STAAR pretest Biology UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Consider the table.
Types of Bacteria
Form
Shape
Associated disease
Coccus
X
Strep throat
Bacillus
Rod shaped
Y
Spirillum
Spiral
Cholera
Which best describes X and Y? - CORRECT ANSWER - X = Spherical; Y = E. coli
While studying ecosystems, Frederik reads the sentence below describing the difference between
ponds and lakes.
Ponds are more shallow, colder, and have more nutrients than lakes. - CORRECT
ANSWER - It incorrectly describes the two ecosystems in terms of temperature.
In a few generations, this population of beetles changed.Which is the most likely explanation for
the change? - CORRECT ANSWER - The beetle population moved to a greener habitat.
,Chicken pox is a virus that causes an itchy rash but typically does not have any major or lasting
effects on an infected person. Before 1995, chicken pox parties were popular. In a chicken pox
party, healthy children were brought around children who were ill with chickenpox so that they
would be exposed to the virus and their immune system would learn to fight it. A vaccine for
chickenpox was developed in 1995, and chicken pox parties are now rare.Which statement best
summarizes this information? - CORRECT ANSWER - Advances in society affect
science.
Missense, nonsense, and silent mutations are examples of which type of mutation? - CORRECT
ANSWER - substitution
A student argues that being separated geographically is the only way for speciation to occur.
Why is he wrong?
Speciation does not usually rely on geographic isolation.
Speciation can occur from biological forces as well.
Speciation can occur from variation as well.
Speciation does not result from adaptive radiation. - CORRECT ANSWER - Speciation
can occur from biological forces as well.
James is making models of plant and animal cells using objects supplied by his teacher to
represent organelles. For one cell, he will place the objects in a shoebox. First he fills a balloon
with water and places it in the shoe box. He also drops a handful of marbles into the box.Which
statement most likely describes the structures he has represented so far?
He is making an animal cell. The box is the cell membrane, and the balloon represents the large
vacuole. The marbles are the endoplasmic reticulum.
He is making a plant cell. The box is the cell wall, and the balloon represents the large vacuole.
The marbles are the tiny ribosomes.
He is making a plant cell. The box is the cell wall, and the balloon represents the nucleus. The
marbles are the centrioles.
He could be making either a plant or animal cell. The box is the cell wall, and the balloon
represents the large vacuole. The marbles are the centrioles. - CORRECT ANSWER - He
is making an animal cell. The box is the cell membrane, and the balloon represents the large
vacuole. The marbles are the endoplasmic reticulum.
,Punnett squares are used to show possible combinations of alleles or to predict the probability of
a trait occurring in offspring. A parakeet that is heterozygous for blue feathers (dominant) is
crossed with a parakeet that is homozygous for white feathers (recessive).
According to the Punnett square for this cross, what percentage of offspring is predicted to have
blue feathers? - CORRECT ANSWER - 75 percent
A strand of DNA contains the bases adenine, cytosine, cytosine, and guanine, in that order.
Which would be the order of the bases on the opposite strand of DNA? - CORRECT
ANSWER - thymine, guanine, guanine, and cytosine
Many different types of mutations can occur within the body. Sickle cell anemia is a disease that
occurs when a mutation in a base pair of the hemoglobin beta gene causes a single replacement
of the amino acid glutamic acid by the amino acid valine. As a result of this mutation, the
individual's blood cells take on a sickle shape under certain conditions and form clusters that can
block blood vessels and cause organ damage. Which type of mutation causes sickle cell anemia?
silent
missense
insertion
frameshift - CORRECT ANSWER - missense
A caterpillar has an exoskeleton and feeds on many leaves before it makes a cocoon and
becomes a butterfly.
Which type of organism is a caterpillar?
an autotroph and an invertebrate
a heterotroph and an invertebrate
an autotroph and a vertebrate
a heterotroph and a vertebrate - CORRECT ANSWER - a heterotroph and an invertebrate
Julia is trying to place a duckbilled platypus, lizard, bear, and monkey on a phylogenetic tree.
She learns that the duckbilled platypus, bear, and monkey are classified as mammals. She also
, learns that mammals share a common ancestor with reptiles. Which additional piece of
information will be most helpful to Julia to properly build her phylogenetic tree?
The platypus has fur like other mammals.
The platypus does not have feathers like a bird.
The platypus lays eggs like a reptile.
The platypus does not have fins like a fish. - CORRECT ANSWER - The platypus lays
eggs like a reptile
Only the proteins that the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) needs are synthesized at any given
time. For example, when lactose is available in the environment, E. coli will express the lac
genes that allow it to break down lactose to obtain energy. When lactose is not present, these
genes are not expressed.Which prevents the lac genes in the DNA of E. coli from being
expressed most of the time?
the lac repressor
the lac operator
the lac promoter
the lac locator - CORRECT ANSWER - the lac repressor
If the endoplasmic reticulum were removed from the cell, which organelle would not be able to
function properly, and why?
mitochondria, because they rely on the ER as an energy source
ribosomes, because they receive proteins made by the ER
Golgi apparatus, because it packages proteins received from the ER
cytoplasm, because it relies on the ER for structural suppor - CORRECT ANSWER -
Golgi apparatus, because it packages proteins received from the ER
Karen is studying an area that has many trees and goes through all four seasons. The trees lose
their leaves as the seasons progress.
Which biome is she studying?
deciduous forest
grassland
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Consider the table.
