High School Biology Released Items MCAS 2012

Transcript

High School Biology Released Items MCAS 2012 Page 1 XVIII. Biology, High School Page 2 305 High School Biology Test The spring 2012 high school Biology test was based on learning standards in the Biology content strand of the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework (2006). These learning standards appear on pages 54 –58 of the Framework. The Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework is available on the Department website at www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html. Biology test results are reported under the following five MCAS reporting categories: ■ Biochemistry and Cell Biology ■ Genetics ■ Anatomy and Physiology ■ Ecology ■ Evolution and Biodiversity Test Sessions The high school Biology test included two separate test sessions, which were administered on consecutive days. Each session included multiple-choice and open-response questions. Reference Materials and Tools The high school Biology test was designed to be taken without the aid of a calculator. Students were allowed to have calculators with them during testing, but calculators were not needed to answer questions. The use of bilingual word-to-word dictionaries was allowed for current and former English language learner students only, during both Biology test sessions. No other reference tools or materials were allowed. Cross-Reference Information The table at the conclusion of this chapter indicates each item’s reporting category and the framework learning standard it assesses. The correct answers for multiple-choice questions are also displayed in the table. Page 3 306 Biology SeSSion 1 DIRECTIONS This session contains twenty-one multiple-choice questions and two open-response questions. Mark your answers to these questions in the spaces provided in your Student Answer Booklet. You may work out solutions to multiple-choice questions in the test booklet. ID:279804 edited_3093893.eps [opt_a A Common EQ ●1 Which of the following diagrams accurately represents the use of gases in both cellular respiration and photosynthesis? A. O2 CO2 Cellular respiration Photosynthesis B. O2 2 CO Cellular respiration Photosynthesis C. O2 CO2 Cellular respiration Photosynthesis D. O2 2 CO Cellular respiration Photosynthesis ID:261253 B Common EQ ●2 Hepatitis is a disease of the liver. Which of the following happens as a result of decreased liver function? A. Carbon dioxide builds up in the liver. B. Toxic compounds build up in the blood. C. The kidneys take over the functions of the liver. D. The stomach produces the enzymes needed for digestion. Page 4 307 Biology Session 1 ID:290983 A Common EQ ●3 A species of newt produces a toxin that can kill predators. Scientists have observed that some garter snakes can feed on the newts because they have a natural resistance to the toxin. In areas where populations of newts and garter snakes interact, which of the following predictions is best supported by evolutionary theory? A. The garter snakes with resistance to the toxin will successfully reproduce and pass the trait on to their offspring. B. The garter snakes without resistance to the toxin will acquire resistance by increasing the rate at which they feed on the newts. C. The newts that produce low levels of toxin will also develop camouflage adaptations that allow them to hide from the garter snakes. D. The newts will stop making the toxin rather than continue to use energy to make a toxin that is ineffective against the garter snakes. ID:283215 C Common EQ ●4 At one time, all the continents on Earth were joined in a supercontinent called Pangaea. Over time Pangaea split into separate continents. Which of the following statements describes a result of this split? A. All fossil evidence of species from Pangaea was lost. B. Organisms on the separated continents no longer migrated for breeding. C. Ancestral organisms evolved into different species on the separated continents. D. Evolution in species proceeded more slowly on the separate continents than it had on Pangaea. Page 5 308 Biology Session 1 ID:273543 Benjul029.eps A Common EQ ●5 A food web is shown below. Oak tree Pine tree Mouse Pine borer Kinglet Salamander Snake Hawk Which of the following organisms compete for the mouse as a food source? A. hawk and snake B. snake and kinglet C. oak tree and pine tree D. pine borer and salamander ID:290943 88052x.eps B Common EQ ●6 The diagram below shows one response pathway the human body uses to control blood pressure. Blood