Deck 4: Genetics and Evolution

Question 1

The human genome project,completed in 2003,was conceived to accomplish which of the following goals?

A) To isolate those genes in the human body that are no longer evolutionarily useful to human beings
B) To map all of the genes in the human body.
C) To determine the exact mechanism by which genes come together to construct DNA.
D) To create a genetically-based cure for cancer based on the genetic mutations that cause tumors.

Answer 1

To map all of the genes in the human body.

Question 2

The __________ is the complete set of instructions for making an organism.

A) gene
B) chromosome
C) genome
D) phenotype

Answer 2

genome

Question 3

Some people with a particular social agenda like to suggest that there are massive genetic differences between people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.Based on your knowledge of genetics and evolution,what would be your best answer to these individuals?

A) Genetically you are correct; however, environmental influences have overcome those differences.
B) You are correct, because people of different ethnic and racial backgrounds share only about 5% of their genetic code.
C) You are wrong. Genetically, we are all very similar, with only slight differences between groups.
D) You are wrong. The only difference between human beings is gender. Otherwise, we are all genetically identical.

Answer 3

You are wrong. Genetically, we are all very similar, with only slight differences between groups.

Question 4

How many chromosomes are found in a normal human cell?

A) 21
B) 23
C) 64
D) 46

Question 5

How do genes impact an individual's traits and behaviors?

A) Genes are made of DNA, so they determine our lifelong phenotypes.
B) Genes contain the recipes for the different types of proteins that are constructed in the body.
C) Genes determine how many chromosomes we have.
D) Genes are responsible for helping to construct amino acids.

Question 6

What does DNA stand for?

A) Dextroniactic Allele
B) Deoxyribonucleic Acid
C) Dominant Nucleotide Affect
D) Dormant Nickel Acid

Question 7

The smallest unit of genetic materials is called __________.

A) A chromatid.
B) DNA
C) a chromosome.
D) a gene.

Question 8

In species that procreate via sexual reproduction,which of the following is true about the egg and sperm cells of the parents?

A) The egg cell and the sperm cell each contain 100% of the chromosomes of all other human cells.
B) The egg cell and the sperm cell each contain half of the chromosomes of all other human cells.
C) The egg cell and the sperm cell each contain "spare" chromosomes, in case there is damage to the original chromosomes.
D) The egg cell and sperm cell each contain 25% of the chromosomes of all other human cells, which is why every human trait takes exactly four chromosomes for full development.

Question 9

What are the building blocks of chromosomes?

A) Genes
B) DNA
C) RNA
D) Centromeres

Question 10

__________ are long strands of genetic material found in the nuclei of all cells

A) Genes
B) RNA
C) DNA
D) Chromosomes

Question 11

Which of the following statements about the chromosomes of different species is true?

A) Different species of animals all have very different chromosomes. The relationship between species is not indicated by similarities in chromosomes.
B) The more closely related the species, the more similar their chromosomes will be.
C) The best way to determine the similarity between species is to study the number of chromosomes they have, not the different individual chromosomes.
D) Because not every species of animals actually have chromosomes, determining their genetic similarity by studying chromosomes is not a useful practice.

Question 12

A pair of chromosomes that form an X-like structure is joined in the middle.The place where the two strings meet is called a(n)__________.

A) chromosection.
B) chromochiasm.
C) central intersection.
D) centromere.

Question 13

You are watching a science fiction movie about a strange world where,for some reason,the planet's temperature is slowly increasing.As the planet gets hotter and hotter over several centuries,it is determined that animals that are more skilled at cooling themselves tend to survive and reproduce,while animals that have no system for ventilating heat tend to die off and become extinct.Which of the following might be an appropriate (if admittedly silly)name for such a movie?

A) Genetic Predispositions in Alternate Galaxies
B) Chromosome Mapping and the Andromeda Effect
C) The Darwin Effect: Natural Selection In Space
D) The Intergalactic Genome Project

Question 14

Since the completion of the human genome project in 2003,scientists have identified nearly all of the individual units of DNA that form the basic genes in the human body.How many units of DNA have been identified?

