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Category 1 Practice Questions-Cell Structure and Function

1. The 1918 influenza epidemic killed between 50 million and 100 million people worldwide. This
epidemic happened near the end of World War I. More people died from the influenza
epidemic than were killed in the war. Which of the following explains why this virus was so
deadly worldwide?

A. Infected soldiers returning from the war spread the virus when they coughed.
B. Food was scarce because of the war, so people were undernourished, and their
immune systems were weakened.
C. Medical personnel often became ill as a result of exposure to airborne virus
particles.
D. All of the above

2. Four different nucleotides are used as building blocks of DNA. Which of the following can be
used to distinguish one nucleotide from another?

A. The nitrogenous base C. The length of the phosphate

B. The shape of the deoxyribose group
sugar D. The type of fatty acid

E.

3. In the early 1900s a scientist hypothesized a link between DNA and the production of proteins
in the cytoplasm. However, the fact that DNA could not be found outside the nucleus led
scientists to believe that another substance was also involved in the synthesis of protein in
the cytoplasm. In the 1940s scientists performed an experiment that ultimately identified the
site of protein synthesis. They also identified the molecule responsible for transporting
information from the nucleus to the site of protein synthesis. What was this newly identified
molecule?

A. A gene C. ATP
B. mRNA D. Thymine

E.

4. As a fertilized egg divides, the cells differentiate because they

A. contain a lipid bilayer
B. can clump together
C. metabolize sugars rapidly
D. have specific genes activated

F.
5. The diagram shows cells in different phases of mitosis. A
student is trying to find a cell in a particular phase of
mitosis. The student is looking for evidence that spindle
fibers are separating the chromosomes to ensure that
each new nucleus has one copy of each chromosome.
Which cell is in the phase of mitosis that the student is
searching for?

A. Cell 1 C. Cell 3
B. Cell 2 D. Cell 4

6. Cells pass through a G2 checkpoint before entering mitosis. Ideally, if DNA damage is
detected, the cells do not enter mitosis until the damage is repaired. Why is DNA damage
repaired before cells enter mitosis?
E.
A. So that another round of DNA synthesis does not have to take place
B. So that the chromosomes can align at the metaphase plate during mitosis
C. So that the cytoplasm can be divided equally between the two daughter cells
D. So that healthy daughter cells are produced, allowing the organism to continue
growing
F.
G.
7. The picture shows a 3-D model of a virus called a bacteriophage. Bacteriophages can infect
bacteria such as E. coli.
H.
I. In what way are the bacteriophage and E. coli alike?
A. They contain antibodies.
B. They reproduce by mitosis.
C. They have identical genomes.
D. They lack membrane-bound organelles.

J.

K.

8. The complex carbohydrates pictured below are made by linking

molecules of glucose.

L. In all three complex carbohydrates, the subunits of glucose

are bonded together differently. Because they have different
structures, they most likely

A. A contain different chemical elements

B. form different proteins
C. carry different nucleotides
D. perform different functions
M.
N.
O.
9. Oncogenes are mutated forms of genes. Oncogenes can transform a cell into a tumor cell.
Some tumor cells are benign, while others are malignant. How does the presence of an
oncogene lead to the formation of a tumor?
P.
 A. ATP production is inhibited. C. Somatic cell growth is inhibited.
B. Cell division is unregulated. D. Antibody activity is unregulated.

E.

10.Cells typically respond to DNA damage in three ways: by ceasing to grow and divide until the
damage is repaired, by permanently ceasing to grow and divide, or by dying. In 2010 a group
of scientists reported that a certain kind of immune reaction can cause DNA damage that
leads to a fourth response. DNA damage can turn off genes involved in cell-signaling
pathways. Turning off these genes can cause less-mature cells to divide too rapidly, often
leading to the development of
F.
A. tumors C. hemophilia
B. allergies D. cardiovascular disease
11.A student preparing for a hike wants to pack a snack that has biomolecules that provide
quickly available energy but few excess calories. Which nutrition label lists the best
combination of biomolecules that provide quickly available energy while providing the fewest
calories from other types of biomolecules?

