You’re welcome to our school exams series where we provide you with termly examination questions in different subjects. In today’s post, we will focus on Biology exam questions. We will cover Biology exam questions for SS1 Second term with answers. This means that we’ll be providing you with answers to the questions at the end. Also, you will get a few success tips on how to pass Biology examinations with flying colors. Remember to use the comments sections if you have questions, and don’t forget to join our Free Online Tutorial Classes on YouTube. (Subscribe to the Channel)
Table of Contents
Introduction to Biology as a School Subject
Before we venture into Past Biology Exam Questions for SS1 Second term, here’s a brief introduction to the subject:
Biology, as a school subject, is the study of life and living things. It focuses on plants, animals, humans, and microorganisms. Through Biology, students learn how life processes work, how living organisms interact with their environment, and the role they play in maintaining balance in nature. It is a subject that connects directly to everyday life, making it both interesting and practical for students.
Biology Exam Questions for SS1 Second Term
Biology Exam Questions for SS1 Second Term are divided into three sections:
- Section A
- Section B
- Section C
The first section, namely, Section A is the objective test, and students are expected to attempt all questions in the section. Section B is subjective, while Section C is the theory part, and students are expected to answer all five (5) questions.
Note that what you have below are SS1 Biology Second Term Exam Past Questions made available to assist students in their revision for 1st term examinations and also teachers in structuring standard examinations.
SECTION A: OBJECTIVE TEST
Instruction: Answer all questions in this section by choosing from the options lettered A—D. Each question carries equal marks.
