WAEC Biology 2006 Past Questions

Practice each question, then open it to see the full details.

The following life processes are common to both
plants and animals except

A.respiration
B.growth
C.reproduction
D.photosynthesis

(a)(i) List the functions of a typical foliage leaf.

(ii) Name three types of leaf modifications giving one example in each case.

(b) Make a diagram 8 - 10cm long, of the female reproductive part of a flowering plant and label fully.

(c) Name three plants that are pollinated by insects.

Which of these organelles is common to both plant
and animal cells?

A.Chloroplast
B.Centriole
C.Mitochondrion
D.Pyrenoid

(a(i) Describe three features of a typical vertebra.

(ii) Name three types of skeletons found in animals, and in each case name one animal which possesses it.

(b)(i) State four functions of the mammalian skeleton.

(ii) Name three types of skeletons found in animals, and in each case name one animal which possesses it.

The epidermis of the mammalian skin is an example
of a tissue because the cells

A.prevent light from passing through them
B.have a similar structure and function
C.prevent excessive loss of water
D.are impregnated with keratin

(a) Write short notes on each of the following: (i) ecosystem; (ii) population; (iii) ecological succession in plants.

(b) List five ways by which nitrogen can be made available to the soil for plant growth.

Which of the following statements is correct about
organs?

A.They are composed of specialized cells
B.They perform a certain overall function
C.They are not found in plants
D.Unicellular animals have few organs

(a) Explain the term, conservation of natural resources.

(b)(i) List seven methods of soil conservation.

(ii) Name four other natural resources that may be conserved.

(c) State three factors which negatively affect conservation of forest in West Africa.

(d) Describe what happens during the denitrification stage of the nitrogen cycle.

The structure used for movement in Amoeba is

A.cilia
B.pseudopodia
C.flagella
D.endoplasm

(a) What is a hormone?

(b) Outline the role played by adrenaline in an emergency situation.

(c) In a tabular form, list five differences between hormonal co-ordination and nervous co-ordination.

(d) Name three animal hormones and two plant hormones.

Which of the following parts of a cell is not an organelle?

A.Food vacuole
B.Mitochondrion
C.Cell wall
D.Nucleus

(a)(i) Briefly explain the term respiration.

(ii) Name the two types of respiration and write a balanced equation to summarize each of them.

(b) Outline the mechanisms involved in: (i) inhalation; (ii) exhalation in human beings

The folded portion of mitochondrion is called

A.cristae
B.cell membrane
C.nucleolus
D.partition

The physical process which occurs when a red blood
cell is placed in distilled water causing it to burst and
break down is known as

A.crenation
B.plasmolysis
C.turgidity
D.haemolysis

During the process of osmosis a semi-permeable
membrane allows

A.only solute molecules to pass through it
B.both solute and solvent molecules to pass through it
C.only solvent molecules to pass through it
D.only gaseous molecules to pass through it

Which of the following environmental conditions is ideal
for plant cells to remain turgid?

A.Hot, dry weather
B.Windy weather
C.Cold, dry weather
D.Cool, humid weather

Which of the following processes does not contribute
towards growth?

A.Cell division
B.Cell enlargement
C.Cell differentiation
D.Cell plasmolysis

The aspects of growth in living organisms include all
the following processes except

A.increase in dry weight
B.reversible increase in size
C.irreversible increase in length
D.increase in number of cells

Support in young herbaceous plants is provided by

A.translocation
B.guttation
C.turgidity
D.osmosis

Which of the following heart structures is best adapted
to cope with double circulation?

A.One auricle and one ventricle
B.Two auricles and one ventricle
C.Two auricles and partially divided ventricle
D.Two auricles and two ventricles

Which of these factors does not contribute towards
the ascent of water in plants?

A.Root pressure
B.Capillarity
C.Transpiration pull
D.Turgor pressure

Gaseous exchange occurs through the following structures in some organisms except

A.spiracle and tracheae
B.alveoli and lungs
C.stomata and lenticels
D.chloroplast and plastids

Which of the following organs in mammals is not excretory in function?

A.Liver
B.Kidney
C.Pancreas
D.Lungs

The ventricles of the mammalian heart have thicker
muscular walls than the auricles because the

A.ventricles are larger
B.ventricles receive more blood
C.ventricles pump blood to longer distances
D.auricles have smaller capacity

Which of the following substances is not an excretory product in mammals?

A.Carbon dioxide
B.Water
C.Faeces
D.Urea

An organism which maintains a constant temperature irrespective of environmental temperature fluctuation is

A.an insect
B.a mammal
C.an amphibian
D.a fish

Which of the following conditions is responsible for the presence of sugar in the blood of diabetic patients?

