CP Biology Final Exam (End of Course Test) Review Guide
Format:
The End-of-Course Biology assessment has 60 questions (including 6 to 8 field test items) and will
have 8 to 18 items aligned to each biology standard listed below. The Science and Engineering
Practice items (Standard 1) are embedded throughout the test.
• The items cover a range of difficulty levels.
• The End-of-Course Biology assessment includes two scenario sets. Each scenario
consists of a scenario (scientific text, graph, and/ or data) with three test items related to
the scenario.
• The. End-of-Course Biology assessment has 2 to 6 technology enhanced (TE) items.
VirtualSC
CP Biology Unit
Unit 1 Inquiry
Standard
Science and Engineering Practices
(H.B.1)
Unit 2 Biochemistry
Approx. Number
of Questions
(Embedded in other
questions)
Cell as a System
(H.B.2)
12 to 18
Unit 4 Flow of Energy
Energy
(H.B.3)
8 to 10
Unit 5 Genetics
Heredity- Inheritance and Variation of Traits
(H.B.4)
8 to 12
Unit 7 Evolution
Biological Evolution and the Diversity of Life
(H.B.5)
8 to 12
Unit 8 Ecology
Ecosystem Dynamics
(H.B.6)
8 to 10
Unit 3 Cells
Unit 6 Heredity
Preparing for Your Final Exam:
Remember, you have study guides already completed from Units 1-8. In addition, there is a
practice EOC exam in Unit 9.
Unit Study Guide
1
Inquiry
2
Biochemistry
3
Cells
4
Energy Flow
5
Genetics
6
Heredity
7
Evolution
8
Ecology
Topics Covered
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Scientific Method
Developing Hypotheses
Metrics Lab
Using Lab Equipment
Graphing Data
Lab Safety
Investigative Process and Technological Design
Organic Macromolecules (Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins,
Nucleic Acids)
Enzymes and Biochemical Reactions
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Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
Viruses
Organelles
Maintaining Homeostasis
Cell Transport
Levels of Organization
Cell Division (Cell Cycle)
Stem Cells and Differentiation
Cancer
ATP (ATP and ADP Cycle)
How Energy Flows Through Ecosystems
Photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration
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DNA Structure and Replication
Chromosomes and Genes
Types of RNA
Central Dogma and Protein Synthesis (Including Transcription
and Translation)
Genetic Engineering
Meiosis
Types of Reproduction
Mendelian Genetics
Punnett Squares to Predict Offspring
Mutations and Genetic Disorders
Tracking Traits with Pedigrees
Who was Charles Darwin?
Natural Selection
Patterns of Evolution
Evidence of Evolution (Including Biochemical evidence,
Similar Anatomy, Fossil Record, Patterns in Embryology)
Phylogenetic Trees
What is ecology?
Carbon Cycle (Geochemical Cycles)
Ecological Succession
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Sample
Questions
7. 8. 9. 10.
12. 14. 17.
21. 24.
1. 9.
7. 8. 9. 13.
14. 15. 16.
23.
2. 3. 7. 10.
17. 23.
13. 18.
4. 19. 20.
5. 6. 8. 21.
22. 25.
11. 23. 24.
25.
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Population Growth Patterns
Human Impact/Carbon Footprint/Global Warming
Relationships/Symbioses (Including Parasitism, Mutualism,
Commensalism, Predator-Prey, and Competition)
Study Tips:
1. Improve your study skills and test-taking strategies. For test-taking tips and strategies to
deal with test anxiety, try visiting a study support website such as: http://www.how-tostudy.com.
2. Identify what the test covers. The SC Biology Standards shows what information the EOCE is
designed to include. In addition, look through the study guides you have for each unit in
this course.
3. Print the study guides and/or standards. Carefully read through the information and then
DO something with it. Mark the important points with a highlighter, circle them with a pen,
write notes on them, or summarize the information in your own words in the margins. As
you study, if any questions come to mind, WRITE THEM DOWN and actively seek the
answers.
4. Take a mock EOC or review practice questions that are written in the same format as the SC
EOCE. Several have been included in this study guide for you. Check your answers to see
how well you did. Try to identify which topics you need to study more and what areas you
might need to ask for further assistance with from your teacher.
