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Natural and Artificial Selection

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 17mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The data provides evidence that best supports the claim that these chickens are being bred for which characteristic?

a)

A. Fewer white feathers

b)

B. Shorter beaks

c)

C. More tail feathers

d)

D. Larger bodies

2.

Greyhounds are dogs with long, powerful legs and slim bodies that make them very fast runners. Which of the following best describes how humans were able to engineer this breed of dog?

a)

For many generations, these dogs were allowed to run freely in large, open fields.

b)

Dogs that were slower than others were given exercise and trained to run fast.

c)

Over many years, all the dogs were fed diets high in protein and vitamins.

d)

In every generation, only those dogs with the desired traits were allowed to reproduce.

3.

Male peacocks have elaborate tail feathers while female peacocks do not because:

a)

male peacocks need to fly faster than females

b)

female peacocks choose mates based on tail feathers, leading to more elaborate male feathers

c)

male peacocks use their feathers for camouflage

d)

female peacocks have more colorful feathers than males

4.
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.
5.
Almost all adaptations started off as?
a)
selective breeding
b)
physiological
c)
structural
d)
mutation
6.

What word describes a trait that helps an organism survive in its environment?

a)

natural selection

b)

mutation

c)

camouflage

d)

adaptation

7.
The differences among a species, like different bird beaks, are called
a)
genes.
b)
variations.
c)
traits.
d)
theories.
8.
Why do frogs and other organism reproduce so many eggs or offspring?
a)
so that their babies can have friends to play with
b)
the more offspring the more likely the offspring will survive
c)
the more offspring the less likely offspring will survive 
d)
the more offspring the less competition
9.
Survival of the Fittest and Evolution were proposed by what scientist?
a)
Charles Darwin
b)
Albert Einstein
c)
Steven Hawking
d)
Isaac Newton
10.

1. The process of humans choosing organisms for desired characteristics is called

a)

natural selection

b)

Artificial selection

c)

random selection

d)

genetic manipulation

11.

What is an example of artificial selection?

a)

Letting dogs choose their own mate

b)

Letting plants pollinate on their own

c)

Crossing a labrador and a poodle to create a labradoodle

12.

What is this an example of?

a)

natural selection

b)

artificial selection

13.

What is this an example of?

a)

natural selection

b)

artificial selection

14.

What is this an example of?

a)

natural selection

b)

artificial selection

15.

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.

16.

Which of the following describes an inherited trait?

a)

Bears have thick shaggy fur.

b)

Bears learn where the best berries grow.

c)

Baby bears figure out how to climb trees quickly.

d)

A bear is wet because he’s been catching salmon.

17.

Charlie’s nose looks just like his grandfather’s nose. This is an example of

a)

nurture.

b)

heredity.

c)

environment.

d)

learned behavior.

18.

Why is a person’s height something that is both inherited and acquired?

a)

A person’s height is determined completely by DNA.

b)

Height is neither in a person’s DNA nor affected by the environment.

c)

Height is determined completely by what environment a person lives in.

d)

A person’s potential height is inherited, but they might not get enough nutrition to reach it.

19.

Which of the following statements is true?

a)

You get new acquired traits all your life, but once you acquire them they never change.

b)

You are born with inherited traits, but they change over your lifetime as you learn new things.

c)

Both your inherited and acquired traits are unchangeable from the moment you’re born.

d)

Your inherited traits don’t change, but your acquired traits can change over your lifetime.

20.
Which trait does a puppy inherit from its parents?
a)
fur color and pattern
b)
obedience to commands
c)
food brand preference
d)
affection for a specific home
21.

Freckles are an _____________.

a)

acquired trait

b)

inherited behavior

c)

inherited trait

d)

acquired behavior

22.

A dog has black fur with brown spots, a good sense of smell, a chipped tooth, and four legs. Which of these characteristics is an acquired physical trait?

a)

black fur with brown spots

b)

good sense of smell

c)

chipped tooth

d)

four legs

23.

A characteristic that a living thing gets from its parents

a)

inherited trait

b)

learned behavior

c)

physical behavior

d)

acquired trait

24.

Eye Color

a)

Inherited trait

b)

Acquired trait

25.
Which best explains why a child may look like his father, but is not able to play basketball as well as him?
a)
Physical characteristics are inherited, but the ability to shoot a basketball is not.
b)
The ability to shoot a basketball is inherited, but physical characteristics are not.
c)
The child chooses to look like his father, but he does not choose to play basketball.
d)
He hates playing basketball so he doesn't care if his dad can play.