Understanding Evolution

A structure that no longer serves in the current organisms, but may have had a purpose in an ancestor (example: human tailbone).

• Vestigial structure

• Homologous structure

• Analogous structure

• Complete structure

The gray squirrel, Eastern fox squirrel, and red squirrel are all different species of squirrels. Why is having a scientific name for each species of an organism important?

• To prevent existing named organisms from having their names changed as they become extinct

• To allow organisms to be placed in many classification levels at the same time

• To keep the classification system from being altered as new organisms are discovered

• To standardize the naming and organization of organisms to avoid confusion

The Linnaean taxonomic system classifies organisms into divisions called taxa. If two organisms belong to the same taxonomic group, they are related. Similarly at which of these levels indicates the closest relationship?

• Order

• Genus

• Class

• Kingdom

Methanogens, thermophiles, and halophiles are some of the most primitive life forms found on Earth and thrive in very harsh environments. These unicellular, prokaryotic organisms most likely belong to which of the following kingdoms?

• Eubacteria

• Archaebacteria

• Protista

• Fungi

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Cladograms are constructed by grouping organisms together based on their _______________ characteristics.

• shared

• similar

• different

• opposite

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which letter represents the most recent common ancestor of sponges and mushrooms?

• A

• B

• C

• E

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which trait should go where C is on the cladogram?

• lips

• eyes

• feet

• hat

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Some of the concepts included in Darwin’s theory of natural selection are represented in the diagram below. Which concept would be correctly placed in box X?

• use and disuse

• transmission of acquired traits

• variation

• changes in nucleic acids

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

The diagram shows light- and dark-colored beetles that live on a tree. Which result is most likely to occur to the beetle population due to predation over time?

• There will be more dark-colored beetles than light-colored beetles.

• The number of light-colored beetles in the population will increase.

• The dark-colored beetles will move to a different type of tree.

• The number of light-colored beetles will decrease.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Some species of millipedes will roll into a ball when threatened, while other species of millipedes can secrete noxious chemicals from their bodies. These adaptations allow the millipedes to —

• survive in different temperatures

• conserve different amounts of energy

• avoid different types of predators

• blend into different types of environments

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4