Important Instructions

This test contains 40 questions. Each question carries 4 marks. For each correct response the
candidate will get 4 marks. For each incorrect response, one mark will be deducted from the total
scores. The maximum marks are 160.
1. Among the following which can be a common feature exhibited by both living and non-living?
(1) Growth
(2) Reproduction
(3) Metabolism
(4) Cellular organisation

2. Among the following, increase in body mass can be taken as criterion for growth for
(1) Living organisms only
(2) Non-living objects only
(3) Living and non-living both
(4) Animate objects only

3. How many (in number) of the following properties are the defining characteristics, metabolism,
cellular organisation, consciousness
(1) 2
(2) 3
(3) 4
(4) 5

4. Select the incorrect statement about living processes.

(1) All living phenomena is are due to underlying interaction
(2) Properties of tissues are not present in the constituent cells
(3) Properties of cellular organelles are present in the molecular constituents of the organelles
(4) The interactions result in emergent properties at a higher level of organisation.

5. Self-consciousness (the awareness of himself) is the property of

(1) All living organisms
(2) Prokaryotes only
(3) Eukaryotes only
(4) Human beings only
6. Select the wrong statement about the rules of binomial nomenclature.
(1) Name of the author appears after the specific epithet and written in abbreviated form.
(2) Both the words in a biological name, when handwritten, are separately underlined to indicate
their italic origin.
(3) Biological names are printed in italics to indicate their Latin origin.
(4) Biological names are Latinised or derived from Latin irrespective of their origin.

7. Human beings were since long, not only interested in knowing more about different kinds of
organism and their diversities, but also the relationship among them. This branch of study is
referred to as
(1) Classification
(2) Systematics
(3) Taxonomy
(4) All of the above

8. Which of the following are the basic processes of taxonomy?

(1) Characterisation and classification
(2) Identification and nomenclature
(3) Both (1) and (2)
(4) None of the above

9. Each different kind of plant, animal or organism that you see, represents a
(1) Species
(2) Genus
(3) Population
(4) Family

10. There is a need to standardise the naming of living organisms such that a particular organism is
known by the same name all over the world. This process is called
(1) Systematics
(2) Nomenclature
(3) Cytotaxonomy
(4) Taxonomy

11. The process by which anything grouped into convenient categories based on some easily
observable characters is called
(1) Systematics
(2) New systematics
(3) Nomenclature
(4) Classification
12. Which taxon have maximum number of similar characters?
(1) Class
(2) Kingdom
(3) Species
(4) Family

13. In the following flow diagram identify the correct categories.

Kingdom

Species
(a) Wheat and mango belong to same category ‘b’.
(b) Potato, brinjal and makoi belong to same category ‘e’.
(c) Muscidae, annacardiaceae and angiospermae belong to category ‘d’.
(d) Gorrila, gibbon and chimpanzee belong to same category ‘d’
(e) Dicotyledonae and monocotyledonae belong to category ‘c’.
Select the correct statements:
(1) d,b,c
(2) (a), (c), (e)
(3) (b), (d)
(4) (e), (b), (d)

14. Unit of classification is

(1) Taxon
(2) Rank
(3) Category
(4) All of the above

15. Wheat and mango belong to the same

(1) Order
(2) Kingdom
(3) Division
(4) Both (2) and (3)
16. Lion and tiger are placed in the same
(1) Genus
(2) Family
(3) Order
(4) All of the above

17. ‘Order’ related to ‘brinjal’ is

(1) Poales
(2) Sapindales
(3) Polymoniales
(4) Dicotyledonae

18. Lion and cat are placed in the same

(1) Genus
(2) Family
(3) Species
(4) Both (1) and (2)

19. In case of plants, classes with a few similar characters are assigned to a higher category called
(1) Phylum
(2) Division
(3) Order
(4) Kingdom

20. Carnivora includes the

(1) Tigers
(2) Cats
(3) Dogs
(4) All of the above

21. The taxonomical aid(s) used for the identification of both plants and animals is/are
(1) Keys
(2) Museum
(3) Herbarium
(4) Both (1) and (2)

22. Which of the following taxonomical aid serve as a quick referral system in taxonomical studies
(1) Key
(2) Botanical gardens
(3) Herbaria
(4) Museum
23. Which is useful in providing information for identification of names of species found in an area
(1) Flora
(2) Manuals
(3) Monographs
(4) Catalogues

24. Identification of organisms requires intensive

(1) Field studies
(2) Laboratory studies
(3) Habitat studies
(4) Both (1) and (2)

25. Larger animals like birds and mammals are usually stuffed and preserved in
(1) Key
(2) Botanical Gardens
(3) Herbaria
(4) Museum

26. "Systema Nature" was written by: -

(1) Ernst mayr
(2) Linneaus
(3) Huxley
(4) Theophrasthus

27. Museum have the collection of

(1) Insects specimens
(2) Larger animal specimens
(3) Skeleton of animals
(4) All of the above

28. Which taxonomical aid contain information on any one taxon?

(1) Catalogues
(2) Manuals
(3) Flora
(4) Monograph

29. Which taxonomical aid help in correct identification?

(1) Monogarph
(2) Manuals
(3) Flora
(4) All of the above
30. Wild animals are kept in protected environment in
(1) Garden
(2) Museum
(3) Biological parks
(4) Zoological parks

31. Royal Botanical Garden is located at

(1) New Delhi
(2) Kolkata
(3) Kew England
(4) Lucknow

32. Two individuals belong to the same species if they

(1) Are reproductively isolated
(2) Are morphologically similar
(3) Are intrebreeding and produce infertile offspring
(4) Are interbreeding and produce fertile offspring

33. The word ‘systematics’ refers to

(1) Diversity of kinds of organisms and relationships among them
(2) Identification and classification of organisms
(3) Identification and Nomenclature of organisms
(4) Nomenclature and classification of organisms

34. Wheat belongs to the family

(1) Anacardiaceae
(2) Phaeophyceae
(3) Poaceae
(4) Chlorophyceae

35. In hierarchical arrangement, the category which have greatest diversity

(1) Kingdom
(2) Phylum
(3) Order
(4) Species

36. Scientific names of animals are based on principles and criteria agreed by
(1) IUCN
(2) ICZN
(3) ICBN
(4) ICVN
37. Which of the following is the defining characteristic of life?
(1) Growth
(2) Reproduction
(3) Response to external stimuli
(4) All of the above

38. Match the column I and II, and choose the correct combination from the options given.

Column I Column II
(a) Family i. tuberosum
(b) Kingdom ii. Polymoniales
(c) Order iii. Solanum
(d) Species iv. Plantae
(e) Genus v. Solanaceae
Options
(1) i-d, ii-c, iii-e, iv-b, v-a
(2) i-e, ii-d, iii-b, iv-a, v-c
(3) i-d, ii-e, iii-b, iv-a, v-c
(4) i-e, ii-c, iii-b, iv-a, v-d

39. Which of the following ‘suffixes’ used for units of classification in plants indicates a taxonomic
category of ‘family’?
(1) –ales
(2) –onae
(3) –aceae
(4) –ae

40. Match column I with column II, and choose the correct combination from the options given
below.
Column I Column II
(Prize given to E. Mayr) (Year)
(a) Crafoord prize i. 1983
(b) International Prize for biology ii. 1994
(c) Balzan prize iii. 1999
iv. 2004
a b c
(1) i ii iii
(2) ii iii i
(3) iii iv ii
(4) iii ii i
 ANSWER KEY
Question 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Answer 1 3 2 3 4 2 2 3 1 2 4 3 3 4 4

Question 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Answer 4 3 2 2 4 4 3 2 4 4 2 4 4 4 4

Question 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
Answer 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 1 3 4
1. Evolutionary history of an organism is known as :
(1) Paleontology
(2) Ontogeny
(3) Phylogeny
(4) Ancestry
[AIPMT 2006 (+4 /–1)]

