Question 1

Why aren't antibiotics used against the common cold?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cold viruses have already evolved resistance to antibiotics. 
B)  Colds are caused by viruses and have never been affected by antibiotics. 
C)  Antibiotics are only active against infection in the blood but not the respiratory tract. 
D)  They're only effective if you take them within the first few hours of the infection. 
A)  Cold viruses have already evolved resistance to antibiotics. 
B)  Colds are caused by viruses and have never been affected by antibiotics. 
C)  Antibiotics are only active against infection in the blood but not the respiratory tract. 
D)  They're only effective if you take them within the first few hours of the infection.

Question 2

Is it possible to prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to antibiotics?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes: If we give antibiotics properly, resistance will go away and not evolve again. 
B)  No: Bacteria need to become resistant to anything that will kill them. 
C)  No: However, by using antibiotics properly, we can slow the rate at which resistance appears. 
D)  Yes: If we stop using antibiotics, the trait will disappear. 
A)  Yes: If we give antibiotics properly, resistance will go away and not evolve again. 
B)  No: Bacteria need to become resistant to anything that will kill them. 
C)  No: However, by using antibiotics properly, we can slow the rate at which resistance appears. 
D)  Yes: If we stop using antibiotics, the trait will disappear.

Question 3

It was better for humans to walk upright, so they evolved a different pelvis than their primate ancestors.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Which of these is an example of diversifying selection?

Accepted Answer

A)  A population of moths with white and grey forms lives in a forest containing trees with light and dark bark. 
B)  Because bees prefer dark blue flowers, this color gradually becomes more dominant in a population of plants with a color ranging from light blue to dark blue. 
C)  A population of plants develops all orange fruit instead of a mixture of yellow, red, and orange fruit, due to animals showing a preference for orange fruit. 
D)  Wild cat populations gradually develop spots that allow them to be camouflaged in the dark forest. 
A)  A population of moths with white and grey forms lives in a forest containing trees with light and dark bark. 
B)  Because bees prefer dark blue flowers, this color gradually becomes more dominant in a population of plants with a color ranging from light blue to dark blue. 
C)  A population of plants develops all orange fruit instead of a mixture of yellow, red, and orange fruit, due to animals showing a preference for orange fruit. 
D)  Wild cat populations gradually develop spots that allow them to be camouflaged in the dark forest.

Question 5

Which of the following is true of individuals who are well adapted for a particular environment?

Accepted Answer

A)  They may or may not be equally fit in another environment. 
B)  They are the best fit for all other environments. 
C)  They are at a disadvantage in other environments. 
D)  They will mutate to become fit in other environments. 
A)  They may or may not be equally fit in another environment. 
B)  They are the best fit for all other environments. 
C)  They are at a disadvantage in other environments. 
D)  They will mutate to become fit in other environments.

Question 6

Your friend was diagnosed with strep throat 2 months ago. She was treated with antibiotics for 10 days, but 2 weeks after treatment, the symptoms returned. She was given a different antibiotic and her symptoms improved again, initially, but then got worse. What is happening?

Accepted Answer

A)  Your friend has taken antibiotics so long that she has become tolerant to them, making them ineffective. 
B)  Exposure to antibiotics has caused each individual bacterial cell to evolve resistance to the antibiotics. 
C)  Your friend was originally infected with some bacteria that were resistant to these two antibiotics and the bacteria multiplied. 
D)  Your friend probably doesn't have a bacterial infection. There must be some other reason for her symptoms. 
A)  Your friend has taken antibiotics so long that she has become tolerant to them, making them ineffective. 
B)  Exposure to antibiotics has caused each individual bacterial cell to evolve resistance to the antibiotics. 
C)  Your friend was originally infected with some bacteria that were resistant to these two antibiotics and the bacteria multiplied. 
D)  Your friend probably doesn't have a bacterial infection. There must be some other reason for her symptoms.

Question 7

-How would you describe the gene changes shown in this figure?

Accepted Answer

A)  No genes have changed, since all flies have a gene for the alcohol processing. 
B)  The number of genes in the population has increased. 
C)  The frequency of the fast enzyme allele has decreased. 
D)  The frequency of the fast enzyme allele has increased. 
A)  No genes have changed, since all flies have a gene for the alcohol processing. 
B)  The number of genes in the population has increased. 
C)  The frequency of the fast enzyme allele has decreased. 
D)  The frequency of the fast enzyme allele has increased.

Question 8

If you wanted to see natural selection working in a population of mosquitoes in response to pesticide, how much pesticide should you use?

