Reporting Category 1: Cell Structure and Function (11 …bioeoc-mcelroy.wikispaces.com/file/view/CFISD+STAAR...The p53 gene codes for the p53 protein that locates DNA errors for cellular

Biology STAAR Question Practice

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Reporting Category 1: Cell Structure and Function (11 total questions)

Topic: Biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids)

Instructions: Answer the question below and complete the table that follows.

1. Like complex carbohydrates, proteins are biomolecules that serve many functions

and can be chemically broken down and restructured. Both proteins and complex

carbohydrates are which of the following?

A polymers of smaller subunits B sequences of sugars

C proteins of large molecules

D sequences of DNA bases

Comment on why answer choices are correct or incorrect.

Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D

Answer questions 1a and 1b using the same strategy practiced above.

1a. When an animal has to survive without food for a long time, it will eventually break down proteins for energy. However, this process occurs only after

exhausting the animal’s reserves of--

A DNA and RNA.

B carbohydrates and lipids. C carbon dioxide and water.

D enzymes and nucleic acids.

1b. Which statement describes starches, fats, proteins, and DNA?

A They are used to store genetic information.

B They are complex molecules made from smaller molecules.

C They are used to assemble larger inorganic materials.

D They are simple molecules used as energy sources.


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Topic: viral structure, reproduction, and role in causing diseases


1. Which best completes the concept map below?

A cell B nucleic acid

C carbohydrate

D virus


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


1a. Which of the following

characteristics of living things is not true about viruses?

A contain genetic material

B evolve over time C obtain and use energy

D able to reproduce

1b. Which of the following require a

host cell because they are not able to make proteins on their own?

A blue-green algae

B bacteria C protozoans

D viruses


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Reporting Category 1: Additional practice

1. The diagram below shows how a paramecium maintains homeostasis. A

paramecium normally lives in a hypotonic environment in which water continually diffuses into the cell. To maintain homeostasis, the paramecium must pump out

large amounts of water using its contractile vacuole.

If the paramecium is then placed in a hypertonic environment, which of the

following will occur?

A Water will diffuse into the paramecium. B Water will diffuse out of the paramecium.

C Salt will be pumped out of the paramecium by the vacuole. D Salt will be pumped into the paramecium by the vacuole.

2. Which statement best describes the primary function of DNA replication?

A to ensure daughter cells have a complete copy of the DNA B to prevent genetic changes from occurring in cells

C to provide genetic variation within specific organisms D to allow prokaryotic cells to sexually reproduce

3. Although all of the cells of a human develop from one fertilized egg, the human is

born with many different types of cells. Which statement best explains this observation?

A Developing cells may express different parts of their identical

genetic instructions. B Mutations occur during development as a result of environmental

conditions.

C All cells have different genetic material. D Some cells develop before other cells.


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4. Loriciferans are microscopic multicellular animals that live in various marine

sediments. Scientists have discovered genera of Loriciferans in a deep-sea habitat that lacks oxygen. Before this discovery, some prokaryotes and some

unicellular eukaryotes were known to inhabit anaerobic environments. Among the newly discovered Loriciferans is Spinoloricus sp. nov., which is pictured

below.

Scientists determined that organisms of the genus Spinoloricus were eukaryotes and not prokaryotes because Spinoloricus cells have —

A flagella

B hereditary material C cell walls

D nuclear membranes


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Reporting Category 2: Mechanisms of Genetics (11 total questions)

Topic: Changes and significance of changes in DNA


1. A mutation is least likely to affect a cell when the mutation —

A reverses the order of bases in a DNA strand.

B allows the total number of bases in a DNA sequence to remain the same. C replaces a base with its complementary base.

D produces a triplet that codes for the same amino acid as the original triplet.


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


1a. One way in which a point mutation and a deletion mutation are different is that--

A a point mutation is always harmful, and a deletion mutation is never harmful.

B a point mutation is a physical change, and a deletion mutation is a chemical

change.

C a point mutation always results in a frameshift mutation, while a deletion mutation never results in a frameshift mutation.

D a point mutation only results in a change in a single nucleotide base, while a deletion mutation can result in a change in multiple nucleotide bases.


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1b. The p53 gene codes for the p53 protein that locates DNA errors for cellular repair. The diagram below shows the relationships among possible environmental

influences, the p53 gene, and cancer.

