Diversity in Living World Part 1: MCQs (Q1–Q25)
Part 1 — Questions 1–25 (Basic concepts & plant groups)
1. Which statement best defines “diversity in the living world”?
A. All living organisms are identical.
B. The variety of different kinds of plants, animals and microbes found on Earth. ← Correct answer: B
C. Only animals are diverse, plants are not.
D. Diversity refers only to human cultures.
Explanations:
A) Incorrect — diversity means differences, not identical organisms.
B) Correct — diversity (biodiversity) covers variety among plants, animals and microorganisms.
C) Incorrect — plants are also diverse.
D) Incorrect — biological diversity is about organisms, not human culture alone.
2. Which of the following is NOT a reason to classify organisms?
A. To study organisms systematically.
B. To find similarities and differences among organisms.
C. To make organisms change into each other. ← Correct answer: C
D. To communicate easily about organisms.
Explanations:
A) True — classification helps systematic study.
B) True — classification highlights similarities/differences.
C) Correct — classification doesn’t make organisms change; it organizes knowledge.
D) True — scientific names and groups help communication.
3. Which of these is a microorganism?
A. Mango tree.
B. Elephant.
C. Bacterium (e.g., Escherichia coli). ← Correct answer: C
D. Peacock.
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — large multicellular organisms, not microorganisms.
C) Correct — bacteria are microscopic living organisms.
4. Algae are important because they:
A. Cannot perform photosynthesis.
B. Produce oxygen and form the base of aquatic food chains. ← Correct answer: B
C. Are only harmful.
D. Are animals.
Explanations:
A) Incorrect — algae are photosynthetic.
B) Correct — algae produce oxygen and are primary producers in water ecosystems.
C) Incorrect — some algae are useful; some can cause harmful blooms but not all are harmful.
D) Incorrect — algae are plants/protoctists (photosynthetic), not animals.
5. Which one is a typical fungus?
A. Rose.
B. Mushroom. ← Correct answer: B
C. Mango.
D. Grass.
Explanations:
A/C/D) Incorrect — these are plants.
B) Correct — mushrooms are fruiting bodies of fungi.
6. Which group contains animals that all have backbones?
A. Insects.
B. Molluscs.
C. Vertebrates. ← Correct answer: C
D. Sponges.
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — insects and molluscs are invertebrates; sponges are simple invertebrates.
C) Correct — vertebrates are animals with spinal columns (backbones).
7. Which of these is a feature of all plants?
A. Heterotrophic nutrition (eat other organisms).
B. Ability to make food by photosynthesis (most plants). ← Correct answer: B
C. Ability to move freely like animals.
D. Lack of any cell walls.
Explanations:
A) Incorrect — plants are mostly autotrophs (make their own food); some parasitic exceptions exist.
B) Correct — most plants are green, contain chlorophyll and do photosynthesis.
C) Incorrect — most plants are non-motile.
D) Incorrect — plant cells have cell walls made of cellulose.
8. A plant with soft, non-woody stem and short life is called a:
A. Tree.
B. Herb. ← Correct answer: B
C. Shrub.
D. Vine.
Explanations:
A) Incorrect — trees are woody and long-lived.
B) Correct — herbs have soft stems and short life cycles (e.g., coriander).
C) Incorrect — shrubs are woody but shorter than trees.
D) Incorrect — vines are climbing plants, not defined by woody/soft alone.
9. Which plant group includes mustard and wheat?
A. Mosses.
B. Ferns.
C. Angiosperms (flowering plants). ← Correct answer: C
D. Fungi.
Explanations:
A/B) Incorrect — mosses and ferns are non-flowering lower plants.
C) Correct — mustard and wheat are flowering plants (angiosperms).
D) Incorrect — fungi are a separate kingdom.
10. Which of the following is a tree?
A. Marigold.
B. Neem. ← Correct answer: B
C. Wheat.
D. Grass.
Explanations:
A/C/D) Incorrect — marigold/wheat/grass are herbs/annuals or grasses.
B) Correct — neem is a woody perennial tree.
11. Which part of a plant is usually adapted to absorb water and minerals from soil?
A. Flowers.
B. Leaves.
C. Roots. ← Correct answer: C
D. Stems.
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — flowers are for reproduction; leaves for photosynthesis; stems for support/transport.
C) Correct — roots absorb water and minerals and anchor plant.
12. Which of these roots is a taproot?
A. Grass root system.
B. Fibrous root.
C. Carrot (thick, single main root). ← Correct answer: C
D. Root hairs only.
Explanations:
A/B) Incorrect — grasses have fibrous roots, not taproots.
