Name Class Date

Life Science Diagnostic Test

PART A Multiple Choice
Write the letter of the term or phrase that best completes the statement or
answers the question.

__________ 1. Every organism is made up of one or more

a. viruses. b. cells. c. bacteria. d. biomes.

__________ 2. Plants give off

a. oxygen. b. carbon dioxide. c. hydrogen. d. helium.

__________ 3. The place in which an organism lives is its

a. habitat. b. population. c. species. d. niche.

__________ 4. Most of the human skeletal system is made up of

a. ligaments. b. cartilage. c. bones. d. joints.

__________ 5. The heart is part of the

a. digestive system. b. circulatory system. c. nervous system. d. skeletal system.

__________ 6. Information collected in an experiment is called

a. data. b. graph. c. conclusion. d. response.

__________ 7. Plants are able to carry out photosynthesis using energy from
a. their roots. b. the Sun. c. water. d. soil.

__________ 8. What do organisms obtain in food for growth and energy?

a. cells b. DNA c. oxygen d. nutrients

__________ 9. A tool used to see very small things is a

a. computer. b. X-ray. c. microscope. d. telescope.

__________ 10. The human body system that protects the body from diseases is the
a. immune system. b. digestive system. c. nervous system. d. circulatory system.

__________ 11. Reptiles, fish, and amphibians are all

a. warm-blooded vertebrates. b. cold-blooded vertebrates.
c. warm-blooded invertebrates. d. cold-blooded invertebrates.

__________ 12. Birds, reptiles, fish, and mammals belong to the kingdom
a. Fungi b. Protista c. Animalia d. Plantae

__________ 13. What do fish use to breathe?

a. scales b. lungs c. blood d. gills

__________ 14. The basic building blocks of all living things are
a. tissues. b. cells. c. organ systems. d. muscles.

__________ 15. The blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart are
a. veins. b. capillaries. c. arteries. d. valves.

__________ 16. Which of the following organisms can cause infections in humans?
a. bacteria b. viruses c. fungi d. bacteria, viruses, and fungi

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Diagnostic Test (continued)

PART A Multiple Choice (continued)
__________ 17. Which of the following is an example of a multicellular organism?
a. a bacterium b. a paramecium c. an amoeba d. a mushroom

__________ 18. In order for an organism to survive, it needs food, water,

a. air, and sunlight. b. air, and shelter.
c. sunlight, and shelter. d. air, shelter, and sunlight.

__________ 19. An earthworm is classified as an invertebrate because it

a. has a backbone. b. is segmented. c. has no backbone. d. has a small brain.

__________ 20. An instrument used to measure temperature is a

a. a barometer. b. an anemometer. c. a thermometer. d. a meter stick.
PART B Fill In
Complete each sentence with a term from the box.

brain graphs classify fossils inherit

invertebrates kingdoms life cycle respiratory soil

1. To arrange plants into categories based on their similarities and differences is to ___________________
them.
2. Sponges, worms, and arthropods are all ______________________________________________________ .

3. Scientists study ___________________________ to learn about how organisms have changed over time.

4. Organisms ______________________________________ some of their characteristics from their parents.

5. The organ system that helps people breathe is the _______________________________________ system.

6. Every organism belongs to one of the six ____________________________________________________ .

7. The _________________________________________________________ is the control center of the body.

8. Infancy and adolescence are two stages in the human __________________________________________ .

9. Most plants need sunlight, water, and ________________________________________________ to grow.

10. Scientists often display data from their experiments using ______________________________________ .
PART C True/False
Write true if the statement is true. If the statement is false, change the underlined
term to make the statement true.

____________________ 1. The scientific method often starts with a question.

____________________ 2. Organisms are not able to reproduce themselves.

____________________ 3. Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things.

____________________ 4. Plants and animal cells are the same.

____________________ 5. The genetic material found in living things is called GNA.

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Diagnostic Test (continued)

PART D Matching
Match each term in Column B with its description in Column A. Write the letter
of the correct term in the space provided.

Column A Column B

_________ 1. the study of how living things interact with their a. invertebrate
environments
b. adaptation
_________ 2. way in which plants make their own food
c. ecology
_________ 3. group of organisms that share the same characteristics
d. mammals
_________ 4. shows which organisms other organisms eat
e. digestion
_________ 5. eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin
f. sense organs
_________ 6. helps a living organism survive in its environment
g. food chain
_________ 7. species in danger of becoming extinct
h. species
_________ 8. animal that does not have a backbone
i. photosynthesis
_________ 9. the breakdown of food into forms the body can use
j. endangered
_________ 10. the only animals that make milk to feed their young

PART E Interpreting Diagrams

Use the labeled parts of the diagram to answer the following questions.
1. Which part of the plant makes pollen and seeds? ______________

2. The seed-making parts are protected by which part?

__________________________________________________________

3. Which part of the plant is used for support? __________________

4. Which part of the plant takes in water and minerals?

__________________________________________________________

5. In which part of the plant does photosynthesis primarily take place? ______________________

6. Is this plant more like a cherry tree or a pine tree? Explain.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

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Diagnostic Test (continued)

PART F Written Response
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. COMPARE: What are some similarities and differences between plants and animals? Give
examples of each in your explanation. _________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

2. HYPOTHESIZE: Some human activities change environments in ways that harm both people and
other organisms. Describe one example of this kind of activity.___________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ANALYZE: In the table below, match each animal to the habitat in which it lives by drawing a line
from each animal to the correct habitat. Then, in the spaces provided, describe two ways in which
each animal is well suited to live in its habitat.
Animal Habitat
Fish Ice cap
Hawk Lake
Polar bear Tree tops, air

