Chapter 10: Living Creatures: Exploring Their Characteristics

Introduction

Living creatures are all around us. They vary in size, shape, structure, habitat, and habits. Understanding their characteristics helps us classify them, study their functions, and conserve biodiversity.

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1. Characteristics of Living Creatures

All living organisms share some common characteristics:

1. Movement: Ability to move from one place to another or move parts of the body.
2. Respiration: Breathing to release energy from food.
3. Nutrition: Obtaining food for energy and growth.
4. Excretion: Removal of waste products from the body.
5. Sensitivity: Responding to changes in the environment.
6. Reproduction: Producing new organisms to continue the species.
7. Growth: Increase in size and development.

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2. Classification of Living Creatures

A. Plants

• Algae – Simple plants, aquatic, e.g., Spirogyra
• Mosses and Ferns – Non-flowering plants
• Gymnosperms – Cones, seeds without fruit, e.g., Pine
• Angiosperms – Flowering plants, seeds in fruit, e.g., Mango

B. Animals

1. Invertebrates – No backbone
   • Examples: Insects, worms, mollusks
2. Vertebrates – Have backbone
   • Examples: Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish

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3. Key Points to Remember

• All living creatures show movement, nutrition, respiration, excretion, sensitivity, growth, and reproduction.
• Classification helps in studying and understanding diversity.
• Plants and animals are grouped based on common characteristics.

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Mixed-Type Questions – Living Creatures: Exploring Their Characteristics

1. Very Short Answer (1 mark)

1. Name two characteristics of living organisms.
2. Give an example of an invertebrate.
3. Give an example of a vertebrate.
4. What is the main function of nutrition?
5. What is reproduction?
6. Name one flowering plant.
7. Name one non-flowering plant.
8. What does sensitivity mean?
9. Give an example of an animal that moves using limbs.
10. Give an example of a plant that reproduces using seeds.

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2. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

1. Which of the following is a vertebrate?
   a) Earthworm
   b) Fish
   c) Insect
   d) Jellyfish
2. Which of these is a flowering plant?
   a) Pine
   b) Mango
   c) Fern
   d) Moss
3. Respiration is important because it:
   a) Removes wastes
   b) Releases energy from food
   c) Helps in reproduction
   d) Helps in movement
4. An invertebrate is an animal:
   a) With a backbone
   b) Without a backbone
   c) That lays eggs
   d) That reproduces sexually
5. Plants and animals are classified based on:
   a) Colour only
   b) Habitat only
   c) Common characteristics
   d) Food habits only

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3. Fill in the Blanks

1. All living organisms show __________, nutrition, respiration, and growth.
2. Earthworm is an example of __________.
3. Pine tree is a __________ plant.
4. Reproduction ensures continuation of the __________.
5. Sensitivity is the ability to __________ to changes in the environment.

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4. True/False Type

1. All living creatures can move from place to place. (True/False)
2. Angiosperms are flowering plants. (True/False)
3. Mammals are invertebrates. (True/False)
4. Respiration releases energy from food. (True/False)
5. Mosses and ferns reproduce using seeds. (True/False)

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5. Short Answer Questions (2–3 marks)

1. Name three characteristics common to all living organisms.
2. Give two examples each of vertebrates and invertebrates.
3. Name two flowering and two non-flowering plants.
4. What is the main function of excretion in living organisms?
5. Define growth in living organisms.

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6. Long Answer Questions (4–5 marks)

1. Explain the seven characteristics of living organisms with examples.
2. Describe the classification of animals into vertebrates and invertebrates.
3. Explain the classification of plants into flowering and non-flowering plants.
4. Why is reproduction important for living creatures?
5. How does classification help in studying biodiversity?

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7. Higher-Order Thinking (HOT) & Application

1. An unknown animal has no backbone but can move using legs. Classify it and give an example.
2. A plant grows from seeds and has flowers. Classify it and give two examples.
3. Explain how the seven characteristics of living organisms help us distinguish them from non-living things.

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8. Passage-Based Questions

Read the passage and answer:
Living creatures have common characteristics such as movement, nutrition, respiration, excretion, sensitivity, growth, and reproduction. They are classified into groups like vertebrates, invertebrates, flowering plants, and non-flowering plants to study their diversity.

1. Name any three characteristics of living organisms mentioned in the passage.
2. Give an example of a vertebrate and an invertebrate.
3. Name one flowering and one non-flowering plant.
4. Why are living creatures classified into groups?

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Answer Key – Living Creatures: Exploring Their Characteristics

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1. Very Short Answer

1. Movement, Nutrition (other examples: respiration, growth, excretion, sensitivity, reproduction)
2. Earthworm
3. Fish
4. To provide energy and growth
5. Process of producing new organisms
6. Mango
7. Fern or Moss
8. Ability to respond to changes in the environment
9. Frog, Dog, Cat
10. Mango, Sunflower

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2. MCQ Answers

1. b) Fish
2. b) Mango
3. b) Releases energy from food
4. b) Without a backbone
5. c) Common characteristics

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3. Fill in the Blanks

1. movement
2. invertebrate
3. gymnosperm
4. species
5. respond

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4. True/False

1. False
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False

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5. Short Answer

1. Movement, Nutrition, Respiration
2. Vertebrates: Fish, Frog; Invertebrates: Earthworm, Butterfly
3. Flowering: Mango, Sunflower; Non-flowering: Fern, Moss
4. To remove waste products from the body
5. Increase in size and development

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6. Long Answer

1. Seven characteristics: Movement, Nutrition, Respiration, Excretion, Sensitivity, Reproduction, Growth – examples provided above
2. Vertebrates – backbone (Mammals, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Amphibians); Invertebrates – no backbone (Insects, Worms, Mollusks)
3. Flowering plants – seeds in fruit (Mango, Sunflower); Non-flowering – seeds not in fruit (Fern, Moss)
4. Reproduction ensures the continuation of the species
5. Classification helps study, identify, and conserve biodiversity systematically

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7. HOT & Application

1. Invertebrate; Example: Grasshopper
2. Flowering plant; Examples: Mango, Sunflower
3. These characteristics distinguish living from non-living things, help in growth, energy, reproduction, and adaptation

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8. Passage-Based

1. Movement, Nutrition, Respiration
2. Vertebrate – Fish; Invertebrate – Earthworm
3. Flowering – Mango; Non-flowering – Fern
4. To study and understand diversity systematically