Which of the following statements best describes the relationships among possible

environmental influences, the p53 gene, and cancer?

A Environmental influences can lead to mutations in the p53 gene, which can cause certain cancers.

B Increased levels of p53 protein, rather than environmental influences, can cause certain cancers.

C Mutations in the p53 gene increase environmental influences that can cause certain cancers.

D Genes such as p53 are less causal than environmental influences in stimulating

certain cancers.


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Topic: Predict possible outcomes of genetic combinations


1. What conclusion can be drawn from the genetic information below?

A The white parent carried a dominant allele.

B All the F1 rabbits carried a recessive allele. C All the white rabbits are heterozygous.

D All the black rabbits in the F2 generation are homozygous.


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


1a. In fruit flies, a single gene controls wing phenotype. The diagram below shows the

phenotypes for long wings and vestigial wings in fruit flies.

Two fruit flies that have long wings are crossed. Of the 95

offspring produced, 73 have long wings. The other 22 have vestigial wings.

Which of the following conclusions about the inheritance of long wings and

vestigial wings is best supported by the results of this experiment?

A The alleles for long wings and vestigial wings are sex-linked.

B The alleles for long wings and vestigial wings are codominant.

C The allele for long wings is dominant and the allele for vestigial wings is

recessive. D The allele for long wings is recessive and the allele for vestigial wings is

dominant.


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1b. In a certain set of lab mice, black hair (B) is dominant to white hair (b), and

coarse hair (C) is dominant to fine hair (c). The Punnett square below shows a cross between a heterozygous black, fine-haired mouse and a white heterozygous,

coarse-haired mouse.

What is the probability this cross will produce black, course-haired offspring?

A C

B D


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Reporting Category 2: Additional Practice

1. Which sequence best represents the relationship between DNA and the traits of an

organism?

A C

B D

2. The binding of the toxin to DNA blocks transcription, so it directly interferes with the

ability of an animal cell to do which of the following?

A transport glucose across the cell membrane into the cytoplasm B produce ATP using energy released from glucose and other nutrients

C transfer proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi complexes D send protein-building instructions from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and

ribosomes


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3. The diagram below shows the process of meiosis.

The segregation that occurs during meiosis results in a —

A decrease in the total number of cells per organism B reduction in the number of chromosomes per cell

C single fertilized egg cell D group of genetically identical cells

4. As male children get older, some begin to closely resemble their fathers and have

no resemblance to their mothers. Which statement best explains this observation?

A Several sperm fertilized the egg, so the fertilized egg contained more genes from their father.

B More genes are inherited from the sperm cell of their father than from the egg

cell of their mother, so most traits will be like those of their father.

C More genes from their father are expressed in traits that can be seen, and more

genes from their mother are expressed in traits that cannot be seen, such as blood type or enzyme function.

D Genes from their father are stronger than genes from their mother, so the genes from their mother are not expressed.


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Reporting Category 3: Biological Evolution and Classification (10 total

questions)

Topic: Evidence of common ancestry among groups

Instructions: Answer the question below and complete the table that

follows.

1. The diagram above shows a model of species divergence among some primates. If

this model is correct, the greatest genetic differences would be found in the DNA sequences of which two species?

A Tarsius bancanus and Cebus albifrons

B Macaca sylnanus and Macaca mulatta C Pan troglodytes and Lemur catta

D Hylobates lar and Pongo pygmaeus


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


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1a. This diagram represents the bone structures of the front limbs of four different

animals.

What do the similarities of the structures suggest about these organisms?

A They grow at the same rate.

B They live in the same environment.

C They live for the same length of time.

D They evolved from a common ancestor.

1b. A scientists studies a specific DNA segment from four different species. The table

below shows the base sequences for each species.

According to the results above, which two species are most closely related?

A Species 1 and 4

B Species 2 and 4

C Species 2 and 3 D Species 1 and 3


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Topic: Relationship of natural selection to adaptation and to the development

of diversity in and among species


1. A pictoral chart of five cichlid species of fish is shown below.

The physical differences among the fish are most likely--

A a feeding adaptation due to competition for food.

B a swimming adaptation due to water temperature.

C an adaptation to regulate salinity levels.

D a respiration adaptation due to different oxygen levels.


