Primary 4 Science Diversity Quiz

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Primary 4 Science Quiz - Diversity

Name: ___________________________
Class: Primary 4 _______
Date: _______________
Score: ______ / 30

Duration: 45 minutes
Total Marks: 30

Instructions:

1. Answer all questions.
2. For Section A, choose the correct answer and write its number (1, 2, 3 or 4) in the brackets provided.
3. For Section B and C, write your answers in the spaces provided.
4. The number of marks for each question is shown in brackets [ ] at the end of each question.

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Section A: Multiple-Choice Questions (10 × 1 mark = 10 marks)

1. Which of the following is a living thing?
(1) Cloud
(2) Mushroom
(3) River
(4) Rock
[ ] [1]

2. The diagram below shows a young plant growing from a seed.
<image_placeholder> id: Q2-fig1 type: diagram linked_question: Q2 description: A simple diagram showing a seed with a young shoot (plumule) and young root (radicle) emerging. The seed coat is visible. No leaves on the shoot yet. labels: Seed coat, Young shoot (plumule), Young root (radicle) values: None must_show: Clear distinction between shoot growing upwards and root growing downwards from the seed. </image_placeholder>

Which part of the young plant absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil?
(1) Seed coat
(2) Young shoot
(3) Young root
(4) Seed leaf
[ ] [1]

3. Study the classification chart below.

<image_placeholder> id: Q3-fig1 type: chart linked_question: Q3 description: A classification chart with two main branches: 'Living Things' and 'Non-Living Things'. Under 'Living Things', two sub-branches: 'Plants' and 'Animals'. Under 'Non-Living Things', two sub-branches: 'Man-made' and 'Natural'. Four empty boxes labelled A, B, C, D are placed at the end of each sub-branch. labels: Living Things, Non-Living Things, Plants, Animals, Man-made, Natural, A, B, C, D values: None must_show: Clear hierarchy with four end boxes for classification examples. </image_placeholder>

Which of the following best represents the examples for A, B, C and D?

	A	B	C	D
(1)	Rose plant	Lion	Plastic bottle	Sand
(2)	Mould	Bacteria	Wooden table	Water
(3)	Fern	Eagle	Metal key	Air
(4)	Yeast	Mushroom	Glass cup	Soil
[ ] [1]

4. Which of the following groups of things are all non-living things?
(1) Bacteria, yeast, mould
(2) Water, air, sunlight
(3) Bird, fish, insect
(4) Tree, grass, flower
[ ] [1]

5. The table below shows the characteristics of four things, W, X, Y and Z. A tick (✓) shows that the thing has the characteristic.

Characteristic	W	X	Y	Z
Needs air, food and water	✓	✓	✓
Can grow	✓	✓	✓
Can respond to changes	✓	✓
Can reproduce	✓

Based on the table, which thing is most likely a non-living thing?
(1) W
(2) X
(3) Y
(4) Z
[ ] [1]

6. Which of the following statements about plants is correct?
(1) All plants bear flowers.
(2) All plants can make their own food.
(3) All plants reproduce by seeds.
(4) All plants live on land.
[ ] [1]

7. Study the flowchart below.

<image_placeholder> id: Q7-fig1 type: chart linked_question: Q7 description: A flowchart for classifying living things. Start: 'Does it make its own food?' Yes -> 'Plant'. No -> 'Does it have feathers?' Yes -> 'Bird'. No -> 'Does it have hair/fur?' Yes -> 'Mammal'. No -> 'Does it have moist skin and lay eggs in water?' Yes -> 'Amphibian'. No -> 'Reptile/Insect/Fish etc.' labels: Does it make its own food?, Plant, Does it have feathers?, Bird, Does it have hair/fur?, Mammal, Does it have moist skin and lay eggs in water?, Amphibian values: None must_show: Clear decision diamonds and rectangular outcome boxes with arrows. </image_placeholder>

Animal X does not make its own food. It has feathers and lays eggs. Which group does Animal X belong to?
(1) Mammal
(2) Bird
(3) Amphibian
(4) Reptile
[ ] [1]

