NURS 5220 Advanced Health Assessment Test 5: Ears, Nose, Throat, and Mouth - The
University of Texas at Arlington
(60 questions with answers and brief rationales)
1. The external ear consists of all EXCEPT:
A. Pinna
B. External auditory canal
C. Tympanic membrane
D. Cochlea
Answer: D
Rationale: The cochlea is part of the inner ear. The external ear includes pinna, canal,
and tympanic membrane.
2. The middle ear contains:
A. Cochlea and semicircular canals
B. Ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes)
C. Cranial nerve VIII
D. Ceruminous glands
Answer: B
Rationale: The middle ear contains the three ossicles that transmit sound vibrations.
3. The eustachian tube connects the:
A. Middle ear to the nasopharynx
B. Inner ear to the throat
C. External ear to the middle ear
D. Cochlea to the semicircular canals
Answer: A
Rationale: The eustachian tube equalizes pressure between the middle ear and
nasopharynx.
4. The inner ear is responsible for:
A. Sound conduction only
B. Hearing and balance
C. Pressure equalization
D. Wax production
, Answer: B
Rationale: The inner ear contains the cochlea (hearing) and vestibular apparatus
(balance).
5. Cerumen is produced by:
A. Sebaceous glands
B. Ceruminous glands in the outer third of the ear canal
C. Apocrine glands in the middle ear
D. Sweat glands
Answer: B
Rationale: Ceruminous glands in the outer third of the canal produce earwax.
6. When performing an otoscopic exam on an adult, the pinna is pulled:
A. Up and back
B. Down and back
C. Straight down
D. Forward
Answer: A
Rationale: Pulling up and back straightens the adult ear canal.
7. For a child's otoscopic exam, the pinna is pulled:
A. Up and back
B. Down and back
C. Straight up
D. Forward
Answer: B
Rationale: The child's ear canal is straighter; pulling down and back aligns it.
8. The normal tympanic membrane appears:
A. Pearly gray, translucent, with a cone of light
B. Red and bulging
C. Yellow and retracted
D. White and opaque
Answer: A
Rationale: A healthy TM is pearly gray, translucent, with a visible cone of light.
University of Texas at Arlington
(60 questions with answers and brief rationales)
1. The external ear consists of all EXCEPT:
A. Pinna
B. External auditory canal
C. Tympanic membrane
D. Cochlea
Answer: D
Rationale: The cochlea is part of the inner ear. The external ear includes pinna, canal,
and tympanic membrane.
2. The middle ear contains:
A. Cochlea and semicircular canals
B. Ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes)
C. Cranial nerve VIII
D. Ceruminous glands
Answer: B
Rationale: The middle ear contains the three ossicles that transmit sound vibrations.
3. The eustachian tube connects the:
A. Middle ear to the nasopharynx
B. Inner ear to the throat
C. External ear to the middle ear
D. Cochlea to the semicircular canals
Answer: A
Rationale: The eustachian tube equalizes pressure between the middle ear and
nasopharynx.
4. The inner ear is responsible for:
A. Sound conduction only
B. Hearing and balance
C. Pressure equalization
D. Wax production
, Answer: B
Rationale: The inner ear contains the cochlea (hearing) and vestibular apparatus
(balance).
5. Cerumen is produced by:
A. Sebaceous glands
B. Ceruminous glands in the outer third of the ear canal
C. Apocrine glands in the middle ear
D. Sweat glands
Answer: B
Rationale: Ceruminous glands in the outer third of the canal produce earwax.
6. When performing an otoscopic exam on an adult, the pinna is pulled:
A. Up and back
B. Down and back
C. Straight down
D. Forward
Answer: A
Rationale: Pulling up and back straightens the adult ear canal.
7. For a child's otoscopic exam, the pinna is pulled:
A. Up and back
B. Down and back
C. Straight up
D. Forward
Answer: B
Rationale: The child's ear canal is straighter; pulling down and back aligns it.
8. The normal tympanic membrane appears:
A. Pearly gray, translucent, with a cone of light
B. Red and bulging
C. Yellow and retracted
D. White and opaque
Answer: A
Rationale: A healthy TM is pearly gray, translucent, with a visible cone of light.
