View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Chapter 23, the author discusses the battles that go on in the plant world regarding:
(a) Funding for plant research.
(b) Who owns plant patents.
(c) What to name plants.
(d) Using plants for medicinal purposes.

2. Most life on Earth is based on what element?
(a) Hydrogen.
(b) Iron.
(c) Carbon.
(d) Magnesium.

3. Only one out of how many bones is ever fossilized?
(a) Five million.
(b) A billion.
(c) A hundred.
(d) Fifty thousand.

4. A Swedish DNA study concludes that all modern humans descended from how many people in Africa?
(a) 500.
(b) 80,000.
(c) 10,000.
(d) 2,000.

5. Which body of water holds more than half of the planet's water?
(a) Indian Ocean.
(b) Arctic Ocean.
(c) Pacific Ocean.
(d) Atlantic Ocean.

6. How many elements occur naturally on Earth?
(a) 92.
(b) 52.
(c) 142.
(d) 12.

7. What organisms does the author say are the most enduring inhabitants of our planet?
(a) Humans.
(b) Fungi.
(c) Spiders.
(d) Bacteria.

8. Compared to Homo sapiens, Neanderthals were:
(a) Larger and sturdier.
(b) Half as short.
(c) Smaller and weaker.
(d) Twice as tall.

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

10. What is the name of the Navy-funded mini submarine often used in undersea explorations?
(a) Alvin.
(b) Levi.
(c) Chuck.
(d) Chauncy.

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

12. When was the last dodo killed in Mauritius?
(a) 1750s.
(b) 1530s.
(c) 1680s.
(d) 1490s.

13. What percentage of a person's genes are shared with all other humans?
(a) 65.7.
(b) 99.9.
(c) 72.8.
(d) 80.5.

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

15. Which of the following is not one of the five major extinction episodes on Earth?
(a) Cretaceous.
(b) Triassic.
(c) Toarcian.
(d) Devonian.

Short Answer Questions

1. Approximately 50 million years ago, Antarctica was:

2. Photosynthesis was developed during the early history of life on Earth by what?

3. Mitochondria convert food and oxygen into ATP, which is what?

4. What are eukarya?

5. What percentage of all existing water is fresh water?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 354 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample