Why Do We Fall Ill

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which one of the following is not a viral disease?

(a) Dengue
(b) AIDS
(c) Typhoid
(d) Influenza
Ans. (c) Typhoid
Explanation: Typhoid is a bacterial disease.

2. Which one of the following is not a bacterial disease?

(a) Cholera
(b) Tuberculosis
(c) Anthrax
(d) Influenza
Ans. (d) Influenza
Explanation: Influenza is a viral disease.

3. Which one of the following disease is not transmitted by mosquito?

(a) Brain fever
(b) Malaria
(c) Typhoid
(d) Dengue
Ans. (c) Typhoid
Explanation: Typhoid does not need a vector for transmission. It is transmitted through
contaminated food and water.

4. Which one of the following disease is not caused by bacteria?

(a) Typhoid
(b) Anthrax
(c) Tuberculosis
(d) Malaria
Ans. (d) Malaria
Explanation: Malaria is cause by protozoa.

5. Which one of the following diseases is caused by protozoans?

(a) Malaria
(b) Influenza
(c) AIDS
(d) Cholera
Ans. (a) Malaria

6. Which one of the following has a long-term effect on the health of an individual?
 (a) Common cold
(b) Chicken pox
(c) Chewing tobacco
(d) Stress
Ans. (c) Chewing tobacco
Explanation: Common cold and chicken pox are acute diseases and hence do not have
long term effects. Stress can be managed by making certain changes in lifestyle. But the
effect of chewing tobacco remains for a long time even after giving it up.

7. Which of the following can make you ill if you come in contact with an infected
person?
(a) High blood pressure
(b) Genetic abnormalities
(c) Sneezing
(d) Blood cancer
Ans. (c) Sneezing
Explanation: Diseases in other options are non-infectious diseases. Sneezing is one of the
symptoms of common cold and many other respiratory diseases. All these diseases are
infectious diseases. Hence, sneezing can spread infectious disease from one person to
another.

8. AIDS cannot be transmitted by

(a) sexual contact
(b) hugs
(c) breast feeding
(d) blood transfusion
Ans. (b) hugs
Explanation: Exchange of body fluids is necessary for transmission of AIDS. Exchange of
body fluids is not possible through hugs. Hence, AIDS does not get transmitted by
hugging.

9. Making anti-viral drugs is more difficult than making anti-bacterial medicines

because
(a) viruses make use of host machinery
(b) viruses are on the border line of living and non-living
(c) viruses have very few biochemical mechanisms of their own
(d) viruses have a protein coat
Ans. (c) viruses have very few biochemical mechanisms of their own
Explanation: All anti-bacterial medicines stop some or the other metabolism in bacteria
and thus are effective in controlling further spread of bacteria. Since viruses have very
few biochemical mechanisms of their own, it is highly difficult to make medicines to act
against a particular metabolism. Hence, making anti-viral drugs is more difficult than
making anti-bacterial medicines.

10. Which one of the following causes kala-azar?

 (a) Ascaris
(b) Trypanosoma
(c) Leishmania
(d) Bacteria
Ans. (c) Leishmania
Explanation: Leishmania is a protozoan which causes kala-azar.

11. If you live in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated house, it is possible that you
may suffer from which of the following diseases
(a) Cancer
(b) AIDS
(c) Air borne diseases
(d) Cholera
Ans. (c) Air borne diseases
Explanation: Living in enclosed spaces increases the risk of air-borne diseases.

12. Which disease is not transmitted by mosquitoes?

(a) Dengue
(b) Malaria
(c) Brain fever or encephalitis
(d) Pneumonia
Ans. (d) Pneumonia
Explanation: Pneumonia is transmitted through air.

13. Which one of the following is not important for individual health?
(a) Living in clean space
(b) Good economic condition
(c) Social equality and harmony
(d) Living in a large and well-furnished house
Ans. (d) Living in a large and well-furnished house
Explanation: If a large and well-furnished house is not clean; then it is not enough to
ensure health. Conditions shown in other options are more important for being healthy.

14. Choose the wrong statement

(a) High blood pressure is caused by excessive weight and lack of exercise.
(b) Cancers can be caused by genetic abnormalities
(c) Peptic ulcers are caused by eating acidic food
(d) Acne in not caused by staphylococci
Ans. (c) Peptic ulcers are caused by eating acidic food
Explanation: Peptic ulcers are caused by a bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori.