8. Fungi and bacteria are similar because they both __________.
(1) make their own food
(2) reproduce by spores
(3) have green leaves
(4) can be seen with the naked eye
[ ] [1]

9. The diagram below shows three types of microorganisms.

<image_placeholder> id: Q9-fig1 type: diagram linked_question: Q9 description: Three separate microscope-view style diagrams. Left: Rod-shaped bacteria (Bacillus). Middle: Spherical yeast cells budding. Right: Mould with hyphae and sporangia (fuzzy structure). labels: Bacteria, Yeast, Mould values: None must_show: Distinct shapes for each: rod-shaped bacteria, budding oval yeast cells, fuzzy mould with sporangia. </image_placeholder>

Which of the following statements about them is true?
(1) They are all plants.
(2) They can only be seen under a microscope.
(3) They are all harmful to humans.
(4) They reproduce by seeds.
[ ] [1]

10. Which of the following is not a characteristic of living things?
(1) They need air, food and water.
(2) They can grow.
(3) They can move from place to place on their own.
(4) They can reproduce.
[ ] [1]

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Section B: Structured Questions (10 × 1 mark = 10 marks)

11. State two differences between a flowering plant and a non-flowering plant.
[2]

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12. The diagram below shows a mushroom.
<image_placeholder> id: Q12-fig1 type: diagram linked_question: Q12 description: A labelled diagram of a mushroom showing the cap (pileus), gills (lamellae) on the underside of the cap, stalk (stipe), and mycelium (thread-like structures) in the soil/ground. labels: Cap, Gills, Stalk, Mycelium values: None must_show: Clear labels for cap, gills (under cap), stalk, and underground mycelium network. </image_placeholder>

(a) Name the part labelled X (the gills).
[1]

(b) State the function of part X.
[1]

13. Classify the following living things into the correct groups in the table below.

Bacteria, Fern, Mould, Moss, Yeast

Fungi	Bacteria	Plants (Non-flowering)
[2]

14. John observed an unknown organism, Organism K, for a week. He recorded his observations in the table below.

Observation	Yes/No
It needs air, food and water.	Yes
It can grow.	Yes
It can respond to changes.	Yes
It can reproduce.	Yes
It can make its own food.	No
It has hair on its body.	Yes

Based on the observations, which animal group does Organism K most likely belong to?
[1]

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15. The diagram below shows the life cycle of a mosquito.
<image_placeholder> id: Q15-fig1 type: diagram linked_question: Q15 description: A cyclic diagram showing 4 stages: Eggs (raft on water) -> Larva (wriggler in water) -> Pupa (tumbler in water) -> Adult Mosquito (flying) -> back to Eggs. Arrows show direction. labels: Egg, Larva, Pupa, Adult values: None must_show: Four distinct stages in a cycle, aquatic stages for larva/pupa, flying adult. </image_placeholder>

(a) Name the stage that comes after the larva stage.
[1]

(b) State one difference between the larva and the adult mosquito.
[1]

16. Complete the classification chart below by filling in the blanks (A, B, C, D).

<image_placeholder> id: Q16-fig1 type: chart linked_question: Q16 description: Classification chart. Top: Living Things. Branch 1: Plants -> A (Flowering) -> B (Non-flowering). Branch 2: Animals -> C (Vertebrates) -> D (Invertebrates). Branch 3: Fungi. Branch 4: Bacteria. labels: Living Things, Plants, Animals, Fungi, Bacteria, A, B, C, D values: None must_show: Clear hierarchy with 4 blank boxes to fill. </image_placeholder>

A: _______________________
B: _______________________
C: _______________________
D: _______________________
[2]

17. State one similarity and one difference between bacteria and fungi.
[2]

Similarity: _________________________________________________________________________

Difference: _________________________________________________________________________

