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9.1 Theory of Evolution

Total questions: 22

Worksheet time: 11mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection?

a)

Alfred Russel Wallace

b)

Charles Darwin

c)

Jean Baptiste Lamarck

d)

Thomas Malthus

2.

While on the Beagle, Darwin's observations included

a)

rock ledges that had clearly once been beaches.

b)

fossils of gigantic living mammals.

c)

rocks containing mountain fossil found in the sea.

d)

all of these.

3.

Charles Lyell____________

a)

argued that Earth must be far older than most people believed.

b)

said that human populations grow faster than their resources.

c)

developed the idea of the inheritance of acquired characteristics.

d)

none of the above.

4.

The inheritance of acquired characteristics states that _________

a)

traits an organism develops during its own lifetime are determined by nature

b)

traits an organism develops during its own lifetime are not passed to offspring

c)

traits an organism develops during its own lifetime are passed on to offspring

d)

traits an organism develops during its own lifetime are determined by evolution

5.

Artificial selection_______

a)

occurs naturally in pigeons

b)

is based in the inheritance of acquired characteristics

c)

is when nature selects for beneficial traits

d)

is when humans select from beneficial traits

6.

The Galapagos Islands ___________

a)

differ from on another in important ways

b)

are where Darwin made some of his most important observations

c)

each have some distinct plant and animal life

d)

all of the above

7.

Darwin's reasoning included which of the following?

a)

Darwin assumed that species can change over time

b)

Darwin knew that resources could grow faster than populations

c)

Darwin inferred that artificial selection could change species over time

d)

all of the above

8.

The Galapagos tortoises _________

a)

evolved as the Galapagos islands separated from each other

b)

are able to swim between islands to eat any available food

c)

have differently shaped shells depending on which island they inhabit

d)

all of the above

9.

Jean Baptiste Lamarck ___________

a)

was one of the first scientists to propose that species evolve over time

b)

developed a widely accepted theory of evolution

c)

determined that Earth must be far older than most people believed

d)

said that famine and disease keep populations in check by killing off their weakest members

10.

Darwin's theory explains _______

a)

why some organisms have better fitness than others

b)

why species face a struggle for existence

c)

why giraffes have such long necks

d)

all of the above

11.

The work of Lamarck motivated Darwin to finish his work

a)

True

b)

False

12.

Darwin had developed his ideas of evolution prior to the voyage of the Beagle. He just used the voyage to collect evidence of his ideas.

a)

True

b)

False

13.

Fitness refers to an organism's relative ability to survive and produce fertile offspring.

a)

True

b)

False

14.

It took Darwin over 20 years to compile his findings, develop his theory and publish his book.

a)

True

b)

False

15.

Lamarck convinced Darwin that populations could grow faster than their resources.

a)

True

b)

False

16.

Artificial Selection is when nature chooses the traits beneficial for survival.

a)

True

b)

False

17.

Darwin was the first to provide convincing arguments and evidence to evolution.

a)

True

b)

False

18.

Darwin discovered ______ of extinct mammals, providing hard evidence that organisms looked very different in the past.

a)

pictures

b)

fossils

19.

Darwin's most important observations were made on the ______ islands

a)

Hawaiin

b)

Jamaican

c)

Galapagos

20.

Darwin determined that _____ selects the variations among organisms that are most useful for survival.

a)

people

b)

scientists

c)

nature

d)

tortoises

21.

The theory of evolution by ________ states that living things with beneficial traits produce more offspring than others do.

a)

artificial selection

b)

adaptations

c)

natural selection

22.

Darwin's theory of evolution explains and unifies all of ________

a)

the Earth

b)

the previous theories

c)

biology