BIO II EXAM 1 PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Natural selection is based on all of the following except
A. individuals who survive longer tend to leave more offspring than those who die
young.
B. individuals adapt to their environments and thereby, evolve.
C. populations tend to produce more individuals than the environment can support.
D. the best-adapted individuals tend to leave the most offspring. - Answers- B
The rise of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be considered to be
an example of artificial selection because
A. S. aureus is cultivated by humans to replenish the soil with nutrients.
B. humans are becoming resistant to bacteria by taking methicillin.
C. humans purposefully raise MRSA in large fermenters in an attempt to make the
bacteria ever-more resistant.
D. humans synthesize methicillin and create environments in which bacteria frequently
come into contact with methicillin. - Answers- D
Which statement about the beak size of finches on the island of Daphne Major during
prolonged drought is true?
A. Each bird's survival was strongly influenced by the depth and strength of its beak as
the drought persisted.
B. The frequency of the strong-beak alleles increased in each bird as the drought
persisted.
C. Each bird that survived the drought produced only offspring with deeper, stronger
beaks than seen in the previous generation.
D. Each bird evolved a deeper, stronger beak as the drought persisted. - Answers- A
Over time, the movement of people on Earth has steadily increased. This has altered
the course of human evolution by increasing
A. geographic isolation B. gene flow
C. nonrandom mating D. genetic drift - Answers- B
Most Swiss starlings produce four to five eggs in each clutch. Starlings producing fewer,
or more, than this have reduced fitness. Which of the following terms best describes this
situation?
A. Disruptive selection
B. Directional selection
C. Stabilizing selection
D. Artificial selection - Answers- C
Which of the following statements best summarizes evolution as it is viewed today?
A. It represents the result of selection for acquired characteristics.
B. It is the descent of humans from the present-day great apes.
C. It is synonymous with the process of gene flow.
Natural selection is based on all of the following except
A. individuals who survive longer tend to leave more offspring than those who die
young.
B. individuals adapt to their environments and thereby, evolve.
C. populations tend to produce more individuals than the environment can support.
D. the best-adapted individuals tend to leave the most offspring. - Answers- B
The rise of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be considered to be
an example of artificial selection because
A. S. aureus is cultivated by humans to replenish the soil with nutrients.
B. humans are becoming resistant to bacteria by taking methicillin.
C. humans purposefully raise MRSA in large fermenters in an attempt to make the
bacteria ever-more resistant.
D. humans synthesize methicillin and create environments in which bacteria frequently
come into contact with methicillin. - Answers- D
Which statement about the beak size of finches on the island of Daphne Major during
prolonged drought is true?
A. Each bird's survival was strongly influenced by the depth and strength of its beak as
the drought persisted.
B. The frequency of the strong-beak alleles increased in each bird as the drought
persisted.
C. Each bird that survived the drought produced only offspring with deeper, stronger
beaks than seen in the previous generation.
D. Each bird evolved a deeper, stronger beak as the drought persisted. - Answers- A
Over time, the movement of people on Earth has steadily increased. This has altered
the course of human evolution by increasing
A. geographic isolation B. gene flow
C. nonrandom mating D. genetic drift - Answers- B
Most Swiss starlings produce four to five eggs in each clutch. Starlings producing fewer,
or more, than this have reduced fitness. Which of the following terms best describes this
situation?
A. Disruptive selection
B. Directional selection
C. Stabilizing selection
D. Artificial selection - Answers- C
Which of the following statements best summarizes evolution as it is viewed today?
A. It represents the result of selection for acquired characteristics.
B. It is the descent of humans from the present-day great apes.
C. It is synonymous with the process of gene flow.
