August 2024 LE Regents Part A

The human body maintains a balanced internal environment. In order to accomplish this, which of the following must occur?

• organelles work independently

• all cells have the same shape and function

• insulin is produced when protein levels are low

• stimuli are detected, and actions are taken

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Wolves are important predators in some ecosystems. If wolves are removed from their environment, the ecosystem is in danger of becoming unstable due to

• a reduction of autotrophs when the number of herbivores is not being kept in check by the wolves

• a decrease in the number of herbivores because they will not be able to reach carrying capacity

• an increase in the biodiversity of the remaining animal and plant species

• some species of herbivores taking over the niche the wolves occupied

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Which statement best explains how deforestation that is the result of forest fires can contribute to global warming?

• Burning the trees adds smoke to the atmosphere and blocks sunlight.

• Burning the trees adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

• Deforestation removes trees that produce carbon dioxide through the process of photosynthesis.

• Deforestation immediately increases ecosystem stability needed in the burned area.

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For centuries, humans have built dams along rivers to redirect water for power, irrigation, and transportation. Dams can prevent migrating fish from swimming upstream to reproduce and can also disrupt the flow of sediments and nutrients. Communities are starting to eliminate some dams, and the health of the river ecosystems is being restored. This best illustrates that

• technological advances often involve environmental trade-offs

• when humans modify their environment it always has effects that cannot be reversed

• industrialization has had a positive effect on the health of river ecosystems

• the construction of dams affected abiotic factors in the river but not biotic factors

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In humans, lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose in the presence of a particular enzyme. It is most likely that the enzyme that breaks down lactose

• breaks down several other types of food in the stomach

• is involved in other reactions when the temperature and pH are ideal

• helps in the synthesis of complex sugars during autotrophic nutrition

• is not involved in other types of reactions because enzymes are specific

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The Tdap vaccine can protect adolescents and adults from the serious bacterial diseases tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Another vaccine, called Td, protects against tetanus and diphtheria, but not pertussis. Td does not protect against pertussis because the

• Tdap vaccine is given to treat pertussis

• Td vaccine does not contain the antibodies from pertussis to fight the bacteria

• Tdap vaccine contains a small amount of the bacteria that causes pertussis

• Td vaccine does not stimulate the immune system of people to recognize pertussis antigens

Pelagic red crabs living on the ocean floor have been found to eat small bits of plastic. When they are consumed, these small creatures are passing the plastics along the food chain to predators, including fish consumed by humans. Why is this of concern?

• decreases plastic recycling by primary consumers

• increases the risk of harmful substances in our food supply

• decreases the producers in the ecosystem

• increases the biodiversity of the ocean

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Duckweed is a small plant that grows on the surface of still bodies of water. Over a nine-week period, scientists monitored the growth of duckweed in three ditches located on the same farm. The number of duckweed plants increased rapidly during weeks one and two. After two weeks, each ditch was completely covered with a layer of duckweed and remained covered for the remaining seven weeks. A valid conclusion based on the data collected over a nine-week study of duckweed growth in ditches is that:

• animals that eat duckweed have the greatest effect on duckweed population size

• duckweed populations die off after completing a two-week life cycle in the ditch

• only changes in temperature affect duckweed population size

• the size of the duckweed population is kept stable by limited resources in the ditch

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Which statement explains why the organisms in some ecosystems, such as rainforests, deserts, and oceans, are different from each other?

• The living organisms in each ecosystem have different needs and produce the physical conditions that they require.

• Each ecosystem contains different types of living organisms that change each of the physical conditions present there.

• They all have the same physical conditions present, but the living organisms use them in different ways.

• Each ecosystem contains different physical conditions that determine the type of living organisms present there.

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Some green plants secrete acids that dissolve rock, which makes it possible for the plants to absorb phosphorus needed for healthy plant growth. In addition to phosphorus, plants require many other substances. Which substances are required for the production of carbohydrates in green plants?

• oxygen and nitrogen

• carbon and glucose

• carbon dioxide and water

• hydrogen and starch

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