The Living World — Class 11 MCQs with Answers
Class 11 CBSE Biology · Chapter 1
90 practice questions · 30 Easy · 30 Medium · 30 Hard · Updated
Practise the most important Class 11 CBSE Biology questions from Chapter 1, "The Living World". You get 9 timed quizzes made from 90 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 30 Easy, 30 Medium and 30 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that set top scorers in CBSE & Maharashtra HSC Board exams, MHT-CET and NEET UG apart.
To score well in "The Living World", focus on diagrams, key terms and knowing NCERT line by line. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This trains you to stay accurate under time pressure, as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on The Living World, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 11 Biology mastery score. 14 sample questions are solved in full below, with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Key concepts: The Living World (Class 11 Biology)
Living things are defined not by growth or reproduction alone but by metabolism and self-consciousness; the sheer diversity of life forces classification. This chapter builds the vocabulary of taxonomy — nomenclature, ranked hierarchy and the taxonomic aids that store and organise biological knowledge.
- Growth
- Growth in living organisms is intrinsic, from inside by cell division; non-living bodies like mountains grow by external accretion — so it is not defining.
- Metabolism
- The sum of all chemical reactions in the body. No non-living object shows metabolism, making it a defining property; isolated in-vitro reactions are not living.
- Reproduction
- Production of offspring resembling the parent, sexually or asexually. Not an all-or-none trait — sterile mules and worker bees still count as living.
- Consciousness
- Ability to sense the surroundings and respond to stimuli. Humans alone show self-consciousness; NCERT treats consciousness as the defining property of life.
The Living World — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 11 Biology)
14 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. The other 76 are timed and scored when you sign in.
- Q1Easy
Defining feature unique to living organisms:
A.Self-replication and metabolism with reproduction✓ CorrectB.Metabolism onlyC.MovementD.MassAnswer: A. Self-replication and metabolism with reproduction
Explanation: Life needs metabolism, reproduction and cellular organisation together. Metabolism alone occurs in vitro in cell extracts, movement occurs in non-living fluids too, and mass is universal — none alone defines life.
- Q2Easy
Binomial nomenclature was given by:
A.MendelB.DarwinC.WhittakerD.Linnaeus✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Linnaeus
Explanation: Linnaeus proposed binomial nomenclature (Species Plantarum, 1753). Mendel founded genetics, Darwin explained evolution by natural selection, and Whittaker gave the five-kingdom system — none of them named species.
- Q3Easy
The number of species described so far on Earth is approximately:
A.500B.50,000C.10 billionD.1.7–1.8 million✓ CorrectAnswer: D. 1.7–1.8 million
Explanation: About 1.7–1.8 million species have been formally described and named so far — far short of estimates for the total number actually existing. The other figures are either drastic underestimates or absurdly high.
- Q4Easy
The sum total of all chemical reactions occurring in a living body is called:
A.Metabolism✓ CorrectB.RespirationC.DigestionD.ExcretionAnswer: A. Metabolism
Explanation: Metabolism is the sum of all anabolic and catabolic chemical reactions in a body. Respiration and digestion are individual metabolic processes, and excretion removes waste — each is only one part of the whole.
- Q5Easy
In binomial nomenclature, the first word denotes:
A.SpeciesB.Genus✓ CorrectC.FamilyD.OrderAnswer: B. Genus
Explanation: In binomial nomenclature the first word is the generic name (genus, e.g. Mangifera); the second word is the specific epithet (species). Family and order are higher ranks and never appear in a two-word name.
- Q6Easy
The term used for the variety of living organisms on Earth is:
A.PopulationB.Biodiversity✓ CorrectC.HabitatD.NicheAnswer: B. Biodiversity
Explanation: Biodiversity is the variety of living organisms across a region. A population is one species in an area, a habitat is where it lives, and a niche is its functional role — none captures overall variety the way biodiversity does.
