WASSCE BIOLOGY MAY/JUNE 2010 (SSCE WAEC MAY/JUNE 2010 BIOLOGY)
1. Which if 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 cytoplasm
C. chloroplast and cell wall
D. cell wall and mitochondrion
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 carbohydrates 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 ADR
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 girdles
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
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15. The excretory system in mammals consists of the following parts except
A. two kidneys
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 auditory 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 the foetus is not correct?
A. The circulatory system of the foetus is directly connected to the maternal blood vessels
B. The foetus depends on the mothers 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 to answer question 20 and 21
20. The parts that supply food and water to the developing embryo are labelled
A. I and II
B. III and V.
C. V and VI
D. I and III
21. The part labelled III is the
A. albumen
B. chalaza
C. yolk
D. air space
22. Which of the following statements ls 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 pint
D. movement of water through the body of the plant.
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. An herbivore cannot feed on a piece of meat because it has no
A. incisors to out 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. achegonia
37. Which of the following factors is the main problem facing xerophytic 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 may lead 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 variation
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 they will have an albino child is
A. 1/3
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 the centrioles
D. thread-like structures not joined together
54. Mr. Andrew, his wife and child belong to blood groups A, B and O respectively. The genotypes of both parents are
A. IA IO and IB IB
B. IA IA and IB IB
C. IA IB and IA IO
D. IA IO and IB IO.
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 :1
D. 2 : 1
56. The percentage probability that a normal male married to a carrier woman would have a haemophilic 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