WP467 Biotech and Scientific Methods

While genetic engineering has positive benefits, there are also concerns associated with widespread use of genetic engineering in agriculture. If many farmers begin to plant more genetically modified crops that have an increased tolerance to insects, which of the following may result?

• A. an increase in the use of pesticides

• B. a decrease in genetic diversity of the crops

• C. an increase in the contamination of the water supply

• D. a decrease in crop productivity

Stem cell research has been a controversial subject in past years. What is the reason for this?

• A. Cells for study are often taken from human embryos.

• B. Stem cell techniques will not accomplish the intended purpose.

• C. The cells cannot be isolated.

• D. Replacement tissue will never be grown from a person's own stem cells.

What kind of genetically modified crops would be most successful in wet-tropical countries that are overcrowded?

• A. crops that are drought- and pest-resistant

• B. high-yield crops that do not need a lot of sunshine

• C. high-yield crops that are pest-resistant

• D. crops that are drought-resistant and need a lot of sunshine

In what way did gene therapy, the replacement of a faulty gene with a normal one, stimulate medical research?

• A. New medications had to be developed and tested.

• B. The effects of viral DNA had to be studied.

• C. The way in which DNA replicates had to be determined.

• D. The genes on each chromosome had to be mapped and described.

The way that crimes are solved today was affected by which of the following technologies?

• A. gene therapy

• B. DNA fingerprinting

• C. genetic testing

• D. Genetic modification

Which technology below would probably be the most important to a person who had diabetes and had to take insulin every day?

• A. testing parents for genetic disorders before they have children

• B. engineering fruits and vegetables that resist insects and other pests

• C. developing ways to identify criminals through DNA fingerprinting

• D. using recombinant DNA to produce human hormones from bacteria

An osmosis investigation was conducted using chicken eggs to represent cells with semipermeable membranes. The mass of each egg was measured to determine how much water diffused into or out of the eggs. The eggs were first soaked in vinegar to dissolve the shell. Each egg was then placed in one of three different solutions for 24 hours. The table below shows the results of the investigation.

Based on this experiment, which of the following should be inferred about cells with semipermeable membranes?

• A. Substances other than water may also cross the cell membrane.

• B. Substances other than water may block pores in the cell membrane.

• C. Water enters the cell when placed in environments of high water concentration.

• D. Water leaves the cell when placed in environments with a low concentration of solutes

Carmen conducted an experiment to determine if listening to different types of music would affect a person’s pulse. Her hypothesis was that pulse rate would change with different types of music. Each person listened to seven different selections of music for 30 seconds each. Each person’s pulse was taken before the music and then after each 30-second interval of music. The pulses were taken again after the music selections were completed. Based on her experiment, Carmen concluded that a person’s pulse rate changed when the person listened to different types of music.

Which component is missing from Carmen’s experiment?

• A. a question

• B. a hypothesis

• C. a control group

• D. a description of the experiment

The graph below shows atmospheric carbon dioxide levels since the year 1880.

Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from this graph?

• A. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are responsible for global temperature change.

• B. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have been rising at about the same rate for the past century.

• C. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have remained the same over the past century.

• D. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have been rising at an increasingly higher rate as the past century has progressed.

A scientist performs an experiment to see if acids have an effect on the health of a particular type of plant. Three sets of plants were treated with acidic solutions of known pH while the control set was treated with a solution of neutral pH 7.

Which is the best conclusion for this experiment?

• A. Acid has no effect on the health of this type of plant.

• B. High acidity is helpful to this type of plant.

• C. Low acidity is harmful to this type of plant.

• D. High acidity is harmful to this type of plant.