1.

A disease that causes a defect in the myelin sheath would be dangerous because (A) action potentials would be conducted too slowly along the neurons (B) muscles would not contract when stimulated (C) the thyroid gland would not be able to produce thyroxine (D) bone tissue would not be properly maintained (E) the body would not be able to fight disease 2. All of the following are considered to be endocrine glands EXCEPT (A) the pituitary gland (B) the thyroid gland (C) the salivary glands (D) the ovaries (E) the adrenal glands 3. Which of the following statements are true? I. Arteries have muscular walls that can regulate the flow of blood passing through them. II. Arteries contain valves that prevent the flow of blood in the wrong direction. III. Veins have muscular walls that can regulate the flow of blood passing through them. (A) I only (B) III only (C) I and II only (D) I and III only (E) I, II, and III 4. What is the primary advantage of the four-chambered heart? (A) It increases blood pressure. (B) It pumps blood to the lungs more often, so blood is better oxygenated. (C) It separates oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. (D) It lowers blood pressure and the threat of heart attacks. (E) It supplies the brain with more blood for cognition. 5. The respiratory system is important in obtaining oxygen for the tissues and (A) regulating pH of the blood by controlling how much oxygen is dissolved in the plasma (B) regulating pH of the blood by controlling how much carbon dioxide is dissolved in the plasma (C) regulating blood pressure by releasing hormones from the lungs that control heart rate (D) playing a role in regulating the level of cholesterol in the blood (E) obtaining some nutrients, such as vitamin K, from the atmosphere when supplies are limited 6. After the ovarian follicle releases the mature ovum into the Fallopian tube, the follicle (A) dissolves within the ovary, ceasing to produce estrogen (B) remains in the ovary, producing estrogen until the end of the ovarian cycle (C) forms the corpeus luteum and begins to produce progesterone (D) begins to support another developing oocyte (E) is shed from the ovary and released in the menstrual fluid 7. A man goes swimming in a pond. As he walks back to his car, he notices that several newly hatched ducklings are following his moves. This is an example of (A) tropism (B) conditioning (C) sympathetic nervous system (D) associative learning (E) imprinting 8. The elimination of carbon dioxide from the body is completed by the I. circulatory system II. respiratory system III. excretory system (A) I only (B) II only (C) III only (D) I and II only (E) I, II, and III 9. Which of the following contains the highest concentration of chloroplasts? (A) Stomata (B) Epidermal layer (C) Palisade mesophyll (D) Phloem (E) Cuticle 10. During photosynthesis, carbohydrates are made (A) during the light reaction (B) from oxygen, water, and a three-carbon molecule (C) in the grana (D) in the stroma (E) in order to begin the light reaction Explanations 1. A The myelin sheath surrounds the axon of neurons and speeds up the propagation of action potentials by allowing them to skip along the axon. 2. C Of the glands in the answer choices, only the salivary glands do not release any hormones into the bloodstream. They release saliva into the mouth by way of ducts. 3. A Only arteries have muscular walls that can regulate blood flow. Because arterial blood pressure tends to be high compared to blood pressure in the veins, arteries do not contain valves to prevent backflow of blood. Veins do contain valves, however, because blood flows relatively sluggishly through them. 4. C

