Biology 2107 Fall, 2023
Quiz #1
Name: __________________________ ID#: _____________________
Please circle the letters that precede
the most appropriate answer(s) to the question asked. Each correct answer is worth 2pts. Be aware that, unless stated otherwise, a few of the questions MAY have more
than one answer. Consequently,
when you circle more than one letter in any answer to any given
question, an incorrectly circled letter will count against you.
Be careful, some answers may be
“true”, but are not relevant to the question being asked.
1. Some of the more overt characteristics of
living organisms include: ONLY ONE ANSWER
A. living organisms’ survival is energy neutral,
because it cannot be created or destroyed
B. living organisms exist on other planets
C. living organisms exist -subject to the laws of physics
D. living organisms require the expenditure of energy to
survive.
E. C & D
F. anaerobic living organisms need oxygen to survive.
2.
The
term “Directional Selection” refers to: ONLY
ONE ANSWER
A.
a
signal that causes organisms to change direction
B.
a
guidance system for evolving individuals
C.
the skewing of the
distribution of a given phenotype of a population in one direction
D.
the
skewing of the distribution of an individual organism’s phenotype in one direction
E.
Both C
& D
F.
a
specific option that always leads to speciation
3.
From
your understanding of the lecture material thus far, which of the following
statements would you agree with? 4pts
A.
Science is a religion, just
by another name
B.
Science inevitably conflicts
with religious beliefs
C.
Science brings some
religious dogmas such as a “god of the gaps” into question
D.
Evolution provides some
insight(s) into how living organisms
(including humans) function e
E.
Science will eventually
replace religious beliefs
F.
Evolution suggests that
there really is no God
G.
Science is only pertinent to
the “here” and the “now”.
4.
Based
on our discussions in the lectures, which of the following statements is/are
correct
A.
Observation and the ability
to test those observations form the corner stone of scientific method in
Biology
B.
“Science” is the study of Life
C.
A
scientific hypothesis is entirely rooted in an ultimate “truth”.
D.
There is no such thing as a fact, just a “current
understanding”.
E.
Theories,
by definition, are infallible.
F.
Hypotheses,
by definition, are “wrong”.
5.
Darwin’s first great publication the “Origin of Species” was written as a
consequence of his travels on which ship:
A.
the
Dawn Treader
B.
the
Victory
C.
the
Titanic
D.
the Beagle
E.
the
Bounty
F.
the
Santa Maria
In what year did he write the book? ________
1 Bonus point
6.
The
process of speciation in the absence of any physical barrier is referred to as…
A.
sympatric
B.
perisympathetic
C.
allopatric
D.
hybridization
E.
pluripatric
F.
differentiated
7.
Please
select the best combination of terms to complete the following statement. 4pts
“Two populations
of moths may be diverging because one primarily mates in mid-Spring, while the
other primarily mates in late Summer.
This would be an example of ____________ , that is a ____________
mechanism of isolation
A.
Reproductive
isolation, postzygotic
B.
Gametic
mortality, prezygotic
C.
Temporal
isolation, postzygotic
D.
Behavioural isolation, postzygotic
E.
Temporal isolation, prezygotic
F.
Gametic
isolation, prezygotic
8.
The
height of doors in olde houses in England suggest
that people back in the 1600’s were relatively small. The
overt change in the average height of people in the British isles -even since
the 17th century- can potentially be understood to be due to
A.
a “stabilizing selective” change
B.
all the
tall people up and leaving for the Americas
C.
a “directional selective”
change
D.
a “redistributive selective” change
E.
a “disruptive selective” change
F.
BREXIT
G.
bad
posture
9.
From
our discussions in lecture and viewing of the movie on whales, which of the
following statement(s) were mentioned in one of the movies? 6pts
A.
Whales
can breath under water.
B.
Whales
and their ancestors have always had an attached knee joint.
C. Basilosaurus lived full time in the water.
D. The Sahara desert was once below sea level.
E. Whales have an
unusually small eye socket.
F. Whales swim like Doberman pinschers (dogs) run.
G. Whales evolved
from wolves.
10.
Which
of the following statements do(es) not belong in the “Scientific Method” discussed in
lectures? 4pts
A.
Making
an observation.
B.
Circular logic.
C.
Deductive reasoning.
D.
Retesting
an hypothesis.
E.
Making a prediction based simply on
observation.
F.
Retesting
already proven Theories.
G.
Falsifying data.
11.
“Genetic drift” can be understood to mean:
A.
the
random wanderings of a person named “Genetic”
B.
the
random flow of genetic information from one species to the next.
C.
the
flow of genetic information from one population to the next -over time.
D.
the
ramblings of the average Genetics Professor
E.
the random change in allele
frequency within a population -over time
12.
A “genotype” can be defined
as: ONLY
ONE ANSWER
A.
the
most essential aspect in the definition of a species
B.
a complete set of the genes that make up an individual
C.
the
apparent physical consequences of a series of allelic interactions
D.
a
typical occurrence within a popoulation
E.
a
molecular change in phenotype.
F.
the
average allelic “type” within a population
13.
From
the information given in the lectures, the Galapagos islands were a potential
haven for Darwin to appreciate the subtleties of his theory, because:
A.
the
islands are west of Ecuador, and are, therefore, within the warm waters off the
coast of South America.
B.
the islands provided
sufficient isolation for small populations of finches etc. to interact rarely
with their mainland relatives.
C.
the islands were sparse but provided a
more than suitable environment for the finches to live well. Consequently exaggerating the environmental
impact of natural selection.
D.
the islands were lush and provided more than
an ample environment for the finch populations to swell, and thus diversify.
E.
life
was thought to have begun on these islands.
F.
England
was just too darn cold and wet for Darwin to be able to do any proper field
studies
14.
The
scientific name of the “chestnut-sided
warbler” is Dendroica pennsylvanica.
Another bird is named Dendroica petechiae, which belongs to the same
______________ 4pts
A.
Population
B.
Genus
C.
Class
D.
Sub-species
E.
Species
F.
All
of the above
G.
Only
A and B above
15.
The “Founder effect” is thought to
give rise to:
A.
a
significant increase in the survival potential of a population, following a
catastrophe
B.
the
catastrophic effects of alcoholism on human populations.
C.
a
significant increase in the allelic content of a population, following a
catastrophe
D.
a significant decrease in
the number of alleles within a population due to fewer individuals starting off
a population with a dramatically diminished gene pool.
E.
an
increase in the number of individuals in a population that will be more genetically
more capable to withstand the next catastrophe.
F.
a
significant increase in the allelic frequency within a population due to few
individuals starting off a population with a dramatically enhanced gene pool.
G.
A
dramatic increase in the number of alleles within a population, following a
major, beneficial migration event.
16. Piltdown man, or Eoanthropus dawsoni, was:
A. the last remnant of
an evolutionarily extinct hominoid species
B. a Hoax or fraud
C. the missing-link between “Lucy”
and “Homo erectus”
D. an
anomalous offshoot of the sub-species, “Homo sapiens”, which did not survive.
E. conclusive proof -demonstrating the
evolutionary link between Man and ape.
F. the last
remaining off-spring of a native tribe in Europe that, in 1912, had
not previously been identified in fossil records.