Practice Questions:
1. Which statement correctly compares a function of fats to a function of proteins in the body?
A. Fats cushion the organs, and proteins insulate the body.
B. Fats insulate the body, and proteins control contraction.
C. Fats store energy, and proteins provide the primary fuel for respiration.
D. Fats coordinate body activities, and proteins provide monosaccharides.
2. Which step in the process of photosynthesis is dependent on light energy?
A. splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen
B. combining hydrogen and oxygen to form water
C. splitting carbon dioxide into carbon and oxygen
D. combining carbon and oxygen into carbon dioxide
3. Which statement is true about cellular respiration?
A. It produces glucose, which provides energy for the cell.
B. It produces ATP, which stores energy that is used by the cell.
C. It produces carbon dioxide, which combines with hydrogen to form sugar.
D. It produces oxygen, which combines with hydrogen to prevent cell poisoning.
4. The pedigree below shows the occurrence of tongue rolling in three generations of a family
(T = the ability to roll the tongue; t is the inability to roll the tongue):
What are the most likely genotypes of the parents in the second (II)
generation?
A. mother tt, father Tt
B. mother tt, father TT
C. mother Tt, father tt
D. mother TT, father tt
5. Genetic equilibrium exists in a population that is stable. Which conditions would support genetic
equilibrium within a species?
A. frequent mutations
B. random mating
C. small number of individuals
D. migration into the population
6. Species evolve over time. Their success depends on factors such as genetic variability and
environmental constraints. Modern land plants and green algae have many characteristics
in common, and both are very successful.
One current theory suggests that modern land plants evolved from green algae. Which piece of
evidence supports this theory?
A. Land plants and green algae carry out cellular respiration.
B. Land plants and green algae carry out asexual and sexual reproduction.
C. Land plants and green algae are made up of cells containing similar cell structures.
D. Land plants and green algae contain chlorophyll made up of similar sequences of amino acids.
Use the information to answer sample questions 7-9.
Is There Life Out There?
Scientists are attempting to find life forms throughout the universe by investigating planets,
asteroids, moons, and meteors. These locations likely lack available oxygen and are extremely cold
or extremely hot. Most are places where humans could not survive. How does a scientist begin the
search for life? Earth's fossil record can help scientists in their search for life in space. The first cells
on Earth lived in very harsh conditions. These single-celled organisms, called archaea, thrived in
conditions such as extreme radiation, volcanic activity, heavy rainfall, extensive lightning, and an
atmosphere that lacked available oxygen. These organisms still exist across the planet. They live in
areas as diverse as the ice of Antarctica and the geothermal hot springs of Yellowstone National
Park. Scientists theorize that if these organisms can survive on Earth in such extreme environments,
they can exist in other locations, too. The question remains, how do scientists discover microscopic
life in space? Rather than search for the actual organisms, scientists search space for areas that
have concentrated stores of the elements essential for life as we understand it. The presence of
these elements does not ensure that life exists there, but if the basics are there, the discovery of
primitive cells is a possibility. The graphs represent the relative abundance of some elements in the
universe and in various locations on Earth. Is there life in the universe in addition to life on Earth?
At the very least, the elements needed for the molecules of life are out there.
7. A student wanted to understand how organisms reacted to the high atmospheric temperatures of
early Earth. The student designed an experiment to determine how temperature affects the carbon
dioxide permeability of a cell membrane.
Which statement best summarizes the resulting data?
A. Carbon dioxide movement across the membrane decreased as
the permeability of the membrane increased.
B. The permeability of the membrane decreased when heated,
allowing more carbon dioxide to
pass through the membrane.
C. The rate of photosynthesis increased because more carbon
dioxide passed through the membrane at higher temperatures.
D. As temperature increased, the movement of carbon dioxide
across the membrane increased slightly until it reached a
maximum.
8. Some scientists have proposed that viruses may exist in space. Viruses need a living cell to
produce new viruses. One virus can lead to the production of millions of other viruses by taking
over the operation of a single living cell.
The graph shows the mutation rates of viruses, prokaryotes, and eukaryotes.
Which statement best summarizes this
information?
A. Eukaryotes mutate at a faster rate than other
types of organisms because they have a large
genome.
B. Eukaryotes mutate at a slower rate than other
types of organisms because mitosis is a timeconsuming process.
