NCERT Exemplar Solutions Class 6 Science The Living Organisms and Their Surroundings

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Question 1:  Which of the following cannot be called a habitat?
(a) A desert with camels
(b) A pond with fishes
(c) A jungle with wild animals
(d) Cultivated land with grazing cattle

Solution 1:  The right thing for which selection is made is (d) cultivated land with grazing cattle.

Cultivated land with grazing cattle cannot be called a habitat. Habitat can be defined as the natural environment of an organism, the type of place in which it is natural for it to live and grow. The cattle does not live in the cultivated land, they come there, only for feeding.

Question 2:  Following are some features of plants.

1. They lose a lot of water through transpiration.
2. Their leaves are always broad and flat.
3. They lose very little water through transpiration.
4. Their roots grow very deep into the soil.

Which of the combination of given features are typical of desert plants?
      (a) (1) and (2)
      (b) (2) and (4)
      (c) (2) and (3)
      (d) (3) and (4)

Solution 2:  The right thing for which selection is made is (d) (3) and (4). 

Desert plants lose very little water through transpiration. For absorbing water, their roots grow very deep into the soil. Stem is covered with thick waxy layer to retain water. Leaves are either absent or very small to reduce water escaping while still allowing photosynthesis. These features of desert plants help them to survive there.

Question 3:  Boojho comes across an animal having a stream-lined and slippery body. What is the habitat of the animal?

(a) Water
(b) Desert
(c) Grassland
(d) Mountain

Solution 3:  The right thing for which selection is made is (a) Water. 

The animal having a stream-lined and slippery body lives in water habitat.

Water animals have stream-lined bodies that reduce resistance due to water and help in swimming and slippery body makes movement through water easier.

Question 4:  Which of the following are characteristics of living beings?

1. Respiration
2. Reproduction
3. Adaptation
4. Excretion

Choose the correct answer from the options below.
(a) (1), (2) and (4)
(b) (1) and (2)
(c) (2) and (4)
(d) (1), (2), (3) and (4)

Solution 4:  The right thing for which selection is made is (d) (1), (2), (3) and (4). 

Respiration, reproduction, adaptations, excretion, growth, nutrition and movement are some common characteristic of living beings that makes them different from the non-living.

Question 5:  Earthworms breathe through their
(a) skin
(b) gills
(c) lungs
(d) stomata

Solution 5:  The right thing for which selection is made is (a) skin.

Earthworms breathe through their skin, they do not have lungs. The Earthworm’s skin is thin and moist. This lets it absorb the oxygen it needs and expel carbon dioxide.

Question 6:  Which of the following is not an example of response to stimulus?
(a) Watering in mouth when we see delicious food items
(b) Closing of leaves of Mimosa plant when touched
(c) Shutting our eyes when an object is suddenly thrown in our direction
(d) A chick hatching out of an egg

Solution 6:   The right thing for which selection is made is (d) A chick hatching out of an egg. 

A chick hatching out of an egg; it is a natural phenomenon of reproduction in hens that requires particular time period and temperature to occur. So, it is not a response to stimuli.

A Stimulus is something which causes a response. It is used in various bodies: Stimulus is an input to a person's (or animals) senses which causes a reaction or response. The other options are examples of response to changes in our surroundings (stimuli) which is a characteristic of living beings.

Question 7: Which of the following is correct for respiration in plants?
(a) Respiration takes place only during day time
(b) Respiration takes place only during night
(c) Respiration takes place both during day and night
(d) Respiration takes place only when plants are not making food

Solution 7:  The right thing for which selection is made is (c) Respiration takes place both during day and night.

Respiration occurs in the both presence and absence of light. Oxygen is consumed while carbon dioxide is released in plant respiration at night.  During day time, Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide and makes oxygen faster than respiration produces carbon dioxide and consumes oxygen.

Question 8:  Which of the following is an incorrect statement about excretion?
(a) Excretion takes place in plants.
(b) Excretion takes place both in plants and animals.
(c) Excretion is the process of getting rid of excess water only.
(d) Secretion is one method of excretion.

Solution 8:  The right thing for which selection is made is (c) Excretion is the process of getting rid of excess water only.

The process of removal of wastes from the cells of living organisms is called excretion. There are a large number of chemical reactions that take place inside a living body. As a result, a variety of waste products are constantly being generated. The living body needs to remove these wastes.  The wastes include not only Excess water but also Nitrogenous, Non-nitrogenous, Bile Pigments, Excess Chemicals, CO2, etc.