1. Which group of plants produces naked seeds?
(A) Bryophyta
(B) Pteridophyta
(C) Gymnosperms
(D) Angiosperms
2. Which of the following characteristics is common to members of Kingdom Plantae?
(A) Heterotrophic nutrition
(B) Presence of chlorophyll
(C) Absence of cell wall
(D) Motility
3. Mosses belong to which plant division
(A) Bryophyta
(B) Pteridophyta
(C) Gymnosperms
(D) Angiosperms
4. The plant group that produces seeds enclosed in fruits is
(A) Bryophyta
(B) Pteridophyta
(C) Gymnosperms
(D) Angiosperms
5. Which of the following phyla contain animals with no true tissues?
(A) Porifera     (B) Cnidaria
(C) Annelida    (D) Nematoda
6. Animals that possess stinging cells belong to which phylum?
(A) Cnidaria
(B) Platyhelminthes
(C) Mollusca
(D) Echinodermata
7. All these phyla consist of unsegmented bodies except:
(A) Nematoda
(B) Annelida
(C) Porifera
(D) Platyhelminthes
8. Which of these animals possess a radial symmetrical body?
(A) Hydra and Octopus
(B) Tapeworm and Hydra
(C) Octopus and Tapeworm
(D) Hydra and Sponges
9. Animals that possess a notochord at some stage of development belong to:
(A) Arthropoda   (B) Mollusca
(C) Chordata     (D) Annelida
10. Which of the following animals belongs to the phylum Mollusca?
(A) Earthworm    (B) Snail
(C) Crab         (D) Starfish
11. The body cavity in animals of the phylum Nematoda is best described as:
(A) Acoelomate
(B) Pseudocoelomate
(C) Coelomate
(D) Haemocel
12. Which of the following characteristics distinguishes Chordata from other animal phyla?
(A) Bilateral symmetry
(B) Presence of a notochord
(C) Segmentation
(D) Closed circulatory system
13. Flame cells used for excretion and osmoregulation occur in
(A) Platyhelminthes
(B) Annelida
(C) Nematoda
(D) Arthropoda
14. Which of the following animals belongs to the phylum Echinodermata?
(A) Crab      (B) Jelly fish
(C) Starfish    (D) Snail
15. Which of the following animals belong to the phylum Platyhelminthes?
(A) Tapeworm     (B) Earthworm
(C) Roundworm    (D) Filaria
16. Which of these animal phyla lacks nervous system?
(A) Nematoda
(B) Platyhelminthes
(C) Porifera
(D) Monera
17. Which of these statements is correct?
(A) All sponges are non-motile at larva stage
(B) There is presence of tentacles in sea anemone
(C) Sponges are motile at matured stage
(D) Cnidaria reproduces sexually by budding
18. A fresh water Cnidaria is cylindrical with a space inside called
(A) Mesoglea     (B) Hypostome
(C) Endoderm    (D) Enteron
19. Organisms with no body cavity are said to be
(A) Pseudocoelomate
(B) Asymmetrical
(C) Coelomate
(D) Acoelomate
20. All these worms possess unsegmented body except:
(A) Leeches     (B) Tapeworm
(C) Ascaris      (D) Filaria
21. Which of the following cell organelles is the site for the production of ATP (Energy)?
(A) Lysosome
(B) Nucleus
(C) Mitochondrion
(D) Ribosome
22. The organism that can carry out both autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of nutrition is
(A) Chlamydomonas
(B) Eudorina
(C) Euglena
(D) Spirogyra
23. The natural dwelling place of an organism is called
(A) Environment
(B) Habitat
(C) Ecological niche
(D) Community
24. Which of the following groups of organisms do not have members that can be called autotrophs?
(A) Protists       (B) Mosses
(C) Chlorophyta   (D) Fungi
25. Which of the following organisms cannot exist freely on its own?
(A) Chlamydomonas
(B) Plasmodium
(C) Amoeba
(D) Paramecium
26. The largest phylum with regards to the population of species is the —
(A) Chordata
(B) Arthropoda
(C) Platyhelminthes
(D) Porifera
27. Which of these statements is true about tapeworm?
(A) The primary host is cow/pig
(B) The secondary host is man
(C) Bladderworms are formed at the larval stage
(D) Bladderworms are formed in the muscles
28. The cell organelle common to both plant and animal is the:
(A) Mitochondrion
(B) Centrioles
(C) Pyrenoid
(D) Chloroplast
29. Rostellum is a special mouthpart found in which of these organisms?
(A) Hydra     (B) Tapeworm
(C) Fungi      (D) Snail
30. The control centre of the cell is the
(A) Mitochondrion
(B) Ribosome
(C) Nucleus
(D) Golgi bodies
31. The cell membrane is said to be selectively permeable because it…
(A) Allows all substances to pass through
(B) Allows only certain substance to pass through
(C) Prevents all substances from passing through
(D) Absorbs nutrients
32. The jelly-like substance in which cell organelles are suspended is the
(A) Cytoplasm    (B) Nucleus
(C) Vacuole      (D) Cell wall
33. Ribosomes are responsible for
(A) Photosynthesis
(B) Protein synthesis
(C) Lipid synthesis
(D) Respiration
34. The dominant phase in the life cycle of a moss is the:
(A) Sporophyte
(B) Gametophyte
(C) Leafy body
(D) Haploid cells
35. Spermatophytes are grouped into
(A) Seed plants and Angiosperm
(B) Pteridophytes and Gymnosperm
(C) Angiosperm and Gymnosperm
(D) Dicots and monocots
36. Which of these plants do not undergo secondary growth?
(A) Avocado     (B) Groundnut
(C) Banana      (D) Paw-paw
37. The symmetry condition in which organisms can be divided into two or more near identical halves across a central axis is known as
(A) Asymmetrical
(B) Bilateral
(C) Radial
(D) Symmetrical
38. Which of these statements is true about roundworms?
(A) They are dorsoventrally flattened
(B) They possess a distinct head with no anus
(C) They are radially symmetrical
(D) They are bilaterally symmetrical
39. All these are members of Pteridophytes except:
(A) Marsilea      (B) Platycerium
(C) Conifers      (D) Cyclosorus
40. The movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration is known as
(A) Osmosis
(B) Active transport
(C) Diffusion
(D) Transpiration
SECTION B: SUBJECTIVE
1. The gelatinous layer found between the endoderm and ectoderm in hydra is called ________.
2. The long flattened body of tapeworm provides a large surface area for ________.
3. Monocotyledonous plants are unable to undergo secondary growth due to the absence of a vascular tissue called ________.
4. The dominating phase in moss during “alternation of generation” is ________.
5. The naked seeds in gymnosperm are formed in a structure called ________.
6. Gymnosperms are able to produce 2 types of spores (male and female): Therefore they are said to be ________.
7. The seeds and fruits of angiosperms are produced after ________.
8. Hydra has only one cavity (mouth) that leads to a large cavity called ________.
9. The mouth of hydra is surrounded and located in a cone-like structure called ________.
10. The tentacles in hydra contains a stinging cells called ________.
11. The inner endoderm of hydra is also known as ________.
12. In hydra, old cells are replaced within how many days due to their regenerative ability. ________.
13. Hydra reproduces in dry season when food is in short supply, temperature is low and osmotic concentration of water is increased. True or false?