Types of Bacteria
Form
Shape
Associated disease
Coccus
X
Strep throat
Bacillus
Rod shaped
Y
Spirillum
Spiral
Cholera
Which best describes X and Y? - CORRECT ANSWER - X = Spherical; Y = E. coli
While studying ecosystems, Frederik reads the sentence below describing the difference between
ponds and lakes.
Ponds are more shallow, colder, and have more nutrients than lakes. - CORRECT
ANSWER - It incorrectly describes the two ecosystems in terms of temperature.
In a few generations, this population of beetles changed.Which is the most likely explanation for
the change? - CORRECT ANSWER - The beetle population moved to a greener habitat.
,Chicken pox is a virus that causes an itchy rash but typically does not have any major or lasting
effects on an infected person. Before 1995, chicken pox parties were popular. In a chicken pox
party, healthy children were brought around children who were ill with chickenpox so that they
would be exposed to the virus and their immune system would learn to fight it. A vaccine for
chickenpox was developed in 1995, and chicken pox parties are now rare.Which statement best
summarizes this information? - CORRECT ANSWER - Advances in society affect
science.
Missense, nonsense, and silent mutations are examples of which type of mutation? - CORRECT
ANSWER - substitution
A student argues that being separated geographically is the only way for speciation to occur.
Why is he wrong?
Speciation does not usually rely on geographic isolation.
Speciation can occur from biological forces as well.
Speciation can occur from variation as well.
Speciation does not result from adaptive radiation. - CORRECT ANSWER - Speciation
can occur from biological forces as well.
James is making models of plant and animal cells using objects supplied by his teacher to
represent organelles. For one cell, he will place the objects in a shoebox. First he fills a balloon
with water and places it in the shoe box. He also drops a handful of marbles into the box.Which
statement most likely describes the structures he has represented so far?
He is making an animal cell. The box is the cell membrane, and the balloon represents the large
vacuole. The marbles are the endoplasmic reticulum.
He is making a plant cell. The box is the cell wall, and the balloon represents the large vacuole.
The marbles are the tiny ribosomes.
He is making a plant cell. The box is the cell wall, and the balloon represents the nucleus. The
marbles are the centrioles.
He could be making either a plant or animal cell. The box is the cell wall, and the balloon
represents the large vacuole. The marbles are the centrioles. - CORRECT ANSWER - He
is making an animal cell. The box is the cell membrane, and the balloon represents the large
vacuole. The marbles are the endoplasmic reticulum.
,Punnett squares are used to show possible combinations of alleles or to predict the probability of
a trait occurring in offspring. A parakeet that is heterozygous for blue feathers (dominant) is
crossed with a parakeet that is homozygous for white feathers (recessive).
According to the Punnett square for this cross, what percentage of offspring is predicted to have
blue feathers? - CORRECT ANSWER - 75 percent
A strand of DNA contains the bases adenine, cytosine, cytosine, and guanine, in that order.
Which would be the order of the bases on the opposite strand of DNA? - CORRECT
ANSWER - thymine, guanine, guanine, and cytosine
Many different types of mutations can occur within the body. Sickle cell anemia is a disease that
occurs when a mutation in a base pair of the hemoglobin beta gene causes a single replacement
of the amino acid glutamic acid by the amino acid valine. As a result of this mutation, the
individual's blood cells take on a sickle shape under certain conditions and form clusters that can
block blood vessels and cause organ damage. Which type of mutation causes sickle cell anemia?
silent
missense
insertion
frameshift - CORRECT ANSWER - missense
A caterpillar has an exoskeleton and feeds on many leaves before it makes a cocoon and
becomes a butterfly.
Which type of organism is a caterpillar?
an autotroph and an invertebrate
a heterotroph and an invertebrate
an autotroph and a vertebrate
a heterotroph and a vertebrate - CORRECT ANSWER - a heterotroph and an invertebrate
Julia is trying to place a duckbilled platypus, lizard, bear, and monkey on a phylogenetic tree.
She learns that the duckbilled platypus, bear, and monkey are classified as mammals. She also
, learns that mammals share a common ancestor with reptiles. Which additional piece of
information will be most helpful to Julia to properly build her phylogenetic tree?
The platypus has fur like other mammals.
The platypus does not have feathers like a bird.
The platypus lays eggs like a reptile.
The platypus does not have fins like a fish. - CORRECT ANSWER - The platypus lays
eggs like a reptile
Only the proteins that the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) needs are synthesized at any given
time. For example, when lactose is available in the environment, E. coli will express the lac
genes that allow it to break down lactose to obtain energy. When lactose is not present, these
genes are not expressed.Which prevents the lac genes in the DNA of E. coli from being
expressed most of the time?
the lac repressor
the lac operator
the lac promoter
the lac locator - CORRECT ANSWER - the lac repressor
If the endoplasmic reticulum were removed from the cell, which organelle would not be able to
function properly, and why?
mitochondria, because they rely on the ER as an energy source
ribosomes, because they receive proteins made by the ER
Golgi apparatus, because it packages proteins received from the ER
cytoplasm, because it relies on the ER for structural suppor - CORRECT ANSWER -
Golgi apparatus, because it packages proteins received from the ER
Karen is studying an area that has many trees and goes through all four seasons. The trees lose
their leaves as the seasons progress.
Which biome is she studying?
deciduous forest
grassland
