WorksheetsNatural Selection and Evolution
Total questions: 17
Worksheet time: 35mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
A species lives in a particular environment. What is TRUE about the environment that the species lives in and about how the species will look over thousands of years?
a)
The environment will stay the same, and the traits of the species will stay the same.
b)
There will be changes to the environment, but the traits of the species will stay the same.
c)
There will be changes to the environment that could lead to changes in the traits of the species.
d)
There will be changes to the environment, and the traits of the species will change, but the changes in the environment could never lead to changes in the traits of species.
2.
Individual members of a species could have differences in inherited characteristics that affect which of the following?
a)
Both their ability to find food and their ability to attract mates
b)
Their ability to find food but not their ability to attract mates
c)
Their ability to attract mates but not their ability to find food
d)
Neither their ability to attract mates nor their ability to find food
3.
According to the theory of natural selection, what is likely to happen to a population of birds after the seeds they normally eat are no longer available and all that is left are seeds that are harder to crack open?
Note: a population is a group of individuals of the same species.
Note: a population is a group of individuals of the same species.
a)
The individual birds that already have the kind of beak that allows them to eat the seeds that are harder to crack open would be more likely to survive and reproduce.
b)
All of the individual birds would develop new beaks as they attempt to eat new seeds. All of the birds would survive and reproduce.
c)
Some of the individual birds would try to develop new beaks so that they could eat the seeds. Those birds would be more likely to survive and reproduce, and the other birds would likely die.
d)
Because the population of birds is all of the same species, they all have the same physical traits. No individual bird would have an advantage in cracking open the seeds, and all of the birds would die.
4.
Which of the following correctly describes what happens when a population of bacteria becomes resistant to an antibiotic?
a)
When subject to antibiotics, each bacterium tries to become resistant. Only some are able to do this and passes it on to their offspring.
b)
When subject to antibiotics, all bacteria become more resistant to it if they are exposed to it longer.
c)
When subject to antibiotics, most bacteria will die. Randomly some bacteria will become resistant and pass this on to their offspring.
d)
When subject to bacteria, only those individual bacteria that already have a trait that helps them survive the effects of the antibiotic will live and pass it on to their offspring.
5.
Which of the following is TRUE about living species and extinct species?
a)
If a species living today and an extinct species have many similarities, they could share a common ancestor, but if they have few similarities they could not share a common ancestor.
b)
A species living today and an extinct species could share a common ancestor that lived a very long time ago, even if the two species have few similarities.
c)
No species living today could share a common ancestor with an extinct species.
d)
Species living today could share a common ancestor with each other, but extinct species could not share a common ancestor with each other because extinct species are the ancestors of species living today, never of each other.
6.
Which statement is most closely related to the modern theory of evolution?
a)
Characteristics that are acquired during life are passed to offspring by sexual reproduction.
b)
Evolution is the result of mutations and recombination, only.
c)
Organisms best adapted to a changed envi- ronment are more likely to reproduce and pass their genes to offspring.
d)
A sexual reproduction increases the survival of species.
7.
Any variation that can help a species survive in a given environment is called...
a)
an adaptation
b)
a characteristic
c)
a homologous structure
d)
a vestigial structure
8.
How did different beak sizes in birds first arise?
a)
They arose because of their need to be able to eat different food.
b)
The arose by chance (random mutation).
c)
The environment made the change happen.
d)
The finches beaks changed a little at a time each generation.
9.
Natural selection is best described as...
a)
The ability to generate new adaptations that better suit the species.
b)
The mechanism that leads to perfect species.
c)
Variations of traits causes those better suited to the environment to survive and reproduce.
d)
Causing the death of a significant part of the population.
10.
Why are advantageous traits more likely to be passed onto offspring?
a)
Because they are more likely to survive and reproduce.
b)
Because they come from dominant alleles.
c)
Because they come from recessive alleles.
d)
Because the trait is an acquired phenotype.
11.
The difference in the physical traits of an individual from those of other individuals in a group is called ____________.
a)
change
b)
adaptation
c)
species
d)
variation
12.
The gradual development of a species into a new one to survive.
a)
Evolution
b)
Natural Selection
c)
Extinction
d)
Artificial Selection
13.
Why would a population with a large amount of genetic variation be more likely to survive a severe climate change in its environment?
a)
Individuals will only create offspring well-suited to the climate change
b)
The individuals would produce more offspring
c)
Individuals better suited to the new climate will help less-suited individuals survive
d)
Some individuals will posses traits better suited to the new climate and be more likely to pass them on
14.
A basketball player develops speed and power as a result of practice. This athletic ability will not be passed on to her offspring because
a)
muscle cells do not carry genetic information
b)
mutations that occur in body cells are not inherited
c)
gametes do not carry complete sets of genetic information
d)
base sequences in DNA are not affected by this activity
15.
The similarities of the bones labeled A provide evidence that
a)
the organisms may have evolved from a common ancestor
b)
all species have one kind of bone structure
c)
the cells of the bones contain the same type of mutations
d)
all structural characteristics are the same in animals
16.
The relationship of some mammals is indicated in the diagram. Which statement about the African elephant is correct?
a)
It is more closely related to the mammoth than it is to the West African manatee.
b)
It is more closely related to the West Indian manatee than it is to the mastodon.
c)
It is not related to the Brazilian manatee or the mammoth.
d)
It is the ancestor of Steller’s sea cow.
17.
Which population of organisms would be in greatest danger of becoming extinct?
a)
A population of organisms having few variations living in a stable environment.
b)
A population of organisms having few variations living in an unstable environment.
c)
A population of organisms having many variations living in a stable environment.
d)
A population of organisms having many variations living in an unstable environment.
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