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

4. EXPLAIN: A system is a group of parts that work together. Explain how the human body is a
system. ____________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Diagnostic Test (continued)

PART F Written Response (continued)
5. DESCRIBE: How do scientists find answers to questions? Be sure to include some methods and
tools they use. ______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Answer Key
DIAGNOSTIC TEST
Note: The annotation in parentheses after each
answer refers to the chapter in the Life Science
Student and Teacher Editions to which each
question relates. The annotation “HB” refers to the
Student Handbooks in the front of the Life Science
Student and Teacher Editions.
Multiple Choice
PART A
1. b (Ch. 1) 2. a (Ch. 2 and 8) 3. a (Ch. 11) 4. c
(Ch. 13) 5. b (Ch. 15) 6. a (HBA) 7. b (Ch. 2 and 8)
8. d (Ch. 14) 9. c (Ch. 2) 10. a (Ch. 13 and 17) 11. b
(Ch. 10) 12. c (Ch. 10) 13. d (Ch. 10) 14. b (Ch. 2)
15. a (Ch. 15) 16. d (Ch. 6 and 17) 17. d (Ch. 6)
18. b (Ch. 1) 19. c (Ch. 9) 20. c (HBA)
Fill In
PART B
1. classify (Ch. 5) 2. invertebrates (Ch. 9) 3. fossils
(Ch. 4) 4. inherit (Ch. 3) 5. respiratory (Ch. 16)
6. kingdoms (Ch. 5) 7. brain (Ch. 18) 8. life cycle
(Ch. 19) 9. soil (Ch. 1 and 8) 10. graphs (HBA)
True/False
PART C
1. true (HBB) 2. false; are (Ch. 1) 3. true (Ch. 2)
4. false; different (Ch. 2) 5. false, DNA (Ch. 3)
Matching
PART D
1. c (Ch. 12) 2. i (Ch. 2 and 8) 3. h (Ch. 5)
4. g (Ch. 12) 5. f (Ch. 18) 6. b (Ch. 4 and 12)
7. j (Ch. 12) 8. a (Ch. 9) 9. e (Ch. 14) 10. d (Ch. 10)
Interpreting Diagrams
PART E
1. A (Ch. 8) 2. D (Ch. 8) 3. B (Ch. 8) 4. C (Ch. 8)
5. E (Ch. 8) 6. It is more like a cherry tree because it
has a flower. (Ch. 7)
Written Response
PART F
1. Similarities: Possible answers: Both plants and
animals are made up of cells; use energy; have
features that help them adapt to their surroundings;
react to change; change or develop during their
lifetimes; produce more of their own kind; need
water, air, certain temperature range, and living
space. Differences: Possible answers: Plants use
energy from sunlight to make food, while animals
get energy from the Sun by eating plants or other
animals. Plant cells have chloroplasts and
chlorophyll, while animal cells do not. Plants take in
carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, while animals
take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. Most
plants have stems, roots, and leaves, while animals
do not. Animals have complex organ systems, while
Concepts and Challenges in Life Science, Teacher’s Resources CD-ROM
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many plants do not. Many animals have the ability
to move from place to place, while most plants are
stationary. (Ch. 1, 2, and 6)
Written Response (continued)
PART F
2. Pollution from automobiles and factories makes
the air less healthy for people and other living
organisms in the environment. (Ch. 11)
3. Check students’ tables. Students should match the
fish with the lake habitat, the hawk with the tree
tops, air habitat, and the polar bear with the ice cap
habitat. Possible answers for two ways in which
each animal is suited to live in its habitat:
fish: Gills allow fish to breathe underwater. Many
fish have fins to enable them to swim. Fish have
streamlined bodies for easy movement through the
water. Some fish have a swim bladder to help them
control their depth in the water.
hawk: Hawks are warm-blooded and have down
feathers to help keep them warm. Hawks have
contour feathers, which streamline their bodies and
help them fly. Hawks have lightweight bones,
which also helps make it easier to fly. Hawks have
sharp, curved claws and sharp beaks, which help
them catch and eat their prey. Hawks have colorings
that enable them to blend in with their environment.
polar bear: Polar bears have fur all over their bodies
to help them keep warm in the polar regions. Polar
bears have claws that enable them to catch fish.
Many polar bears have white fur to help them blend
into their environment. (Ch. 11 and 12)
4. Possible answer: The organs and organ systems of
the human body work together to carry out certain
life processes. For example, the heart works together
with the blood vessels to move blood throughout the
body. The blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the
cells and removes carbon dioxide and waste
products from the cells. The organs of the digestive
system ingest and break down food into useful
nutrients that are then absorbed into the blood
through the walls of the small intestine. The
respiratory system carries air into and out of the
lungs where gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) are
exchanged. (Ch. 13)
DIAGNOSTIC TEST
Answer Key
Written Response (continued)
PART F
5. Scientists find answers to questions by conducting
scientific investigations. They first identify the
problem they want to solve and gather evidence to
learn what research has already been done
regarding the problem. Scientists then make a
hypothesis, which clearly states what they expect the
outcome to be in their investigation. They design
and carry out an experiment in which they identify
the step-by-step procedure they will follow, and the
variables, constants, and the type of data they want
to collect. Scientists observe and record the results of
their experiment. They then study the data to
determine if their hypothesis was correct. Scientists
use tools, such as microscopes, test tubes, beakers,
and petri dishes, as they carry out their experiments.
(HB)

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