Seventh Grade ScienceStandards S7L3, S7L4 and S7L5

S7L3.a Explain the role of genes and chromosomes in the process of inheriting a specific trait

1. Which of the following traits of a corn plant is LEAST influenced by the environment?

A. HeightB. Color of kernelsC. Number of ears producedD. Root structure

2. Traits such as an individual’s skin, hair, and eye color result from ______.A. One gene acting aloneB. One allele from each parent acting togetherC. Several genes acting togetherD. One dominant allele

3. Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of the chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell?

A. To store genetic instructions needed to specify traitsB. To release energy by breaking down food moleculesC. To transport nutrients into and out of the cellD. To protect the cell from microorganisms

4. The figures below represent two chromosomes from an animal.Page 1

Using the table below that describes the traits carried on Chromosome #6, which trait can the animal inherit only from its mother?

A. Long hair

B. Black hairC. White hairD. Short hair

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S7L3.b Compare and contrast sexual and asexual reproduction in organisms (bacteria, protists, fungi, plants & animals)

5. Asexual reproduction involves only one parent. The offspring of this type of reproduction have _____.

A. DNA that is different from the parentB. DNA that is identical to the DNA of the parentC. DNA that is incompleteD. One-half of the DNA of the parent

6. Which of the following processes is the main way by which bacteria reproduce?

A. Sexually, by fertilizationB. Sexually, by binary fissionC. Asexually, by fertilizationD. Asexually, by binary fission

7. Single-celled organisms can reproduce and create cells exactly like themselves without combining genes from two different parent cells. When they do this, they use a type of _____. A. Asexual reproductionB. MutationC. Successive generations D. Sexual reproduction

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8. The diagrams below represent forms of reproduction. In which form of reproduction will the offspring differ MOST from the parent?

A.

B.

C.

D.

9. Spirogyra is a green algae that can reproduce sexually. Which of the following features identifies reproduction in Spirogyra as sexual reproduction?A. The cells of parent algae have nucleiB. Each offspring contains chloroplastsC. Several offspring may be produced at onceD. Genetic material is contributed by two parent cells

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S7L3.c Recognize that selective breeding can produce plants or animals with desired traits

10.The cows in a rancher’s herd of cattle have been selectively bred to produce milk. Which of the following will cause the next generation of cows to receive the trait for producing large quantities of milk?

A. Nutrients in the cows’ foodB. Essential minerals in the cows’ waterC. Electrical impulses in the cows’ brainsD. Information in the cows’ chromosomes

11.Which of the following is a process in which humans choose specific mates for organisms, such as dogs or roses, to produce organisms that have desirable traits?

A. Selective breedingB. Sexual reproductionC. Genetic typingD. Genetic counseling

12.The Jonagold apple is a sweet, plump apple produced from a cross between Jonathan apples and Golden Delicious apples. What is this process called?

A. CloningB. InbreedingC. HybridizationD. Recombination

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13.What happens during selective breeding?

A. Humans cause the extinction of an organismB. Humans cross organisms to obtain desirable traitsC. Humans bring an extinct organism back into existenceD. Humans insert the genetic material from one organism into another

14.Farmers often make observations about the traits of their plants as they practice selective breeding. A farmer might practice selective breeding to produce corn plants that _____.

A. Use more waterB. All look the sameC. Are resistant to diseaseD. Can grow human proteins

S7L4.a Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from one organism to another and can recycle between organisms and their environments

15.How are humans classified within a food chain?

A. DecomposersB. ManufacturersC. ConsumersD. Producers

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16.The population of which of the following organisms would MOST likely decline if small animals like rats, rabbits, and snakes were eliminated from the ecosystem?

A. EarthwormsB. GrassesC. HawksD. Mushrooms

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17.Which pathway listed below shows how energy flows to birds in this food web?

A. Snakes Rodents BirdsB. Rodents Insects BirdsC. Insects Plants BirdsD. Plants Rodents Birds

18.In a food chain, the numbers of each type of population are usually in a relatively stable combination. A diagram of a food chain is shown above. If humans interfered by spraying an insecticide to kill the insects, what would be the next thing that would happen?

A. The number of snakes would increaseB. The number of grass plants would decreaseC. The number of hawks would increaseD. The number of songbirds would decrease

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19.Which of the following organisms provides energy for more than one organism in this food web?

A. BirdB. FoxC. MouseD. Plant

20.The primary producer in the ecosystem below is the _____.

A. RabbitB. PlantC. HawkD. Fox

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21.Which concept is best illustrated by the diagram above?

A. The effect of limiting factors in a biomeB. The exchange of CO2 and O2 in an ecosystemC. Cycling of nutrients in a communityD. Environmental pressures on a population

22.What is the role of the Orca in the marine food chain above?

A. ProducerB. First-order consumerC. Second-order consumerD. Third-order consumer

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23.The diagram below shows a food web.

Members of this forest community get materials they need to survive from the ecosystem. These materials are constantly being recycled. What would happen to the population of snakes if the rabbits were suddenly removed from this ecosystem?

A. The snake population would increaseB. The snake population would not changeC. The snake population would decreaseD. The snake population would find more rabbits

24.If elements are to be recycled between organisms and their environment, which organisms must be present?A. PredatorsB. ParasitesC. HerbivoresD. Decomposers

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S7L4.b Explain in a food web that sunlight is the source of energy and that this energy moves from organism to organism

25.Which process is the foundation for the food web?

A. EvaporationB. MovementC. PhotosynthesisD. Condensation

26.Chloroplasts are found only in organisms that are able to _____.

A. Hunt for preyB. Grow to a larger sizeC. Migrate to other ecosystemsD. Generate their own energy

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27.What is the primary source of energy for this ocean food chain?

A. WhalesB. The sunC. SaltD. Ocean waves

28.Why is photosynthesis important for plants?

A. It changes plant sugar into stronger chemicalsB. It collects sunlight which is used to make food for plantsC. It gets rid of plant waste productsD. It helps attract insects to plant flowers

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29.In order for energy to flow through this food web from the sun to the yellow perch, the perch must _____.

A. Go through the process of photosynthesisB. Eat the valve snail or the mosquito larvaC. Live in warmer areas of its habitatD. Eat pond grass and algae

30.What is the primary source of the energy that flows through food webs on land?A. ProducersB. SunlightC. OxygenD. Photosynthesis

31. Producers are single and multi-cellular organisms such as algae and flowering plants that make their own food. How do these organisms produce their own food?A. They fix nitrogen from the atmosphereB. They consume other producersC. They exchange DNA with other organismsD. They convert sunlight into chemical energy

S7L4.c Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species

32.Which of these situations could cause a decrease in the number of squirrels in a population?

A. An increase in competition with other nut-eating animalsB. An increase in the squirrels’ food supplyC. An increase in cooperation with birds in the areaD. An increase in the squirrels’ territory

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33.An open-air waste water treatment plant is flooded by rain. The rainwater and the waste run into a nearby creek. The organic wastes are very high in Biological Oxidation Demand (BOD) which means the bacteria in the waste need a lot of oxygen. What is the BEST hypothesis to explain why many fish might die as a result of this event?

A. The bacteria are eaten by the fish and are toxicB. The bacteria remove the oxygen from the waterC. The bacteria create toxic wastesD. The bacteria eat all the food in the creek

34.Black bears roam over large territories. What effect would building shopping centers in these territories have on the bears?

A. Stabilize the black bear populationB. Promote an increase in black bear reproductionC. Introduce a new bear population to the areaD. Reduce the black bears’ habitat

35.A coal-burning facility is constructed in an area containing several pond ecosystems. How will this human activity MOST likely affect the pond ecosystems?

A. Organism diversity will increaseB. Water quality will be reducedC. Disease will become less commonD. More nutrients will be available

36. If fish in a river begin to die because of pollution, what may happen to the river ecosystem?

A. All organisms in the ecosystem will be affected in some way

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B. All species of organisms in the ecosystem that rely on fish for food will starve and die

C. The organisms that eat fish will reproduce fasterD. The abiotic factors, but not the biotic factors, in the ecosystem will

change

37.All the ponds in an area dried up during a drought. Which population of animals that live in the area is MOST affected by the drought?

A. DeerB. FrogC. HawkD. Squirrel

38.From year to year, farmers rotate different crops in the fields to improve soil nutrients. Why is crop rotation also an effective pest management method?

