IMO Practice Test — How do Organisms Reproduce?
6 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 6
Plants grown by vegetative propagation are genetically identical to the parent. A practical advantage of this for a farmer growing bananas is that:
All plants reliably have the same desirable qualities
Each plant is completely different
The plants cannot bear fruit
It needs seeds
Explanation: Identical offspring keep the parent's good qualities (taste, yield) in every plant.
Question 2 of 6
Why does sexual reproduction give a species a better chance of surviving a changing environment than asexual reproduction?
It creates variation, so some offspring may cope with new conditions
It is faster
It needs only one parent
It produces identical offspring
Explanation: Variation from sexual reproduction means some individuals may survive new challenges, aiding evolution.
Question 3 of 6
A pollen grain landing on a stigma grows a pollen tube. The function of this tube is to:
Carry the male gamete down to the ovule for fertilisation
Make the flower colourful
Produce nectar
Form the fruit directly
Explanation: The pollen tube delivers the male gamete to the ovule so fertilisation can occur.
Question 4 of 6
Both budding in Hydra and binary fission in Amoeba are asexual because in each case:
A single parent produces offspring without gamete fusion
Two parents are involved
Gametes fuse
Seeds are formed
Explanation: Asexual reproduction has one parent and no fusion of gametes.
Question 5 of 6
If the egg released in a human menstrual cycle is fertilised, menstruation does NOT occur that month because:
The thickened uterus lining is needed to support the embryo
The ovaries stop working forever
The egg dissolves
The placenta is removed
Explanation: On fertilisation, the uterus lining is retained to nourish the embryo, so it is not shed.
Question 6 of 6
Using a condom is recommended not only for contraception but also because it:
Helps prevent sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS
Increases blood sugar
Causes goitre
Improves digestion
Explanation: Barrier methods like condoms reduce the spread of STIs as well as preventing pregnancy.