ACTUAL BIOLOGY EXIT EXAM QUESTIONS 2025
DNA sequences in many human genes are very similar to the sequences of corresponding genes in
chimpanzees. The most likely explanation for this result is that
a) humans and chimpanzees share a relatively recent common ancestor.
b) humans evolved from chimpanzees.
c) chimpanzees evolved from humans.
d) convergent evolution led to the DNA similarities.
e) humans and chimpanzees are not closely related. - ANS-a
325) It has been observed that organisms on islands are different from, but closely related to, similar
forms found on the nearest continent. This is taken as evidence that
a) island forms and mainland forms descended from common ancestors.
b) common environments are inhabited by the same organisms.
c) the islands were originally part of the continent.
d) the island forms and mainland forms are converging.
e) island forms and mainland forms have identical gene pools. - ANS-a
324) Of the following anatomical structures, which is homologous to the wing of a bird?
a) Dorsal fin of a shark
b) Hindlimb of a kangaroo
c) Wing of a butterfly
d) Tail fin of a flying fish
e) Flipper of a cetacean - ANS-E
323) In Darwin's thinking, the more closely related two different organisms are, the
a) more similar their habitats are.
b) less similar their DNA sequences are.
,c) more recently they shared a common ancestor.
d) less likely they are to have the same genes in common.
e) more similar they are in size. - ANS-C
322) Charles Darwin was the first person to propose
a) that evolution occurs.
b) a mechanism for how evolution occurs.
c) that the Earth is older than a few thousand years.
d) a mechanism for evolution that was supported by evidence.
e) a way to use artificial selection as a means of domesticating plants and animals. - ANS-D
321) Which of these naturalists synthesized a concept of natural selection independently of Darwin?
a) Charles Lyell
b) Gregor Mendel
c) Alfred Wallace
d) John Henslow
e) Thomas Malthus - ANS-B
319) Tropical grasslands with scattered trees are also known as
a) taigas.
b) tundras.
c) savannas.
d) chaparrals.
e) temperate plains. - ANS-C
318) Which biome is able to support many large animals despite receiving moderate amounts of
rainfall?
a) tropical rain forest
b) temperate forest
,c) chaparral
d) taiga
e) savanna - ANS-E
317) Which of the following organisms is the most likely candidate for geographic isolation?
a) sparrow
b) bat
c) squirrel
d) salt-water fish
e) land snail - ANS-E
316) The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is because
a) there is more ice at the poles.
b) sunlight strikes the poles at an lower angle.
c) the poles are farther from the sun.
d) the poles have a thicker atmosphere.
e) the poles are permanently tilted away from the sun. - ANS-B
315) Which of the following is responsible for the summer and winter stratification of deep temperate
lakes?
a) Water is densest at 4°C.
b) Oxygen is most abundant in deeper waters.
c) Winter ice sinks in the summer.
d) Stratification is caused by a thermocline.
e) Stratification always follows the fall and spring turnovers. - ANS-A
314) In temperate lakes, the surface water is replenished with nutrients during turnovers that occur in
the
a) autumn and spring.
, b) autumn and winter.
c) spring and summer.
d) summer and winter.
e) summer and autumn. - ANS-A
313) Which of the following abiotic factors has the greatest influence on the metabolic rates of plants
and animals?
a) water
b) wind
c) temperature
d) rocks and soil
e) disturbances - ANS-C
312) Which of the following are important biotic factors that can affect the structure and organization of
biological communities?
a) precipitation, wind
b) nutrient availability, soil pH
c) predation, competition
d) temperature, water
e) light intensity, seasonality - ANS-C
311) Which statement best contrasts environmentalism with ecology?
a) Ecology is the study of the environment; environmentalism is the study of ecology.
b) Ecology provides scientific understanding of living things and their environment; environmentalism is
more about conservation and preservation of life on Earth.
c) Environmentalists are only involved in politics and advocating for protecting nature; ecologists are
only involved in scientific investigations of the environment.
d) Ecologists study organisms in environments that have been undisturbed by human activities;
environmentalists study the effects of human activities on organisms.
