Name: 
 

2007 Biology Released SOL



Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 

A student soaked 50 lima bean seeds and 50 green bean seeds in water for 24 hours. Then she planted the seeds in soil at a depth of two centimeters, using the same amount of water, light, and heat for each kind of seed. She measured every three days to determine which type of seed grew the fastest. The paragraph describes —
a.
an observation
c.
an experiment
b.
a hypothesis
d.
a conclusion
 

 2. 

As the seasons change from summer to fall, there are fewer hours of daylight. Which is a typical response of a dogwood tree to this change?
a.
Producing flowers
c.
Dropping its leaves
b.
Increasing its growth rate
d.
Shedding bark
 

 3. 

Fungi, such as mushrooms and molds, get their nutrition primarily by —
a.
producing food by chemosynthesis
c.
preying on other organisms
b.
decomposing dead organic matter
d.
parasitic relationships with plants
 

 4. 

Which discovery was essential to the concept that all life forms have cells as basic units?
a.
Water is the chemical solvent involved in many cell processes.
c.
Some substances in organisms exist outside of cells.
b.
New cells are produced from the division of existing cells.
d.
Cells are dependent on energy and nutrients from external sources.
 

 5. 

The oxygen content in the atmosphere of the early Earth is thought to have increased significantly once which of these developed?
a.
Amino acids
c.
Photosynthetic bacteria
b.
Archaebacteria
d.
Mitochondria
 

 6. 

mc006-1.jpg
a.
Use fingers to transfer the pellets.
c.
Use forceps to transfer the pellets.
b.
Handle the pellets with paper towels.
d.
Pour the pellets directly from the supply bottle.
 

 7. 

Why does sexual reproduction result in greater diversity among offspring than does asexual reproduction?
a.
Only mitosis must occur in sexual reproduction.
c.
Sexual reproduction may occur at a faster rate.
b.
New combinations of genes result from sexual reproduction.
d.
Mutations are more likely to occur in asexual reproduction.
 

 8. 

A scientist wants to study the behavior of bald eagles. Which of these plans should be used to study the hunting habits of bald eagles?
a.
Analyze the eagles at a zoo for several months.
c.
Ask a national park ranger questions about eagles.
b.
Observe the eagles along the Potomac River for a year.
d.
Research hawks and make inferences about eagles.
 

 9. 


mc009-1.jpg
Which of these would be the best conclusion regarding the experimental results shown?
a.
The tallest this species of plant will ever grow is 50 cm.
c.
The ideal temperature for all plant growth is 26Cº .
b.
This species of plant grew best between 18Cº and 26Cº .
d.
Plants will not grow above 26Cº .
 

 10. 

In 1847, a scientist noted that when physicians washed their hands before they had contact with their patients, there was a decreased number of infections. This was one of the first clues that —
a.
bacteria generate spontaneously on hands
c.
bacteria are present in water
b.
physicians deliberately infected patients
d.
substances such as bacteria may cause diseases
 

 11. 


mc011-1.jpg
Biologists surveyed four islands in a chain near a continent. They identified species found on the mainland and those species that were unique to each island. Based on these results, which island is probably farthest from the mainland?
a.
1
c.
3
b.
2
d.
4
 

 12. 


mc012-1.jpg
Monarch butterflies are toxic to birds because monarch caterpillars eat milkweed. Viceroy butterflies closely resemble monarchs, but are not toxic since the caterpillars do not eat milkweed. This similarity in appearance developed because viceroy butterflies that closely resemble monarchs are —
a.
less likely to be eaten by birds
c.
more likely to eat milkweed
b.
more likely to mate with monarchs
d.
less likely to produce offspring
 

 13. 


mc013-1.jpg
In a student experiment, 4 earthworms were placed at each end of a compartment as shown. After 10 minutes, all of the earthworms were together in the same area. The students concluded that the earthworms had moved as far as they could in that period of time. Which alternative explanation is also supported?
a.
The earthworms moved to their preferred temperature range.
c.
The earthworms preferred to be in protected corners.
b.
The earthworms needed to be with other earthworms for warmth.
d.
The earthworms moved randomly until they grouped together.
 

 14. 

The German physician Robert Koch provided evidence to support the germ theory of infectious disease. Koch isolated bacteria from a cow with anthrax, then injected the bacteria into a healthy mouse. To support germ theory, what must have happened to the healthy mouse?
a.
It became sick.
c.
It produced antibiotics.
b.
It spread smallpox.
d.
It became immune to viral infections.
 

 15. 

Some fish travel from saltwater to freshwater or from freshwater to saltwater but still maintain the concentration of salt in their cells. This is an example of —
a.
mutation
c.
homeostasis
b.
positive feedback
d.
cellular injury
 

 16. 

A researcher discovers two populations of birds that are similar. The two populations live in habitats that are different. What evidence might suggest to the researcher that the birds belong to different species rather than the same species?
a.
Some birds appear to be hybrids of the birds in the two populations.
c.
Birds in the two populations sometimes feed in different locations.
b.
The birds in the two populations have different mating behaviors.
d.
The two populations of birds feed at different times of the day.
 

 17. 


mc017-1.jpg
The table indicates the number of amino acids that differ in the amino-acid sequence of the hemoglobin from selected organisms when compared to human hemoglobin. On the basis of this information, which organism would be classified as most closely related to humans?
a.
Lamprey
c.
Dog
b.
Frog
d.
Macaque
 

 18. 

Scientists can use genetic information to identify people because it is unique to each person. Which specific characteristic is unique to an individual?
a.
The shape of the DNA molecules in cells
c.
The sequence of DNA nucleotides in cells
b.
The number of chromosomes in each cell
d.
The size of each chromosome in a cell
 

 19. 


mc019-1.jpg
According to the energy pyramid, the most energy is present in organisms living at the same level as the —
a.
bobcat
c.
grasshoppers
b.
birds
d.
grass
 

 20. 


mc020-1.jpg
This dichotomous key can be used to distinguish white wildflowers found in Virginia. According to this key, what type of flower is shown?
a.
Trientalis borealis
c.
Fragaria virginiana
b.
Stellaria media
d.
Gillenia trifoliata
 

 21. 


mc021-1.jpg
Which is an important function of the cell structure in this model?
a.
Controlling passage of materials
c.
Transferring hereditary material to offspring
b.
Packaging cell products for export
d.
Preventing a cell from bursting due to osmosis
 

 22. 

Fossil records can be studied to determine how organisms change through time. Which of the following methods for studying organisms could least likely be accomplished by studying the fossil record?
a.
Comparing sleep patterns of organisms
c.
Comparing homologous structures of organisms
b.
Dating organisms by the relative order of their fossils
d.
Determining when extinction of species occurred
 

 23. 


mc023-1.jpg
Which is the name of structure 4?
a.
Nucleus
c.
Vacuole
b.
Ribosome
d.
Cell wall
 

 24. 


mc024-1.jpg
The nerve cell shown has branches that develop during cell specialization. Which of these functions does a nerve cell’s branches help the cell perform?
a.
Communicating with other cells
c.
Storing extra DNA
b.
Moving from location to location
d.
Exerting force on non-nervous tissue
 

 25. 

Many marine invertebrates have body surfaces that are permeable to water but not to salt. Osmosis can change the pressure of their body fluids. Fortunately, the ocean is very stable in its salt content. What would happen if a jellyfish were placed in a very low-salt environment such as an estuary?
a.
It would gain water from the environment.
c.
It would lose proteins into the water.
b.
It would gain nutrients from the water in the environment.
d.
It would lose salt into the water.
 

 26. 


-ACGAT-
The base sequence of an RNA strand that complements this DNA base sequence is —
a.
TGCTA
c.
ACGAU
b.
ACGAT
d.
UGCUA
 

 27. 

Organisms from which kingdom are most likely to chemically digest their food outside their bodies?
a.
Fungus
c.
Protist
b.
Animal
d.
Plant
 

 28. 

Dutch Elm Disease is a destructive fungal infection that kills elm trees. Some elms are more resistant to the disease than other elms. Which best explains this difference?
a.
Resistant trees form a symbiotic relationship with the fungus.
c.
Resistant trees have beneficial variations of some genes.
b.
Resistant trees gain resistant properties from the soil.
d.
Resistant trees produce frequent mutations.
 

 29. 


mc029-1.jpg
What did the work of these scientists contribute to the study of biology?
a.
It disproved the theory of spontaneous generation.
c.
It provided an alternative to the cell theory of life.
b.
It supported hypotheses about the origin of life.
d.
It explained the method by which natural selection occurs.
 

 30. 


mc030-1.jpg
During meiosis, homologous chromosomes can exchange DNA in a process known as —
a.
replication
c.
cytokinesis
b.
internal fertilization
d.
crossing over
 

 31. 

Some snake embryos have small buds resembling limbs. These buds disappear at later stages of embryo development. These findings suggest that these snakes —
a.
had a parent with limbs
c.
will have offspring with limbs
b.
have functional limbs as adults
d.
evolved from an ancestor that had limbs
 

 32. 

The main reason that eating salty foods makes a person thirsty is that additional fluid is needed to —
a.
increase the salinity of the blood
c.
maintain the fluid balance in the cells
b.
dissolve salt crystals in the stomach
d.
prevent damage to the lining of the throat
 

 33. 

Which graph best illustrates the expected change in the finch population if
the environment changes to favor small beaks?
a.
mc033-1.jpg
c.
mc033-3.jpg
b.
mc033-2.jpg
d.
mc033-4.jpg
 

 34. 

