Test Your Evolution IQ
Designed By Evolution Team: Laura Pepper, John Miranda, Qiumin Huang
SBI3U: Biology, Grade 11, University Preparation
The following test will be assessed according to the following 4 categories.
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Knowledge & Understanding (K&U)
Thinking & Investigation (T&I)
Communication (C)
Application (A)
Total number of marks = 80. You have 75 minutes to complete the test so read all instructions
carefully before you start answering questions.
Take a deep breath and let evolution begin! GOOD LUCK!
Test
Multiple Choice (K & U /20)
Read the following statements or questions and chose the best answer. There is only one true answer.
1.
The oldest fossils in the Grand Canyon are
a)
near the top
b)
at the bottom
c)
intermixed at all levels with newer fossils
d)
especially rich in organic matter
e)
in the middle
2.
Which of the following works to change the gene pool of a population?
a)
genetic drift
b)
natural selection
c)
mutation
d)
migration
e)
all of the above
3.
The gene pool will remain stable under which of the following conditions?
a)
a small population
b)
no mutations
c)
random mating within the population
d)
all of the above
e)
b) and c)
4.
Speciation is most likely to occur
a)
during periods of great environmental change
b)
during periods of little environmental change
c)
in geographically isolated areas
d)
in large populations
e)
a) and c) only
5.
The most important requirement for a population to be considered a species is
a)
geographic isolation
b)
selective isolation
c)
hybridization
d)
chromosome mutation
e)
reproductive isolation
6.
The development of several highly adapted species from one less specialized species is a
process called
a)
genetic drift
b)
hybridization
c)
polyploidy
d)
adaptive radiation
e)
biogeography
7.
When the environment is relatively stable for a long time, natural selection exerts what kind of
effect?
a)
directional
b)
stabilizing
c)
disruptive
d)
adaptive radiation
e)
somatic
8.
Convergent evolution of two species is usually associated with
a)
similar habitats
b)
a recent common ancestor
c)
analogous features
d)
homologous features
e)
a) and c)
9.
The first organisms to appear on Earth probably were
a)
prokaryotes
b)
eukaryotes
c)
endosymbionts
d)
abiogenesis
e)
saprophytes
10.
Evolution is principally a process of
a)
sudden disruptive change
b)
modification and speciation
c)
somatic mutation and gene recombination
d)
no modifications
e)
neutral mutations
11. All of the following statements are part of the Darwin-Wallace theory of Natural
Selection EXCEPT:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Heritable variations occur in natural populations
Characteristics that are acquired during the life of an individual are passed on to the offspring
Organisms tend to increase in numbers at a rate more rapid than the environment can support
On average, the best adapted individuals leave more offspring
There exists in nature a constant struggle for survival
12. One finds that organisms on islands are different from, but closely related to, similar
forms found on the nearest continent. This is taken as evidence that
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Island forms and mainland forms descended from common ancestors
Common environments are inhabited by the same organisims
The islands were originally part of the continent
The island forms and mainland forms are diverging
Island forms and mainland forms share the same gene pool
13. Darwin’s and Lamarck’s theories of evolution both suggest that
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Species are fixed
The Earth is 6000 years old
The environment creates favourable characteristics on demand
The main mechanism of evolution is the inheritance of acquired characteristics
The interaction of organisms with their environment is important in the evolutionary processes
14. Which of the following statements are consistent with the punctuated equilibrium’s
interpretation of speciation?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Evolution proceeds at a slow, steady pace
Long periods of minor change are interrupted by short bursts of significant change
Rapid speciation is caused by population explosions
There is an equilibrium between living and extinct species
Large populations evolve more rapidly than small ones
15. Which of the following is NOT considered a REPRODUCTIVE isolating
mechanism?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Sterile offspring
Courtship behaviour
Feeding behaviour
Gamete incompatibility
Timing of courtship display
16.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Which of the following describes best when speciation might occur?
The gene pool of a population is mixed.
A mutation leads to polyploidy in one plant.
Two populations become physically isolated.
An allele frequency stays the same
All of the above
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Which statement best describes the bottleneck effect?
External conditions reduce the population significantly.
The bottleneck effect occurs when selected individuals emigrate.
A geographic barrier is removed.
It is caused by stabilizing selection.
It is caused by sexual selection
17.
18.
Which of the following did NOT play a role in the formulation of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution?
In every generation, more offspring are produced than are needed.
Natural selection favours the ones that are best adapted.
Traits are be passed on from generation to generation.
Individual species actively and spontaneously change traits, which are passed on to the next
generation.
e)
All of the above.
a)
b)
c)
d)
19.
Which of the following would be an example of convergent evolution?
a)
Hummingbird bill sizes changing in shape to fit easily into flower.
b)
Competition among finches of Galapagos Islands causing speciation.
c)
Anteaters in Africa and South America developing long, narrow skulls.
d)
Maples moving northward after glaciers started to recede in North
America.
e)
All of the above.
20.
Which of the following correctly explains how a favorable genetic trait can increase in frequency in
a population?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Lamarck’s aquired characteristics
natural selection
adaptive radiation
recombinant DNA
segregation of alleles
Modified True or False (K & U /10)
Determine whether the statement is true or false. If the statement is false, make changes to make it true.
If you answer false but make no changes to your statement, your answer will be marked wrong.
Statement
1. When C. Darwin left for the Galapagos Islands, he believed in the
immutability of species (they don’t change).
2. In order for natural selection to work, mutations must occur in
pseudogenes.
3. Sexual dimorphism shows differences between sexes.
4. Darwin determined the absolute age of the fossils he found.
5. Hummingbirds and monarch butterflies both have wings. This is
considered to be an example of analogous structures.
6. The iguanas on the Galapagos Islands eat algae, while those on the
mainland of Central America eat tree leaves. This is considered to be an
example of adaptation caused by geographical distribution.
7. The South American spider monkey and the lemur of Madagascar both
have a prehensile tail (a tail that can grasp limbs). This is considered to be
an example of convergent evolution.
8. Abiogenesis is the idea that living organisms arise from nonliving matter.
9. Biological taxon was first proposed by Carolus Linnaeus
10. In the Hardy-Weinburg principle, there is no change in allele frequencies
from generation to generation unless there is a disturbing influence.
Changes to the false statements:
1. ________________________________________
2. ________________________________________
3. ________________________________________
4. ________________________________________
5. ________________________________________
6. ________________________________________
7. ________________________________________
8. ________________________________________
9. ________________________________________
10. ________________________________________
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
Matching (K & U /10)
Match the following statements with the words to the left by adding the corresponding letter on the blank
spaces.
f
a
e
phylogeny
mutation
genetic drift
b
sexual selection
d
natural selection
c
h
j
variation
extinction
analogous
structures
temporal isolation i) structures that are similar due to a shared ancestry
homologous
j) different structures but have a similar function
structures
g
i
a) one allele changes spontaneously to a different form
b) females choose mates possessing a particular trait
c) in small populations, random fluctuations in frequency of
certain genes may occur
d) variations are the result of the interaction of the genes
and the environment
e) individuals move away from a population taking particular
alleles out of the gene pool
f) the study of evolutionary relatedness
g) organisms mate at different times
h) loss of food source, habitat, or catastrophe
Short Answer (T & I, C /15 marks)
Answer only 3 out 5 questions. Only the first 3 answers will be read and marked.
1. Why is it impossible for a single individual organism to indicate an evolutionary change? (T, 2 marks;
C, 1 mark)
Evolution occurs on the scale of a population. A change in one individual who does not pass on the
gene will not make a difference.
2. Evidences for evolution include: the fossil record, homologous structures found on different species,
embryological similarities among species, analogous structures and biochemical similarities among
species. Choose three of these types of evidence and give some details and/or examples that would
support the idea of "descent from a common ancestor". (T, 6 marks; C, 1 mark)
Fossil record – evidence of extinct species that inhabited the earth
Homologous structures - structures that are similar in different species due to their shared ancestry
Embryology – embryos appear similar suggesting similar origins
Analogous structures – different structures but similar functions suggest that environment plays an
adaptive role
Biochemistry – the homology in the biochemistry of different molecules such similar amino acid
sequence in many proteins
3. Describe three types of isolating mechanisms and show how each might contribute
to speciation (T, 6 marks; C, 1 mark)
Geographic Isolation – separate by geography
Reproductive Isolation – prezygotic isolation
postzygotic isolation
Any of these mechanisms will allow a change in frequency of alleles that are significant enough to form a
new species.
4. The existence of variation within populations is critical to Darwin's theory of Evolution by Natural
Selection. WHY is it only the INHERITED VARIATION that is important? (T, 2 marks, C, 1 mark)
Variation that is inherited means that it is at the level of the DNA and can be passed on to the next
generation will affect evolution.
5. You are analyzing the amino acids in the haemoglobin of various species. You find that this protein in
the rhesus monkeys differs by about eight amino acids from the protein from humans. The difference in
this protein between mice and humans is about 26 amino acids, and the difference between lampreys (a
primitive fish) and humans is about 125 amino acids. Interpret this data and explain how they relate to
our understanding of evolution. (T, 4 marks; C, 1 mark)
The greater the difference in amino acid variation – the more distant the relation
Human – monkeys – more related
Human – Lampreys – further apart on evolutionary tree
Long Answer (A, C /5)
Choose only 1 out of the following 3 questions. Only the first answer will be read and marked.
