NY Released Regents Exam - Living Environment (Jan 2026)
Quiz by NYSED Living Environment
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Genetic information stored in DNA is most directly used to
An example of a pattern of behavior that evolved through natural selection is
In order for large food molecules to pass across a cell membrane, they must be broken down into their building blocks. Which row in the chart below correctly pairs a large organic food molecule with its building blocks?
Carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere into the oceans increases acid levels and threatens the survival of many marine organisms. Which human activity could slow the increasing acidity of the ocean?
Enzymes are similar to hormones in that they both
The U.S. imports many products from other countries. As more goods are transported into the United States, the risk of invasive organisms arriving with them greatly increases. Any invasive organisms that enter a new area would most likely
Several human genetic disorders are caused when a zygote has one extra chromosome. This can occur as a result of
The variety of environments found around the world is the result of the
The diagram below represents a process used by plants to produce high-energy organic compounds.
The inorganic compounds used by the green plant cells in this process are
The model below represents an aquatic food web.
Examples of producers in this aquatic food web include
The diagram below illustrates a form of asexual reproduction in hydras.
Which statement best describes how the genetic information in the cells of the hydra parent compares to the genetic information in the cells of the offspring?
A professor from Montana State University described some of the changes observed in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. He said, “…changes in land use and climate have reduced snow pack and stream flows, increased stream temperatures, favored pest outbreaks and forest die-off, fragmented habitat types, expanded invasive species, and reduced native fish populations.”
The most likely cause of the changes described is
Red meat is not harmful to most people. However, some people develop a reaction that affects their ability to breathe when they eat red meat. This response to red meat is known as
Antibiotic resistance has become a serious problem, especially in the control of bacterial diseases that infect people and farm animals. A certain bacterium is resistant to an antibiotic.
This resistance could be due to
Which statement describes a characteristic of the human reproductive system?
An individual with a high blood glucose level may have headaches, blurred vision, and fatigue. Which substance would most likely help to reduce these symptoms?
The diagram below illustrates how two DNA segments can be joined to form a DNA segment with a new genetic sequence.
This procedure is an example of a process known as
The diagram below represents an evolutionary tree. The arrows indicate some of the newly evolved traits in that particular branch.
Which claim is supported by the evolutionary tree?
The diagram below represents two methods of transport through a cell membrane.
Which method illustrates molecules moving by diffusion?
Scientists have found many similarities in specific organic compounds of raccoons and bears. These similarities suggest that raccoons and bears have
Two chemical substances that play a direct role in the regulation of the female reproductive system are
Although widespread forest fires occur in the Amazon during the summer dry season, the number of fires in 2019 was almost three times the number in 2018. Many of the fires were started to clear land for farming. These fires attracted global concern because
The pH of a lake occupied by a population offish suddenly decreases. Most of the fish die, but a few survive. Which statement regarding the survivors is true?
The most likely explanation for a lack of competition among three different bird species inhabiting the same species of trees in an ecosystem is that
The diagram below represents an animal cell that has been greatly magnified.
The structure labeled A is surrounded by a membrane and may be seen using a compound light microscope. Structure A is most likely a
A forest food web is shown below.
Which organism occupies a feeding level that receives a larger percentage of the energy captured by the producers than the feeding level occupied by the snakes?
The diagram below illustrates a series of processes that occur during sexual reproduction.
Which sequence of events occurs after the formation of the zygote?
In a food web, the herbivores are most directly dependent on the types of
Which statement best describes how a group of specialized cells could interact?
The diagram below represents a sequence of DNA in a human body cell, before and after a point mutation occurs.
A single point mutation in one base of a DNA sequence may have a direct effect on the
The diagram below represents a process that takes place in the mitochondrion.
The main purpose of this process is to supply the cell with
Bees have complex genetics. Male drone bees result from the development of unfertilized eggs from the queen bee. Female worker bees result from fertilization. A model of bee genetics is shown below:
What evidence would support the claim that female bees result from fertilization?
