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WorksheetsBiology STAAR 2023
Total questions: 45
Worksheet time: 12hrs 15mins
Some adaptations of two species of salamanders are in the table shown.
Which statement best compares the areas where the axolotl and tiger salamanders live based on their adaptations?
Axolotl salamanders live on land near fresh water.
Tiger salamanders live in lakes.
Axolotl salamanders live in trees. Tiger salamanders live in caves.
Axolotl salamanders live in caves.
Tiger salamanders live in trees.
Axolotl salamanders live in lakes.
Tiger salamanders live on land near fresh water.
The diagram represents a cellular process.
Which molecule is a direct product of this cellular process?
Glucose
Phospholipid
Insulin
DNA
A food web is shown. Identify and explain ONE effect that the removal of mice would have on the food web. Review the food web carefully. Then enter your answer and your explanation in the box provided.
The diagram shows a process that occurs during the development of an organism. Which statement explains how the different cell types in the image are formed?
Each cell type uses its own unique replication process.
Each cell type expresses different genes at different times.
Each cell type contains a different part of the original DNA.
Each cell type has different enzymes to replicate genetic material.
The diagram shows a type of chromosomal mutation. Which type of mutation is shown?
Deletion
Insertion
Duplication
Translocation
This question has two parts.
Between 2005 and 2016, the Kenai Fjords in Alaska experienced an increase in exposed rock due to melting ice. These rock formations are known as "nunataks," which are the tips of mountains that were left uncovered by glaciers in the last ice age. Nunataks are shown in the image.
Part A:
Which timeline describes how plant diversity on the nunataks will change over time?
Part B:
Which evidence supports the answer to Part A?
The nunataks have a steep slope, so they will undergo primary succession.
The nunataks have a steep slope, so they will undergo secondary succession.
The nunataks are bare rock, so they will undergo primary succession.
The nunataks are bare rock, so they will undergo secondary succession.
A Venn diagram comparing viruses to bacteria is shown. Which traits apply to each section of the diagram?
Move the answers to the correct boxes.
Utilize a capsid structure
Have active metabolism
Contain genetic material
Replicate independently
Kelp forests are critical ecosystems that provide habitats to a variety of animals, including sea urchins, sea anemones, crabs, jellyfish, snails, and fish. They also provide hunting grounds for mammals, including sea otters, sea lions, seals, and many different birds. In recent years scientists have documented an increase in shark attacks on sea otters in and around kelp forests.
Which consequence is most likely to occur in kelp forests as a result of increased predation of sea otters?
Kelp forests will become more stable due to the decrease in otter predation pressure.
Kelp forests will become more stable as sharks replace otters as the top predator in the food chain.
Kelp forests will become less stable due to the increase in the size of the otters' prey populations.
Kelp forests will become less stable as sharks will also eliminate the prey of the otters.
Which statements best describe the difference between active transport and passive transport?
Active transport occurs only in cells that require large amounts of energy.
Passive transport occurs in all cells.
Active transport requires ATP.
Passive transport does not require ATP.
Active transport moves substances along the concentration gradient.
Passive transport moves substances against the concentration gradient.
Active transport occurs in all cells.
Passive transport requires ATP.
Achondroplasia is an inherited condition that affects the formation of bone in humans. The allele for achondroplasia (A) is dominant to the unaffected allele (a).
If a person who is homozygous dominant has children with a person who is homozygous recessive, what percentage of their children will likely have achondroplasia?
Enter your answer in the box. Your answer must be a whole number.
(a)
Scientists observe the traits of cells on four microscope slides and record their observations in a table. Based on the scientists' observations, identify the cell type for each microscope slide in the table.
Move the correct answer to each box.
Prokaryotic Cells
Eukaryotic Cells
Eukaryotic Cells
Eukaryotic Cells
The Venn diagram compares two kingdoms.
Which labels could be used to fill in the blanks?
1: Multicellular
2: Unicellular
1: Unicellular
2: Multicellular
1: Heterotroph
2: Autotroph
1: Autotroph
2: Heterotroph
The body sometimes needs to send messages long distances by releasing hormones into the bloodstream. The hormones are then carried to the target location. Which body systems are involved in this interaction?
Move the correct answer to each box. Not all answers will be used.
The (a) system releases hormones into the bloodstream and the (b) system carries them to the target location
Trichonympha are mutualistic microorganisms found in the gut of termites. Which statement BEST explains the relationship between Trichonympha and termites?
Trichonympha will eventually kill their host termites.
Trichonympha cause infections in termites.
Trichonympha steal resources from termites to live.
Trichonympha improve the survival of termites.
Blue whales and narwhals are both marine mammals in Order Cetacea. Which other classification group must these whales share?