pressure increases. Receptors in arteries send signals to brain. Brain signals heart to beat slower. Blood pressure decreases. Which body systems work together in this response pathway to control blood pressure? A. digestive and nervous B. nervous and circulatory C. respiratory and digestive D. circulatory and excretory Page 6 309 Biology Session 1 ID:234782 D Common EQ ●7 The table below presents a variety of mRNA three-base sequences (codons) and the amino acids for which these sequences code. First Base of mRNA Second Base of mRNA Third Base of mRNA Amino Acid G A A glutamic acid C aspartic acid G glutamic acid U aspartic acid G A glycine C glycine G glycine U glycine U A valine C valine G valine U valine Based on the information in the table, which of the following changes is least likely to produce a phenotypic change in an organism? A. GAU to GGU B. GAU to GUU C. GAU to GAA D. GAU to GAC Page 7 310 Biology Session 1 The following section focuses on bacterial resistance to several antibiotics. Read the information below and use it to answer the four multiple-choice questions and one open-response question that follow. ID:289978 Mod_5.eps Common EQ One of the most important developments in modern medicine was the discovery of antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria. However, strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics are emerging. The rate of increase in infections caused by these antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria is a concern for human health. The bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of the respiratory disease pneumonia. The graph below shows trends in bacterial resistance to different antibiotics in pneumonia cases from 1986 to 1999. Key Types of Antibiotics Trimethoprim/ Sulfamethoxazole Tetracycline Penicillin Erythromycin 1988 1986 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 Percent of Pneumonia Cases in Which Bacteria Are Resistant Year 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Trends in Bacterial Resistance Page 8 311 Biology Session 1 Mark your answers to multiple-choice questions 8 through 11 in the spaces provided in your Student Answer Booklet. Do not write your answers in this test booklet, but you may work out solutions to multiple-choice questions in the test booklet. ID:289990 Mod_5.eps A Common EQ ●8 Antibiotics are helpful in treating an infection when the number of bacteria becomes too large for the body’s immune system to fight on its own. What process enables the bacteria to multiply inside the body? A. binary fission B. fertilization C. meiosis D. nitrogen fixation ID:289988 Mod_5.eps B Common EQ ●9 Some antibiotics work by disrupting ATP production in bacteria. Which of the following will the bacteria lack when ATP production is disrupted? A. genetic material for reproduction B. energy to perform life processes C. nucleic acids to make proteins D. cytoplasm to diffuse oxygen ID:289986 Mod_5.eps A Common EQ ●10 When Streptococcus pneumoniae are exposed to an antibiotic, the bacteria try to pump the antibiotic out of their cells. Which of the following mechanisms is most likely used by the Streptococcus pneumoniae to pump the antibiotic out of their cells? A. active transport B. diffusion C. facilitated diffusion D. osmosis ID:289981 Mod_5.eps C Common EQ ●11 Resistance to antibiotics results from variations in the genetic code of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Which type of molecule encodes genetic information in Streptococcus pneumoniae ? A. carbohydrate B. fatty acid C. nucleic acid D. protein Page 9 312 Biology Session 1 Question 12 is an open-response question. • BE SURE TO ANSWER AND LABEL ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION. • Show all your work (diagrams, tables, or computations) in your Student Answer Booklet. • If you do the work in your head, explain in writing how you did the work. Write your answer to question 12 in the space provided in your Student Answer Booklet. ID:289994 Mod_5.eps Common EQ ●12 The graph shows the changes in antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae over time. a. Based on the graph, which antibiotic had Streptococcus pneumoniae become most resistant to by 1999? b. Describe what usually happens to a population of Streptococcus pneumoniae immediately after it is exposed to a new antibiotic. c. Explain, in detail, how antibiotic-resistant populations of Streptococcus pneumoniae develop over time as a result of the process of natural selection. Page 10 313 Biology Session 1 Mark your answers to multiple-choice questions 13 through 22 in the spaces provided in your Student Answer Booklet. Do not write your answers in this test booklet, but you may work out solutions to multiple-choice questions in the test booklet. ID:290993 B Common EQ ●13 Long-tailed weasels and European otters are both classified into the family Mustelidae. Which of the following types of information was most likely used to classify these animals into the same family? A. food source B. skeletal structure C. location of habitat D. method of movement ID:283136 A Common EQ ●14 Which of the following is currently a primary cause of species decline worldwide? A. habitat destruction B. intraspecific competition C. random mating D. viral outbreaks ID:290952 88087x.eps D Common EQ ●15 Each of the illustrations below shows either a prokaryotic cell or a eukaryotic cell. Each cell is numbered. 1 2 3 4 (Not to scale) Which two cells should be classified as prokaryotic cells? A. 1 and 2 B. 1 and 3 C. 2 and 4 D. 3 and 4 Page 11 314 Biology Session 1 ID:290982 B Common EQ ●16 Which of the following statements describes a DNA molecule? A. It contains the base uracil. B. It has a double helix shape. C. It contains five phosphate groups per nucleotide. D. It has a backbone of twenty different nucleotides. ID:235183 A Common EQ ●17 Height is a polygenic trait in humans. Which of the following statements best explains the genetics of this trait? A. Height is controlled by more than one gene. B. Height is controlled by a single dominant gene. C. The gene for height is located on the X chromosome. D. The gene for height is located on the Y chromosome. Page 12 315 Biology Session 1 ID:283217 D Common EQ ●18 Spruce budworms are a type of moth. For every 100 budworm eggs, only about 1% reach adulthood. The table below shows the average number of budworms that survive and the main cause of death at each life cycle stage prior to the adult stage. Stage in Life Cycle Average Number Alive at Start of Stage Main Cause of Death during Stage egg 100 parasite early larva 85 dispersal to unsuitable habitat late larva 17 parasite, disease pupa 2 parasite adult 1 Based on the data in the table, which of the following changes would most improve the percentage of budworms surviving to adulthood? A. a thinner cocoon wall in the pupal stage B. a slower rate of development in the late larval stage C. a decrease in exposure to disease in the pupal stage D. an increase in resistance to parasites during the egg stage Page 13 316 Biology Session 1 ID:288171 C Common EQ ●19 In mussels, the allele for brown coloring (B) is dominant, and the allele for blue coloring (b) is recessive. For which parental genotypes are 100% of the offspring expected to be blue? A. Bb 3 Bb B. BB 3 bb C. bb 3 bb D. BB 3 BB ID:283207 D Common EQ ●20 Specific DNA sequences called “promoters” provide binding sites for the enzyme that synthesizes RNA. Promoters are directly involved in which cellular process? A. active transport B. crossing over C. replication D. transcription ID:290258 C Common EQ ●21 Students digging near their school unearthed four objects. One of the objects was part of the exoskeleton of an insect. The table below shows the results of a chemical analysis of the objects. Object Chemical Composition W chlorine, sodium X oxygen, silicon Y carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen Z aluminum, silicon, oxygen, hydrogen Based on the chemical analysis, which object is most likely from the exoskeleton? A. object W B. object X C. object Y D. object Z ID:283167 B Common EQ ●22 In the human respiratory system, the contraction and relaxation of a muscle called the diaphragm helps move air through which of the following structures? A. artery, capillary, and vein B. larynx, pharynx, and trachea C. atrium, trachea, and ventricle D. esophagus, kidney, and pharynx Page 14 317 Biology Session 1 Question 23 is an open-response question. • BE SURE TO ANSWER AND LABEL ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION. • Show all your work (diagrams, tables, or computations) in your Student Answer Booklet. • If you do the work in your head, explain in writing how you did the work. Write your answer to question 23 in the space provided in your Student Answer Booklet. ID:234808 Common EQ ●23 Various types of evidence can be used to distinguish organisms in different kingdoms. a. Describe two ways to distinguish bacteria from protists, using cell structures or means of obtaining nourishment. b. Describe