At one time, people thought that all male drone bees produced by the queen were genetically identical. However, after analyzing the DNA from the male drone bees, scientists determined that drones are not identical.
Which explanation provides the best reasoning for why male bees are not genetically identical?
Why should an explanation about a scientific phenomenon developed by one scientist be rejected by another scientist?
The two graphs below show trends in the relative amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide present in Earth’s atmosphere over millions of years.
Events that most likely resulted in the relative amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide present in Earth’s atmosphere around 300 million years ago were
The graph shows the population of coyotes in an environment over a period of several years. Rabbits and mice are the main food sources of coyotes.
Before period X, the coyote population most likely increased due to
Which statement best explains what may have occurred at X?
Overfishing
An old saying, “There are always more fish in the sea,” may not be true in the future. Many fish species, including sharks, are nearing extinction due to overfishing. Overfishing is defined as the practice of catching fish faster than their populations can be sustained. When sharks are overfished, their prey, which includes tuna, increase in number. This might seem good, since many people like to eat tuna. When tuna are overfished, populations of their prey, smaller fish that feed on plants and algae, grow uncontrolled.
The diagram below represents an energy pyramid.
Based on the reading passage, which row in the chart below best completes the energy pyramid that includes the following organisms: tuna, algae, shark, and small fish?
Most commercial fishermen use nets. Many types of nets do not distinguish between the species of fish they are meant to catch and other fish they are not seeking. New technologies have enabled fishing boats to move from coastal areas to deeper ocean water. This allows them to continue to catch fish.
A description of an important trade-off associated with the use of nets and fishing technology by fishermen includes the fact that
Some scientists claim that overfishing is disrupting ocean food webs. Evidence that best supports this claim is that
Research has shown that snake venoms have evolved from proteins present in their saliva. The diagram below shows a phylogenetic tree of lizard and snake relationships over time. Toxicofera is a classification group containing all snakes and some lizards, and Caenophidia is a group that includes all venomous snakes.
Which snakes would most likely have a gene sequence for a venom protein that is most similar to an elapid snake?
When conducting this experiment, the researchers used nicotine-free cinnamon flavored e-liquids. This was most likely done in order to
Another experiment within this study looked at ATP production by the respiratory tract cells at different cinnamon flavoring (cinnamaldehyde) concentrations. The results are shown in the graph below.
These results suggest that at higher concentrations of the flavoring, the respiratory tract cells may be using
Vaccine in Genetically Modified (GM) Bananas Could Wipe Out Hepatitis B
Bananas have been genetically modified to contain a hepatitis B vaccine. The virus attacks the liver and can lead to liver cancer. It has been demonstrated that it is possible to produce a cheap, stable vaccine by genetically modifying certain plants.
A gene that codes for a specific protein on the surface of the hepatitis B virus is transferred into a banana plant. In the plant, thousands of copies of the protein are produced. When the banana is eaten, the protein passes into the intestine, where the immune system produces antibodies against hepatitis B. These antibodies work the same way as antibodies produced in response to an injected vaccine.
Which statement best describes how the immune system responds when the protein in the genetically modified banana enters the intestine?
The diagram below represents a plant cell.
Which statement describes how the appearance of this cell will change if the cell is placed in a concentrated salt solution?
Factors that contributed to the evolution of the Galapagos finches include
The diagram shows the evolutionary relationships among several different species, A through H.
Which two species would be expected to show the greatest similarity in DNA?
The diagram shows the evolutionary relationships among several different species, A through H.
Which species has been the most successful in surviving changes in its environment?
Data in the table below compare differences in the amino acid sequences for a specific mitochondrial enzyme found in seven species to the enzyme in humans.
Of the organisms listed below, which one has a DNA code for the enzyme that is most similar to that of a human?
Data in the table below compare differences in the amino acid sequences for a specific mitochondrial enzyme found in seven species to the enzyme in humans.
The fact that the mitochondria of all these species contain this enzyme could lead to the inference that
