Texas STAAR High School Biology - 2016 Past Paper
Quiz by Texas Education Agency
High School
Biology (2017)
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
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Measures 31 skills from
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50 questions
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- Q1The four butterflies in the illustrations represent the offspring in the F1 generation. Which statement is best supported by the phenotypes of these offspring?Two of the offspring in the F1 generation will experience a spontaneous mutationThe F1 generation is the result of a dihybrid crossTwo of the offspring in the F1 generation will not be able to reproduceThe F1 generation is composed only of males60sBIOL.6f
- Q2The 1918 influenza epidemic killed between 50 million and 100 million people worldwide. This epidemic happened near the end of World War I. More people died from the influenza epidemic than were killed in the war. Which of the following explains why this virus was so deadly worldwide?All of the aboveFood was scarce because of the war, so people were undernourished, and their immune systems were weakenedMedical personnel often became ill as a result of exposure to airborne virus particlesInfected soldiers returning from the war spread the virus when they coughed60sBIOL.4c
- Q3The amount of energy the producers in this energy pyramid provide the primary consumers is 54,000 joules. From this amount, 540 joules are provided to the tertiary consumers. Based on this model, how much of the energy was provided to secondary consumers?54 J5,400 J53,460 J540 J60sBIOL.12c
- Q4The survival of a species depends on its ability to adapt to changes in the environment. A species must be capable of surviving and reproducing despite changes to food sources, climate, or threats from predators. Which statement correctly describes a way that mutations increase the likelihood that a species will survive in a changing environment?Mutations are always passed on to subsequent generations of the speciesMutations are a source of variation in the speciesMutations are the cause of disease in the speciesMutations are not harmful when they occur in somatic cells of the species60sBIOL.6e
- Q5The diagram represents one way an enzyme can be inhibited. Which statement explains the effect of an inhibitor on an enzyme?A substrate will be unable to attach to the enzymeThe enzyme will likely be attacked by immune cellsA substrate will be able to bond with the enzymeThe enzyme will be unable to produce more enzymes60sBIOL.9c
- Q6Four different nucleotides are used as building blocks of DNA. Which of the following can be used to distinguish one nucleotide from another?The length of the phosphate groupThe type of fatty acidThe nitrogenous baseThe shape of the deoxyribose sugar60sBIOL.9a
- Q7The green frog (Lithobates clamitans clamitans) is found in many parts of the United States. The table contains some information about this frog. Why does the ability to lay 1,000 to 5,000 eggs increase the fitness of the species L. clamitans clamitans?It increases the chance of the recombination of alleles, leading to genetic drift in the populationIt increases the probability that some offspring will survive long enough to reproduceIt increases opportunities for offspring to compete for limited resourcesIt increases the probability that moving water will promote gene flow from one population to another60sBIOL.7d
- Q8Food webs such as the one shown were first used in 1927 by the animal ecologist Charles Elton. The food web below represents the feeding relationships among organisms in an Alaskan ecosystem. An environmental change that removed which of these organisms from the ecosystem would cause the most instability in the ecosystem?FoxesAukletsSalmonZooplankton60sBIOL.12e
- Q9During the final stages of human gestation, receptors for the hormone oxytocin increase on the smooth muscle cells of the uterus. The release of oxytocin during labor stimulates the smooth muscle tissue in the wall of the uterus. The vigorous contraction of the uterine smooth muscle helps push the baby through the birth canal so that delivery can occur. This process involves the interaction of which organ systems?Endocrine and muscular onlyEndocrine, muscular, and reproductiveEndocrine, reproductive, and excretoryEndocrine and reproductive only60sBIOL.10a
- Q10In the early 1900s a scientist hypothesized a link between DNA and the production of proteins in the cytoplasm. However, the fact that DNA could not be found outside the nucleus led scientists to believe that another substance was also involved in the synthesis of protein in the cytoplasm. In the 1940s scientists performed an experiment that ultimately identified the site of protein synthesis. They also identified the molecule responsible for transporting information from the nucleus to the site of protein synthesis. What was this newly identified molecule?ThymineA genemRNAATP60sBIOL.4b
- Q11During meiosis, homologous chromosomes exchange genetic material. This exchange of genetic material -increases the haploid number to the diploid numberreduces the probability of mutationsincreases the genetic variationreduces the diploid number to the haploid number60sBIOL.6g
- Q12As a fertilized egg divides, the cells differentiate because they -contain a lipid bilayermetabolize sugars rapidlycan clump togetherhave specific genes activated60sBIOL.5c
- Q13Bactrian camels, dromedaries, llamas, and alpacas are all members of the same taxonomic family, Camelidae. Members of this family all have two toes, no hooves, true canine teeth, and a split upper lip. The family Camelidae originated in North America. The physical features of animals in this family and the family's geographical origin provide evidence that all these animals -have slowly evolved to become herbivoresexchanged DNA at some point in the pasthave a common ancestorlive in the same type of ecosystem60sBIOL.7a
- Q14Which statement best describes the relationship between the products of photosynthesis and the reactants in cellular respiration?The products of photosynthesis serve as the reactants in cellular respiration to provide chemical energy.The products of photosynthesis change the structure of the reactants in cellular respiration in the presence of lightThe products of photosynthesis combine with the reactants in cellular respiration to remove ATP from cellsThe products of photosynthesis inhibit the reactants in cellular respiration in the presence of light60sBIOL.9b
- Q15Health professionals sometimes recommend nutritional supplements that contain a variety of species of bacteria to promote good digestive health. The product label for one of these supplements is shown. Why does this type of bacteria-filled supplement benefit human health instead of causing illness?These bacteria are able to deactivate viruses that may inhabit the human digestive system and are used to protect against further viral infectionsThese species of bacteria remove all the other species of microorganisms living in the human digestive system and ensure that no microorganisms survive to contaminate the bodyThe human digestive system contains billions of beneficial bacteria that enhance digestion and nutrient absorption, synthesize vitamins, and help limit the growth of harmful bacteriaStomach acids and digestive enzymes kill the bacteria in this type of supplement, protecting the person against future infections by live organisms60sBIOL.11a