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Civil Services Prelims Examination General Science (Biology) - GS Paper I

Civil Services Examination 2019


1. With reference to the recent developments in science, which one of the following statements is not correct?

  1. Functional chromosomes can be created by joining segments of DNA taken from cells of different species.
  2. Pieces of artificial functional DNA can be created in laboratories.
  3. A piece of DNA taken out from an animal cell can be made to replicate outside a living cell in a laboratory.
  4. Cells taken out from plants and animals can be made to undergo cell division in laboratory petri dishes.


2. ‘RNA interference (RNAi)’ technology has gained popularity in the last few years. Why?

  1. It is used in developing gene silencing therapies.
  2. It can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of cancer.
  3. It can be used to develop hormone replacement therapies.
  4. It can be used to produce crop plants that are resistant to viral pathogens.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1, 2 and 4
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 1 and 4 only


3. Which of the following are the reasons for the occurrence of multi-drug resistance in microbial pathogens in India?

  1. Genetic predisposition of some people
  2. Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure diseases
  3. Using antibiotics in live stock farming
  4. Multiple chronic diseases in some people

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1, 3 and 4
  4. 2, 3 and 4


4. Which one of the following statements is not correct?

  1. Hepatitis B virus is transmitted much like HIV.
  2. Hepatitis B, unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a vaccine.
  3. Globally, the number of people infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses is several times more than those infected with HN.
  4. Some of those infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses do not show the symptoms for many years.


Civil Services Examination 2017


1. What is the application of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Technology?

  1. Production of biolarvicides
  2. Manufacture of biodegradable plastics
  3. Reproductive cloning of animals
  4. Production of organisms free of diseases


2. Consider the following statements:

  1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
  2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


Civil Services Examination 2016


1. In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the term ‘transcriptome’, sometimes seen in the news, refer to:

  1. a range of enzymes used in genome editing.
  2. the full range of mRNA molecules expressed by an organism.
  3. the description of the mechanism of gene expression.
  4. a mechanism of genetic mutation taking place in cells.


2. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

Viruses can infect:

  1. 1. Bacteria
  2. 2. Fungi
  3. 3. Plants

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2015


1. Among the following, which were frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of Ebola virus recently?

  1. Syria and Jordan
  2. Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia
  3. Philippines and Papua New Guinea
  4. Jamaica, Haiti and Surinam


2. H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?

  1. AIDS
  2. Bird flu
  3. Dengue
  4. Swine flu


Civil Services Examination 2014


1. Consider the following pairs:

Vitamin Deficiency Disease
1. Vitamin C Scurvy
2. Vitamin D Rickets
3. Vitamin E Night Blindness

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. None


2. Consider the following statements:

  1. Maize can be used for the production of starch.
  2. Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel.
  3. Alcoholic beverages can be produced by using maize.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. Consider the following:

  1. Bats
  2. Bears
  3. Rodents

The phenomenon of hibernation can be observed in which of the above kinds of animals?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. Hibernation cannot be observed in any of the above


4. Consider the following diseases:

  1. Diphtheria
  2. Chickenpox
  3. Smallpox

Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. None


5. With reference to Neem tree, consider the following statements:

  1. Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to control the proliferation of some species of insects and mites.
  2. Neem seeds are used in the manufacture of biofuels and hospital detergents.
  3. Neem oil has applications in pharma-ceutical industry.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


6. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants?

  1. Vegetative propagation produces clonal population.
  2. Vegetative propagation helps in eliminating the virus.
  3. Vegetative propagation can be practiced most of the year.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2013


1. Which of the following statements is / are correct?

  1. Viruses lack enzymes necessary for the generation of energy.
  2. Viruses can be cultured in any synthetic medium.
  3. Viruses are transmitted from one organism to another by biological vectors only.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


2. Which of the following leaf modifications occurs / occur in desert areas to inhibit water loss?

  1. Hard and waxy leaves
  2. Tiny leaves or no leaves
  3. Thorns instead of leaves

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. Fruits stored in a cold chamber exhibit longer storage life because

  1. exposure to sunlight is prevented
  2. concentration carbon dioxide in the environment is increased
  3. rate of respiration is decreased
  4. there is an increase in humidity


