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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The troposphere is the layer of atmosphere:
(a) That is coldest.
(b) Closest to the ground.
(c) Just above the highest clouds.
(d) Farthest away.

2. Bryson states that the first species to care for its weak and frail members was:
(a) Gigantopithecus.
(b) Homo erectus.
(c) Homo habilis.
(d) Australopithecines.

3. The internal workings of cells are:
(a) Understood perfectly.
(b) Identical from one cell to the next.
(c) Exceedingly simplistic.
(d) Not understood very well.

4. At this time, how many plant and animal species are becoming extinct per week?
(a) 100 to 200.
(b) 1 to 2.
(c) 600 to 1,000.
(d) 50 to 80.

5. Charles Darwin suggested that evolution was a process taking millions of years, which many met with skepticism because scientists:
(a) Did not like Darwin.
(b) Thought life on Earth had existed no more than 3,000 years.
(c) Believed only birds evolved, not mammals or reptiles.
(d) Believed Earth to be much younger.

6. What must amino acids do to become protein?
(a) Link.
(b) Split.
(c) Shrink.
(d) Evolve.

7. During the Cryogenian period 1.2 billion years ago, Earth was:
(a) Without a magnetic field.
(b) Highly volcanic.
(c) Devoid of water.
(d) Frozen.

8. What did Carl Linnaeus bring order to through his method of classification?
(a) The plant world.
(b) The bacterial world.
(c) Naming bodies of water.
(d) Naming features of the moon.

9. The author seems to condemn the fact that, over the years, studying wildlife meant what?
(a) Capturing and killing it.
(b) Nothing to the average person.
(c) Mere recreation for the wealthy.
(d) Destroying the environment.

10. Scientists assumed stromatolites were extinct until they were discovered where in 1961?
(a) Australia.
(b) Argentina.
(c) Algeria.
(d) Armenia.

11. Photosynthesis was developed during the early history of life on Earth by what?
(a) Magentobacteria.
(b) Xenobacteria.
(c) Cyanobacteria.
(d) Flavobacteria.

12. Of all the elements occurring naturally on Earth, how many does the author say are central to life?
(a) 6.
(b) 20.
(c) 10.
(d) 1.

13. What is a biped?
(a) A tendon connecting the leg to the pelvis.
(b) A creature that walks on two legs.
(c) A specific nerve found in the upper leg.
(d) A large bone found in legs of mammals.

14. Scientist Johann Friedrich Miescher is known for:
(a) Discovering DNA.
(b) Cloning the first sheep.
(c) Discovering mutant bacteria in undersea rocks.
(d) Decoding complex strands of DNA.

15. Who was Robert Fitzroy?
(a) Captain of the HMS Beagle.
(b) Head of the HMS Beagle Laboratory.
(c) Darwin's first cousin and fellow naturalist.
(d) Darwin's theology professor.

Short Answer Questions

1. Bacteria take nitrogen from the air and form it into what?

2. Humans share 98.4 percent of their DNA with:

3. What did Carl Linnaeus develop that is still in wide use today?

4. Compared to Homo sapiens, Neanderthals were:

5. If Earth did not have an atmosphere, it would be what?

(see the answer keys)

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