staar biology eoc practice test #1 -...

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STAAR Biology EOC Practice Test

1 Prokaryotes are considered by the scientific community as the most ancient life-forms on Earth. Yet, these primitive cells share many common characteristics with the more modern eukaryotes. However, one significant difference between these two cell types is that only eukaryotes contain

A membrane-bound compartments to carry out specialized functionsB a selectively-permeable cell membrane to maintain homeostasisC deoxyribonucleic acid to serve as a template to produce proteinsD a rigid cell wall which provides structure and support

Use the information below to answer the following two questions.

Identical lengths of potato cores were cut and massed. One potato core was then placed in 100 ml of each of the following solutions; 0M sucrose, 0.2M sucrose, 0.4M sucrose, 0.6M sucrose, 0.8M sucrose, and 1M sucrose. These were left to equilibrate overnight after which the potato cores were then removed, patted dry, and massed again. Data is recorded in the table below:

Solution Initial Mass Final Mass

0M sucrose 2.2 g 2.4 g

0.2M sucrose 2.4 g 2.4 g




1M sucrose 2.3 g 1.8 g

2 What is the most likely cause of the potato core gaining mass when placed in the 0M sucrose solution?

A Sucrose moved into the potato core from the solution.B Sucrose moved from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration.C Water moved down its concentration gradient.D Water concentrations stayed the same inside and outside the potato core.

3 The isotonic point in this potato core experiment is closest to

A 0M sucrose because sucrose moved into the potato core causing it to gain massB 0.2M sucrose because water didn’t move into or out of the potato coreC 0.2M sucrose because equal amounts of water moved into and out of the potato coreD 1M sucrose because the potato core lost the most mass due to water loss

4 Viruses are considered non-living because they lack the machinery to reproduce on their own and must rely on a cellular host cell to survive. Structures common to both cells and viruses include

A protein capsidB nucleic acidsC cell wallD nucleus

5 Differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes which are readily observable through the light microscope include

I. prokaryotes are much smaller than eukaryotesII. ribosomes are smaller in prokaryotesIII. prokaryotes lack nuclei

A I onlyB II onlyC I and II onlyD I and III only

6 Cells often need to take in materials from their environment, many of which are found in lower concentrations outside the cell compared to inside the cell. In order to do this, cells must use the energy from ATP to move these materials

A against the concentration gradient through active transportB with the concentration gradient through active transportC against the concentration gradient through passive transportD with the concentration gradient through passive transport

7 The cellular organelle most directly involved in maintaining homeostasis is the

A plasma membraneB cell wallC chloroplastD mitochondria

8 Viruses are able to infect cells because they share a common genetic code and are able to use host cell enzymes to carry out protein synthesis. There are some structures which are unique to viruses and not found in cells. These include

I. Protein capsidII. Nucleic acidsIII. Cell wall

A I onlyB II onlyC I and II onlyD II and III only

9 During an infection, some viruses remain inside cell but do not cause symptoms of disease. The graphic above depicts the

A lytic cycle and the host cell is destroyed by rapidly reproducing viral particlesB lytic cycle and the viral nucleic acid inserts into the host cell chromosomeC lysogenic cycle and the viral nucleic acid inserts into the host cell chromosomeD lysogenic cycle and the viral nucleic acid replicates independently of the host cell chromosome

10 The stage of the cell cycle pictured above may be best described as

A Cytokinesis: the cytoplasm of the cell is dividedB S phase: DNA is copied, resulting in identical sister chromatidsC G2 phase: the cell grows in size and prepares to divide the nucleusD Mitotic phase: the nucleus is divided

11 Leaves are plant organs specialized for photosynthesis. Through the light microscope, which organelle would be expected to be seen in greater numbers?

