IGCSE Biology

1 Characteristics and classification of living organisms

1.1 Characteristics of living organisms ___ ____

Define the terms:

 movement as an action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of p_____________

or p___________

 respiration as the chemical reactions in cells that break down n____________ molecules and release
e______________ for metabolism

 sensitivity as the ability to d__________ or s__________ stimuli in the internal or external environment
and to make appropriate r__________

 growth as a permanent i___________ in size and dry mass by an increase in c_____ number or c_____
size or both

 reproduction as the processes that make more of the same kind of organism

 excretion as removal from organisms of the w_______ products of metabolism (chemical reactions in
cells including respiration), t_______ materials, and substances in e________ of requirements

 nutrition as taking in of m____________ for energy, growth and development; plants require light,
carbon dioxide, water and ions; animals need organic compounds and ions and usually need water

Past Year Questions:

1. [0610/32/F/M/16/Q1] The boxes

on the left contain the names of
characteristics of living organisms.

The boxes on the right contain the

definitions of these characteristics.

Draw one straight line to link the

characteristic with its correct
definition.

An example has been done for

you.

[5]

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IGCSE Biology

2. Which organisms carry out respiration, growth, movement and excretion?

A all animals and all plants B animals only
C arthropods and flowering plants only D plants only

3. Which characteristic do all living organisms show?

A breathing B excretion C photosynthesis D tropism

4. Biology is the study of living things. Which characteristic applies to all forms of life?
A able to move from place to place B able to reproduce
C carry out photosynthesis D possess a nervous system

5. The diagram shows what

happened in an experiment
with plant seedlings.
Which characteristic of living
things made the seedlings
grow towards the light?
A excretion B nutrition C respiration D sensitivity

6. The diagram shows a leaf on a plant.

Which characteristic of life is represented by this diagram?
A excretion
B nutrition
C respiration
D sensitivity

7. A living organism, X, can make its own food, get rid of toxic materials and detect and respond to
stimuli.
What other four processes must organism X carry out to stay alive?
A excretion, growth, movement, sensitivity B excretion, growth, nutrition, respiration
C growth, movement, reproduction, respiration D movement, reproduction, respiration, sensitivity

8. The sundew is a carnivorous plant that can trap small insects with sticky hairs and then digest them.
When an insect gets stuck, other nearby sticky hairs bend over to trap the insect.
Which characteristics of living organisms are demonstrated when the sundew traps insects?
A growth and excretion B growth and sensitivity
C movement and excretion D movement and sensitivity

9. Which term is defined as all the chemical reactions that occur in cells?
A photosynthesis B protein synthesis C respiration D metabolism

10. The diagram shows how a seed changes after it is planted in soil and watered.

Which characteristics of living things are demonstrated

by this sequence?
A excretion and growth
B growth and sensitivity
C nutrition and reproduction
D nutrition and sensitivity

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IGCSE Biology

1.2 Concept and use of a classification system

 organisms can be classified into groups by the features that they share

 classification systems aim to reflect evolutionary relationships

 classification is traditionally based on studies of morphology (form and shape) and anatomy (body
structure)

 the sequences of bases in DNA and of amino acids in proteins are used as a more accurate means
of classification

 organisms which share a more recent ancestor (are more closely related) have base sequences in
DNA that are more similar than those that share only a distant ancestor

Lion

Leopard

Jaguar
Tiger

Cheetah

Define the terms:

 species - a group of organisms that can r………………. to produce f………. offspring

Past Year Question:

1. Donkeys and zebras are different species. They can breed to produce an animal called a zedonk.
Zedonks are not fertile.
Which statement is correct?
A Zedonks and donkeys are the same species.
B Zedonks and zebras are the same species.
C Zedonks are a species.
D Zedonks are not a species.

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IGCSE Biology

Binomial system –

an internationally agreed naming system in which the scientific name of an organism is made up of t_____
parts showing the g___________ and s__________

e.g.

1. Homo sapiens is the scientific name for humans. Homo is the genus name of humans; sapiens is
the species name.

2. Panthera leo is the scientific name for lions. Panthera tigris is the scientific name for tigers. Both
lions and tigers are classified into the same genus, Panthera. They are more closely related
compared to humans.

All scientific name should be italic when type-written.

