WAEC Biology 2008 Past Questions

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In the binomial system of naming organisms, the second name is called the

A.scientific name
B.common name
C.generic name
D.specific name

(a) State one function of each of the following structures:
(i) Arteries
(ii) Capillaries
(iii) Veins
(iv) Xylem
(v) Phloem

(b) Describe the changes that take place in the composition of human blood as it passes through the:
(i) Lungs
(ii) Liver
(iii) Kidneys
(iv) Small intestine

(c) List the cellular components of blood.

Which of the following features does not necessarily place paramecium as a higher level of organisation over Amoeba?

A.Presence of cilia
B.Absence of pseudopodia
C.Presence of micro and mega nuclei
D.Presence of more than one food vacuole

(a) What is transpiration?

(b)(i) Name two types of transpiration
(ii) List two factors which affect the rate of transpiration.

(c) Describe the mechanisms of opening and closing of the stomata.

(d) State:
(i) two similarities and (ii) two differences between transpiration and sweating.

The living materials of the cell consist of

A.nucleus and cytoplasm
B.cytoplasm and vacuole
C.cytoplasm and cell membrane
D.nucleus and cell membrane

(a) Explain the following terms:
(i) Population
(ii) Competition
(iii) Succession

(b)(i) State three sources of noise pollution.
(ii) List two ways by which noise pollution can be reduced.

(c) State three effects each of the following pollutants on humans: (i) smoke (ii) sewage

A pupil accidentally "watered" a potted plant with concentrated salt solution after sometime the plant began to wilt.

The wilting of the plant is due to the fact that

A.the root hair die off and can no longer absorb water
B.the salt solution causes faster rate of transpiration leading to the death of the plant cell
C.the salt solution has caused water lost from the plant cell leading to loss of turgor
D.the plant tissue has been poisoned by the salt which is absorbed by the plant

(a) Describe the main stages of mitotic division.

(b) State four ways in which mitosis is important to living organisms.

Which of the following activities would revive the plant?

A.Covering the plant with dark paper to prevent further water loss from its surfaces
B.Leaving the plant to adapt to the condition
C.Exposing the plant to higher concentration of oxygen
D.Adding more water to the soil

(a) What are hormones?

(b) In a tabular form, state four differences between nervous coordination and hormonal coordination in humans.

(c) State three effects each of: (i) Over-secretion (ii) Under-secretion of thyroxin on mammals.

(d) Make a diagram 10 - 12cm long of the reflex arc and label fully.

Primary growth in plants is brought about by the activity of the

A.meristem
B.endodermis
C.epidermis
D.mesophyll

(a) Explain the following modes of nutrition which occur in plants:
(i)Autotrophic
(ii) Chemosynthetic
(iii) Carnivorous

(b) Give one example each of a plant which undergoes the modes of nutrition listed in (a) above.

(c) (i) Describe three ways by which nitrogen is added to the soil for plant use.
(ii) State two ways by which nitrogen is lost from the soil.

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To form a ball and socket joint, the structure labeled I fits into another structure in the scapula
called the

A.blade
B.glenoid cavity
C.olecranon fossa
D.patella

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The structure labelled II is called

A.deltoid ridge
B.trochanter
C.shaft
D.trochlea

Which of the following parts of the skeleton does not have a protective function?

A.Ribs
B.Carpals
C.Skull
D.Pelvis

Carbon dioxide is carried in the plasma

A.in combination with haemoglobin
B.in combination with antibodies
C.by capillary action
D.as bicarbonate ion.

In the adult frog gaseous exchange takes the

A.buccal cavity, skin and lungs
B.buccal cavity, skin and spiracles
C.gills, skin and buccal cavity
D.tympanic membrane, lungs and gills

The process of regulating the amount of water and solutes in the body fluids is called

A.osmosis
B.diffusion
C.osmoregulation
D.homeostasis

The presence of glucose in the urine of a patent is an indication of malfunctioning of the

A.pancreas
B.gall bladder
C.liver
D.spleen

Which of the following statements is not true about hormones?

A.Hormones are manufactured in ductless glands and poured straight into the blood stream
B.Hormones are carried by the blood plasma to the required Target organs
C.Hormonal responses are usually instant and electrical
D.Once the effects of hormones are over, they are inactivated and excreted from the body

Which of the following actions is note function of adrenaline? It increases

A.body blood sugar by conversion of liver glycogen into glucose
B.muscular power and resistance to fatigue
C.the rate of heat
D.the dilation of the pupils of the eye

Plant hormones include the following except

A.insulin
B.auxin
C.cytokinin
D.gibberellin

The passage of nerve impulse across a synapse is facilitated by the secretion of

A.acetylcholine
B.thyroxin
C.insulin
D.progesterone

The part of the brain which controls and coordinates body posture is the

A.cerebellum
B.hypothalamus
C.medulla oblongata
D.pons varolii

Which of the following processes is not an example of a reflex ac ion?