Family
Phylum
Genus
Species
Which table correctly identifies the function of each type of RNA?
A diagram of a process that occurs during one of the stages of the cell cycle is shown.
Which answer choice best identifies the process illustrated and the stage of the cell cycle in which it occurs?
Which plant response would best aid a plant in maximizing and retaining water acquired during a drought?
Decreasing root growth, while increasing stem and leaf growth
Increasing root, stem, and leaf growth
Decreasing stem and leaf growth, while increasing root growth
Increasing leaf and root growth, while decreasing stem growth
Two mutations of a genetic sequence are shown. A DNA codon chart is also shown.
Which mutation would have the MOST significant impact on the gene product?
Why would the impact be so significant?
Review the diagram carefully. Then enter your answer and your explanation in the box provided.
The salamanders of the genus Ambystoma in northeastern North America are an entirely female population that produces asexually through the process of cloning. However, they have developed a way of inserting DNA from other species of salamanders into their own DNA.
How has DNA from other salamander species helped these Ambystoma salamanders survive environmental changes over the past 6 million years?
By decreasing the mutations that occur in the DNA
By increasing genetic diversity in the population
By making the DNA more similar across the population
By creating many genetically identical individuals
The feedback loop for blood calcium homeostasis is shown.
According to the diagram, which four body systems are interacting to maintain blood calcium homeostasis?
Respiratory, digestive, muscular, skeletal
Respiratory, immune, reproductive, endocrine
Endocrine, excretory, integumentary, muscular
Endocrine, digestive, excretory, skeletal
A diagram of removing glucose from the blood by a fat cell is shown.
Which statement best describes the role of insulin and glucose transport proteins in this process?
They stimulate a response from white blood cells during glucose entry into the cell.
They keep the plasma membrane flexible when glucose is removed from the blood.
They help to maintain stable glucose levels both inside and outside the cell.
They utilize the excess energy the cell produces to create more glucose.
A Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) and a Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) are shown.
These two DNA sequences best provide evidence that --
all organisms have an identical genetic sequence
the nucleotides making up the genetic code are common to all organisms
the Texas horned lizard eats the Texas bluebonnet
mutations occur randomly in the genetic code
In the late 1700s Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine from cowpox, an infectious virus found in cows. How do viruses, like the one responsible for cowpox, cause disease?
By sexually reproducing with other viruses in the environment
By replicating inside the cell and then lysing the cell
By gaining energy from metabolizing their food
By competing for water with cells of an infected organism
When sawdust is added to soil, organisms in the soil will use all the available nitrogen to break the sawdust down. What effect will the lack of nitrogen have on the plants that are near the sawdust?
The plants will not be able to grow.
The plants will grow faster than before.
The plants will be replaced with new plants.
The plants will evolve to no longer need nitrogen.
A cell undergoing a biological process is shown.
Which process occurs between Step 2 and Step 3 and creates more genetic diversity in the resulting cells?
Chromosome nondisjunction
Genome replication
Crossing over
Chromosomal deletion
Certain species of the coral-like sea organisms called bryozoans first appeared about 140 million years ago. They remained unchanged for the first 40 million years and then suddenly experienced rapid genetic change.
Which process would BEST account for the pattern of evolution in bryozoans?
Convergent evolution
Differentiation
Punctuated equilibrium
Gradualism
The function of an enzyme in a biochemical reaction is to --
raise the temperature of the system
speed up the rate of the reaction
increase the amount of substrate added
change the type of product formed
A diagram of the steps in the production of a protein is shown.
Which description identifies the purpose of Step A in this process?
To correct mutations in the DNA sequence
To produce an exact copy of the DNA molecule
To copy the DNA of a gene sequence onto a strand of mRNA
To assist in the folding of a protein
Spores of the fungus Ustilago maydis land and grow on sweet corn. The fungus then infects the plant tissue, extracting nutrients from the plant's cells.
The relationship between sweet corn and Ustilago maydis can best be described as --
competition
commensalism
predation
parasitism
Which of these properties is found only in cancer cells?
Unregulated cell division
Regulated gene expression
Response to signals outside of the cell
Presence of mitochondria
Albumin is a protein that is secreted by liver cells and transported to the bloodstream. What factor most directly determines the amino acids that are combined to create albumin?
The temperature of the cell when translation is taking place
The number of chromosomes in a cell
The sequence of nucleotides in DNA
The amount of energy that is available to the cell
The table shows the predominant plant types on a piece of land in the years following a disturbance. Based on the data in the table, which disturbance most likely led to this progression?
A glacier retreated.
A volcanic island formed.
A plowed field was abandoned.