A B C D

12 Each of the following statements describes the importance of the cell cycle and Mitosis to an organism EXCEPT

A The cell cycle and Mitosis are important to produce identical new cells so that a multi-cellular eukaryote can grow larger.B The cell cycle and Mitosis are important to produce identical new cells so that a unicellular eukaryote can reproduce.C The cell cycle and Mitosis are important to produce identical new cells so that a multi-cellular eukaryote can repair damaged tissue.D The cell cycle and Mitosis are important to produce identical new cells so that a multi-cellular eukaryote can reproduce.

13 According to the illustration, adult stem cells extracted from bone marrow tissue may be cultured to produce different types of differentiated cells, such as liver cells, nerve cells, and heart muscle cells. Which of the following statements can best explain this result?

A There are different genes in each of the individual stem cells that are cultured.B Environmental conditions influence which genes are expressed.C Each stem cell contains only the DNA required to make one cell type.D DNA can move from one stem cell to another through the culture media.

14 When harmful mutations occur in genes that contain the information to make cell cycle regulatory proteins, this may result in accelerated cell division. The result of these mutations is most likely

A cancerB slower cell growthC a halt in mitosisD entry into G0 phase

15 Which of the following illustrations depicts a nucleotide, the building block of DNA?

16Which statement most accurately describes how deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) carries the genetic code for building an organism?

A The order of nitrogen bases provides the genetic codeB The genetic code is based on the number of hydrogen bonds found between nitrogen basesC The number of deoxyribose sugars along the sides of the DNA ladder is used to determine the genetic codeD The shape of the DNA molecule provides the genetic code

17 Which of the following structures would pair with the nitrogen base Adenine in a complementary strand of DNA?

18 Restriction enzymes isolated from various bacterial spp. have been extensively used in the biotechnology laboratory for cutting human genes from DNA samples to insert into bacterial plasmids. This is made possible because

A Nitrogen bases form a common genetic code for all organisms.B DNA is maintained in both bacterial and human cells within nuclear membranes.C Small, circular pieces of DNA called plasmids are common to both humans and bacteria.D Restriction enzymes cut at random sequences so it does not matter that humans and bacteria use a different genetic code.

19 The model in the graphic above illustrates translation, the latter part of the process of protein synthesis. Which other necessary components for translation are absent from the graphic?

A messenger RNA and transfer RNAB ER membranes and ribosomesC ribosomal RNA and DNAD transfer RNA and ribosomes

20 Which of the following statements is NOT correct regarding the process in the illustration above?

A I must be complementary to an mRNA codon.B This process occurs in the nucleus of a cell.C III shows the first two amino acids of a growing polypeptide chain.D The process shown is translation.

21 Bacterial species’ genomes are arranged somewhat differently than those of eukaryotes. Their circular chromosome contains clusters of genes which code for proteins that work together to accomplish a series of related tasks. In this way, groups of genes can be turned on when the gene product(s) are needed, and turned off when they aren’t needed. This confirms the fact that

A Gene expression is a regulated process.B Genes are arranged similarly in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.C Eukaryotes have circular chromosomes.

D Bacterial genomes are much larger than those of eukaryotes.

Use the illustration that follows to answer the next two questions:

22 Changes in DNA sequences are called mutations. Mutations may affect only one nitrogen base in the sequence, or may affect large regions of a chromosome. The particular type of gene mutation that is illustrated above is called a

A point mutationB insertion mutationC frameshift mutationD nonsense mutation

23 The significance of this gene mutation is that

A A different amino acid sequence results which is likely to affect the functioning of the final protein product. B A different amino acid sequence results which is not likely to affect the functioning of the final protein product. C No protein product will be produced.D The protein product is unaffected.

24 Maize is a variety of corn that is often used to illustrate genetic crosses. Since each kernel of corn on a cob is an offspring, much data can be obtained from observing a single corn cob. Kernels are found as one of two colors; either purple (P) which is dominant, or yellow (p) which is recessive. If two heterozygous purple plants were crossed, what would be the predicted phenotype ratio of the resulting offspring?

A 1PP:2Pp:1ppB all PPC 3 purple:1 yellowD all purple

. . . . . . ….. ….