A.Blinking of the eye
B.Reading
C.Beating of the heart
D.Sneezing

The eyes can properly focus images of objects of various distances on the retina by a process called

A.refraction
B.reflection
C.accommodation
D.correction

The process by which flowers produce fruit without the process of fertilization is called

A.viviparity
B.parthenocarpy
C.propagation
D.metamorphosis

The part Q the young root that (pushes its way through the soil is the

A.root hair
B.tap root
C.root cap
D.lateral root.

An example of a dehiscent fruit is

A.crotolaria
B.tomato
C.mango
D.orange

Which of the following food substances gives the least amount of calories?

A.Rice
B.Groundnuts
C.cabbage
D.Egg yolk

Analysis of the gut content of an animal showed that it contained small pieces of bone, seeds. roughages and insects. The animal is likely to be a/an.

A.carnivore
B.herbivore
C.insectivore
D.omnivore

Filaments of Spirogyra placed in a beaker of water in a dark cupboard died because

A.the filaments could not photosynthesize
B.conjugation could not take place
C.the temperature was too high
D.the plant was overflooded

The impedance of the concentration of chloroplast in the palisade layer of the leaf is for maximum exposure to

A.carbon dioxide
B.light
C.water
D.oxygen

A community is best described as

A.living things in a habitat interacting with the non-living part of the environment
B.the total number of individuals of one species of organisms living in a particular habitat
C.populations of different species living together and interacting with each other in one habitat
D.the individuals of a particular group living together in an area and sharing the same resources

Which of the following physical actors is likely to affect the distribution of plants in a pond?

A.light
B.Humid
C.Wind
D.Temperature

Which of the following instruments is used to measure wind speed?

A.Thermometer
B.Barometer
C.Hygrometer
D.Anemometer

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Tertiary consumers within the web are

A.cat and lion only
B.Man and lion only
C.man and cat only
D.man, cat and lion

What would be the effect of taking the lion out of the web?

A.The number of organisms at each trophic level would increase
B.Man would occupy the apex of the web
C.There would be more rabbit in the web
D.The energy reaching the remaining trophic would be increase

Which of the following statements about the transfer of energy in the ecosystem is correct?

A.energy increases at high trophic levels
B.More organisms can be supported at higher levels
C.There are fewer organisms at top tropic levels
D.Energy is lost at each trophic level

Pond weeds normally lack thick layers of cuticle because

A.their system of photosynthesis is not efficient
B.there is no danger of becoming desiccated
C.their leaves are either dissected or n bon-shaped
D.there are numerous stoma a on their upper epidermis

Shrubs do not survive on newly weathered soils because

A.the top soil is shallow
B.drainage on such soil is poor
C.humus is absent from the soil
D.the soil tends to be sandy

The speed of the flow of water in a river is faster in the middle than along the banks due to

A.differences to turbidity at different parts of the river
B.the abundance of fishes and other organisms along the bank
C.reduced force of gravity in the middle portion of the river
D.resistance offered by the wall of the banks.

The effects of environmental degradation caused by human activities can be controlled by e following measures except

A.reclaiming the land
B.converting mining pits into fish ponds
C.resettling indigenous inhabitants
D.educating people

The following observations concerning succession are true except that the

A.pioneer community has fewer species
B.middle stages communities are most diverse
C.max community has the greatest number of species
D.total biomass of the community increases as succession progresses

A vaccine is introduced into a person‘s body to

A.destroy all disease-causing organisms in the body
B.stimulate the body to produce antibodies
C.enhance the production of red blood cells
D.isolate disease-causing pathogens from the blood.

Which of the following activities constitutes biological control?

A.A small bony fish transported on the back of a shark
B.Adding manure to crops in a garden
C.Tilapia feeding on the larvae and pupae of mosquito
D.A vulture feeding on the carcass of a goat

Many diseases caused by bacteria can be treated and cured by using

A.antiseptics
B.antibiotics
C.antigens
D.antibodies

To avoid over fishing in a lake, the following measures may be helpful except

A.limiting fishing periods
B.regulating the size of nets
C.fishing throughout the year
D.fish breeding exercise

Conservation may be promote by

A.encouraging tree planting
B.systematic deforestation
C.overgrazing of pastures
D.unabated bush timing

Which of the following substances is not recycled in an ecosystem?

A.Carbon
B.Energy
C.Water
D.Nitrogen