WASSCE 2010

Objectives



​1. Which of the following organisms is not classified as an animal?

A. Amoeba

B. Paramecium

C. Euglena

D. Obelia


2. An organism that operates at the cellular level of organization, carries out its physiological activities by using its

A. Cell membrane

B. Organelles

C. Small size

D. Cytoplasm


3. The organelle which eliminates water from the body of a protozoan is the

A. Plasma membrane

B. Contractile vacuole

C. Nucleus

D. Cell wall.


4. Which of the following cell types has the least number of mitochondria?

A. Cardiac cells of the heart

B. Cells of the cornified layer

C. Muscle cells of the bladder

D. Muscle cells of the diaphragm


5. A typical plant cell is mainly distinguished from an animal cell by the possession of

A. Chloroplast and nucleus.

B. Cell wall and cytoplas

C. Chloroplast and cell wall.

D. Cell wall and mitochondria



6. Which of the following characteristics do fungi share in common with animals?

A. Presence of digestive tract

B. Movement from one place to another

C. Storage of carbohydrate as glycogen

D. Movement of centrioles during cell division


7. Which of the following processes involves diffusion?

A. Opening and closing of stomatal pores

B. Turgidity of herbaceous plants

C. Absorption of water through the root hairs

D. Absorption of digested food into the villi


8. The mechanism of opening and closing of stomata in plants is based on

A. Turgidity and diffusion

B. Turgidity and flaccidity

C. Osmosis and diffusion

D. Diffusion and flaccidity


9. In cellular respiration energy is made available to organisms by

A. Removal of a phosphate group from ADP

B. Breaking off a phosphate group from ATP.

C. Adding a phosphate group to glucose

D. Breaking off a hydrogen ion from NADPH.


10. Excretion in Paramecium sp. is by diffusion because

A. Its habitat is water and moist places.

B. It has simple, small and few internal organs

C. It has a large surface area to volume ratio

D. It has a large efficient meganucleus.



​11. The axial skeleton is composed of the

A. Skull and vertebral column.

B. Limbs and gird

C. Atlas and axis

D. Radius and Ulna.


12. The inorganic components of bone consist of

A. Magnesium, sodium and calcium

B. Magnesium, phosphorus and calcium.

C. Sodium, phosphorus and calcium.

D. Potassium, magnesium and calcium.


13. A pulse is best described as

A. Contraction of arteries to let out blood

B. Contraction of veins to allow blood into them

C. Dilation of arteries to accommodate blood rushing through

D. Pumping action of the heart to move blood round the body


14. The following characteristics are associated with the mammalian lungs except

A. Large surface area.

B. Expandable lungs

C. Moist surface

D. Highly vascularized


15. The excretory system in mammals consists of the following parts except

A. Two kidney

B. Two ureters.

C. Two bladders

D. One urethra



16. The organ that receives reduced flow of blood during vigorous exercise is the

A. Brain.

B. Heart.

C. Lung.

D. Limb


17. The ear pinna is strengthened by

A. Blood pressure.

B. Cartilage

C. Bone

D. Turgor pressure.


18. The relationship between the retina and the brain is similar to that between the

A. Cochlea and the auditor, nerve

B. Cochlea and the brain

C. Cochlea and the semi-circular canals

D. Eardrum and the brain.


19. Which of the following statements about the development of foetus is not correct?

A. The circulatory system of the foetus is directly connected the maternal blood vessels.

B. The foetus depends on the mother's blood for its food and oxygen.

C. The foetus is surrounded by a water sac

D. Food and oxygen are carried across the placenta to the embryo's blood.  


Use the diagram below to answer questions 20 and 21.





20. The parts that supply food and water to the developing embryo are labelled

A. I and II

B. Ill and V

C. V and VI

D. II and III



​21. The part labelled III is the

A. Albumen

B. Chalaza

C. Yolk

D. Airspace


22. Which of the following statements is true about transpiration? It is the

A. Loss of water in the form of vapour from the surface of the leaf

B. Loss of water in the form of vapour from the surface of the root

C. Absorption of water in the form of vapour from the body of the plant

D. Movement of water through the body of t.e pla .t


23. Transportation of water in the xylem tissue involves the following except

A. Root pressure

B. Capillary action.

C. Transpiration pull

D. Translocation.


24. The following are the major reasons why the butterfly lays eggs under the surface of a leaf except to

A. Shade the eggs from the direct rays of the sun.

B. Protect the eggs from predators.

C. Protect the eggs from being washed away by rain drops.

D. Camouflage the eggs


25. In which of the following organic compounds is the hydrogen - oxygen ratio equal to 2:1 ?

A. Proteins

B. Carbohydrates

C. Lipids

D. Vitamins



26. A man suffering from obesity must avoid meals containing

A. Margarine and butter

B. Rice and beans

C. Carrots and oranges

D. Beef and fish.


27. In testing for starch in a leaf, the leaf is first boiled in water for about a minute so that the

A. Cell walls are hardened.

B. Cells are killed

C. Chlorophyll is dissolved out

D. Iodine will penetrate


28. Which of the following food substances is incorrectly linked to its enzyme?

A. Protein — trypsin

B. Fat — lipase

C. Sucrose— pepsin

D. Starch— amylase


29. Which of the following pH values is the best for the action of the enzymes - renin and pepsin in the stomach?

A. pH2 '

B. pH7

C. pH8

D. pH9


30. The bacterium in a mutualistic association with legumes converts

A. Nitrates to ammonia

B. Ammonium compounds to nitrites

C. Nitrogen gas to ammonia

D. Nitrites to nitrates.



​31. A herbivore cannot feed on a piece of meat because it has no

A. Incisors to cut the meat

B. Canines to tear up the meat

C. Premolars to grind the meat

D. Molars to mash the meat


32. In a particular habitat the role of an organism is referred to as its.

A. Level

B. Biomass

C. Niche

D. Space


33. The distribution of organisms in a fresh water habitat like a stream or pond is determined by the following factors except