E.
F.
12.Models of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and an animal cell are shown below.
 G.
H. What is the difference in the function of the glycoprotein structures of an HIV virion
and the cilia of an animal cell?
I.
A. The glycoprotein structures are used for attachment, and the cilia are used to move fluids
surrounding the cell.
B. The glycoprotein structures are used to obtain nutrition, and the cilia are used to secrete
proteins.
C. The glycoprotein structures are used to provide physical support for the viral envelope,
and the cilia strengthen the cell membrane
D. The glycoprotein structures are used for defense, and the cilia are used for locomotion.
J.
13.The differences between two molecules include the type of sugar that forms a section of the
molecules and the identity of one of the four nitrogenous bases that make up another section
of the molecules. These two molecules are
K.
L. A proteins O. D complex carbohydrates
M. B lipids
N. C nucleic acids
14.The model represents the change in the DNA content of a
cell during the cell cycle. Which part of the model
represents the S phase?
P.
A. I C. III
B. II D. IV
Q.
R.
S.
T.
U.
15.Cells can generate as many as 36 to 38 molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from the
metabolism of one molecule of glucose. Which cellular process results in this amount of ATP
production?
V.
A. Anaerobic cellular respiration C. Aerobic cellular respiration
B. Protein synthesis D. Photosynthesis
W. Y.
X.
Z.
16.Some students used vinegar to dissolve away the shells of three eggs and used these eggs as
models of human red blood cells. The students observed the changes in the eggs when they
were placed in different solutions.
AA.
 AB.
AC.
AD. Which statement best describes the role of the cell membrane in this model?
AE.
AF. A The cell membrane is an impermeable barrier that prevents water from entering
the cell.
AG. B The cell membrane allows solutes to enter the cell, which causes the cell to
shrink.
AH. C The cell membrane allows water to enter and leave the cell.
AI. D The cell membrane removes solutes from the environment.
AJ.
AK.
17.Cell differentiation is critical during embryonic development. The process of cell
differentiation results in the production of many types of cells, including germ, somatic, and
stem cells. Cell differentiation is most directly regulated by

AL.A ATP AN. C lipids

AM. B DNA AO. D sugars
AP.

18.Scientists can bioengineer skin in a laboratory to treat severe burns and other types of skin
injuries. This bioengineered tissue is grown from living cells. The cellular process that enables
the cells to grow and develop into tissue is
A. conjugation C. budding
B. meiosis D. mitosis
19.Some students used information they gathered from lab investigations to prepare a table.
They entered the table in their lab notebooks.
AQ.

AR.
AS.
AT. Which of these correctly identifies the two cells described in the table?
AU.
A. Cell 1 is eukaryotic, and Cell 2 is C. Both Cell 1 and Cell 2 are eukaryotic
prokaryotic. D. Both Cell 1 and Cell 2 are prokaryotic.
B. Cell 1 is prokaryotic, and Cell 2 is
eukaryotic.
E. F.
G.
H.
20.A person infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may not have any symptoms
for a period of time. During this period the virus affects the body by doing which of the
following?
I.
J. A The virus produces toxins that weaken immune cells and prevent them from
reproducing.
K. B The virus damages immune cells while using their machinery to produce copies of itself.
L. C The virus uses nutrients meant for immune cells to fuel its own cellular respiration.
M. D The virus changes the identity of the nucleotides of immune cells to prevent the
immune system from functioning normally.
N.
O.

21.Checkpoints occur between the stages of the cell cycle. If a cell does not
meet certain criteria at the end of a stage, it will not move to the next
stage. Which of these occurs just before the cell enters the G2 stage
of the cell cycle?
P.
A. The nuclear membrane disintegrates C. Centrioles
form.
B. DNA replicates. D. The nucleolus divides.
Q.
R.
S.
22.Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an illness caused by a coronavirus. Symptoms
including a high fever, headaches, and body aches typically occur two to seven days after
infection by the virus. SARS is more serious in elderly patients. This information suggests that
the reproductive cycle of the SARS virus is
T.
U. A lysogenic, because the virus is a coronavirus
V. B lytic, because the virus causes respiratory illness
W. C lysogenic, because the virus primarily affects older people
X. D lytic, because of the quick onset of symptoms after infection
Y.

23.The cellular process known as the sodium-potassium pump was discovered in the 1950s by
Jens Christian Skou, a Danish scientist. This process is a form of active transport that moves
three sodium ions to the outside of a cell for every two potassium ions that it moves into the
cell. Which of these best explains why energy is needed for active transport?
Z.
A. Ions are negatively charged. C. Ions are trapped inside the plasma
AA. membrane.
B. Ions are attached to large proteins. AC.
AB. D. Ions are moved against the
concentration gradient.
AD.

24.Proteins and polysaccharides are polymers. These polymers are formed by dehydration
synthesis. Which statement correctly identifies a difference in the structure of proteins and
polysaccharides?
 A. Only polysaccharides are comprised of repeating units of cytosine, adenine, guanine, and
thymine.
B. Only proteins are formed from amino acids joined by peptide bonds.
C. Only polysaccharides can be folded and twisted to very specific shapes.
D. Only proteins can be large molecules with thousands of subunits.

AE.

25.Both euglena and cyanobacteria are photosynthetic unicellular organisms found in pond
water. The feature that distinguishes euglena from cyanobacteria is the

AF. A ability to maintain homeostasis AH. C ability to reproduce

AG. B presence of ribosomes AI. D presence of a nuclear membrane

AJ.

26.The diagram below represents the cell cycle.

27.

28.When cells leave the cell cycle, they exit during G phase and
then enter G phase, a resting period. Most normal cells can
leave G phase and reenter the cell cycle at G phase before
entering S phase. Cancer cells are different because they
cannot enter G phase and are likely to do which of the
following?

29.A Fail to complete S phase C Repeat the cell cycle

continuously

30.B Mutate during G phase D Die after completing mitosis

1

31.

32.
33.