Chapter 1.

The Science of Microbiology

Multiple Choice
________ 1. Which among the following groups of organisms are not considered cells?

a. Bacteria c. Viruses

b. Fungi d. Algae

________ 2. Which among the following types of microscopes is used together with computers to

produce a three – dimensional image and is also useful in the study of cell physiology?

a. Phase – contrast microscope c. Fluorescent microscope

b. Scanned – probe microscope d. Confocal microscope

________ 3. Which among the following parts of the microscope is used to gather and focus light

onto the specimen?

a. Coarse adjustment c. Eye piece

b. Fine adjustment d. Condenser

________ 4. Who among the following scientists made the initial postulates regarding the germ

theory of disease?

a. Louis Pasteur c. Edward Jenner

b. Alexander Fleming d. Robert Koch

________ 5. You discovered a new organism and you want to study its molecular and atomic

properties. Which among the following types of microscopes would be suited for this

purpose?

a. Electron microscope c. Scanned – probe microscope

b. Fluorescent microscope d. Confocal microscope

________ 6. You are given a new slide to study in the laboratory. Which part of the microscope will

you use to put the specimen into general focus?

a. Iris diaphragm c. Objective lenses

 b. Coarse adjustment d. Fine adjustment

________ 7. Which among the following classes of culture media is used to isolate fungi?

a. Thayer – Martin agar c. Saboraud dextrose agar

b. Lowenstein – Jensen agar d. Chocolate agar

_______ 8. Which among the following reagents used in Gram – staining will enhance the uptake of

the primary stain?

a. Crystal violet c. 95 % alcohol

b. Gram’s iodine d. Safranin

_______ 9. You culture an organism using blood agar and after 24 hours of incubation you noted

complete hemolysis of red blood cells surrounding the colonies. This is classified as what

type of hemolytic reaction?

a. Alpha hemolysis c. Delta hemolysis

b. Beta hemolysis d. Gamma hemolysis

_______ 10. Which among the following reagents is used as the counterstain in the Ziehl – Neelsen

method of acid – fast staining?

a. Safranin c. Malachite green

b. Carbol fuchsin d. Methylene blue

Chapter 2. Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
Matching Type
A. Cell Type

Column A Column B

______ 1. Reproduce by meiosis and mitosis a, Prokaryotic cell

______ 2. With 70S ribosomes b. Eukaryotic cell

______ 3. Do not have membrane – bound organelles

______ 4. DNA associated with histones

______ 5. Has true nucleus surrounded by nuclear membrane

B. Organism Group

Column A Column B

_______ 6. Obligate intracellular parasite a. Bacteria

_______ 7. Outer covering made up mostly of chitin b. Viruses

_______ 8. Possess only one type of nucleic acid c. Fungi

_______ 9. Capable of photosynthesis d. Protozoa

_______ 10. Unicellular parasite e. Algae

_______11. Include bacteriophages

_______12. Reproduction is through sexual and asexual spores

_______ 13. Outer surface consists primarily of cellulose

_______ 14. Possess chlorophyll

_______ 15. Use carbon dioxide as energy source

Chapter 3. Bacterial Morphology
Multiple Choice
_______ 1. What bacteria are partly round and partly rod – shaped?

a. Cocci c. Spirochetes

b. Bacilli d. Coccobacilli

_______ 2. Which among the following bacterial structures acts as a functional analogue of the

mitochondria?

a. Capsule c. Cell membrane

b. Nucleoid d. Outer membrane

_______ 3. Which among the following cell wall components is found only in gram – positive

bacteria?

a. Lipopolysaccharide c. Mycolic acid

b. Teichoic acid d. Muramic acid

_______ 4. Which among the following statements is correct regarding the cell wall of acid – fast

bacteria?

a. It can be stained with crystal violet

b. Its outer layer is hydrophobic due to the presence of lipids

c. Its outer layer is hydrophilic due to the presence of a multi – layered peptidoglycan

d. The major component is lipoteichoic acid

_______ 5. A bacterium that has a tuft of flagella on one end is called:

a. Lophotrichous c. Peritrichous

b. Monotrichous d. Amphitrichous
_______ 6. Which of the following structures is utilized by bacteria in exchanging genetic material

from one bacterium to another?

