PISA Science Sample Questions

Suppose you were Semmelweis. Give a reason (based on the data Semmelweis collected) why puerperal fever is unlikely to be caused by earthquakes.

What was Semmelweis’ new idea?

• Having students clean themselves after dissections should lead to a decrease of puerperal fever.

• Students should not take part in dissections because they may cut themselves.

• Students smell because they do not clean themselves after a dissection.

• Students want to show that they are industrious, which makes them careless when they examine the women.

Explain why high temperature (while washing sheets) helps to reduce the risk that patients will contract a fever.

What is the reason for the diminished success of some antibiotics against puerperal fever?

• Once produced, antibiotics gradually lose their activity.

• Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.

• These antibiotics only help against puerperal fever, but not against other diseases.

• The need for these antibiotics has been reduced because public health conditions have improved considerably in recent years.

In terms of the article, is the ozone that is formed during thunderstorms “bad ozone” or “good ozone”? Choose the answer and the explanation that is supported by the text.

• Bad ozone is formed during bad weather.

• Bad ozone is formed in the troposphere.

• Good ozone is formed in the stratosphere.

• Good ozone smells good.

Name one of these specific diseases.

Which statement explains why daylight and darkness occur on Earth?

• The Earth rotates on its axis.

• The Sun rotates on its axis.

• The Earth’s axis is tilted.

• The Earth revolves around the Sun.

Which sheep is Dolly identical to?

• Sheep 1

• Sheep 2

• Sheep 3

• Dolly’s father

That “very small piece” is described as what?

• a cell.

• a gene.

• a cell nucleus.

• a chromosome.

What is it about the graphs that supports André’s conclusion?