Part 7 – Critical & Complex NEET-Oriented Questions (25 MCQs)

These are application-based, tricky, and concept-integration type questions from Chapter 1 – The Living World (CBSE Class 11 Biology / NEET UG).

Q1. Viruses are considered living organisms because they:

A. Have DNA or RNA as genetic material
B. Have a protein coat
C. Can reproduce inside host cells
D. Possess both DNA and RNA

Answer: C. Can reproduce inside host cells

A. Incorrect → Non-living things like plasmids also have DNA.
B. Incorrect → Protein coat is not a defining property of life.
C. Correct → Living nature is expressed when they replicate inside a host.
D. Incorrect → Viruses have either DNA or RNA, never both.

Q2. Which of the following properties cannot be demonstrated by viruses outside the host body?

A. Genetic material
B. Protein coat
C. Metabolism
D. Structural organization

Answer: C. Metabolism

A. Incorrect → DNA/RNA is present always.
B. Incorrect → Capsid exists outside host.
C. Correct → No metabolic activity occurs outside host.
D. Incorrect → Structural organization remains.

Q3. Which one of the following features is not found in all living organisms?

A. Metabolism
B. Growth
C. Cellular organization
D. Consciousness

Answer: B. Growth

A. Metabolism → Always present in living cells.
B. Correct → Growth absent in some adult animals, but still living.
C. Cellular organization → Universal property.
D. Consciousness → Even plants show stimulus-response.

Q4. A mule does not reproduce, yet it is considered living because it:

A. Possesses consciousness
B. Grows in size
C. Performs metabolism
D. All of the above

Answer: D. All of the above

A. Correct → Shows stimulus-response.
B. Correct → Growth due to cell division.
C. Correct → Carries out metabolism.
D. Correct → All together justify its living nature.

Q5. Which of the following is the most significant feature to distinguish a living organism from a non-living one?

A. Reproduction
B. Metabolism
C. Growth
D. Movement

Answer: B. Metabolism

A. Reproduction → Not universal (mules, sterile hybrids).
B. Correct → Metabolism is a clear defining feature.
C. Growth → Crystals can grow externally.
D. Movement → Machines can also move.

Q6. Match the following correctly:

Monograph – a. Regional flora description
Manual – b. Study of one taxon
Flora – c. Local plant information

Options:
A. 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
B. 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
C. 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
D. 1-b, 2-a, 3-c

Answer: B. 1-b, 2-c, 3-a

Monograph = Detailed account of one taxon.
Manual = Local identification aid.
Flora = Regional descriptive work.

Q7. Select the incorrect statement:

A. Growth in plants is indeterminate.
B. Animals exhibit definite growth.
C. Growth in non-living things occurs by deposition of material from outside.
D. Consciousness is absent in all plants.

Answer: D. Consciousness is absent in all plants

A. Correct → True about plants.
B. Correct → True about animals.
C. Correct → True for crystals.
D. Incorrect → Plants also respond to stimuli (e.g., phototropism).

Q8. In binomial nomenclature, scientific names are written in:

A. Greek
B. English
C. Latin or Latinized form
D. French

Answer: C. Latin or Latinized form

A. Incorrect → Greek not used.
B. Incorrect → English common names differ.
C. Correct → Latin is universal and stable.
D. Incorrect → French not universal.

Q9. Which of the following characters is shared by viruses and living organisms?

A. Presence of DNA/RNA
B. Cellular structure
C. Independent metabolism
D. Both DNA and RNA together

Answer: A. Presence of DNA/RNA

A. Correct → Viruses have nucleic acids.
B. Incorrect → Viruses are acellular.
C. Incorrect → They lack metabolism.
D. Incorrect → Never both.

Q10. The keys used in taxonomy are primarily based on:

A. Evolutionary history
B. Morphological characters
C. Contrasting characters
D. Geographical distribution

Answer: C. Contrasting characters

A. Incorrect → Phylogeny used in systematics, not keys.
B. Incorrect → Not just morphology.
C. Correct → Dichotomous keys use contrasting features.
D. Incorrect.

Q11. Which classification system gave equal importance to morphology, anatomy, physiology, and embryology?

A. Artificial system
B. Natural system
C. Phylogenetic system
D. Two-kingdom system

Answer: B. Natural system

A. Incorrect → Based on superficial characters.
B. Correct → Natural system considers multiple features.
C. Incorrect → Focused on evolutionary history.
D. Incorrect.

Q12. The taxonomic aid that provides detailed information about a particular species is:

A. Flora
B. Monograph
C. Manual
D. Key

Answer: B. Monograph

A. Incorrect → Flora = all plants of a region.
B. Correct → Monograph = details about one taxon.
C. Incorrect → Manual = local guide.
D. Incorrect → Key = identification tool.

Q13. The term “systematics” was first used by:

A. Linnaeus
B. Aristotle
C. Theophrastus
D. Carolus Linnaeus in Systema Naturae

Answer: D. Carolus Linnaeus in Systema Naturae

A. Incorrect → Linnaeus used taxonomy earlier.
B. Incorrect.
C. Incorrect.
D. Correct → Linnaeus introduced systematics as a broader field.

