ASE SC 1: Living Organisms Sample Test Questions
1.
Which of the cells characterized in the chart below is a prokaryotic cell?
Cell A
Cell B
Cell C
Cell D
A
B
2.
Ribosome
Cell Wall
Chloroplast
Nuclear
Membrane
Plasma
Membrane














Cell A
Cell B

C
D
Cell C
Dell D
In order to maintain good health, a person’s normal glucose level must remain within a given range. Which
two systems control the blood glucose level?
A
B
endocrine and skeletal
endocrine and digestive
C
D
circulatory and lymphatic
digestive and lymphatic
3.
Which of these organisms will most likely show a positive phototactic response?
4.
How is the folded structure of the villi in the small intestines related to the function of villi?
A
B
5.
It decreases blood flow.
It provides protection.
C
D
It increases absorption.
It provides support.
C
D
3
4
A diagram of a cell is shown below.
Proteins are synthesized in which numbered organelle?
A
B
1
2
ASE SC 1 Sample Test Questions, Revised July, 2013
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6.
The chemical equation below shows the reaction of glucose and oxygen.
C6H12O6 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O + 36ATP
Which process does this equation represent?
A
B
7.
photosynthesis
aerobic respiration
C
D
anaerobic respiration
nitrogen fixation
C
D
Both cells are prokaryotic.
Both cells are eukaryotic.
Two cells are shown in the diagram below.
Which statement correctly identifies the cells?
A
B
8.
Cell 1 is prokaryotic; cell 2 is eukaryotic.
Cell 1 is eukaryotic; cell 2 is prokaryotic.
The diagram shows a relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Which statement best describes the interdependence of photosynthesis and cellular respiration?
A
B
C
D
9.
The products of photosynthesis are carbon dioxide and water to be used in cellular respiration.
The reactants of photosynthesis are the products of cellular respiration.
The reactants of photosynthesis are sugar and oxygen to be used in cellular respiration.
The products of photosynthesis are the same as the products of cellular respiration.
Some microorganisms, such as yeast, produce energy in oxygen-free environments through the process of
A
B
mitosis.
photosynthesis.
C
D
aerobic respiration.
anaerobic respiration.
10. Which is an organelle that performs cellular respiration and is paired with its correct function?
A
B
C
D
chloroplast – converts light energy into chemical energy
chloroplast – converts chemical energy into light energy
mitochondrion – converts energy found in glucose into energy for use by the cell
mitochondrion – converts cellular energy into glucose chemical energy
ASE SC 1 Sample Test Questions, Revised July, 2013
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ASE SC 1: Ecosystems Sample Test Questions
11. The diagram shows a typical energy pyramid.
Which statement correctly describes the flow of energy through the
pyramid?
A
B
C
D
All of the energy from the lower levels is available at the top level.
The producer level directly provides energy for all of the other
levels.
The highest amount of energy is transferred between levels that
contain consumers.
Energy is directly transferred from the primary consumers to the
secondary consumers.
12. In a forest ecosystem, which is an abiotic factor?
A
B
the amount of rainfall
the size of the deer
C
D
the type of trees
the number of birds
13. The diagram below shows the feeding relationship for four coral reef organisms.
Humans sometimes kill giant tritons in order to collect their attractive spiral shells. If humans kill most of the
giant tritons in a coral reef, the coral populations will most likely
A
B
C
D
decrease due to a decrease in the parrot fish population.
increase due to an increase in the parrot fish population.
increase due to a decrease in the crown-of-thorns sea star population.
decrease due to an increase in the crown-of-thorns sea star population.
14. Why do ecosystems rarely contain more than a few tropic levels?
A
B
C
D
Energy transfer efficiency is high.
Energy transfer efficiency is low.
Energy amounts remain constant.
Energy cannot flow through levels.
ASE SC 1 Sample Test Questions, Revised July, 2013
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15. A growth curve for a population of crabs on a coral reef is shown below.
Which statement best explains what is happening at Point A?
