Lesson 4.6.2.3

4.6.2.3 Selective breeding Quiz: AQA Combined Science, 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 Combined Science (8464), Unit 6: Inheritance, variation and evolution, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Selective breeding is also known as what?

    • evolution by mutation
    • artificial selection
    • genetic engineering
    • natural selection

  2. Which individuals are chosen first in selective breeding from a mixed population?

    • youngest offspring
    • fastest growers
    • desired characteristics
    • wild variants

  3. Which trait is chosen for usefulness rather than appearance in selective breeding?

    • flower colour
    • coat patterns
    • disease resistance
    • unusual flowers

  4. For how many generations does selective breeding continue until all offspring show the desired trait?

    • two generations
    • ten generations
    • many generations
    • one generation

  5. What major risk can selective breeding lead to within animal or plant populations?

    • hybrid vigour
    • mutation
    • extinction
    • inbreeding

  6. For roughly how long have humans practised selective breeding of plants and animals?

    • thousands of years
    • millions of years
    • several decades
    • hundreds of years

  7. Which animal example shows selective breeding for a gentle nature?

    • wild deer
    • wild boar
    • domestic dogs
    • wild wolves

  8. What did humans first breed from wild plants?

    • ornamental trees
    • food crops
    • medicinal fungi
    • bacterial cultures

  9. A farmer breeds wheat resistant to fungus over generations. What is this process called?

    • genetic engineering
    • selective breeding
    • natural selection
    • cloning

  10. What is the best method to increase milk yield in a herd of dairy cows?

    • genetic cloning
    • natural selection
    • selective breeding
    • antibiotic treatment

  11. What is the very first step when starting a programme of selective breeding?

    • introduce plant vectors
    • choose gentlest parents
    • isolate desired genes
    • heat treat offspring

  12. What is the most likely cause of frequent hip defects in a pedigree dog line?

    • dietary deficiency
    • inbreeding
    • viral infection
    • natural selection

  13. Why do selectively bred animals often suffer from increased inherited disorders?

    • breeding closely related
    • high mutation rate
    • lack of water
    • rapid growth hormones

  14. A rose breeder selects for large, unusual flowers. This is selective breeding for which reason?

    • usefulness in farming
    • higher meat yield
    • disease resistance
    • appearance

  15. What is a major agricultural goal for selectively breeding farm animals like cows?

    • resistance to herbicides
    • more meat or milk
    • bright coloured coats
    • faster running speed

  16. What is the best breeding approach to increase egg yield in hens over generations?

    • breed quietest roosters
    • breed highest-laying birds
    • breed smallest chicks
    • breed random pairs

  17. Why does selective breeding tend to reduce genetic variation in a population?

    • increasing mutation rate
    • stopping reproduction completely
    • introducing new alleles
    • narrowing gene pool

  18. Which major biological risk is frequently associated with continuous selective breeding?

    • chromosome loss
    • inbreeding depression
    • viral infection
    • rapid mutation

  19. Which pair correctly identifies a benefit and a risk of selective breeding?

    • insulin and allergy
    • yield and inbreeding
    • cloning and mutations
    • resistance and extinction

  20. What key feature distinguishes artificial selection from natural selection?

    • environmental pressure
    • random mutation
    • geographical isolation
    • human intervention

All AQA Combined Science quizzes