WAEC Biology 1997 Past Questions

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Which of the following organism possesses both plant and animal characteristics?

A.Amoeba
B.Paramecium
C.Euglene
D.Mucor
E.Nitrobacter

(a) Describe an experiment to compare the water-holding capacity of sandy, loamy and clayey soils.

(b) List three factors that may affect the water-holding capacity of soils.

(c) (i) State the characteristics of sandy and loamy soils.
(ii) What type of vegetation does each support?

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The structure represented in the diagram above is

A.a colony
B.a tissue
C.a filament
D.a pseudopodium
E.an organ

(a) Explain the following terms:
(i) first aid
(ii) artificial respiration
(iii) dislocation
(iv) haemorrhage

(b) (i) State three objectives of first aid.
(ii) Explain the procedure for administering the mouth-to-mouth method of artificial respiration.

(c) (i) State three signs of dislocation.
(ii) Name two ways of stopping bleeding from an open wound.

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The part labelled I in the diagram is the

A.cytoplasm
B.chloroplast
C.chlorophyll
D.nucleus
E.cell wall

(a) Make a labelled diagram of the female reproductive organ of a
(i) flowering plan
(ii) mammal (man) .

(b) State the functions of any two of the labelled parts in (a) (i) and (ii).

(c) Compare reproduction in mammals, amphibians and birds with respect to
(i) number of eggs produced
(ii) method of fertilization
(iii) parental care.

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What is the function of the part labelled II in the diagram? It

A.manufactures food
B.protects the chloroplast
C.produces protein
D.suspends the nucleus
E.digests starch

(a) Define the term " Conservation".

(b) State three reasons for conservation.

(c) List four methods of conserving each of the following: (i) water (ii) wildlife (iii) forest.

(d) Mention three forest or game reserves in Nigeria.

Which of the following organelles helps to remove excess water
from cells?

A.Mitochondrion
B.Ribosome
C.Contractile vacuole
D.Golgi body
E.Nucleus

Which of the following processes occurs by diffusion?

A.Reabsorption of water in kidney tubules
B.Entry of water into the cytoplasm of unicellular animals
C.Absorption of water in the large intestine
D.Exchange of nutrients between a mother and the foetus
E.Movement of water in and out of living cells.

Which of the following is a product of brewing when yeast is used as a fermenting agent?

A.Nitrogen
B.Oxygen
C.Malt
D.Ethanol
E.Sucrose and glucose

Which of the following hind limb bones is equivalent to the humerus of the forelimb?

A.Patella
B.Tarsal
C.Tibia
D.Fibula
E.Femur

Clotting of blood is a function of

A.vitamin C
B.vitamin K
C.vitamin B2
D.vitamin E
E.vitamin B12

Which of the following structures is associated with respiration in insects?

A.Air sac
B.Spiracle
C.Lung
D.Alveolus
E.Gill

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Which of the labelled parts is made up of dead cells?

A.III and IV
B.I, II and IV
C.IV and V
D.II and III
E.II and IV

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The part labelled I in the diagram is called

A.stoma
B.epidermis
C.Ienticel
D.cortex
E.parenchyma

The malpighian tubule plays a major role in

A.inspiration
B.digestion
C.secretion
D.reproduction
E.excretion

Filtered blood from the kidney is carried back to the circulatory system
through the

A.hepatic portal vein
B.renal artery
C.renal vein
D.pulmonary vein
E.vena cava

The early removal of the pituary gland in animals may cause

A.ceasation of growth
B.gigantism
C.poor mental development
D.goitre
E.inability to digest food

A high concentration of auxin in the root will

A.inhibit growth
B.stimulate growth
C.not affect growth
D.cause the root to roth
E.reduce water absorption

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The part labelled II in the diagram is the

A.central canal
B.grey matter
C.spinal cord
D.dorsal root
E.vertebrarterial canal

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Which of the labelled parts is filled with cerebrospinal fluid?

A.V And I
B.V only
C.III only
D.II and I
E.I only

Which of the following is an example of a reflex action?