A
B
C
D
Population growth decreases as individual crabs get older.
The population is stabilizing as it approaches carrying capacity.
Destruction of habitat is causing a decline in the population of the crabs.
The introduction of a new predator is causing a decline in population growth of the crabs.
16. A food web is diagrammed below.
What would most likely happen if the rabbit population decreased as a result of another predator being
introduced to the food web?
A
B
C
D
The fox population would decrease.
The food web would not be affected.
The bird population would increase.
The spider population would decrease.
ASE SC 1 Sample Test Questions, Revised July, 2013
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Questions 17, 18, and 19 refer to the text below.
Tropical rain forests contain diverse communities of
organisms with many interesting relationships. One such
relationship connects parasitic fungi and their insect
hosts. A type of parasitic fungus, called Ophiocordyceps
unilateralis, disperses spores onto the forest floor, but
cannot successfully grow on the ground. The fungus
requires specific conditions and must grow inside of a
specific ant species, call the host, to reproduce. The
ants, various species of carpenter ant, make nests in the
trees.
o. unilateralis feeds on and grow inside the insect
host, and within a few days the fungus affects the
insect’s brain. The insect exhibits unusual
behaviors such as wandering away from the
colony to where light and humidity favor fungal
growth. Just before dying, the insect bites into
and firmly attaches itself to a plant. Then, the
fungus slowly grows outward from the deal
insect’s head, producing a pod of spores that
eventually bursts open. The spores fall to the
ground, restarting the life cycle of the fungus.
Though this relationship may sound gruesome,
researchers note that these parasitic fungi may
help maintain biodiversity in the tropical rain
forest. Some parasitic fungi may be host-specific,
meaning that a fungus species only infects a
particular type of insect. Scientists have observed
that as an insect population begins to grow, more
fungal infections occur, and then the insect
population levels off again. This relationship may
prevent overpopulation of the habitat by any one
insect species.
17. Deforestation, or clearing away trees, is occurring in tropical rain forests.
Explain how deforestation could disrupt the life cycle of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis in tropical rain forests. Include
multiple pieces of evidence from the text to support your answer.
Type your response in the box. This task may require approximately 10 minutes to complete.
18. The graph shows the relationship
between the population of a
parasitic fungus and its host insect
population over time
Continue the growth rate of the
parasitic fungus population by
selecting the area on the graph
that represents the parasitic
fungus population size at time A.
ASE SC 1 Sample Test Questions, Revised July, 2013
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19. Some researchers are studying parasitic fungi for use as insecticides due to the natural ability to penetrate and destroy
insect tissue. Other researchers argue that there are few potential uses for the fungi as insecticides with multiple
targets.
Which fact from the passage supports the argument that parasitic fungi offer, at best, severely limited potential as
insecticides that target many kinds of insects?
A
B
C
D
The fungi reproduce inside an insect’s body.
The fungi entirely control the insects’ behavior.
Some of the fungi may be host-specific parasites.
Some of the fungi produce pods that grow from an insect’s head.
20. In the carbon cycle, atmospheric carbon dioxide is converted into organic materials by which process?
A
B
C
D
cellular respiration
decomposition
photosynthesis
transpiration
21. A community is studied and several interactions are observed and recorded.
Type of
Interaction
A
B
C
D
Effect on
Organism X
Effect on
Organism Y
Harms
Benefits
Benefits
Benefits
Harms
Harms
No effects
Benefits
Which type of interaction could illustrate the process of mutualism?
A
B
C
D
interaction A
interaction B
interaction C
interaction D
22. An energy pyramid is show below.
Which best explains why a pyramid is used to represent energy flow within an ecosystem?
A
B
C
D
Available energy increases when moving up an energy pyramid.
Available energy decreases when moving up an energy pyramid.
The size of the organisms decreases when moving up an energy pyramid.
The population size of the organisms increases when moving up an energy pyramid.
ASE SC 1 Sample Test Questions, Revised July, 2013
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ASE SC 1 Sample Test Questions, Revised July, 2013
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