Q14. In the hierarchy of classification, the category just below kingdom is:

A. Order
B. Class
C. Phylum/Division
D. Family

Answer: C. Phylum/Division

A. Incorrect.
B. Incorrect.
C. Correct → Phylum in animals, Division in plants.
D. Incorrect.

**Q15. The plant Pisum sativum belongs to the family:**

A. Solanaceae
B. Poaceae
C. Fabaceae
D. Malvaceae

Answer: C. Fabaceae

A. Incorrect → Potato, tomato.
B. Incorrect → Grasses.
C. Correct → Pea belongs to Fabaceae.
D. Incorrect.

Q16. Which taxonomic category has the least number of organisms with maximum similarities?

A. Species
B. Genus
C. Family
D. Order

Answer: A. Species

A. Correct → Closest similarity, smallest group.
B. Incorrect → Broader than species.
C. Incorrect.
D. Incorrect.

Q17. Which is the correct match?

A. Cat – Canis lupus
B. Housefly – Musca domestica
C. Mango – Mangifera rosaceae
D. Human – Homo erectus

Answer: B. Housefly – Musca domestica

A. Incorrect → Cat is Felis catus.
B. Correct → Housefly = Musca domestica.
C. Incorrect → Mango = Mangifera indica.
D. Incorrect → Modern human = Homo sapiens.

Q18. Which one of the following statements is correct for taxonomic hierarchy?

A. Genus has more organisms than family.
B. Species has fewer organisms than genus.
C. Order has fewer organisms than class.
D. Kingdom has fewer organisms than phylum.

Answer: B. Species has fewer organisms than genus

A. Incorrect → Family > Genus.
B. Correct → Species is smallest unit.
C. Correct but option B more precise.
D. Incorrect → Kingdom has most organisms.

Q19. The correct sequence of hierarchy for man is:

A. Animalia → Chordata → Mammalia → Primata → Hominidae → Homo → sapiens
B. Animalia → Arthropoda → Mammalia → Primata → Homo → sapiens
C. Animalia → Mammalia → Primata → Homo → sapiens
D. Plantae → Mammalia → Homo → sapiens

Answer: A. Animalia → Chordata → Mammalia → Primata → Hominidae → Homo → sapiens

A. Correct → Accepted sequence.
B. Incorrect → Humans not arthropods.
C. Incorrect → Missing phylum/family.
D. Incorrect → Humans not plants.

Q20. Scientific names are written in Latin because:

A. Latin is easy to learn
B. Latin is a dead language
C. Latin is universally accepted and does not change
D. Latin is the oldest language

Answer: C. Latin is universally accepted and does not change

A. Incorrect → Latin is not easy.
B. Incorrect → Dead language alone isn’t reason.
C. Correct → Universality and stability.
D. Incorrect.

Q21. Which taxonomic aid would be most useful for identifying an unknown plant collected in a field survey?

A. Flora
B. Herbarium
C. Manual
D. Key

Answer: D. Key

A. Flora → Broad descriptive.
B. Herbarium → Reference specimens.
C. Manual → Local guide, but not precise.
D. Correct → Dichotomous key gives stepwise identification.

Q22. The group of related families is called:

A. Species
B. Genus
C. Order
D. Class

Answer: C. Order

A. Incorrect.
B. Incorrect.
C. Correct → Families grouped into order.
D. Incorrect.

Q23. Choose the correct statement about binomial nomenclature:

A. Both genus and species epithet start with capital letters.
B. Genus starts with capital letter; species epithet lowercase.
C. Both names lowercase.
D. Both names uppercase.

Answer: B. Genus starts with capital letter; species epithet lowercase

A. Incorrect.
B. Correct rule.
C. Incorrect.
D. Incorrect.

Q24. In which book did Linnaeus first use binomial nomenclature extensively?

A. Origin of Species
B. Genera Plantarum
C. Systema Naturae
D. Species Plantarum

Answer: D. Species Plantarum

A. Incorrect → Written by Darwin.
B. Incorrect → Earlier work.
C. Incorrect → Classification, but not binomial application.
D. Correct → Linnaeus applied binomial system in 1753.

Q25. The correct hierarchical sequence of the following is:

Genus, Order, Class, Family, Species, Kingdom, Phylum

Options:
A. Species → Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum → Kingdom
B. Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species
C. Both A and B (depending on ascending or descending order)
D. None of these

Answer: C. Both A and B (depending on ascending or descending order)

A. Correct in ascending order.
B. Correct in descending order.
C. Correct → Both sequences valid depending on direction.
D. Incorrect.

✅ Part 7 Completed – 25 MCQs
This section focused on complex, NEET-level application-based questions on living features, viruses, binomial nomenclature, taxonomy, and hierarchy.

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Part 7 – Critical & Complex NEET-Oriented Questions (25 MCQs)