In the North Pacific Ocean, two groups of the same species of killer whales (Orcinus
orca) appear to be forming two different species based on what they eat. One group eats
fish and the other eats mammals such as seals. Scientists can tell what they eat based on
their teeth, because whales that feed on fish have significantly different wear patterns.
Which of the following would not be a useful procedure to perform in determining
whether or not this speciation has occurred?
A) Compare teeth of whales alive today to teeth of whales in ancient samples.
B) Compare DNA samples from fish-eaters and mammal-eaters.
C) Compare stomach contents of whales from each of the two populations.
D) Compare body shape of whales from each population.
Scientists interested in knowing the best way to restore an area after a temporary road
was built through it completed a study comparing two treatments: (1) restoring the
contour of an area so that there was no longer a depression or cut-through where the
road was previously and (2) simply abandoning the area to allow vegetation to return on
its own. They wanted to know whether either or both of these treatments would return
the aboveground vegetation and the belowground soil properties to their original state,
as seen in a similar area where there had never been a road.
This study was focused on which level of life’s hierarchy?
A) organism
B) community
C) population
D) ecosystem
If you could design a modified version of the enzyme to ensure that it would function
optimally in the harsh conditions of the washing vat (such as high temperature or high
pH), which of the following could you do to achieve this goal?
A) Add more amino acids to the end of the protein to make it more hydrophobic.
B) Change the amino acid sequence slightly to ensure a more stable tertiary structure.
C) Remove some amino acids from the start of the protein to strengthen its secondary
structure.
D) Change the amino acid sequence drastically to give the enzyme quaternary structure.
A big difference between social learning and imprinting is that
A) imprinting does not involve a reward.
B) imprinting can only take place among members of the same species.
C) social learning has a primarily genetic basis.
D) social learning is not limited to a sensitive period.
Osmosis can be defined as
A) the diffusion of water.
B) the diffusion of nonpolar molecules.
C) active transport.
D) the diffusion of a solute.
The ________ is a flagellated cell that sweeps water through a sponge’s body.
A) choanocyte
B) amoebocyte
C) spicule
D) spongin
Under which of the following weather conditions would transpiration be most rapid?
A) hot, humid weather
B) cold, humid weather
C) hot, dry weather
D) windy, wet weather
The olfactory receptor cells are located in the
A) forebrain.
B) semicircular canals.
C) saccule.
D) nasal cavity.
Which of the following functional groups is capable of regulating gene expression?
A) -OH
B) -COOH
C) -CO
D) -CH3
Diane Dodd raised different fruit fly populations on different food sources. She found
that after about 40 generations the evolution of reproductive isolation was under way.
The mechanism of evolution responsible for this was
A) natural selection.
B) genetic drift.
C) gene flow.
D) mutation.
This image represents monocots and eudicots. Which column shows traits that are
incorrectly categorized?
A) column A
B) column B
C) column C
D) column D
If you ate a 100% plant-based (vegan) diet, what molecule would you never eat?
A) starch
B) cellulose
C) cholesterol
D) phospholipids
Which of the following mechanisms of controlling gene expression occurs outside of
the nucleus?
A) adding a cap and tail to RNA
B) DNA packing/unpacking
C) RNA splicing
D) translation
You’ve been experiencing acid indigestion lately, and you’d like a quick fix for the
problem. You do a little research on the Internet and discover that your problem is
caused by excess stomach acid. In the pharmacy aisles, however, you’re having a little
trouble deciding what to purchase to address the problem. At the pharmacy counter, the
clerk recommends that you purchase PEPCID AC or Alka-Seltzer tablets.
You want to design an experiment to compare the effectiveness of Pepcid AC tablets
and Alka-Seltzer tablets. Which of the following facts would be least likely to
complicate your experiment and the analysis of your results?
A) PEPCID AC and Alka-Seltzer tablets contain different concentrations of the antacid
drug.
B) PEPCID AC and Alka-Seltzer tablets contain different ingredients.
C) The recommended dosage for PEPCID AC and Alka-Seltzer tablets is different.
D) PEPCID AC and Alka-Seltzer tablets are sold in different countries throughout the
world.
Which of the following statements about germination is false?
A) The germination of a seed represents the beginning of life.
B) Germination usually begins when a seed takes up water.
C) A hydrated seed expands, rupturing its seed coat.
D) Germination usually takes place after a period of dormancy.
Which of the following statements is true?
A) Arthropods have an open circulatory system, while annelids have a closed
circulatory system.
B) Vertebrates have an open circulatory system, while annelids have a closed
circulatory system.
C) Vertebrates have an open circulatory system, while arthropods have a closed
circulatory system.
D) Annelids have an open circulatory system, while molluscs have a closed circulatory
system.
The loss of plant biodiversity, including the wild relatives of crop species, is harmful
because these wild relatives
A) feed most of the world’s population.
B) may be suitable for domestication and regional production.
C) are often tastier than existing crops.
D) are a source of genetic diversity that could be used to modify or bolster existing
crops.
Which of the following does not indicate a well-designed study?
