Lesson 41: BIO

Practice 1: Multiple Choice

Choose the word that best completes each sentence.

1. The __________ of the coral reef is remarkable—thousands of species thrive there.

a) biography
b) biodiversity
c) biopsy
d) biome

2. Michelle Obama wrote an __________ describing her life in her own words.

a) biography
b) antibiotics
c) autobiography
d) bioethics

3. The doctor ordered a __________ to test the suspicious tissue.

a) biome
b) biosphere
c) biopsy
d) symbiosis

4. The product's packaging is __________, meaning it will naturally decompose.

a) abiotic
b) biotic
c) bioluminescent
d) biodegradable

5. Penicillin was the first widely used __________.

a) antibiotic
b) autobiography
c) biome
d) microbe

6. Deep-sea creatures often exhibit __________ to attract prey or mates.

a) biodiversity
b) bioluminescence
c) biosphere
d) symbiosis

7. In class, we study __________ to understand how living things function.

a) biography
b) biology
c) bioethics
d) biopsy

8. Temperature and rainfall are __________ factors that affect ecosystems.

a) biotic
b) symbiotic
c) abiotic
d) bioluminescent

9. The relationship between bees and flowers is a form of __________.

a) antibiotics
b) biography
c) symbiosis
d) biopsy

10. The tropical rainforest is a __________ rich with life.

a) biography
b) microbe
c) biome
d) bioethics

11. Questions about genetic engineering fall under the field of __________.

a) biodiversity
b) biopsy
c) biome
d) bioethics

12. Harmful __________ can cause infections if they enter the body.

a) biomes
b) microbes
c) autobiographies
d) biospheres

Practice 2: Fill in the Blank

Use each word from the word bank exactly once.

Word Bank: biology, biography, autobiography, biosphere, biopsy, biotic, abiotic, symbiosis, antibiotic, biodegradable, biodiversity, microbe

1. She studied __________ in college before becoming a doctor.

2. The __________ revealed that the tumor was benign.

3. Plants and animals represent __________ factors in ecosystems.

4. A __________ is too small to see without a microscope.

5. Rocks, water, and temperature are __________ factors.

6. The __________ extends from ocean depths to the upper atmosphere.

7. I read a fascinating __________ of Abraham Lincoln.

8. Her __________ was a bestseller for months.

9. The __________ between fungi and trees helps both organisms.

10. Use __________ bags to reduce plastic pollution.

11. Doctors prescribed an __________ to treat the infection.

12. Conservation efforts aim to preserve __________ worldwide.

Practice 3: Reading Passage

Dr. Kenji Nakamura had spent his life studying symbiosis—the intricate relationships between organisms that define the biosphere. His specialty was bioluminescence in deep-sea creatures, a phenomenon as beautiful as it was mysterious.

"Life finds every possible way to survive," he told his graduate students. "That's what biology teaches us."

His latest research examined microbes living in extreme environments—volcanic vents, frozen lakes, places once thought abiotic and lifeless. Finding biotic communities in such harsh conditions challenged old assumptions.

When a colleague suggested his work had implications for bioethics—specifically, whether these discoveries justified more invasive biosphere exploration—Kenji paused. He had seen ecosystems damaged by careless research.

"Biodiversity is not just data," he said in a public lecture. "Each microbe, each symbiotic relationship, represents billions of years of evolution. A biography of the Earth itself."

He concluded with a warning: "We must ensure our tools are biodegradable to the scientific process—that our methods decompose into genuine understanding rather than exploitation."

Some audience members didn't quite follow the metaphor. But his students understood. Life—bio—was both the object of their study and the principle guiding their ethics.

Questions

1. Dr. Nakamura studied "symbiosis." This refers to:

a) The study of biology
b) Close living relationships between different organisms
c) Light from living things
d) A biography of scientists

2. He studied "bioluminescence." This is:

a) A type of antibiotic
b) Light produced by living organisms
c) An abiotic factor
d) A medical procedure

3. Places once thought "abiotic" were found to have life. Abiotic means:

a) Living
b) Relating to non-living factors
c) Full of microbes
d) Biodegradable

4. His work had "bioethics" implications. Bioethics is:

a) The study of life
b) The ethics of biological research
c) A type of biome
d) A biopsy procedure

5. He called biodiversity "a biography of the Earth." This metaphor suggests:

a) The Earth is literally a person
b) The variety of life tells the story of Earth's history
c) Biodiversity should be written down
d) All biographies are about biodiversity