SPOTTED SEED DOTTED SEED

25 Lentil seeds can be found in two varieties based on the different sizes of spots which may be observed on their outer surface. Seeds with larger spots are called spotted, while seeds with smaller spots are called dotted. The different-sized spots are inherited in a co-dominant pattern. Predict the resulting phenotype of offspring if a lentil with spotted seeds were crossed with a lentil that has dotted seeds.

A Seeds are both spotted and dotted.B Seeds have intermediate size spots.C Seeds have no spots.D Seeds are all spotted.

26 In pea plants, tall (T) is dominant over short (t), and purple flowers (P) are dominant to white flowers (p). Given two parent plants which are heterozygous for both of these traits, what is the probability of producing tall offspring with white flowers?

A 9/16B 3/16C 1/16D 0

27 Variation is the raw material for change in organisms, providing a mechanism by which populations may evolve and adapt to changing environmental conditions. Meiosis provides a number of opportunities for increased variation in sexually reproducing populations through each of the following events EXCEPT

A crossing overB independent assortment of allelesC random distribution of homologous chromosomesD fertilization

28 Gel electrophoresis and DNA fingerprinting is NOT a useful method for confirming

A the order of nitrogen bases in DNAB family relationships such as paternityC a person’s identityD genes that cause genetic disorders

29 The process of meiosis occurs in sexually reproducing eukaryotes and is important for the continuation of these species because of all of the following EXCEPT

A Chromosome number is halved in the daughter cells.B Crossing over during Prophase I provides increased variation.C Diploid chromosome number is maintained in the zygote.D Gametes produced are 2n.

30 A baby is born with phenotypic characteristics of Down’s syndrome; a rounded face, small chin, almond-shaped eyes, and shorter limbs. Evidence from which of these techniques would best confirm the child has an extra chromosome 21?

A gel electrophoresis B DNA fingerprintingC karyotype analysisD gene therapy

31 The complete amino acid sequence was determined of a protein shared by all primate groups. The data provided in the graph above shows the percentage of amino acids each primate protein shared with the human protein. According to this molecular homology data,

A The gorilla is least related to humans.B The gorilla and chimpanzee are most closely related.C The chimpanzee is most closely related to humans.D The chimpanzee is least related to the gibbon.

32 The rock strata were excavated in an area as illustrated above and the fossil remains examined. According to this information, the most likely scenario is that

A Layer I is the oldest, followed by Layer II, III, and IV.B Fish suddenly appeared on Earth at the time of Layer III.C A marine environment gradually filled with sediment and became a terrestrial environment.D A terrestrial environment was covered by a shallow sea for a period of time.

33 How does competition for limited resources within and between species drive evolutionary change?A Individuals with favorable adaptations will out-compete others and produce more offspring.B Competition makes some individuals stronger than others, and more of the stronger individuals survive.C Stronger individuals develop different adaptations than weaker individuals.D Competition produces variation between populations.

34 Each of the finch varieties pictured evolved from a common ancestral finch species. This diversity of species likely developed due to

A individuals evolving different traits during their lifetime living longer than othersB finches being born with beneficial variations reproducing more successfullyC immigration of finch species providing a greater variety of traits in the populationD selective predation of one particular variety of finch

35 Cheetahs are the fastest land mammals, yet can only maintain their top speed of about 70 mph for a few seconds. Since all cheetahs are nearly genetically identical due to a past bottleneck event, development of future diversity in this species is most likely to occur by A gene flowB immigrationC emigrationD mutation

36 The importance of a uniform taxonomic system to the scientific community includes all of the following EXCEPT

A Binomial nomenclature provides common language.B Species names are descriptive words.C Ambiguity of common names is introduced.D Two or more different kinds of organisms may not have the same name.

37 Which is the best description of how the fossil record provides evidence of common ancestry?

A Analogous structures can be identified between related groups of organisms.B Homologous structures can be identified between related groups of organisms.C Molecular homologies can be identified through trace remains.D Developmental homologies can be identified through fossilized soft tissues.

