Name: Date:
Unit 7 Assessment: Origins of Life, Evolution, and Taxonomy
1. When life first appeared, Earth’s atmosphere did not contain significant amounts of oxygen. Which of the following processes was responsible for the oxygenation of the atmosphere? (SC.912.L.15.8)
a. cellular respiration in plants b. photosynthesis in early prokaryotes c. volcanic eruptions
d. photosynthesis in early animals
2. One of the accepted scientific theories describing the origin of life on earth is known as chemical evolution. According to this theory, which of the following events would need to occur first for life to evolve? (SC.912.L.15.8)
a. onset of photosynthesis
b. origin of genetic (DNA or RNA) material c. synthesis of organic macromolecules d. formation of a plasma membrane
3. In the 1950’s, Miler and Urey conducted experiments in which they fired electrical sparks in the presence of a mixture of different gasses. How did these experiments contribute to the theory of the origins of life on Earth? (SC.912.L.15.8)
a. they proved that organic molecules formed from space debris
b. They showed that organic molecules could be formed from the materials of early earth c. They determined that the age of organic molecules can be measured
d. They discovered that organic molecules would not have formed without oxygen
4. Scientists theorize that it took roughly one billion years for oxygen in the atmosphere to reach levels that could support life as we know it. Which of the following describes the types of cells that put oxygen into the environment? (SC.912.L.15.8)
a. aerobic and photosynthetic b. anaerobic and heterotrophic c. photosynthetic and unicellular d. heterotrophic and eukaryotic
5. Which of following describes the function of natural selection? (SC.912.L.15.13) a. the reduction of reproductive capabilities
b. the removal of older genes from the gene pool c. the removal of unfit variants as they arise via mutation
d. the prevention of a population reaching the carrying capacity of the environment
6. During his trip to the Galapagos Islands, Darwin observed that finches on different islands had different features. How did this observation contribute to Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. he concluded that all variations are beneficial b. he concluded that mutations prevent adaptation
c. he concluded that to develop mutations, species had to be exposed to radiation
d. he concluded that traits well suited to an organisms environment are more likely to be passed on to offspring
7. As the best-adapted members of a species produce offspring and pass on their favorable characteristics to their offspring, what happens to the population as a whole? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. The best-adapted members soon become a new species
b. the best-adapted members will overpopulate leading to extinction
c. The entire population will gradually become more similar to the best-adapted members d. The entire population will stop evolving once all individuals have the favorable trait
9. Which theory does the cladogram best support? (SC.912.L.15.13) a. cell theory
b. the theory of evolution c. the theory of superposition d. the theory of natural selection
10. When a species includes organisms with a wide variety of traits, it is most likely that this species will have… (SC.912.L.15.13) a. a high proportion of individuals immune to genetic diseases
b. a greater chance to survive if environmental conditions suddenly change c. less success competing for resources
d. limitless supplies of important resources
11. If the same antibiotic is used too many times, it can become less effective against a certain type of bacteria. This observation is best explained by the (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. presence of pathogens in antibiotics
b. production of antibiotics by white blood cells c. replication of viruses that attack bacteria
d. survival and reproduction of unaffected bacteria
12. How does greater genetic variability within a population affect a species’ reproductive success? (SC.912.L.15.13) a. It reduces the need to keep the species alive in captivity.
b. It increases the probability of mutations that create helpful adaptations. c. It reduces the expansion of harmful traits that result from inbreeding.
d. It increases the chance that the species will be able to survive sea level rise.
Base your answers to questions 13 and 14 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of biology. The diagram represents possible evolutionary pathways of certain organisms.
