Sample Biology EOCT Questions

1. Viruses are exceptions to the cell theory, but they have some characteristics of living things. What is one of these characteristics?

  1. They are made up of many specialized cells.
  2. They contain genetic material.
  3. They reproduce by mitosis.
  4. They contain chlorophyll.

2. Which formula represents an organic compound?

  1. Mg(OH)2
  2. NaCl
  3. C12H22O11
  4. NH3

3. Which is an organic compound found in most cells?

  1. glucose
  2. water
  3. sodium chloride
  4. oxygen gas

4. Which are the four most abundant elements in living cells?

  1. carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur
  2. carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen
  3. carbon, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus
  4. carbon, sulfur, hydrogen, magnesium

5. Which pair of compounds can be classified as inorganic?

  1. nucleic acids and minerals
  2. proteins and water
  3. water and salts

5. An organelle differs from an organ in that an organelle

  1. is a substructure of a cell
  2. contains one specific type of tissue
  3. is larger than an organ
  4. cannot be stained

6. Which diagram represents an organelle that contains the enzymes needed to synthesize ATP in the presence of oxygen?

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

7. Which structure includes all of the others?

  1. nucleolus
  2. nucleus
  3. chromosomes
  4. genes

8. Most cell membranes are composed principally of

  1. DNA and ATP
  2. proteins and lipids
  3. chitin and starch
  4. nucleotides and amino acids

9. Which structure is usually present only in animal cells?

  1. vacuole
  2. cell wall
  3. nucleus
  4. centriole

10. Normally, in the process of osmosis, the net flow of water molecules into or out of the cell depends upon differences in the

  1. concentration of water molecules inside and outside the cell
  2. concentration of enzymes on either side of the cell membrane
  3. rate of molecular motion on either side of the cell membrane
  4. rate of movement of insoluble molecules inside the cell

11. Sodium ions are "pumped" from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration in the nerve cells of humans. This process is an example of

  1. diffusion
  2. passive transport
  3. osmosis
  4. active transport

12. Locomotive structures found in some protists include

  1. muscles
  2. flagella
  3. tentacles
  4. contractile vacuoles

13. Molecules that are too large to pass through the pores of a cell membrane may enter the cell by a process known as

  1. hydrolysis
  2. pinocytosis
  3. cyclosis
  4. synthesis

14. A molecule of DNA is a polymer composed of

  1. glucose
  2. amino acids
  3. fatty acids
  4. nucleotides

15. The presence of DNA is important for cellular metabolic activities because DNA

  1. directs the production of enzymes
  2. is a structural component of cell walls
  3. directly increases the solubility of nutrients
  4. is the major component of cytoplasm

16. Which nitrogenous bases make up DNA nucleotides?

  1. adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine
  2. adenine, uracil, guanine and cytosine
  3. adenine, thymine, uracil, and cytosine
  4. adenine, thymine, guanine, and uracil

17. Proteins are made from amino acids by the process of

  1. hydrolysis
  2. pinocytosis
  3. active transport
  4. dehydration synthesis

18. The spotted touch-me-not, a flowering plant, has seed pods that burst open when touched and forcefully eject their seeds. Such an adaptation is favorable because it

  1. aids in the dispersal of the species.
  2. attracts insects that aid in pollination.
  3. prevents germination within the seed pod.
  4. can cause genetic changes to occur.

19. According to Darwin's theory of evolution, differences between species may be the result of

  1. the disuse of body structures
  2. the transmission of acquired characteristics
  3. natural selection
  4. mutagenic agents

20. Two nucleotide sequences found in two different species are almost exactly the same. This suggests that these species

  1. are evolving into the same species
  2. contain identical DNA
  3. may have similar evolutionary histories
  4. have the same number of mutations

21. The theory that evolutionary change is slow and continuous is known as

  1. punctuated equilibrium
  2. geographic isolation
  3. speciation
  4. gradualism

22. The concept that species have changed over long periods of time is known as

  1. ecology
  2. embryology
  3. spontaneous generation
  4. organic evolution

23. The study of homologous structures in mature organisms provides evidence for the evolutionary relationships among certain groups of organisms. Which field of study includes this evidence of evolution?

  1. comparative cytology
  2. biochemistry
  3. geology
  4. comparative anatomy

24. Darwin's theory of evolution is based on the concept of

  1. use and disuse
  2. mutations
  3. natural selection
  4. hybridization

25. The structural similarities between the flippers of whales and the arms of humans are used to show that the

  1. human species began life in the oceans
  2. human species and whales have a common ancestry
  3. whales are older than the human species
  4. whales evolved from the human species

26. A scorpion stalks, kills, and then eats a spider. Based on its behavior, which ecological terms describe the scorpion?

  1. producer, herbivore, decomposer
  2. producer, carnivore, heterotroph
  3. predator, carnivore, consumer
  4. predator, autotroph, herbivore

27. Which organisms are dependent upon other animals for food?

  1. producers
  2. herbivores
  3. scavengers
  4. primary consumers

28. Certain bacteria living in a human's large intesting help to produce vitamin K. This relationship is an example of

  1. animal parasitism
  2. plant parasitism
  3. commensalism
  4. mutualism

29. Base your answer on the diagram below and on your knowledge of biology. The diagram illustrates the relationships between the organisms in a certain pond. In this pond community, which organisms are secondary consumers?

  1. aquatic crustaceans and racoons
  2. carnivorous fish and aquatic crustaceans
  3. ducks and minnows
  4. ducks and carnivorous fish

30. A rocky island appears as oceanic waters recede. Which of the following forms of vegetation would probably appear first on the bare rocks?

  1. lichens
  2. weeds
  3. shrubs
  4. pioneer trees