7.13C: Natural and Artificial Selection

Multiple Choice

In ____ selection of a plant or animal, people choose specific individuals to breed. The goal is to make the traits of the plant or animal more ____. Specific individuals are chosen in each ____ until the process is complete for a plant or animal.

Which words best complete the paragraph?

• 1. artificial, diverse, population

• 1. natural, desirable, environment

• 1. artificial, desirable, generation

• 1. natural, diverse, generation

Multiple Select

Some dairy farmers want to increase the amount of milk produced by their cows. How can farmers use selective breeding to increase milk production? There are two answers.

• 1. By increasing the age of the cows that are bred

• 1. By choosing cows that are high milk producers

• 1. By limiting the number of offspring per cow

• 1. By choosing cows that can produce milk after eating the most food

Open Ended

Which mouse do you think will be eaten by a predator? Why?

Multiple Choice

Ecologists are observing changes in a mouse population over time. 

Based on the image, which statement best explains how natural selection has affected the mouse population?

• The mice intentionally changed their fur color from white to gray to avoid predators.

• Owls hunted more white mice because they preferred the taste, allowing gray mice to become more common.

• White mice were more visible to owl predators, giving gray mice a survival advantage that increased their frequency in the population over time.

• Humans selectively bred gray mice and removed white mice from the environment.