Lesson 4.6.2.3

4.6.2.3 Selective breeding Quiz: AQA Biology, Unit 6

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.6.2.3, Selective breeding: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Biology (8461), Unit 6: Inheritance, variation and evolution, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. In selective breeding, who chooses which individual organisms are allowed to reproduce?

    • Humans
    • Natural selection
    • Predators
    • Nature

  2. Selective breeding is also called what?

    • Artificial selection
    • Natural selection
    • Evolutionary drift
    • Genetic modification

  3. For how long have humans practised selective breeding?

    • Thousands of years
    • Since 1859 only
    • About 100 years
    • Less than 50 years

  4. How long must selective breeding usually be repeated to achieve desired traits in all offspring?

    • One generation
    • Many generations
    • Two months
    • A few days

  5. Humans perform selective breeding to produce offspring with which features?

    • Desired characteristics
    • Increased mortality
    • Random traits
    • Wild behaviours

  6. Which trait is commonly selected for when selectively breeding food crop plants?

    • Disease resistance
    • Darker roots
    • Low crop yield
    • High susceptibility

  7. Which animal trait is commonly selected to increase food yield in cattle?

    • Bright colour
    • Thick fur
    • High milk yield
    • Gentle nature

  8. Which trait is selected in domestic dogs?

    • Ability to fly
    • Large petals
    • Extra fingers
    • A gentle nature

  9. Which feature is usually selected when breeding ornamental plants?

    • Fast growth
    • High yield
    • Large flowers
    • Insect resistance

  10. What major health risk is associated with selective breeding?

    • Gene mutation
    • Tissue rejection
    • Foreign infection
    • Inbreeding

  11. What happens if a farmer repeatedly breeds cows with the highest milk yields?

    • Overall yield increases
    • Yield remains constant
    • Milk turns sour
    • Cows become sterile

  12. Why does selective breeding often result in inbreeding?

    • Using foreign genes
    • Breeding close relatives
    • Random mating choices
    • High mutation rates

  13. Which action in selective breeding is repeated over many generations?

    • Inserting new genes
    • Introducing wild traits
    • Cloning adult cells
    • Breeding chosen offspring

  14. How can a breeder produce disease-resistant wheat using selective breeding?

    • Insert bacterial genes
    • Cross resistant plants
    • Expose to radiation
    • Spray with fungicide

  15. Why is selective breeding known as artificial selection?

    • Genes are modified
    • Nature controls mating
    • Humans choose parents
    • Mutations are induced

  16. How can breeders reduce the risk of inherited defects in a herd?

    • Mate identical twins
    • Clone top individuals
    • Increase inbreeding
    • Avoid close relatives

  17. What are two potential outcomes of selective breeding in livestock?

    • Gene transfer, immunity
    • Natural selection, mutation
    • Low yield, cloning
    • High yield, inbreeding

  18. Which ethical concern is directly associated with selective breeding in animals?

    • Reduced animal welfare
    • Environmental toxicity
    • Excessive energy use
    • Soil erosion

  19. Why must selective breeding be carried out over many generations?

    • To increase variation
    • To establish traits
    • To clone offspring
    • To create mutations

  20. How were domesticated animals originally produced from wild ancestors?

    • By natural selection
    • By selective breeding
    • By tissue culture
    • By genetic engineering

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