14. An example of free-living platyhelminthes is ________.
15. The head region of tapeworm are collectively known as ________.
16. The mouth region of tapeworm is simply known as ________.
17. The algal component of a lichen is called ________.
18. The association between the fungal and algal components of a lichen is commonly known as ________.
19. Mention an organism that exhibit saprophytic mode of nutrition ________.
20. A lichen that has a leafy body covering the surface of its substrate is known as ________.
SECTION C (Theory)
1. a. Define anaerobic respiration. (2mks)
b. State three adaptations of tapeworm to parasitic mode of life. (3mks)
2. a. State 2 characteristics of nematodes. (2mks)
b. Discuss the life cycle of Taenia solium. (5mks)
3. a. Why are Filaria worms higher in evolutionary table than tapeworm? (2mks)
b. Briefly explain sexual reproduction in hydra. (4mks)
4. a. Define symbiosis. (2mks)
b. Briefly explain the mutualistic relationship that exist between the mycobiont and phycobiont in a lichen. (3mks)
5. a. Arrange the following organisms in descending order of their hierarchy in evolutionary table: (Fern, tapeworm, moss, Ascaris, Jelly-fish). (5mks)
b. Make a diagram 8-10cm of the longitudinal section of hydra. (4mks)
Remember to use the comments sections if you have questions, and don’t forget to join our Free Online Tutorial Classes on YouTube. (Subscribe to the Channel)
Answers to Biology Exam Questions for SS1 Second Term
Answers to Section A (Objective Test)
The following table gives the correct answers to the objective section of Biology exam questions for SS1 Second term. If you are using a mobile device, hold the table and scroll to the right or left for a complete view.
| Q.No | Ans | Q.No | Ans | Q.No | Ans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | 2 | B | 3 | A |
| 4 | D | 5 | A | 6 | A |
| 7 | B | 8 | D | 9 | C |
| 10 | B | 11 | B | 12 | B |
| 13 | A | 14 | C | 15 | A |
| 16 | C | 17 | B | 18 | D |
| 19 | D | 20 | A | 21 | C |
| 22 | C | 23 | B | 24 | D |
| 25 | B | 26 | B | 27 | D |
| 28 | A | 29 | B | 30 | C |
| 31 | B | 32 | A | 33 | B |
| 34 | B | 35 | C | 36 | C |
| 37 | C | 38 | D | 39 | C |
| 40 | C |
There you have the answers to the objective section of Biology Exam Questions for SS1 second term. Use the comments section to let me know if you have any questions you would want me to clarify or discuss further.
Answers to Section B (Subjective)
1. The gelatinous layer found between the endoderm and ectoderm in hydra is called mesoglea.
2. The long flattened body of tapeworm provides a large surface area for absorption of digested food.
3. Monocotyledonous plants are unable to undergo secondary growth due to the absence of a vascular tissue called cambium.
4. The dominating phase in moss during alternation of generation is the gametophyte.
5. The naked seeds in gymnosperm are formed in a structure called cone (strobilus).
6. Gymnosperms are able to produce two types of spores (male and female); therefore, they are said to be heterosporous.
7. The seeds and fruits of angiosperms are produced after fertilization.
8. Hydra has only one cavity (mouth) that leads to a large cavity called the gastrovascular cavity (enteron).
9. The mouth of hydra is surrounded and located in a cone-like structure called the hypostome.
10. The tentacles in hydra contain stinging cells called nematocysts.
11. The inner endoderm of hydra is also known as the gastrodermis.
12. In hydra, old cells are replaced within about 2–3 days due to their regenerative ability.
13. Hydra reproduces in dry season when food is in short supply, temperature is low and osmotic concentration of water is increased — True.
14. An example of a free-living platyhelminth is Planaria.
15. The head region of tapeworm is collectively known as the scolex.
16. The mouth region of tapeworm is simply known as the sucker.
17. The algal component of a lichen is called the phycobiont.
18. The association between the fungal and algal components of a lichen is commonly known as symbiosis (mutualism).
19. An organism that exhibits saprophytic mode of nutrition is Rhizopus (bread mould).
20. A lichen that has a leafy body covering the surface of its substrate is known as a foliose lichen.
Answers to Section C (Theory)
1a. Anaerobic respiration is the process by which energy is released from food substances in the absence of oxygen. It results in the incomplete breakdown of glucose, producing less energy compared to aerobic respiration.
