The Living WorldNEET MCQs with solutions
The Living World sets up the language of all of NEET Biology: what makes something living, how organisms are named, and how they are ranked from species to kingdom. NEET questions here are short and factual, so a clear grip on binomial nomenclature and the taxonomic hierarchy turns into easy marks.
- Class
- 11 Biology
- Free on this page
- 24 questions
- In the RankUp app
- 485 questions
- ELITE questions
- 48
- NCERT topics
- 4
Practise 24 questions
Tap an option to check it. Questions from every NCERT topic in this chapter, from easy to hard.
Q1What is Living
The ability of living organisms to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes is called
Not quite — the answer is A.
Homeostasis is the self-regulating process that maintains optimal internal conditions. Adaptation is a long-term evolutionary change; acclimatisation is short-term physiological adjustment.
Q2What is Living
Dormancy in living organisms is best described as
Not quite — the answer is A.
Dormant organisms (e.g., seeds, spores) retain minimal metabolic activity and remain alive. Metabolism is reduced, not absent — distinguishing dormancy from death.
Q3What is Living
According to current estimates, approximately how many species have been described and named on Earth?
Not quite — the answer is C.
NCERT states approximately 1.7–1.8 million (17–18 lakh) species have been described so far, while estimated total biodiversity is much higher (~8.7 million). 17.5 lakh is the closest correct figure.
Q4What is Living
Consciousness in living organisms is defined as
Not quite — the answer is D.
Per NCERT, consciousness means the ability to sense the environment and respond to stimuli. This is the broadest definition applicable to all living organisms, from bacteria to humans.
Q5What is Living
According to NCERT, which property is considered the most defining characteristic of living organisms?
Not quite — the answer is B.
NCERT explicitly states that metabolism is the most defining feature of living organisms. It is the only property with NO exceptions — every living cell performs metabolism, and no non-living system does so naturally.
Q6What is Living
Metabolism refers to the sum total of
Not quite — the answer is C.
Metabolism includes both anabolism (biosynthesis) and catabolism (breakdown). Restricting it to only one type is incorrect per NCERT.
Q7Biodiversity
An endemic species is defined as one that
Not quite — the answer is A.
Endemic species are geographically restricted — they evolved in and are confined to a specific region. Loss of that region means global extinction of the species, making endemics conservation priorities.
Q8Biodiversity
Endemic species are disproportionately vulnerable to extinction because
Not quite — the answer is A.
Restricted range = no refuge elsewhere. A single catastrophic event (deforestation, disease, climate shift) in their only habitat causes global extinction. Widespread species can survive local extinctions through immigration from other populations.
Q9Biodiversity
High endemism in the Western Ghats compared to the Indo-Gangetic plains is primarily due to
Not quite — the answer is D.
The Western Ghats has been geologically isolated for millions of years, creating diverse microclimates that drove speciation. The Indo-Gangetic plains are flat, geologically young, and lack such isolation — resulting in far lower endemism.
Q10Biodiversity
Understanding global biodiversity patterns is most critical for
Not quite — the answer is D.
Mapping biodiversity patterns allows scientists to identify hotspots — regions with high endemism under severe threat — enabling targeted, efficient conservation resource allocation. This is the primary applied value of biodiversity pattern studies.
Q11Biodiversity
Norman Myers originally proposed the concept of biodiversity hotspots to address
Not quite — the answer is B.
Norman Myers (1988, 2000) identified hotspots as a strategy to focus conservation investment where it would have the greatest impact — regions with irreplaceable endemic species facing severe habitat loss. This is the foundational rationale behind the hotspot concept.
Q12Biodiversity
Ecosystem diversity refers to
Not quite — the answer is D.
Ecosystem diversity includes the variety of different habitats (forests, wetlands, deserts, grasslands) and the ecological processes operating within them — distinct from species or genetic diversity.
461 more questions on this chapter are waiting in the app
Every one with a detailed explanation, plus flashcards and chapter tests.
Get RankUp on Google PlayQ13Taxonomic Categories
The correct ascending taxonomic hierarchy is
Not quite — the answer is C.
The seven obligate taxonomic categories in ascending order: Species → Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum (Division in plants) → Kingdom. This sequence — and its reverse — is one of the most frequently tested NEET items from this chapter.
Q14Taxonomic Categories
Family Felidae is correctly described as the family containing
Not quite — the answer is A.
Felidae (family of cats) includes all cat genera: Panthera (lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars), Felis (domestic cat, wildcat), Acinonyx (cheetah), Lynx, and others. Wolves and dogs belong to Canidae — a different family within Order Carnivora.
Q15Taxonomic Categories
Which of the following pairs belongs to the same genus?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Panthera leo (lion) and Panthera tigris (tiger) share genus Panthera. Felis catus (domestic cat) is a different genus. Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee) is a different genus from Homo. Canis lupus (wolf) and Vulpes vulpes (red fox) are different genera — Canis vs Vulpes.
Q16Taxonomic Categories
As one ascends from species to kingdom in the taxonomic hierarchy
Not quite — the answer is D.