A scientist observes that a species of insect appears to be more numerous during dry summers than during wet summers. Which is the next step to determine an explanation of this phenomenon?
a.
Develop a hypothesis
c.
Observe the species in the winter
b.
Publish the observation
d.
Present a theory in a scientific journal
 

 35. 

A student is planning a field study of a pond in which a large increase in algae populations has been observed. Large numbers of dead fish have also been observed in the pond. To find out what caused the death of the fish, the student should do each of these EXCEPT —
a.
test for chemicals that might poison fish and cause algae to grow
c.
look for sources of pollution that may be affecting the pond
b.
measure the dissolved oxygen content in pond-water samples
d.
measure the amount of light at various levels in the pond
 

 36. 

In a plant that has red flowers, red flower color, R, is completely dominant to white flower color, r. If the plant is heterozygous for flower color, which alleles will be carried by the gametes it produces?
a.
R and r
c.
r only
b.
R only
d.
Rr only
 

 37. 


mc037-1.jpg
Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution based on observations of nature. Which observation that contributed to his theory is illustrated by this population of beetles?
a.
Environmental resources are limited.
c.
Individuals within a population may vary widely.
b.
Populations remain stable over time.
d.
Species produce more offspring than can survive.
 

 38. 

Many residents in a small town have developed a bacterial infection. Two students hypothesize that the bacteria are coming from the town’s drinking water. They look for the bacteria in water samples from the lake that supplies 80 percent of the town’s drinking water. When they find no bacteria, the students conclude that the town’s residents are not getting the bacteria from their drinking water. Which is a source of error in the students’ experimental design?
a.
Water from the lake was not tested for other possible pathogens.
c.
The residents’ genetic predisposition for getting ill was not determined.
b.
Residents of other nearby towns were not tested for the bacteria.
d.
Other sources of drinking water were not tested for the bacteria.
 

 39. 


mc039-1.jpg
Most populations introduced to a new ecosystem grow until factors such as lack of food and overcrowding limit their growth, as illustrated above. What does the portion of the graph labeled B represent?
a.
Exponential growth
c.
Birthrate decrease
b.
Slowing growth
d.
Death rate increase
 

 40. 

A student plans to conduct an experiment to determine how a change in the pH of water affects the population growth rate of algae. To ensure that her experimental data are valid, she should —
a.
hold the acidity of the water constant
c.
control the final algae population sizes
b.
vary the temperature of the water used
d.
use the same species of algae in all trials
 

 41. 


mc041-1.jpg
Using this tool, Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first scientist to —
a.
use a telescope
c.
magnify plants
b.
see microscopic organisms
d.
observe light waves
 

 42. 

Viruses are made up of either DNA or RNA surrounded by a coating of protein. When the two main substances that make up a virus are broken into smaller fragments, these fragments are —
a.
fatty acids and amino acids
c.
amino acids and nucleotides
b.
amino acids and simple sugars
d.
fatty acids and glycerol
 

 43. 

Which of these species is most closely related to Felis rufus?
a.
Acer rubrum
c.
Felis concolor
b.
Selasphorus rufus
d.
Canis rufus
 

 44. 

Timothy has attached earlobes like his maternal grandfather. His mother and father both have free earlobes, which are dominant. Which statement best explains how Timothy inherited attached earlobes?
a.
He received a recessive allele from each parent
c.
He received a recessive allele from his mother and a dominant allele from his father.
b.
He received a dominant allele from each parent.
d.
He received a dominant allele from his mother and a recessive allele from his father.
 

 45. 

Cells of a fungus and an animal were being studied. Which of these would be found in both of these cells?
a.
Cell wall
c.
Mitochondria
b.
Chloroplasts
d.
Cilia
 

 46. 


mc046-1.jpg
The graph shows the populations of ladybugs and the red mites on which they feed. On which date did the ladybug population begin to exceed the red mite population?
a.
June 6
c.
June 14
b.
June 10
d.
June 20
 

 47. 

The organisms at the beginning of a food chain are —
a.
producers
c.
decomposers
b.
consumers
d.
omnivores
 

 48. 

The model of DNA used today was proposed by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953. In this model, what sequence of bases would be complementary to A-G-C-T-A?
a.
A-G-C-T-A
c.
A-T-C-G-A
b.
C-G-C-A-T
d.
T-C-G-A-T
 

 49. 

Which of these animals has the same type of symmetry as a vertebrate?
a.
mc049-1.jpg
c.
mc049-3.jpg
b.
mc049-2.jpg
d.
mc049-4.jpg
 

 50. 

Gymnosperms (a group of plants including conifers) and angiosperms (flowering plants) share many traits but are classified in separate groups. Which is a difference between gymnosperms and angiosperms?
a.
Only angiosperms form wood.
c.
Only angiosperms produce seeds within fruits.
b.
Only gymnosperms reproduce with spores.
d.
Only gymnosperms have vascular tissue.
 



 
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