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STAAR EOC Biology 2015 (Semester)

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

In the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), implantation of embryos after breeding is delayed. The deer breed in July or August but do not give birth until the following May or June. From summer to late December, the embryo rests in a state of dormancy as a 30-cell blastocyst. In late December or early January, the embryo sends a signal that causes the female to release hormones, allowing the embryo to continue to develop normally. Why is delayed implantation an advantageous adaptation for the European roe deer?

a)

Delayed implantation allows the mother to continue to breed with other males.

b)

Without delayed implantation, the females would not be able to carry a pregnancy to full term.

c)

Delayed implantation enables the female to give birth to more fawns each year.

d)

Without delayed implantation, the fawns would be born in the winter when food is scarce and the weather is harsh.

2.

A segment of DNA produces methionine, threonine, histidine, aspartate, and glycine when translated. A substitution mutation occurs and causes the synthesis of the segment as shown. Which is the new peptide chain when the new DNA segment is translated?

a)

Methionine, leucine, histidine, aspartate, glycine

b)

Methionine, phenylalanine, histidine, aspartate, glycine

c)

Methionine, proline, histidine, aspartate, glycine

d)

Methionine, serine, histidine, aspartate, glycine

3.

On March 24, 1989, an oil tanker ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, and spilled millions of liters of crude oil. The graph shows pink salmon populations in Prince William Sound from 1970 to 1999. What do these data suggest about the effect the oil spill had on pink salmon?

a)

Pink salmon were nearly eliminated after the oil spill.

b)

Pink salmon populations steadily declined in the 10 years following the spill.

c)

Pink salmon populations declined and never fully recovered.

d)

Pink salmon populations seemed to be minimally affected.

4.

Cells typically respond to DNA damage in three ways: by ceasing to grow and divide until the damage is repaired, by permanently ceasing to grow and divide, or by dying. In 2010 a group of scientists reported that a certain kind of immune reaction can cause DNA damage that leads to a fourth response. DNA damage can turn off genes involved in cell-signaling pathways. Turning off these genes can cause less-mature cells to divide too rapidly, often leading to the development of —

a)

tumors

b)

allergies

c)

hemophilia

d)

cardiovascular disease

5.

Part of an important cellular process involving a DNA strand is modeled below. What is the purpose of this cellular process?

a)

Preserving genetic information for future generations

b)

Deleting the information in the sequence produced from the DNA template

c)

Transcribing information in the DNA sequence for use by the cell

d)

Producing more nucleotides for the DNA sequence

6.

A student preparing for a hike wants to pack a snack that has biomolecules that provide quickly available energy but few excess calories. Which nutrition label lists the best combination of biomolecules that provide quickly available energy while providing the fewest calories from other types of biomolecules?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

7.

Organisms can be classified based on homology, which is shared characteristics inherited from a common ancestor. In the past, homologies were based on studies of anatomical structures and patterns of embryonic development. In more recent years, the use of molecular biology techniques has allowed homologies to be compared at the level of nucleotide sequences. Nucleotide sequence comparisons are possible because all organisms share which of the following?

a)

DNA bases

b)

Cellular organelles

c)

Division of the nuclear chromosomes

d)

Types of proteins needed for cellular functions

8.

Diatoms are one of the most common types of phytoplankton in marine habitats. Like plants, diatoms contain chlorophyll and produce glucose from which of the following?

a)

O2 and ATP

b)

CO2 and O2

c)

ATP and H2O

d)

CO2 and H2O

9.

The model represents the change in the DNA content of a cell during the cell cycle. Which part of the model represents the S phase?

a)

I

b)

II

c)

III

d)

IV

10.

Cells can generate as many as 36 to 38 molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from the metabolism of one molecule of glucose. Which cellular process results in this amount of ATP production?

a)

Anaerobic cellular respiration

b)

Protein synthesis

c)

Aerobic cellular respiration

d)

Photosynthesis

11.

A segment of DNA is represented in the illustration. How is information for a specific protein carried on the DNA molecule?

a)

As a sequence of nucleotides

b)

In the double-helix shape of the condensed chromosome

c)

In the ratio of adenines to thymines

d)

As a pattern of phosphates and sugars

12.

Fireflies emit light. The production of light by an organism is called bioluminescence. To generate visible light, cells in a firefly’s tail produce thousands of luciferase enzymes. Luciferase binds to a chemical called luciferin. Once bound, the luciferase enzyme speeds up a chemical reaction that combines an oxygen molecule and luciferin to produce oxyluciferin. This reaction requires energy and releases light. Which of the following best describes how the luciferase enzyme speeds up the chemical reaction?

a)

Luciferase increases the amount of time the light is visible.

b)

Luciferase decreases the amount of energy required for the reaction to start.

c)

Luciferase increases the number of sites on luciferin that must bind to oxygen.

d)

Luciferase decreases the temperature of the environment inside the body of the firefly.

13.

An analysis of DNA and RNA sequences can be used to classify organisms. A dendrogram, such as the one shown below, is based on molecular data. It can be used to represent evolutionary relationships within a group of organisms that are hypothesized to have descended from a common ancestor. Which statement is best supported by the information in this dendrogram?

a)

Lesser pandas are more genetically similar to giant pandas than they are to raccoons.

b)

Brown bears are more genetically similar to giant pandas than they are to sun bears.

c)

Lesser pandas are more genetically similar to raccoons than they are to giant pandas.

d)

The bear species are all more genetically similar to dogs than they are to giant pandas.

