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Category 3 Practice Questions- Evolution and Classification

1. The green frog (Lithobates clamitans clamitans) is found in many parts of the United
States. The table contains some information about this frog.

Why does the ability to lay 1,000 to 5,000 eggs increase the fitness of the species L.
clamitans clamitans?
A. It increases opportunities for offspring to compete for limited resources.
B. It increases the probability that some offspring will survive long enough to
reproduce.
C. It increases the probability that moving water will promote gene flow from one
population to another.
D. It increases the chance of the recombination of alleles, leading to genetic drift in the
population.

2. Bactrian camels, dromedaries, llamas, and alpacas are all members of the same
taxonomic family, Camelidae. Members of this family all have two toes, no hooves, true
canine teeth, and a split upper lip. The family Camelidae originated in North America. The
physical features of animals in this family and the familys geographical origin provide
evidence that all these animals

A. live in the same type of ecosystem C. have a common ancestor

B. have slowly evolved to become D. exchanged DNA at some point in the
herbivores past

E.

3. A prey population consists of individuals with a variety of running speeds.

F.
G. The adaptation that allows some of these animals to run fast would be an example of
natural selection if it helps them
A. survive and undergo mutations in their DNA
B. lower the mortality rates of the population
C. produce offspring that run at average speeds
D. reproduce and increase the frequency of their genes in the population
H.
4. The quiver tree grows in desert areas in southern Africa. In recent
decades average temperatures have been rising in southern Africa.
Scientists predict that this warming trend will continue. Quiver trees
in the hottest parts of their range near the equator are dying, but
quiver trees at high elevations or in parts of the range that are
farther from the equator are growing and reproducing.
I.
J. Which of these best explains what is happening to the quiver tree population in southern
Africa?
A. Individual quiver trees are unable to adjust to the rising temperatures, and only
those in cooler parts of the range will survive.
B. The quiver tree species is unable to survive rising temperatures throughout its
range. The species is likely to undergo rapid extinction.
C. Individual quiver trees can quickly adapt to rising temperatures. Individual trees will
change their method of seed dispersal in cooler parts of the range.
D. The quiver tree species will survive by producing offspring suited for warmer
temperatures.
K.
5. In 2010, scientists excavated a skull fossil that provides evidence of a newly discovered
species of big cat. Based on the evidence, scientists hypothesize that big cats branched
off from smaller wild cats about 6 million years ago. Which of these resources did the
scientists most likely rely on to form their hypothesis?
A. A food web showing feeding relationships of organisms where the fossil skull was
found
B. Population and migration data for small wild cats living in the ecosystem where the
skull was found
C. The fossil record and DNA comparisons of big cats and small cats
D. The historical record of interactions between different species of big cats
L.
M.
6. Five general characteristics of organisms in kingdoms Plantae or Fungi are listed in the
box.

N.
O. Which table correctly lists the characteristics of the organisms in the two kingdoms?
 C.
A.

B. D.

7. This dichotomous key can be used to identify some conifers.

E.
F. Based on the key, which of these best describes the leaves and cones of the longleaf pine?
A. Needle-like straight leaves that are mostly over 25 cm long and found in clusters of
three; no thorns on cones
B. Flattened and scale-like leaves that are mostly over 25 cm long; soft and leathery
cones
C. Needle-like straight leaves with a length of 25 cm that are mostly found in clusters
of five; thorny cones
D. Leaves with a length of 25 cm that are found in clusters of more than five; no thorns
on cones

G.

8. Scientists around the world use a standardized taxonomic system. Why would scientists
want to use a taxonomic system that is standardized?
 A. In order to avoid confusion with the identification of organisms
B. Because Linnaeus established the system
C. So that Latin names can be applied for a practical purpose
D. In order to place organisms in different groups

H.

9. Nudibranchs are marine gastropods that lack shells. Many of these

gastropods retain the foul-tasting poisons of their prey and secrete
them when threatened. The bright coloration of the nudibranchs warns
predators to avoid them.
I. Based on this information, how has adaptation allowed marine
gastropods to be successful without a shell?
A. They find enough food as they move through the marine
environment.
B. They blend in with their environment to hide from their predators.
C. They are not attacked by most predators and are able to reproduce successfully.
D. They have bright colors that attract a mate.
10. A student wants to use the Venn diagram below to show the characteristics of two
kingdoms of organisms. The characteristics
that the two kingdoms share will be listed in
the shaded area where the circles intersect.
J.
K. Which of these is a characteristic that the
student should list in the shaded part of the
diagram?
L.
A. Heterotrophic
B. Mobile
C. Prokaryotic
D. Multicellular
M.
N.
11.Two populations of mice living in the same forest are separated by a large water-filled
ditch. After a rainstorm, flooding brings several mice from one population to the other
population. When the mice from the first population reproduce with members of the
second population, which of the following will likely occur?
O.
A. All the offspring will die as a result of reproductive mutations.
B. The offspring will be forced to leave the second population.
C. The offspring will be genetically identical to their parent from the first population
D. The offspring in the second population will have greater genetic variety.
P.
Q.
12.An analysis of DNA and RNA sequences can be used to classify organisms. A dendrogram,
such as the one shown below, is based on molecular data. It can be used to represent
evolutionary relationships within a group of organisms that are hypothesized to have
descended from a common ancestor.
R.
S. Which statement is best supported by the
information in this dendrogram?
T.
U. A Lesser pandas are more genetically similar to
giant pandas than they are to raccoons.
V. B Brown bears are more genetically similar to giant
pandas than they are to sun bears.
W. C Lesser pandas are more genetically similar to
raccoons than they are to giant pandas.
X. D The bear species are all more genetically similar
to dogs than they are to giant pandas.
Y.
Z.
13.A cladogram is shown below.
AA.
AB. All the animals to the right of the
hagfish would have the common
characteristic of
AC.
A. fur
B. claws or nails
C. lungs
D. jaws
AD.
AE.
AF.
14.Plants have developed many methods of seed dispersal. The table below shows seeds of
two different plants. How has the seed dispersal method
developed by these plants given them a reproductive
advantage?
AG.
A. The method ensures that offspring will be dispersed and
reduces competition for resources.
B. The method reduces the chance that herbivores will
consume the seeds.
C. The method lengthens the life cycle of each of these plants.
D. The method reduces the plants need for water and other nutrients.
AH.
15.This diagram of the fossil record represents changes in mollusks over millions of years.