38 Duck feet are especially well-adapted for life in the water. Sharp claws allow them to better navigate the wet, slippery environment and webbed toes aid in their swimming ability. These adaptations probably came about as a result of

A one duck developing these favorable traits over its lifetime and passing them to its offspringB variation in the duck population; ducks born with one or more of these traits were more reproductively successfulC nature selecting against these adaptationsD selective breeding of ducks with these favorable traits over many generations

39 The finch beak adaptations in the graphic most likely evolved through the mechanism of

A stabilizing selectionB adaptive radiationC genetic driftD non-random mating

40 Species become more diverse to

I. Occupy available nichesII. Reduce competition III. Adapt to changing environmental conditions

A I and II onlyB I and III onlyC II and III onlyD I, II, and III

Characteristics of speciesUnicellularNucleated cellsMicroscopicMotileInhabits aquatic environments

41 Given the characteristics described in the information box above, this species belongs in kingdom

A ArchaebacteriaB FungiC EubacteriaD Protista

42 The organism pictured above, Escherichia coli, is a common symbiont in mammalian digestive systems. This organism has a circular chromosome located in a region of the cell called the nucleoid (A), a rigid outer cell wall (B), and a semi-permeable cell membrane (C). To which kingdom does this organism belong?

A ArchaebacteriaB EubacteriaC ProtistaD Fungi

43 Fungi are unique among eukaryotes in that they are

A unicellularB multicellularC autotrophicD decomposers

Use the information in the illustration and table below to answer the next question.

Amphibia (amphibians)

Cold- blooded Smooth skin Gills in young, adults respire through lungs, skin

Aves(birds)

Warm-blooded Body covered in feathers

lungs

Mammalia(mammals)

Warm-blooded Body covered in hair

lungs

Osteichthyes(bony fish)

Cold-blooded Body covered in scales

gills

Chondrichthyes(cartilaginous fish)


gills

Reptilia(reptiles)


lungs

44 The animal species in the illustration has the following characteristics; it breathes with lungs, maintains a constant body temperature, has hair, gives live birth, and nurses young with milk. These characteristics place the animal in the class

A AmphibiaB AvesC MammaliaD Osteichthyes

45 The simple sugar glucose, C6H12O6 , is formed through the process of photosynthesis as depicted in the chemical equation above. Simple sugars are unique among bio-molecule monomers in that

A They are used by the body for long-term energy storage.B They do not dissolve readily in water.C Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms are always found in a 1:2:1 ratio.D They are the building blocks of proteins.

46 When comparing the reactants and products of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, which statement is true?

A Carbon dioxide is a product of photosynthesis.B Oxygen is a product of cellular respiration.C Solar energy is converted to chemical energy in the process of photosynthesis.D Energy is stored in the bonds of glucose in the process of cellular respiration.

47 When compared to the process of photosynthesis, cellular respiration produces more

I. ATPII. CO2

III. O2

A I onlyB II onlyC I and II onlyD I and III only

48 Enzymes are proteins which function in both metabolic and anabolic pathways in living things. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of enzymes?

A Enzymes act as biological catalysts.B Enzymes slow down chemical reactions.C Enzymes reduce activation energy needed for a chemical reaction to proceed.D Enzymes are re-usable.

49 Biomolecule polymers such as proteins, lipids, amino acids, and carbohydrates are formed when individual monomers are joined through the process of dehydration synthesis. Dehydration synthesis requires the

A loss of a water moleculeB destruction of a water moleculeC evaporation of a water moleculeD addition of a water molecule

50 Which of these best describes how human body systems interact to protect the body from injury or illness?

A The skeletal system releases calcium ions into the organs of the respiratory system to encapsulate bacteria and viruses in the lungs.B Immune system B-cells are produced in the bone marrow of the skeletal system and introduced into the blood stream. C The nervous system stimulates the digestive system to release toxins that kill invading microbes.D Hormones released by viruses increase both blood pressure and body temperature which work to inactivate them.

51 Which is the best description of how the organ system pictured above interacts with the circulatory system to deliver nutrients to cells?

