Chapter 22: Descent with Modification Practice Test

Darwin originally defined evolution as __________.

A. a way to classify organisms based on morphological similarities
B. an individual's ability to adapt to its environment
C. descent with modification
D. the passing of acquired characteristics to offspring
E. None of the listed responses is correct.
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Darwin originally defined evolution as __________.

A. a way to classify organisms based on morphological similarities
B. an individual's ability to adapt to its environment
C. descent with modification
D. the passing of acquired characteristics to offspring
E. None of the listed responses is correct.
C. descent with modification

Darwin proposed that Earth's many species are descendants of ancestral species that differed from present-day species.
Which of the following is a key observation that must be explained in a unifying theory about life?

A. Evolution is based on descent with modification.
B. Many basic characteristics are shared by all living things.
C. Organisms are rarely well-suited to their environments.
D. Earth is very old.
E. All living things require oxygen to survive.
B. Many basic characteristics are shared by all living things.

Organisms do share many basic characteristics. Darwin reasoned that the diverse organisms found on Earth today evolved from a few common ancestors.
The scala naturae, or scale of nature, is based on the ideas of __________.

A. Linnaeus
B. Darwin
C. Lamarck
D. Lyell
E. Aristotle
E. Aristotle

Aristotle believed that all living forms could be arranged on a ladder, or scale, of increasing complexity.
At the time Darwin voyaged on HMS Beagle, the popularly accepted theory in Western culture that explained the origin of Earth's plants and animals held that the various species __________.

A. had evolved from now-extinct organisms
B. arose continually from nonliving materials by spontaneous generation
C. are all related to one another
D. arose from a single species that had survived the biblical flood
E. had been created by divine intervention a few thousand years before
E. had been created by divine intervention a few thousand years before

Darwin's view of life contrasted sharply with the conventional paradigm of an Earth only a few thousand years old, populated by unchanging forms of life that had been individually made during a single week in which the Creator formed the entire universe.
Carolus Linnaeus is considered to be the founder of __________, and he __________.

A. paleontology ... believed in catastrophism
B. evolution ... first proposed that acquired characteristics are inherited
C. uniformitarianism ... believed the same geologic forces are operating today that occurred in the past
D. genetics ... described the mechanism for descent with modification
E. the binomial classification system ... thought that resemblances among different species reflected the pattern of their creation
E. the binomial classification system ... thought that resemblances among different species reflected the pattern of their creation

Although he is considered the founder of taxonomy, Linnaeus accepted the theory of creation.
The modern idea of extinction as a common occurrence in Earth's history was first proposed in the early 19th century writings of __________.

A. Lyell
B. Wallace
C. Lamarck
D. Aristotle
E. Cuvier
E. Cuvier

Cuvier advocated catastrophism, speculating that extinctions apparent in the fossil record corresponded to a catastrophe, such as a flood or drought.
Lyell's principle of uniformitarianism __________.

A. was rejected by Darwin in favor of catastrophism
B. strongly influenced Darwin's view of how living organisms could change over time
C. was compatible with the idea of Earth being only a few thousand years old
D. states that current geologic processes are very different from those that operated in the past
E. was similar to Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics
B. strongly influenced Darwin's view of how living organisms could change over time

Darwin eventually embraced the idea of an old Earth and rejected the idea that living organisms had been specially created. He applied the idea of slow change to the evolution of organisms.
Which of the following is a true statement about Charles Darwin?

A. He was the first to discover that living things can change, or evolve.
B. He based his theory on the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
C. He proposed natural selection as the mechanism of evolution.
D. He worked out the principles of population genetics.
E. He was the first to conclude that Earth is billions of years old.
C. He proposed natural selection as the mechanism of evolution.

The proposal of a testable mechanism was a key point in the acceptance of his theory.
At the time Charles Darwin sailed on HMS Beagle, __________.

A. the idea of evolution was widely accepted because it could fit into the biblical story of creation
B. the idea of evolution was widely accepted by scientists, but Darwin's great impact was to popularize it for the layperson
C. the idea that animals and plants might change over time was absent from Western science
D. several biologists had proposed that species might change over time, but none had suggested a convincing mechanism that might cause the change
E. None of the listed responses is correct.
D. several biologists had proposed that species might change over time, but none had suggested a convincing mechanism that might cause the change

By the end of the 18th century, several naturalists had suggested that life evolved along with the evolution of Earth. An important facet of Darwin's work is the concept of natural selection as the cause of adaptive evolution.
Because he was well aware of the effect his theory of evolution would have on the public and on the Church of England, Darwin delayed publishing his work for several decades while he gathered additional evidence. After invoking selective breeding of domesticated species as evidence that groups of organisms are capable of change, he then proposed that natural populations can change as well. On which two lines of evidence did he base this proposal?