2. Two plants can be conclusively said to belong to the same species if they :
(1) Have same number of chromosomes
(2) Can reproduce freely with each other and form seeds
(3) Have more than 90 percent similar genes
(4) Look similar and possess identical secondary metabolites.
[AIPMT 2007 (+4 /–1)]

3. ICBN stands for :

(1) Indian Code of Botanical Nomenclature
(2) Indian Congress of Biological Names
(3) International Code of Botanical Nomenclature
(4) International Congress of Biological Names
[AIPMT 2007 (+4 /–1)]
4. Which one of the following is not a correct statements ?
(1) Key is taxonomic aid for identification of specimens
(2) Herbarium houses dried, pressed and preserved plant specimens
(3) Botanical gardens have collection of living plants for reference
(4) A museum has collection of photographs of plants and animals
[NEET-UG 2013 (+4 /–1)]

5. Nomenclature is governed by certain universal rules. Which one of the following is contrary to
the rules of nomenclature?
(1) Biological names can be written in any language
(2) The first word in a biological name represents the genus name, and the second is a specific
epithet
(3) The names are written in Latin and are italicised
(4) When written by hand, the names are to be underlined
[NEET-I 2016 (+4 /–1)]

6. The label of a herbarium sheet does not carry information on :

(1) Local names
(2) height of the plant
(3) date of collection
(4) name of collector
[NEET-II 2016 (+4 /–1)]
7. Match Column–I with Column–II for housefly classification and select the correct option using
the codes given below :
(a) Family (i) Diptera
(b) Order (ii) Arthropoda
(c) Class (iii) Muscidae
(d) Phylum (iv) Insecta
Codes :
a b c d
(1) iv iii ii i
(2) iv ii i iii
(3) iii i iv ii
(4) iii ii iv i
[NEET-II 2016 (+4 /–1)]
8. Study the four statements (A–D) given below and select the two correct ones out of them :
(A) Definition of biological species was given by Ernst Mayr.
(B) Photoperiod does not affect reproduction in plants.
(C) Binomial nomenclature system was given by R.H. Whittaker.
(D) In unicellular organisms, reproduction is synonymous with growth.
The two correct statements are
(1) A and D
(2) A and B
(3) B and C
(4) C and D
[NEET-II 2016 (+4 /–1)]
9. Match the items given in Column I with those in Column II and select the correct option given
below:-
Column I Column II
(a) Herbarium (i) It is a place having a collection of preserved
plants and animals.
(b) Key (ii) A list that enumerates methodically all the
species found in an area with brief description
aiding identification.
(c) Museum (iii) Is a place where dried and pressed plant
specimens mounted on sheets are kept.
(d) Catalogue (iv) A booklet containing a list of characters and
their alternates which are helpful in
identification of various taxa.

a b c d
(1) i iv iii ii
(2) iii ii i iv
(3) ii iv iii i
(4) iii iv i ii
[NEET-UG 2018 (+4 /–1)]
10. Select correctly written scientific name of Mango which was first described by Carolus Linnaeus:
(1) Mangifera indica Car. Linn.
(2) Mangifera indica Linn.
(3) Mangifera indica
(4) Mangifera Indica
[NEET-UG 2019 (+4 /–1)]

11. Which of the following is against the rules of ICBN?

(1) Hand written scientific names should be underlined.
(2) Every species should have a generic name and a specific epithet.
(3) Scientific names are in Latin and should be italicized.
(4) Generic and specific names should be written starting with small letters.
[NEET-UG 2019 (Odisha) (+4 /–1)]

12. The contrasting characteristics generally in a pair used for identification of animals in taxonomic
key are referred to as :
(1) Lead
(2) Couplet
(3) Doublet
(4) Alternate
[NEET-UG 2019 (Odisha) (+4 /–1)]

ANSWER KEY
Question 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Answer 3 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 4 2 4 2