C. Viruses mutate at a slower rate than other types
of organisms because of the large amount of
DNA in their cells.
D. Viruses mutate at a faster rate than other types
of organisms because of their small genome and
their high reproductive rate.
9. Jan used the graph below and information from the passage to answer a question about life on
Earth.
Which question was the student most likely attempting to answer?
A.
Why is carbon the backbone of many
molecules in bacterial and mammalian cells?
B. How do elements found throughout the
universe become a part of bacterial and
mammalian cells?
C. Which element is essential to both bacteria and
mammals but is relatively limited in the
universe?
D. Which compound is found in the atmosphere of all planets and within the membrane of
bacterial cells?
10. Which statement can best be concluded from this graph?
A. The respiration rate in both species is independent of both temperature and oxygen
consumption.
B. The respiration rate of midge larvae increases more rapidly than the rate for seabird ticks at all
temperatures.
C. As the temperature increases, there is an inverse relationship between oxygen consumption and
the respiration rate in both species.
D. As the temperature increases, the respiration rate in both species increases, with the rate for
midge larvae being higher than that for seabird ticks at all temperatures.
11. Marine scientists monitor atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. As atmospheric levels rise, more of
the gas dissolves in the oceans. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) dissolves as more carbon dioxide enters
the oceans. Marine organisms such as clams need CaCO3 to build their exoskeletons.
Based on this information, which change is most likely to be a direct result of these increasing
levels of oceanic carbon dioxide?
A. Frequent rainfall will dilute the effect of the carbon dioxide in the water.
B. There will be an overpopulation of oysters and other shelled marine species.
C. The water level will rise and cause floods, damaging coastal ecosystems with contaminated
water.
D. Many species of marine organisms will be weakened, making them unable to produce and
maintain their shells.
12. A landscaper researched five grass types recommended for use in South Carolina lawns.
The landscaper decides to select a grass type
that does not require much fertilizer, does not
need constant watering, and grows best in
direct sunlight. Which grass type best fits the
criteria?
A. perennial ryegrass
C. buffalo grass
B. Bermuda grass
D. zoysia grass
13. A student constructed a model to illustrate some of the processes involved in the production of
proteins in a eukaryotic cell.
Which statement correctly describes the structure
and activity identified by the letter X?
A. A tRNA molecule reacts with an amino acid to
produce rRNA.
B. A tRNA molecule transports an amino acid for
incorporation into a polypeptide.
C. An rRNA molecule carries an amino acid away
from the site of protein synthesis.
D. An mRNA molecule transports a single amino
acid to the site of protein synthesis.
14. Select two statements that support the data and explain the movement of molecules across the cell
membranes.
A. As the NaCl moved into the potato cells, the potato increased in mass.
B. The potatoes in the 0.025 g/mL solution increased in mass as water molecules moved into the
potato cells.
C. As the NaCl concentration decreased, the mass of the potato increased as water molecules
moved out of the potato cells.
D. The potatoes in the 0.050 g/mL solution lost the greatest amount of mass as water molecules
moved out of the potato cells.
E. As the NaCl concentration increased, the mass of the potato increased as more NaCl moved into
the potato cells.
F. The potatoes in the 0.00 g/mL solution increased in mass as water molecules moved into the
potato cells.
15. Scientists can measure the DNA content of cells by using a dye that binds to DNA.
After treating a sample of cells with the dye, the dye will appear more intense in cells where the
quantity of DNA is higher.
During which stage or stages of the cell cycle would scientists
observe the highest measurements of dye intensity?
A. only during G1
B. only during mitosis and cytokinesis
C. the entire time that the cell is in interphase
D. from late S through G2 and mitosis
16. The yew tree is a rare and slow-growing tree. Paclitaxel is an anticancer compound taken from the
bark of the yew tree. The extraction of the compound is expensive and damages the yew tree.
Scientists have isolated and grown stem cells from a yew tree that could be used to produce
paclitaxel.
Which statement describes an advantage of using stem cells from a yew tree to produce paclitaxel?
A. Stem cells can be grown and reproduced in a laboratory.
B. Stem cells can differentiate into cells of a different species.
C. Stem cells from plants are more useful in producing animal protein.
D. Stem cells from plants are less likely to cause unfavorable mutations than stem cells from
animals.
