View a FREE sample

This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 11.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What shape is the location where guillemots lay their eggs?
(a) Rough and grassy.
(b) Hilly.
(c) Flat.
(d) Jagged.

2. How does Darwin characterize the idea that the goal of evolution is for a species to survive, so individuals will take actions that are good for the species?
(a) As a reasonable alternative hypothesis.
(b) As fundamental to evolution.
(c) As probable.
(d) As unscientific.

3. What reason does Dawkins give that animal populations are about 50-50 male and female?
(a) Dawkins says that a 50-50 ratio is the stable balance of males and females.
(b) Males are overly competitive and destroy each other when the male population is too high.
(c) Male and female balances shift from generation to generation to average out to 50-50.
(d) Overlarge female populations purposefully create more males.

4. What apparently selfish act of gulls does the author describe?
(a) "Ditching" the rest of the flock when a predator is spotted.
(b) Fighting for fish.
(c) Eating others' baby chicks.
(d) Stealing another gull's nest.

5. What two opposites does Dawkins say he is examining the biology of?
(a) Individuality and community.
(b) Self-centeredness and other-centeredness.
(c) Rationality and emotionalism.
(d) Selfishness and altruism.

Short Answer Questions

1. To what does Wynne-Edwards attribute changes to female mice as the population rises?

2. What does ESS stand for?

3. How does the author say that human beings think of their own species?

4. In the behavior called stotting, where do Thompson gazelles jump?

5. According to Dawkins, is there a genetic reason to favor one child over others?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 340 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample