Organisation : SAASTA – South African Agency for Science & Technology Advancement
Examination Name : National Science Olympiad Exam
Announcement : NSO Biology Exam Question Paper
Year : 2019
Document Type : Past Papers
Website : https://www.saasta.ac.za/competitions/national-science-olympiad/
SAASTA NSO Biology Past Papers
SAASTA NSO Biology Past Paper 2019 are available in the official website of South African Agency for Science & Technology Advancement
Biology Sample Questions
1. Cirrhosis is a chronic disease of the liver marked by degeneration of cells, inflammation, and fibrous thickening of tissue. It is typically a result of
A.hepatitis and alcoholism.
B.acute food poisoning.
C.sensitivity to antibiotics, especially penicillin.
D.blood poisoning.
2. The pistil of a flower is
A.the male organs, producing sperm cells
B.the female organs of a flower, comprising the stigma, style, and ovary.
C.the part producing hormones (auxins and gibberellins)
D.a whorl that encloses the petals and forms a protective layer around a flower in bud
3. An ectopic pregnancy literally means
A.one in which the embryo/fetus develops in an abnormal place such as either of the Fallopian tubes.
B.pregnancy that follows artificial insemination.
C.pregnancy that leads to identical twins.
D.pregnancy that leads to fraternal twins.
4. Green papaya fruit is included as a component in powdered meat tenderizers, and is also marketed in tablet form to remedy digestive problems.
This is because
A it is rich in an enzyme called papain, a protease which is able to break down tough meat fibers.
B it is rich in an enzyme called papain, a lipase which is able to break down saturated fats.
C it is rich in an enzyme called trypsin, a protease which is able to break down tough meat fibers
D it is rich in an enzyme called pancreatic lipase, which is able to break down saturated fats.
5. Biotin (vitamin B7) deficiency can be caused by excessive consumption of raw egg whites over a long period (months to years). This is quite a risk for ill-advised young bodybuilders. The reason for this is that
A.raw eggs carry Salmonella bacteria which eat up all the biotin once inside a human
B.egg white contains high levels of iron and zinc, all which bind biotin tightly and must be oxidized by boiling or frying
C.all the biotin in the egg is concentrated in the yolk and thus eating only egg white deprives one of this vitamin
D.egg white contains high levels of avidin, a protein that binds biotin strongly and must be denatured by boiling or frying the egg before eating
6. Consumption of large doses of vitamin c leads to kidney stones because
A. in the body, excess Vitamin C is degraded to oxalic acid which combines with calcium in the kidneys to form the insoluble calcium oxalate.
B. excess Vitamin C is excreted unchanged and crystallizes out in the kidneys.
C. Vitamin C tightly binds to metal ions and forms crystals in the kidneys.
D. also called ascorbic acid, Vitamin C corrodes tubes in the kidneys and forms iron salts.
7. Treatment of tuberculosis normally requires a combination of several drugs taken over a period of several months to achieve total cure.
The reason for this is that
A the cause of TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, divides very slowly and can thus survive short-term anti-biotic bombardment.
B Mycobacterium tuberculosis, divides very rapidly and many daughter cells survive and multiply again during short-term anti-biotic bombardment.
C all anti-TB drugs have very short half-lives in the human body thus large doses have to be given over very long periods.
D none of the above
8. The table below shows how much energy, in kilojoules, is needed by John to do various activities in 1 hour.
How much energy will be needed by John to run for 30 minutes?
A 600
B 1200
C 800
D 460
9. Which one of the following is an exception to the risks associated with smoking?
Smoking …
A.increases availability of oxygen in the blood.
B.leads to narrowing of blood vessels.
C.interferes with the smooth operation of the heart.
D.interferes with the process of aerobic respiration.
10. The following is formed in the stratosphere when the ultra-violet (UV) rays of the sun react with oxygen.
A.The greenhouse effect
B.Water vapour
C.The ozone layer
D.Acid rain
11. People with greenhouses should paint the glass white to …
A.reflect most of the sun’s rays
B.absorb heat and store it
C.prevent the greenhouse effect
D.attract more insects for pollination
12. When may sneezing and/or coughing not necessarily be a sign of any illness?
A. When entry of pathogens through the skin is prevented
B. When mucus containing pathogens is expelled from the body
C. When sneezing slowly spreads disease
D. When coughing is able to destroy the bacteria
13. HIV is a retrovirus because …
A it affects the white blood cells only
B its DNA is not replicated when that of the host cell does
C it incorporates its genetic material into that of the host cell
D it spreads very rapidly
14. In a fatal accident involving a lorry and a minibus taxi, one passenger who apart from losing both legs, bled profusely and lost a lot of blood as a result. The passenger, whose blood type was A had to receive blood donated by the public.
Which blood group would be the most convenient to donate to the patient?
A.group B
B.group O
C.group AB
D.group AB and A
15. A plant tissue through which manufactured food is transported is the …..?
A.Phloem
B.Xylem
C.Cambium
D.Cortex
16. Some features, such as finger print patterns and the shape of the hand are permanent while others like the lines on the hands change daily.
Which TWO of the following form the basis for such changes?
A. Diet and Exercise
B. Diet and gaseous exchange
C. Ill-health and exercise
D. Exercise and gaseous exchange
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