A) 30,000
B) 3 million
C) 300,000
D) 3 billion

Question 15

Who was the author of the massively influential book The Origin of Species in 1859?

A) B.F. Skinner
B) Wilhelm Wundt
C) David Buss
D) Charles Darwin

Question 16

Approximately how many genes are there in the human body?

A) 5,000
B) 30,000
C) 250,000
D) 3 billion

Question 17

In order to solve crimes,investigators on television and in real life often analyze __________,which are like biological blueprints of each organism.

A) centromeres
B) DNA
C) genes
D) chromosomes

Question 18

A pair of duplicated chromosomes is called a(n)__________ and forms an X-like structure.

A) centromere
B) allele
C) chromatid
D) mutation

Question 19

"Organisms with features best adapted to their environments are more likely to survive and reproduce." To whom might this statement be attributed?

A) Charles Darwin
B) Robert Costa
C) E.L. Thorndike
D) Sigmund Freud

Question 20

No more than ___% of genetic differences arise from average population,racial,or ethnic group differences.

A) 1
B) 50
C) 10
D) 5

Question 21

__________ heredity refers to the idea that units of heredity come in pairs and one pair can dominate another.

A) Darwinian
B) Recessive
C) Polygenic
D) Mendelian

Question 22

Mikhail is an architect who designs beautiful homes.He takes a few weeks to draw up a blueprint,and then this plan is given to a contractor who builds the home based on the blueprint.Genetically speaking,the blueprint created by Mikhail is a __________,while the house built by the contractor is a __________.

A) phenotype; genotype
B) centromere; chromatid
C) chromosome; genome
D) genotype; phenotype

Question 23

A zygote is produced as a result of __________ reproduction.

A) asexual
B) homozygous
C) sexual
D) heterozygous

Question 24

In order to demonstrate very important principles of heredity,Gregor Mendel cross-bred different strains of __________ to see what sort of offspring they would produce.

A) lab mice
B) roses
C) garden peas
D) pigeons

Question 25

While identical twins are referred to as monozygotic,identical pairs of alleles are referred to as __________.

A) heterozygous
B) fraternal
C) homozygous
D) internal/external

Question 26

Larika and James are very excited about the fact that their first child is due to be born any day.Larika talks endlessly about how much she hopes that the baby will have her green eyes,and James (who has brown eyes)shares her hope,but does not really think it will happen.Why?

A) Because James knows that green eyes are a mutation of blue-eye genes, and because neither parent has blue eyes it is not possible for the baby to have green eyes.
B) Because James knows that green eyes are the result of a heterozygous allele pair, and because he has brown eyes there is no way he can contribute to a baby having green eyes.
C) Because James knows that everyone in his family has brown eyes, and that because green eyes are recessive and brown eyes are dominant the baby has very little chance of having brown eyes.
D) Because James knows that green eyes are recessive, and thus cannot be passed from mother to baby.

Question 27

One gene that suppresses the expression of another gene in a pair of alleles is called a(n)__________ gene.

A) repressed
B) recessive
C) dominant
D) expressed

Question 28

If a pair of alleles contains one dominant gene and one recessive gene,the pair is __________.

A) dominant
B) homozygous
C) recessive
D) heterozygous

Question 29

An individual's __________ environment consists of events and conditions in the outside world.

A) diathical
B) external
C) chemical
D) natural

Question 30

The entire set of genes inherited by an organism is called a __________.

A) genotype.
B) DNA-type.
C) chromotype.
D) phenotype.

Question 31

In grammar school,many children learn the following rule of English - "When two vowels go walking,the first does the talking." If you apply that rule to genetics,then choose the proper finish of the following sentence - "When two genes go walking,the __________ does the talking."

A) dominant
B) recessive
C) heterozygous
D) gamete

Question 32

Which of the following principles of genetics got its foundation in the work of Gregor Mendel?

A) The idea that a human zygote has 23 pairs of chromosomes.
B) The existence of dominant and recessive genes.
C) The fact that mitosis and meiosis explain how chromosomes replicate themselves.
D) The concept that monozygotic twins share more of their genetic code than dizygotic twins.