18. The table below shows the characteristics of three things, P, Q and R.

Characteristic	P	Q	R
Made of cells	Yes	Yes	No
Can reproduce	Yes	Yes	No
Needs energy	Yes	Yes	No
Can make its own food	Yes	No	No

(a) Which thing (P, Q or R) is a plant?
[1]

(b) Which thing (P, Q or R) is an animal?
[1]

19. Look at the pictures of two plants below.
<image_placeholder> id: Q19-fig1 type: diagram linked_question: Q19 description: Two side-by-side plant diagrams. Left: A maize plant (corn) with parallel leaf veins, fibrous roots, and one seed leaf (monocot). Right: A bean plant with net-like (reticulate) leaf veins, tap root system, and two seed leaves (dicot). Both labelled 'Plant A' and 'Plant B'. labels: Plant A, Plant B, Leaf veins, Root system values: None must_show: Clear contrast: parallel vs reticulate veins; fibrous vs tap root. </image_placeholder>

State one difference between the leaf veins of Plant A and Plant B.
[1]

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20. Explain why a mushroom is classified as a fungus and not a plant.
[2]

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End of Quiz

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Primary 4 Science Quiz - Diversity (Answer Key)

Total Marks: 30

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Section A: Multiple-Choice Questions (10 marks)

1. Answer: (2) Mushroom [1]
Explanation: A mushroom is a fungus, which is a living thing. Clouds, rivers, and rocks are non-living things as they do not need air, food, water, grow, respond to changes, or reproduce.

2. Answer: (3) Young root [1]
Explanation: The young root (radicle) grows downwards into the soil to absorb water and mineral salts. The young shoot (plumule) grows upwards to form the stem and leaves. The seed coat protects the seed.

3. Answer: (3) Fern | Eagle | Metal key | Air [1]
Explanation:

• A (Plants): Fern is a non-flowering plant.
• B (Animals): Eagle is an animal (bird).
• C (Man-made): Metal key is man-made.
• D (Natural): Air is a natural non-living thing.
  Option (1): Mushroom is fungi, not plant. Option (2): Mould/Yeast/Bacteria are microorganisms (fungi/bacteria), not typical plants/animals; Wood is man-made but from natural source. Option (4): Yeast/Mushroom are fungi.

4. Answer: (2) Water, air, sunlight [1]
Explanation: Water, air, and sunlight are all non-living things. Group (1) are microorganisms (living). Group (3) are animals (living). Group (4) are plants (living).

5. Answer: (4) Z [1]
Explanation: Living things exhibit all characteristics: need air/food/water, grow, respond to changes, reproduce. Thing Z lacks all these characteristics, so it is non-living. W shows all 4 (living). X shows 3 (living). Y shows 2 (living, e.g., plant may not show obvious response).

6. Answer: (2) All plants can make their own food. [1]
Explanation: Plants are autotrophs (photosynthesis). Statement (1) is false: non-flowering plants (ferns, mosses) do not bear flowers. Statement (3) is false: non-flowering plants reproduce by spores. Statement (4) is false: aquatic plants (hydrilla, water lily) live in water.

7. Answer: (2) Bird [1]
Explanation: Following the flowchart: Does not make own food → No feathers? No (it has feathers) → Bird. Mammals have hair/fur. Amphibians have moist skin and lay eggs in water.

8. Answer: (2) reproduce by spores [1]
Explanation: Both fungi (mould, yeast, mushroom) and bacteria reproduce asexually by spores (or binary fission for bacteria, functionally similar for classification). They do not make their own food (heterotrophs), lack green leaves (no chlorophyll), and bacteria are microscopic.

9. Answer: (2) They can only be seen under a microscope. [1]
Explanation: Bacteria and yeast are unicellular/microscopic. Mould is multicellular but its individual hyphae/spores are microscopic; the visible fuzzy patch is a colony. They are not plants (no chlorophyll). Not all are harmful (e.g., yeast for bread, decomposers). They reproduce by spores/binary fission, not seeds.