Lion

Leopard

Jaguar
Tiger

Cheetah

Past Year Questions:

1. Using the binomial naming system, the Arctic fox is called Vulpes
lagopus.
Which row is correct?

2. A rat has the scientific name Rattus rattus.

What do the two parts of this name refer to?
A genus and species B kingdom and genus
C kingdom and species D variety and genus

3. Using the binomial system of naming organisms, the name of the lion is Panthera leo.
Which statement is correct?
A The lion belongs to the kingdom Panthera.
B The lion belongs to the genus Panthera.
C The lion belongs to the species Panthera.
D The lion belongs to the genus leo.

4. The diagram shows an animal whose scientific name is Falco peregrinus.

To which species does it belong?
A bird B F. peregrinus
C Falco D vertebrate

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IGCSE Biology

5. The diagram shows how Homo sapiens (modern people) could

have evolved from earlier ancestors.

Which statement about modern people and their ancestors is

correct?
A They are in the same species and the same genus.
B They are in the same species but not the same genus.
C They are in the same genus but not the same species.
D They are neither the same species nor the same genus.

6. Systems of classification show which organisms share more recent ancestors.

What is the most accurate system of classification?
A using anatomy B using DNA base sequences
C using morphology D using a pedigree diagram

7. The diagram shows a section of DNA from a chimpanzee.

Which diagram shows a section of DNA from the organism that is most closely related to the
chimpanzee?

8. Two animals have an identical sequence of amino acids in one of the proteins found in their cells.
What does this indicate about these animals?
A They have been eating the same types of food.
B They have not been exposed to substances that cause mutation.
C They must be members of the same genus.
D They share a recent ancestor.

9. [0610/42/O/N/16/Q2c,d] Base sequences of the DNA of different species are compared to

investigate how species are related to one another. The most closely related species have the
shortest distance from a branching point on a classification tree.
Fig. 2.4 shows
how six species
of fungi are
related to each
other.

(c) (i) Use the letters on Fig. 2.4 to state the two species that are most closely related.
............................................................................................................................ [1]

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IGCSE Biology

(ii) Use Fig. 2.4 to explain why Aspergillus nidulans is the most distantly related species from all
of the other five species.
................................................................................................................................................................... [2]
(d) Modern methods of classification rely on the analysis and comparison of base sequences in
DNA.
Describe the type of evidence that scientists used for classifying organisms before they were
able to sequence DNA.
.........................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

10. [0610/43/O/N/16/Q5d,e] DNA can be used to distinguish between different species of bacteria.
Molecular biologists compared the DNA sequences of the gene in mitochondria and six species of
bacteria. They counted the number of differences.
Table 5.1 shows the number of differences between the DNA sequences.

The most closely related

species have:
• the least number of
differences between
their DNA sequences
• the shortest distance
from a branching
point on a
classification tree.

(d) Use the information in Table 5.1 to

complete the classification tree in Fig. 5.1.
Place the letter for each species or the
mitochondria in the box next to the
correct branch of the classification tree.
Two have been done for you. [3]

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IGCSE Biology

(e) Suggest why using DNA sequences is a useful method for identifying species of bacteria.
............................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................... [1]

1.3 Features of organisms

The features in the cells of all living organisms:

 c_________________,

 c_______ m________________,

 DNA as g____________ material,

 r______________ for protein synthesis, and

 e____________ involved in respiration

Past Year Question:

1. What structures can be found in both plant and animal cells?

A cell walls and cell membranes B nuclei and cell walls
C cytoplasm and chloroplasts D cell membranes and nuclei

The Five Kingdoms: ______________, _____________, ____________, _____________, _____________

The main features of the five kingdoms:

 Animal,
o animal cells have nucleus, but no cell wall
o animals are multicellular organisms

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IGCSE Biology

 Plant,
o plant cells have nucleus, cellulose cell wall and chloroplasts
o plants are multicellular organisms

 Fungus,
o fungal cells have nucleus and chitin cell wall
o fungi are multicellular organisms

 Prokaryote,
o prokaryotic cells have no nucleus, DNA suspended in cytoplasm
o prokaryotic cells have cell wall, NOT made by cellulose
o prokaryotic cells are single-celled organisms
o they are bacteria

 Protoctist
o protoctists are single-celled organisms
o they have nucleus;
o some are like animal cells with no cell wall e.g. Amoeba
o some like plant cells with cell wall and chloroplasts e.g., algae

Past Year Questions:

1. Which features are possessed by all plant cells?

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IGCSE Biology

2. The diagram shows two guard cells.

Which label shows the cell wall?