1. Explain with details and using evolutionary terms how bacteria are able to become drug resistant and
how this can affect society. (A, 6 marks; C, 2 marks)
Answers will vary
2. How has horticultural biotechnology affected biodiversity? How has selective breeding of livestock
affected society? Explain two advantages and disadvantages of each. (A, 10 marks; C, 2 marks)
Answers will vary
3. Choose two scientists discussed in this unit and explain their contribution to evolutionary theory and
the impact it had on society. (A, 4 marks; C, 2 marks)
Answers will vary
Reflection (C, T & A /20 marks)
Choose only 1 of the following 2 questions. If you answer both, only the first answer will be read and
marked.
1. The tale of three lice.
The human lineage and the chimp lineage diverged ~6 million years ago. Homo sapiens evolved
~200,000 years ago and were preceded by several other species of hominin. A hominin is any
species that is more closely related to a human than a chimpanzee (e.g., members of the genera
Australopithecus and Homo). When did hominin started to loose hair? When did hominin started to
wear clothes? Can evolution of lice tell us the answer to these questions?
Lice are highly specialized blood sucking parasites that live on a single host species. Each of our
ape relatives hosts one louse species, but humans host three types of lice. Human head lice and
chimp lice belong to the same genus. Why did these two lineages of lice diverge?
The head louse,
Pediculus humanus
capitus
The pubic louse,
Phthirus pubis
The body louse,
Pediculus humanus
corporis
Think of 3 hypotheses that may answer the questions above and write them down.
Answers will vary
1. Which truth is true?
Some people view the evolution part of science as a threat to their religious belief, others as
evidence of a much richer purpose. Analyze the following reading and answer the questions
below.
Pope Pius XII, a deeply conservative man, directly addressed the issue of evolution in a 1950 encyclical,
Humani Generis. The document makes plain the pope’s fervent hope that evolution will prove to be a
passing scientific fad, and it attacks those persons who “imprudently and indiscreetly hold that evolution
…explains the origin of all things.” Nonetheless, Pius XII states that nothing in Catholic doctrine is
contradicted by a theory that suggests one specie might evolve into another—even if that specie is man.
Pope John Paul II revisited the question of evolution in a 1996 a message to the Pontifical Academy of
Sciences. Unlike Pius XII, John Paul is broadly read, and embraces science and reason. He won the
respect of many scientists in 1993, when in April 1993 he formally acquitted Galileo, 360 years after his
indictment, of heretical support for Copernicus’s heliocentrism. The pontiff began his statement with the
hope that “we will all be able to profit from the fruitfulness of a trustful dialogue between the Church and
science.” Evolution, he said, is “an essential subject which deeply interests the Church.” He recognized
that science and Scripture sometimes have “apparent contradictions,” but said that when this is the
case, a “solution” must be found because “truth cannot contradict truth.” The Pope pointed to the
Church’s coming to terms with Galileo’s discoveries concerning the nature of the solar system as an
example of how science might inspire the Church to seek a new and “correct interpretation of the
inspired word.”
Creationists, however, expressed dismay at the pontiff’s words and suggested that the initial news
reports might have been based on a faulty translation. (John Paul gave the speech in French.) Perhaps,
some creationists argued, the pope really said, “the theory evolution is more than one hypothesis,” not
“the theory of evolution is more than a hypothesis.” If that were so, the Pope might have been
suggesting that there are multiple theories of evolution, and all of them might be wrong.
The “faulty translation” theory, however, suffered at least two problems. Most obviously, the theory
collapsed when the Catholic News Service of the Vatican confirmed that the Pope did indeed mean
“more than a hypothesis,” not “more than one hypothesis.”
a) What is pope Pius XII’s point of view different from Pope John Paul II’s about evolution?
Pope Pius does not support evolution and hopes that its movement is just a fad that will not last. It also
attack all those who support evolution. John Paul II on the other hand, believes that evolution has so
much support based on research and discoveries and that it would make the church look ignorant for
defying the truth. He also absolved Galileo of heresy for postulating the heliocentric model. John Paul
asks the church to become inspired by science instead of attacking it.
b) What do creationists use in order to weaken John Paul’s speech?
Creationist as an attempt to weaken John Paul II’s speech say that since he gave the speech in French
the faulty translation provided an acceptance to the theory of evolution which is wrong because the pope
might have suggested that there are multiple theories of evolution, which are all wrong.
Bonus Question /5 marks)
Choose ONLY one of the following questions. Only the first answer will be read and marked. Keep your answers
brief and concise! (5 possible points)
1. List and describe three of the five evidences for evolution. Briefly tell me how these might affect
(both positively and negatively) our understanding of human evolution.
OR
2. Who was Charles Darwin and how did he contribute to our understanding of evolution? Be very
explicit in your discussion, and tell me anything you can about this person in your own words! Be sure
you discuss his mechanism for evolution and mention whose evolutionary ideas he debunked
(disproved).
Resources:
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https://resources.elearningontario.ca/
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http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=488&id=488
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http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/vaticanview.html
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http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_25
https://resources.elearningontario.ca/
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www.duke.edu/~mja8/documents/hbunittest.doc