A new sand dune was formed.
There are approximately 113 species and subspecies of snakes in Texas. Why would it be important for scientists to use a standardized taxonomic system when naming each species of snake?
To ensure that all species of snakes are located in the fossil record
To avoid confusion in the identification of a variety of snake species
To place snakes in various groups based on their habitats in the ecosystem
To determine the impact of removing one species of snake from their habitat in the ecosystem
A student is looking at a classroom aquarium full of goldfish (Carassius auratus). The student tells a friend, "I love this community of goldfish."
Why is the student incorrect to classify the goldfish as a community?
A community has two or more species.
A community must exist outside.
A community must also inclue abiotic components.
A community must have multiple generations.
During early stages of development, dolphin embryos begin to develop hind limbs. By the time the dolphin fetuses are fully developed, the hind limbs have disappeared.
Which statement best explains the early development and then disappearance of hind limbs in dolphins?
Dolphin fetuses change their development to adapt to an aquatic environment.
The genes that control the development of hind limbs are destroyed as the fetus develops.
The early ancestors of dolphins had hind limbs.
Dolphins are evolving to become terrestrial animals.
The images show a cell in various phases of mitosis.
Which of these lists the phases in the order that they occur in mitosis?
Z, Y, X, W
X, W, Z, Y
Z, X, W, Y
X, Z, Y, W
The figure shows fossilized and living stalk-eyed flies from the family Diopsidae. In fossils, the eye spans of the flies are much smaller than those of living flies.
Which question would BEST help determine whether the change in eye span in stalk-eyed flies was influenced by natural selection?
Is the eye span male stalk-eyed flies similar to that of female flies?
What is the relationship between the body length and eye span of stalk-eyed flies?
How does the eye span of stalk-eyed flies compare from one generation to the next?
Do fossilized stalk-eyed flies have a shorter body length than living flies?
This question has two parts.
Roots of different plants can be connected by a network of underground fungal extensions called hyphae. These fungi contribute minerals to the plants, and the plants contribute carbohydrates to the fungi.
Part A:
Which statement about the transportation of these substances within the plant is true?
The minerals are transported from the phloem to the xylem in the shoot system.
The carbohydrates are transported from the shoot system to the fungi by the xylem.
The minerals are transported from the xylem to the phloem in the roots.
The carbohydrates are transported to the fungi through the phloem.
Part B:
Which statement supports the answer to Part A?
The xylem is part of the plant's vascular tissues.
The phloem transfers glucose through the plant.
The xylem can move substances up from the roots.
The phloem is connected to the roots by the xylem.
The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) population had declined to approximately 20 to 30 individuals as a result of habitat loss and hunting. Many of the panthers had genetic mutations due to inbreeding that affected their ability to reproduce and survive. Female Texas pumas (Puma concolor stanleyana) were introduced into Florida to mate with the endangered population of panthers. Hybrid panthers had more genetic variation and reproductive success than the Florida panthers.
Which table best represents the mechanism of evolution and the effect on the gene pool of the Florida panther population?
The temperature at which American alligator eggs are incubated will affect the gender of the offspring. Eggs kept at 30 oC tend to hatch mostly female, while eggs kept at 33 oC tend to hatch mostly male.
Which statement explains why the temperature affects the gender of alligator hatchlings?.3.b
Gene repair occurs differently at different temperatures.
Gene expression is different at different temperatures
Different parts of the embryo's DNA are deleted at different temperatures.
Different parts of the embryo's DNA are duplicated at different temperatures.
Which pair of statements best compares the primary functions of the carbohydrate chitin and the protein chitinase?
The chitin in the exoskeleton provides insulation for insects.
The chitinase stores genetic material for insectivorous bats.
The chitin in the exoskeleton breaks down for energy to be used by insects.
The chitinase provides insulation for insectivorous bats.
The chitin in the exoskeleton stores genetic material for insects.
The chitinase provides support and protection for insectivorous bats.
The chitin in the exoskeleton provides support and protection for insects.
The chitinase breaks down chitin for energy to be used by insectivorous bats.
A student creates a dichotomous key to identify birds.
Based on the key, which characteristics are shared by the red-winged blackbird and the hairy woodpecker?
Select TWO correct answers.
Does not have a crest
Is not blue
Does not have a short beak
Does not have reddish coloration
Is not mostly black and white
A food chain is shown.
Grasses --> Grubs --> Armadillos --> Coyotes
Which model best represents the amount of energy available for use at each trophic level represented in the food chain?
The base sequence of a segment of DNA is shown.
Which base sequence correctly completes DNA Strand 2?
A T A C G T
G C G T A C
C G C A T G
T A T G C A