4. Consider the following minerals

  1. Calcium
  2. Iron
  3. Sodium

Which of the minerals given above is/are required by human body for the contraction of muscles?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


5. Recombinant DNA technology (Genetic Engineering) allows genes to be transferred

  1. across different species of plants
  2. from animals to plants
  3. from microorganisms to higher organisms

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


6. Improper handling and storage of cereal grains and oilseeds result in the production of toxins known as Aflatoxins which are not generally destroyed by normal cooking process. Aflatoxins are produced by

  1. bacteria
  2. protozoa
  3. moulds
  4. viruses


7. Which of the following diseases can be transmitted from one person to another through tattooing?

  1. Chikungunya
  2. Hepatitis B
  3. HIV-AIDS

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Topics: Communicable & Non-Communi-cable Diseases.

8. With reference to the food chains in ecosystems, which of the following kinds of organism is / are known as decomposer organism /organisms?

  1. Virus
  2. Fungi
  3. Bacteria

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2012


1. Biomass gasification is considered to be one of the sustainable solutions to the power crisis in India. In this context, which of the following statements is / are correct?

  1. Coconut shells, groundnut shells and rice husk can be used in biomass gasification.
  2. The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification consist of hydrogen and carbon dioxide only.
  3. The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification can be used for direct heat generation but not in internal combustion engines.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


2. Consider the following kinds of organisms:

  1. Bacteria
  2. Fungi
  3. Flowering Plants

Some species of which of the above kinds of organisms are employed as bio-pesticides?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. Graphene is frequently in news recently. What is its importance?

  1. It is a two-dimensional material and has good electrical conductivity.
  2. It is one of the thinnest but strongest materials tested so far.
  3. It is entirely made of silicon and has high optical transparency.
  4. It can be used as ‘conducting electrodes’ required for touch screens, LCDs and organic LEDs.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 and 4 only
  3. 1, 2 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4


4. If there were no phenomenon of capillarity

  1. it would be difficult to use a kerosene lamp
  2. one would not be able to use a straw to consume a soft drink
  3. the blotting paper would fail to function
  4. the big trees that we see around would not have grown on the Earth

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1, 2 and 3 only
  2. 1, 3 and 4 only
  3. 2 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4


Civil Services Examination 2011


1. When the bark of a tree is removed in a circular fashion all around near its base, it gradually dries up and dies because:

  1. Water from soil cannot rise to aerial parts
  2. Roots are starved of energy
  3. Tree is infected by soil microbes
  4. Roots do not receive oxygen for respira-tion


2. A company marketing food products advertises that its items do not contain transfats. What does this campaign signify to the customers?

  1. The food products are not made out of hydrogenated oils.
  2. The food products are not made out of animal fats/oils.
  3. The oils used are not likely to damage the cardiovascular health of the consumers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. ‘Aspartame’ is an artificial sweetener sold in the market. It consists of amino acids and provides calories like other amino acids. Yet, it is used as a low-calorie sweetening agent in food items. What is the basis of this use?

  1. Aspartame is as sweet as table sugar, but unlike table sugar, it is not readily oxidized in human body due to lack of requisite enzymes
  2. When aspartame is used in food processing, the sweet taste remains, but it becomes resistant to oxidation
  3. Aspartame is as sweet as sugar, but after ingestion into the body, it is converted into metabolites that yield no calories
  4. Aspartame is several times sweeter than table “sugar, hence food items made with small quantities of aspartame yield fewer calories on oxidation


4. A married couple adopted a male child. A few years later, twin boys were born to them. The blood group of the couple is AB positive and O negative. The blood group of the three sons is A positive, B positive, and O positive. The blood group of the adopted son is:

  1. O positive
  2. A positive
  3. B positive
  4. Cannot be determined on the basis of the given data


5. Regular intake of fresh fruits and vegetables is recommended in the diet since they are a good source of antioxidants. How do antioxidants help a person maintain health and promote longevity?

  1. They activate the enzymes necessary for vitamin synthesis in the body and help prevent vitamin deficiency
  2. They prevent excessive oxidation of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the body and help avoid unnecessary wastage of energy
  3. They neutralize the free radicals produced in the body during metabolism
  4. They activate certain genes in the cells of the body and help delay the ageing process