NCERT Class 9 Science MCQ | Chapter 12: Patterns in Life: Diversity and Classification
1. The immense variety of living organisms found on Earth is known as:
(A) Classification
(B) Biodiversity
(C) Evolution
(D) Adaptation
Answer: (B)
2. Biodiversity is important because:
(A) Every organism plays a role in maintaining nature
(B) Only animals depend on biodiversity
(C) It reduces the number of species
(D) It prevents reproduction
Answer: (A)
3. Species that are restricted to particular regions and are not naturally found elsewhere are called:
(A) Exotic species
(B) Endemic species
(C) Domestic species
(D) Migratory species
Answer: (B)
4. Which of the following is an example of an endemic species mentioned in the chapter?
(A) Lion
(B) Nilgiri tahr
(C) Camel
(D) Elephant
Answer: (B)
5. Which of the following is a biodiversity hotspot mentioned in the chapter?
(A) Western Ghats
(B) Thar Desert only
(C) Indo-Gangetic Plain
(D) Deccan Plateau only
Answer: (A)
6. Biodiversity hotspots are regions that:
(A) Have very few organisms
(B) Support many endemic species and have undergone significant habitat loss
(C) Contain only aquatic organisms
(D) Have no human influence
Answer: (B)
7. Scientists classify organisms mainly to:
(A) Make organisms extinct
(B) Study biodiversity systematically
(C) Reduce biodiversity
(D) Change their characteristics
Answer: (B)
8. Which of the following is a criterion used for classifying organisms?
(A) Cell structure
(B) Mode of nutrition
(C) Reproduction
(D) All of these
Answer: (D)
9. Organisms having one cell are called:
(A) Multicellular
(B) Unicellular
(C) Colonial
(D) Tissue-level organisms
Answer: (B)
10. Organisms having many cells are called:
(A) Unicellular
(B) Multicellular
(C) Prokaryotic
(D) Microscopic
Answer: (B)
11. Organisms that prepare their own food are called:
(A) Heterotrophs
(B) Autotrophs
(C) Consumers
(D) Decomposers
Answer: (B)
12. Organisms that depend on other organisms for food are called:
(A) Autotrophs
(B) Heterotrophs
(C) Producers
(D) Photosynthetic organisms
Answer: (B)
13. Which of the following is NOT a criterion mentioned for classification?
(A) Cell structure
(B) Mode of nutrition
(C) Ecological role
(D) Colour of the organism
Answer: (D)
14. Aristotle classified animals mainly on the basis of:
(A) DNA structure
(B) Habitat and external appearance
(C) Cell type
(D) Chromosome number
Answer: (B)
15. The two-kingdom classification divided organisms into:
(A) Monera and Protista
(B) Plantae and Animalia
(C) Fungi and Plantae
(D) Protista and Animalia
Answer: (B)
16. The third kingdom added after the two-kingdom system was:
(A) Fungi
(B) Monera
(C) Protista
(D) Animalia
Answer: (C)
17. Bacteria were placed in a separate kingdom because they:
(A) Are multicellular
(B) Lack a membrane-bound nucleus
(C) Have chloroplasts
(D) Are always parasitic
Answer: (B)
18. The four-kingdom classification included:
(A) Monera, Protista, Plantae and Animalia
(B) Fungi, Plantae, Animalia and Monera
(C) Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia
(D) Monera, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia
Answer: (A)
19. The five-kingdom classification was proposed by:
(A) Aristotle
(B) Charles Darwin
(C) Robert H. Whittaker
(D) Carolus Linnaeus
Answer: (C)
20. The five kingdoms are:
(A) Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia
(B) Monera, Plantae, Animalia, Viruses and Fungi
(C) Protista, Fungi, Plants, Animals and Viruses
(D) Bacteria, Plants, Animals, Fungi and Algae
Answer: (A)
21. Kingdom Monera consists mainly of:
(A) Multicellular eukaryotes
(B) Unicellular prokaryotes
(C) Multicellular fungi
(D) Multicellular plants
Answer: (B)
22. Which of the following belongs to Kingdom Monera?
(A) Amoeba
(B) Mushroom
(C) Bacteria
(D) Human
Answer: (C)
23. Protists are generally:
(A) Unicellular eukaryotes
(B) Multicellular prokaryotes
(C) Multicellular plants
(D) Multicellular animals
Answer: (A)
24. Which of the following is a protist?
(A) Amoeba
(B) Mushroom
(C) Rose
(D) Earthworm
Answer: (A)
25. Fungi are generally:
(A) Autotrophic prokaryotes
(B) Heterotrophic eukaryotes
(C) Photosynthetic animals
(D) Unicellular prokaryotes only
Answer: (B)
26. The cell wall of fungi is mainly made up of:
(A) Cellulose
(B) Chitin
(C) Protein
(D) Starch
Answer: (B)
27. Fungi commonly obtain nutrients by:
(A) Photosynthesis
(B) Absorption
(C) Ingestion only
(D) Chemosynthesis only
Answer: (B)
28. Which of the following is a fungus?
(A) Yeast
(B) Amoeba
(C) Spirogyra
(D) Hydra
Answer: (A)
29. Plants belong to Kingdom Plantae and are generally:
(A) Multicellular and autotrophic
(B) Unicellular and heterotrophic
(C) Multicellular and heterotrophic
(D) Unicellular and prokaryotic
Answer: (A)
30. The cell wall of plants is primarily made up of:
(A) Chitin
(B) Cellulose
(C) Protein
(D) Glycogen
Answer: (B)