A. It allows chemicals to kill more pestsB. It creates crops that are pest-resistantC. It interrupts the life cycles of pestsD. It allows pests to over populate

39.A strip of land is cleared of trees and bushes to make space for a power line. What impact might this have on birds living in the area?

A. The rate of erosion will decreaseB. Weather conditions may changeC. The natural enemies of birds will be eliminatedD. There will be less food and shelter

40.Which of these is MOST likely harmful to an ecosystem?

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A. Planting trees in an orchardB. Adding floors to an office buildingC. Building new homes in a wetlandD. Taking away airplanes from an airport

41.In 1500, there were between 60 million and 125 million American bison roaming the plains. These bison were used by Native Americans as a primary food source, but this did not have much effect on the bison population. A few hundred years later, railroad crews and settlers moving west also depended on the bison for food. By 1892, it is estimated that less than 1,000 bison were left. What were the two main causes of the near-extinction of the bison?

A. Loss of habitat and diseaseB. Disease and overhuntingC. Overhunting and loss of habitatD. Loss of habitat and starvation

42. The marsh willow herb is a plant native to the northeastern United States. It grows best in damp habitats. Which of the following environmental changes would MOST LIKELY cause a decrease in the marsh willow herb population in an area?

A. A rainstorm lasting several weeksB. A drought lasting twelve monthsC. Unusually low temperatures during the month of JulyD. Unusually high temperatures during the month of January

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S7L4.d Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial

43.The relationship between the algae and the frog may be described as _____.

A. Producer ConsumerB. Producer DecomposerC. Consumer ProducerD. Consumer Decomposer

44.All of these are consumers EXCEPT _____.

A. ButterflyB. TreeC. WaspD. Bullfrog

45.The characteristics of a praying mantis allow it to be camouflaged by the green stems of plants. While camouflaged, a praying mantis can feed on other insects that inhabit or feed on a plant. If a praying mantis feeds on natural predators of a plant, what type of relationship is occurring between the praying mantis and the plant?

A. CamouflageB. CompetitionC. MutualismD. Parasitism

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46.Which of the following symbiotic relationships is considered parasitic?

A. Ticks feeding on a dogB. Bees transforming pollen from flowersC. Pilot fish swimming under sharksD. Birds eating the insects from the back of a hippopotamus

S7L4.e Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e. freshwater, estuaries, and marine)

47.In which of the following environments would you expect to find the greatest number of different species of plants and animals per square mile?

A. A wheat field in North DakotaB. An island near the South PoleC. A pasture on a Georgia farmD. A tropical rain forest in Panama

48.Corals are small marine organisms that live in groups and make hard outer skeletons to protect their bodies. Over time, these outer skeletons can build up to make large coral reefs. Which of the following statements BEST describes one way the formation of a coral reef changes the ocean ecosystem?

A. It makes the ocean water saltierB. It removes sand from the ocean floor

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C. It causes ocean waves to become strongerD. It creates a habitat for some ocean animals

49.Which of these BEST enables this animal to rid its body of excess heat in a hot desert environment?

A. Its furB. Its flexible feetC. Its large earsD. Its dark color

50.In which biome is this food web MOST LIKELY to be found?

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A. ForestB. DesertC. GrasslandD. Tropical Rain Forest

51.In which area are you most likely to find plants that can tolerate water that has a constantly changing salt content?

A. A freshwater streamB. An estuaryC. A pondD. A coral reef

S7L5.a Explain that physical characteristics of organisms have changed over successive generations (e.g. Darwin’s finches and peppered moths of Manchester)

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52.Finches found on the isolated Galapagos Island are different species with different beak sizes and shapes, but are otherwise similar to a finch species found on the South American mainland. What might be the cause of the differences in the development of the beaks of these Galapagos finches?

A. The different types of food available on the islandsB. The type of predators found on the islandsC. The original source of the finchesD. The differences in the types of nests the birds built

53.Changes in DNA are known as mutations and can sometimes produce beneficial changes in populations. A mutant form of the normally light-colored peppered moth is dark colored. The dark-colored moth blends in with soot-covered trees in heavily polluted areas. Why would the dark-colored mutation be beneficial in a polluted area?