Present time 25 million years ago
50 million years ago
75 million years ago 100 million years ago
13. Which species is most closely related to species L? (SC.912.L.15.13) a. E
b. F c. G d. I
14. Which statement can best be inferred based on the information in this diagram? (SC.912.L.15.13) a. Natural selection occurs only as a result of mutations.
b. Natural selection requires a minimum of 5 million years to occur
c. Each new species that develops continues to exist through present time.
d. Some species that are no longer successful in their environment may become extinct.
a. There are not variations in this grass species which allows this grass to survive b. Silicates are necessary for photosynthesis
c. The current species has no mutations
d. The silicates in the grass have given the species an advantage in its environment
16. Which group would most likely have the greatest survival success during a long period of environmental changes? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. a small population of rabbits living in a field of grass b. a large population of red ants living in a forest
c. an endangered population of polar bears living near an iceberg d. one species of bird that nests only in sugar maple trees
17. Zebras’ stripes are thought to be an adaptation that has been passed down to prevent zebras from being seen by the tsetse fly. The tsetse fly transmits deadly diseases to zebras. What would most likely happen to a zebra born in the wild without stripes?
(SC.912.L.15.13)
a. The zebra would adapt to a different habitat b. The zebra would become a new species
c. The zebra would not long enough to pass this trait on d. The zebra would pass the color trait on to the next generation
18. Scientists have discovered a deadly fish disease spreading quickly through an area. They are trying to predict how four fish species in the area will be affected. The table below gives information about these four species.
Fish Species Average Size of Fish (meters) Level of Genetic Diversity
1 0.5 Low
2 0.5 Medium
3 0.5 High
4 0.5 Medium
Based on the information in this table, for which species is it MOST LIKELY that some individuals will survive? (SC.912.L.15.13) a. Species 1
b. Species 2 c. Species 3 d. Species 4
19. Tuberculosis is a disease caused by a bacterium and can often be fatal. For several decades, antibiotics were very successful in killing the tuberculosis bacteria, but now strains of the bacteria have developed that can only be killed when treated for long periods of time with multiple types of antibiotics. Why have the antibiotics become less effective when treated with tuberculosis?
(SC.912.L.15.13)
a. the antibiotics grow weaker as a result of mutations
b. those bacteria that were in contact with the antibiotics learn to avoid them
c. Human immune systems have adapted to the presence of bacteria making the medicine less effective
d. Any bacteria with mutations protecting them from the antibiotics were more likely to survive and pass on the mutations
20. Why would a small population lose a recessive trait more quickly than a large population? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. The small population has fewer individuals with the recessive allele, so the possibility of not passing it on increases. b. In the small population, only a few individuals would have to lose their speckles for the allele to disappear.
c. Individuals with the recessive trait would have more difficulty finding mates because of the smaller population d. It is more likely that the habitat will change with the smaller populations
21. Over time, the climate of an island became drier, which resulted in changes to the populations of various island finch species. Finch populations with a certain beak shape thrived, while those not having that beak shape decreased. Which of the following describes a necessary condition for these changes in the finch populations to occur? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. fewer mutations b. limited beak variations c. limited food resources
d. lack of variability within the finch population
a. the energy required to produce larger teeth placed ancient sharks at a disadvantage b. Over time, the average tooth size of predators has decreased
c. Larger teeth do not give the modern shark a great advantage d. Great white sharks no longer rely on their teeth to survive
23. Given the graphs below, which of the following correctly labels the graphs in correct order? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. stabilizing selection, disruptive selection, directional selection b. disruptive selection, stabilizing selection, directional selections c. directional selection, disruptive selection, stabilizing selection d. directional selection, stabilizing selection, disruptive selection
24. Which of the following will cause speciation if it occurs for long enough? (SC.912.L.15.13) a. reproductive isolation
b. evolution c. adaptive radiation d. punctuated equilibrium
25. A population of animals is permanently split by a natural barrier into two separate populations in different environments. What will likely result after a long period of time? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. The evolution of the two populations will be identical. b. The production of variations will stop in the two populations. c. The two populations will evolve into separate species.