Question 9:  Choose the set that represents only the biotic components of a habitat.
(a) Tiger, deer, grass, soil
(b) Rocks, soil, plants, air
(c) Sand, turtle, crab, rocks
(d) Aquatic plant, fish, frog, insect

Solution 9:   The right thing for which selection is made is (d) Aquatic plant, fish, frog, insect. 

Aquatic plant, fish, frog and insect represents only the biotic components of a habitat. Biotic factors are living or once-living organisms in the ecosystem. These are obtained from the biosphere and are capable of reproduction. Examples of biotic factors are animals, birds, plants, fungi, and other similar organisms. Examples of abiotic factors are air, soil, sunlight, and minerals.

Question 10:  Which one of the following is not associated with reproduction?
(a) A new leaf coming out of a tree branch
(b) A dog giving birth to puppy
(c) A seed growing into a plant
(d) Chick hatching from an egg

Solution 10:  The right thing for which selection is made is (a) A new leaf coming out of a tree branch. 

A new leaf coming out of a tree branch is vegetation growth in plants; it is not associated with reproduction.

The process by which an organism produces its offspring is called reproduction. In simple way we can say that it is a biological process to create or recreate something, (usually) a new living thing, for e.g. dog giving birth to puppy, seed growing into plant and chick hatching from egg.

Question 11:  Choose the odd one out from below with respect to reproduction.
(a) Eggs of hen
(b) Seeds of plants
(c) Buds of potato
(d) Roots of mango tree

Solution 11:  The right thing for which selection is made is (d) Roots of mango tree. 

Roots of mango tree, is not related to reproduction.
Reproduction is a biological process to create or recreate something, (usually) a new living thing.

Chickens are hatched from the eggs of hen. Many plants reproduce through seeds.
Buds of potato tuber can grow to produce new potato plant. These other options are related to reproduction.

Question 12:  Although organisms die, their kinds continue to live on earth. Which characteristic of living organisms makes this possible?
(a) Respiration.
(b) Reproduction.
(c) Excretion.
(d) Movement.

Solution 12:  The right thing for which selection is made is (b) Reproduction.

Reproduction is the characteristic of living organisms through which they create or recreate more of their own kind of living thing. Thus, even after the organisms die, their own kind of living thing continues to live on earth.

Question 13:  If you happen to go to a desert, what changes do you expect to observe in the urine you excrete? You would

1. excrete small amount of urine
2. excrete large amount of urine
3. excrete concentrated urine
4. excrete very dilute urine

Which of the above would hold true?

(a) (1) and (3)
(b) (2) and (4)
(c) (1) and (4)
(d) (1) and (2)

Solution 13:  The right thing for which selection is made is (a) (1) and (3).

A small amount of concentrated urine would be excreted in desert, these changes are expected. This will help us to conserve water in the body in these desert environments.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 14:  Unscramble the given words below to get the correct word using the clues given against them.
(a) SATPADAOINT (Specific features or certain habits which enable a living being to live in its surroundings.)
(b) RETECOXNI (Waste products are removed by this process.)
(c) LUMISIT (All living things respond to these.)
(d) ROUCDPRENTOI (Because of this we find organisms of the same kind.)

Solution 14:
(a) Adaptations.
(b) Excretion.
(c) Stimuli.
(d) Reproduction.

Question 15:  Using the following words, write the habitat of each animal given in figures (a to d).
Grassland, mountain, desert, pond, river

Solution 15: 
(a) The diagram shows a deer which habitat in grassland .

(b) The diagram shows a frog which habitat in pond.

(c) The diagram shows a yak which habitat in mountain.

(d) The diagram shows a camel which habitat in desert. 

Question 16:  Classify the following habitats into terrestrial and aquatic types.

Grassland, pond, ocean, rice field

Solution 16: The following habitats can be classified into terrestrial and aquatic types as follows:

• Terrestrial habitats are land based habitats. These habitats include grassland and rice field.
• Aquatic habitats are water based habitats. These habitats include pond and ocean. 

Question 17:  Why is reproduction important for organisms?

Solution 17:   Reproduction is important for the survival of all living things as it leads to the production or creation of more individuals of its own kind of living thing. Without mechanism of reproduction, life would come to an end. This helps in continuity of life on the earth.

