Unit 8 Science Review

Which two traits best help a cactus conserve water in the dry conditions of a West Texas desert ecosystem? (5.10A)

• Large flowers and sweet fruit

• Sweet fruits and sharp spines

• Sharp spines and waxy stems

• Waxy stems and large flowers

Eagles catch fish in rivers with their talons. They fly with the fish to a tree branch and tear the fish into small pieces. Which bird most likely catches and eats it food the way an eagle does? (5.10A)

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The ocotillo is a desert plant with long, straight branches. Its leaves are small and appear for only a short time after a rain. Most of the time, the branches of the ocotillo do not have leaves. Maple trees grow in areas where water is more abundant than in the desert. Maple leaves can be very large and are present for most months of the year. Ocotillo plants are better adapted for surviving in the desert than maple trees because the characteristics of ocotillo leaves--- (5.10A)

• allow more sunlight to reach the soil

• prevent the plant from producing flowers

• encourage the release of carbon dioxide from the stems

• reduce the amount of water lost through evaporation

The whiskers of a river otter and the antennae of a cockroach are shown here. How do structures such as whiskers and antennae benefit organisms? (5.10A)

• They help the organisms detect their surroundings.

• They help the organisms eat food quickly.

• They help the organisms fight predators.

• None of these

The shells of sea turtles are flatter than the shells of land turtles. Sea turtles are also different from land turtles because sea turtles cannot pull their head or limbs into their shell to protect themselves from predators. Instead, the head, shell shape, and flippers of sea turtles help them escape from predators mainly by allowing them to--- (5.10A)

• dig deep holes for their eggs

• swim and dive easily

• blend into their surroundings

• hold their breath for several minutes

What does it mean to CAMOUFLAGE?

• when a weak animal copies a stronger animal to warn of predators

• when an animal is able to change colors to survive in an enviornment

• when an animal hibernates during the winter.

What is HIBERNATION?

• when a weak animal copies stronger animal to warn off predators.

• when an animal hides in the cold winter and sleeps until the spring

• when a larger animal eats its prey

Some adaptations of a hawk are illustrated here.
Which of these adaptations most help the hawk keep other hawks out of its territory by warning them from far away?

• Brown head
• Loud call
• Hollow bones
• Sharp claws

Which foot is best suited for a wet environment?

• Clawed foot with talon 
• Human-like foot
• Webbed foot
• Small clawed foot without a talon 

Some animals, such as lions, have pointed teeth, while other animals, such as cattle, have flat teeth. The difference in the shape of these animals' teeth is most closely related to--- (5.10A)

• the type of organisms the animals consume

• the sounds the animals make

• the habitat the animals live in

• the type of predators the animals have