Issues in Biotechnology
Study Guide for Quiz 05 on Lectures 9&10 or 11& 12
*9. Evolution: How Does It Happen?
*10. Evolution: Genes and Ideas
*11. What is Evolution?
*12. Why is it Controversial?
*You can listen to either set of lectures (9&10 or 11& 12) or both.
BCH 190
1. The best evidence available indicates that life on earth started as
single cells about
(A) 3.2 billion years ago
(B) 3.2 million years ago
(C) 6,000 years ago
(D) 4.8 light years away
(E) at the end of the last ice age
2. Jean-Baptist Lamarck thought for giraffes that by stretching their
necks for leaves higher in trees this characteristic would be passed on to
the offspring of those giraffes. Lamarck, therefore
(A) proved that the theory of evolution was incorrect
(B) proposed that the inheritance of characteristics is acquired as a result of the
environment or purpose
(C) showed that bacteria experience Darwinian selection and evolution by
watching slot machines
(D) developed the idea for the phylogenetic tree
(E) laid the basis for modern understanding of evolution
3. Specialized proteins embedded in cell membranes which receive and
transmit chemical messages are referred to as
(A) receptors
(B) random walkers
(C) retractors
(D) transgressors
(E) interceptors
4. Salvidor Luria asked whether bacteria evolve like other organisms.
Do Darwinian principles apply to bacteria; or are they more subject to
environment? Using a brilliant experimental design involving virus
resistance in bacteria he was able to clearly demonstrate what
phenomenon?
(A) how to win at slot machines
(B) the environmental influence on mutation
(C) evolution
(D) drug resistance in bacteria
(E) the possibility of bacterial life on other planets
5. In photosynthesis, chlorophyll molecules act as solar antennae, so that
when sunlight strikes them their electrons are excited to a higher energy
state which eventually results it the splitting of water (H2O). The
hydrogen ions from the splitting of H2O form a gradient that drives the
chemical synthesis of ATP. The energy stored in ATP is then used to
make what compound?
(A) lipids
(B) RNA
(C) Sugar
(D) DNA
(E) all of these answers are correct
6. A protein that binds to a site on DNA next to a gene and blocks the
transcription of that gene, thus preventing the synthesis of a protein
that the gene encodes is known as a
(A) regurgitator
(B) repressor
(C) receptor
(D) responder
(E) communicator
7. What are regulatory processes in which there are signals indicating
"too much" or "too little" which result in a correction to the processes?
(A) feedback loops
(B) regressions
(C) stop codons
(D) auto rewinds
(E) ecological networks
8. The historical evolutionary relationship between a group of related
organisms is known as its:
(A) phylogeny
(B) gerontology
(C) ontogeny
(D) reflexology
(E) teleology
9. The subject of evolution is controversial because:
(A) people have conflicting ideas about human origins
(B) It may not be properly represented in current curriculum throughout grade
levels
(C) general public education about it is insufficient given modern biology
(D) some people think it conflicts with religious beliefs
(E) all of these answers apply
10. Life might well be considered as an information processing system,
and then in many ways, has homologues in the cyber world. The flow of
information in biological life on earth:
(A) uses the same twenty amino acids
(B) could not possibly exist without divine intervention
(C) typically occurs from DNA to RNA to protein
(D) uses the same four letter code
(E) any of these answers are correct
11. Critics of evolution state that that it is not possible since it disobeys
the second law of thermodynamics. The tendency of energy to dissipate
as described by the second law of thermodynamics is called:
(A) equilibrium: where everything must remain in an equal balance
(B) entropy: where order tends to become disordered
(C) metabolism: referring to the breakdown of sugars
(D) endothermic: where reactions require heat
(E) nuclear: where reactions in life occur only in atomic chain reactions
12. Birds did not evolve feathers in order to fly… anymore than they
evolved feathers to fill your down comforter. Elephants did not assume
their charming appearances to become circus performers. These
characteristics occur as a result of variation in DNA across a population
and a selection for functionality. The process of biological change
therefore, can not be purposive. This indicates that
(A) evolution must be directed by a higher power
(B) change in DNA occurs because of the environment
(C) individuals do not exercise ‘will’ over the changes passed on to their offspring
(D) evolution is wrong
(E) that it is so complicated that a higher power must be involved
13. The average time to death from starvation in a fruit fly is about 20
hours. Selecting for increased starvation resistance in fruit flies:
(A) has no effect because starvation resistance is a not a trait that influences a
fruit fly’s ability to survive.
(B) has little effect because ongoing mutation continuously reduces starvation
resistance, counteracting any benefits from selection.
(C) cannot increase their survival time because there is no genetic variation for
this trait.
(D) has no effect because starvation resistance is too complex a trait, dependent
on the effects of too many genes.
(E) can produce populations in which the average time to death from starvation is
160 hours
14. Which of the following statements about mutations is NOT true?
(A) A mutation is any change in an organism’s DNA.
(B) Mutations are almost always random with respect to the needs of the
organism.
(C) Most mutations are harmful or neutral to the organism in which they occur.
(D) The origin of genetic variation and individuals is mutation.
(E) All of these statements are true.