The four-chambered heart is an evolutionary advance over the two-chambered heart. By splitting up oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, the four-chambered heart ensures that more highly oxygenated blood reaches the cells that need it. The four-chambered heart does not raise or lower blood pressure. Neither does it increase blood flow to the lungs or the brain. 5. B Because carbon dioxide is dissolved in the blood as carbonic acid, when levels of carbon dioxide in the blood are high, the pH tends to drop (the blood becomes more acidic). When carbon dioxide levels are low, the blood can become slightly more basic. Respiratory rate is adjusted to control for these factors. A safe pH level is extremely important for the operation of proteins, hormones, and enzymes. 6. C After the follicle releases the ovum during ovulation, it changes form to become the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum remains in the ovary producing progesterone and begins to disintegrate if fertilization does not take place. 7. E When a newly hatched bird first sees another moving object, it instinctually believes that the object is its mother and will follow it. This phenomenon is called imprinting. Tropisms occur in plants. Conditioning is a learned rather than instinctual behavior, as is associative learning. The sympathetic nervous system operates on the body in emergency situations. 8. D Carbon dioxide, a waste product of cell respiration, diffuses from cells into the circulatory bloodstream, and is expelled from the body through the lungs of the respiratory system. 9. C Most of photosynthesis takes place in the palisade layer of the leaf, so the cells of the palisade layer have the highest concentration of chloroplasts. 10. D Chloroplasts make carbohydrates during the Calvin cycle, which occurs in the intermembrane space of the chloroplast called the stroma. The light reaction creates the ATP and NADPH that power the Calvin cycle. Oxygen is a by-product of photosynthesis, not a raw material. Grana are the location of the light reaction. 1. How is an ecosystem organized, from least to most comprehensive? (A) Individual, community, population, biome (B) Individual, population, community, biome (C) Individual, population, niche, community (D) Individual, niche, community, population (E) Individual, population, biome, niche 2. Why is energy lost as it moves from producers to primary consumers? (A) Saprophytic activity (B) Biomass decreases (C) Secondary consumers eat primary consumers (D) Respiration and metabolic activity (E) None of the above 3. Which of the following organisms participate in the nitrogen cycle? (A) Denitrifying bacteria (B) Chemosynthetic bacteria (C) Saprophytes (D) All of the above (E) None of the above 4. When resources are abundant and the environment is stable, which reproductive strategy is most effective? (A) Sexual reproduction, with intense parental care and slow development (B) Sexual reproduction, with slight parental care and quick development (C) Parthenogenesis (D) All of the above (E) None of the above 5. Why might growth slow from an exponential rate in a population of sheep? (A) Disease (B) Lack of space (C) Wolves (D) All of the above (E) None of the above 6. What is a relationship in which two organisms both benefit from their association? (A) Symbiosis (B) Mutualism (C) Commensalism (D) Parasitism (E) Competition 7. Which is true of ecological succession? (A) Pioneer species move into new communities first. (B) Climax communities have lower total biomass than preceding communities. (C) Species diversity is greatest in the early stages of succession. (D) Climax communities shift constantly. (E) All of the above 8. Tundra is characterized by (A) trees such as beech, maple, and oak (B) high biodiversity (C) barrenness (D) a short growing season following rainfall (E) none of the above 9. Which of the following releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? (A) Animal consumption of producers (B) Photosynthesis (C) Chemosynthesis (D) Bacterial decay (E) None of the above 10. In a plains community, the population with greatest biomass would be (A) hawks (B) foxes (C) prairie dogs (D) grasses (E)

beetles Explanations 1. B Individual organisms occupy particular niches (geographical locations as well as roles). Populations consist of individuals of an interbreeding species. Many coexisting populations constitute a community, and many communities coexist within a biome. 2. D Only 10 percent of energy moves between trophic levels, because it is lost to sustain respiration and metabolic processes. Saprophytic activity does not explain the loss of energy as you move up a food pyramid. Biomass decreases because energy is lost, not the other way around. While it is true that secondary consumers eat primary consumers, this scenario does not affect the change in energy capacity between trophic levels. 3. D All of the listed organisms are involved in the nitrogen cycle. Decaying (saprophytic), nitrifying (chemosynthetic), denitrifying, and nitrogen-fixing bacteria all play roles in the nitrogen cycle. Decaying bacteria produce ammonia (NH3), which is transformed into nitrites (NO2) and nitrates (NO3) by nitrifying bacteria. Denitrifying bacteria convert ammonia into free N2 in the atmosphere. 4. C Asexual reproduction such as parthenogenesis takes greatest advantage of unlimited space and resources in a stable environment. This mode of reproduction facilitates rapid population growth. Although species diversity created through sexual reproduction is sacrificed, it is not necessary in a noncompetitive atmosphere. Organisms (no matter how similar) in an environment without limitations do not compete with one another. 5. D Depleted resources, competition for food and space, predation, and disease all slow population growth. These factors shape carrying capacity for populations in any given community. 6. B The first answer is a bit of a trick: symbiosis refers to a number of different relationships between organisms, including a mutually beneficial relationship, but it does not refer specifically to that sort of relationship. Mutualism does refer to a relationship beneficial to both organisms. Commensalism helps one organism and does not harm the other, while parasitism benefits one organism and harms the other. Competition refers to a battle for resources and survival between populations. 7. A As an ecosystem moves through the stages of succession, it is characterized by an increase in total biomass, a decrease in net productivity relative to biomass, a greater capacity to retain nutrients within the system, increasing species diversity, increasing size of organisms, increasing life spans, and complex life cycles. Climax communities will not shift unless there is a cataclysmic event. 8. C Beech, maple, and oak populate the temperate deciduous forest. High biodiversity is not a characteristic of the barren tundra. The desert exhibits short growing seasons immediately after precipitation. 9. D Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is directly produced by bacterial decay of waste and dead organic material. (Respiration also produces CO2, but it is not listed among the answer choices.) Photosynthesis and the animal consumption of producers contribute to the carbon cycle but are not directly responsible for the production of CO2. Chemosynthesis is not involved in the carbon cycle. 10. D Biomass decreases from producers up through each level of consumers. Grasses, the only producer in the group, must have the largest biomass.