A. Organisms within a population vary, and all populations produce more offspring than can be supported by the environment, resulting in competition for survival within the population.
B. Some individuals within a population have greater success in survival and reproduction than others, and favorable traits within a population will accumulate over generations.
C. Some individuals leave more descendants than other individuals, but the individuals in a population are essentially identical to each other.
D. Individuals within a population vary, yet island species around the world all appear to be related to each other.
E. Organisms produce more offspring than can be supported by their environment, and adaptations to specific environments increase an organism's ability to survive and reproduce.
A. Organisms within a population vary, and all populations produce more offspring than can be supported by the environment, resulting in competition for survival within the population.

Darwin used these two lines of evidence to support his theory of descent with modification in natural populations.
During his voyage around the world, Darwin was inspired to think about evolution by __________. A. fossils he collected B. the works of others such as Lamarck C. studying adaptations of organisms to their environments D. the unique organisms he saw in the Galápagos Islands E. All of the listed responses are correct.E. All of the listed responses are correct. During his voyage on HMS Beagle, Darwin was inspired to think about evolution by the writings of Lamarck, fossils, the adaptations of organisms such as the Galápagos finches, and the uniqueness of organisms.In Darwin's view of descent with modification __________. A. natural selection only operates when an organism needs to evolve B. natural selection can improve the match between an organism and its environment C. individuals can evolve D. an organism's traits only affect its own survival E. environmental changes have no effect on the organisms living in that environmentB. natural selection can improve the match between an organism and its environment Natural selection acting in a particular environment can increase the compatibility between an organism and its environment.What insight did Darwin gain from reading Thomas Malthus's essay on human suffering? A. Favorable characteristics of a population accumulate over time. B. Population size usually remains relatively stable. C. Natural selection should be capable of considerable modifications over hundreds of thousands of generations. D. Organisms have the capacity to produce more offspring than the environment can support. E. All of the listed responses are correct.D. Organisms have the capacity to produce more offspring than the environment can support. Malthus contended that human suffering is a product of humans reproducing faster than food and other resources can increase. This is actually a characteristic of many life-forms on Earth.The breeding of plants and animals for particular traits by humans is called __________. A. sexual recombination B. natural selection C. paleontology D. artificial selection E. homologyD. artificial selection This is the mating of organisms with desirable characteristics. One example is the breeding of cows to produce offspring with higher milk yields.During periods of rapid environmental change, what may happen to a species that was well-suited to the former environment? A. Individuals with particular traits that provide an advantage in the new environment will have higher reproductive success. B. The species may go extinct. C. The population may change so much in adapting to the new environment that it is considered a new species. D. Traits that were favorable in the original environment may be detrimental in the new environment. E. All of the listed responses are correct.E. All of the listed responses are correct. When environments change, species will either adapt, possibly giving rise to new species, or go extinct.The smallest unit that can evolve is a(n) __________. A. genotype B. morph C. species D. population E. individualD. population Evolution can be measured only as changes in relative proportions of heritable variations in a population over many generations.Which of the following is an example of the process of evolution? A. the observed match between organisms and their environments B. the existence of homologous traits such as the forelimbs of mammals C. the large number and diversity of species of marsupials in Australia D. the changes in organisms over time observed in the fossil record E. herbivoryE. herbivory Herbivory is involved in the process of natural selection, since populations of herbivores must become adapted to particular plant species on which they feed.According to the theory of evolution, anatomical and molecular homologies should __________. A. be understood to have come about by chance alone B. link all of the species currently present on Earth C. produce similar patterns of evolutionary relatedness D. be completely independent of each other E. yield very different hierarchical patternsC. produce similar patterns of evolutionary relatedness According to evolutionary theory, anatomical and molecular homologies should generally produce evolutionary patterns that corroborate each other.When they were first sold, aerosol insecticides were highly effective in killing flies and mosquitoes. Now, several decades later, a much smaller proportion of these insects die when sprayed. The reason fewer insects die when they are sprayed is that __________. A. many mosquitoes today are descendants of mosquitoes with insecticide-resistant characteristics B. mosquitoes are deliberately adapting themselves to this man-made change in the environment C. mosquitoes that survive spraying develop an immunity to the insecticide D. the original spraying has caused a permanent mutation, giving the insects genetic resistance to the spray E. None of the listed responses is correct.A. many mosquitoes today are descendants of mosquitoes with insecticide-resistant characteristics Individuals whose characteristics best fit them to their environment are likely to leave more offspring than are less fit individuals. This unequal ability of individuals to survive and reproduce will lead to a gradual change in a population, with favorable characteristics accumulating over the generations.A population of zooplankton is exposed to a small number of predatory fish that feed on the larger-sized (adult) zooplankton. Which of the following predictions would most likely occur based on the principles of natural selection? A. The predatory fish will evolve smaller mouths so that they do not drive their prey to extinction. B. The zooplankton will become sexually mature at larger sizes. C. The