d. Autotrophic nutrition will replace heterotrophic nutrition in the two populations. 26. Which of the following is NOT a logical assumption regarding speciation? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. Natural selection occurred in the same way for two populations b. Different selective forces were working in the populations c. Different mutations occurred in the different populations d. Genetic drift occurred differently in the two populations
27. When new lakes are formed in Africa, a single species of cichlid fish that finds itself stranded in the lake may evolve into a large number of different species in a short period of time, because there is an abundance of new niches and no established species to exploit them. This illustrates which of the following concepts? (SC.912.L.15.13)
28. Evolutionary biologists often see a species go on unchanged for a long time. Then the species is replaced, without any transition, by a new species that looks like a variation of the old one. This illustrates which of the following concepts? (SC.912.L.15.13)
a. Natural selection b. Adaptive radiation c. Punctuated equilibrium d. Genetic drift
29. The Afrikaner population of Dutch settlers in South Africa is descended mainly from a few colonists. Today, the Afrikaner population has an unusually high frequency of the gene that causes Huntington’s disease, because those original Dutch colonists just happened to carry that gene with unusually high frequency. This is an example of evolution caused by… (SC.912.L.15.14)
a. gene flow b. genetic drift c. mutations d. natural selection
30. Scientists can compare the molecular biology of different organisms to determine how closely related they are from an evolutionary standpoint. Based on the information below, which two species are most closely related? (SC.912.L.15.1)
Species % similarity to human protein
1 33
2 74
3 12
4 82
a. 1 and 3 b. 2 and 3 c. 3 and 4 d. 2 and 4
31. Scientists have observed that the embryos of different animal species share common characteristics at certain points during their development. Which statement does this observation support? (SC.912.L.15.1)
a. these species share a common ancestor
b. similar diets result in similar embryonic characteristics c. these embryos will stay similar into adulthood
d. similar environments result in similar embryonic characteristics
32. The wing of a bat, the human hand, and a dolphin flipper show similar bone structures, but their function is very different. These structures started out the same in a common ancestor, but changed over time. Which of the following correctly explains the type of evolution and the type of structures in the above scenario? (SC.912.L.15.1)
a. convergent evolution; homologous structures b. convergent evolution; analogous structures c. divergent evolution; homologous structures d. divergent evolution; analogous structures et
33. Many whales have tiny, unused hip and pelvis bones. Which of the following statements could be supported given this information? (SC.912.L.15.1)
a. it shows that many animals, including whales, evolved to have unused body parts b. It shows that whales may have evolved from land animals that use their hip and pelvis c. It shows that whales evolved at the same time as other non-marine animals
d. It shows that marine animals, like whales, evolved more slowly than land animals
34. Which of the following best describes why some extinct species share similarities in the fossil records to living organisms? (SC.912.L.15.1)
a. All organisms have adapted the same way to their environments and have the same beneficial traits
b. All organisms are related through a common ancestor but have evolved differently over long periods of time c. All organisms have identical genetic codes and therefore have similar features
d. Following mass extinctions, the few surviving organisms followed the same evolutionary path as the extinct species 35. What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures? (SC.912.L.15.1)
a. there is no difference, they are synonyms
b. Homologous structures have a similar structure because of common ancestry, analogous structures share a similar function because of their environments
d. Analogous structures are useless, homologous structures exist within the same organism
36. Look at the hominid skills below – what is the correct order from the oldest to the most recent skull? (SC.912.L.15.10)
a. 4 2 1 3 b. 2 1 4 3 c. 2 1 3 4 d. 2 4 1 3
37. Which of the following is a trend in human evolution? (SC.912.L.15.10) a. decreasing brain size
b. increasing jaw size c. increasing jaw muscle size d. increasing social complexity
38. Which of the following is NOT a true statement about human evolution? (SC.912.L.15.10) a. human ancestors have always been bidpedal
b. Having smaller jaw muscles was selected for in our ancestors because it allowed our ancestors to communicate more effectively
