Inherited and Acquired Traits Quiz

Kayla has a garden of red roses and a garden of white roses. She wants a garden with pink roses. Ben says to replant the red and white roses beside each other, and they will turn pink. Kayla tells him that this will not work. Who is correct, and why?

• Ben is correct, because red and white flowers always mix to make pink.

• Kayla is correct, because red and white do not mix to make pink.

• Kayla is correct, because a flower’s color is an inherited trait.

• Ben is correct, because a flower’s color is an acquired trait.

Read the passage about Jessie. Jessie’s new stepmom is an excellent piano player and wants to give Jessie lessons. Jessie refuses, because her own mother and father are terrible piano players. “I’ll be bad at it,” Jessie says. “No, you won’t!” says her new stepmom. Why is Jessie’s stepmom so sure that she won’t be a terrible piano player like her parents?

• Piano-playing ability is not a trait that is directly inherited from parents.

• Jessie’s piano-playing abilities were inherited from her cousins.

• Children’s abilities are always the opposite of their parents’ abilities.

• The stepmom knew that Jessie’s parents were actually good piano players.

Ronald has a new baby sister. By the time she is three years old, Ronald’s sister is able to talk, walk, stack blocks, and use a spoon. She has grown very fast, and her hair has changed from blonde to brown. Which of Ronald’s sister’s characteristics was passed on to her from her parents?

• stacking blocks

• change in hair color

• speaking English

• using a spoon

Look at the picture below. Which of the following is NOT an inherited trait that has made the cheetah into the fastest animal on land?

• Very fast prey and little grass in which to hide.

• Long legs and sleek fur.

• Long bushy tail and spotted fur.

• Small head and sharp teeth.

Marlowe has a white, floppy-eared rabbit and wants her to have white, floppy-eared babies. What two traits should Marlowe look for in the father rabbit to make sure this happens?

• white fur

• floppy ears

• black nose

• short tail

• shiny coat

A person who breeds animals keeps careful records of the fur color of parents and offspring from each generation. The fur color is a trait transferred from generation to generation. What are the structures that carry the information for these traits?

• the skin

• the genes

• the cytoplasm

• the nerves

The characteristics of a dolphin are shown in the illustration. The dolphin inherited all of these characteristics from its parents EXCEPT –

• its blowhole, for breathing.

• its scars from a motor boat.

• its long, rounded snout.

• its broad, flat tail.

Two students listed some traits of their favorite football player. Which question would help the student determine which trait on the list is an acquired physical trait of the football player?

• How tall is the football player?

• Does the football player have any siblings?

• Why does the football player have brown eyes and hair?

• Has the football player always been good at catching a football?

All of the following can be inherited by the offspring of an apple tree EXCEPT –

• the shape of its leaves.

• its broken branches.

• its type of fruit.

• its flower color.

A student observes a tree that is shaped like a cone. What question would help the student decide whether this shape is inherited or acquired?

• Do all the trees of this kind have that same cone shape?

• Are there more birds in the cone-shaped tree?

• Does this cone-shaped tree produce more seeds?

• Is there a water source close to the cone-shaped tree?