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Evolution and Natural Selection

Total questions: 41

Worksheet time: 29mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

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 organism knew it needed that trait, survives, and passes it on.

2.
Why is the mouse population changing over time?
a)
The light mice can reproduce more successfully than the dark mice
b)
The hawks eat more dark mice than light mice because the dark mice taste better
c)
The hawks eat more light mice than dark mice because they can see the light mice more easily
d)
The hawks eat more dark mice than light mice because they can see the dark mice more easily
3.
What process is being shown in this image?
a)
Variation
b)
Natural Selection
c)
Selective Breeding
d)
Homeostasis
4.

"Organisms that are better adapted to the environment survive to pass traits to their offspring" is the definition of

a)

Natural Selection

b)

Evolution

c)

Selective Breeding

d)

Artificial Selection

5.

All rabbits of the same species living in a particular area would be an example of a(n)

a)

population

b)

species

c)

community

d)

ecosystem

6.
Which organisms are most likely to survive?
a)
the best adapted
b)
the fastest
c)
the strongest
d)
the most domesticated (tamed)
7.

Why is competition important for natural selection?

a)

It shows which variations are more successful, allowing the organisms with those variations to survive.

b)

It causes organisms, regardless of which traits they have, to die out, reducing the population size.

c)

It causes organisms to get stronger due to having to outcompete other species.

d)

Competition is not important for natural selection.

8.

Adaptations can be:

a)

camouflage

b)

ability to survive cold weather

c)

hunting skills

d)

all of the above

9.

What is most likely to happen to moth populations in the picture shown?

a)

Light moths--hunted easily, dark moths--population increase

b)

Dark moths--hunted easily, dark moths--population increase

c)

Light moths--hunted easily, light moths--population increase

d)

Lights moths will change their color to match dark moths.

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.

According to natural selection, light colored tree trunks would favor

a)

light colored moths

b)

dark colored moths

c)

red colored moths

d)

red and light colored moths

12.

Change in a population over time that descend from a common ancestor.

a)

Natural Selection

b)

Selective Breeding

c)

Homeostasis

d)

Evolution

13.
Definition: adaptation
a)
inherited characteristic that increases chances of survival
b)
organisms with traits well suited to their environment survive and reproduce at a greater rate
c)
a growing population causes a scarcity of resources
d)
differences in the DNA sequence
14.
Definition: natural selection
a)
inherited characteristic that increases chances of survival
b)
organisms with traits well suited to their environment survive and reproduce at a greater rate
c)
a growing population causes a scarcity of resources
d)
differences in the DNA sequence
15.

Genetic diversity in a species makes long term survival of some members

a)

impossible

b)

improvable

c)

more likely

d)

less likely

16.
Survival of the Fittest and Evolution were proposed by what scientist?
a)
Charles Darwin
b)
Albert Einstein
c)
Steven Hawking
d)
Isaac Newton
17.
Dogs such as Chihuahuas are examples of....
a)
Artificial Selection 
b)
Natural Selection 
c)
Mutations 
18.

Why might it be helpful for a species to have a lot of variations?

a)

They can't be seen by predators

b)

If the environment changes, they might be better able to adapt

c)

It is helpful in asexual reproduction

d)

They don't recognize each other

19.

Humans selecting which traits are preferred in an organism, and then intentionally breeding organisms for those particular sets of characteristics is known as

a)

natural selection

b)

artificial selection

c)

adaptations

d)

macroevolution

20.

Which statement is true comparing natural selection and artificial selection?

a)

In natural selection, traits benefit humans and in artificial selection, the traits benefit the species

b)

In natural selection, traits benefit the species and in artificial selection, the traits benefit humans

c)

In natural and artificial selection, the process takes hundreds of years to occur

d)

In natural and artificial selection, nature determines what traits will be passed down to offspring.

21.

What adaptation prevented moths from being eaten by birds?

a)

camouflage coloring

b)

fast flying

c)

long necks

d)

bright colors

22.

What happened when the trees turned dark color?

a)

Moths that were light color survived and reproduced successfully

b)

Moths that were dark color survived and reproduced successfully

c)

Moths that were light color turned dark color to hide

d)

Moths went extinct because they were all light color and got eaten

23.

