Question
NEET 2022 (paraphrased): Regarding nutrition, which of the following statements is correct? (a) autotrophic refers to animals depend on others for food (b) heterotrophic is characterised by plants make their own food via photosynthesis (c) holozoic — ingest whole food then digest (like humans) (d) saprophytic has no role in nutrition
Solution — Step by Step
This option swaps the definitions. autotrophic is actually plants make their own food via photosynthesis, not what (a) claims. So (a) is out.
Similarly, heterotrophic means animals depend on others for food. Option (b) is mismatched. Out.
This one reads correctly: holozoic — ingest whole food then digest (like humans). Match with NCERT wording confirms it.
saprophytic — feed on dead/decaying matter (like fungi) — plays a real role in nutrition, so option (d) is factually wrong.
Correct answer: (c) holozoic — ingest whole food then digest (like humans).
Why This Works
NEET PYQs on nutrition rely on definition swapping. The examiner takes two correct facts and pairs them with the wrong terms. If you know each fact cold, the MCQ dissolves in 20 seconds.
Alternative Method
For definition-swap MCQs, don’t read all four options first. Read option (a), decide true/false, then (b), and so on. This prevents confusion between similar-looking options.
NEET reuses the same fact set every 2–3 years with different distractors. Master the four NCERT facts on nutrition listed here and you’ll handle almost any MCQ on this chapter.
Common Mistake
Students second-guess themselves when they see a familiar option listed as “wrong” in the stem. Trust the elimination — if you know the definition, stick with it.
Keep a one-page sheet of definitions for every NEET chapter. Revise only that sheet in the last 48 hours before the exam.