A. Dark-colored moths produce more young than light-colored mothsB. Dark-colored moths taste bad to most of their predatorsC. Dark-colored moths can’t be seen well by predatorsD. Dark-colored moths have a shorter life span than light-colored moths

54. Charles Darwin noticed that finches on different islands of the Galapagos Islands were similar but that their beaks differed. What explanation for these differences did he propose?

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A. The beaks of the finches are adapted to the way the bird usually gets food

B. Specific genetic mutations occur that make beak size change in response to random selection factors

C. The different beaks of the finches would one day evolve into identical beaks

D. Beak size is related to the size of the finch

55. There are three species of birds on an island. Bird A has a heavy bill for eating seeds. Bird B has a pointed bill for eating insects. Bird C has a sharp bill for eating insects and seeds. If all insects suddenly disappeared, which bird or birds would be the LEAST affected?

A. Bird AB. Bird BC. Bird CD. Bird A and Bird B

S7L5.b Describe ways in which species on earth have evolved due to natural selection

56.In winter, the arctic fox has white fur. In summer, its fur changes color to brown and gray. The change in fur color helps the arctic fox to _____.

A. MateB. HibernateC. HideD. Run

57.The ermine is a small animal that lives along riverbanks and in forests. During the spring and summer, it grows a brown coat. It

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sheds the brown coat during the autumn and grows a white one. This change of color in the ermine’s coat allows it to _____.A. Hide from predatorsB. Find food more easilyC. Attract a mateD. Locate a water supply

58.Which of the following is an example of natural selection?

A. Bears moving into a new part of a forest over many generationsB. A tree growing towards sunlightC. Shrubs growing longer thorns over many generationsD. A plant growing between rocks

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59.Which of the seeds shown above is probably carried by animals?

A. MilkweedB. MapleC. DandelionD. Cocklebur

60. Which of the following factors is necessary in order for natural selection to occur in a species?

A. Genetic variation within a populationB. An abundance of food resourcesC. A hospitable environmentD. A strong family structure

61.The picture above shows some caddis fly larvae. These larvae cover themselves with small twigs and pebbles. What is the advantage of this behavior?

A. They can eat the twigsB. They are able to keep warmC. They can crawl on the bottom of creeksD. They are hidden from predators

62.Which of the following characteristics will BEST prevent a tree from being blown over by high winds during a storm?

A. Deep rootsB. Long branchesC. Thick barkD. Wide leaves

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63.The picture below shows a flower with a long, slender bloom.

The size and shape of a bird’s beak are related to the type of food that the bird eats. Which of the following beaks is suitable for drinking nectar located deep within flowers such as the one shown above?

A.

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B.

C.

D.

64.The eyespots on this butterfly’s wings allow it to _____.

A. Stay warmB. Locate nectar-filled flowersC. Fly away quicklyD. Frighten or confuse enemies

65.Two populations have evolved into two species when _____.

A. The populations adaptPage 27

B. The populations are separatedC. The populations look differentD. The populations can no longer interbreed

S7L5.c Explain how the fossil record found in sedimentary rock provides evidence for the long history of changing life forms

66. A researcher found shark fossils on top of a mountain. This evidence suggests which of the following about this region?

A. It was once below a waterfallB. It was once part of a riverbedC. It was once covered by an oceanD. It was once near a freshwater lake

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67.The diagram above shows the changes over time in the horse. Evidence for these changes MOST likely came from _____.

A. Modern horsesB. Hypotheses of scientistsC. Carbon datingD. The fossil record

68.What MOST likely happened to species that are found in the fossil record but have no living members?

A. They had offspring of a different speciesB. They never really existedC. They became extinctD. They mutated into another species

69. A scientist is studying fossils from different layers of sedimentary rock. Which rock layer will contain fossils that most closely resemble present-day organisms?

A. Older rock layersPage 29

B. Newer rock layersC. All of the rock layersD. None of the rock layers

70.Why do scientists compare fossils with living organisms?

A. To support the idea that organisms do not share ancestorsB. To support the idea that organisms have changed over timeC. To support the idea that organisms do not change over timeD. To support the idea that there are no new organisms to discover

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