two ways to distinguish fungi from plants, using cell structures or means of obtaining nourishment. Page 15 318 Biology SeSSion 2 DIRECTIONS This session contains nineteen multiple-choice questions and three open-response questions. Mark your answers to these questions in the spaces provided in your Student Answer Booklet. You may work out solutions to multiple-choice questions in the test booklet. ID:290931 C Common EQ ●24 Scientific evidence shows that modern dogs, wolves, and foxes all have a common ancestor. Further evidence shows that dogs are more closely related to wolves than to foxes. Which of the following observations provides the best evidence that dogs are more closely related to wolves than to foxes? A. The diets of dogs and wolves are more similar than the diets of dogs and foxes. B. The lifespans of dogs and wolves are more similar than the lifespans of dogs and foxes. C. The genetic sequences of dogs and wolves are more similar than the genetic sequences of dogs and foxes. D. The body sizes of dogs and wolves are more similar than the body sizes of dogs and foxes. ID:290024 B Common EQ ●25 In which part of the human digestive system do both physical breakdown and chemical breakdown of food first begin? A. esophagus B. mouth C. large intestine D. small intestine ID:242858 B Common EQ ●26 The human body regularly sheds and replaces its skin cells. Which of the following processes is directly responsible for replacing these cells? A. meiosis B. mitosis C. osmosis D. transcription ID:289297 87655_DNA.eps B Common EQ ●27 The diagram below shows a pair of DNA nucleotides. The nitrogenous base guanine (G) is labeled. ? G Which nitrogenous base pairs with guanine? A. adenine (A) B. cytosine (C) C. thymine (T) D. uracil (U) Page 16 319 Biology Session 2 ID:279496 A Common EQ ●28 An animal population decreases from 800 individuals to 600 individuals. Which of the following could explain this change in population size? A. The population size of the animal’s predator increased. B. The emigration rate of the animals from the population decreased. C. The number of breeding pairs in the animal’s population increased. D. The number of species competing with the animal for food decreased. ID:209074 Ogreli_foodweb.eps D Common EQ ●29 Part of a marsh food web is shown below. Birds Fish Worms Crayfish Algae Bacteria Which of the following statements correctly describes organisms in this food web? A. The birds are producers. B. The algae are consumers. C. The worms are carnivores. D. The bacteria are decomposers. ID:208194 A Common EQ ●30 A student is preparing to run in a school track competition. For the quickest source of energy, the student should eat a food that contains a high percentage of A. carbohydrates. B. fat. C. proteins. D. sodium. ID:283200 D Common EQ ●31 Which of the following is the best example of natural selection? A. The lifespan of a chimpanzee is extended to 60 years in captivity. B. The population size of giraffes changes over time as a result of immigration. C. The bone density of a human increases significantly as a result of participation in sports. D. The average toxin level in a poisonous frog population increases over time in response to high predation. Page 17 320 Biology Session 2 Question 32 is an open-response question. • BE SURE TO ANSWER AND LABEL ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION. • Show all your work (diagrams, tables, or computations) in your Student Answer Booklet. • If you do the work in your head, explain in writing how you did the work. Write your answer to question 32 in the space provided in your Student Answer Booklet. ID:279498 smooth_skeletal.eps Common EQ ●32 The illustrations below show a smooth muscle cell and a skeletal muscle cell. Smooth muscle cell Skeletal muscle cell a. Identify one location where smooth muscle is found in the human body and whether smooth muscle is under voluntary or involuntary control. b. Identify one location where skeletal muscle is found in the human body and whether skeletal muscle is under voluntary or involuntary control. The third type of muscle in the human body is cardiac muscle. c. Identify whether cardiac muscle is more similar to smooth muscle or skeletal muscle. Provide two reasons to support your answer. Page 18 321 Biology Session 2 Mark your answers to multiple-choice questions 33 through 43 in the spaces provided in your Student Answer Booklet. Do not write your answers in this test booklet, but you may work out solutions to multiple-choice