A. Light penetration

B. pH of the soil

C. Rainfall

D. Temperature


34. The speed of wind is measured using the

A. Wind vane

B. Anemometer

C. Photometer

D. Barometer


35. Which of the following is a biotic component of an ecosystem

A. Soil

B. Rainfall

C. Light

D. Fungi



36. A moss plant can withstand drought by means of its

A. spores

B. rhizoids

C. antheridia

D. archegonia


37. Which of the following factors is the main problem facing xerophytes plants?

A. Competition for sunlight

B. Conservation of excess water

C. Inadequate roots for water absorption

D. Lack of adequate water


38. The following are greenhouse gases except

A. Carbon dioxide

B. Chlorofluorocarbon

C. Methane.

D. Oxygen


39. Rural-urban migration in developing countries can be prevented by

A. Increasing the number of years in school.

B. Putting up more factories in urban areas.

C. Having boarding schools in rural areas.

D. Even distribution of facilities in both regions.


40. Muscles are attached to bones by means of

A. tendons

B. ligaments

C. cartilage

D. nerves.



​41. In a population, food shortage mayJead to

A. An increased survival rate

B. High reproduction rate

C. Intra-specific competition

D. Low rate of migration.


42. The following effects are associated with deforestation except

A. Gully erosion

B. Extinction of plant species.

C. Migration of wildlife

D. Increase in rainfall


43. The main reason for the conservation of wildlife is to

A. Create national parks for recreation.

B. Maintain ecological balance in communities.

C. Prevent hunters from being cruel to animals.

D. Save some species from extinction.


44. Which of the following is an example of variation?

A. Blood

B. Tongue rolling

C. Reproduction

D. Growth


45. The parameters of size, height, weight and colour in a population of living things are examples of

A. Environmental variations

B. Non-heritable variations.

C. Continuous variations

D. Discontinuous variations.



46. Fingerprints are useful in crime detection because

A. The police have sophisticated fingerprint machines

B. Thieves may leave their prints at the scene of a crime

C. No two people have the same fingerprint

D. Fingerprints are easy to make.


47. A person with blood group O can be given blood from persons who have blood belonging to

A. Group O only

B. Group A only

C. Groups A and O

D. Groups A. B and O.


48. A man heterozygous for albino gene marries a woman who is also heterozygous for the gene. Both have normal skin colour. The probability that thev will have an albino child is

A. I/3

B. 1/4

C. 4/4

D. 2/4


49. Which of the following statements about heredity is not true? In heredity the traits are

A. Carried by genes

B. Contained in the ovum and sperm

C. Always transmitted by one parent

D. Transmitted from parents to offspring


50. An example of a saprophytic relationship is a/an

A. Vulture feeding on decaying meat

B. Mushroom growing on decaying vegetation

C. Boy eating stale bread

D. Earthworm feeding on decaying vegetation



​51. In artificial selection, individuals without desirable traits may be prevented from mating by

A. Outbreeding

B. Sterilization

C. Inbreeding

D. Genetic engineering.


52. In a family of eight (8) all the children are girls. Which of the following reasons correctly explains this?

A. The woman cannot produce male children.

B. The man has a low sperm count.

C. The Y component of the man's sex chromosome was always involved

D. The X component of the man's sex chromosome was always involved.


53. Which of the following statements is correct about the structure of a chromosome? A chromosome consists of

A. Two chromatids joined at the centromere.

B. Two chromatids joined at the spindle

C. Two chromatin threads joined at tV. centriotes

D. Thread-like structures not joinel together.


54. Mr. Andrew, his wife and child belong o blood groups A, B and O respectively. The genotypes of both parents are

A. IA1° and IBIB

B. IAIA and IBIB.

C. lAIB and 1AI°

D. IAI° and IBI°


55. What would be the phenotypic ratio of the offspring of a cross between a heterozygous dominant parent and a double recessive parent?

A. 1:2:1

B. 1:1

C. 3:l

D. 2.1



56. The percentage probability that a normal male married to a carrier woman would have a hemophilic male child is

A. 35%.

B.50%

C.75%.

D. 100%.


57. The importance of courtship in animals includes the following except

A. Ensuring that the female chooses the right male species

B. Arousing both male and female partners

C. Protection of territory

D. To coincide with the ovulation period and ensure fertilization.


58. In evolution, analogous structures are significant because they show

A. Physiological diversity

B. Functional diversity

C. Genetic diversity.

D. Structural diversity.


59. Which of the following statements reflects the mechanism of natural selection?

A. There are variations within every species

B. Individuals of every species are genetically identical

C. No organism in a species dies before sexual maturity

D. Organisms with selective advantages are less likely to survive


60. Which of the following animals exhibits territoriality?

A. Rabbit

B. Earthworm

C. Lizard

D. Toad



WASSCE JUNE 2010 BIOLOGY

OBJECTIVE TEST ANSWERS

1. C 2. B 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. C 7. D 8. B 9. B 10. C

11. A 12. B 13. D 14. B 15. C 16. C 17. B 18. B 19. A 20. C

21. B 22. A 23. D 24. D 25. B 26. A 27. B 28. C 29. A 30. D

31. B 32. C 33. C 34. B 35. D 36. B 37. D 38. D 39. D 40. A

41. D 42. D 43. D 44. B 45. C 46. C 47. A 48. B 49. C 50. B

51. B 52. D 53. A 54. D 55. B 56. B 57. C 58. B 59. A 60. C