Released State Biology Questions

Name:

The questions below have been on previous state biology tests. They are ment as an example of the areas covered and the kind of questions to expect.

Multiple Choice

Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Two students were testing the amount of

fertilizer that would best promote the growth of

strawberries in a garden. Which of the

following could be an unavoidable source of

experimental error?

a.	length of the study	c.	the cost of watering the plants
b.	variation in the strawberry plants	d.	fertilization during the study

A computer model of cellular mitosis can

simulate the aspects of cellular division quite

well. However, microscopic observation of

actual cellular mitosis can improve

understanding because actual observations

a.	may reveal greater unknown complexities.	c.	are the same each time.
b.	are easier than a computer model to view.	d.	may provide division events in sequence.

After a volcanic eruption has covered an area

with lava, which of the following is the most

likely order of succession in the repopulation of

the area?

a.	lichens -> grasses -> shrubs -> trees	c.	grasses -> trees -> mosses -> lichens
b.	mosses -> grasses -> lichens -> trees	d.	shrubs -> grasses -> trees -> lichens

The diagram below shows Rosalind Franklin’s

x-ray diffraction image of DNA.

How did this evidence affect the work of

Watson and Crick?

a.	It was used to determine the physical structure of DNA.	c.	It was used to develop the theory of independent assortment.
b.	It was used to identify the four bases that make up DNA.	d.	It was used to show that DNA was the molecule of inheritance.

The cell membrane of the red blood cell will

allow water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and

glucose to pass through. Because other

substances are blocked from entering, this

membrane is called

a.	perforated.	c.	non-conductive.
b.	semi-permeable.	d.	permeable.

What causes tomatoes to ripen much more

slowly in a refrigerator than they do if left on

a table at room temperature?

a.	Tomatoes need sunlight to ripen.	c.	Low temperatures reduce the action of ripening enzymes.
b.	Humidity accelerates the ripening process.	d.	Enzymes produced by bacteria inhibit ripening.

Which of these best completes this

concept map?

a.	an animal cell	c.	a virus
b.	a prokaryotic cell	d.	a plant cell

Which molecule in plant cells first captures the

radiant energy from sunlight?

a.	glucose	c.	chlorophyll
b.	carbon dioxide	d.	adenosine triphosphate

The first stage of photosynthesis in a

chloroplast is

a.	light-dependent.	c.	glucose-driven.
b.	temperature-dependent.	d.	ATP-driven.

10.

A cell from heart muscle would probably have

an unusually high proportion of

a.	lysosomes.	c.	mRNA.
b.	mitochondria.	d.	Golgi bodies.

11.

Which of the following best describes meiosis?

a.	It is carried out in all tissues that require cell replacement.	c.	It happens in all tissues except the brain and spinal cord.
b.	It occurs only in cells in the reproductive structures of the organism.	d.	It is the first stage of mitosis.

12.

If a corn plant has a genotype of Ttyy, what are

the possible genetic combinations that could be

present in a single grain of pollen from this

plant?

a.	Ty, ty	c.	TY, Ty, ty
b.	TY, ty	d.	Ty, ty, tY, TY

13.

In fruit flies, the gene for red eyes (R) is

dominant and the gene for sepia eyes (r) is

recessive. What are the possible combinations

of genes in the offspring of two red-eyed

heterozygous flies (Rr)?

a.	RR only	c.	Rr and rr only
b.	rr only	d.	RR, Rr, and rr only

14.

In certain breeds of dogs, deafness is due

to a recessive allele (d) of a particular gene,

and normal hearing is due to its dominant

allele (D). What percentage of the offspring of a

normal heterozygous (Dd) dog and a deaf

dog (dd) would be expected to have normal

hearing?

a.	0%	c.	50%
b.	25%	d.	100%

15.

Fur color in cats is controlled by an autosomal

gene that can occur in the dominant form, (B),

or the recessive form, (b). The length of the

cat’s fur is controlled by another autosomal

gene which occurs in the dominant form, (S), or

the recessive form, (s). The table below shows

the traits for these allele codes.

The following genotypes were found in a male

cat and a female cat.

BbSs (male) bbSS (female)

Which one of the following choices is true of the

phenotype of offspring from these parents?

a.	All offspring will have black fur.	c.	All offspring will have long-haired fur.
b.	All offspring will have white fur.	d.	All offspring will have short-haired fur.