e) Environmentalism is devoted to applied ecological science; ecology is concerned with
basic/theoretical ecological science. - ANS-B
DNA sequences in many human genes are very similar to the sequences of corresponding genes in
chimpanzees. The most likely explanation for this result is that
a) humans and chimpanzees share a relatively recent common ancestor.
b) humans evolved from chimpanzees.
c) chimpanzees evolved from humans.
d) convergent evolution led to the DNA similarities.
e) humans and chimpanzees are not closely related. - ANS-a
325) It has been observed that organisms on islands are different from, but closely related to, similar
forms found on the nearest continent. This is taken as evidence that
a) island forms and mainland forms descended from common ancestors.
b) common environments are inhabited by the same organisms.
c) the islands were originally part of the continent.
d) the island forms and mainland forms are converging.
e) island forms and mainland forms have identical gene pools. - ANS-a
324) Of the following anatomical structures, which is homologous to the wing of a bird?
a) Dorsal fin of a shark
b) Hindlimb of a kangaroo
c) Wing of a butterfly
d) Tail fin of a flying fish
e) Flipper of a cetacean - ANS-E
323) In Darwin's thinking, the more closely related two different organisms are, the
a) more similar their habitats are.
b) less similar their DNA sequences are.
,c) more recently they shared a common ancestor.
d) less likely they are to have the same genes in common.
e) more similar they are in size. - ANS-C
322) Charles Darwin was the first person to propose
a) that evolution occurs.
b) a mechanism for how evolution occurs.
c) that the Earth is older than a few thousand years.
d) a mechanism for evolution that was supported by evidence.
e) a way to use artificial selection as a means of domesticating plants and animals. - ANS-D
321) Which of these naturalists synthesized a concept of natural selection independently of Darwin?
a) Charles Lyell
b) Gregor Mendel
c) Alfred Wallace
d) John Henslow
e) Thomas Malthus - ANS-B
319) Tropical grasslands with scattered trees are also known as
a) taigas.
b) tundras.
c) savannas.
d) chaparrals.
e) temperate plains. - ANS-C
318) Which biome is able to support many large animals despite receiving moderate amounts of
rainfall?
a) tropical rain forest
b) temperate forest
,c) chaparral
d) taiga
e) savanna - ANS-E
317) Which of the following organisms is the most likely candidate for geographic isolation?
a) sparrow
b) bat
c) squirrel
d) salt-water fish
e) land snail - ANS-E
316) The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is because
a) there is more ice at the poles.
b) sunlight strikes the poles at an lower angle.
c) the poles are farther from the sun.
d) the poles have a thicker atmosphere.
e) the poles are permanently tilted away from the sun. - ANS-B
315) Which of the following is responsible for the summer and winter stratification of deep temperate
lakes?
a) Water is densest at 4°C.
b) Oxygen is most abundant in deeper waters.
c) Winter ice sinks in the summer.
d) Stratification is caused by a thermocline.
e) Stratification always follows the fall and spring turnovers. - ANS-A
314) In temperate lakes, the surface water is replenished with nutrients during turnovers that occur in
the
a) autumn and spring.
, b) autumn and winter.
c) spring and summer.
d) summer and winter.
e) summer and autumn. - ANS-A
313) Which of the following abiotic factors has the greatest influence on the metabolic rates of plants
and animals?
a) water
b) wind
c) temperature
d) rocks and soil
e) disturbances - ANS-C
312) Which of the following are important biotic factors that can affect the structure and organization of
biological communities?
a) precipitation, wind
b) nutrient availability, soil pH
c) predation, competition
d) temperature, water
e) light intensity, seasonality - ANS-C
311) Which statement best contrasts environmentalism with ecology?
a) Ecology is the study of the environment; environmentalism is the study of ecology.
b) Ecology provides scientific understanding of living things and their environment; environmentalism is
more about conservation and preservation of life on Earth.
c) Environmentalists are only involved in politics and advocating for protecting nature; ecologists are
only involved in scientific investigations of the environment.
d) Ecologists study organisms in environments that have been undisturbed by human activities;
environmentalists study the effects of human activities on organisms.
e) Environmentalism is devoted to applied ecological science; ecology is concerned with
basic/theoretical ecological science. - ANS-B
