LAST PERSON STANDING THE EVOLUTION EDITION QUESTION #1 Base your
answer to the question on the passage below and on your knowledge
of biology. When Charles Darwin traveled to the Galapagos Islands,
he observed 14 distinct varieties of finches on the islands. Darwin
also observed that each finch variety ate a different type of food
and lived in a slightly different habitat from the other finches.
Darwin concluded that the finches all shared a common ancestor but
had developed different beak structures. 1. The different beak
structures mentioned in the last sentence were most likely
influenced by selection for favorable variations 2. environmental
conditions identical to those of the common ancestor 3. abnormal
mitotic cell division 4. characteristics that are acquired during
the birds lifetime THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE(1) QUESTION #2 1. Species
A is the common ancestor of all life on Earth.
The diagram below illustrates possible evolutionary pathways of
some species. Which statement is a valid inference based on the
information in the diagram? 1. Species A is the common ancestor of
all life on Earth. 2. Species D is more closely related to species
E than to species F. 3. Species B is the ancestor of species F. 4.
Species C is the ancestor of species that exist at the present
time. THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (2) QUESTION #3 Base your answer to the
question on the diagram below that shows some evolutionary
pathways. Each letter represents a different species. If A
represents a simple multicellular heterotrophic organism, B would
most likely represent 1.a single-celled photosynthetic organism
2.an autotrophic mammal 3.a complex multicellular virus 4.another
type of simple multicellular heterotroph THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (4)
QUESTION #4 Letters A through J represent different species of
organisms. The vertical distances between the dotted lines
represent long periods of time in which major environmental changes
occurred. Which species appears to have been most successful in
surviving changes in the environment over time? 1. A 2. B 3. C 4. H
THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (2) QUESTION #5 In the diagram of undisturbed
sedimentary rock strata, in which rock layer are the fossils of
more complex animals generally found? 1.layer A 2.layer B 3.layer E
4.layer D THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (1) QUESTION #6 Which statement is
best supported by the theory of evolution? 1. Genetic alterations
occur every time cell reproduction occurs. 2. The fossil record
provides samples of every organism that ever lived. 3. Populations
that have advantageous characteristics will increase in number. 4.
Few organisms survive when the environment remains the same. THE
ANSWER IS: CHOICE (3) QUESTION #7 How does natural selection
operate to cause change in a population? 1.The members of the
population are equally able to survive any environmental change.
2.The members of the population differ so that only some survive
when the environment changes. 3.The members of the population do
not adapt to environmental changes. 4.All the members of the
population adapt to environmental changes. THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE
(2) QUESTION #8 Which statement is most closely related to the
modern theory of evolution? 1.Characteristics that are acquired
during life are passed to offspring by sexual reproduction.
2.Evolution is the result of mutations and recombination, only.
3.Organisms best adapted to a changed environment are more likely
to reproduce and pass their genes to offspring. 4.Asexual
reproduction increases the survival of species. THE ANSWER IS:
CHOICE (3) QUESTION #9 .The diagram below represents the
relationship between beak structure and food in several species of
finches in the Galapagos Islands. Which factor most directly
influenced the evolution of the diverse types of beaks of these
finches? 1.predation by humans 2.available food sources 3.oceanic
storms 4.lack of available niches THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (2)
QUESTION #10 Organisms with favorable variations reproduce more
successfully than organisms with less favorable variations. This
statement best describes the concept of 1.overproduction 2.use and
disuse 3.inheritance of acquired characteristics 4.survival of the
fittest THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (4) QUESTION #11 Evolution refers to
change over a long period of time in 1.a fossil 2.a population 3.a
rock 4.an embryo THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (2) QUESTION #12
Characteristics of a species that make its members better able to
live and reproduce in their environment are known as 1.favorable
adaptations 2.homologous structures 3.abiotic factors 4.biotic
factors THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (1) QUESTION #13 Which statement is
best supported by fossil records? 1.Many organisms that lived in
the past are now extinct. 2.Species occupying the same habitat have
identical environmental needs. 3.The struggle for existence between
organisms results in changes in population. 4.Structures such as
leg bones and wing bones can originate from the same type of tissue