16.

Mendel hypothesized that reproductive cells

have only one factor for each inherited trait.

This hypothesis is supported by the observation

that

a.	haploid cells are produced by mitosis.	c.	haploid cells are produced by meiosis.
b.	diploid cells are produced by mitosis.	d.	diploid cells are produced by meiosis.

17.

A strand of mRNA containing the repeating

sequence AAGAAGAAGAAG could code for

which of the following amino acid sequences?

a.	lys–arg–glu–lys	c.	lys–arg–lys–arg
b.	ser–ser–glu–glu	d.	lys–lys–lys–lys

18.

A scientist puts nucleotide chains of UUUUUU

in a test tube under conditions allowing protein

synthesis. Soon the test tube is full of

polypeptide chains composed of only the amino

acid phenylalanine. What does this experiment

indicate?

a.	The amino acid phenylalanine is composed of uracil.	c.	Protein synthesis malfunctions in test tubes.
b.	UUU codes for the amino acid phenylalanine.	d.	Most proteins contain only one type of amino acid.

19.

Which of these would most likely cause a

mutation?

a.	the placement of ribosomes on the endoplasmic reticulum	c.	the movement of transfer RNA out of the nucleus
b.	the insertion of a nucleotide into DNA	d.	the release of messenger RNA from DNA

20.

Although there are a limited number of amino

acids, many different types of proteins exist

because the

a.	size of a given amino acid can vary.	c.	sequence and number of amino acids is different.
b.	chemical composition of a given amino acid can vary.	d.	same amino acid can have many different properties.

21.

The clear protein of an egg white becomes

opaque and firm when cooked because the heat

a.	mutates the DNA.	c.	stops protein formation.
b.	turns the protein into carbohydrates.	d.	changes the protein structure.

22.

5' G T A _ _ _ A A 3'

3' C A T G C A T T 5'

This segment of DNA has undergone a

mutation in which three nucleotides have been

deleted. A repair enzyme would replace them

with

a.	CGT.	c.	CTG
b.	GCA	d.	GTA.

23.

The bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens

infects plants, and a portion of its DNA is

inserted into the plant’s chromosomes.

This causes the plant to produce gall cells,

which manufacture amino acids that the

bacterium uses as food. This process is a

natural example of

a.	polyploidy.	c.	grafting.
b.	genetic manipulation.	d.	hybridization.

24.

Genetic engineering has produced goats whose

milk contains proteins that can be used as

medicines. This effect was produced by

a.	mixing foreign genes into the milk.	c.	inserting foreign genes into fertilized goat eggs.
b.	injecting foreign genes into the goats’ udders.	d.	genetically modifying the nutritional needs of the goats’ offspring.

25.

Scientists found that, over a period of 200

years, a mountain pond was transformed into a

meadow. During that time, several communities

of organisms were replaced by different

communities. Which of these best explains why

new communities were able to replace older

communities?

a.	The original species became extinct.	c.	The abiotic characteristics of the habitat changed.
b.	Species in the older community died from old age.	d.	Diseases that killed the older organisms disappeared.

26.

Rabbits introduced into Australia over 100

years ago have become a serious pest to

farmers. Rabbit populations increased so much

that they displaced many native species of plant

eaters. What is the most logical explanation for

their increased numbers?

a.	Rabbits have a high death rate.	c.	Additional rabbit species have been introduced.
b.	There are few effective predators.	d.	There is an increase in rabbit competitors.

27.

Complete burning of plant material returns

carbon primarily to the

a.	herbivores.	c.	vegetation.
b.	water.	d.	atmosphere.

28.

Which of these organisms would most likely be

found at the top of an energy pyramid?

a.	clams	c.	sharks
b.	sardines	d.	kelp

29.

The chart shows four alleles at the same locus

that affect rabbits’ coat color. Each allele is

dominant to the ones below it. Rabbits with an

albino or Himalayan coat are more susceptible

to predators. Which of the following genotypes

will produce a rabbit that is least likely to

survive?

a.		c.
b.		d.

30.