C) Correct — carrot is a taproot (one main thick root).
D) Incorrect — root hairs are tiny projections on roots, not a root system type.
13. Which stem is modified to store food and appears underground (example: potato)?
A. Taproot.
B. Leaf.
C. Tuber. ← Correct answer: C
D. Flower.
Explanations:
A) Incorrect — taproot is a root type, not stem.
B/D) Incorrect — leaf/flower are different organs.
C) Correct — potato is a tuber (modified underground stem storing food).
14. A plant that climbs on support using tendrils is called:
A. Herb.
B. Climber (e.g., pea). ← Correct answer: B
C. Tree.
D. Moss.
Explanations:
A/C/D) Incorrect — herbs/tree/moss are not climbing habit.
B) Correct — climbers use tendrils/roots/stems to climb.
15. Which plant organ bears seeds in angiosperms?
A. Root.
B. Leaf.
C. Fruit. ← Correct answer: C
D. Stem.
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — roots and leaves do not bear seeds.
C) Correct — seeds develop inside fruit after fertilization in flowering plants.
16. Which of these is a shrub?
A. Mango (a tree).
B. Rose plant (woody and smaller than tree). ← Correct answer: B
C. Wheat.
D. Algae.
Explanations:
A/C/D) Incorrect — mango is a tree; wheat is herb; algae are simple plants/protoctists.
B) Correct — roses are shrubs (woody plants with multiple stems).
17. Which plant reproduces by spores and has no flowers?
A. Sunflower.
B. Fern. ← Correct answer: B
C. Apple.
D. Wheat.
Explanations:
A/C/D) Incorrect — sunflowers, apples, wheat are flowering plants with seeds, not spores.
B) Correct — ferns reproduce via spores (no flowers/seeds).
18. Which of the following is a non-green plant that derives food from other organisms?
A. Grass.
B. Rose.
C. Mushroom (fungus). ← Correct answer: C
D. Fern.
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — grass/rose/fern are green, photosynthetic plants.
C) Correct — mushrooms are fungi and are heterotrophic (absorb organic matter).
19. Which characteristic is common to all animals?
A. They all perform photosynthesis.
B. They are multicellular (except some simple forms) and heterotrophic. ← Correct answer: B
C. All animals have cell walls.
D. All animals are sessile (fixed).
Explanations:
A) Incorrect — animals do not photosynthesize.
B) Correct — most animals are multicellular and obtain food from other organisms.
C) Incorrect — animal cells lack cell walls (plants/fungi have walls).
D) Incorrect — many animals are mobile; some (sponges) are sessile.
20. Which example is an invertebrate?
A. Frog.
B. Peacock.
C. Earthworm. ← Correct answer: C
D. Tiger.
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — frog, peacock, tiger are vertebrates (with backbone).
C) Correct — earthworms are invertebrates (no backbone).
21. Which of these animals is a mammal?
A. Sparrow.
B. Cow. ← Correct answer: B
C. Crocodile.
D. Butterfly.
Explanations:
A/C/D) Incorrect — sparrow is bird, crocodile reptile, butterfly insect.
B) Correct — cow is a mammal (hair, warm-blooded, mammary glands).
22. Which animal group breathes through gills?
A. Birds.
B. Mammals.
C. Fishes. ← Correct answer: C
D. Reptiles (generally).
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — these groups use lungs (air-breathing) or skin (some amphibians).
C) Correct — fishes respire using gills in water.
23. Which of the following is a cold-blooded animal (ectotherm)?
A. Human.
B. Whale.
C. Lizard. ← Correct answer: C
D. Dolphin.
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — humans, whales, dolphins are warm-blooded mammals (endotherms).
C) Correct — lizards are reptiles and their body temperature depends on environment.
24. The outer hard covering that protects an insect’s body is called:
A. Backbone.
B. Feathers.
C. Exoskeleton (chitinous). ← Correct answer: C
D. Scales (only for fish).
Explanations:
A) Incorrect — backbone is internal in vertebrates.
B) Incorrect — feathers are for birds.
C) Correct — insects have exoskeleton made of chitin.
D) Incorrect — scales are in fishes/reptiles, but insects specifically have exoskeletons.
25. Which feature helps birds to fly?
A. Teeth.
B. Swim bladder.
C. Wings and hollow bones. ← Correct answer: C
D. Gills.
Explanations:
A/B/D) Incorrect — teeth/gills/swim bladders are unrelated to flight.
C) Correct — wings and lightweight (hollow) bones aid bird flight.