Mini practice paper: 8 questions
Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Biology syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.
Q1 · Difficulty 1/3
Which structural feature is present in veins but absent in arteries?
- Elastic fibres
- Smooth muscle
- Valves
- Endothelium
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Valves
Award 1 mark for identifying valves as unique to veins. A is incorrect — both arteries and veins contain elastic fibres, though arteries have more. B is incorrect — both vessel types have smooth muscle in their walls. D is incorrect — both arteries and veins have an endothelium lining.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3
Which of the following correctly describes the chromosome number in cells produced by meiosis?
- A. Diploid (2n), the same as the parent cell
- B. Haploid (n), half the number of the parent cell
- C. Tetraploid (4n), double the number of the parent cell
- D. Haploid (n), identical copies of the parent cell
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — B. Haploid (n), half the number of the parent cell
Meiosis is a reduction division that produces four haploid daughter cells, each containing half the chromosome number of the original diploid parent cell. This reduction is essential for sexual reproduction so that the correct chromosome number is restored at fertilisation.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3
A fisherman in Barbados caught a dolphin fish (Coryphaena hippurus) in the Caribbean Sea. To which kingdom does this organism belong?
- Plantae
- Animalia
- Fungi
- Protoctista
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✓ Answer: B — Animalia
Award 1 mark for identifying that fish belong to kingdom Animalia. A is incorrect because Plantae contains photosynthetic organisms with cell walls made of cellulose. C is incorrect because Fungi are saprophytic organisms with chitin cell walls. D is incorrect because Protoctista are mainly unicellular organisms.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3
Sugar cane bagasse left on the soil surface in Caribbean fields eventually returns carbon to the atmosphere mainly through which process?
- Decomposition by bacteria and fungi
- Transpiration from the root system
- Combustion of the dried material
- Photosynthesis by microorganisms
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Decomposition by bacteria and fungi
Decomposers such as bacteria and fungi break down the organic material in bagasse through respiration, releasing CO₂ back into the atmosphere. Combustion could also release CO₂ but is not the main natural process on the soil surface. Photosynthesis absorbs rather than releases CO₂. Transpiration involves water loss, not carbon release.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3
A farmer in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, cut his hand while harvesting callaloo. He noticed that dark red blood oozed slowly from the wound rather than spurting out. Which type of blood vessel was most likely damaged?
- Artery
- Vein
- Capillary
- Aorta
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Vein
Award 1 mark for identifying that veins carry deoxygenated (dark red) blood at low pressure, causing blood to ooze. A is incorrect — arterial bleeding would spurt bright red blood due to high pressure. C is incorrect — capillary bleeding would produce minimal blood loss. D is incorrect — damage to the aorta would cause massive, rapid blood loss.
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3
A breadfruit tree in Dominica can be propagated using root cuttings. If the parent tree has 28 chromosomes in its body cells, how many chromosomes will be present in the body cells of a new plant grown from a root cutting?
- 7 chromosomes
- 14 chromosomes
- 28 chromosomes
- 56 chromosomes
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — 28 chromosomes
Award 1 mark for correct answer. Plants grown from cuttings develop through mitosis, which maintains the chromosome number. Therefore, the new plant will have the same number of chromosomes (28) as the parent. A and B are incorrect — these represent quarter and half the chromosome number respectively. D is incorrect — this would be double the chromosome number.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3
In the liver, excess glucose absorbed from a meal of rice and peas is converted to glycogen for storage. This process is an example of:
- Digestion
- Egestion
- Assimilation
- Absorption
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Assimilation
Award 1 mark for recognising that assimilation is the process by which absorbed nutrients are used or stored by body cells. A is incorrect — digestion is the breakdown of food, not its use. B is incorrect — egestion is the removal of undigested waste. D is incorrect — absorption is the uptake of nutrients into the blood, which has already occurred.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3
Which of the following is a function of the lymphatic system?
- Transport of oxygen to cells
- Production of red blood cells
- Absorption of fats from the small intestine
- Filtration of urea from the blood
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Absorption of fats from the small intestine
Award 1 mark for identifying fat absorption via lacteals. A is incorrect — oxygen transport is a function of the circulatory system. B is incorrect — red blood cell production occurs in bone marrow. D is incorrect — urea filtration is a function of the kidneys.
CXC CSEC Biology FAQ
What does the CXC CSEC Biology exam look like?
The CXC CSEC Biology exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1 (Section A): 60 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 75 minutes. Tests knowledge across the whole syllabus. Paper 2: Structured short-answer + 1 extended response question. Section A is compulsory; Section B has a choice. Approximately 2 hours 10 minutes. School-Based Assessment (SBA): Coursework component graded by the teacher, externally moderated. Worth ~20-30% of the final grade depending on subject. Total exam time: ~3.5 hours across Paper 1 and Paper 2 sittings.
Can I download a free CXC CSEC Biology past paper?
Real CXC past papers are published directly by CXC on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is CXC CSEC Biology graded?
Grades: I (highest) to VI (lowest). A grade of III or above is typically required for further study. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.