In carrier pigeons there is a rare inherited

condition that causes the death of the chicks

before hatching. In order for this disease to be

passed from generation to generation there

must be parent birds that

a.	are heterozygous for the disease.	c.	produce new mutations for this disease.
b.	have the disease themselves.	d.	are closely interbred.

31.

Mutations within a DNA sequence are

a.	natural processes that produce genetic diversity.	c.	unnatural processes that always affect the phenotype.
b.	natural processes that always affect the phenotype.	d.	unnatural processes that are harmful to genetic diversity.

32.

Which of these best illustrates natural

selection?

a.	An organism with favorable genetic variations will tend to survive and breed successfully.	c.	A community whose members work together utilizes all existing resources and migratory routes.
b.	A population monopolizes all of the resources in its habitat, forcing other species to migrate.	d.	The largest organisms in a species receive the only breeding opportunities.

33.

A species of finch has been studied on one of

the geographically isolated Galapagos Islands

for many years. Since the island is small, the

lineage of every bird for several generations is

known. This allows a family tree of each bird to

be developed. Some family groups have

survived and others have died out. The groups

that survive probably have

a.	interbred with other species.	c.	found new places on the island to live.
b.	inherited some advantageous variations.	d.	been attacked by more predators.

34.

Earth has undergone some catastrophic

changes from time to time. Which of these most

likely explains why life on Earth continued

following these catastrophes?

a.	Dominant species had a slow mutation rate.	c.	A strong species had many different characteristics.
b.	Many species filled the same niche.	d.	A wide diversity of species existed.

35.

A small population of chimpanzees lives in a

habitat that undergoes no changes for a long

period. How will genetic drift probably affect

this population?

a.	It will accelerate the appearance of new traits.	c.	It will increase the number of alleles for specific traits.
b.	It will promote the survival of chimpanzees with beneficial traits.	d.	It will reduce genetic diversity.

36.

A single species of squirrel evolved over time

into two species, each on opposite sides of the

Grand Canyon. This change was most likely

due to

a.	higher mutation rates on one side.	c.	the isolation of the two groups
b.	low genetic diversity in the initial population.	d.	differences in reproductive rates.

37.

According to this information, which group

demonstrated the greatest biodiversity during

the Cretaceous period?

a.	dinosaurs	c.	snakes
b.	crocodilians	d.	lizards

38.

In order for the body to maintain homeostasis,

the chemical decomposition of food to produce

energy must be followed by

a.	water intake.	c.	waste removal.
b.	muscle contractions.	d.	nervous impulses.

39.

The respiratory system depends on the nervous

system for signals to

a.	enhance the amount of available oxygen in the lungs.	c.	release enzymes to increase the exchange of gases.
b.	coordinate muscles controlling breathing.	d.	exchange gases with the circulatory system.

40.

Striking the tendon just below the kneecap

causes the lower leg to jerk. Moving an object

quickly toward the face can cause the eyes to

blink shut. These are examples of

a.	learned responses.	c.	reflex reactions.
b.	short-term memory.	d.	sensory overload.

41.

Which of the following is a function of the

nervous system?

a.	releasing ATP into contracting muscle tissues	c.	producing lactic acid in fatigued muscle tissues
b.	signaling muscle tissues to contract	d.	increasing cellular respiration in muscle tissues

42.

What is the greatest danger to a patient who

has had damage to the skin?

a.	loss of oils produced by the skin	c.	infections in uncovered tissues
b.	excessive muscle contractions in the damaged area	d.	damaged tissue entering the blood stream

43.

The Sabin vaccine is a liquid containing

weakened polio viruses. Vaccinated individuals

become protected against polio because the

weakened viruses

a.	prevent further viral invasion.	c.	promote production of antibodies.
b.	induce an inflammatory response.	d.	are too weak to cause illness.

44.

Which of the following require a host cell

because they are not able to make proteins on

their own?

a.	blue-green algae	c.	protozoans
b.	bacteria	d.	viruses

45.

Individuals with HIV sometimes contract a

pneumonia infection that is rare in the rest of

the population because people with HIV

a.	are unable to fight off these pneumoniacausing organisms.	c.	release pheromones that attract the pneumonia-causing organisms.
b.	are more often exposed to these pneumoniacausing organisms.	d.	release substances that increase the strength of the pneumonia-causing organisms.