1. Which of the following criteria was not used by R.H. Whittaker for five-kingdom classification?
(a) Cell structure
(b) Body organisation
(c) Mode of nutrition
(d) Presence of chlorophyll only
2. Bacteria that live in extreme salty areas are called:
(a) Thermoacidophiles
(b) Halophiles
(c) Methanogens
(d) Cyanobacteria
3. The cell wall of diatoms is made up of:
(a) Cellulose
(b) Chitin
(c) Silica
(d) Peptidoglycan
4. Which group of protozoans causes sleeping sickness?
(a) Amoeboid protozoans
(b) Flagellated protozoans
(c) Ciliated protozoans
(d) Sporozoans
5. In which class of fungi are the sexual spores called ascospores produced inside asci?
(a) Phycomycetes
(b) Ascomycetes
(c) Basidiomycetes
(d) Deuteromycetes
6. Assertion (A): Viruses are not placed in any of the five kingdoms proposed by Whittaker.
Reason (R): Viruses are acellular and do not show all characteristics of living organisms outside a host cell.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
7. Assertion (A): Cyanobacteria can fix atmospheric nitrogen.
Reason (R): They possess specialised cells called heterocysts.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
8. The most abundant microorganisms on earth belong to:
(a) Protista
(b) Monera
(c) Fungi
(d) Plantae
9. Which of the following is not a characteristic of Mycoplasma?
(a) Lack cell wall
(b) Smallest living cells
(c) Can survive without oxygen
(d) Possess rigid cell wall
10. Diatomaceous earth is used for:
(a) Production of biogas
(b) Polishing and filtration
(c) Nitrogen fixation
(d) Causing red tides
11. Differentiate between halophiles and thermoacidophiles with one example of each.
12. State any two economically important uses of heterotrophic bacteria.
13. What is the nature of the cell wall in diatoms? Why is it called indestructible?
14. Name the four major groups of protozoans. Give one example of each.
15. How are viroids different from viruses?
16. What do the terms phycobiont and mycobiont signify in lichens?
17. Describe briefly the four major groups of protozoans giving one example and one characteristic feature of each.
18. Explain the basis of classification of fungi into various classes. Name the four classes.
19. Write any three characteristic features of euglenoids. Why are they considered a link between plants and animals?
20. Give a brief account of the structure of a typical virus with respect to its protein coat and genetic material. Name any two diseases caused by viruses in humans.
21. What are slime moulds? Describe their body structure and mode of reproduction.
22. Compare the five kingdoms proposed by R.H. Whittaker on the basis of the following characters: cell type, cell wall, nuclear membrane, body organisation and mode of nutrition. Present the comparison in tabular form.
23. Describe the characteristic features of the four classes of Kingdom Fungi (Phycomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes) with respect to (i) mycelium, (ii) mode of reproduction and (iii) one example of each class.
24. Draw a neat labelled diagram of a bacteriophage (virus that infects bacteria). Describe its structure and nature of genetic material. Also explain why viruses are considered as obligate parasites.
Red dinoflagellates such as Gonyaulax undergo rapid multiplication in the sea and make the sea appear red. These are mostly marine and photosynthetic organisms having stiff cellulose plates on the cell wall and two flagella. Toxins released by them may kill fishes and other marine animals.
(a) To which kingdom do these organisms belong? (1 mark)
(b) Name the phenomenon described above and state its effect on marine life. (1 mark)
(c) Describe the structure of the cell wall and flagella in these organisms. (1 mark)
(d) Why are these organisms placed in Kingdom Protista and not in Plantae? (1 mark)
Lichens are symbiotic associations between algae (phycobiont) and fungi (mycobiont). The algal component prepares food while the fungal component provides shelter and absorbs mineral nutrients and water. Lichens do not grow in polluted areas and are therefore considered good pollution indicators.
(a) What type of association is shown by lichens? (1 mark)
(b) Which component is autotrophic and which is heterotrophic? (1 mark)
(c) Why are lichens regarded as pollution indicators? (1 mark)
(d) Name the algal and fungal components of a lichen. (1 mark)
1. (d) — definition of criteria — 1 mark
2. (b) — habitat-based classification — 1 mark
3. (c) — silica-embedded walls — 1 mark
4. (b) — Trypanosoma example — 1 mark
5. (b) — ascus and ascospores — 1 mark
6. (a) — both statements correct and R explains A — 1 mark
7. (a) — both statements correct and R explains A — 1 mark
8. (b) — most abundant microorganisms — 1 mark
9. (d) — completely lack cell wall — 1 mark
10. (b) — polishing and filtration uses — 1 mark
11. Halophiles — extreme salty areas (e.g., Halobacterium); Thermoacidophiles — hot springs (1 mark each)
12. Curd formation, antibiotic production, nitrogen fixation in legumes, decomposition (any two — 1 mark each)
13. Overlapping silica shells like soap box; indestructible due to silica embedding (1 + 1 mark)
14. Amoeboid (Amoeba), Flagellated (Trypanosoma), Ciliated (Paramoecium), Sporozoans (Plasmodium) — ½ mark each
15. Viroids — only free infectious RNA, no protein coat; Viruses — nucleoprotein with protein coat (1 + 1 mark)
16. Phycobiont — algal (autotrophic) partner; Mycobiont — fungal (heterotrophic) partner (1 + 1 mark)
17. Amoeboid — pseudopodia, Amoeba/ Entamoeba; Flagellated — flagella, Trypanosoma; Ciliated — cilia + gullet, Paramoecium; Sporozoans — spore stage, Plasmodium (1 mark each group)
18. Basis — mycelium structure, spore formation, fruiting bodies; four classes — Phycomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, Deuteromycetes (1 + 2 marks)
19. Pellicle instead of wall, two flagella, mixotrophic nutrition, pigments like higher plants (any three — 1 mark each)
20. Capsid of capsomeres, genetic material either RNA or DNA (not both), obligate parasites — 3 marks; any two human diseases — 2 marks
21. Saprophytic protists, body forms plasmodium, spores in fruiting bodies under unfavourable conditions (1 + 2 + 2 marks split)
22. Five-kingdom comparison table (Monera to Animalia) on five characters — 1 mark per character (total 5 marks)
23. Mycelium (aseptate/coenocytic vs septate), reproduction (zoospores/conidia/ascospores/basidiospores), one example each class — 1 + 2 + 2 marks
24. Labelled diagram of bacteriophage (head, sheath, tail fibres, collar) — 2 marks; structure + genetic material (dsDNA) + obligate parasite nature — 3 marks
(a) Kingdom Protista — 1 mark
(b) Red tide; toxins kill marine animals — 1 mark
(c) Stiff cellulose plates, two flagella (longitudinal + transverse) — 1 mark
(d) Unicellular eukaryotes; boundaries not well defined between plant-like and animal-like protists — 1 mark
(a) Symbiotic/mutually useful association — 1 mark
(b) Phycobiont (autotrophic), mycobiont (heterotrophic) — 1 mark
(c) Do not grow in polluted areas — 1 mark
(d) Phycobiont (algae), mycobiont (fungi) — 1 mark
All questions are answerable from the NCERT chapter text. Reviewed by GFIS faculty.