Moving upward in the hierarchy: each higher category is more inclusive (contains more organisms) but members share fewer characteristics. Kingdom Animalia contains millions of species with only a few shared features; a species contains individuals sharing nearly all features.
Q17Taxonomic Categories
If two organisms belong to the same genus, which of the following categories must they ALSO share?
Not quite — the answer is A.
The taxonomic hierarchy is nested — every genus belongs to exactly one family, which belongs to one order, class, phylum, and kingdom. Sharing a genus guarantees sharing all higher categories. However, same genus does NOT mean same species — a genus can contain multiple species.
Q18Taxonomic Categories
The taxonomic category directly above species in the hierarchy is
Not quite — the answer is B.
Genus (plural: genera) is the category immediately above species. A genus groups closely related species that share a common ancestor and significant morphological and genetic similarities. The first word of a binomial name is always the genus name.
Q19Taxonomical Aids
Which of the following taxonomical aids is most useful for studying preserved animal specimens?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Museums store specimens of animals and plants preserved in fluid (alcohol or formalin) or as dry specimens. Zoological parks maintain living animals. Herbaria preserve plants only. Keys are identification tools, not preservation systems.
Q20Taxonomical Aids
Herbaria serve as important tools for future reference because
Not quite — the answer is C.
Herbarium sheets, when properly maintained, can preserve plant specimens for centuries. They act as permanent records (voucher specimens) that researchers can re-examine to verify identifications. Living plants cannot be indefinitely preserved; photographs alone are insufficient as taxonomical records.
Q21Taxonomical Aids
In a herbarium, the 'type specimen' refers to
Not quite — the answer is D.
A type specimen is the single reference specimen upon which the original formal description and naming of a species is based. All future identifications of that species are compared against it. It has permanent legal standing in nomenclature under ICBN/ICZN.
Q22Taxonomical Aids
Which taxonomical aid is specifically designed to provide stepwise identification of an unknown organism using contrasting morphological characters?
Not quite — the answer is A.
Taxonomic keys work through a series of couplets — pairs of contrasting statements — that lead the user step by step to the identity of an organism. Herbaria and museums store specimens. Monographs provide detailed accounts of taxa but are not identification tools.
Q23Taxonomical Aids
A monograph differs from a Flora primarily in that a monograph
Not quite — the answer is D.
A monograph is an in-depth, authoritative treatment of one taxonomic group (a genus, family, or order) covering its worldwide distribution, morphology, taxonomy, and literature. A Flora covers all plant species of one region but is not restricted to one taxon. This distinction — one taxon globally vs. all taxa regionally — is a frequent NEET-level trap.
Q24Taxonomical Aids
The primary purpose of taxonomical aids is to
Not quite — the answer is A.
Taxonomical aids are tools and techniques that help in identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms. They do not directly study physiology, ecology, or evolution.
ELITE question · AIR under 50 level
This chapter has 48 ELITE questions for students aiming at the very top. They are only in the app.
Unlock ELITE questions in the appTaxonomic hierarchy: four organisms to remember
Quick revision: most questions in this chapter test these facts.
| Organism | Genus · Family · Order · Class · Phylum/Division |
|---|---|
| Man (Homo sapiens) | Homo · Hominidae · Primata · Mammalia · Chordata |
| Housefly (Musca domestica) | Musca · Muscidae · Diptera · Insecta · Arthropoda |
| Mango (Mangifera indica) | Mangifera · Anacardiaceae · Sapindales · Dicotyledonae · Angiospermae |
| Wheat (Triticum aestivum) | Triticum · Poaceae · Poales · Monocotyledonae · Angiospermae |
| Binomial nomenclature | Proposed by Carolus Linnaeus: genus name starts with a capital letter, species epithet with a small letter, both italicised (or underlined separately when handwritten) |
| Species described so far | About 1.7–1.8 million |
| Herbarium | Dried, pressed and preserved plant specimens on sheets |
| Taxonomic key | Identification using pairs of contrasting characters (couplets) |
| Monograph | Information on any one taxon |
What the app covers in this chapter
485 questions in total, each with a detailed explanation.
| What is Living | 100 |
| Biodiversity | 120 |
| Taxonomic Categories | 60 |
| Taxonomical Aids | 40 |
| Mixed practice and chapter tests | 165 |
Questions students ask
Is The Living World important for NEET?
Yes. It is short and fully NCERT-based, and it gives you the vocabulary every later Biology chapter uses. Questions usually test binomial nomenclature rules, the order of taxonomic categories and the features of living organisms.
Which topics from The Living World should I revise first?
Revise the taxonomic hierarchy with the four examples on this page (man, housefly, mango, wheat), the rules of binomial nomenclature, and which characteristics — like metabolism and cellular organisation — define living organisms.
How many questions from this chapter are on RankUp?
The RankUp app has 485 questions on The Living World, including 48 ELITE questions written for students aiming at AIR under 50. Every question has a detailed explanation.
Can I download these questions as a PDF?
Yes. The free PDF on this page has all 24 questions with the answer key and explanations. No signup is needed.