Question 33

One of the most famous appearance traits of actor Bruce Willis is his widow's peak.According to genetic theory,if the gene for a widow's peak is paired with the gene for straight hair,the widow's peak will always develop in that individual.What kind of allele is a widow's peak gene?

A) Recessive
B) Dormant
C) Co-expressed
D) Dominant

Question 34

The physical expression of a genetic code is called a(n)__________.

A) allele
B) phenotype
C) genotype
D) genome

Question 35

If a pair of alleles contains two recessive genes,then the pair is __________.

A) dominant
B) recessive
C) heterozygous
D) homozygous

Question 36

According to research by Flynn,what is happening to the overall IQ scores of people in developed countries over the last century?

A) IQ scores have been steadily dropping over the past 100 years.
B) The IQ scores of women are rising, while the IQ scores of men have been staying the same over the past 100 years.
C) IQ scores have been staying stable despite efforts to improve performance on IQ tests.
D) IQ scores have been steadily rising over the past 100 years.

Question 37

A _________is the observable property that comes from a genotype.

A) centromere
B) genome
C) phenotype
D) chromosome

Question 38

Genes located in the same position on the pair of chromosomes in a unit of heredity are known as __________.

A) heterozygotic
B) alleles
C) mitotic genes
D) Mendelian genes

Question 39

A(n)__________ environment consists of events and conditions that occur inside an organism.

A) hypophillic
B) chemical
C) intramembranous
D) intercellular

Question 40

When a child is conceived,the egg and sperm cell join to create a complete genetic map of everything that baby will become.This "genetic blueprint" that determines our lifelong traits and characteristics is called a __________.

A) karyotype
B) phenotype
C) genotype
D) chromotype

Question 41

Why is it that monozygotic twins share 100% of their genes?

A) Because they are the result of two sperm cells fertilizing the same egg, and thus that egg make sure to choose only the same genes from each of the sperm cells.
B) Because they are the result of one zygote that split in two, making a perfect replica of itself.
C) Because they are the result of two zygotes being formed at precisely the same time.
D) Because they are born at the same time, and thus have the same start to their phenotypical development.

Question 42

Dizygotic twins share __________ of their genetic material.

A) 25%
B) 100%
C) 75%
D) 50%

Question 43

Only ________ cells divide through the process of meiosis.All other cells in the human body divide through the process of mitosis.

A) amacrine
B) spinal
C) neural
D) reproductive

Question 44

What does a person who has cystic fibrosis,a life-threatening lung disease,have in common with a person who has a cleft chin?

A) They both received their condition from the genes passed from their mother.
B) They both received their condition as a result of a dominant set of gene alleles.
C) They both received their condition from a single gene pair.
D) They both received their condition as a function of mitotic mutation.

Question 45

Every time meiosis happens in one cell,____ new cells will be produced,each with half of the chromosomes of the original cell.

A) 2
B) 4
C) 8
D) 16

Question 46

On average,how many of your genes do you share with each of your siblings?

A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 25%
D) 50%

Question 47

The process by which a cell replicates itself,producing four new cells each with half of the chromosomes of the original cell is called __________.

A) mitosis
B) cellular genesis
C) meiosis
D) gametogenesis

Question 48

The process of meiosis can lead to genetic variations and mutations,but sometimes there are advantageous outcomes of this distortion.For example,people with the genetic mutation leading to sickle-cell anemia have a natural resistance to __________.

A) malaria
B) chicken pox
C) shingles
D) rocky mountain spotted fever

Question 49

When a sperm and an egg cell combine,the result is a __________.

A) fetus
B) gestation
C) embryo
D) zygote

Question 50

If you compare dizygotic twins to normal non-twin siblings,which pair will share more of their genetic code?

A) The dizygotic twins
B) They will share the same amount of their genetic code.
C) The non-twin siblings
D) It is a trick question - there is no such thing as dizygotic twins.

Question 51

Identical twins are to __________ as fraternal twins are to __________.