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


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1a. The niches of two insects, Species X and Species Y, are nearly identical except that

they live on different continents. A population of Species Y was recently introduced into the native range of Species X.

What would most likely occur if Species X and Species Y lived together in the same

ecosystem for a long period of time?

A Both species would adapt until they merged into one species occupying a single

niche.

B One or both species would adapt until they no longer occupied the same niche.

C The presence of Species Y would cause mutations in Species X that would allow it to adapt to a new niche.

D Individuals of Species X and Species Y would develop new adaptations, causing the two species to adapt to different niches.

1b. A mutation in an allele in an individual newt gave that newt faster reflexes. It is

found that, after many generations, most of the newt population has the new allele. Which of the following most likely caused this change?

A The newt gave its mutated allele to other adult newts.

B Other newts learned to copy the strategies of the mutated newt.

C The same mutation occurred in other newts as a result of environmental

conditions.

D Newts with the mutation are better able to survive and reproduce than newts

without the mutation.


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1. The diagram below represents four different species of bacteria.

Which statement is correct concerning the chances of survival for these species if there is a change in the environment?

A Species A has the best chance of survival because it has the most diversity

within the species.

B Species C has the best chance of survival because it has no trait variation.

C Neither Species B nor Species D will survive because they compete for the same

resources.

D None of the species will survive because bacteria reproduce asexually.

2. The chart below shows the classification of four different organisms.

According to the classification chart, which two organisms are most closely related?

A Organisms 1 and 3 C Organisms 2 and 3

B Organisms 1 and 4 D Organisms 2 and 4


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3. Which of the following examples best illustrates the process of evolution by natural

selection?

A A person with asthma has trouble breathing. B A group of species has the same DNA sequence.

C A man and a woman have 10 children over the course of their lifetime. D A population becomes immune to a lethal disease over many generations.

4. In which kingdom would an organism with the following characteristics be classified?

A Plantae

B Fungi

C Eubacteria

D Protista


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Reporting Category 4: Biological Processes and Systems (11 total questions)

Topic: Animal System Interactions


1. In the process of deamination, the liver converts amino acids to compounds that

can be used in energy metabolism. The liver removes the amino groups from amino acids to produce urea. Then the urea is removed from the body as urine. During this

process, the liver works in conjunction with which body system?

A Endocrine

B Nervous C Respiratory

D Excretory


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


1a. In the human body, muscle cells have an increased need for energy during exercise. To help supply this energy, the body will immediately increase--

A food intake to increase the substances available for respiration.

B the breathing rate to supply more oxygen to cells for the release of energy. C the need for waste products to be retained.

D activity in the nervous system to stimulate in take of carbon dioxide.

1b. Carbon dioxide is produced as cells break down nutrients for energy. Which of the

following pairs of systems would participate in removing the carbon dioxide from the body?

A endocrine and circulatory

B circulatory and respiratory

C respiratory and endocrine

D reproductive and excretory


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Topic: Plant System Interactions


1. The leaves of a plant are dotted with openings known as stomata. When open,

stomata allow the plant to exchange gases and allow moisture to evaporate, helping to draw water from the roots up into the plant. These activities help the plant to--

A produce light energy

B decompose organic matter

C maintain homeostasis

D synthesize minerals


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


1a. If the xylem in a young tree is damaged, which process is first affected?

A performing photosynthesis

B transporting sugar to the roots

C transporting water to the leaves

D absorbing water from the soil

1b. The plant in the picture to the right is exhibiting

thigmotropism. Which of the following best describes the role of the shoot system in

thigmotropism?

A The shoot system guides the plant to additional

water sources.

B The shoot system transports water and other

nutrients throughout the plant body.

C The shoot system guides the plant to sunlight.

D The shoot system transports glucose for fruit production.


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1. The diagram shows part of one of the many feedback loops required to maintain

homeostasis in the human body.

This diagram suggests that which of the following could cause a low red-blood cell count?

A The growth of new bone tissue

B Chronic kidney disease

C Decreased levels of metabolic waste

D An increased breathing rate

2. Which of the following statements correctly describes the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration?

A Photosynthesis and cellular respiration occur in the same organelle.

B Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are performed by all organisms. C Photosynthesis produces carbon dioxide, and cellular respiration uses carbon

dioxide.

D Photosynthesis stores energy for cells, and cellular respiration releases energy

for cells.