questions in the test booklet. ID:289215 A Common EQ ●33 The number of monarch butterflies counted in one location in the western United States dropped from 354,300 to 50,853 over a 10-year period. Which of the following statements best explains the drop in the number of monarch butterflies counted? A. The death rate was greater than the birth rate. B. The emigration rate was greater than the death rate. C. The birth rate was greater than the immigration rate. D. The immigration rate was greater than the emigration rate. ID:289289 87633_finches.eps A Common EQ ●34 The diagram below shows many finch species that originated from a single ancestral finch species in the Galápagos Islands. Which of the following statements best explains why many different finch species originated from the single ancestral species? A. Populations adapted to environmental pressures. B. Recessive traits in populations were eliminated over time. C. Individuals acquired unique characteristics during their lifetimes. D. Random mutation caused some individuals to have harmful traits. Page 19 322 Biology Session 2 ID:273544 C Common EQ ●35 Many lichens are composed of fungi and algae. The fungi get sugars from the algae, and the algae get water, minerals, and proteins from the fungi. Which of the following terms best describes the relationship between the organisms in the lichens? A. commensalism B. competition C. mutualism D. parasitism ID:285636 maxpH_graph.eps A Common EQ ●36 The graph below shows how the activity of an enzyme changes over a range of pH values. Enzyme Activity 5.0 5.8 6.6 7.4 8.2 9.0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 P ercent of Maxim um Activity pH Which of the following conclusions is supported by the data? A. The optimum pH of the enzyme is 6.6. B. The optimum pH of the enzyme is 5.8. C. The enzyme’s activity is greater around pH 8.0 than around pH 5.0. D. The enzyme’s activity continually increases as pH increases from 5.0 to 9.0. Page 20 323 Biology Session 2 ID:273302 D Common EQ ●37 In guinea pigs, the allele for black hair (B) is dominant to the allele for brown hair (b). Two black-haired guinea pigs are crossed. One of the guinea pigs is homozygous for black hair and one is heterozygous. What percentage of the offspring are expected to have black hair? A. 25% B. 50% C. 75% D. 100% ID:273533 C Common EQ ●38 Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in the human body. As a neurotransmitter, acetylcholine is directly responsible for which of the following? A. speeding up the rate of biochemical reactions in cells B. assisting in the transport of nutrients in the bloodstream C. carrying the signal for a nerve impulse from one neuron to the next D. facilitating diffusion of amino acids across the plasma membrane of cells ID:256955 C Common EQ ●39 Which of the following statements is correct about the hierarchy of the taxonomic system currently used to classify organisms? A. All organisms of a given order belong to the same species. B. Many different classes of organisms belong to the same order. C. All organisms of a given phylum belong to the same kingdom. D. Many different families of organisms belong to the same genus. ID:283151 Clover_09.eps A Common EQ ●40 The illustration below shows part of a clover root system. Two root nodules are labeled. Nodules The nodules contain which of the following to fix nitrogen for the plant? A. bacteria B. gases C. hormones D. worms Page 21 324 Biology Session 2 ID:234783 D Common EQ ●41 The table below shows the genotypes that result in four different blood types in humans. Genotype Blood Type IAIA, IAi A IBIB, IBi B IAIB AB ii O Based on the information in the table, which of the following describes alleles IA and IB? A. The IA and IB alleles show sex linkage. B. The IA allele is recessive to the IB allele. C. The IA allele is dominant to the IB allele. D. The IA and IB alleles show codominance. ID:235186 B Common EQ ●42 Whale fins and bat wings are anatomically similar. Which of the following does this suggest about the animals? A. Whales and bats move in the same way. B. Whales and bats have a common ancestry. C. Whales and bats have existed for the same amount of time. D. Whales and bats were once adapted to the same environment. ID:279796 A Common EQ ●43 An amoeba in a pond engulfs and consumes a paramecium. The amoeba uses which of the following to quickly break down the organic molecules in the paramecium? A. enzymes B. glucose C. polysaccharides D. water Page 22 325 Biology Session 2 Questions 44 