Red
What is an adaptation?
A. A group of organisms that can mate to produce fertile offspring B. A process by which inherited traits in a population change over generations
C. A process through which individuals that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce
D. A trait that improves chances of survival and reproduction for a group of individuals in a population
D. A trait that improves chances of survival and reproduction for a group of individuals in a population
The wooly mammoth had thick fur that enabled it to thrive in cold climates, such as that found in Russia. This animal is now extinct. Scientists think that the wooly mammoth became extinct about 4000 years ago. What was the most likely cause of the extinction of the wooly mammoth?
A. The animal’s tusks were too large for its body to support
B. The animal’s body size was too large to enable it to move
C. The animals did not have a body covering suited to survival in cold climates
D. The animals did not have adaptations needed to survive changes in its environment
D. The animals did not have adaptations needed to survive changes in its environment
At the zoo, Anya observes that individuals of a certain kangaroo species have slightly different sizes and colors. What characteristic of populations is Anya observing?
A. Adaptation
B. Evolution
C. Selection
D. Variation
D. Variation
Kathy is studying adaptations in tropical fish. Which of the following is NOT an adaptation to prevent predators from eating a fish?
A. Camouflage
B. A spiny tail
C. The ability to change direction quickly
D. A sucker-like mouth
D. A sucker-like mouth
Giant pandas are native to China. The species has evolved to become so specialized that Giant pandas will feed only on bamboo. What will most likely happen if the habitat in which bamboo grows is destroyed by a natural disaster such as fire or severe drought?
A. The pandas will find different types of plants to feed on
B. The population of Giant pandas will increase in size
C. The Giant pandas will eventually die off and go extinct
D. The habitat will recover, and Giant pandas will thrive
C. The Giant pandas will eventually die off and go extinct
Within a population, variation increases the likelihood that some individuals will be able to survive if the environment changes. Which of the following causes variations within a population?
A. Changes in extinction rates
B. Changes in the genetic material
C. Changes in the breeding rate
D. Changes in the environment
B. Changes in the genetic material
Polar bears live in the Arctic. Ice in the Arctic is melting rapidly, reducing the range in which the polar bear can live. If polar bears do not have adaptations that allow them to survive these changes, what may happen to the polar bear?
A. They may overpopulate
B. They may become extinct
C. They may change the environment
D. They may become another species
B. They may become extinct
Individuals within a population have slightly different traits, called variations. Which is a valid claim about how variations improve the likelihood that a population will survive?
A. Variation enables individuals to produce offspring that will survive into adulthood
B. Variation enables the population to create new genes, which help individuals survive a significant change in their environment
C. Variation provides the raw material upon which natural selection acts in a population
D. Variation enables individuals who are very different from the rest of the population to reproduce more successfully
C. Variation provides the raw material upon which natural selection acts in a population
. Imagine that the climate on an island is expected to change over time. Scientists want to determine how the change will affect the animals on the island. They create a computer model that considers all the factors that will change. What is most likely true about the computer model?
A. It will be useless because there would be too many factors
B. It will allow the scientists to stop the climate from changing
C. It will help the scientists predict likely changes to the animals
D. It will provide exact information about the future of the island
C. It will help the scientists predict likely changes to the animals
A bison has teeth that are added for grazing or eating grasses. Suppose a disease were to kill all the grasses in a region where the bison live. What would most likely happen to the bison?
A. They would adapt to eating a different kind of plant
B. They would eventually die from lack of food
C. They would evolve into a new species
D. They would not be affected
B. They would eventually die from lack of food
A species of rodent is living in a moist forest climate. Over time, the climate becomes drier and more desert-like. Which of these adaptations likely will improve the rodent’s chances of survival in its changing environment?
A. The rodent is active only at night
B. The rodent eats only a specific type of berry
C. The rodent lives aboveground in damp areas
D. The rodent has dark hair, small ears, and is active during the day
A. The rodent is active only at night
A scientist used a model to predict the path of a hurricane. The hurricane followed a similar path but did not follow the exact path that was predicted. What is the most likely reason the model did not predict the path exactly?
A. The model cannot account for how every factor may suddenly change
B. The model used was too complex to be of any help in making a prediction
C. Models should not be used to study weather events
D. The facts and data used in the model were incorrect
A. The model cannot account for how every factor may suddenly change
Scientists have formed a hypothesis that a large meteor impact was responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. The hypothesis states that the meteor created a huge dust cloud prevented sunlight from reaching the Earth. As a result, many plants died. Dinosaurs that ate the plants then died. Meat-eating dinosaurs that ate the plant eating dinosaurs then died. Eventually dinosaurs became extinct, while many mammals and birds survived. Why were the mammals and birds able to survive?
A. The birds and mammals did not need sunlight to survive
B. The birds and mammals had the adaptations needed to survive
C. The birds and mammals ate the dinosaurs
D. The birds and mammals had no genetic variations
B. The birds and mammals had the adaptations needed to survive
A scientist is studying the DNA of three species. Species A and species B have DNA that is 97% similar. Species C and species A have DNA that is 95% similar. Based on the evidence, what can the scientist conclude?
A. Species B is equally related to both species A and species C
B. Species B has a closer evolutionary relationship with species C than it does with species A
C. Species A has a closer evolutionary relationship with species B than it does with species C
D. Species A has a closer evolutionary relationship with species C than it does with species B
C. Species A has a closer evolutionary relationship with species B than it does with species C
Certain antibiotics are no longer effective against the bacteria that they used to kill. Which of the following best explains why certain antibiotics are no longer effective?
A. The number of bacteria is now greater than what the antibiotic can kill
B. The antibiotic has become weaker over time
C. Bacteria that were resistant to the antibiotic survived to reproduce
D. Changes in the environment made the antibiotic ineffective
C. Bacteria that were resistant to the antibiotic survived to reproduce