Reading Comprehension: Variation of Traits

What determines the traits of offspring?

• food sources that have been genetically engineered

• literary metaphors and exciting connotations

• the pool of entries in the state lotto jackpot

• genes received from the offspring's parents

Mutation in the genes of an organism is a cause. What is a possible effect?

• The organism is less likely to be studied by scientists.

• The organism is more likely to find a sexual partner identical to it.

• The organism is more likely to resemble its parents.

• The organism is more likely to survive and procreate.

Reproduction is "a sort of complex lottery in which the third organism-the offspring of the first two-inherits a combination of the parent organisms' genetic material." What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

• "Human interference in genetic coding is a pretty common practice these days."

• "Mutant and mutation have exciting, exotic connotations to us, but actually, mutation is simply a necessary part of a species' evolution."

• "The likeliest candidate to be coded for red hair is offspring with two red- headed parents."

• "It would be very, very unlikely for two parents with identically coded chromosomes to sexually reproduce."

What is a difference between physical traits and personality traits?

• Physical traits are mainly determined by a person's environment; personality traits are

  determined by both a person's genes and environment.

• Physical traits are mainly determined by a person's genes; personality traits are determined by both a person's genes and environment.

• Physical traits are mainly determined by a person's genes and environment; personality traits not determined by either a person's genes or environment.

• Physical traits are mainly determined by a person's genes; personality traits are determined by genetically engineered food that a person eats.

What is this passage mostly about?

• genes

• ecosystems

• the lottery

• personality traits

Read these sentences: "Red hair happens to be a kind of gene called incomplete dominant, which means it will blend with other genes, rather than dominate or be dominated. Since this is the case, the likeliest candidate to be coded for red hair is offspring with two red-headed parents." What does the word "dominate" mean?

• protect or defend something from attack

• consume or eat a large amount

• overpower or be in control

• give up or be in the control of another

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.

A mutation may be passed down from one generation to the next, _______when the

mutation is advantageous.

• before

• never

• on the contrary

• particularly