Name
Class
Date
Evolution Quiz
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.
About what can the fossil record supply evidence?
Evolutionary changes that have happened
How environmental conditions have changed
The order life appeared
All of the above
2.
A human’s arm, a cat’s front leg, a dolphin’s front flipper, and a bat’s wing all
have bones that are used in similar ways to help them survive better.
have nothing in common.
have similar kinds of bones.
share many similarities with insect wings.
3.
Of what is the fact that all organisms have DNA as their genetic material evidence?
All organisms came from a common ancestor.
Genetics rarely occurs.
Natural selection has happened.
Selective breeding takes place everyday.
4.
What are the solidified remains or an imprint of a previously existing organism called?
Fossil
Layer
Mineral
Sediment
5.
The theory of evolution can be explained in part by changes in an organism’s DNA. What are
these changes in DNA known as?
Heredity
Homozygous
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Mutations
Traits
6.
Bioluminescence is when animals
are both predators and prey.
hide from predators by looking like the environment.
make their own energy.
produce light.
7.
Fossils of whale ancestors show that present-day whales are distant cousins to a land-dwelling
mammal called Mesonychid. These fossils provide evidence that organisms
all organisms are related.
can adapt over time to new environments.
do not adapt over time.
form a new species each generation.
8.
Scientists estimate that Earth is 4.6 billion years old. This is plenty of time for
evolution to occur.
organisms to develop adaptations.
species to die out and be replaced by newer species.
all of the above
9.
Extinction is when
a new species just shows up.
all members of a species die off.
an organism has only one parent.
half of a parents’ genetic material is passed on to offspring.
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10.
Which of the following is a possible reason that there are gaps in the fossil record?
Fossils are bones, and not all organisms have bones.
Not all fossils have been found.
Both A and B
None of the above
11.
Whales have leg bones deep inside their bodies. What are once useful structures like these
called?
Defense mechanisms
Genetic mutations
Genetic variations
Vestigial traits
12.
Comparing a monkey’s DNA to a human’s DNA would suggest that they are
both less complex than deer.
close relatives (millions of years).
in no way related to each other.
very distant relatives (billions of years).
13.
Charles Darwin’s five-year voyage around the world allowed him to
compare characteristics of animals.
dig for fossils.
pursue a career in theology (religion).
see many animals.
14.
Although dinosaurs lived for over 150 million years, they may have become extinct because a
catastrophic event changed the environment more rapidly than the dinosaurs could
adapt.
breed.
eat.
mutate.
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15.
Over the past 12,000 years, dogs have been __________ to produce more than 400 different
breeds.
artificially selected
genetically modified
naturally bred
politely asked by Viking warriors
16.
According to Darwin, the four steps in natural selection are
natural breeding, genetic variation, adaptation, and reproduction.
overproduction, genetic variation, struggle to survive, and natural selection.
reproduction, genetic mutation, separation, and natural breeding.
separation, genetic variation, adaptation, and natural selection.
17.
Which of the following best describes natural selection?
Natural selection does not exist; Darwin was a science fiction writer.
Natural selection occurs continually throughout time.
Natural selection occurs only during dramatic environmental changes.
Natural selection occurs randomly throughout time.
18.
Before 1850, England’s forests were clean and light colored. Which type of moth would survive
better in this environment?
Blue colored moth
Dark colored moth
Light colored moth
Red colored moth
19.
In the 1860, England was going through industrialization. This means they were starting to build
factories. These factories caused a lot of pollution and the once clean forests became dark in
color. Which type of moth would survive better in this environment?
Blue colored moth
Dark colored moth
Light colored moth
Red colored moth
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20.
Both items #18 and #19 are examples of using
to survive.
camouflage
convergent evolution
defense mechanisms
mimicry
21.
Which statement best describes how the clownfish uses its defense mechanism towards the
poisonous tentacles of the sea anemone?
Because the clownfish is brightly colored, it is deadly poisonous too.
It makes a layer of mucous to protect it.
It throws up on the anemone to blind it while it runs away.
Its bright color helps it to camouflage into the coral reef.
22.
The fact that Earth’s plates are still moving lets us know that
Earth is still constantly changing.
evolution is done.
mutations are happening faster.
None of the above
23.
Organisms with traits well suited to their environment will
acquire traits that prevent them from surviving.
develop shorter generation times.
survive and reproduce.
All of the above
24.
According to the theory of natural selection, what would happen to a species of lizards when a
new predator is introduced into the environment where the lizards live?
All of the lizards would try to develop new physical traits to avoid the new predator.
Because all lizards of the same species have the same physical traits, one lizard would not
have an advantage over another lizard. They would either all survive or all die.
Some of the lizards would try to develop new physical traits to avoid the new predator, and
the other lizards would die.
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The lizards that already have the physical traits needed to avoid the new predator would be
more likely to survive and reproduce, and the ones that do not would be less likely to survive
and reproduce.
25.
What is the central idea of biological evolution?
All life on Earth shares a common ancestor.
As organisms evolve, they always get more complex.
Humans came from monkeys.
The fossil record proves evolution.
26.
Compare the skeletal structures of horse feet above. The similarity of the structures suggests
that the organisms
all grow at different rates.
evolved quickly.
live for a long time.
share a common ancestor.
27.
Convergent evolution explains that
different species evolve different traits because of similar environmental conditions.
different species evolve similar traits because of different environmental conditions.
different species evolve similar traits because of similar environmental conditions.
similar species evolve similar traits because of different environmental conditions.
28.
The small bones at the end of the human tailbone (coccyx) have no apparent function today,
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although they may have once been useful. Therefore, they are called a(n)
anomaly.
evolution.
natural selection.
vestigial trait.
Use the following picture to help explain the law of superposition and answer items 29 and 30.
29.
30.
Which layer is the oldest?
1
3
2
4
Which layer is the youngest?
1
3
2
4
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Name
Class
Date
Evolution Quiz
SHORT ANSWER
31.
Why did the number of dark peppered moth increase after the 1860’s? Explain this in terms of
natural selection (meaning, write about each step of natural selection and explain how it applies
to this specific example).
32.
Many forms of bacteria evolve resistance to antibiotics (drugs that kill bacteria). Explain how
this happens using scientific vocabulary.
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