17. In a controlled experiment, a limited quantity of glucose was provided for cellular respiration.
Researchers measured the quantity of reactants and products at the beginning of the experiment
and again after 10 minutes. How will the quantities of glucose, oxygen, and carbon dioxide most
likely change after 10 minutes have passed?
A. glucose will increase, oxygen will increase, carbon dioxide will decrease
B. glucose will decrease, oxygen will decrease, carbon dioxide will increase
C. glucose will decrease, oxygen will increase, carbon dioxide will increase
D. glucose will increase, oxygen will decrease, carbon dioxide will decrease
18. This diagram represents part of the process of translation. One tRNA molecule has transported the
amino acid methionine (met) to the mRNA. Another tRNA molecule has transported the amino acid
tryptophan (trp) to the mRNA.
Which step is next during translation?
A. The tRNA will attach to nucleotides in the cytoplasm.
B. A peptide bond will form between the two amino acids.
C. The mRNA carrying the amino acids will drop off the ribosome.
D. The amino acids will be carried to the Golgi apparatus for packaging.
19. The table below shows some of the alleles for one of the genes for fur color in rabbits. Use this
table to answer the question.
Which genotype should have
Himalayan fur coloring?
A. cd ch
B. cl cl
C. cl ch
D. ch c
20. Which process is best explained by the diagram?
A. the exchange of genetic material, resulting in genetic variation
B. the transfer of DNA between alleles, allowing for new phenotypes
C. the replication of sister chromatids during meiosis, preventing mutations
D. the separation of alleles during gamete formation, resulting in identical offspring
21. The graph represents the outcome of natural selection in a population of Darwin's finches.
Which statement best describes this outcome?
A. Finches that are best suited to survive and reproduce (points 1
and 3) are more likely to pass on beneficial traits to their
offspring; those less suited (point 2) fail to pass on their traits to
their offspring.
B. Finches that are least suited to survive and reproduce (points 1
and 3) are more likely to pass on beneficial traits to their
offspring; those more suited (point 2) fail to pass on their traits to
their offspring.
C. Finches that are best suited to survive and reproduce (point 2) are more likely to pass on
beneficial traits to their offspring; those less suited (points 1 and 3) fail to pass on their traits to
their offspring.
D. Finches that are least suited to survive and reproduce (point 2) are more likely to pass on
beneficial traits to their offspring; those more suited (points 1 and 3) fail to pass on their traits
to their offspring.
22. Hawaiian honeycreepers include several related bird species with different beak types, as shown
below.
According to evolutionary theory, what most
likely led to high biodiversity among these birds?
A. Birds with a variety of adaptive traits migrated
to the islands.
B. Individual birds adapted to better utilize their
ancestors’ traits.
C. Ancestor bird populations adapted to survive a
variety of habitats.
D. Unrelated birds reproduced to create new
species with adaptive traits.
23. The homeostasis of an ecosystem is disrupted when decomposers are unable to perform which
activity?
A. absorb sunlight in order to produce proteins
B. break down organic matter to release nutrients
C. recycle dissolved oxygen to reduce temperatures
D. transform nitrogen from the air into a usable form
24. Scientists have collected data showing that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in our
atmosphere are increasing.
Which statement is best
supported by the information in
the graph?
A. N2O levels will begin to
decrease, stopping ozone layer
depletion.
B. CO2 levels will continue to rise,
increasing average global
temperatures.
C. CH4 levels will increase further,
decreasing average global
temperatures.
D. All greenhouse gases will have a rapid decline, returning to levels prior to the 1500s
25. These diagrams show the changes in a population when exposed to a parasite.
Which statement describes the population after parasite exposure?
A. Individuals with dominant traits survived the parasite.
B. Individuals that were weakened by the parasite randomly mated.
C. Individuals that were homozygous recovered from the parasite.
D. Individuals whose phenotype resisted the parasite increased in frequency.
Answer Key:
1. B
2. A
3. B
4. A
5. B
6. D
7. D
8. D
9. C
10. D
11. D
12. C
13. B
14. D, F
15. D
16. A
17. B
18. B
19. D
20. A
21. C
22. C
23. B
24. B
25. D