Evolution Study Guide

Circle the correct response.

1. Which of the following best describes the relationship between variations and adaptations?
(DOK 2)
a. All variations are adaptations, but not all adaptations come from variations
b. All adaptations are variations and all variations help organisms survive
c. Variations result from adaptations organisms make to the environment
d. Adaptations result from variations only if they help an organism survive

2. A change in a population can occur when species with better variations for an environment
survive and pass these better traits on to the next generation. This theory is better known as
the Theory of ________. (DOK 1)
a. The Theory of Natural Selection
b. The Theory of Adaptation
c. The Theory of Evolution
d. The Theory of Species Selection

3. A group of plant eating animals are separated from their population. In the new
environment, the only edible vegetation grows at the top of tall trees. Which of the following
variations would be most useful adaptation to members of the group? (DOK 1)
a. wide flat teeth adapted to grinding plant material
b. a long neck that can grow to as much as 2 meters in length
c. specialized digestive systems for the vegetarian diet
d. larger ears and eyes located on sides of head to detect predators

4. Evidence that best supports the science of evolution was obtained from the (DOK 1).
a. Study of cells
b. Study of fossil records
c. Study of animals
d. Study of Heredity

5. Which of the following correctly contrasts artificial and natural selection? (DOK 1)
a. Artificial selection involves human-selected traits, while natural forces select traits to
be inherited in natural selection
b. Artificial selection does not include the inheritance of traits, while natural selection
requires the inheritance of traits
c. In natural selection only physical traits are inherited, while in artificial selection only
behavioral traits are inherited
d. Natural selection only occurs after sexual reproduction, while artificial selection only
occurs after asexual reproduction

6. A population of insects has a brown color, providing them with camouflage on the desert
sands where they live. Over thousands of years, climate changes in the area cause grasses to
grow, and the population of insects becomes green over the same period of time. Which term
describes what has taken place in the population of insects? (DOK 1)
 a. mutation
b. evolution
c. migration
d. variation

7. A species of frog lives in a forest. A snake species moves to the ecosystem where the frogs
live and begins to hunt the frogs. Using your understanding of natural selection, what is the
most likely explanation of what will happen to the frog population when the snakes, who are
predators and will hunt the frogs, move into the ecosystem? (DOK 3)
a. Some of the frogs would try to develop new traits to avoid the predator and pass those
on traits to offspring, and the other frogs would die.
b. All of the frogs would try to develop new traits to be able to avoid the predator, and
they will all survive and pass on their new traits to offspring.
c. The frogs that were born with traits that allow them to avoid the snake would be more
likely to survive and reproduce, and the frogs that are not would be less likely to
survive and reproduce.
d. Since all of the frogs have identical traits, they would all be equally good or bad at
avoiding the snake and so they would all survive and reproduce or they all would die.

8. Farmers have helped to bring about changes in many plants and animals, to appeal to
consumers liking. For example, breeding variety of apple plants to obtain the desired taste,
color and texture. This process is called (DOK 1).
a. Mutation
b. Heredity
c. Evolution
d. Selective Breeding

9. Who developed the Theory of Evolution? (DOK 1)

a. Charles Darwin
b. Henry Punnett
c. Gregor Mendel
d. Sir Isaac Newton

10. Constructive response.

A finch(bird) has a phenotype (physical trait) that gives it better, stronger, pointed mouth to
find food than other finches of the same species in the same area. Explain how this could lead
to evolutionary change within this species of finches over a long period of time. (DOK 3).

a. Explain how the better mouth on this finch allows it to survive.

b. What would happen if this finch was weaker?
c. When this finch produce offspring, will they have the same traits? Why?
d. Will this population of finches “Change Over Time”? If yes, How? If no, why
not?