Please Do Not Write On The Charles Darwin and Evolution Study Guide Practice test Practice Test Multiple Choice Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. The species of finches that Charles Darwin found on the Galápagos Islands displayed different structural adaptations. One of the adaptations that Darwin noted was the a. similarities of the birds embryos. c. length of the birds necks. b. birds different-shaped beaks. d. number of eggs in each bird s nest. 2. Based on the adaptations Charles Darwin observed in finches and tortoises in the Galápagos, he wondered a. if species living on different islands had once been members of the same species. b. if finches and tortoises had originated from the same ancestral species. c. if all birds on the different islands were finches. d. why all tortoises on the different islands were identical. 3. Which statement is in agreement with Darwin s theory of evolution? a. More offspring are produced than can possibly survive. b. The organisms that are the fittest are always largest and strongest. c. The number of offspring is not related to fitness. d. Acquired characteristics that are inherited are the cause of evolution. 4. James Hutton s and Charles Lyell s work was important to Darwin because these scientists a. explained volcanoes and earthquakes. b. explained all geologic events on Earth. c. suggested that Earth was old enough for evolution to have occurred. d. refuted the work of Lamarck, which was based on misunderstandings. 5. Which is a major concept included in Lamarck s theory of evolution? a. Change is the result of survival of the fittest. b. Body structure can change according to the actions of the organism. c. Population size decreases the rate of evolution. d. Artificial selection is the basis for evolution. 6. The idea that only famine, disease, and war could prevent the endless growth of human populations was presented by a. Charles Darwin. c. Thomas Malthus. b. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. d. Charles Lyell. 7. Charles Darwin s observation that finches of different species on the Galápagos Islands have many similar physical characteristics supports the hypothesis that these finches a. have the ability to interbreed. b. acquired traits through use and disuse. c. all eat the same type of food. d. descended from a common ancestor. 8. According to Darwin s theory of natural selection, individuals who survive are the ones best adapted for their environment. Their survival is due to the a. possession of adaptations developed through using their bodies in new ways. b. possession of inherited adaptations that maximize fitness. c. lack of competition within the species. d. choices made by plant and animal breeders. 9. When farmers select animals or plants to use for breeding, they look for a. species that are perfect and unchanging. b. homologous structures. c. traits that are produced artificially. d. natural variations that are present in a species. 10. When lions prey on a herd of antelopes, some antelopes are killed and some escape. Which part of Darwin s concept of natural selection might be used to describe this situation? a. acquired characteristics c. survival of the fittest b. reproductive isolation d. descent with modification
11. Which statement about the members of a population that live long enough to reproduce is consistent with the theory of natural selection? a. They transmit characteristics acquired by use and disuse to their offspring. b. They tend to produce fewer offspring than others in the population. c. They are the ones that are best adapted to survive in their environment. d. They will perpetuate unfavorable changes in the species. 12. Charles Darwin called the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its specific environment a. diversity. c. adaptation. b. fitness. d. evolution. 13. According to Darwin s theory of natural selection, the individuals that tend to survive are those that have a. characteristics their parents acquired by use and disuse. b. characteristics that plant and animal breeders value. c. the greatest number of offspring. d. variations best suited to the environment. 14. Which of the following phrases best describes the results of natural selection? a. the natural variation found in all populations b. unrelated but similar species living in different locations c. changes in the inherited characteristics of a population d. the struggle for existence undergone by all living things Figure 15 1 15. In humans, the pelvis and femur, or thigh bone, are involved in walking. In whales, the pelvis and femur shown in Figure 15 1 are a. examples of fossils. c. acquired traits. b. vestigial structures. d. examples of natural variation. 16. Darwin s concept of evolution was NOT influenced by a. the work of Charles Lyell. b. knowledge about the structure of DNA. c. his collection of specimens. d. his trip on the H.M.S. Beagle. 17. Darwin s theory of evolution is based on the idea(s) of a. inheritable natural variation and natural selection. b. use and disuse. c. a tendency toward perfect, unchanging species. d. the transmission of acquired characteristics. 18. Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record as a. evidence that Earth was thousands of years old. b. a detailed record of evolution. c. interesting but unrelated to the evolution of modern species. d. evidence that traits are acquired through use or disuse. 19. The hypothesis that species change over time by natural selection was proposed by a. Hutton. b. Lamarck. c. Malthus. d. Darwin.
20. Charles Darwin s theory of evolution explains all of the following EXCEPT a. how species become extinct. b. how inherited traits are passed from parent to offspring. c. how species change over time. d. how evolution takes place in the natural world. 21. Darwin s theory of evolution suggests that a. species change over time. b. extinct species are not related to living species. c. different species can interbreed. d. animals that look alike are the most closely related. Use the following diagram to answer the next three questions: Figure 5 A A 22. What does the similarity of the structures in figure 5 indicate about these organisms? a. they have a common ancestor b. they all grow at different rates c. they evolved slowly d. they do the same thing 23. In figure 5 what does the bones similarity at A suggest? a. they are vestigial structures b. they are variable structures c. they are homologous structures d. they are fossil structures 24. What would an analysis of the DNA from these organisms in figure 5 reveal? a. their DNA is identical b. there are more differences than similarities c. there are many similarities d. they have the same number of chromosomes Two groups of frogs live in ponds separated by a mountain range. The chart below lists characteristics of the frogs. Use it to answer the next two questions. Characteristic frog population 1 frog population 2 favorite food flying insects crawling insects Figure 3 mating season November September average weight 120 g 200 g active time of day 8 pm to 11pm 4 pm to 8 pm color dark green, white on underside light green, yellow spots on back 25. From the data in figure 3, what assumption can be made about the difference in color between the frogs? a. the color of the frogs is a random occurrence b. frogs can change color whenever they wish c. the color of each population helps it survive in its environment d. dark green is the dominant color and will take over eventually
26. From the data in figure 3 which group of frogs would you expect to be harder for a predator to see at night? a. Frog 1 they are darker in color c. Frog 2 they have yellow spots b. Frog 1 they are active at night d. Frog 2 they are active at night Modified True/False Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false. If false, change the identified word or phrase to make the sentence or statement true. 27. The fact that species today look different from their ancestors can be described as descent with modification. 28. In natural selection, human breeders, rather than the environment, select the variations of traits to be passed to offspring. Completion Complete each sentence or statement. 29. Charles Darwin realized that the measure of fitness or success for an organism was not only a long period of survival but also. 30. Although his idea was incorrect, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was one of the first people to propose a scientific explanation for. 31. Charles Darwin concluded that, in similar environments around the world, could produce similar structures in unrelated species. 32. Certain animal structures that have different functions in different species and develop from the same embryonic tissues are called structures. 33. Darwin proposed that natural selection took place as individuals best suited to the survived and reproduced. Figure 15 2 34. According to Figure 15 2, how did overall body size of the horse change during its evolution? 35. Scientists have never seen the ancient horses shown in Figure 15 2. What do you think was the main type of evidence scientists used to prepare these diagrams? 36. Does Figure 15 2 show that all species get much larger as they evolve?
Figure 15 3 37. What differences are apparent in the bodies of the three tortoise species shown in Figure 15 3? 38. Vegetation on Hood Island is sparse and sometimes hard to reach. How might the vegetation have affected the evolution of the Hood Island tortoise shown in Figure 15 3? 39. Considering the body structure of the tortoises shown in Figure 15 3, which tortoises a population from Pinta Island or a population from Isabela Island might survive more successfully on Hood Island? Why? 40. Can you tell from Figure 15 3 how closely the three tortoise species resemble the ancestral species? Why or why not?