predatory fish will evolve poor eyesight so as to preserve their food supply. D. The population will come to contain adult zooplankton that reach sexual maturity when they are still relatively small. E. The first and the third listed responses are both good predictions.D. The population will come to contain adult zooplankton that reach sexual maturity when they are still relatively small. This would permit the zooplankton to reproduce in spite of the predation pressure on larger individuals.How did some strains of Staphylococcus aureus become resistant to antibiotic drugs? A. Some members of the bacteria population must have had a genetic variation that made them resistant to antibiotics, and these bacteria had greater reproductive success than sensitive individuals. B. Patients did not take the drug as it was prescribed. C. The bacterium mutated in response to the drug. D. The drug did not work in the way that the developers intended. E. None of the listed responses is correct.A. Some members of the bacteria population must have had a genetic variation that made them resistant to antibiotics, and these bacteria had greater reproductive success than sensitive individuals. Those bacteria that survived the various antibiotic drugs passed on to subsequent generations the genes that enabled them to resist the drug.Seemingly dissimilar organisms such as hummingbirds, humans, and whales have similar skeletal structures. This most directly suggested to biologists that __________. A. only the best-adapted organisms can survive B. most evolution occurs rapidly following a mass extinction C. dissimilar organisms might have evolved from a distant, common ancestor D. advantageous changes can be passed along to offspring E. All of the listed responses are correct.C. dissimilar organisms might have evolved from a distant, common ancestor Similarity in characteristics resulting from a common ancestor is known as homology, and such anatomical signs of evolution are known as homologous structures.Animals that possess homologous structures probably __________. A. are headed for extinction B. by chance had similar mutations independently in the past C. are not related D. evolved from the same ancestor E. have increased genetic diversityD. evolved from the same ancestor Homology refers to similarity attributable to common ancestry.On an evolutionary tree __________. A. homologous characteristics form a nested pattern B. scientists are sure of the correct placement and relationships of all organisms C. the concept of descent with modification is not well-represented D. organisms that are positioned close to each other are closely related E. None of the listed responses is correct.A. homologous characteristics form a nested pattern We would expect this pattern to form through descent with modification.Which of the following is an example of convergent evolution? A. Human embryos and fish embryos both have pharyngeal pouches. B. Dolphins and sharks have a similar streamlined body shape. C. Cats and bats have similar skeletal configurations in their forelimbs. D. Both gymnosperms (cone-bearing plants) and angiosperms (flowering plants) produce seeds. E. Blind cave fish possess remnants of eye structures under their scales.B. Dolphins and sharks have a similar streamlined body shape. These two species do not share a recent common ancestor (one is a mammal, one a fish), and dolphins are descended from land-dwelling mammals. A more likely explanation is that their similar body form is a result of adaptations to their common environment and lifestyle, which exert similar pressures on both species.Vestigial organs are __________. A. evidence for Lamarck's theory of use and disuse B. one piece of evidence that does not support the theory of evolution C. remnants of structures that were useful to an organism's ancestors, but which are now non-functional or show reduced function D. examples of anatomical imperfections such as the human knee E. homologies that can only be observed in embryosC. remnants of structures that were useful to an organism's ancestors, but which are now non-functional or show reduced function For example, some species of snakes have remnants of pelvic and leg bones.All known organisms translate genetic information to produce protein molecules via the same genetic code. This finding strongly supports the hypothesis that __________. A. there's only one possible way to encode information in a macromolecule B. the earliest macromolecules probably arose when lightning struck an oxygen-free atmosphere C. all organisms are descended from a single common ancestor D. the genetic code will never be broken E. None of the listed responses is correct.C. all organisms are descended from a single common ancestor A common genetic code is overwhelming evidence that all life is related.Evidence from molecular biology supports the theory of evolution by demonstrating that __________. A. closely related animal species have similar geographic distributions B. homologous proteins have arisen independently in many different animal groups C. closely related organisms have similar stages of development D. closely related organisms have more similar DNA and proteins than more distantly related organisms E. None of the listed responses is correct.D. closely related organisms have more similar DNA and proteins than more distantly related organisms Evolutionary relationships among species are reflected in their DNA and proteins. If two species have similar libraries of genes and proteins, with sequences of monomers that match closely, the sequences most likely descended from a common ancestor.What did Darwin observe about species on islands? A. They are often closely related to species from the nearest mainland or neighboring islands. B. They are rarely endemic. C. Darwin only studied the Galápagos and, therefore, could not develop many insights about species on islands. D. They are often closely related to species from similar ecological niches all over the world. E. None of the above is correct.A. They are often closely related to species from the nearest mainland or neighboring islands. If a species that disperses from a mainland to an island succeeds in its new environment, it may give rise to several new species as populations spread to other islands in the archipelago.To describe evolution as a "scientific theory" means that __________. A. it is not factual B. it is an untested idea C. it is a broad model that is supported by many observations and much experimental evidence D. it is a matter of opinion E. it can be considered dogmaC. it is a broad model that is supported by many observations and much experimental evidence Evidence from many fields of biology makes evolution the "central, unifying principle of biology."