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3. A student wants to determine whether plant growth is influenced more by gravity or

light. Which experimental setup should the student use to obtain the best results?

A C

B D

4 The diagram below represents levels of organization within a cell of a multicellular organism.

Which statement is correct regarding the structure represented by X?

A Structure X is composed of many different amino acids that determine the type

of cell it will become in the organism.

B Structure X has the same base sequence in all the body cells of the organism.

C Structure X is a folded chain arrangement of carbohydrate found in all the body cells of the organism.

D Structure X contains 20 different kinds of subunits that are present in all the cells of the organism.


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Reporting Category 5: Interdepedence within Environmental Systems (11

total questions)

Topic: Relationships among organisms


1. This graph shows the sizes of lynx and hare populations between the years of 1845

and 1940. If a predator of the lynx enters the food chain, you might expect the number of —

A lynx and hares to become equal

B lynx to increase

C hares to increase

D hares and lynx to decrease


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


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1a. A stream with a population of native trout was studied for four years following the introduction of trout that were raised in a fish hatchery.

Based on the trend seen in the graph, which statement is most likely true?

A The hatchery trout and native trout both benefit from living together.

B The hatchery trout and native trout compete for the same resources.

C The native trout are unaffected by the presence of hatchery trout.

D The native trout are parasites of the hatchery trout.

1b. Based on the graph below, what is the best explanation for the change in the deer

population between years 2 and 6?

A There was limited predation of the deer.

B Some deer left the area due to overcrowding. C The competition within the population for the resources increased.

D The number of births equaled the number of deaths in the population.


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Topic: Flow of matter and energy through an ecosystem


1. An ocean food chain is shown in the diagram above. Which organism represents the

trophic level containing approximately 1% of the initial amount of solar energy

acquired by the phytoplankton?

A Copepods

B Sand eels

C Herring

D Humans


Answer

Choice Comment

A

B

C

D


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1a. A marine food web is shown below.

Which of the following diagram correctly represents an energy pyramid from this web?

A C

B D


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1b. A team of ecologists observed feeding patterns of several populations in the

desert. The energy pyramid shown below depicts the feeding patterns the ecologists observed.

Which of the following best explains the difference in the amount of available energy in the trophic levels of the desert ecosystem?

A There is less energy available in the producers because their tissues are less

dense than those at higher trophic levels. B There is more energy available in the second trophic level because less energy

is needed for hunting compared to the higher trophic levels. C There is more available energy in the birds of prey because they have greater

muscle mass for storing energy than organisms in lower trophic levels have. D There is less available energy in the fourth trophic level because of the loss of

energy through metabolism in each of the lower trophic levels.


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1. The diagram below shows various ecological communities that occupied an area

over a period of 300 years.

Which statement best describes the diagram?

A Community A is the most stable community.

B Community B replaced community C after a period of 100 years. C Community C developed into community A after a period of 75 years.

D Community D modified the environment, making it more suitable for community

2. A fish species lives in the coral-like tentacles of a primitive invertebrate. Scientists

believe that fish droppings and scraps of food provide nutrients for the invertebrate. What additional information would make this a mutualistic relationship?

A The fish protects the invertebrate from predators.

B The fish uses the invertebrate as a nest for their eggs.

C The invertebrate reproduces less often because of the fish.

D The invertebrate grows more slowly in the presence of the fish.


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3. The graph below shows the percent of variation for a given trait in four different

populations of the same species. The populations inhabit similar environments.

In which population will the greatest number of individuals most likely survive if a significant environmental change related to this trait occurs?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

4. In Angelina County, Texas, a local timber company is now required to grow pine

trees for 45 years before harvesting instead of the normal 20 years. This would increase biodiversity in Angelina County through the--

A reduction of pollution.

B preservation of habitats.

C elimination of extinction.

D simplification of food webs.


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Additional Question Answer Key:

Reporting Category 1:

1. B

2. A

3. A

4. D


1. A

2. D

3. B

4. C


1. A

2. B

3. D

4. B


1. B

2. D

3. D

4. B


1. D

2. B

3. D

4. B

Documents

Reporting Category 1: Cell Structure and Function (11 …bioeoc-mcelroy.wikispaces.com/file/view/CFISD+STAAR...The p53 gene codes for the p53 protein that locates DNA errors for cellular