STAAR High School Biology - 2019 Past Paper
Quiz by Biology - Texas Education Agency
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- Q1
A new predator of rabbits has been introduced within an ecosystem. This new predator runs faster than the native predators of rabbits.
Which statement describes what will most likely occur in the rabbit population due to the introduction of the predator?
Faster rabbits will survive and reproduce increasing the average speed of the rabbit population.
Slower rabbits will develop stronger legs and pass this trait to their offspring.
The rabbits will mutate their genes and express genes that increase their speed.
Rabbits will mate and produce offspring with a different species that has faster runners.
30sB.7.E - Q2
Which answer choice best describes a community?
Praying mantises caring for their young
Three-spined sticklebacks living in estuaries
Different species of lizards occupying the same niche in a desert
Roosting mother bats recognizing their offspring
30sB.10.C - Q3
Eight components present in nucleic acids are listed in the box.
Which components bond with adenine in a section of double-stranded DNA?
3 and 5 only
2 and 4 only
3, 4, 7, and 8 only
1, 3, 5, and 6 only
30sB.6.A - Q4
What would be the most likely effect of a wildfire that burned a large area of a forest?
Less carbon dioxide would be removed from the atmosphere in the area by plants.
More sugars and starches would be available for animals in the area.
An increase in animal respiration would increase the release of carbon dioxide in the area.
The availability of fossil fuels for use by industries in the area would be reduced.
30sB.12.D - Q5
Which four body systems interact to allow a person to sneeze?
Nervous, respiratory, circulatory, skeletal
Muscular, immune, nervous, respiratory
Respiratory, endocrine, skeletal, circulatory
Lymphatic, skeletal, respiratory, muscular
30sB.10.A - Q6
Students use a microscope to look for structures present in four different cells. The students placed an X for each structure that was viewed for each cell on the table shown.
Which cell that was viewed is most likely a prokaryote?
Cell W
Cell Z
Cell Y
Cell X
30sB.4.A - Q7
A dichotomous key for identifying fish is shown.
Based on this key, which two fish have eyes located on either side of their head and are not spotted?
Glassy sweeper and squirrelfish
Spotted goatfish and bandtail puffer
Peacock flounder and glassy sweeper
Glasseye snapper and spotted eagle ray
30sB.8.B - Q8
Students are modeling mRNA during the process of protein synthesis. Which answer choice correctly describes the model of the mRNA strand being transcribed?
The mRNA strand is an exact copy of the DNA template strand; however, uracil instead of thymine is paired with adenine.
The mRNA strand is complementary to the DNA template strand; however, uracil instead of thymine is paired with adenine.
The mRNA strand is an exact copy of the DNA template strand; however, uracil instead of adenine is paired with thymine.
The mRNA strand is complementary to the DNA template strand; however, uracil instead of adenine is paired with thymine.
30sB.6.C - Q9
The karyotype, or chromosomal profile, for humans is shown. A karyotype can be used to investigate genetic disorders.
The chemical colchicine is used in the production of karyotypes. Colchicine prevents spindle fibers from forming during the cell cycle.
What is a result of preventing spindle fibers from forming?
Mitotic division stops in metaphase and cannot proceed to anaphase.
The cell cycle skips phase and proceeds to phase.
Mitotic division is skipped, and the cell cycle proceeds to cytokinesis.
The cell cycle skips phase and repeats phase.
30sB.5.A - Q10
A team of students encounters an unknown organism in a field while conducting a biodiversity study. Some students think the organism is a plant, while others think it is a fungus.
Which question should the students investigate to classify the organism correctly?
Is there nervous tissue present in the organism?
Does the organism perform photosynthesis?
Does the organism reproduce sexually?
Is there a cell wall around the cells of the organism?
30sB.8.C - Q11
The San Marcos salamander, Eurycea nana, is a light reddish-brown translucent salamander about 2–5 cm in length. E. nana is found only in Spring Lake and a portion of the San Marcos River.
Which human activity would most likely decrease the ability of the salamanders to survive?
Increasing water consumption that decreases the flow of clean water from the springs that feed the river
The addition of a new food source into the river that limits competition for resources
Public transportation that reduces the number of automobiles that contribute to pollution runoff into the river
Tourism that helps fund the educational programs related to river ecosystem conservation
30sB.12.E - Q12
The diagram shows data on the evolution of horses.
The data in the diagram is evidence that —
a new species of horse suddenly appeared
horses have similar stages of rapid embryological development
horses slowly developed over time
horses have a common ancestry with other hooved animals
30sB.7.B - Q13
A student produces a labeled drawing of a virus for a presentation. The student states that the capsid has a function similar to the nuclear membrane found in animal cells.
Which of these describes the similar functions of capsids and nuclear membranes?
Both transport proteins throughout the structures.
Both provide energy for activities in the structures
Both protect genetic information for the structures.
Both code for the proteins needed for reproduction of the structures.
30sB.4.C - Q14
Enzymes are proteins that have a three-dimensional shape that is specific to a particular substrate. Environmental conditions can change the shape of the protein.
What is the most likely result if the shape of the enzyme changes?
The substrate will change its shape to match the enzyme.
The enzyme will no longer be able to catalyze the reaction with the substrate.
The products made from the enzyme and the substrate will be changed.
The enzyme will be able to bind to more diverse substrates than before.
30sB.9.C - Q15
A type of cellular transport is shown.
Which description best identifies this type of cellular transport?
Endocytosis, because energy is not being used to move molecules against the concentration gradient
Facilitated diffusion, because energy is being used to move molecules with the concentration gradient
Active transport, because energy is being used to move molecules against the concentration gradient
Osmosis, because energy is not being used to move molecules with the concentration gradient
30sB.4.B