A) heterozygotic; homozygotic
B) dizygotic; monozygotic
C) homozygotic; heterozygotic
D) monozygotic; dizygotic

Question 52

On average,how many of your genes do you share with each of your parents?

A) 50%
B) 10%
C) 25%
D) 5%

Question 53

Which of the following human characteristics is not an example of a continuous trait?

A) Hair color
B) Weight
C) Height
D) Being left- or right-handed

Question 54

__________ refer to an organism's reproductive cells.In human beings,they are a sperm and ovum.

A) Alleles
B) Gonads
C) Gametes
D) Chromotids

Question 55

A group of genes acting together to produce a specific trait or characteristic is known as a gene __________.

A) cluster
B) complex
C) allele
D) continuity

Question 56

The process of meiosis produces _____ new cells,while the process of mitosis produces _____ new cells.

A) 2; 4
B) 1; 2
C) 2; 1
D) 4; 2

Question 57

__________ means "coming from the interaction of several genes."

A) Multichromosomic
B) Polyallelear
C) Polygenic
D) Heterozygotic

Question 58

Why is sexual reproduction advantageous for a species?

A) Because offspring that are produced sexually are less likely to inherit genetic illnesses.
B) As Mendel's research shows, only species that can adapt to changing environments engage in sexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction is used by species that cannot adapt.
C) Because the process of sexual reproduction prevents mitosis and meiosis and thus reduces genetic mutation.
D) Because new combinations of genes can result in new traits that are adaptive for a species.

Question 59

Sexually reproducing organisms produce their reproductive cells,called __________,through a process of cell duplication called __________.

A) gonads; meiosis
B) gametes; meiosis
C) gametes; mitosis
D) gonads; mitosis

Question 60

Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the way human beings develop certain traits or characteristics?

A) The influence of the environment is impossible to separate from the influence of genes with regard to a person's traits and characteristics.
B) Genetics are the master blueprint for our physical traits, and the environment in which we live cannot change our phenotype.
C) Our traits are a result of environmental influences, and genes play a very small role in what we become.
D) Our traits are a result of both genetic inheritance and environmental influence.

Question 61

Why are evolutionary psychologists so fascinated with the study of infant reflexes?

A) Because all infant reflexes disappear within the first month of life, evolutionary psychologists want to know if those behaviors do, in fact, serve a necessary purpose.
B) Because only certain "types" of human beings demonstrate innate reflexes, and experts want to know whether this suggests that there are different stages of development of the human species.
C) Because the development of innate reflexes gives us information about how human beings adapt to changing circumstances over time.
D) Because some research has found that infant reflexes can, in fact, be taught to adults, and that these reflexes can serve a life-saving function in specific circumstances.

Question 62

A scientist who studies where the exact location of a gene is located as well as the precise structure of that gene is practicing __________ genetics.

A) behavioral
B) molecular
C) developmental
D) heritable

Question 63

Researchers in __________ analyze the relative effects of genes and environmental factors on behavior and mental processes.

A) the Human Genome Project
B) psychobiology
C) behavioral genetics
D) developmental psychology

Question 64

Sexual _________ refers to the process by which a mate is chosen.

A) reproduction
B) genetics
C) selection
D) dominance

Question 65

Jordan has had a lifelong fascination with the study of heredity.From an early age,he thought that the science classes that spoke about chromosomes,genes,and the way we develop from the moment of conception were very interesting.Which of the following fields is Jordan most likely to have an interest in pursuing when he goes to college?

A) Developmental psychology
B) Psychoneurology
C) Behavioral genetics
D) Psychophysics

Question 66

__________ psychology attempts to explain the development of the human mind and behavior by studying how adaptive behaviors helped human ancestors survive and reproduce.

A) Developmental
B) Mendelian
C) Darwinian
D) Evolutionary

Question 67

Perry is the child of very tall parents,and he has the genotype to be well over 6 feet tall.Unfortunately,Perry's parents are killed when he is very young and he is raised by relatives who are of average height.Given what you know about the influences of both genetics and our environment on our physical development,what can we predict about Perry's adult height?

