Evolution and Natural Selection Quiz

A spider may produce hundreds of eggs, only a few of which may survive. This is an example of

• overproduction

• speciation

• genetic change

• division

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Modern horses developed their traits through natural selection. What occurs during the process of natural selection?

• Only the fittest organisms survive and reproduce.

• Organisms choose mates from other species.

• Breeders cross organisms with desirable traits.

• Organisms remain exactly the same over many generations.

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Which of these would be considered an adaptation of an animal that lives in the very cold, snowy Tundra?

• A thick fur coat.

• Green colored skin.

• Large flat leaves.

• Webbed feet.

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Darwin gathered his early evidence of evolution from the __________ Islands and he especially noticed differences in __________.

The diet of white-tailed deer consists primarily of shrubs. Sika are another species of deer that eat both grasses and shrubs. After an extended drought period, why might the sika population be favored over the white-tailed deer population?

• Sika require less food than do the white-tailed deer.

• Sika require more water than do the white-tailed deer.

• Sika have more food sources than do the white-tailed deer.

• Sika have fewer food sources than do the white-tailed deer.

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How is natural selection in the evolution of long necks in giraffes best explained?

• Shorter-necked giraffes were killed by long-necked giraffes.

• Giraffe necks grew longer because of the bone structure of the animals.

• Giraffes with longer necks survived because they were better suited to the environment.

• Long-necked giraffes mated only with other long-necked giraffes.

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Which of the following is NOT an example of natural selection?

• giraffes passing on their long tongue trait to their offspring.

• insects passing on resistance to pesticides to their offspring.

• farmers selectively breeding their cows to produce more milk.

• male birds developing bright colored feathers to attract their mates.

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What most likely happened to species that are found in the fossil record but have no living members?

• They had offspring of a different species.

• They mutated to other species.

• They became extinct.

• They never really existed.

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Which of the following factors is necessary in order for natural selection to occur in a species?

• genetic variation within a population.

• an abundance of food resources.

• a hospitable environment.

• a strong family structure.

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A population of mosquitoes is sprayed with a new insecticide. Most of the mosquitoes are killed but a few survive. In the next generation, the spraying continues, but still more mosquitoes hatch that are unaffected by the insecticide. Which of the following best explains these results?

• The insecticide caused a mutation in the genes of the immune mosquitoes.

• The mosquitoes learned how to fight the insecticide.

• A few mosquitoes in the first population were immune and passed this trait to their offspring.

• The insecticide caused the mosquitoes to develop an immune response that was inherited.

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