A Nutrients are taken in through the respiratory system and are picked up by the thin walls of capillaries in the lungs for delivery to the rest of the body’s cells.B The digestive system processes food into smaller molecules which are picked up for delivery to the body’s cells by the circulatory system through capillaries in the small intestine.C The circulatory system moves the secretions from the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas through the bloodstream for delivery to the stomach where they are used to break down large particles.D Water recovered from the large intestine is picked up by capillaries and delivered to the stomach to aid in digestion.

52 Which is the best explanation of how the muscular system aids in delivering nutrients to cells?

A Layers of smooth muscle line the organs of the digestive system, pushing the meal through the system by involuntary contractions known as peristalsis.B Teeth mechanically break down food into smaller pieces so enzymes in the digestive system have a larger surface area to work on.C Microvilli in the small intestine have a large surface area for small molecules to diffuse from the digestive system into the bloodstream.D Large muscles require large amounts of energy to do work.

Before After

53 Which is the best description of the interactions of plant organ systems to produce the response illustrated above?

A Stem tips produce a growth hormone which travels through phloem tissues to other parts of the plant where it causes elongation of cells on the dark side of a stem.B Leaves which receive excess sunlight produce a wilting hormone that travels to other parts of the plant through vascular tissues.C Bright days cause leaves to lose water rapidly, which draws water up from the roots through vascular tissues at such a pace that stems bend due to the increased water weight.D Certain chemical substances in the air are taken into leaves through stoma and as they are carried downward through vascular tissues in the stem the increased weight causes stems to bend.

54 Glucose produced by photosynthesis is stored as starch in storage organs such as potatoes, onions, and carrots. Which of these is NOT part of the plant system interactions involved in this process?

A Leaves produce the sugar glucose through photosynthesis.B Sugars produced by leaves are moved from sink to source by xylem vessels.C Sugars produced by leaves are moved from source to sink by phloem vessels.D Root systems store glucose as starch.

55 Which is the most correct description of two plant systems interacting to perform the function of reproduction in angiosperms?

A Carbon is obtained from the air as CO2 through stoma in the leaves to build all of the macromolecules needed for reproduction.B Carbon is obtained from the soil through the root systems and delivered with water and other nutrients to reproductive organs.C Most water is obtained in the form of water vapor through leaf pores and delivered through phloem tissues to reproductive organs.D Most water is absorbed directly through stoma during rain events and transferred to all parts of the plant by phloem tissues.

56 Which term contains all of the others?

A tissueB organC organ systemD cell

57 Which of the following statements is least accurate in describing internal feedback mechanisms?

A The excretory system plays a major role in controlling water balance, salt concentrations in the blood, and removing nitrogenous wastes.B An imbalance in blood sugar regulation by the competing hormones insulin and glucagon may result in the disease diabetes.C Cold-blooded organisms expend less energy than warm-blooded organisms because they lack control mechanisms to maintain body temperature.D Positive feedback mechanisms work to maintain levels within a narrow window of parameters, whereas negative feedback mechanisms push levels beyond the normal range.

58 Microorganisms such as E. coli inhabit the digestive systems of a variety of higher organisms, including humans. These endosymbionts help their hosts maintain health by all of these EXCEPT

A breaking down foodB producing key nutrientsC infecting adjoining tissuesD competing with harmful microorganisms

59 As the process of ecological succession progresses with time, species diversity tends to

A gradually decrease from colonization to climax communityB be limited in early stages and increase over timeC increase during intermediate stages, then rapidly decrease during the climax community stageD be highest in the colonization stages

60 Which of these statements best summarizes the change in populations which has occurred during the stages of succession illustrated above?

A Populations of freshwater fish and aquatic plants are gradually replaced by populations of weeds and grasses as a pond fills with silt.B A terrestrial ecosystem is replaced by a freshwater ecosystem.C A marine ecosystem is replaced by a terrestrial ecosystem.D Populations of freshwater fish and aquatic plants die off as their habit becomes filled with silt.