15. Biological feedback loops occur
(A) only in plant cells
(B) only at the tissue or organ level in humans
(C) in throughout various levels in biological systems, including ecology
(D) in anaerobic conditions such as found in some bacteria
(E) as an example why evolution is an insufficient explanation for biological
change
16. In cells, genes are segments of DNA that code for proteins; not
sugars or complex carbohydrates, or lipids, but proteins. The code in
the sequence of nucleotides in a gene specifies the sequence of
nucleotides in messenger RNA which in turn specifies the sequence of
amino acids in a protein. The sequence is variable because of mutations
which can change the sequence of amino acids in the protein coded for
by that gene. Therefore in evolution a change in a single code for a
single amino acid may have an effect on individual survival. Proteins
carry out many functions in a cell such as
(A) Structural, like myosin in muscle fibers
(B) regulators, like transcription factors
(C) enzymes like trypsin, that act as catalysts for cellular reactions
(D) hormones, like insulin or estrogen
(E) any of the answers are correct
17. Variation in a population can be selected for by various pressures
including:
(A) Sexual selection
(B) Predation selection
(C) Physiological selection
(D) all of these answers are correct
(E) none of these answers are correct
18. The process of evolution in biological organisms involves
(A) changes that occur over time and many generations causing divergence in
form and function
(B) geographic and mating separations (language counts)
(C) selection pressure by the environment
(D) mutations, chromosomal rearrangements and other changes to DNA
(E) all of these factors are involved
19. Ken Miller
(A) supports the idea that ID should be taught in biology as an alternative to
evolution
(B) thinks that biological life is static and unchangeable
(C) plays short stop for the Boston Red Sox
(D) is an expert on evolution and education
(E) is disconcerted about his relationship between Faith and Evolution
20. To establish that evolution by natural selection is operating in a
population, one must demonstrate variability for a trait, heritability of
that trait, differential reproductive success based on that trait, and:
(A) increased complexity of the organism.
(B) random mating.
(C) progress.
(D) continuous change in the environment.
(E) nothing else.
21. Evolution is:
(A) Just a theory and should not be taught in public schools without further
verification or in exclusion to other ideas
(B) Limited as a concept to only Darwin's idea to explain the origin of life on
earth
(C) A process by which all biological organisms change
(D) A clear contradiction to all known religions
(E) An idea that needs further substantiation
22. “Survival of the fittest” may be a misleading phrase to describe the
process of evolution by natural selection because:
(A) it is impossible to determine the fittest individuals in nature.
(B) survival matters less to natural selection than reproductive success does.
(C) natural variation in a population is too great to be influenced by differential
reproductive success.
(D) fitness has little to do with natural selection.
(E) reproductive success on its own does not necessarily guarantee evolution.
23. Charles Darwin reached following conclusions (1) Variation exists in
natural populations. (2) Many more offspring are born each season than
can possibly survive to maturity. (3) As a result, there is a struggle for
existence. (4) Characteristics beneficial in the struggle for existence will
tend to become more common in the population, changing the
characteristics of a species. (5) Over time, and given a steady input of
new variation into a population, these processes lead to the emergence
of new species. These conclusions, from the Origin of Species, was
coupled with
(A) extinction of species
(B) Supernatural consequences
(C) intelligent design
(D) natural selection
(E) all of these answers are correct
24. Recently, several US courts have ruled against the teaching of
Intelligent Design in biology classes in public schools because:
(A). They are comprised of atheistic anti-Christian liberal zealots that have voted
to support that platform in spite of the vast number of peer-reviewed papers that
support Intelligent Design.
(B). Intelligent Design and other proposed alternative explanations cannot be
supported by current scientific methods
(C). The teaching of evolution was ruled to be unethical and invalid
(D). Their lobbyist was Jack Abermoff
(E) Opposition from the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and many others
who would want to espouse their own alternative theories
25. Evolution occurs:
(A). only when the environment is changing
(B). only through natural selection
(C). almost entirely because of directional selection
(D). only via natural selection, genetic drift, migration, or mutation
(E) by altering physical traits but not behavioral traits
26. Which of the following is NOT an observation or inference on which
Darwin’s theory of natural selection is based?
(A). There is heritable variation among individuals
(B). Poorly adapted individuals never produce offspring
(C). Because excessive numbers of offspring are produced, there is a competition
for limited resources
(D). Individuals whose inherited traits best fit them to the environment
(E) That individuals always adapt themselves to the environment and these then
traits are inherited
27. A National discussion had developed about the teaching in public
schools of an alternative explanation, to evolution, for biological
diversity called Intelligent Design. This idea suggests that that the
world ecology and biology is so complex that this infers that there must
be a creator much the same way that the complexity of a watch infers a
watchmaker. Intelligent Design:
(A) Is a theory that is well supported by peer-reviewed scientific evidence
(B) Is currently a well-established, evidence-based alternative to theories of
evolution and natural selection
(C) Is not currently a well-established, evidence- based alternative to theories of
evolution by natural selection
(D) Has been determined by the Supreme Court as material that should be taught
in public schools along with other theories of origin including all worldwide
mythologies and religions.
(E) Has been proven quantitatively in the laboratory in repeated experiments
28. Evolutionary Adaptation:
(A) refers both to the process by which populations become better matched to
their environment and to the features of an organism that make it more fit than
other individuals
(B) cannot occur in environments influenced by humans
(C) is possible only when there is no mutation
(D) is responsible for the fact that porcupines are at an unusually high risk of
predation
(E) occurs for physical traits but not behaviors.
29. The process of evolution is a consistent pattern for life on earth. As
a law of nature we might say that "Given life, there will be change."
Evolution
(A) occurs to slowly to be observed in nature
(B) can occur in the wild but not in the laboratory
(C) is responsible for increased occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria
(D) does not occur in human occupied habitats
(E) none of these statements is correct
30. Genomes have now been sequenced, Genes have been cloned and
moved from one species to another. Stem cells can develop into sperm
cells. The development of Biotechnology
(A) provides substantial molecular evidence the Theory of Evolution
(B) has been banned in Europe by governments in the EU
(C) has therefore disproven the Theory of Evolution
(D) is destroying evidence based medicine as we know it by supporting
alternative treatments
(E) has proven the need to teach Intelligent Design concepts in public schools