found in embryos. THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (1) QUESTION #14 The
diagram shows an interpretation of relationships based on
evolutionary theory. The letters represent different species. The
diagram indicates that a common ancestor for species C and E is
1.species F 2.species G 3.species H 4.species K THE ANSWER IS:
CHOICE (4) QUESTION #15 The diagrams show the bones in the
forelimbs of three different organisms. Differences in the bone
arrangements support the hypothesis that these organisms 1.are
members of the same species 2.may have descended from the same
ancestor 3.have adaptations to survive in different environments
4.all contain the same genetic information THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE
(3) QUESTION #16 The diagram below shows variations in beak sizes
and shapes for several birds on the Galapagos Islands. Galapagos
finches evolved partly due to: 1.cloning and recombination
2.migration and selective breeding 3.mutation and asexual
reproduction 4.variation and competition THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (4)
QUESTION #17 Thousands of years ago, giraffes with short necks were
common within giraffe populations. Nearly all giraffe populations
today have long necks. This difference could be due to 1.giraffes
stretching their necks to keep their heads out of reach of
predators 2.giraffes stretching their necks so they could reach
food higher in the trees 3.a mutation in genetic material
controlling neck size occurring in some skin cells of a giraffe 4.a
mutation in genetic material controlling neck size occurring in the
reproductive cells of a giraffe THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (4) QUESTION
#18 A new chemical was discovered and introduced into a culture
containing one species of bacteria. Within a day, most of the
bacteria were dead, but a few remained alive. Which statement best
explains why some of the bacteria survived? 1.They had a genetic
variation that gave them resistance to the chemical. 2.They were
exposed to the chemical long enough to develop a resistance to it.
3.They mutated and became a different species after exposure to the
chemical. 4.They absorbed the chemical and broke it down in their
digestive systems. THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (1) QUESTION #19 Which
phrase best defines evolution? 1.an adaptation of an organism to
its environment 2.a sudden replacement of one community by another
3.a geographic or reproductive isolation of organisms 4.a process
of change in organisms over a period of time THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE
(4) QUESTION #20 Organisms with favorable variations reproduce more
successfully than organisms with less favorable variations. This
statement best describes the concept of 1.overproduction 2.use and
disuse 3.inheritance of acquired characteristics 4.survival of the
fittest THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (4) QUESTION #21 Charles Darwin
proposed that organisms produce many more offspring that can
possibly survive on the limited amount of resources available to
them. According to Darwin, the offspring most likely to survive are
those that 1.are born first and grow fastest 2.are largest and most
aggressive 3.are best adapted to the environment 4.have no natural
predators THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (3) QUESTION #22 If the environment
were to change dramatically or a new plant disease were to break
out, which plant type would most likely survive? 1.wild wheat
2.domestic wheat 3.wild corn 4.domestic corn THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE
(1) QUESTION #23 When the antibiotic penicillin was first
introduced, it was immediately effective in combating
staphylococcus bacterial infections. After a number of years, there
were outbreaks of staphylococcal infections that did not respond to
treatment with penicillin. The best explanation for this situation
is that 1.members of the original population of bacteria that were
penicillin resistant survived and reproduced, creating a more
resistant population 2.the bacteria that survived exposure to
penicillin learned to avoid it 3.the bacteria that caused the new
outbreaks were from populations that had never been exposed to
penicillin 4.during each generation, the bacteria modified their
own DNA to increase their ability to resist penicillin and passed
this ability on to their descendants THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (1)
QUESTION #24 Which statement about the rates of evolution for
different species is in agreement with the theory of evolution?
1.They are identical, since the species live on the same planet.
2.They are identical, since each species is at risk of becoming
extinct. 3.They are different, since each species has different
adaptations that function within a changing environment. 4.They are
different, since each species has access to unlimited resources
within its environment. THE ANSWER IS: CHOICE (3) QUESTION #25
Which concept is not a part of the theory of evolution?
1.Present-day species developed from earlier species. 2.Some
species die out when environmental changes occur. 3.Complex
organisms develop from simple organisms over time. 4.Change occurs
according to the needs of an individual organism to survive. THE
ANSWER IS: CHOICE (4)