A.Sneezing
B.Biting
C.Dancing
D.Singing
E.Talking

During mating, the male toad holds the female with its

A.sticky tongue
B.jelly
C.webbed hind limbs
D.nuptial pad
E.gummy limbs

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The diagram above represents a

A.germinating seed
B.radicle
C.shoot showing negative phototropism
D.zygote
E.germinating pollen grain

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The part labelled I in the diagram is the

A.cytoplasm
B.pollen nucleus
C.pollen tube
D.endosperm
E.intine

Which of the following fruits is a schizocarp?

A.Groundnut
B.Desmodium
C.crotalaria
D.Cashew
E.Pride of Barbados

Which of the following is not a characteristic of wind dispersed fruits and seeds?

A.Light weight
B.Wing
C.Floss
D.Stickyjuice
E.Parachute

Which of the following structures transports water from the roots to the leaves?

A.Phloem
B.Cambium
C.Pericycle
D.Xylem
E.Cortex

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The eye defect represented in the diagram is

A.myopia
B.hypermetropia
C.presbyopia
D.astigmatism
E.conjuctivitis

The above defect is corrected by using a

A.concave lens
B.converging lens
C.cylindrical lens
D.bi-focal lens
E.tinted lens

Which of the following organisms is viviparous?

A.Tapeworm
B.Snail
C.Sheep
D.Grasshopper
E.Lizard

The reduction of nitrates to gaseous nitrogen is

A.nitrogen fixing
B.nitrogen cycle
C.ammonification
D.putrefaction
E.denitrification

The association between protozoa and termites is an example of

A.symbiosis
B.parasitism
C.predation
D.saprophytism
E.epiphytism

Flatworms are classified as

A.Platyhelminthes
B.coelenlerata
C.annelida
D.nematoda
E.arthropoda

The essential parts of a flower are

A.petals and sepals
B.anther and filament
C.stigma and style
D.androecium and gynoecium
E.petals and gynoecium

Which of the following parts of the tooth is first damaged during dental decay?

A.Cement
B.Enamel
C.Dentine
D.Root
E.Gum

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The set- up above is used to demonstrate

A.plasmolysis
B.osmosis
C.suction pressure
D.fermentation
E.diffusion

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What will be the colour of the solution in the test tube labelled II at
the end of the experiment?

A.Pink
B.Yellow
C.Milky
D.Reddish white
E.Blue-black

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Which gas will pass into the test tube labelled II from I?

A.Carbon monoxide
B.Carbon dioxide
C.Oxygen
D.Ammonia
E.Nitrogen

In which of these forms is carbohydrate stored in yam?

A.Glucose
B.Maltose
C.Starch
D.Glycogen
E.Cellulose

Northern Guinea savanna is associated with

A.abundant rainfall
B.abundant trees and shrubs
C.soil with very little plant cover
D.abundant grasses
E.high humidity

Which of the following activities is not necessary in population sampling?

A.Selecting the habitat
B.Dividing the selected habitat into portions
C.Throwing the quadrat randomly
D.Counting the number of organisms
E.Feeding the organisms

Which of the following is an abiotic factor?

A.Predation
B.Rainfall
C.Cropping
D.Grazing
E.Migration

The maximum and minimum thermometer is used to measure

A.light intensity
B.highest and lowest temperature of the day
C.atmospheric pressure
D.highest and lowest amount of rainfall in a month
E.soil temperature

Which of the following organisms will have the highest biomass?

A.Small fish
B.Tadpole
C.Hawk
D.Phytoplankton
E.Big fish

Which of the following is the correct sequence for energy transfer and nutrient cycling among living things
in an ecosystem?

A.Consumers → producers → decomposers
B.Producers → decomposers → consumers
C.Decomposers → producers → consumers
D.Producers → consumers → decomposers
E.Consumers → decomposers → producers

Which of the following factors does not affect the distribution of organisms in an aquatic habitat?

A.Turbidity
B.Depth of water
C.Humidity
D.Temperature
E.Availability of nutrient

A habitat with low rainfall, very low humidity, exposed soil with little plant cover, few trees and shrubs is
likely to be

A.a rain forest
B.a mangrove forest
C.a desert
D.a swamp
E.an estuarine

Which of the following factors may not cause over-crowding?

A.Limited space
B.Scarcity of food
C.Reduced birth rate
D.Lose immigration conditions
E.Increased birth rate