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PRE BOARD EXAMINATION 2024-25

BIOLOGY (044) ( SET-1)
CLASS XII
Maximum Marks: 70 Time: 3 hours
General Instructions:
(i) All questions are compulsory.
(ii) The question paper has five sections and 33 questions.
(iii) Section–A has 16 questions of 1 mark each; Section–B has 5 questions of 2 marks each;
Section– C has 7 questions of 3 marks each; Section– D has 2 case-based questions of 4 marks
each; and Section–E has 3 questions of 5 marks each.
(iv) There is no overall choice. However, internal choices have been provided in some
questions. A student has to attempt only one of the alternatives in such questions.
(v) Wherever necessary, neat and properly labeled diagrams should be drawn.

Section – A
Q. No. 1 to 12 are multiple choice questions. Only one of the choices is correct. Select and
write the correct choice as well as the answer to these questions.

MARKS
Q.No Question
1 During apomictic seed formation, there is no reduction division and the gametes 1
(both egg cell and the pollen) are diploid.
What is the ploidy of the endosperm formed through apomixis?
A. 2n B. 3n C. 4n D. 6n
2 Which of the following statements describes the difference between placenta and 1
umbilical cord?
A. The placenta secretes hormones whereas the umbilical cord does not.
B. The placenta persists after pregnancy while the umbilical cord is expelled.
C. The placenta is lined with veins and arteries while the umbilical cord is not.
D. The placenta interlocks with foetal tissues whereas the umbilical cord
interlocks with the uterine tissue.
3 Billions of years ago, when Earth had a reducing atmosphere containing 1
methane and ammonia along with high temperatures, the organisms that came to
existence would have been -
A. aerobic and chemo-autotrophic
B. anaerobic and chemo-heterotrophic
C. aerobic and chemo-heterotrophic
D. anaerobic and chemo-autotrophic
4 Which of the following phenomena significantly contributes to speciation? 1
P) Natural Selection
Q) Genetic Drift
R) Gene flow
S) Geographic Isolation
T) Stabilizing Selection
A. only Q and S B. only R and T
C. only P, Q and S D. only Q, R and T
5 A sample of normal double-stranded DNA was found to have thymine 1
content of 27%. What will be the expected proportion of guanine in this
strand?
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A. 23% B. 32% C. 36% D. 73%

6 If a genetic disease is transferred from a phenotypically normal but carrier 1
female to only some of the male progeny, the disease is
(A) autosomal dominant (B) autosomal recessive
(C) sex-linked dominant (D) sex-linked recessive
7 A molecule that acts as a genetic material must fulfil the following traits, except 1
A-It should be structurally and chemically unstable
B-It should have the ability to generate its replica
C.It should facilitate slow changes necessary for evolution.
D.It should be able to express itself in the form of Mendelian characters
8 Match column I with column II and select the correct option 1
COLUMN I COLUMN II
A. Allergy i. Activation of B-cells
B. Helper T cells ii. Immunotherepy
C. AIDS virus iii. Carcinogens
D. X RAYS iv. IgE
E. Treatment of cancer v. Single stranded RNA
A. A(iv) , B (i) ,(C) (v) D. (iii) E (ii) B. A(ii) , B (i) , (C) (v) D. (iii) E (iv)
C. A(iv) , B (v) ,(C) (iii) D. (ii)E (i) D. A(ii) , B (v) , (C) (iii) D. (i) E (iv)
9 Which of the following are reasons for Mendel’s success ? 1
(i) Usage of pure lines or pure breeding varieties
(ii) Consideration of one character at a time
(iii) Maintenance of statistical records of experiments
(iv) Knowledge of linkage and incomplete dominance
(A) (i) and (ii) only (B) (i), (ii) and (iii)
(C) (i) and (iv) only (D) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
10 Which of the following is incorrect regarding ZW – ZZ type of sex determination 1
?
(A) It occurs in birds and some reptiles.
(B) Females are homogametic and males are heterogametic.
(C) 1:1 sex ratio is produced in the offsprings.
(D) Both a and c
11 Human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) has a protein coat and a genetic material 1
which is
(A) Single stranded DNA. (B) Single stranded RNA.
(C) Double stranded RNA. (D) Double stranded DAN.
12 Transgenic mice are being developed to replace the use of monkeys for 1
laboratory testing of vaccines or drugs meant for humans.
Which of the following is/are POSSIBLE reasons for this move?
P) Mice and humans have similar physiology.
Q) The reproduction rate is faster in mice.
A. only P B. only Q C. both P and Q D. neither P nor Q
Question No. 13 to 16 consist of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
Answer these questions selecting the appropriate option given below:
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true and R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is true but R is false.
D. A is False but R is true

