Chapter 1 - Introduction to Programmed Learning and
Medical Word Building
Multiple choice. Select the best answer.
1. Which of the following elements is not a
combining form?
a. gastr/o
b. arthr/o
c. angi
d. nephr/o
e. mast/o
2. The combining form gastr/o refers to the:
a. mouth
b. intestine
c. stomach
d. liver
e. bladder
3. To build a medical word, use a combining
form before a suffix that begins with a:
a. prefix
b. suffix
c. vowel
d. consonant
e. letter "o"
4. Which of the following is a word root?
a. hepat
b. hepato
c. hepatom
d. -megaly
e. hepatomegaly
5. A combining form is a word root plus a:
a. prefix
b. vowel
c. suffix
d. another word root
e. consonant
6. Which of the following is an adjective suffix?
a. -oma
b. -penia
c. -itis
d. -ic
e. -ia
7. An element located at the beginning of a
medical word is a:
a. prefix
b. suffix
c. combining vowel
d. a and c
e. b and c
8. The word root usually indicates:
a. position
b. number
c. condition
d. anatomical structure
e. procedure
9. The prefix in post/mortem means:
a. before
b. after
c. death
d. life
e. beyond
10. Arthr/o/centesisis a surgical puncture of a
joint. In this word, arthr/o is a:
a. prefix
b. suffix
c. word root
d. combining vowel
e. combining form
11. A therm/o/meter is an instrument for
measuring temperature. In this word, -
meteris a(n):
a. adjective
b. prefix
c. combining form
d. compound word
e. suffix
12. Which of the following is an example of a
combining vowel that is used to link one
word root to another word root?
a. gastr/itis
b. gastr/o/dynia
c. gastr/o/esophag/itis
d. gastr/o/megaly
e. gastr/oma
13. Which of the following words is built
incorrectly?
a. my/algia
b. nephr/o/dynia
c. aden/oid
d. gastr/plasty
e. py/o/rrhea
14. The suffix -itis means:
a. pain
b. blood
c. excision
d. rupture
e. inflammation
15. Which of the following words contains a
prefix?
a. hyperthermia
b. gastric
c. thermometer
d. nephritis
e. cardiac
16. Which of the following statement about
compound words is false?
a. They contain two or more roots or
combining forms.
b. They have only one word element and
a suffix.
c. Their word elements are usually linked
by combining vowels.
d. Their suffixes are added using the rules
that govern suffixes.
e. Their roots may refer to anatomical
structures and organs.
17. Vowels marked with a macron (-) indicate:
a. short sound
b. stress
c. silent letter
d. long sound
e. diphthong
18. Oste/o/chondr/itis is an example of a:
a. suffix that begins with a consonant
b. simple word
c. compound word
d. medical word containing a prefix
e. word with only one word element
19. The oein roentgen is pronounced:
a. ĕ
b. oy
c. ŭ
d. ō
e. ā
20. In medical terms, ch(as in cholera) is
usually pronounced:
a. "chal"
b. "cha"
c. "k"
d. "aitch"
e. "cee"
38 Multiple Choice Test Questions
21. To make words ending in y plural:
a. retain the y and add es
b. drop the y and add es
c. drop the y and add i
d. retain the y and add s
e. drop the y and add ies
22. The plural form of pubis is:
a. pubices
b. pubex
c. pubic
d. pubes
e. pubous
23. What does the suffix -ism mean?
a. small
b. specialist
c. condition
d. pertaining to
e. treatment
24. Which set of noun/adjective terms is paired
incorrectly?
a. vein; venous
b. cardium; cardiac
c. artery; arteries
d. cerebrum; cerebral
e. neuron; neural
25. Which set of singular/plural terms is paired
incorrectly?
a. bursa; bursae
b. thorax; thoraces
c. radius; radii
d. bronchus; bronchial
e. atrium; atria
26. Which set of noun/adjective terms is paired
incorrectly?
a. mucus; mucous
b. myocardium; myocardial
c. ileum; ilea
d. duodenum; duodenal
e. colon; colic
27. What is the adjective form of axilla?
a. axillar
b. axillary
c. axilliac
d. axillae
e. axillic
28. What is the plural form of radius?
a. radii
b. radium
c. radiae
d. radious
e. radial
29. What is the plural form of nucleus?
a. nuclear
b. nucleolus
c. nuclei
d. nucleic
e. nucleii
30. Which of the following is not a diminutive
word?
a. arteriole
b. macule
c. particle
d. atom
e. venule
31. All of the following terms are nouns except:
a. coronary
b. bile
c. lung
d. tooth
e. kidney
32. The plural form of calcaneumis:
a. calcaniae
b. calcaneus
c. calcaneal
d. calcanea
e. calcania
33. To make words ending in is plural:
a. drop is and add es
b. drop is and add ex
c. drop is and add ices
d. drop is and add a
e. retain is and add es
34. All of the following are nouns except:
a. pneumonia
b. alcoholism
c. psychologist
d. psychiatry
e. coronary
35. The plural form of bacterium is:
a. bacteria
b. bacteries
c. bacteriae
d. bacterion
e. bacterias
36. The word for a small vein is:
a. venous
b. venae
c. venule
d. venicle
e. veinula
37. Which set of singular/plural terms is paired
incorrectly?
a. ganglion; ganglia
b. lumen; lumina
c. pleura; pleural
d. deformity; deformities
e. apex; apices
38. Which of the following is a noun form for
heart?
a. cardiac
b. cardium
c. cardial
d. cardii
e. cardiae
39. The word mucous is a(n):
a. adjective
b. adverb
c. noun
d. plural form
e. singular form
40. The plural form of lumen is:
a. lumena
b. lumenae
c. luminata
d. lumina
e. luminal
41. The plural form of bursa is:
a. bursi
b. bursium
c. bursices
d. bursae
e. bursal
42. All of the following are adjectives except:
a. cutaneous
b. acoustic
c. hypodermic
d. pulmonary
e. rectum
43. Which ending is not an adjective ending?
a. -tic
b. -ia
c. -ary
d. -eal
e. -ous
44. Which of the following vowels is most
commonly used in combining forms?
a. a
b. e
c. i
d. o
e. u
45. Which term below has a word root linking a
suffix that begins with a vowel?
a. cardi/o/centesis
b. enter/o/lysis
c. therm/o/meter
d. scler/osis
e. cardi/o/megaly
Write the PLURAL form for the words below.
sarcoma / ______
thrombus / ______
appendix / ______
diverticulum / ______
ovary / ______
diagnosis / ______
lumen / ______
vertebra / ______
thorax / ______
spermatozoon / ______