a. Pilus c. Mesosome

b. Flagella d. Axial filament

_______ 7. Which among the following provides rigid support to bacteria and gives shape to the

bacteria?

a. Cell membrane c. Outer membrane

b. Cell wall d. Capsule

______ 8. The bacterial endospore is resistant to heat and drying due to the presence of this

component?

a. Teichoic acid c. Mycolic acid

b. Muramic acid d. Dipicolinic acid

______ 9. Which among the following is a structure utilized by some bacteria for food storage?

a. Much granules d. A, B, and C

b. Metachromatic granules e. A and B only

c. Endospores

______ 10. Which of the following contain enzymes used by bacteria to breakdown large molecules

into smaller, easy to transport molecules?

a. Cell wall c. Outer membrane

b. Cell membrane d. Periplasmic space

Chapter 4. Bacterial Growth Requirements
Multiple Choice
________ 1. Microorganisms that utilize organic compounds as sole carbon source are called:

a. Phototrophs c. Chemotrophs

b. Heterotrophs d. Autotrophs

________ 2. Which among the following is essential for the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins?

a. Iron c. Calcium

b. Nitrogen d. Potassium

________ 3. Organisms that strictly require oxygen for growth are called:

a. Facultative c. Obligate anaerobes

b. Obligate aerobes d. Microaerophiles

________ 4. Most medically important bacteria are:

a. Photoorganotrophs c. Mesophiles

b. Alkalophiles d. Halophiles

________ 5. Bacteria that require an optimum temperature of more than 40 °C are called:

a. Thermophiles c. Psychrophiles

b. Mesophiles d. Neutrophiles

________ 6. Microorganisms that require carbon dioxide for growth are called:

a. Halophiles c. Capnophiles

b. Mesophiles d. Psychrophiles
Matching Type
Column A Column B

________ 7. Nutrients are depleted and toxic wastes accumulate a. Lag phase

________ 8. Period of adjustment for the bacteria b. Log phase

________ 9. Period of rapid cell division c. Stationary phase

________ 10. Period when spores begin to form d. Death or decline phase

Chapter 5. Normal Flora of the Human Body

Multiple Choice
________ 1. Normal flora synthesizes and excretes:

a. Vitamin D and E c. Vitamin K and B12

b. Vitamin D, E, K, and B12 d. Vitamin D, K, and B12

_______ 2. The bacterial count in the small intestine:

a. Decreases distally c. Is consistent throughout

b. Increases distally d. Is normally sterile

_______ 3. Streptococcus pneumonia can be found in the:

a. Mouth c. Skin

b. Nostrils d. Small intestine

c. Pharynx

_______ 4. Strep viridans is most numerous on/in the:

a. Large intestine c. Skin

b. Mouth d. Small intestine

c. Nasopharynx

________ 5. In commensalism:

a. Both organisms benefit from symbiosis

b. Neither organism is benefited nor harmed

 c. One organism benefits at the expense of the other

d. One organism benefits while the other derives neither benefit nor harm

________ 6. Enteric gram – negative bacilli can be found on/in the:

a. Large intestine c. Small intestine

b. Mouth d. Vagina

c. Skin

________ 7. An outbreak of sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus has occurred in the newborn

nursery. You are called upon to investigate. According to your knowledge of the normal

flora, what is the most likely source of the organism?

a. Nose c. Vagina

b. Colon d. Throat

_______ 8. Which body site harbors the greatest number of bacteria?

a. Skin c. Respiratory tract

b. Mouth d. Large intestine

_______ 9. Which among the following statements is true about normal flora?

a. Collection of organisms found routinely in specific parts of the body

b. Component organisms are the same in all individuals

c. Mostly fungi

d. Most are pathogenic

________ 10. Which among the following is true regarding normal flora?

a. It is absent in the stomach due to the acidic pH

b. It develops in the body only after the neonatal period

c. It cannot be eradicated by antimicrobial agents

d. The flora in the bronchi is similar to that of the trachea