8th grade: Natural Selection & Genetic Variation
quarter 2
Updated:
Pretest
June 2014
Directions: Please read each question carefully. Then, choose the best answer for each question. Please
do not write on this test. Mark all of your answers clearly on your answer sheet.
1. How are natural selection and artificial selection similar?
a. Both only happen in plants
b. Both create new organisms
c. Both cause change over time
d. Both are the result of human technology
e. I do not know.
2. Which of the following species is the result of artificial or selective breeding?
a. horses
b. alligators
c. butterflies
d. toads
e. I do not know.
(MS-LS4-5)
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3. In mammal limbs, one bone is connected to two bones that are connected to a wrist with digits. This
shows that…
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
All animals have bones
All mammals have the same skeleton
Artificial selection caused the similarities
There are patterns of similarities across multiple species
I do not know.
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4. One way that all multicellular organisms are alike is that
a. All have cells
b . All have DNA
c. All grow
d. All of the above
e. I do not know.
(MS-LS4-3)
5. What could be a possible explanation for the change seen in the insect from the First Generation to the
Tenth Generation?
a. An increase in the population of this insect
(MS-LS4-4)
b. An increase in the dominant gene (A)
c. A decrease in the recessive gene (a)
d. An increase in the recessive gene (a)
e. I do not know.
6. Natural selection states that:
a. People can select for the traits they want in certain organisms
b. Variations that benefit an organism in its environment get passed onto offspring
c. White mice won’t survive on a black lava flow
d. The strongest, most fit organisms are the ones that survive
e. I do not know.
7. Fossils
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a. Provide evidence of adaptations formed in organisms over time
b. Are found in layers of ash which are used for radiometric dating
c. Provide evidence of past geological events
d. Both a. and c. are correct
(MS-LS4-2)
e. I do not know.
8. Which of the following best illustrates natural selection?
a. A community whose members work together utilizing all existing resources and migratory routes.
b. An organism with favorable genetic variations will tend to survive and breed successfully.(MS-LS4-4)
c. A population monopolizes all of the resources in its habitat, forcing other species to migrate.
d. The largest organisms in a species receive the only breeding opportunities.
e. I do not know.
9. While genetic engineering has positive benefits, there are also concerns associated with widespread
use of genetic engineering in agriculture. If many farmers begin to plant more genetically modified crops
that have an increased tolerance to insects, which of the following may result?
a. An increase in the use of pesticides
b. An increase in the contamination of the water supply
c. A decrease in genetic diversity of the crops
d. A decrease in crop productivity
e. I do not know.
10. What kind of genetically modified crops would be most successful in wet-tropical
countries that are overcrowded?
a. Crops that are drought- and pest-resistant
b. High-yield crops that do not need a lot of sunshine
c. Crops that are drought-resistant and need a lot of sunshine
d. High-yield crops that are pest-resistant
e. I do not know.
(MS-LS4-5)
11. A population is a group of individuals of the same species. Could a population living today differ
from their ancestors from many generations ago? Why or why not?
a. Yes, they could differ after many generations because an environmental change can affect which
inherited traits are most helpful, and therefore which individuals are more likely to survive and(MS-LS4-5)
reproduce
b. Yes, they could differ after many generations because an environmental change can cause individuals in
each generation to try to change some of their inherited traits to ones that are better suited to the new
environment.
(MS-LS4-4)
c. Yes, they could differ after many generations because an environmental change can cause individuals to
use some of their inherited traits more than before and pass down better versions of those traits to their
offspring.
d. No, they could not differ after many generations because all members of a population are the same
species and therefore have the same set of inherited traits.
e. I do not know.
12. Moths are a type of insect similar to butterflies. A species of moth lived in a forest made up of a
mixture of dark- and light-colored trees. Some of the moths were dark-colored and some were lightcolored. The coloring of these moths is inherited from parent to offspring. The dark moths were hidden
from predators on the dark trees, and the light moths were hidden on the light trees.
When the light-colored trees were killed by a disease, the forest was suddenly made up almost entirely of
dark-colored trees. Generations later, almost all the moths had the dark coloring. Which of the
following gives a correct explanation?
a. The light moths that survived did not mate and have offspring because they saw that their offspring
would easily be seen and eaten by predators.
b. The dark moths were better hidden from predators, so more of them survived. Because dark(MS-LS4-4)
parents
outnumbered light parents, there were many more dark offspring than light offspring in the next
generation.
c. The light moths saw that the dark moths were less likely to be eaten by predators, so they made
themselves dark as well.
d. The light moths that survived had dark offspring because the change in the environment caused the
parents to have offspring that would do better in the changed environment.
e. I do not know.
13. Some of the individual members of the Finch (bird) population were moved to a new location that
had different environmental conditions than their original home. According to the theory of natural
selection, what could happen after many generations to the offspring of the Finches (bird) that had been
relocated?
a. The offspring would look the same as the original individuals because species do not change.
b. The offspring would look the same as the original individuals because the environment does not affect
how species look.
c. The offspring would become a completely different species that would have no similarities to the
original individuals.