A) a control group
B) variables were controlled
C) bias
D) follow-up studies
The largest estuary in the United States is the Chesapeake Bay, which extends through
six states, including Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The bay is one of the most
productive natural areas in the world. It is home to thousands of plants and animals,
including many commercially important species. The water of the bay is relatively
shallow. Many areas are no more than 10 feet deep, with an average depth of 30 feet.
Light penetrates the shallow water and supports the submerged plants that provide food
and shelter for the many species living in the bay ecosystem. However, like many
estuaries, the bay receives large amounts of fertilizer runoff from farms, lawns, and
wastewater treatment facilities.
Fertilizer runoff contains ________, which are the most important limiting factors for
phytoplankton growth.
A) carbon and hydrogen
B) oxygen and carbon dioxide
C) nitrogen and phosphorus
D) sulfur and magnesium
Put the following steps of the light reactions in the correct order:
1. Light excites an electron from photosystem I.
2. Light excites an electron from photosystem II.
3. Electrons reduce NADP+ to NADPH.
4. Electrons pass through an electron transport chain, which generates a H+ gradient
used to make ATP.
A) 1, 2, 3, 4
B) 1, 4, 2, 3
C) 2, 4, 1, 3
D) 2, 3, 1, 4
It is possible to synthesize proteins in vitro (in a test tube) without the use of living
cells. If starting from a mature mRNA transcript, which of the following components
would not be needed to do this?
A) adenine molecules
B) amino acids
C) tRNAs
D) ribosomes
Organisms that possess more than two complete sets of chromosomes are said to be
A) haploid.
B) polyploid.
C) diploid.
D) hybrids.
Which of the following best expresses the concept of natural selection?
A) differential reproductive success based on inherited characteristics
B) inheritance of acquired characteristics
C) change in response to need
D) a process of constant improvement, leading eventually to perfection
Which of the following statements about nucleic acid probes is false?
A) A nucleic acid probe is a double-stranded section of DNA.
B) A nucleic acid probe can be used to find a specific gene.
C) A nucleic acid probe binds to a complementary sequence in the gene of interest.
D) A nucleic acid probe is usually labeled with a radioactive isotope or fluorescent tag
to help identify its location.
Which of the following statements regarding genetic diversity is false?
A) Genetic diversity is enhanced by random fertilization.
B) Genetic diversity is enhanced by independent orientation of chromosomes at
metaphase I.
C) Genetic diversity is enhanced by mitosis.
D) Genetic diversity is enhanced by crossing over during meiosis.
Varieties of plants in which self-fertilization produces offspring that are identical to the
parents are referred to as
A) hybrids.
B) the F2 generation.
C) monohybrid crosses.
D) true-breeding.
Proteins differ from one another because
A) the peptide bonds linking amino acids differ from protein to protein.
B) the sequence of amino acids in the polypeptide chain differs from protein to protein.
C) each protein contains its own unique sequence of sugar molecules.
D) the number of nucleotides found in each protein varies from molecule to molecule.
Arteries are distinguished from veins based on all of the following features except
A) the direction of blood flow relative to the heart.
B) the structure of their walls.
C) the amount of oxygen present in the blood.
D) the blood pressure.
In a mammal, blood leaving the lungs goes to
A) the heart.
B) the limbs.
C) the liver.
D) the brain.
Which of the following plant responses is affected by photoperiod?
A) gravitropism
B) apical dominance
C) onset of dormancy
D) cell division
You’re the manager of a factory that produces enzyme-washed blue jeans (the enzymes
lighten the color of the denim, giving a “faded” appearance). When the most recent
batch of fabric came out of the enzyme wash, however, the color wasn’t light enough to
meet your standards. Your quality control laboratory wants to do some tests to
determine why the wash enzymes didn’t perform as expected.
Which hypothesis is most likely to be productive for their initial investigation?
A) The nucleotide chain of the enzymes may be incorrectly formed.
B) The dye in the fabric may have hydrolyzed the fatty acids in the enzymes.
C) The three-dimensional structure of the proteins may have been altered.
D) There may not have been enough phospholipids for the volume of fabric.
The complex of proteins and DNA in a nondividing cell is called
A) chromatin.
B) a nucleolus.
C) a ribosome.
D) a lysosome.
The redwood groves in Northern California are one of America’s greatest natural
resources. Redwoods can live more than 2,000 years and grow taller than 350 feet.
When tourism became popular in the late 1800s, large tunnels were cut through the
center of several of these giant trees to allow wagons to pass through (and to attract
tourists to the location). Even today, visitors wait in line to be photographed driving
their cars through a tunnel. When the groves were converted into national parks, the
tunneling was discontinued, but several tunneled trees are still alive.
Which of the following correctly lists the sequence of tissues a tunnel would pass
through (starting from the outer surface of the tree and passing through the central
core)?
A) cork, cork cambium, secondary phloem, vascular cambium, sapwood, heartwood
B) epidermis, cortex, primary phloem, primary xylem, heartwood, sapwood
C) heartwood, wood rays, cork cambium, secondary xylem, secondary phloem, vascular
cambium
D) bark, wood rays, growth rings, lateral meristems, primary phloem, secondary
phloem