees with longer boles than those in savannah
2. B.Fewer canopy strata than the savannah
3. C.Many more trees and climbers than savannah
4. D.Plenty of leaf litter on the ground
5. E.More diverse communities than the savannah

Terrestrial organisms which are capable of maintaining their body temperature constant within fairly close limits are referred to as

1. A.thermoclines
2. B.homotherms
3. C.poikilotherms
4. D.eurytherms
5. E.stenotherms

Which of the following statements is not true of a climax vegetation? It

1. A.is an ecological phenomenon
2. B.is a stable community
3. C.eliminates competition
4. D.results from succession
5. E.involves the colonization of a habitat

The causative organism of sleeping sickness is the

1. A.Trypanosome
2. B.Plasmodium
3. C.Vibrio bacterium
4. D.penicillin
5. E.tsetse fly

Which of the following are not causative organisms of plant diseases?

1. A.Fungi
2. B.Viruses
3. C.Bacteria
4. D.Nematodes
5. E.Cercariae

A constituent of the exhaust gases of motor vehicles which causes serious air pollution is

1. A.water vapour
2. B.carbondioxide
3. C.carbon monoxide
4. D.oxygen
5. E.ozone

Which of the following steps would not be taken to protect or conserve fishing grounds from over-exploitation?

1. A.Use of nets with all sizes of mesh
2. B.Use of nets with a particular mesh size
3. C.Ban on harvesting of some species
4. D.Regulating the size of ships allowed into fishing grounds
5. E.Limiting the period of fishing in the waters

Which of the following is not part of the objectives of conservation of natural resources?

1. A.To eliminate wild animals in order to enable other plants and animals survive
2. B.To use our resources on sustained yield basis
3. C.To guard against indiscriminate killing of plants and animals
4. D.To guard against the extinction and exhaustion of natural resources
5. E.To protect the environment

During blood transfusion, agglutination may occur as a result of the reaction between

1. A.similar antigens and antibodies
2. B.contrasting antigens and antibodies
3. C.two different antigens
4. D.two different antibodies
5. E.white blood cells from the two individuals

Which of the following major ideas were proved by Gregor Mendel?

1. A.There is a tendency among organisms to increase rapidly in number if conditions are favourable
2. B.There is a struggle for existence among a very large number of offspring
3. C.Nature selects organisms which will survive to produce their kind
4. D.All species exhibit structural and functional variations
5. E.Characteristics of an organism are controlled by genes occurring in pairs

Assuming that 'A' is gene for normal skin and it is dominant, while 'a' is gene for albinism and it is recessive, what is the likely genotype of a couple which had 50% normal and 50% albinos?

1. A.AA,Aa
2. B.AA,aa
3. C.Aa, Aa
4. D.Aa, aa
5. E.AA,AA

Which of the following is not a constituent of DNA?

1. A.Purine
2. B.Phosphate
3. C.Cystocine
4. D.Deoxyribose
5. E.Uracil

Which of the following best describes the homologous chromosomes? They are

1. A.a product of the division of a chromosome
2. B.two identical chromosomes from each parent
3. C.chromosomes arranged on spindle fibres during cell division
4. D.daughter chromatides formed during meiotic division
5. E.chromosomes during telophase of mitotic division

The haploid number of chromosomes in man is

1. A.48
2. B.46
3. C.42
4. D.24
5. E.23

If a cross is made between a pure-breeding red flowered plant and a pure-breeding white flowered plant where R is dominant for red flower and r is recessive for white, the most likely result of F₁ generation will be

1. A.75% red flowers and 25% white flowers
2. B.all red flowers
3. C.75% white flowers and 25% red flowers
4. D.50% red flowers and 50% white flowers
5. E.all white flowers

A man with blood group A (I^Ap) married a woman with blood group O (pp). Which of the following is the probable ratio of the blood groups of the offspring?

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

Increasing specialization of structure and function among animals of the same class or order for survival in new and different environments is called

1. A.adaptive radiation
2. B.phylogeny
3. C.homology
4. D.analogy
5. E.ontogeny

When large numbers of organisms share limited space and resources the result is

1. A.immigration
2. B.commensalism
3. C.symbiosis
4. D.extinction
5. E.competition

The change in colour of the chameleon serves as a means of

1. A.attraction to the opposite sex
2. B.repulsion of the enemy
3. C.a camouflage from a predator
4. D.regulation of body temperature
5. E.production of a variety of skin pigments

Species can be defined as the group of organisms that

1. A.resemble each other and live in the same habitat
2. B.are of common origin and are always found together
3. C.resemble each other and can interbreed freely
4. D.resemble each other and occupy the same niche
5. E.are of common origin but cannot interbreed freely

Which of the following is not an evidence of evolution?

1. A.Fossil
2. B.Anatomy
3. C.Embryology
4. D.Genetics
5. E.Behaviour

Which of the following is not true about gene mutation? It

1. A.introduces new traits into a population
2. B.causes changes in the DNA
3. C.may have unnoticeable effect on the phenotype
4. D.always affects the chromosome number
5. E.is a source of new genes

Study the diagrams below carefully. Use them to answer Questions 58 and 59.
The plants best adapted for life in the desert are

1. A.I and IV only
2. B.II and IV only
3. C.III and IV only
4. D.IV and V only
5. E.I, II, III and V

Study the diagrams of plants I to V (succulent leaves, spines, scale leaves, broad leaves, tiny leaves).
The rate of transpiration will be highest in

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

(a)(i) Make a labelled drawing of a typical plant cell to show its essential features (ii) Give the functions of two labelled organelles
(b) Describe briefly two levels of cell organization in living organisms giving an example of each type.
(c) What role do the following processes play in the activities of a living cell? (i) osmosis; (ii) diffusion?

(a) State four modes of nutrition in plants
(b) Outline the process involved in the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis
(c) Describe briefly the modifications and the mechanisms associated with the following feeding habits: (i) filter feeding in mosquito larva; (ii) parasitic feeding in tapeworm.

(a) (i) Define the term population (ii) List two biotic and abiotic factors each that affect population growth.
(b) What are the effects of food shortage on a population?
(c) Describe two methods each for: (i) improving crop yield; (ii) preserving and storing food. Explain the principle involved in each of the methods described for preserving and storing food.

(a) What is conservation of natural resources?
(b) List various natural resources that need to be conserved. State briefly the benefits of conservation in each case.
(c) List the problems often encountered in ensuring conservation of natural resources.
(d) What are the efforts being employed in your country to ensure conservation of natural resources?