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13 Assertion: Cry gene expressing crop is resistant to a group of insects. 1

Reason: Cry proteins produced from Bacillus thuringiensis are toxic to larvae of
certain insects.
14 Assertion : The spleen is a large bean shaped organ mainly contains lymphocytes 1
and phagocytes.
Reason : It forms a major part of MALT.
15 Assertion : Central dogma is the flow of information from DNA to mRNA and 1
then decoding the information present in mRNA in the form of protein.
Reason : In retroviruses, reverse of central dogma occurs.
16 Assertion : Endosperm is a nutritive tissue and it is triploid. 1
Reason : Endosperm is formed by fusion of secondary nucleus to second male
gamete. It is used by developing embryo.
Section - B
17 ATTEMPT EITHER OPTION A OR B 2

A-The table below outlines some milestones of pregnancy.

Day1 fertilisation
Day2 Morula is formed
Day 3 Inner cell mass is formed
Day4 implantation

Pregnancy tests detect the presence of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
in blood or urine to confirm.
(a) A pregnancy test done after which day is likely to yield a positive result?
(b) Give reason for your answer to (a).
OR
B-A farmer sowed tomatoes (plants with both sexes in the same flower) and
bitter gourd (plants with both sexes in different flowers on the same plant) on his
farmland.
(a) To ensure cross-pollination, what should the farmer do in each of the cases?
(b) If the male flowers from the tomato plant are removed and pollen is dusted,
can the flower grow into a fruit? Why or why not?
18 ATTEMPT EITHER OPTION A OR B 2
A-White and dark coloured moths are shown below. State a reason for the
increased population of dark-colored moths coinciding with the loss of lichens,
after industrialization .

OR
B-In a population of birds, individuals with intermediate beak sizes can
effectively feed on a range of available seeds while birds with either small or
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large beak sizes find it difficult to access certain seeds.

(a) Which birds are more likely to be naturally selected?
(b) Based on (a), which type of natural selection does this phenomenon exemplify?
19 Rajesh was doing gel electrophoresis to purify DNA fragments with the 2
observations as shown below

A) At which end he would have loaded the sample and where?

B) Analyse the reason for different positions M and N taken up by the DNA bands
20 ATTEMPT EITHER OPTION A OR B 2
AFish farming involves the commercial breeding of fish either in fish tanks or in
artificial enclosures such as fish ponds.
Is a fish farm an example of an ecosystem? Justify your answer.
OR
B-Population density is calculated by the following formula:
Nt+1 = Nt + [(B+I)-(D+E)]
Imagine a population of fish in an artificial lake which acts as a closed system.
(a) Which quantity or quantities of the above formula will NOT be used in
calculating the population of fish?
(b) Give reason for (a).
21 A person shows strong unusual hypersensitive reactions when exposed to certain 2
substances present in the air. Identify the condition. Name the cells responsible
for such reactions. What precaution should be taken to avoid such reactions.?
SECTION C
22 a) A bilobed, dithecous anther has 100 microspore mother cells per 3
microsporangium. How many male gametophytes this anther can produce?
b)An anther with malfunctioning tapetum often fails to produce viable male
gametophytes. Give one reason.
23 A woman with blood group O married a man with AB blood group. Show the possible 3
blood groups of the progeny. List the alleles involved in this inheritance
24 (i) Name the respective forms in which the malarial parasite gains entry into. 3
(a)Human body
(b)Body of female mosquito.
(ii)Name the hosts where the sexual and asexual reproduction occur respectively
(iii)Name the toxin responsible for the appearance of symptoms of malaria in
human. Why do these symptoms occur periodically?
25 Study the figure given below and answer the questions that follow: 3

(i) Identify the stage of human embryo in the given figure.