Question 18:  Fill in the blanks:

1.  Saline water, hot air and sand are ……….. components of a habitat.
2. The habitat of plants and animals that live in ……….. is called the aquatic habitat.
3.  ………… enable a plant or an animal to live in its surroundings.
4. Plants and animals that live on land are said to live in ………… habitats. 

Solution 18:

1. Abiotic (non-living).
2. Water.
3. Adaptations.
4. Terrestrial.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 19:  Paheli has a rose plant in her garden. How can she increase the number of rose plants in the garden?

Solution 19:   She can increase the number of rose plants in the garden by planting stem cutting (a small piece of stem) of the rose plant. The cutting of stem should be in such a way that there are some buds on it. And then, its lower part of cutting stem is buried in moist soil. After a few days, these buried cuttings stem develop roots and grow into new plant. Thus, the number of plants increases.

Question 20:  Why do desert snakes burrow deep into the sand during the day?

Solution 20:   The environment of desert is very hot during day time and to escape from heat of the desert, snakes burrow deep into the sand because the deeper layers of sand are cooler than surface.

Question 21:  Write the adaptation in aquatic plants due to which

1. Submerged leaves can bend in the flowing water.
2. Leaves can float on the surface of water. 

Solution 21:   The adaptations in aquatic plants are as follows:

1. Submerged leaves can bend in the flowing water because leaves of aquatic plants are narrow and thin ribbon-like.
2. Leaves can float on the surface of water because Stems/Stalks of leaves of aquatic plants are long soft, hollow and light in weight.

Question 22:  Mention one adaptation present in the following animals.

1. In camels to keep their bodies away from the heat of sand.
2. In frogs to enable them to swim.
3. In dolphins and whales to breathe in air when they swim near the surface of water. 

Solution 22:   The adaptation present in the following animals is:

1. Camels keep their bodies away from the heat of sand because they have long legs.
2. Aquatic frogs have long, strong legs with webbed back feet to help them swim.
3. Dolphins and whales breathe in air when they swim near the surface of water because they have blowhole, located right on top of their heads that help them to breathe in air.

Question 23:  Some desert plants have very small leaves, whereas some others have only spines. How does this benefit the plants?

Solution 23:   Desert plants have very small leaves or spines because of these modifications of leaves, the surface of lamina is reduced which reduces water loss from the leaves through transpiration and roots of these plants grow deep into the soil for absorbing water. These adaptive features of desert plants help them to live in hot and dry conditions of the desert.

Question 24:  What are the specific features present in a deer that help it to detect the presence of predators like lion?

Solution 24:   Grassland and forest is habitat of dear. So, they have following specific features that help it to detect the presence of predators in a forest or grassland:

1. They have big ears to hear movement of predators very easily.
2. Their eyes on the sides of its head which allow them to see in all directions at the same time.

Question 25:  Read the features of plants given below.

a)      Thick waxy stem

b)      Short roots

c)       Cone-shaped plants

d)      Sloping branches

e)      Small or spine-like leaves

f)       Hollow stem

Choose the type of plant for every adaptive feature given in a, b, c, d, e and f from the list given below:
Aquatic plant, desert plant, mountainous plant

Solution 25:  The adaptive features with respect to their corresponding type of plant are as follows:

a)      Thick waxy stem – Desert plant.

b)      Short roots – Aquatic plant.

c)       Cone-shaped plants – Mountainous plant.

d)      Sloping branches – Mountainous plant.

e)      Small or spine-like leaves – Desert plant.

f)       Hollow stem – Aquatic plant.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 26:  Like many animals although a car also moves it is not considered as a living organism. Give two or three reasons.

Solution 26:   A car also moves like many animals but it is not considered as a living organism because of the following reasons:

1. A car moves by burning of fuels like diesel and petrol. They have no ability to move on their own like living organisms.
2. There are some processes like respiration, digestion, reproduction or growth that are shown by all living organisms and essential for living beings but  a car does not show any of these living characteristics.

Question 27:  What are the adaptive features of a lion that helps it in hunting?

Solution 27:  The Adaptive features of a lion that helps it in hunting are as follows:

1. They have long sharp claws in its front legs to catch prey.
2. The brown color of body helps lion to hide them in dry grassland; this avoids the detection by its prey.
3. Their eyes placed in front of head that allow it to know the correct location and movement of its prey.