15. We should not allow mosquitoes to breed in our surroundings because they
(a) multiply very fast and cause pollution
(b) are vectors for many diseases
(c) bite and cause skin diseases
 (d) are not important insects
Ans. (b) are vectors for many diseases
Explanation: Diseases spread by mosquitoes are very dangerous; like malaria and
dengue. Hence, it is important to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes.

16. You are aware of Polio Eradication Programme in your city. Children are
vaccinated because
(a) vaccination kills the polio causing microorganisms
(b) prevents the entry of polio causing organism
(c) it creates immunity in the body
(d) all the above
Ans. (c) it creates immunity in the body
Explanation: Any vaccine helps in creating immunity in the body against a particular
disease for which the vaccine is being made.

17. Viruses, which cause hepatitis, are transmitted through

(a) air
(b) water
(c) food
(d) personal contact
Ans. (b) water
Explanation: Hepatitis is a viral disease and spreads through contaminated water. But
hepatitis B is spread through exchange of body fluids.

18. Vectors can be defined as

(a) animals carry the infecting agents from sick person to another healthy person
(b) microorganisms which cause many diseases
(c) infected person
(d) diseased plants
Ans. (a) animals carry the infecting agents from sick person to another healthy person
Explanation: Vectors are in fact live carries of germs of diseases.
 Why Do We Fall Ill

Short Answer Questions

19. Give two examples for each of the following

(a) Acute diseases
(b) Chronic diseases
(c) Infectious diseases
(d) Non-infectious diseases
Ans. (a) Viral fever, Flu
(b) Elephantiasis, Tuberculosis (TB)
(c) Small pox, Chicken pox
(d) Diabetes, Goitre

20. Name two diseases caused by Protozoans. What are their causal organisms?
Ans. (i) Sleeping sickness caused by Trypanosoma/ Malaria by plasmodium
(ii) Kala-azar caused by Leishmania

21. Which bacterium causes peptic ulcers? Who discovered the above pathogen for the
first time?
Ans. (i) Helicobactor pylori
(ii) Marshall and Warren.

22. What is an antibiotic? Give two examples

Ans. Antibiotic is a chemical substance that kill bacteria, secreted by microorganisms which
can kill the pathogens. Examples, Penicillin and Streptomycin.

23. Fill in the blanks

(a) Pneumonia is an example of __________ disease.
Ans. Communicable
(b) Many skin diseases are caused by __________.
Ans. Fungi
(c) Antibiotics commonly block biochemical pathways important for the growth of
__________.
Ans. Bacteria
(d) Living organisms carrying the infecting agents from one person to another are called
__________.
Ans. Vector

24. Name the target organs for the following diseases

(a) Hepatitis targets __________.
Ans. Liver
(b) Fits or unconsciousness targets __________.
Ans. Brain
(c) Pneumonia targets __________.
 Ans. Lungs
(d) Fungal disease targets __________.
Ans. Skin

25. Who discovered ‘vaccine’ for the first time? Name two diseases which can be
prevented by using vaccines.
Ans. Edward Jenner was the first to discover vaccine. Vaccines can be used to prevent small
pox and polio.

26. Fill in the blanks

(a) __________ disease continues for many days and causes __________ on body.
Ans. Chronic, long term effect
(b) __________ disease continues for a few days and causes no longer term effect on body.
Ans. Acute
(c) __________ is defined as physical, mental and social well-being and comfort.
Ans. Health
(d) Common cold is __________ disease.
Ans. Infectious/ communicable
(e) Many skin diseases are caused by __________.
Ans. Fungi

27. Classify the following diseases as infectious or non-infectious.

(a) AIDS
Ans. infectious
(b) Tuberculosis
Ans. infectious
(c) Cholera
Ans. infectious
(d) High blood pressure
Ans. non-infectious
(e) Heart disease
Ans. non-infectious
(f) Pneumonia
Ans. infectious
(g) Cancer
Ans. non-infectious

