Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
30. The most precise method of obtaining estimates of the absolute ages of geological
deposits is
31. Mollusk eyes and vertebrate eyes are
32. Structures that have no apparent function but had a function in ancestral species are
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
33. Homologous structures are
34. The side toes of a horse, the pelvis of the whale, and the human appendix are all
examples of structures that resemble structures of presumed ancestors, which are known as
35. Which one of the following is not important to the concept of homology?
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
36. All vertebrates contain a similar pattern of organs, indicating that they are related to one
another. This represents which of the following lines of evolutionary evidence?
37. During development in the mother’s uterus, human embryos have pharyngeal pouches
(sometimes called gill slits) that later develop into various glands. Fish also have pharyngeal
pouches as embryos, but these develop into gills. The best explanation for why human and
fish embryos develop pharyngeal pouches is
38. The evolution of similar forms in different lineages when exposed to the same selective
pressures is
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
Check All That Apply Questions
39. A new winged species is discovered in the Amazon rainforest. Select the evidence that
supports that this species’ wings are homologous to vertebrate animals and analogous to
insect wings. Check all that apply.
Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?
Gather Content
What do you already know about homologous structures? What other information is
related to the question?
Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the
process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a
more desirable result?
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
40. Which observations illustrate shared ancestry by anatomical comparison studies? Check
all that apply.
Multiple Choice Questions
41. The observation that different geographical areas sometimes exhibit plant and animal
communities of similar appearance, even though the individual plants and animals are not
closely related, is called
42. The pair of traits that best illustrates convergent evolution is
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?
Gather Content
What do you already know about convergent evolution? What other information is related
to the question?
Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the
process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a
more desirable result?
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
43. Convergent evolution occurs when two species living in
Check All That Apply Questions
44. Choose the true statements about species that show convergent evolution. Check all that
apply.
Multiple Choice Questions
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
45. The marsupials in Australia closely resemble the placental animals of the rest of the
world. This is an example of
46. Inhabitants of oceanic islands resemble forms of the nearest mainland but show some
differences. This is an example of
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
47. The streamlined bodies seen in sharks, tuna, and dolphins best relate to
Check All That Apply Questions
48. Choose the scientific evidence that supports evolutionary theory. Check all that apply.
49. Why can’t “scientific creationism” be considered a science? Check all that apply.
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
50. Select all of the following that are valid counterarguments to the idea that evolution is
“just a theory.”
Multiple Choice Questions
51. The “scientific creationism” view includes all of the following beliefs except that
52. Evolution does not violate the second law of thermodynamics because
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
53. Which of the following is the best reason that the origin of species according to creation
science should not be included in the curriculum of biology courses?
54. The pattern of wet years and dry years shown will probably move the population toward
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?
Gather Content
What do you already know about natural selection? What other information is related to
the question?
Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the
process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a
more desirable result?
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
55. Which statement best describes the correlation between beak depths of Geospiza fortis on
the Galápagos island Daphne major and the dryness of the environment?
Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?
Gather Content
What do you already know about natural selection? What other information is related to
the question?
Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the
process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a
more desirable result?
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
In the laboratory, fruit flies (Drosophila) were artificially selected for the number of bristles
on their bodies. One population (R) was selected for low numbers of bristles, a second
population (S) for high numbers of bristles.
56. In order for the scientists to artificially select Drosophila for their number of bristles,
57. After 35 generations (about 1 year’s time), the two populations R and S were studied.
Researchers found
Marsupials are a very ancestral form of mammal, evolving before placental mammals over
70 million years ago. Today Australian marsupials can be compared to placental mammals on
other continents.
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
58. When you compare Australian marsupials to placental mammals today
59. It could be said that today’s Australian marsupials and today’s placental mammals have
Check All That Apply Questions
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
60. Choose the evidence supporting that snakes evolved from legged lizards. Check all that
apply.
Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?
Gather Content
What do you already know about the evidence for evolution? What other information is
related to the question?
Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the
process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a
more desirable result?
Multiple Choice Questions
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
61. Plants in the desert-adapted families Cactacea (cactus) and Euphorbia (euphorbs) share
many of the same physical characteristics, such as succulent stems that store water and CAM
photosynthesis, but they do not share a recent common ancestor. This evidence suggests that
these families are an example of
62. The figure below shows the relationship between beak depth in the medium ground finch
on Daphne Major and relative fitness. Assuming that beak depth is heritable, what do you
predict about beak depth in the next generation?
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?
Gather Content
What do you already know about relative fitness? What other information is related to the
question?
Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the
process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a
more desirable result?
Check All That Apply Questions
Chapter 21 – The Evidence for Evolution
63. Select the pairs of organism characteristics that are homologous structures. Check all that
apply.
64. Select the statements that provide direct biogeographical evidence for evolutionary
theory. Check all that apply.
Multiple Choice Questions
65. A scientist studying evolution of peppered moths (Biston betularia) in Michigan
observed that the percentage of melanic moths increased by around 2% from 1960-1961. Has
evolution occurred in this population?