3. The diagrams show four organisms not drawn to the same scale.
Which organism is a prokaryote?

4. Lichens are formed from two different organisms living together.

The table shows some of the characteristics of two organisms, X and Y, found in most lichens.

Which kingdoms are represented by X and Y?

5. The diagram shows a single cell from an organism

called Spirogyra.

Which features does Spirogyra share with plant cells?

6. The diagram shows two cells.

Which process can be carried out by only one of these cells?

A controlling the chemical reactions in the cell
B controlling the movement of substances into the cell
C making starch inside the cell
D using glucose inside the cell

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IGCSE Biology

Animal Kingdom: _______________ and __________________

Vertebrates: 5 Phyla ~ mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish

class of external ear skin (fur/ lay eggs? milk? limbs? *endothermic
vertebrate flap (pinna) feathers/ mammary or
scale/…) glands? ectothermic?

fish no scale soft eggs no has fin ectothermic

amphibians

reptiles

birds

mammals

*endothermic: an organism uses energy to regulate its body temperature internally

ectothermic: an organism relies on external environmental factors to regulate its body temperature

Invertebrates: Phylum Arthropods

–– the main groups of arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans, myriapods

insects e.g. bees, ants, moths arachnids e.g. spiders, mites, ticks

crustaceans e.g. shrimp, crabs, lobster myriapods

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IGCSE Biology

Past Year Questions:

1. What kind of skin do amphibians have?

A dry without scales B dry with scales
C moist without scales D moist with scales

2. What is a characteristic of amphibians but not of reptiles?

A four limbs B laying eggs in water
C scaly skin D using lungs for breathing

3. The drawing shows a ground squirrel.

Which feature identifies this animal as a mammal?
A eye B four limbs
C fur D tail

4. What is a characteristic of both insects and arachnids?

A eight legs B exoskeleton C three pairs of legs D wings

5. The table shows the number of animals collected in a sample

from a woodland and the groups to which they belong.
How many arthropods in total, in this sample, have six or eight
legs?
A 15 B 88 C 90 D 98

6. The diagram shows part of the classification of the animal kingdom with an example of each
group.

Which pair of animals have the most recent common ancestor as suggested by the classification?
A centipede and carp B flea and frog C lizard and parrot D spider and rat

7. [0610/42/M/J/18/Q5a] Fig. 5.1 shows an adult fly, Chrysomya

megacephala.

State three visible features from Fig. 5.1 that could be used to
distinguish adult insects from other arthropods.

1 ...............................................................................................

2 ...............................................................................................

3 ........................................................................................... [3]

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IGCSE Biology

8. [0610/41/O/N/19/Q1a,b] All living organisms are placed into groups according to their features.
Myriapods are one of the main groups of arthropods.
(a) State two features of myriapods that can be used to distinguish them from other arthropods.
1 ................................................................................................................................
2 ........................................................................................................................... [2]

Fig. 1.1 shows that there are four main

groups of arthropods.

(b) State the names of two of the other

groups of arthropods in Fig. 1.1.

1 .............................................................

2 ............................................................. [2]

Plant Kingdom

Main features used to place organisms into groups within the plant kingdom, limited to ferns and flowering
plants (dicotyledons and monocotyledons)

All plants: have chlorophyll / chloroplasts and carry out photosynthesis; have cellulose cell wall

ferns – do not produce flowers, instead reproduce by spores

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IGCSE Biology

flowering plants – reproduce sexually by means of flowers and seeds

dicotyledons monocotyledons

Past Year Questions:

1. Quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa, is a dicotyledonous plant that produces seeds that resemble those
of cereals, such as rice.

State one feature shown by all dicotyledonous plants.

.................................................................................................................................. [1]

2. Wheat plants are monocotyledons.

State one feature of monocotyledons that can be used to distinguish them from dicotyledons.

.................................................................................................................................. [1]

3. What are features of the leaves of a plant that is a dicotyledon?

4. The photomicrograph shows a cell from a type of

aquatic plant.

Which parts labelled on the photomicrograph

indicate that this is a plant cell?
A P and R B P and S
C Q and R D Q and S

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IGCSE Biology

Features of viruses, limited to protein coat and genetic material

Past Year Question:

1. [0610/41/O/N/17/Q6a] Viruses can cause diseases.

