A quick guide to biology basics

Hyderabad: The study of life, living organisms, life cycles of various species of organisms, and the environments they live in — these broadly come under the biological sciences. From single cell organisms to well-developed species, from various plant species to aquatic (marine) life to human beings, everything living becomes part of the studies categorised as biological sciences.
Here are some sample questions to help you understand the basics of biology.

Choose the correct statement
1. All mammals are viviparous
2. All reptiles have a three-chambered heart
3. All pisces have gills covered by an operculum
4. All cyclostomes do not possess jaws and paired fins
Ans: 4

Which one of the following group of animals is homeothermic?
1. Birds 2. Fishes
3. Reptiles 4. Amphibians
Ans: 1

Who has opposable thumb?
1. Platypus 2. Kangaroo
3. Mole 4. Lemur
Ans: 4

Which of the following
animals is not viviparous?
1. Whale 2. Elephant
3. Platypus 4. Flying fox (bat)
Ans: 3
In hemichordates buccal diverticulum extends into the
1. Pharynx 2. Proboscis
3. Trunk 4. Ventral ridge
Ans: 2

Match the items of both columns correctly
Column-I Column-II
a. Echeneis i. sea horse
b. Betta splendens ii. angel fish
c. ptero phyllum iii suckur fish
d. hippocampus iv Siamese fighting fish

The correct match is
a b c d
1. ii i iv iii
2. iii iv ii i
3. iii ii i iv
4. iii i iv i
Ans: 2

Birds are glorified reptiles because the birds evolved from the reptiles and also they share these characters with reptiles:
1. Poikilothermic, anamniotic eggs, & epidermal exoskeleton
2. Poikilothermic, amniotic eggs, & epidermal exoskeleton
3. Homoeothermic, amniotic eggs, & dermal exoskeleton
4. Epidermal exoskeleton, amniotic eggs, & uriocotelism
Ans: 4

Assertion(A): Mammals have a relatively large brain when compared to that of other animals in relation to body size
Reason (R): Number of optic lobes is four in the mammals & two in other vertebrates
1. Both (A) & (R ) are true, (R) is correct explanation of (A)
2. Both (A) & (R) are true, (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
3. Only (A) is true, (R) is false
4. Neither (A) nor (R) is true
Ans: 2

The sound producing organ in mammals is
1. Glottis 2. Syrinx
3. Larynx 4. Pharynx
Ans: 3

Snakes are placed in the
order squamata along with
1. Chelonians 2. Sphenodon
3. Crocodiles 4. Lizards
Ans: 4

The number of cranial nerves in the reptiles (except snakes) is
1. 8 pairs 2. 10 pairs
3. 12 pairs 4. 20 pairs
Ans: 3

Largest living invertebrate is
1. Loligo
2. Sepia
3. Octobus
4. Architeuthis
Ans: 4
To be continued…