1
1 mark
1 markWhat is a mutation?
A process used in genetic engineering.
A type of continuous variation.
A condition caused by a dominant allele.
A change in a gene.
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Variation & Natural Selection (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Biology): Exam Questions
Exam code: 0610 & 0970
2 hours38 questions
21 mark
1 markWhich of the following characteristics show discontinuous variation?
Length of foot
Weight
Tongue rolling
Height
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31 mark
1 markExtended
Which of these is not a feature of a hydrophyte?
Roots and xylem reduced.
Large air spaces in the tissues.
Leaves rolled up and covered with hairs.
Leaves with stomata on the upper surface.
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41 mark
1 markWhich of the following is not a feature of natural selection?
Production of many offspring.
Selection by humans.
Competition for resources.
Variation in the population.
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51 mark
1 markWhich of these phenotypes is affected by both environmental and genetic factors?
Tongue rolling
Blood group
Weight
Gender
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61 mark
Over the last 30 years some antibiotics have become less effective in treating bacterial infections.
What is the reason for this?
Artificial selection
Asexual reproduction
More effective new antibiotics
Natural selection
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71 mark
Which statement about selective breeding is correct?
It does not involve humans.
It involves a struggle for survival.
It always involves only one parent.
It involves parents that possess desirable features.
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81 mark
Which adaptation is shown in the leaves of hydrophytes?
hairs present on the upper and lower surfaces
contain large air spaces
stomata present on the lower surface only
thick cuticle present on the upper and lower surfaces
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91 mark
Which statement about selective breeding is correct?
It does not involve humans.
It involves a struggle for survival.
It always involves only one parent.
It involves parents that possess desirable features.
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101 mark
New strains of the crop plant wheat can be produced by cross-breeding disease resistant plants with those that give high yields of grain.
What is this an example of?
natural selection
artificial selection
genetic engineering
asexual reproduction
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11 mark
1 markAn island’s entire population of a species of butterfly are descended from just two parents. These were introduced from the mainland.
Which of the following statements about this species of butterfly, compared with that of the mainland, is correct?
The population shows more genetic variety.
The population will adapt more slowly to environmental changes.
The population shows more phenotypic variation.
The population is less in danger of collapsing from disease.
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21 mark
1 markExtended
The diagram shows a hydrophyte in a stream.
Which statement is true about the leaves underwater?
They offer little resistance to water flow.
They have a thick cuticle.
They require many xylem vessels for support.
They cannot photosynthesise.
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31 mark
1 markExtended
A patient with a bacterial infection is treated with antibiotics, but some of the bacteria survive.
Which statement is correct about the bacteria that have survived?
The bacteria will now be resistant to all antibiotics.
The resistant bacteria is a result of selective breeding.
The bacteria will have undergone a process of natural selection.
The antibiotic will now work better on the next generation of bacteria.
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41 mark
1 markExtended
A cactus is a type of xerophyte. Cacti have fewer stomata than other plants.
How is this an adaptation to survive in desert conditions?
It reduces loss of water.
It decreases the uptake of carbon dioxide.
It increases the uptake of carbon dioxide.
It increases the loss of water.
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51 mark
1 markWhich of the following statements is a correct definition of ‘adaptive features’?
A change in the environment that is an advantage to an organism.
An inherited feature that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce.
A change in phenotype that is caused by the environment.
An action that aids an organism's ability to survive.
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61 mark
The graph shows the distribution of blood groups in one area.
This is an example of discontinuous variation.
Which statement about discontinuous variation is correct?
There is a range of genotypes between two extremes.
There is a range of phenotypes between two extremes.
There are intermediates between the phenotypes.
There are no intermediates between the phenotypes
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71 mark
The graph shows the percentage of different blood groups in a human population.
Which type of variation is shown by human blood groups?
continuous variation caused by genetic and environmental factors
continuous variation caused by genetic factors only
discontinuous variation caused by genetic and environmental factors
discontinuous variation caused by genetic factors only
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11 mark
1 markThe graph below shows the height of bean plants grown from 1000 bean seeds.
What variation do the plants show?
Discontinuous only.
Continuous only.
Neither continuous or discontinuous variation.
Both continuous and discontinuous variation.
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21 mark
1 markA woman who has blood group A and a man who has blood group B have four children, each with a different blood group A, B, AB and O.
What variation does this show?
Discontinuous and genetic.
Continuous and genetic.
Continuous, environmental and genetic.
Discontinuous, environmental and genetic.
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31 mark
1 markExtended
Xerophytes have an inverted stomatal opening rhythm. This means that during the day when the sun is at its peak, most stomata of xerophytes are closed.
Which statement explains a disadvantage of this for the plant?
Less water is lost from plant.
Less carbon dioxide can enter the plant.
Stomata only open at night.
Less oxygen can be lost from the plant.
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41 mark
1 markWhen growing millet, farmers choose seeds from high-yielding plants.
Which of the following is this an example of?
Evolution
Adaptation
Artificial selection
Natural selection
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51 mark
1 markWhich row best describes human blood groups?
| affected by environment | has no intermediates | shows continuous variation | shows discontinuous variation |
A | X | ✓ | X | ✓ |
B | X | ✓ | ✓ | X |
C | ✓ | X | ✓ | X |
D | ✓ | X | X | ✓ |
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61 mark
The graph shows the distribution of a characteristic in a population.
Which characteristic is shown by the curve?
ABO blood groups in humans
Body length in humans
Seed colour in peas
Seed shape in peas
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71 mark
Dates are a type of fruit.
The table shows some features of the dates a farmer grows.
variety | colour | texture | yield | size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Barhee | amber | soft | high | small to medium |
Dayri | dark reddish brown | semi dry | variable | medium to large |
Hayany | purplish black | soft | medium | large |
Maktoom | amber | soft | medium | medium to large |
Thoory | straw coloured | dry | medium | medium to large |
The farmer would like to produce a new variety of date using selective breeding.
He wants a medium-sized date that is straw coloured and soft, with a high yield.
Which two varieties could the farmer breed together to get the variety he wants?
Barhee and Dayri
Barhee and Thoory
Dayri and Maktoom
Maktoom and Thoory
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81 mark
Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic disorder which results in severe illness in homozygous individuals. In some human populations, being heterozygous can be beneficial.
What could be the reason for this?
Heterozygous individuals are not affected by the disorder.
Heterozygous individuals are more resistant to malaria.
The disorder is caused by a dominant allele.
The disorder is sex-linked.
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