14.

Facial dimples and free earlobes are both considered dominant human traits. What are the expected phenotypes of the offspring of a female with dimples and free earlobes (DDFf) and a male with no dimples and attached earlobes (ddff)?

a)

50% with dimples and free earlobes and 50% with dimples and attached earlobes

b)

50% with dimples and free earlobes and 50% with no dimples and attached earlobes

c)

75% with dimples and free earlobes and 25% with no dimples and attached earlobes

d)

75% with dimples and attached earlobes and 25% with no dimples and free earlobes

15.

At birth Himalayan rabbits are usually white over their entire bodies. But when parts of their bodies reach temperatures below 35°C, a pigment that causes these parts to turn black is produced. Which of the following is most likely the cause of this phenomenon?

a)

Poor blood circulation

b)

Infection caused by cold temperatures

c)

Gene expression that is regulated by temperature

d)

A trait that is both sex-linked and hormone-dependent

16.

A cladogram is shown below. All the animals to the right of the hagfish would have the common characteristic of —

a)

fur

b)

claws or nails

c)

lungs

d)

jaws

17.

The differences between two molecules include the type of sugar that forms a section of the molecules and the identity of one of the four nitrogenous bases that make up another section of the molecules. These two molecules are —

a)

proteins

b)

lipids

c)

nucleic acids

d)

complex carbohydrates

18.

Plants have developed many methods of seed dispersal. The table below shows seeds of two different plants. Plants have developed many methods of seed dispersal. The table below shows seeds of two different plants.

a)

The method ensures that offspring will be dispersed and reduces competition for resources.

b)

The method reduces the chance that herbivores will consume the seeds.

c)

The method lengthens the life cycle of each of these plants.

d)

The method reduces the plants’ need for water and other nutrients.

19.

Some students used vinegar to dissolve away the shells of three eggs and used these eggs as models of human red blood cells. The students observed the changes in the eggs when they were placed in different solutions.

a)

The cell membrane is an impermeable barrier that prevents water from entering the cell.

b)

The cell membrane allows solutes to enter the cell, which causes the cell to shrink.

c)

The cell membrane allows water to enter and leave the cell.

d)

The cell membrane removes solutes from the environment.

20.

This diagram of the fossil record represents changes in mollusks over millions of years. How can the pattern of change in the fossil record best be explained?

a)

The mollusks were well adapted to their stable environment. A large, sudden change occurred in their environment. After the change the mollusks with the bigger shells were better adapted for the new environment.

b)

The mollusks were well adapted to their stable environment. The mollusks hybridized with a smaller species of mollusk. A new species of mollusk with a bigger shell resulted.

c)

The mollusks were not well adapted to their environment. The length of the mollusks’ shells changed gradually over time. The mollusks in the original population that had small shells died over a period of many years.

d)

The mollusks were well adapted to their environment. Humans introduced a new species of mollusk that was not adapted to this environment. The introduced mollusk outcompeted the native mollusk species.

21.

A student builds a model of a DNA strand. Which of these models of a DNA strand shows bases that are complementary to the ones on the student’s DNA model?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

22.

Three species of lizards of the genus Gallotia are found on the Canary Islands, a chain of seven volcanic islands off the west coast of Africa. The easternmost island, Lanzarote, is the oldest, while the westernmost island, El Hierro, is the youngest. The distribution of lizard species is shown on the map below. Which statement about the ancestry of the lizards from the genus Gallotia is best supported by this information?

a)

The common ancestor of the lizards first colonized the island of El Hierro.

b)

The ancestors of each species came from different continents at different times.

c)

The common ancestor of the lizards probably came from Africa.

d)

The ancestors of each species evolved in Spain and were brought to the islands at the same time.

23.

Human body cells each have 46 chromosomes in their nuclei. Meiosis is necessary in order to ensure that each gamete produced in the human body has —

a)

12 chromosomes

b)

23 chromosomes

c)

46 chromosomes

d)

92 chromosomes

24.

In the 1960s the molecular biologist George Streisinger developed the strand-slippage hypothesis. Streisinger noticed that mutations occurred in areas of DNA that contained many repeated sequences. When a strand-slippage error occurs, an insertion mutation can result. How does the insertion mutation affect the DNA?

a)

Nitrogenous bases are added.

b)

Nitrogenous bases are exchanged.

c)

Nitrogenous bases are damaged.

d)

Nitrogenous bases are deleted.

25.

Normal fruit flies have brownish-yellow bodies, and this body color is dominant. A mutation in the gene for body color can produce flies with an ebony body color. A homozygous normal fruit fly (e+e+) is crossed with a homozygous ebony fruit fly (ee). What is the predicted outcome of this genetic cross?

a)

All the offspring will have ebony bodies.

b)

Of the offspring, 75% will have brownish-yellow bodies, and 25% will have ebony bodies.

c)

All the offspring will have brownish-yellow bodies.

d)

Of the offspring, 75% will have ebony bodies, and 25% will have brownish-yellow bodies.