and 45 are open-response questions. • BE SURE TO ANSWER AND LABEL ALL PARTS OF EACH QUESTION. • Show all your work (diagrams, tables, or computations) in your Student Answer Booklet. • If you do the work in your head, explain in writing how you did the work. Write your answer to question 44 in the space provided in your Student Answer Booklet. ID:261447 261447dihybrid.eps Common EQ ●44 In tomato plants, the allele for red fruit color (R) is dominant to the allele for yellow fruit color (r). The allele for round-shaped fruit (F) is dominant to the allele for pear-shaped fruit (f). Two tomato plants, heterozygous for fruit color and fruit shape, are crossed. The Punnett square for this dihybrid cross is shown below. RF Rf rF rf RF Rf rF rf RrFf RrFF RRFf RRFF Rrff RrFf RRff RRFf rrFf rrFF RrFf RrFF rrff rrFf Rrff RrFf a. For this cross, identify all the possible phenotypes of the offspring. b. Considering only fruit color, determine the ratio of offspring with red fruit to offspring with yellow fruit predicted by the Punnett square. c. Considering only fruit shape, determine the ratio of offspring with round-shaped fruit to offspring with pear-shaped fruit predicted by the Punnett square. d. Explain what is meant by independent assortment and describe one way in which your answers to parts (a), (b), and (c) support the conclusion that the genes for fruit color and fruit shape sort independently. Page 23 326 Biology Session 2 Write your answer to question 45 in the space provided in your Student Answer Booklet. ID:291007 Common EQ ●45 The trees in tropical rain forests are important to nutrient cycling in the biosphere. a. Describe one role of the trees in the carbon cycle. b. Describe one role of the trees in the oxygen cycle. c. Describe one role of the trees in the water cycle. Some rain forest trees are destroyed by burning, while some others are cut down and left on the forest floor. d. Describe one way that burning rain forest trees affects nutrient cycling differently than cutting them down and leaving them on the forest floor. Page 24 327 High School Biology Spring 2012 Released Items: Reporting Categories, Standards, and Correct Answers* Item No. Page No. Reporting Category Standard Correct Answer (MC)* 1 306 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 2.4 A 2 306 Anatomy and Physiology 4.2 B 3 307 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.3 A 4 307 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.2 C 5 308 Ecology 6.3 A 6 308 Anatomy and Physiology 4.8 B 7 309 Genetics 3.3 D 8 311 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 2.3 A 9 311 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 2.5 B 10 311 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 2.1 A 11 311 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 1.2 C 12 312 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.3 13 313 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.2 B 14 313 Ecology 6.2 A 15 313 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 2.2 D 16 314 Genetics 3.1 B 17 314 Genetics 3.4 A 18 315 Ecology 6.1 D 19 316 Genetics 3.6 C 20 316 Genetics 3.2 D 21 316 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 1.1 C 22 316 Anatomy and Physiology 4.3 B 23 317 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 2.3 24 318 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.1 C 25 318 Anatomy and Physiology 4.1 B 26 318 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 2.6 B 27 318 Genetics 3.1 B 28 319 Ecology 6.2 A 29 319 Ecology 6.3 D 30 319 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 1.2 A 31 319 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.3 D 32 320 Anatomy and Physiology 4.5 33 321 Ecology 6.1 A 34 321 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.1 A 35 322 Ecology 6.3 C 36 322 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 1.3 A 37 323 Genetics 3.6 D 38 323 Anatomy and Physiology 4.7 C 39 323 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.2 C Page 25 328 Item No. Page No. Reporting Category Standard Correct Answer (MC)* 40 323 Ecology 6.4 A 41 324 Genetics 3.4 D 42 324 Evolution and Biodiversity 5.1 B 43 324 Biochemistry and Cell Biology 1.3 A 44 325 Genetics 3.5 45 326 Ecology 6.4 * Answers are provided here for multiple-choice items and short-answer items only. Sample responses and scoring guidelines for open-response items, which are indicated by shaded cells, will be posted to the Department’s website later this year.

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