AI.
AJ. How can the pattern of change in the fossil record best be explained?
A. The mollusks were well adapted to their stable environment. A large, sudden change
occurred in their environment. After the change the mollusks with the bigger shells were
better adapted for the new environment.
B. The mollusks were well adapted to their stable environment. The mollusks hybridized with
a smaller species of mollusk. A new species of mollusk with a bigger shell resulted.
C. The mollusks were not well adapted to their environment. The length of the mollusks
shells changed gradually over time. The mollusks in the original population that had small
shells died over a period of many years.
D. The mollusks were well adapted to their environment. Humans introduced a new species
of mollusk that was not adapted to this environment. The introduced mollusk outcompeted
the native mollusk species.
AK.
16.The opossum, which is native to North America, and the kangaroo, which is native to
Australia, are marsupials. The fact that both these mammals
incubate their immature offspring in a pouch provides evidence that
they
AL. A belong to the same species
AM. B must range great distances to eat
AN. C have very similar skeletal structures
AO. D are descended from a common ancestor

17.Using a light microscope, a student identified the following characteristics of four

organisms found in a sample of pond water.

AP.
AQ. Based on the observations of the student, which organisms most likely belong to the
taxonomic group for bacteria?
AR. A Organisms 1 and 2 C Organisms 1 and 4
AS. B Organisms 3 and 4 D Organisms 2 and 3
18.The Linnaean taxonomic system classifies organisms into divisions called taxa. If two
organisms belong to the same taxonomic group, they are related. Similarity at which of
these levels indicates the closest relationship?
AT. A Kingdom B Class C Order D Genus
AU.

19.Genome maps provide the DNA sequences of chromosomes. Some scientists have
compared the genome maps of a hedgehog and a sloth. What do these genome maps
allow the scientists to determine?
A. The color patterns of the offspring of each species
B. How much the size ranges of the two species differ
C. The methods of protein synthesis that each species uses
D. How closely related the two species are to each other
AV.

20.Which condition is essential for natural selection to result in a new species?

AW. A Unlimited resources C A static environment
AX. B An inherited variation D A long life span
AY.

21.Having a standard taxonomic system benefits the scientific community by allowing

scientists from all over the world to do which of the following?

AZ. A Have a common system for the classification of locations containing fossils
 BA. B Use a similar system to classify the impact of removing species from ecosystems
BB. C Have a common understanding in the classification of organisms
BC. D Understand how other scientists classify predatorprey relationships
BD.
22.The diagram shows a dichotomous key and a picture of a fruit.
BE.
BF.

BF.

BF.

BF.

BF.
BG. According to the key, the fruit comes from which species of tree?
BH. A Fraxinus Americana C Acer platanoides
BI. B Fraxinus nigra D Acer negundo
BJ.
BK.
23.Some organisms have genes that improve their ability to survive and reproduce. If the
genes also help their offspring survive and reproduce, then which of the following will most
likely increase?

A. The frequency of the genes in one C. The number of genes in one

individual chromosome
B. The frequency of the genes in the D. The number of genes in the species
population

E.

24.Arthropods are joint-legged animals. Spiders, crabs, pill bugs, centipedes, and millipedes
are examples of the many types of arthropods. Which of these arthropods are most closely
related?

F. A Arthropods of the same family I. D Arthropods of the same

G. B Arthropods of the same class species
H. C Arthropods of the same genus
 25.After examining the fossil record, scientists have determined that scorpions today are
much smaller than their extinct ancestors. For example, Jaekelopterus rhenaniae, a giant
scorpion species that lived 255 million to 460 million years ago, was 2.5 meters long.
Which of the following conclusions is supported by this information?
A. Scorpions living today have increased their numbers since they first appeared.
B. Scorpions in the fossil record are smaller than their descendants are.
C. Scorpions have changed as a result of natural selection.
D. Scorpions do not appear in their original state in the fossil record.

J.

26.The limbs of several organisms are shown in the

illustrations below. Scientists sometimes compare
the limbs of these organisms to look for evidence of
common ancestry. These limbs provide evidence of
common ancestry because they
A. have the same basic structure
B. perform the same function
C. are the same size
D. are parts of mammals
K.
L.
M.
27.The diagram shows taxonomic groups and a major distinguishing characteristic of all but
two of them.
N.

O.
P.
Q. Which characteristics will be used to complete the chart?
R.
S. T. U. V.
a c
W. X. Y. Z.
b d

AA.

AB.