A) Because he is being raised in an environment with people of average height, he is likely to grow to average height.
B) As long as he is given proper nutrition and not exposed to any environmental influences that stunt his growth, he should grow to be well over 6 feet tall.
C) Perry's relatives should accept the fact that there is nothing at all that can prevent him from growing to be very tall, and should start saving up for a lot of clothes.
D) Perry's height may be stunted by the psychological trauma of losing his parents. Gregor Mendel's research found definitive relationships between psychological events and genetic mutations.

Question 68

Researcher Robert Tryon used __________ of rats to demonstrate that certain traits can be promoted by appropriate pairings of genes.

A) polygenetic promotion
B) selective breeding
C) dominant gene inhibition
D) heterozygous allele matching

Question 69

People are to __________ selection as nature is to __________ selection.

A) regressive; progressive
B) environmental; genetic
C) artificial; natural
D) supportive; adaptive

Question 70

Julia and Erin are identical twins who are raised by two very different families.Because they were separated at birth,neither knows that they have a sister,and there is no shared environmental influence on their development.If they grow up to have very similar personal traits and characteristics,we might infer that these similarities are the result of __________.

A) different parenting.
B) mitosis.
C) heritability.
D) developmental abnormalities

Question 71

Which theorist postulated the existence of acquired characteristics?

A) Charles Darwin
B) Jean Piaget
C) Henry Watson
D) Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck

Question 72

A(n)__________ trait refers to the tendency of that behavior or characteristic to adjust and function according to changes in one's environment.

A) adaptive
B) recessive
C) functional
D) developmental

Question 73

"There is really no need to worry about the depletion of the ozone,because human beings will adapt by developing a new outer layer of skin that is more resistant to the radiation of the sun." This is a statement that suggests we can acquire characteristics that are useful for our survival.Upon whose theory of evolution might this statement be based?

A) Sigmund Freud
B) Charles Darwin
C) Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck
D) John Broadus Watson

Question 74

A baby's cheek is stroked and she turns her head in that direction.A baby's foot is stroked and her toes curl inward.A baby has a nipple placed at his lips,and he immediately begins suckling.All of these behaviors are examples of infant __________.

A) adaptations
B) innates
C) responses
D) reflexes

Question 75

Which of the following statements regarding the different theories of evolution is the most accurate?

A) The work of Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck was based largely on the work of Charles Darwin.
B) Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck was the teacher of Charles Darwin, which is why their theories have so much overlap.
C) Charles Darwin and Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck were research partners whose theories were produced together, even though Darwin has always received solo credit for the ideas.
D) Charles Darwin's theory expanded upon the concepts forwarded by Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck.

Question 76

"Fish were originally land-based creatures,but because they were so frequently hunted by human beings and other mammals they developed the ability to breathe under water,thus preserving their existence.That is why fish now life in the water instead of on land." Although this statement is both silly and inaccurate,it might reflect the theories of evolution postulated by __________.

A) Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck
B) Sheila Brammeier
C) Christopher Eldridge
D) Charles Darwin

Question 77

What is the main distinction between the evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin and Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck?

A) The concept of an organism's ability to "acquire" an adaptive trait.
B) The exact manner in which human beings evolved from animals.
C) The acceptance or rejection of the influence of a "higher power" or "God figure" in evolution.
D) The recognition that some traits that are not adaptive can still serve a purpose for a species.

Question 78

__________ describes the degree to which a trait is able to be passed on genetically.

A) Chromosomality
B) Adaptability
C) Heritability
D) Selective breeding

Question 79

Infant __________ refer to a set of innate traits in humans.

A) adaptations
B) reflexes
C) development
D) adjustments

Question 80

Researchers have found that if one identical (monozygotic)twin suffers from schizophrenia,the other twin has a 50% chance of developing that condition.In fraternal (dizygotic)twins,however,if one twin has the condition than the other a 27% chance of developing the disorder.These results provide evidence that there may be a strong __________ component to schizophrenia.

A) environmental
B) heritability
C) diathesis
D) chemical