What selecting factor was responsible for the less fit moths dying?

a)

Birds that hunt by sight

b)

Different colored trees

c)

Different colored moths

d)

Industrial revolution

24.

Evolution of peppered moth color happened because of the process of_____

a)

Selective breeding

b)

Artificial Selection

c)

Inheritance of Acquired Traits

d)

Natural Selection

25.

All of these finches have different shaped beaks. They are an adaptation to gain access to

a)

Water

b)

Food

c)

Shelter

26.

The different finch beaks shown in this picture are adapted for

a)

different colors

b)

different food

c)

different mating rituals

d)

different nesting sites

27.

Galapagos finches most likely evolved from

a)

several other bird species

b)

a single common ancestor

c)

a European ancestor

28.
What is the advantage of having different shaped beaks?
a)
To look different from other species.
b)
To be able to eat the food readily available in the environment.
c)
To protect itself against predators.
d)
To protect itself against prey.
29.
What did the beak type of finches on different islands tell Darwin?
a)
Finch populations evolved over time to favor beaks based on food type
b)
Finch populations had not evolved over time
c)
The finch beaks had no relationship to the available food on the islands
d)
Humans artificially selected finches based on their desired beak type
30.
Base your answer(s) to the following question(s) on the diagram below and on your knowledge of biology.
 Which two finches would compete the least for food? 
a)
small ground finch and large ground finch 
b)
large ground finch and sharp-billed ground finch 
c)
small tree finch and medium ground finch 
d)
vegetarian finch and small ground finch 
31.
Which characteristic is necessary for natural selection to occur in a species? 
a)
stability 
b)
variation 
c)
complex cellular organization 
d)
a very low mutation rate 
32.

Different finch species have beaks of different shapes and sizes. These different beak structures are evidence of:

a)

different finch species adapting to different environments over many generations.

b)

different finch species with different beak structures coming to the Galápagos Islands from the mainland.

c)

different finch populations being evolutionarily related.

d)

individual birds changing their beak characteristics so that they could feed efficiently.

33.

Which is the most likely explanation for the presence of 13 different finch species on the Galápagos Islands today?

a)

Many years ago, several different species of birds migrated to the islands and the 13 finch species that currently live there are the only species that survived.

b)

Many years ago, a small population of a single bird species migrated to the islands and evolved into the 13 species that live on the islands today.

c)

Each of the 13 species has migrated to the islands at different times over the years.

d)

A single bird species migrated to one island at around the time of Charles Darwin’s voyage to the Galápagos and then migrated to all 13 islands.

34.
Which part of the theory of evolution did Darwin develop after reading Thomas Malthus?
a)
Evolution occurs as advantageous traits accumulate in a population
b)
In any population, there is variation and unequal ability to individuals to survive and reproduce
c)
Only the best-fit individuals survive and get to pass on their genes
d)
Populations tend to grow exponentially, overpopulate, and exceed their resources
35.
Which of the following is NOT a cause of Evolution
a)
Overproduction
b)
Variations among organisms
c)
Competition
d)
Selective Breeding
36.
A group of similar organisms that can mate with each other and produce fertile offspring is called a(n)
a)
Species
b)
Fossils
c)
Family
d)
Kingdom
37.
Based on the bird beaks, what kind of food would "D" most likely eat?
a)
Insects
b)
Seeds
c)
Nectur
d)
Fish
38.
Effect caused by limited food and other resources
a)
overproduction
b)
competition
c)
variations
d)
none of the above
39.
Effect caused by species producing more offspring than can survive
a)
overproduction
b)
competition
c)
variations
d)
none of the above
40.

Which feature of the finches helped support Darwin's theory of Natural Selection?

a)

Finches had different beak shapes to suit their food source

b)

Finches had unusual reproductive behavior

c)

Finches changed features during their lifetime

d)

Finches were able to survive from predator attacks

41.

Galapagos finch species are genetically similar enough that they could produce offspring; they do not interbreed though. Which of the following is one of reasons that these finches don't interbreed?

a)

They have different mating songs that the different species don't recognize.

b)

Each species lives so far away from the other species that they never come into contact

c)

Each species mates at a different time of the year.

d)

The different species are physiologically incompatible so mating is physically impossible.

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