Accepted Answer

A)  Enough to kill most but not all the mosquitoes. 
B)  Enough to kill all the mosquitoes. 
C)  Just enough so that the mosquitoes will be exposed but not enough to kill any of them. 
D)  Enough to kill the weakest 1% of the mosquitoes. 
A)  Enough to kill most but not all the mosquitoes. 
B)  Enough to kill all the mosquitoes. 
C)  Just enough so that the mosquitoes will be exposed but not enough to kill any of them. 
D)  Enough to kill the weakest 1% of the mosquitoes.

Question 9

Your text describes an experiment in which low-nutrient conditions select bacteria that would kill off other bacteria. When nutrients became plentiful again, these killer bacteria became less common because they had lower fitness in this environment, but they didn't become extinct. Why wouldn't the killer bacteria die out completely in the new environment?

Accepted Answer

A)  They're waiting for a future time when that trait may be useful again. 
B)  They have changed the killer gene to a less costly one but can regenerate the killer gene when necessary. 
C)  Competition must be low enough that the disadvantage of having the killer trait isn't great enough to cause extinction. 
D)  The killer trait is a dominant trait, so it cannot be eliminated. 
A)  They're waiting for a future time when that trait may be useful again. 
B)  They have changed the killer gene to a less costly one but can regenerate the killer gene when necessary. 
C)  Competition must be low enough that the disadvantage of having the killer trait isn't great enough to cause extinction. 
D)  The killer trait is a dominant trait, so it cannot be eliminated.

Question 10

What is MRSA?

Accepted Answer

A)  tuberculosis bacteria resistant to antibiotics 
B)  any bacteria resistant to antibiotics 
C)  antibiotics used as a last resort for resistant bacteria 
D)  a form of skin bacteria that's resistant to methicillin 
A)  tuberculosis bacteria resistant to antibiotics 
B)  any bacteria resistant to antibiotics 
C)  antibiotics used as a last resort for resistant bacteria 
D)  a form of skin bacteria that's resistant to methicillin

Question 11

After four observations, Darwin made the inference that natural selection causes ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of After four observations, Darwin made the inference...

Question 12

Evolution is

Accepted Answer

A)  a rare event. 
B)  constantly occurring at the same rate in all organisms. 
C)  a process that occurs as a result of differences in reproductive fitness. 
D)  a process that occurred only in the past. 
A)  a rare event. 
B)  constantly occurring at the same rate in all organisms. 
C)  a process that occurs as a result of differences in reproductive fitness. 
D)  a process that occurred only in the past.

Question 13

Which of the following steps in the theory of natural selection do humans impact the most to bring about artificial selection?

Accepted Answer

A)  Individuals in a population vary. 
B)  Some variation can be passed on to offspring. 
C)  Populations produce more offspring than the environment can support. 
D)  There is differential survival and reproduction among individuals in a population. 
A)  Individuals in a population vary. 
B)  Some variation can be passed on to offspring. 
C)  Populations produce more offspring than the environment can support. 
D)  There is differential survival and reproduction among individuals in a population.

Question 14

Darwin explained in his book The Origin of Species how natural selection could result in ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Darwin explained in his book The Origin...

Question 15

What is combination drug therapy?

Accepted Answer

A)  a succession of drugs to combat an infection-as the infecting microorganism becomes resistant to one drug, the patient is put on another 
B)  a mixture of drugs and homeopathic medications 
C)  a mixture of several different kinds of drugs given simultaneously 
D)  one drug that has a combination of effects 
A)  a succession of drugs to combat an infection-as the infecting microorganism becomes resistant to one drug, the patient is put on another 
B)  a mixture of drugs and homeopathic medications 
C)  a mixture of several different kinds of drugs given simultaneously 
D)  one drug that has a combination of effects

Question 16

Based on what you know about resistance to infection, what must be unique about people who are resistant to HIV?

Accepted Answer

A)  They have a strong immune system that clears the virus completely. 
B)  They have been immunized in an experimental program. 
C)  They can't be infected with HIV even when exposed. 
D)  They never engage in risky behavior and thus can't become infected. 
A)  They have a strong immune system that clears the virus completely. 
B)  They have been immunized in an experimental program. 
C)  They can't be infected with HIV even when exposed. 
D)  They never engage in risky behavior and thus can't become infected.

Question 17

How is tuberculosis transmitted?

Accepted Answer

A)  by sexual contact 
B)  by contaminated food 
C)  by sneezes 
D)  by infected blood products 
A)  by sexual contact 
B)  by contaminated food 
C)  by sneezes 
D)  by infected blood products

Question 18

What would happen if a mutation created a new allele that decreased fitness?

