Multiple choice questions
Multiple choice questions are perhaps the easiest to complete. You simply put a cross in a box, however, the questions often have two answers that could, at first glance, be correct. Don't make the mistake of reading the first answer and thinking this is correct without checking all the others.
If it says 'Tick one box', you must tick one box. If you leave it blank or tick two or more boxes you will get zero marks. These multiple choice questions will not start with command words like 'describe' or 'explain'. They will be written in the form of a question like 'What…?' or 'Why…?'.
There will be more multiple choice questions on the Foundation paper.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
What is the most likely effect on the food web, if the number of cod decreased? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | An increase in the number of herrings | |
| B | An increase in the number of krill | |
| C | No effect on the population of puffins | |
| D | An increase in the number of sharks |
| A |
|---|
| An increase in the number of herrings |
| B |
|---|
| An increase in the number of krill |
| C |
|---|
| No effect on the population of puffins |
| D |
|---|
| An increase in the number of sharks |
OCR Gateway, GCE Biology, Paper J247, 2016.
| A | An increase in the number of herrings | ✔ |
| B | An increase in the number of krill | |
| C | No effect on the population of puffins | |
| D | An increase in the number of sharks |
| A |
|---|
| An increase in the number of herrings |
| ✔ |
| B |
|---|
| An increase in the number of krill |
| C |
|---|
| No effect on the population of puffins |
| D |
|---|
| An increase in the number of sharks |
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
Look at the pyramid of biomass. What can you tell from this pyramid of biomass? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | Fleas are producers | |
| B | The trophic level with oak trees has the lowest biomass | |
| C | There are fewer birds than caterpillars | |
| D | All four trophic levels contain consumers |
| A |
|---|
| Fleas are producers |
| B |
|---|
| The trophic level with oak trees has the lowest biomass |
| C |
|---|
| There are fewer birds than caterpillars |
| D |
|---|
| All four trophic levels contain consumers |
OCR Gateway, GCE Biology, Paper J247, 2016.
| A | Fleas are producers | |
| B | The trophic level with oak trees has the lowest biomass | |
| C | There are fewer birds than caterpillars | ✔ |
| D | All four trophic levels contain consumers |
| A |
|---|
| Fleas are producers |
| B |
|---|
| The trophic level with oak trees has the lowest biomass |
| C |
|---|
| There are fewer birds than caterpillars |
| ✔ |
| D |
|---|
| All four trophic levels contain consumers |
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
The table shows some information about a food chain.
| Organism | Number | Biomass |
| Oak tree | 1 | 500,000 |
| Aphids | 10,000 | 1,000 |
| Ladybirds | 200 | 50 |
| Organism | Oak tree |
|---|---|
| Number | 1 |
| Biomass | 500,000 |
| Organism | Aphids |
|---|---|
| Number | 10,000 |
| Biomass | 1,000 |
| Organism | Ladybirds |
|---|---|
| Number | 200 |
| Biomass | 50 |
What is the percentage of biomass of the aphids transferred to the ladybirds? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | 0.05% | |
| B | 20% | |
| C | 5% | |
| D | 2000% |
| A |
|---|
| 0.05% |
| B |
|---|
| 20% |
| C |
|---|
| 5% |
| D |
|---|
| 2000% |
OCR Gateway, GCE Biology, Paper J247 - Higher, 2016.
| A | 0.05% | |
| B | 20% | |
| C | 5% | ✔ |
| D | 2000% |
| A |
|---|
| 0.05% |
| B |
|---|
| 20% |
| C |
|---|
| 5% |
| ✔ |
| D |
|---|
| 2000% |
Sample question 4 - Higher
Question
There are different levels of organisation within an ecosystem.
What is the correct order of these levels? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | Individual, community, population, ecosystem | |
| B | Community, individual, ecosystem, population | |
| C | Individual, population, community, ecosystem | |
| D | Population, community, ecosystem, individual |
| A |
|---|
| Individual, community, population, ecosystem |
| B |
|---|
| Community, individual, ecosystem, population |
| C |
|---|
| Individual, population, community, ecosystem |
| D |
|---|
| Population, community, ecosystem, individual |
OCR Gateway, GCE Biology, Paper J247 - Higher, 2016.
| A | Individual, community, population, ecosystem | |
| B | Community, individual, ecosystem, population | |
| C | Individual, population, community, ecosystem | ✔ |
| D | Population, community, ecosystem, individual |
| A |
|---|
| Individual, community, population, ecosystem |
| B |
|---|
| Community, individual, ecosystem, population |
| C |
|---|
| Individual, population, community, ecosystem |
| ✔ |
| D |
|---|
| Population, community, ecosystem, individual |