c. Humans share a recent common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos d. increasing brain size allowed human ancestors to develop tools and language 39. Which of the following is the least specific category of classification? (SC.912.L.15.4)
a. class b. order c. family d. domain
40. Which of the following is NOT reason why organisms are classified using taxonomic names? (SC.912.L.15.4) a. this provides a common language for all scientists
b. taxonomic names show evolutionary relationships c. taxonomy makes it easier to find information
d. taxonomic names make everything about organism classification more difficult
41. Originally, organisms were classified by their physical appearances. Organisms are no longer classified in this way. Which of the following explains why organism classification changes? (SC.912.L.15.5)
a. As new evolutionary evidence is found that is more significant than appearance, organism classification changes b. Despite new discoveries, organism classification will never change
c. The only way a classification can change is if a new opinion is expressed d. only fossil evidence can change an organisms’ classification
42. A eukaryotic cell is one-celled. Into which group should it be classified? (SC.912.L.15.6) a. domain Archea
b. kingdom Bacteria c. kingdom Protista d. domain Animalia
43. Which organism can most likely be classified in the domain Bacteria? (SC.912.L.15.6) a. a predatory organism that depends on hunting for food
b. a multicellular organism the reproduces sexually and decomposes dead matter c. a photosynthetic organism that undergoes sexual reproduction
d. a unicellular prokaryote that has a simple structure and reproduces asexually
44. Plants and fungi are in different biological kingdoms for several reasons. Which of the following does NOT correctly describe a difference between plants and fungi?
a. Plants create biomass, fungi decompose biomass
d. Plants are autotrophs, fungi are heterotrophs
45. Animals are heterotrophic, meaning that they participate in food chains and get energy from consuming organic compounds. Which other biological kingdom is made up entirely of heterotrophic organisms? (SC.912.L.15.6)
a. bacteria b. plants c. fungi d. protists
46. Which question will best help a student determine whether an organism is a member of Domain Archea or or Kingdom Protista? (SC.912.L.15.6)
a. How does the organism reproduce? b. Is there a nucleus?
c. Is the organism unicellular or multicellular?
d. There is no way to know the how to classify the organism
47. In what way is genetic engineering similar to the more traditional practice of artificial selection? a. Both techniques produce higher-yield products
b. In both cases, two hybrids are crossed to develop a new organism c. both methods result in a product that has some desirable characteristic d. In both procedures, genes from unrelated organisms are inserted
48. Throughout the history of life on Earth, many processes have resulted in new traits in organisms. Which list shows some of these processes in order from the oldest to the most recently used? (SC.912.L.16.10)
a. gene manipulation, natural selection, selective breeding b. natural selection, selective breeding, gene manipulation c. natural selection, gene manipulation, selective breeding d. selective breeding, gene manipulation, natural selection
Unit 7 Reflection Sheet
Benchmark: SC.912.L.15.8: Describe the scientific explanations of the origin of life on Earth
1 2 3 4 _________
Benchmark: SC.912.L.15.13: Describe the conditions required for natural selection, including: overproduction of offspring, inherited variation, and the struggle to survive, which result in differential reproductive success
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 27 28 _________
Benchmark: SC.912.L.15.14: Discuss mechanisms of evolutionary change other than natural selection such as genetic drift and gene flow.
29 _________
Benchmark: SC.912.L.15.1: Explain how the scientific theory of evolution is supported by the fossil record, comparative anatomy, comparative embryology, biogeography, molecular biology, and observed evolutionary change
30 31 32 33 34 35 _________
Benchmark: SC.912.L.15.10: Identify basic trends in hominid evolution from early ancestors six million years ago to modern humans, including brain size, jaw size, language, and manufacture of tools.
36 37 38 _________
Benchmark: SC.912.L.15.4: Describe how and why organisms are hierarchically classified and based on evolutionary relationships.
39 40 _________
41 _________ Benchmark: SC.912.L.15.6: Discuss distinguishing characteristics of the domains and kingdoms of living organisms.
42 43 44 45 46 _________
SC.912.L.16.10: Evaluate the impact of biotechnology on the individual, society and the environment, including medical and ethical issues.
