Evolution Midterm Practice Questions July 7, 2008 1 . During a study session about evolution, one of your fellow students remarks, "The giraffe stretched its neck while reaching for higher leaves; its offspring inherited longer necks as a result." Which statement is most likely to be helpful in correcting this student's misconception? a) Characteristics acquired during an organism's life are generally not passed on through genes. b) Spontaneous mutations can result in the appearance of new traits. c) Only favorable adaptations have survival value. d) Disuse of an organ may lead to its eventual disappearance. e) Overproduction of offspring leads to a struggle for survival. 2 . How many unique gametes could be produced through independent assortment by an individual with the genotype AaBbCCDdEE? a) 4 b) 8 c) 16 d) 32 e) 64 3. Black fur in mice (B) is dominant to brown fur (b). Short tails (T) are dominant to long tails (t). What fraction of the progeny of the cross BbTt × BBtt will have black fur and long tails? a) 1/16 b) 3/16 c) 3/8 d) 1/2 e) 9/16 4. Selective breeding to reduce the frequency of an undesirable rare recessive trait in domestic species is very difficult unless: a) The chromosomal location of the gene has been identified. b) Heterozygotes can be identified. c) Phenotypic evidence of the trait can be surgically removed. d) Artificial insemination is widespread. 5. If a gene is described as polymorphic, how many alleles does it have? a) One b) Two c) Three d) Two or more6. The oldest known eukaryote fossils occur in the: a) Cambrian b) Cenozoic c) Paleozoic d) Mesozoic e) Precambrian 7. An adaptive radiation produces: a) sterile hybrids. b) unfilled ecological niches. c) a group of closely related but distinct evolutionary lineages. d) unoccupied habitats. e) a reduction in the rate of evolutionary change. 8. Some molecular data place the giant panda in the bear family (Ursidae) but place the lesser panda in the raccoon family (Procyonidae). Consequently, the morphological similarities of these two species are probably due to a) inheritance of acquired characteristics. b) sexual selection. c) inheritance of shared derived characters. d) possession of analogous structures. e) possession of shared primitive characters. 9. Which of the following populations is in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium? I 25% AA 50%Aa 25%aa II 64%AA 32%Aa 4%aa III 81%AA 18%Aa 1%aa a) I only b) II only c) III only d) I and II only e) I, II and III 10. Because of differences in breeding times, two species of frog do not mate at the same time and so do not produce interspecific hybrids. The isolating mechanism is: a) behavioral b) mechanical c) temporal d) hybrid
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