31. Which is the correct sequence of the five classes of Kingdom Plantae given in the chapter?
(A) Thallophyta, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Gymnosperm, Angiosperm
(B) Bryophyta, Thallophyta, Gymnosperm, Pteridophyta, Angiosperm
(C) Thallophyta, Pteridophyta, Bryophyta, Angiosperm, Gymnosperm
(D) Gymnosperm, Thallophyta, Bryophyta, Angiosperm, Pteridophyta
Answer: (A)
32. Which plant group has a simple undifferentiated body called a thallus?
(A) Bryophyta
(B) Thallophyta
(C) Pteridophyta
(D) Angiosperm
Answer: (B)
33. Spirogyra is an example of:
(A) Bryophyta
(B) Pteridophyta
(C) Thallophyta
(D) Gymnosperm
Answer: (C)
34. Bryophytes are called the amphibians of the plant kingdom because they:
(A) Live only in water
(B) Live on land but require water for reproduction
(C) Have flowers and fruits
(D) Produce seeds in cones
Answer: (B)
35. Which of the following is a bryophyte?
(A) Marchantia
(B) Pine
(C) Rose
(D) Fern
Answer: (A)
36. Pteridophytes possess:
(A) True roots, stems and leaves
(B) Only a thallus
(C) Flowers and fruits
(D) Seeds enclosed in fruits
Answer: (A)
37. Which vascular tissues are present in pteridophytes?
(A) Epidermis and cortex
(B) Xylem and phloem
(C) Stomata and guard cells
(D) Cambium and cork
Answer: (B)
38. Gymnosperms have:
(A) Seeds enclosed in fruits
(B) Naked seeds
(C) No seeds
(D) Flowers and fruits
Answer: (B)
39. Which of the following is a gymnosperm?
(A) Pine
(B) Mango
(C) Rose
(D) Moss
Answer: (A)
40. Angiosperms are commonly known as:
(A) Non-flowering plants
(B) Flowering plants
(C) Seedless plants
(D) Spore-forming plants only
Answer: (B)
41. In angiosperms, seeds are:
(A) Exposed on cones
(B) Enclosed within fruits
(C) Absent
(D) Always present on leaves
Answer: (B)
42. Which group is the most diverse plant group according to the chapter?
(A) Thallophyta
(B) Bryophyta
(C) Gymnosperm
(D) Angiosperm
Answer: (D)
43. Animals are generally:
(A) Multicellular and heterotrophic
(B) Unicellular and autotrophic
(C) Prokaryotic and autotrophic
(D) Unicellular and photosynthetic
Answer: (A)
44. A major criterion used to divide animals into non-chordates and chordates is the presence or absence of:
(A) Cell wall
(B) Notochord
(C) Chloroplast
(D) Cellulose
Answer: (B)
45. Which of the following animals belongs to Porifera?
(A) Sponge
(B) Earthworm
(C) Starfish
(D) Snail
Answer: (A)
46. Arthropods are characterised by:
(A) Jointed appendages and an external skeleton
(B) No body segmentation
(C) Internal skeleton made of calcium carbonate
(D) Absence of muscles
Answer: (A)
47. Which of the following belongs to Echinodermata?
(A) Starfish
(B) Earthworm
(C) Spider
(D) Sponge
Answer: (A)
48. The hard external skeleton of arthropods is called:
(A) Endoskeleton
(B) Exoskeleton
(C) Notochord
(D) Vertebral column
Answer: (B)
49. The correct order of classification from broadest to most specific is:
(A) Species → Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum → Kingdom
(B) Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species
(C) Kingdom → Class → Phylum → Family → Order → Species → Genus
(D) Phylum → Kingdom → Class → Order → Genus → Family → Species
Answer: (B)
50. The binomial system of scientific naming gives each organism:
(A) One name
(B) Two-part scientific name
(C) Three common names
(D) A name based only on its habitat
Answer: (B)
NCERT Class 9 Science MCQ | Chapter 12: Patterns in Life: Diversity and Classification
ASSERTION–REASON QUESTIONS
Directions:
Choose the correct option:
(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.
- Assertion (A): Biodiversity is essential for maintaining the stability of ecosystems.
Reason (R): Different organisms perform different roles such as pollination, decomposition and food production.
Answer: (A)
- Assertion (A): Endemic species are naturally restricted to particular regions.
Reason (R): Endemic species are found naturally everywhere on Earth.
Answer: (C)
- Assertion (A): Biodiversity hotspots are important areas for conservation.
Reason (R): They support many endemic species and have undergone significant habitat loss.
Answer: (A)
- Assertion (A): Classification helps scientists study the enormous diversity of living organisms systematically.
Reason (R): Classification groups organisms based on similarities, differences and evolutionary relationships.
Answer: (A)
- Assertion (A): Bacteria are placed in Kingdom Monera.
Reason (R): Bacteria are unicellular prokaryotes and do not have a membrane-bound nucleus.
Answer: (A)
- Assertion (A): Fungi are placed in a separate kingdom from plants.
Reason (R): Fungi are heterotrophic and obtain nutrients by absorption, while plants are generally autotrophic.
Answer: (A)
- Assertion (A): Bryophytes are called the amphibians of the plant kingdom.
Reason (R): Bryophytes live on land but require water for reproduction.
Answer: (A)
- Assertion (A): Gymnosperms do not require aquatic conditions for fertilisation.
Reason (R): Their seeds are enclosed within fruits.
Answer: (C)
- Assertion (A): Angiosperms are the most diverse plant group on Earth.
Reason (R): They produce flowers and fruits, and their fruits help in the dispersal of seeds.
Answer: (A)
- Assertion (A): Classification follows a hierarchy from kingdom to species.
Reason (R): At each lower level of classification, organisms share more common features.
Answer: (A)