A.High intake of carbohydrates
B.Low production of insulin
C.Low intake of carbohydrates
D.High production of insulin

The central nervous system in humans is made up of the

A.brain, medulla oblongata and nerves
B.brain, spinal cord and cranial nerves
C.brain and spinal nerves
D.brain and spinal cord

The part of the ear in mammals responsible for the detection of sound is the

A.utriculus
B.tympanum
C.cochlea
D.semi-circular canal

Which of the following statements best describes pollination? The transfer of pollen grain from

A.anther to stigmas
B.stigmas to stamens
C.the anther of a flower to the stigma of another flower of a different species
D.anther to the ovary

Which of the following vertebrae provide articulating surfaces for the ribs?

A.Thoracic
B.Lumbar
C.Cervical
D.Sacral

Which of the following is not a component of the appendicular skeleton?

A.Ulna
B.Atlas
C.Femur
D.Pelvic girdle

If the mucus in the air track of mammals dry up and the hairs in the nostrils are removed

A.impure air would be breathed into their lungs
B.the speed of air movement into their lungs would increase
C.breathing air into their lungs would be difficult
D.more air would be taken into their lungs

A one-seeded fruit in which the pericarp has fused with the seed coat is classified as

A.a berry
B.a caryopsis
C.a legume
D.an achene

Study the following list of deficiency symptoms in animals; use it to answer the questions below
I. Loss of appetite and weight; II. Delayed healing of wounds; III. Rickets; IV Sterility in animals
V Failure of blood to clot; VI. Night blindness

Which of the following deficiencies is caused by lack of vitamin A

A.I
B.III
C.V
D.VI

Study the following list of deficiency symptoms in animals; use it to answer the questions below
I. Loss of appetite and weight; II. Delayed healing of wounds; III. Rickets; IV Sterility in animals
V Failure of blood to clot; VI. Night blindness

Which of the following vitamins would correct the deficiency numbered V?

A.Vitamin K
B.Vitamin A
C.Vitamin C
D.Vitamin B

Study the following list of deficiency symptoms in animals; use it to answer the questions below
I. Loss of appetite and weight; II. Delayed healing of wounds; III. Rickets; IV Sterility in animals
V Failure of blood to clot; VI. Night blindness
Which of the following combination of food substances would correct the deficiency numbered II?

A.Tomatoes, oranges and mangoes
B.Yeast, liver and rice
C.Red palm oil, carrot and egg yolk
D.Green vegetables, butter and meat

Which of the following food substances would produce a translucent mark when rubbed on a white paper?

A.Potato
B.Beans
C.Mango
D.Groundnut

If an enzyme works best in an acid medium, in which of the following parts of the human gut is the pH best for
enzyme activities? In the

A.ileum, pH 9.0
B.stomach, pH 2.0
C.duodenum, pH 7.0
D.mouth cavity; pH 8.0

Which of the following organisms is not considered as a parasitic plant?

A.Cassytha
B.Rhizopus
C.Dodder
D.Mistletoe

The examples of autotrophic organisms include the following except

A.Euglena
B.Chlamydomonas
C.Hydra
D.Spirogyra

Which of the following organisms feeds both autotrophically and heterotrophically?

A.Hydra
B.Paramecium
C.Mucor
D.Euglena

Siphons and gills are structures in aquatic organisms used for

A.gaseous exchange
B.buoyancy
C.excretion
D.movement

The first step in carrying out ecological studies in a terrestrial habitat is

A.quadrat sampling
B.mapping the area
C.collection of organisms
D.measuring abiotic factors

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

A.Producers
B.Consumers
C.Micro-organisms
D.Habitat

The group of several populations that interact and share a habitat, form

A.a species
B.a community
C.an ecotype
D.a tribe

The physical and chemical factors which affect the life of organisms in an environment are described as

A.biotic
B.edaphic
C.abiotic
D.physiographic

Which of these factors are common to both aquatic and terrestrial habitats?

A.Light, rainfall and turbidity
B.Light, temperature and tide
C.Light, rainfall and temperature
D.Rainfall, turbidity and salinity

Organisms that feed essentially on plants within any ecosystem may be referred to as

A.carnivores
B.herbivores
C.saprophytes
D.omnivores

Which of the following statements about feeding relationships is correct?

A.In a food web on land, grasshopper feeds on praying mantis and on predator bugs
B.In a food chain on land, green plant is the producer
C.In an aquatic food chain mollusc larvae are the producers
D.In an aquatic food web, various copepods feed on mollusk Larvae and on sand eel