JAMB Past Questions

JAMB Biology 2017
Questions & Answers

40 questions · Correct answers highlighted · 40 with explanations

40 Total Questions
2017 Exam Year
40 With Explanations
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1
Question 1 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The piercing and sucking mouthparts are found in

A. grasshoppers
B. mosquitoes
C. termites
D. cockroaches
Explanation

Mosquitoes have a proboscis, a piercing and sucking mouthpart for feeding on blood or sap, unlike grasshoppers, termites, or cockroaches, which have biting and chewing mouthparts.

2
Question 2 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The hormones that regulate plant growth are

A. ethylene and auxins
B. auxin and gibberellins
C. cytokinin and abscisic acid
D. ethylene and gibberellins
Explanation

Auxins promote cell elongation, and gibberellins stimulate stem elongation and seed germination, making them key plant growth hormones.

3
Question 3 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Which pair of organisms exhibits a parasitic association?

A. dog and tick
B. cattle and egret
C. shark and remora
D. tsetse fly and cattle
Explanation

Ticks feed on a dog’s blood, harming the host (parasitism). Cattle and egret (mutualism), shark and remora (commensalism), and tsetse fly (also parasitic, but only one correct option) differ.

4
Question 4 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Which group of animals can withstand the rigors of arid land?

A. locust, camel, lizard, and snakes
B. monkeys, chameleon, earthworm, and grasshopper
C. monkeys, grasshopper, snail, and snakes
D. lungfish, duck, butterfly, and lizards
Explanation

Locusts, camels, lizards, and snakes have adaptations like water conservation for arid environments, unlike the other groups.

5
Question 5 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A suture joint is found in the

A. hip
B. ankle
C. skull
D. elbow
Explanation

Suture joints are immovable, found in the skull where bones interlock tightly.

6
Question 6 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The organelle responsible for osmoregulation in Paramecium is

A. flame cell
B. nephridia
C. contractile vacuole
D. Malpighian tubule
Explanation

The contractile vacuole expels excess water in Paramecium to maintain osmotic balance in freshwater.

7
Question 7 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The excretory organ of an earthworm is

A. Malpighian tubule
B. nephridium
C. flame cell
D. kidney
Explanation

Nephridia remove metabolic waste in earthworms, excreting it through pores.

8
Question 8 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The main function of nephridia in earthworms is to

A. digest food
B. excrete waste
C. circulate blood
D. produce eggs
Explanation

Nephridia are excretory organs in earthworms, removing nitrogenous wastes from the body.

9
Question 9 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Platelets in mammalian blood are responsible for

A. transporting oxygen
B. blood clotting
C. removing carbon dioxide
D. destroying microorganisms
Explanation

Platelets (thrombocytes) initiate blood clotting by forming a plug at injury sites.

10
Question 10 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The most important factor determining vegetation types is

A. light
B. wind
C. temperature
D. rainfall
Explanation

Rainfall determines water availability, shaping vegetation types like rainforests or savannas.

11
Question 11 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The relationship between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and plants is best described as

A. parasitism
B. amensalism
C. mutualism
D. commensalism
Explanation

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert nitrogen into usable forms for plants, which provide nutrients and habitat, a mutualistic relationship.

12
Question 12 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The major characteristic of a freshwater habitat is

A. high turbidity
B. high density
C. low salinity
D. high current
Explanation

Freshwater habitats have low salinity compared to marine environments.

13
Question 13 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The causative organism of cholera is

A. Clostridium sp.
B. Shigella sp.
C. Vibrio sp.
D. Salmonella typhi
Explanation

Vibrio cholerae, a bacterium, causes cholera through contaminated water or food.

14
Question 14 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The process in the dark stage of photosynthesis is

A. oxidation of water
B. photolysis of water
C. oxidation of carbon dioxide
D. reduction of carbon dioxide
Explanation

The dark stage (Calvin cycle) reduces carbon dioxide to glucose using ATP and NADPH.

15
Question 15 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Chlorofluorocarbons primarily originate from

A. crude oil refining
B. coal mining
C. motor vehicle exhaust
D. cooling systems
Explanation

CFCs are released from cooling systems (e.g., refrigerators, air conditioners), contributing to ozone depletion.

16
Question 16 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Which organism exhibits an organ level of organization?

A. Volvox sp.
B. Paramecium caudatum
C. Hydra viridis
D. onion bulb
Explanation

Hydra has differentiated tissues and organs, indicating an organ level of organization, unlike Volvox (colonial) or Paramecium (cellular).

17
Question 17 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The simplest form of reproduction is

A. conjugation
B. budding
C. spore formation
D. binary fission
Explanation

Binary fission, where a cell divides into two identical cells, is the simplest reproduction method, common in bacteria.

18
Question 18 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A characteristic of wind-pollinated flowers is

A. lack of nectar
B. conspicuous flowers
C. colorful perianths
D. bisexual flowers
Explanation

Wind-pollinated flowers lack nectar, as they rely on wind, not pollinators, for pollen transfer.

19
Question 19 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The process required for gamete formation in sexual reproduction is

A. implantation
B. meiosis
C. mitosis
D. fertilization
Explanation

Meiosis produces gametes with half the chromosome number, ensuring genetic variation in sexual reproduction.