61 Eliminating microorganisms from an ecosystem would have all of the following effects EXCEPT

A increased carbon dioxide available to plantsB plants starved of key nitrogen-containing nutrientsC food chains disruptedD decomposition would halt

62 Termites are incapable of digesting the wood fibers they ingest, but maintain a population of symbiotic bacteria in their gut which break down the wood fiber for them. This relationship is best described as

A parasitismB mutualismC predationD commensalism

63 The deer tick must feed on the blood of warm-blooded mammals in order to survive. At times, as the tick feeds it also transmits harmful bacteria to the host which cause lyme disease. This relationship is an example of

A parasitismB mutualismC predationD commensalism

Organism Adaptation #1 Adaptation #2 Adaptation #3 Adaptation #4A. Snowshoe

hareLarge, furry feet

Rounded and reduced ear size

Extra thick fur Fur changes color; brown in summer, white in winter

B. Kangaroo rat Small-bodied Large ears with lots of blood vessels to release body heat

Burrows underground during the day

Increased ability to concentrate urine

C. Prairie dog Sharp teeth to eat tough grasses

Strong hind legs allow them to stand upright to guard burrows

Lives in underground tunnels to escape extreme temperatures and predators

Receive water they need from food

D. Tarsier Arboreal, living almost exclusively in trees

Flattened nails assist in capturing insects

Large eyes with excellent sight for nocturnal hunting

Long limbs and tail make the tarsier an excellent climber and jumper

64 Based on the adaptations listed in the table above, which organism is best suited for life in the tropical rainforest ecosystem?

A. Snowshoe hareB. Kangaroo ratC. Prairie dogD. Tarsier

65 In the food web above, which organisms are most likely to become overpopulated if there were a larger than average production of seeds during a growing season?

A grouseB chipmunkC elkD grizzly bear

66 What is the best explanation of why the numbers of organisms at each trophic level decrease from the bottom of the pyramid to the top?

A The organisms increase in size as you move up the pyramid.B Energy is used for life processes and lost as heat at each trophic level.C Energy is wasted at each trophic level.D There is more sunlight available to the first trophic level.

67 Carbon flows cyclically through organisms and the environment. Which of the following descriptions of the carbon cycle is NOT correct?

A Major reservoirs of carbon include tropical forests, oceans and fossil fuels.B Carbon dioxide is produced through photosynthesis and used in cellular respiration.C Humans may disrupt the carbon cycle by burning fossil fuels which may result in global warming.D Carbon is released to the atmosphere in the form of CO2 through respiration in living things.

68 In an ecosystem, the simple food chain above shows the movement of matter and energy from one organism to the next. If disease reduced the number of organisms at the producer level, which other organism would feel the greatest effect?

A the mouse because it is a producerB the mouse because it eats producersC the cat since it is a 2nd order consumerD the coyote because it is the top consumer in the food chain

69 The graph depicts the growth of a population of yeast cells over time. The red line most likely represents

A the limit of tolerance of the yeast cells to environmental conditionsB the highest number of yeast cells the population can achieveC the carrying capacity of the environmentC population size of a predator which preys on the yeast

Use the information in the following paragraph for the next question

Throughout the decade of the 1930’s, a series of severe dust storms blew across the prairie lands of the United States, causing extreme ecological and agricultural damage. Years of poor farming practices and drought resulted in the loss of tons of topsoil to prevailing winds. Millions of acres of land became barren and uninhabitable.

70 Which is the best description of how this event likely impacted the natural prairie ecosystem that inhabited the area?

A Carrying capacity of the environment increased.B The mature prairie community was replaced with weedy species.C Biodiversity increased.D Primary succession occurred.

71. Which of the following most accurately shows diffusion ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

solute

Observe the cell below to answer the next two questions.

72. The rough ER is represented by which letter ?A. 2 B. 3 C. 5 D. 6

73. The organelle where cellular respiration takes place and glucose is converted into ATP energy is represented by

A. 2 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

staar biology eoc practice test #1 -...

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