Reproduction with two parents producing varied offspring is called

• A. Fertilization
• B. Asexual reproduction
• C. Budding
• D. Sexual reproduction

Answer: (D)

The feature being tested is how two parents contribute genetic material to produce offspring that differ from either parent. In sexual reproduction, each parent makes gametes containing half the usual number of chromosomes. When these gametes fuse during fertilization, the resulting zygote has a new combination of genes, and recombination during meiosis adds further variation. This genetic mixing explains why siblings, unlike clones, show variation in traits.

Fertilization is the fusion event that occurs during sexual reproduction, but the overall mode involves two parents and genetic diversity, not just the act of joining. Asexual reproduction uses one parent and yields genetically identical offspring, so it wouldn’t produce varied offspring. Budding is another form of asexual reproduction where a new organism grows from a part of the parent.