Question 1

Blue jays and kingbirds are both classified in the order Passeriformes. In the current taxonomic system, this means that the two types of birds must also belong to the same

Accepted Answer

A) family. 
B) genus. 
C) phylum. 
D) species.

Question 2

Which of the following lemurs would be classified as a secondary consumer?

Accepted Answer

A) a mouse lemur eating insects 
B) a Verreaux's sifaka eating leaves 
C) a ring-tailed lemur eating fruits 
D) a red-bellied lemur eating flower

Question 3

The northern spotted owl is listed under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species in its primary range of Washington, Oregon, and California. B89Which of the following most likely contributed to the northern spotted owl's population decline?

Accepted Answer

A) increases in rodent populations 
B) loss of trees from forest habitat 
C) prevention of wildfires in forest 
D) decreases in mountain lion populations

Question 4

Which of the following is more likely to occur in a plant cell than in an animal cell?

Accepted Answer

A) synthesis of enzymes 
B) formation of cellulose 
C) breakdown of glucose 
D) active transport of ions

Question 5

Heartburn is pain that occurs when acidic gastric juice is forced out of the upper end of the stomach. In which of the following organs does a person experience heartburn?

Accepted Answer

A) pancreas 
B) esophagus 
C) small intestine 
D) large intestine

Question 6

Which of the following explains why elements, such as carbon and oxygen, that are used in organic molecules are not permanently removed from the environment?

Accepted Answer

A) They are replenished by sunlight. 
B) They are cycled through ecosystems. 
C) They are replaced by volcanic eruptions. 
D) They are produced constantly from nutrients.

Question 7

The size of a bird population increased by two percent in one year. Which of the following could have contributed to the population increase?

Accepted Answer

A) a decrease in the death rate of baby birds 
B) an increase in the number of the birds' predators 
C) an increase in the average number of parasites per bird 
D) a decrease in the immigration of birds of the same species

Question 8

About 70 years ago, cane toads were introduced to Australia. The toads are toxic to some species of snakes, such as Dendrelaphis punctulatus. The longer an individual snake is, the greater its chance of survival after eating a cane toad. Which of the following did scientists most likely observe in the D. punctulatussnake population as a result of the presence of the cane toads?

Accepted Answer

A) The entire population was killed by the toads. 
B) The entire population became resistant to the toads. 
C) The average body length in the population increased. 
D) The average body length in the population decreased.

Question 9

There are at least 88 species of lemurs in existence today. Which of the following conditions most likely existed and made it possible for Madagascar's original lemur ancestors to evolve into many species on the island?

Accepted Answer

A) presence of a deadly virus that infected only lemurs 
B) complete isolation from other small mammal species 
C) new niches to adapt to in the absence of a large number of competitors 
D) climatic conditions that were very different from those on mainland Africa

Question 10

Which of the following correctly explains how atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen compounds used by living organisms?

Accepted Answer

A) Sunlight converts atmospheric nitrogen to a form usable by protists. 
B) Plant leaves convert atmospheric nitrogen to a form usable by animals. 
C) Bacteria in soil convert atmospheric nitrogen to a form usable by plants. 
D) Invertebrate animals in soil convert atmospheric nitrogen to a form usable by fungi.

Question 11

Leaves fall from deciduous trees in autumn. The carbon in these leaves is returned to the atmosphere through which of the following processes?

Accepted Answer

A) condensation 
B) decomposition 
C) photosynthesis 
D) transpiration

Question 12

Which of the following processes releases primarily oxygen into the atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) combustion 
B) osmosis 
C) photosynthesis 
D) respiration

Question 13

Which of the following statements best compares individual Y and individual Z in terms of genotype and phenotype?

Accepted Answer

A) The individuals have the same genotype and the same phenotype. 
B) The individuals have the same genotype but different phenotypes. 
C) The individuals have different genotypes but the same phenotype. 
D) The individuals have different genotypes and different phenotypes.

Question 14

Cheetahs have come close to extinction due to hunting, drought, and disease. There is now very little genetic variation in cheetah populations. Which of the following is a result of the limited genetic variation in the current cheetah populations compared to earlier cheetah populations with more variation?

Accepted Answer

A) Cheetahs in current populations are more resistant to new diseases. 
B) The survival rate of young cheetahs is increased in current populations. 
C) Cheetahs in current populations are less able to interbreed with other species. 
D) The current cheetah populations are less likely to be able to adapt to environmental changes.

Question 15

A rare genetic condition causes dwar?sm and immunode? ciencies. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this condition?

Accepted Answer

A) a parasitic infection 
B) a mutation in DNA 
C) a bacterial disease 
D) an excess of ATP

Question 16

What is the primary function of the large intestine?

Accepted Answer

A) to digest proteins 
B) to absorb nutrients 
C) to break down complex carbohydrates 
D) to remove water from undigested waste

Question 17

The willow flycatcher is a bird species with a summer range throughout much of the United States. Which of the following would directly decrease the size of a willow flycatcher population in a given year?

Accepted Answer

A) the disappearance of a species that preys on willow flycatchers 
B) the arrival of migrating willow flycatchers from populations in other areas 
C) the emigration of male willow flycatchers that did not secure territories 
D) the hatching of a larger percentage of eggs in the willow flycatcher population

Question 18

Which of the following statements best describes why the change in only one DNA base of the hemoglobin gene results in a different protein product of the gene?

Accepted Answer

A) The change prevents mRNA from being made. 
B) The change alters the amino acid sequence of the protein. 
C) The change causes the blood cells to divide in an uncontrolled way 
D) The change creates a second strand of mRNA for each RNA molecule.

Question 19

Which of the following statements explains why viruses are able to reproduce only inside host cells instead of being able to reproduce on their own?

Accepted Answer

A) Viruses cannot function at temperatures other than 98.6°F 
B) Viruses lack spindle fibers that correctly align chromosomes for division. 
C) Viruses are too small to effectively make copies of themselves on their own. 
D) Viruses lack the cellular machinery needed to make copies of their genetic material.

Question 20

European rabbits were introduced to Australia in 1859. The rabbits reproduced rapidly in their new habitat, displaced other animals, and overgrazed vegetation. In an attempt to reduce the rabbit population, a virus was introduced in 1951. This virus is usually deadly to European rabbits.When the virus was first introduced, the rabbits died in large numbers, but the death rate decreased over time. Which of the following best explains the decrease in the rabbit death rate?

Accepted Answer

A) Young rabbits learned to avoid being infected with this virus. 
B) Natural selection favored rabbits that are resistant to this virus. 
C) The lifespan of this virus is too short to affect rabbits over a long period of time. 
D) The rabbits that were originally infected with this virus have been dead for many years.

Exam 1: Biology