28. Name any two groups of micro-organisms from which antibiotics could be
extracted.
Ans. Bacteria and fungi

29. Name any three diseases transmitted through vectors.

Ans. Malaria, dengue and chikungunya
 Why Do We Fall Ill

Long Answer Questions

30. Explain giving reasons

(a) Balanced diet is necessary for maintaining healthy body.
Ans. Food is necessary for the growth and development of the body. Balanced diet
provides raw materials and energy in appropriate amount needed for the substances
likes protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals etc which in turn are essential for the proper
growth and functioning of the healthy body.
(b) Health of an organism depends upon the surrounding environmental conditions.
Ans. Health is a state of being well enough to function well physically, mentally and
socially and these conditions depend upon the surrounding environmental conditions.
eg., If there are unhygienic conditions in surrounding area, it is likely we might get
infected or diseased.
(c) Our surrounding area should be free of stagnant water.
Ans. This is so because many water borne diseases and insect vectors flourish in stagnant
water which cause diseases in human beings.
(d) Social harmony and good economic conditions are necessary for good health.
Ans. Human beings live in societies and different localities like villages or cities, which
determines the social and physical environment and hence both are to be kept in
harmony. Public cleanliness is important for individual health. For better living
conditions lot of money is required. We need good food for healthy body and for this we
have to earn more. For the treatment of diseases also, one has to be in good economic
condition.

31. What is a disease? How many types of diseases have you studied? Give examples.
Ans. A condition in which the functioning of the body or a part of it changes adversely, it is
called disease.
Types of diseases:
• Acute Diseases: Diseases which last for only very short period of time. Example,
cough, cold, fever, etc.
• Chronic Diseases: Diseases which last for a long time and adversely affect the
health of a person. Example, AIDS, encephalitis, etc.
• Infectious Diseases: Diseases which spread from an infected person to a healthy
person. Example, malaria, typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis, etc.
• Non-infectious Diseases: Diseases which do not spread from an infected person to
a healthy person. Example, Diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, cancer
etc.
Non-infectious diseases can be further divided into two categories:
(a) Lifestyle Diseases: Diabetes, hypertension, etc.
(b) Genetic Diseases: Haemophilia, sickle-cell anemia, etc.

32. What do you mean by disease symptoms? Explain giving two examples?
Ans. When the functioning or the appearance of one or more systems of the body will change
for the worse, it gives certain abnormal signs of the disease. These visual changes in
human beings are called symptoms. Symptoms give indication of the presence of a
particular disease.
Example (i) Lesions on the skin are the symptoms of chickenpox.
Example (ii) Cough is the symptom of lung infection.

33. Why is immune system essential for our health?

Ans. The immune system of our body is a kind of defense mechanism to fight against
pathogenic microbes. It has cells that are specialized to kill infecting microbes and keep
our body healthy.

34. What precautions will you take to justify “prevention is better than cure”.
Ans. Following precautions should be taken for prevention of disease.
(1) Maintaining hygienic conditions.
(2) Awareness about the disease and causal organism.
(3) Balanced diet.
(4) Regular medical check-up.

35. Why do some children fall ill more frequently than others living in the same
locality?
Ans. Some children have weak immune system which can happen because of various reasons.
A child may not be getting balanced diet. A child may be living in congested and
unhygienic locality. A child may not be getting clean drinking water. These children are at
more risk of falling ill than others living in the same locality.

36. Why are antibiotics not effective for viral disease?

Ans. Antibiotics generally block the biosynthetic pathways and they block these pathways of
the microbes/bacteria. However, viruses have very few biochemical mechanisms of their
own and hence are unaffected by antibiotics.

37. Becoming exposed to or infected with an infectious microbe does not necessarily
mean developing noticeable disease. Explain.
Ans. Because of strong immune system our body is normally fighting off microbes. We have
cells which are specialised to kill the pathogenic microbes. These cells are active when
infecting microbes enter the body and if they are successful in removing the pathogen, we
remain disease– free. So even if we are exposed to infectious microbes, it is not necessary
that we suffer from diseases.

38. Give any four factors necessary for a healthy person.

Ans. For a healthy person, it is necessary that
(i) The surrounding environment should be clean. Air and water borne diseases will not
spread.
(ii) Personal hygiene prevents infectious diseases.
 (iii) Proper, sufficient nourishment and food is necessary for good immune system of our
body.
(iv) Immunisation against severe diseases.

39. Why is AIDS considered to be a ‘Syndrome’ and not a disease?

Ans. AIDS causing virus— HIV that comes into the body via, the sexual organs or any other
means like blood transfusion will spread to lymph nodes all over the body. The virus
damages the immune system of the body and due to this the body can no longer fight off
many minor infections. Instead, every small cold can become pneumonia, or minor gut
infection can become severe diarrhoea with blood loss. The effect of disease becomes
very severe and complex, at times killing the person suffering from AIDS. Hence there is
no specific disease symptoms for AIDS but it results in a complex diseases and symptoms.
Therefore, it is known as a syndrome.