Accepted Answer

A)  The new allele would spread through the population and decrease the fitness of that population. 
B)  The new allele would decrease the fitness of the individual that possessed it, and that individual would have few or no offspring. 
C)  The new allele would have to change back to an allele of higher fitness so the possessor of that allele could maintain its fitness. 
D)  The individual with the new allele would wait for an environmental change so that its fitness would increase again. 
A)  The new allele would spread through the population and decrease the fitness of that population. 
B)  The new allele would decrease the fitness of the individual that possessed it, and that individual would have few or no offspring. 
C)  The new allele would have to change back to an allele of higher fitness so the possessor of that allele could maintain its fitness. 
D)  The individual with the new allele would wait for an environmental change so that its fitness would increase again.

Question 19

In a population, which individuals are most likely to survive and reproduce?

Accepted Answer

A)  The individuals who are best adapted to the environment. 
B)  The largest individuals in the group. 
C)  The individuals who can catch the most prey. 
D)  The individuals who grow the most rapidly. 
A)  The individuals who are best adapted to the environment. 
B)  The largest individuals in the group. 
C)  The individuals who can catch the most prey. 
D)  The individuals who grow the most rapidly.

Question 20

You notice in the fall that the oak trees on campus change color at slightly different times, even though the environment is the same for all the trees. What is the most likely explanation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Natural selection is causing some trees to change. 
B)  There are different alleles of the gene responsible for color change. 
C)  The weather changes the genes of the oak trees each year. 
D)  All the trees have the same genes, but each tree makes different proteins from the genes. 
A)  Natural selection is causing some trees to change. 
B)  There are different alleles of the gene responsible for color change. 
C)  The weather changes the genes of the oak trees each year. 
D)  All the trees have the same genes, but each tree makes different proteins from the genes.

Exam 11: An Evolving Enemy: Natural Selection

Why aren't antibiotics used against the common cold?

Is it possible to prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to antibiotics?

It was better for humans to walk upright, so they evolved a different pelvis than their primate ancestors.

Which of these is an example of diversifying selection?

Which of the following is true of individuals who are well adapted for a particular environment?

Your friend was diagnosed with strep throat 2 months ago. She was treated with antibiotics for 10 days, but 2 weeks after treatment, the symptoms returned. She was given a different antibiotic and her symptoms improved again, initially, but then got worse. What is happening?

-How would you describe the gene changes shown in this figure?

If you wanted to see natural selection working in a population of mosquitoes in response to pesticide, how much pesticide should you use?

What is MRSA?

After four observations, Darwin made the inference that natural selection causes ________.

Evolution is

Which of the following steps in the theory of natural selection do humans impact the most to bring about artificial selection?

Darwin explained in his book The Origin of Species how natural selection could result in ________.

What is combination drug therapy?

Based on what you know about resistance to infection, what must be unique about people who are resistant to HIV?

How is tuberculosis transmitted?

What would happen if a mutation created a new allele that decreased fitness?

In a population, which individuals are most likely to survive and reproduce?

You notice in the fall that the oak trees on campus change color at slightly different times, even though the environment is the same for all the trees. What is the most likely explanation?

Can Science Cure the Common Cold? Introduction to the Scientific Method

Are We Alone in the Universe? Water, Biochemistry, and Cells

Is It Possible to Supplement Your Way to Better Health?

Fat: How Much is Right for You? Enzymes, Metabolism, and Cellular Respiration

Life in the Greenhouse: Photosynthesis and Global Warming

Cancer: DNA Synthesis, Mitosis, and Meiosis

Are You Only as Smart as Your Genes? Mendelian and Quantitative Genetics

DNA Detective: Complex Patterns of Inheritance and DNA Fingerprinting

Genetically Modified Organisms: Gene Expression, Mutation, and Cloning

Where Did We Come From? The Evidence for Evolution

Who Am I? Species and Races

Prospecting for Biological Gold: Biodiversity and Classification

Is the Human Population Too Large? Population Ecology

Conserving Biodiversity: Community and Ecosystem Ecology

Where Do You Live? Climate and Biomes

Organ Donation: Tissues Organs and Organ Systems

Clearing the Air: Respiratory Cardiovascular and Excretory Systems

Vaccinations: Protection and Prevention or Peril? Immune System

Sex Differences and Athleticism: Endocrine Skeletal and Muscular Systems

Is There Something in the Water? Reproductive and Developmental Biology

Attention Deficit Disorder: Brain Structure and Function

Feeding the World: Plant Structure and Growth

Growing a Green Thumb: Plant Physiology

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