BIOLOGY UTME PRACTICE TEST
1. Who proposed the theory of natural selection as a mechanism for evolution?
a) Charles Darwin
b) Gregor Mendel
c) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
d) Alfred Russel Wallace
2. Which of the following statements best describes the theory of evolution?
a) Organisms evolve by acquiring traits during their lifetime and passing them on to offspring.
b) Evolution occurs through the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
c) Species evolve over time through natural selection and genetic variation.
d) Evolution is driven solely by random genetic mutations.
3. Which scientist proposed the theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics?
a) Charles Darwin
b) Gregor Mendel
c) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
d) Alfred Russel Wallace
4. The theory of natural selection is based on the idea that:
a) All organisms possess similar structures due to a common ancestor.
b) Organisms with advantageous traits survive and reproduce, leading to changes in the population
over time.
c) Organisms inherit traits acquired by their parents during their lifetime.
d) Evolution is driven by random genetic mutations alone.
5. Which of the following is NOT considered evidence for evolution?
a) Fossil record
b) Comparative anatomy
c) Genetic variation within populations
d) Belief in a divine creator
6. The study of the distribution of plants and animals around the world is called:
a) Biogeography
b) Paleontology
c) Comparative anatomy
d) Molecular biology
7. What is the term for structures in organisms that have reduced or no function but resemble
functional structures in related organisms?
a) Analogous structures
b) Homologous structures
c) Vestigial structures
d) Embryonic structures
8. The process by which unrelated species evolve similar traits due to similar environmental pressures is
called:
a) Convergent evolution
b) Divergent evolution
c) Adaptive radiation
d) Speciation
9. The process by which a single species evolves into diverse forms that occupy different ecological
niches is called:
a) Convergent evolution
b) Divergent evolution
c) Adaptive radiation
d) Speciation
10. Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between humans and bacteria in
the context of evolution?
a) Humans have evolved from bacteria.
b) Bacteria have evolved from humans.
c) Humans and bacteria have coevolved, influencing each other's evolution.
d) Humans and bacteria share a common ancestor but have evolved independently since then.
11. Which of the following is an example of genetic variation within a population?
a) Differences in body size among individuals of the same species
b) Differences in behavior among individuals of the same species
c) Differences in habitat preference among individuals of the same species
d) Differences in coloration among individuals of the same species
12. The different forms of a gene are called:
a) Chromosomes
b) Genotypes
c) Phenotypes
d) Alleles
13. An organism with two identical alleles for a particular trait is said to be:
a) Homozygous
b) Heterozygous
c) Dominant
d) Recessive
14. The physical expression of a genetic trait is called its:
a) Genotype
b) Phenotype
c) Allele
d) Dominant trait
15. In Mendel's experiments with pea plants, the contrasting traits of tall and short plants were
controlled by:
a) A single gene with multiple alleles
b) Multiple genes with multiple alleles
c) A single gene with two alleles
d) Multiple genes with two alleles each
16. The genotype of a heterozygous individual for a particular trait can be represented as:
a) RR
b) rr
c) Rr
d) R
17. When a dominant allele masks the expression of a recessive allele in a heterozygous individual, it is
an example of:
a) Codominance
b) Incomplete dominance
c) Complete dominance
d) Polygenic inheritance
18. The genotype ratio resulting from a monohybrid cross between two heterozygous individuals is:
a) 1:1
b) 3:1
c) 1:2:1
d) 9:3:3:1
19. The blood type system in humans, with A, B, AB, and O blood types, is an example of:
a) Codominance
b) Incomplete dominance
c) Multiple alleles
d) Polygenic inheritance
20. Human height and skin color are examples of traits controlled by:
a) Single genes with multiple alleles
b) Multiple genes with multiple alleles
c) Single genes with two alleles
d) Multiple genes with two alleles each
21. The physical location of a gene on a chromosome is called its:
a) Genotype
b) Phenotype
c) Locus
d) Allele
22. Mendel's law of segregation states that:
a) Genes are located on chromosomes
b) Alleles for a trait separate during gamete formation
c) Dominant alleles always mask recessive alleles
d) Genes assort independently during gamete formation
23. Mendel's law of independent assortment states that:
a) Genes are located on chromosomes
b) Alleles for different traits segregate independently during gamete formation
c) Dominant alleles always mask recessive alleles
d) Genes assort independently during gamete formation
24. Which of the following is considered direct evidence of evolution?
a) Fossil records
b) Comparative anatomy
c) Comparative embryology
d) Genetic similarities between species
25. Which of the following is an example of homologous structures?
a) The wings of birds and the wings of bats
b) The wings of birds and the fins of fish
c) The forelimbs of mammals
d) The eyes of vertebrates and the eyes of cephalopods
26. Which of the following statements about the fossil record is true?
a) The fossil record provides evidence for gradual and abrupt changes in species over time.
b) The fossil record is complete and provides a comprehensive record of all species that have ever
existed.
c) The fossil record is biased towards preserving hard-bodied organisms.
d) The fossil record does not provide any evidence for evolution.
27. The similarity in early stages of development among different organisms is known as:
a) Analogous structures
b) Homologous structures
c) Vestigial structures
d) Embryonic homology
28. Which of the following statements about DNA evidence for evolution is true?
a) Organisms that are more closely related have more differences in their DNA sequences.
b) DNA evidence is not used to study evolutionary relationships between species.
c) Organisms that are more distantly related have more similarities in their DNA sequences.
d) DNA evidence is only useful for studying recent evolutionary events
29. Which of the following is an example of adaptive radiation?
a) The evolution of finches on the Galápagos Islands
b) The development of resistance to antibiotics in bacteria
c) The emergence of drug-resistant strains of viruses
d) The spread of pesticide resistance in insects
30. The concept of descent with modification is central to which theory of evolution?
a) Natural selection
b) Inheritance of acquired characteristics
c) Punctuated equilibrium
d) Catastrophism