State two other features of all viruses.

1 ....................................................................................................................................

2 ............................................................................................................................... [2]

2. [0610/42/F/M/19/Q6a] Fig. 6.1 is a diagram of the virus that

causes measles.
(i) State the name of the parts of the virus shown in Fig. 6.1
labelled X and Y.
X ..........................................................................................................
Y ..................................................................................................... [2]
(ii) Bacteria belong to the Prokaryote kingdom.
State two ways in which the structure of bacteria differs from
the structure of viruses.
1 ........................................................................................................................................
2 ................................................................................................................................... [2]

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IGCSE Biology

1.4 Dichotomous keys

Keys are used by biologists in the process of identifying organisms.

'Dichotomous' = branching (dividing) into two.

Past Year Questions:

1. The diagram shows part of a flowering plant.

Using the key, identify this plant.

1 three petals ................................................. go to 2

more than three petals ............................... go to 3
2 leaves longer than they are wide ................ A
leaves wider than they are long .................. B
3 leaves parallel-veined ................................. C
leaves not parallel-veined ........................... D

2. The diagram shows a flowering plant. Use the key to identify the plant.

3. The diagram shows a leaf.

Use the key to identify the plant to which the leaf belongs.

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IGCSE Biology

3. [0610/41/O/N/19/Q1c] Myriapods can be classified into four classes, 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Fig. 1.2 is a dichotomous key that can be used to distinguish the four classes of myriapods.

not to scale

class letter(s) of species in each class

4. [0610/42/O/N/19/Q1b] Fig. 1.1 shows four arthropods.

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IGCSE Biology

Fig. 1.2 is a dichotomous key for the arthropods shown in Fig. 1.1.
Complete Fig. 1.2 by writing suitable statements in:
• box 2 to identify species B
• box 3 to separate species C and A.

9. [0610/43/O/N/19/Q1]
(a) The ant-mimic jumping spider, Myrmarachne formicaria, is shown in Fig. 1.1.
The common name of this species describes its
behaviour. It is an arachnid that tricks its prey because it
looks like the insects that it eats.

(i) Suggest which trophic level in a food chain M.

formicaria could belong to.
...................................................................................... [1]
(ii) State the genus of the spider shown in Fig. 1.1.
...................................................................................... [1]
(iii) Some keys use paired choices of features to identify species such as the ant-mimic jumping
spider.
State the name of this type of key.
...................................................................................... [1]

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IGCSE Biology

(b) Spiders are classified as arachnids. Arachnids are one of the main groups of arthropods.
Fig. 1.2 shows diagrams of six arthropods, four of which are arachnids.

(i) State two common features of all the arthropods, visible in Fig. 1.2.
1 ..............................................................................................................................
2 ........................................................................................................................ [2]
(ii) State two common features of all arachnids that can be used to distinguish them from other
arthropods.
1 ..............................................................................................................................
2 ......................................................................................................................... [2]
(iii) State the letters of the four arachnids shown in Fig. 1.2.
....................................................................................................................... [2]

(c) The features shown in Fig. 1.2 are morphological features. Many traditional methods of classification
used morphology.
State the name of one other type of feature that can also be used in classification.
.................................................................................................................................. [1]

10. [0610/41/M/J/20/Q5] Ciliates are classified in the kingdom Protoctist. Bacteria are classified in the
kingdom Prokaryote.
(a) State two structural features that distinguish the cells of a protoctist from a prokaryote.
1 .................................................................................................................................................
2 ............................................................................................................................................ [2]

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IGCSE Biology

(b) Fig. 5.1 shows five species of ciliate that are found in sewage treatment works.

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Fig. 5.2 is a dichotomous key to identify the ciliates shown in Fig. 5.1.

Complete the key in Fig. 5.2 by writing suitable statements:

• for box 2 to distinguish species B and E
• for box 4 to distinguish species A and C.
text for box 2
..............................................................................................................................................................................
text for box 4
........................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

(c) Didinium is a predatory ciliate. A video recording was made of one Didinium feeding on a
Paramecium. Fig. 5.3 shows a sequence of still photographs taken from the video.

Complete the table by putting a tick (✓) by

each characteristic of life that can be seen
in the still photographs from the video in
Fig. 5.3.

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