1b. Three adaptations of tapeworm to parasitic mode of life include:
i. Presence of hooks and suckers for firm attachment to the host’s intestine.
ii. Absence of digestive system, allowing direct absorption of already digested food from the host.
iii. Long, flattened body which provides a large surface area for absorption of nutrients.
2a. Two characteristics of nematodes are:
i. They have elongated, cylindrical and unsegmented bodies.
ii. They possess a complete digestive system with both mouth and anus.
2b. The life cycle of Taenia solium involves two hosts: man (definitive host) and pig (intermediate host). Adult tapeworm lives in the human intestine where it produces eggs. These eggs are passed out with faeces. Pigs ingest the eggs while feeding. Inside the pig, the eggs hatch into larvae which penetrate the intestinal wall and form cysts (bladderworms) in the muscles. When humans eat undercooked infected pork, the cysts develop into adult tapeworms in the intestine, completing the cycle.
3a. Filaria worms are higher in the evolutionary table than tapeworms because they possess a complete digestive system and a body cavity (pseudocoelom), while tapeworms lack a digestive system and are structurally simpler.
3b. Sexual reproduction in hydra occurs under unfavorable conditions. The hydra develops temporary reproductive organs called testes (male) and ovaries (female). The testes release sperm which swim to fertilize the egg in the ovary. After fertilization, a zygote is formed which develops a protective covering and can survive harsh conditions. When conditions become favorable, it grows into a new hydra.
4a. Symbiosis is a close and long-term association between two different organisms living together, in which at least one of them benefits.
4b. In lichens, the mycobiont (fungal component) and phycobiont (algal component) live in a mutualistic relationship. The alga carries out photosynthesis and provides food, while the fungus offers protection, support, and absorbs water and minerals for both organisms.
5a. Descending order of hierarchy in evolutionary table:
Fern → Moss → Ascaris → Tapeworm → Jelly-fish
5b. Longitudinal section of hydra (description for drawing):
The diagram should show a cylindrical body with the following labeled parts:
– Tentacles at the top
– Mouth located on the hypostome
– Body column
– Gastrovascular cavity (enteron)
– Endoderm (inner layer)
– Ectoderm (outer layer)
– Mesoglea (between the two layers)
– Basal disc at the bottom for attachment
Your drawing should be neat, well-labeled, and proportionate.
How to Pass Biology Exam Questions for SS1 Second Term
Here are some simple but powerful tips to help you pass your Biology exam questions for SS1 second term:
1. Understand the Topics, Don’t Just Memorize
Biology is full of concepts. Topics like classification of organisms, cell structure, and simple life processes require understanding. When you understand, you can answer any question—even if it is twisted. Always ask yourself: “Do I really understand this?”
2. Study with Diagrams
Biology involves many diagrams such as hydra, cell structure, and plant groups. Practice drawing and labeling them correctly. Examiners give marks for neat and accurate diagrams, so don’t ignore this part.
3. Master Key Terms and Definitions
Words like “symbiosis,” “respiration,” and “habitat” must be clearly understood. Learn simple and correct definitions. In exams, wrong definitions can cost you easy marks.
4. Practice Past Questions Regularly
This is one of the smartest strategies. Many questions repeat in different forms. Practice objective and theory questions often. It helps you understand exam patterns and boosts your confidence.
5. Focus on Differences and Comparisons
Biology exams love questions like “differentiate between…” or “compare…”. Know clear differences between groups like nematodes and platyhelminthes, or gymnosperms and angiosperms.
6. Read Your Notes and Recommended Textbooks
Don’t depend on class notes alone. Use your Biology textbook to get full explanations. Sometimes, exam questions are set directly from textbooks.
7. Learn How to Answer Essay Questions
Write your answers in clear points. Go straight to the answer. Avoid writing irrelevant stories. Use correct biological terms and organize your answers well.
8. Revise Frequently
Don’t wait till exam period before you start reading. Revise what you are taught every week. This helps your memory stay fresh.
9. Stay Focused During the Exam
Read instructions carefully. For objective questions, avoid rushing. For theory, answer the questions you know first and manage your time well.
10. Believe in Yourself
Confidence matters. If you prepare well, trust yourself. Walk into the exam hall with the mindset that you will succeed.
Biology is simple when you study it the right way. Stay consistent, practice daily, and you will come out with excellent results.
It’s a wrap!
If you need more clarification on SS1 First Term Questions on Biology, you can use the comments box below. We’ll be there to answer you asap. Don’t forget to join our Free Online Tutorial Classes on YouTube. (Subscribe to the Channel)
Best wishes from yours sincerely, HD.
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