- Q7Medium
Twin characteristics of growth are:
A.Only mass increaseB.Decrease in mass and decrease in numberC.Increase in mass and increase in number of individuals✓ CorrectD.Only number increaseAnswer: C. Increase in mass and increase in number of individuals
Explanation: Growth has two components together: increase in mass and increase in cell or individual number — not either alone, and certainly not a decrease in either, which describes decline, not growth.
- Q8Medium
Correct order (broader → narrower):
A.Class → KingdomB.Species → KingdomC.Genus → KingdomD.Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species
Explanation: The hierarchy runs broadest to narrowest: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. The other options jump straight from a single genus or species to Kingdom, skipping every intermediate rank.
- Q9Medium
The word systematics is derived from the Latin word *systema* meaning:
A.Random arrangementB.HabitatC.Systematic arrangement of organisms✓ CorrectD.MutationAnswer: C. Systematic arrangement of organisms
Explanation: Systema is Latin for 'systematic arrangement,' the root Linnaeus used in Systema Naturae for his ordered classification of organisms — the opposite of random arrangement, and unrelated to habitat or mutation.
- Q10Medium
In unicellular organisms like bacteria, growth is synonymous with:
A.DeathB.RespirationC.ExcretionD.Reproduction✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Reproduction
Explanation: In unicellular organisms like bacteria, the cell division that increases size also increases individual number — so growth and reproduction are literally the same event, unlike death, respiration or excretion.
- Q11Medium
Herbarium is:
A.Storehouse of preserved/mounted plant specimens✓ CorrectB.ZooC.Insect collectionD.Garden of live plantsAnswer: A. Storehouse of preserved/mounted plant specimens
Explanation: A herbarium stores dried, pressed plant specimens mounted on labelled sheets — unlike a zoo (living animals), an insect collection (animal specimens), or a garden of live, unpressed plants.
- Q12Hard
Growth as a defining property of living is:
A.Not unique — non-living can also grow externally✓ CorrectB.Unique only to livingC.Always at constant rateD.Stops at birthAnswer: A. Not unique — non-living can also grow externally
Explanation: Mountains and crystals grow too, but only by external accretion of material; living growth is intrinsic, driven by cell division from within. That inside-out mechanism is what non-living 'growth' lacks.
- Q13Hard
Lowest taxonomic category:
A.GenusB.Species✓ CorrectC.FamilyD.KingdomAnswer: B. Species
Explanation: Species is the lowest, most basic rank in the taxonomic hierarchy — a group of interbreeding organisms. Genus, family and kingdom sit progressively higher, grouping many species together, not the reverse.
- Q14Hard
Assertion: Living organisms are self-replicating. Reason: They are made up of chemicals only.
A.Both A and R true; R explains AB.A false, R trueC.A true, R falseD.Both A and R true; R does not explain A✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Both A and R true; R does not explain A
Explanation: Both statements are individually true, but being made of chemicals doesn't explain self-replication — that specifically needs organised, heritable genetic material (DNA), not just chemical composition.
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Start this chapter free →The Living World — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 11 Biology The Living World?+
Living things are defined not by growth or reproduction alone but by metabolism and self-consciousness; the sheer diversity of life forces classification. This chapter builds the vocabulary of taxonomy — nomenclature, ranked hierarchy and the taxonomic aids that store and organise biological knowledge. Key ideas include Growth, Metabolism, Reproduction, Consciousness.
What does Class 11 Biology Chapter 1 (The Living World) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 90 NCERT-based MCQs on "The Living World": 30 Easy, 30 Medium and 30 Hard. Together they make 9 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE & Maharashtra HSC Board exams, MHT-CET and NEET UG.
Are these "The Living World" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "The Living World" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year on a launch offer until 1 December 2026. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "The Living World" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 9 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "The Living World" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 14 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "The Living World" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip, the same negative marking as NEET UG. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from The Living World (Class 11 Biology)?+
The questions that matter most test Growth, Metabolism, Reproduction, Consciousness. This page shows 14 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations; all 90 questions on the chapter are available as timed quizzes once you sign in.
Is there an online quiz for The Living World?+
Yes — Class 11 Biology The Living World has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.