20
Question 20 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

An adaptive feature of desert plants is

A. broad leaves
B. thick cuticle
C. shallow roots
D. high water content
Explanation

A thick cuticle reduces water loss, a key adaptation for desert plants.

21
Question 21 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

In an experiment, a soil sample gave: Mass of dish = 20g, Mass of dish + dry soil = 25g, Mass of dish + soil after burning = 22g. The percentage of humus is

A. 40%
B. 60%
C. 20%
D. 80%
Explanation

Dry soil mass = 25g - 20g = 5g. Humus mass = 25g - 22g = 3g. Humus percentage = (3/5) × 100 = 60%.

22
Question 22 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Earthworms in soil promote

A. porosity and fertility
B. porosity and aeration
C. aeration and fertility
D. acidity and fertility
Explanation

Earthworms enhance soil porosity and aeration through burrowing, improving structure and oxygen levels.

23
Question 23 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A characteristic of insect-pollinated flowers is

A. dull petals
B. small flowers
C. sticky pollen grains
D. feathery stigmas
Explanation

Insect-pollinated flowers have sticky pollen grains to adhere to insects, aiding pollination.

24
Question 24 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A sex-linked character is

A. dwarfism
B. albinism
C. tongue rolling
D. colour blindness
Explanation

Colour blindness is a sex-linked trait, carried on the X chromosome, affecting males more often.

25
Question 25 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The outermost tissue of herbaceous roots is the

A. cortex
B. pericycle
C. epidermis
D. endodermis
Explanation

The epidermis, the outermost root layer, protects and absorbs water.

26
Question 26 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The tissues that transport water and manufactured food in plants are

A. xylem and phloem
B. phloem and tracheid
C. xylem and tracheid
D. phloem and xylem
Explanation

Xylem transports water, and phloem transports sugars in plants.

27
Question 27 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

An adaptive feature of savanna plants is

A. fissured bark
B. tall grasses
C. long lifespan
D. short roots
Explanation

Fissured bark reduces water loss and protects against savanna fires.

28
Question 28 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A grasshopper’s cuticle changing from green to black after a fire is to

A. obtain food
B. produce eggs
C. escape detection
D. find mates
Explanation

Colour change aids camouflage, helping the grasshopper avoid predators.

29
Question 29 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The most advanced plant group is

A. Marchantia
B. Pteridophyta
C. Chlamydomonas
D. Spirogyra
Explanation

Pteridophytes (ferns) have vascular tissues, unlike bryophytes (Marchantia) or algae (Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra).

30
Question 30 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The soil type with the least nutrient retention is

A. clay
B. sandy
C. loamy
D. silt
Explanation

Sandy soil’s large particles cause poor nutrient retention due to leaching.

31
Question 31 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A hummingbird feeds on nectar due to its

A. short, slender, straight beak
B. long, slender, slightly curved beak
C. short, strong, conical beak
D. long, wide, straight beak
Explanation

A long, slender, slightly curved beak allows hummingbirds to extract nectar from flowers.

32
Question 32 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A function of the liver in mammals is

A. digestion of proteins
B. storage of glycogen
C. production of hormones
D. transport of oxygen
Explanation

The liver stores glycogen, convertible to glucose for blood sugar regulation.

33
Question 33 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Overcrowding in a population leads to

A. immigration
B. reduced competition
C. emigration
D. reduced mortality
Explanation

Overcrowding causes emigration as organisms seek resources elsewhere.

34
Question 34 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The vertebrae allowing skull nodding and rotation are

A. axis and cervical
B. atlas and thoracic
C. axis and atlas
D. atlas and cervical
Explanation

The atlas allows nodding, and the axis allows skull rotation.

35
Question 35 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The cell component determining paternity is in the

A. centrosome
B. ribosome
C. nucleus
D. mitochondrion
Explanation

The nucleus contains DNA, which determines paternity through genetic inheritance.

36
Question 36 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A beak type adapted for aquatic feeding is

A. short and curved
B. long and pointed
C. short and conical
D. broad and flat
Explanation

Long, pointed beaks, as in herons, are adapted for spearing fish in aquatic feeding.

37
Question 37 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

The Venus flytrap’s insect-trapping leaves are an example of

A. adaptive colouration
B. structural adaptation
C. environmental adaptation
D. behavioural adaptation
Explanation

The leaf structure is a structural adaptation for trapping insects to gain nutrients.

38
Question 38 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Morphological variations in humans include

A. height, skin colour, and tongue rolling
B. height, fingerprints, and body shape
C. height, weight, and blood group
D. skin colour, blood, and height
Explanation

Morphological variations are physical traits like height, skin colour, and tongue rolling.

39
Question 39 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

Which statement is correct about blood transfusion?

A. Group AB can only receive from group AB
B. Groups A and B receive from groups O and A
C. Group B can only donate to groups B and AB
D. Group O can donate to groups A, B, and AB but cannot receive from them
Explanation

Group O is the universal donor, donating to A, B, and AB due to no antigens, but only receives from O.

40
Question 40 of 40
JAMB · Biology · 2017

A characteristic of a tropical rainforest is

A. low rainfall
B. high humidity
C. sparse vegetation
D. low biodiversity
Explanation

Tropical rainforests have high humidity, supporting dense vegetation and high biodiversity.

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