(MS-LS4-4)
(MS-LS4-6)
d.
The offspring would look different from the original individuals in some ways, and they would look the
same in some ways.
e. I do not know.
14. Which of the following is REQUIRED for the process of natural selection to occur?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Numerous species must have recently become extinct.
Traits must be inherited from one generation to the next.
There must be a sudden environmental change.
A food source must disappear.
I do not know.
(MS-LS4-6)
15. Individual members of a species could have differences in inherited characteristics that affect which
of the following?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Their ability to find food but not their ability to attract mates
Both their ability to find food and their ability to attract mates
Their ability to attract mates but not their ability to find food
Neither their ability to attract mates nor their ability to find food
I do not know.
(MS-LS4-2)
(MS-LS4-4)
16. A species lives in a particular environment. What is TRUE about the environment that the species
lives in and about how the species will look over thousands of years?
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a. There will be changes to the environment that could lead to changes in the traits of the species.
b. There will be changes to the environment, but the traits of the species will stay the same.
c. The environment will stay the same, and the traits of the species will stay the same.
(MS-LS4-4)
d. There will be changes to the environment, and the traits of the species will change, but the changes in
the environment could never lead to changes in the traits of species.
e. I do not know.
17. Which of the following is TRUE about living species and extinct species?
a. Living species can share ancestors with other living species, but they cannot share ancestors with extinct
species.
b. Living species can share ancestors with other living species, and they can share ancestors with extinct
species.
c. Living species cannot share ancestors with other living species, but they can share ancestors with extinct
species.
(MS-LS4-2)
d. Living species can neither share ancestors with other living species nor can they share ancestors with
extinct species.
e. I do not know.
18. Fossils can be used for which of the following?
a. To compare the features of extinct species with those of existing species, but not to study the anatomical
features of extinct species.
b. To study the anatomical features of extinct species, but not to compare the features of extinct species
with those of existing species.
c. To study the anatomical features of extinct species and to compare the features of the extinct species
with those of existing species.
d. Neither to compare the features of extinct species with those of existing species nor to study the
anatomical feature of extinct species.
e. I do not know.
(MS-LS4-3)
19. A scientist finds some fossils of an extinct species of fish. Which of the following could he do by
studying the fossils?
a. He could discover similarities and differences between the features of the extinct fish and those of
currently existing fish, but he could not discover what anatomical features the extinct species had.
b. He could discover what anatomical features the extinct species had, but he could not discover any
similarities and differences between the features of the extinct fish and those of currently existing fish.
c. He could discover what anatomical features the extinct species had, and he could discover similarities
and differences between the features of the extinct fish and those of currently existing fish.
d. He could neither discover similarities and differences between the features of the extinct fish and those
of currently existing fish, nor could he discover what anatomical features the extinct species had.
e. I do not know.
20. What is TRUE about maple trees and lizards?
a. There are similarities but no differences between maple trees and lizards.
b. There are differences but no similarities between maple trees and lizards.
c. There is no way to tell if maple trees and lizards have similarities or differences.
d. There are both similarities and differences between maple trees and lizards.
e. I do not know.
21. Analyze the map above. What conclusions can be drawn from this data?
a. Canada has more genetically modified crops than Brazil.
b. Argentina grows the most genetically modified crops in South America.
c. The United States grows the most genetically modified crops.
d. Australia grows more genetically modified crops than China
e. I do not know.
22. What is gene therapy?
a.
When genes are passed on from parents to offspring
b.
When only one allele is properly copies and inherited
c.
The deliberate “repair” or replacement of damaged genes
d.
All of the above
e.
I do not know.
(MS-LS4-5)
(MS-LS4-5)
23. Each Finch in the diagram has a different shaped bill.
What process is responsible for these differences?
(MS-LS4-5)
a. Artificial selection
b. Gene therapy
c. Natural selection
d. Animal husbandry
e. I do not know.
Please read the following article excerpt:
Many times, genetic engineers say they have safeguards in place to stop genetically modified plant pollen from
spreading away from the test site. However, traditionally grown plants are becoming contaminated with these
new genetically modified crops. This is because bees, other insects, and the wind can carry the pollen far and
wide. Pollen from one genetically modified tree has been shown to have traveled one fifth the distance across
the United Sates. How long would it be before forests all across the continent were contaminated with genes
that would make them sterile?
Organic farmers are suffering from some of this cross pollination. Their crops are becoming cross-pollinated
with genetically modified crops, and they can no longer certify them as completely organic. For a small organic
farmer, this has the potential of putting him out of business.
24. How are organic farmers affected by GMO crops?
a. Gene therapy
b. Chemical fertilizers
c. Over spray from weed killers
(MS-LS4-5)
d. Super weeds
e. I do not know.
25. Can genetic engineers truly stop contamination between traditional plants and genetically modified
plants?
a. Yes, all contamination can be contained.
b. No, scientists cannot stop all cross pollination.
c. Yes, future technology can be used to stop contamination.
d. No, we do not need to worry about contamination.
e. I do not know.
(MS-LS4-5)