10. Answer: (3) They can move from place to place on their own. [1]
Explanation: This is not a universal characteristic of living things. Plants are living but generally cannot move from place to place (locomotion). They move parts (tropisms) but not relocate. The key characteristics are: need air/food/water, grow, respond to changes, reproduce, excrete, respire.

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Section B: Structured Questions (10 marks)

11. [2]
Answer:

1. Flowering plants reproduce by seeds (inside fruits/flowers), while non-flowering plants reproduce by spores (e.g., ferns, mosses).
2. Flowering plants bear flowers and fruits; non-flowering plants do not bear flowers or fruits.
   (Accept other valid differences: e.g., Flowering plants have seeds enclosed in ovary; non-flowering have naked seeds or spores.)

Marking Note: 1 mark for each correct difference. Must be a clear comparison.

12.
(a) Answer: Gills [1]
(b) Answer: To produce and release spores for reproduction. [1]
Explanation: The gills (lamellae) are the spore-bearing surface. Spores are dispersed by wind.

13. [2]
Answer:

Fungi	Bacteria	Plants (Non-flowering)
Mould, Yeast	Bacteria	Fern, Moss

Marking: 1 mark for correct Fungi & Bacteria column; 1 mark for correct Plants column. (All 5 items must be placed correctly for full marks, or pro-rata).

14. Answer: Mammal [1]
Explanation: Organism K shows all characteristics of living things. It cannot make its own food (heterotroph → Animal). It has hair on its body → key characteristic of Mammals. (Birds have feathers, reptiles have scales, amphibians have moist skin, fish have scales/fins).

15.
(a) Answer: Pupa [1]
(b) Answer: The larva (wriggler) lives in water and has no wings, while the adult mosquito flies in air and has wings. (OR: Larva has no legs/wings; Adult has 6 legs and 2 wings. OR: Larva breathes through siphon in water; Adult breathes through spiracles in air.) [1]
Explanation: Mosquito undergoes complete metamorphosis: Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult. Larva and pupa are aquatic; adult is terrestrial/flying.

16. [2]
Answer:
A: Flowering plants (or "Flowering")
B: Non-flowering plants (or "Non-flowering")
C: Vertebrates (or "Animals with backbones")
D: Invertebrates (or "Animals without backbones")

Marking: 0.5 marks each. Accept standard P4 terminology.

17. [2]
Answer:
Similarity: Both are microorganisms (can only be seen under a microscope) / Both reproduce by spores (or binary fission/spores) / Both cannot make their own food (heterotrophs/decomposers).
Difference: Bacteria are unicellular (single-celled), while fungi (like mould) are mostly multicellular (made of hyphae); OR Bacteria have no nucleus (prokaryotes), fungi have a nucleus (eukaryotes) — Note: Prokaryote/Eukaryote may be advanced for P4; "unicellular vs multicellular" is standard.

Marking: 1 mark for valid similarity, 1 mark for valid difference.

18.
(a) Answer: P [1]
Reasoning: P is made of cells, reproduces, needs energy, and can make its own food (photosynthesis) → Plant.
(b) Answer: Q [1]
Reasoning: Q is made of cells, reproduces, needs energy, cannot make its own food → Animal (heterotroph).
R lacks all characteristics of life (not made of cells, cannot reproduce, no energy need) → Non-living thing.

19. Answer: Plant A has parallel leaf veins, while Plant B has net-like (reticulate) leaf veins. [1]
Explanation: Plant A (Maize) is a monocot (parallel veins, fibrous roots). Plant B (Bean) is a dicot (reticulate veins, tap root). P4 syllabus focuses on leaf vein patterns and root systems for classification.

20. [2]
Answer:
A mushroom is a fungus because:

1. It cannot make its own food (no chlorophyll / not green). It obtains food by decomposing dead organic matter (saprotroph).
2. It reproduces by spores (produced in gills), not by seeds.
   (Plants make their own food via photosynthesis and flowering plants reproduce by seeds.)

Marking: 1 mark for "cannot make own food / no chlorophyll", 1 mark for "reproduces by spores / no seeds / decomposer".