(ii) Identify ‘a’ in the figure and mention its function.
(iii) Mention the fate of the inner cell mass after implantation in the
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uterus.

26 Observe the segment of mRNA given below. 3

Explain and illustrate the steps involved to make fully processed hnRNA?
27 a) Crystals of Bt toxin produced by some bacteria kills the insect but do not kill 3
bacteria themselves. Give reason.
b)What such organisms commonly called which gene modified through genetic
engineering.
28 Alien species are a threat to native species. Justify taking examples of an animal 3
and a plant alien species.
SECTION -D
29 The investigating officer found a sample of skin from the site of the crime .The 4
officer send this sample of skin along with the DNA sample of the suspected
person S1,S2 and S3 for DNA Profiling. Given below is an image of the bands
obtained.

(A) Who is likely to be the criminal in the above case?

B) How can you identify the criminal, support your answer.
Attempt either subpart C or D.
(C) S1 and S2 are twin brothers. What can you conclude about them from the
image?
OR
D)List any two applications of above technique.
30 In a sewage treatment plant, sampling was done thrice at various stages in the 4
treatment process indicated by A, B and C in the following diagram

Each time the sample was taken, its BOD was measured, resulting in the
following recorded values: 30 mg/L, 300 mg/L, 250 mg/L
(A) What is BOD. What is its significane?
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B) Determine which of these BOD values correspond to stages A, B, and C in the

treatment process and what BOD indicates.

Attempt either subpart C or D.

C) Which group of microbe commonly used in sewage treatment plant.
OR
D) How primary sewage treatment differ from secondary sewage treatment.
SECTION -E
31 ATTEMPT EITHER OPTION A OR B 5
A-The graph given below shows the variation in the levels of ovarian hormones
during various phases of menstrual cycle:

i) Identify ‘A’ and ‘B’.

ii) Specify the source of the hormone marked in the diagram.
iii) Reason out why peak of A is before B & Compare the role of A and B.
iv) Under which condition will the level of B continue to remain high on the 28th
day and when not?
OR
B- i) The image below shows a blue-throated hummingbird visiting a flower.
What is the benefit that the flower derives from the hummingbird? Justify.

(ii) What kind of pollen grains would a flower most likely have when it is seen to
be visited regularly by birds and butterflies?
(iii) "Self-pollinated flowers mostly do not need pollinating agents." Mention
whether this statement is true or false with a reason for your answer.
32 ATTEMPT EITHER OPTION A OR B 5

A .(i) In a botanical garden of a city there is a huge banyan tree growing on which
hundreds of birds and thousands of insects live. Draw the pyramids of numbers
and also biomass represented by this community. Comment giving reasons on the
two different pyramids drawn.
(ii) Why pyramid of energy always upright?
or
B. (i) Study the graph given below and answer the questions that follow:

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(i) Write the status of food and space in the curves (a) and (b).
(ii) In the absence of predators, which one of the two curves would appropriately
depict the prey population?
(iii) Time has been shown on X-axis and there is a parallel dotted line above it.
Give the significance of this dotted line.
iv) Name the growth models that represent population growth and draw the
respective growth curves they represent.
(v) Which one of the curves represent the human population growth at the
present? Do you think such a curve is sustainable? Give reason in support of
your answer.
33 ATTEMPT EITHER OPTION A OR B 5
A-Observe the figure of the plasmid pBR322.

i)Identify the selectable marker in the given figure.

(ii) How is the coding sequence of the b–galactosidase considered a better marker
than the ones identified by you in the figure.
(iii) Why is it necessary to have a selectable marker in the cloning vector ?
OR
B) (i) How insertional inactivation acts as selectable marker in cloning
technology? Explain with an example.
(ii) Discuss the action of protein crystals formed by BT-gene? Write the specific
target pests of gene cryIAb ?