Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test Practice Book

G R A D U A T E R E C O R D E X A M I N A T I O N S ®

Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular BiologyTest Practice Book

Listening.

Learning.

Leading.

This practice book contains◾ one actual full-length GRE Biochemistry,

Cell and Molecular Biology Test

◾ test-taking strategies

Become familiar with◾ test structure and content

◾ test instructions and answering procedures

Compare your practice test results with the performance of those who

took the test at a GRE administration.

Visit GRE Online at www.ets.org/gre

This book is provided FREE with test registration by the Graduate Record Examinations Board.

2 BIOCHEMISTRY, CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TESTPRACTICE BOOK

Copyright © 2001 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved.EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE, ETS, the ETS logos, GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS,

and GRE are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service.

Note to Test Takers: Keep this practice book until you receive your score report.The book contains important information about content specifications and scoring.

3BIOCHEMISTRY, CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TESTPRACTICE BOOK

Purpose of the GRESubject TestsThe GRE Subject Tests are designed to help graduateschool admission committees and fellowship sponsorsassess the qualifications of applicants in specific fieldsof study. The tests also provide you with an assess-ment of your own qualifications.

Scores on the tests are intended to indicateknowledge of the subject matter emphasized in manyundergraduate programs as preparation for graduatestudy. Because past achievement is usually a goodindicator of future performance, the scores are helpfulin predicting success in graduate study. Because thetests are standardized, the test scores permit compari-son of students from different institutions withdifferent undergraduate programs. For some SubjectTests, subscores are provided in addition to the totalscore; these subscores indicate the strengths andweaknesses of your preparation, and they may helpyou plan future studies.

The GRE Board recommends that scores on theSubject Tests be considered in conjunction withother relevant information about applicants.Because numerous factors influence success in

graduate school, reliance on a single measure topredict success is not advisable. Other indicators ofcompetence typically include undergraduate tran-scripts showing courses taken and grades earned,letters of recommendation, the GRE WritingAssessment score and GRE General Test scores. Forinformation about the appropriate use of GREscores, write to GRE Program, Educational TestingService, Mail Stop 57-L, Princeton, NJ 08541, orvisit our Web site at www.gre.org/codelst.html.

Development of theSubject TestsEach new edition of a Subject Test is developed by acommittee of examiners composed of professors inthe subject who are on undergraduate and graduatefaculties in different types of institutions and indifferent regions of the United States and Canada. Inselecting members for each committee, the GREProgram seeks the advice of the appropriate profes-sional associations in the subject.

The content and scope of each test are specifiedand reviewed periodically by the committee ofexaminers. Test questions are written by the commit-tee and by other faculty who are also subject-matterspecialists and by subject-matter specialists at ETS.All questions proposed for the test are reviewed bythe committee and revised as necessary. The acceptedquestions are assembled into a test in accordancewith the content specifications developed by thecommittee to ensure adequate coverage of the variousaspects of the field and, at the same time, to preventoveremphasis on any single topic. The entire test isthen reviewed and approved by the committee.

Subject-matter and measurement specialists onthe ETS staff assist the committee, providing infor-mation and advice about methods of test construc-tion and helping to prepare the questions andassemble the test. In addition, each test question isreviewed to eliminate language, symbols, or contentconsidered potentially offensive, inappropriate formajor subgroups of the test-taking population, orlikely to perpetuate any negative attitude that may be

Table of ContentsPurpose of the GRE Subject Tests ........................ 3

Development of the Subject Tests ....................... 3

Content of the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular

Biology Test ..................................................... 4

Preparing for a Subject Test ................................. 6

Test-Taking Strategies .......................................... 7

What Your Scores Mean ...................................... 7

Practice Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular

Biology Test ................................................... 11

Scoring Your Subject Test .................................. 55

Evaluating Your Performance ............................. 58

Answer Sheet ..................................................... 59


conveyed to these subgroups. The test as a whole isalso reviewed to ensure that the test questions, whereapplicable, include an appropriate balance of people indifferent groups and different roles.

Because of the diversity of undergraduate cur-ricula, it is not possible for a single test to cover allthe material you may have studied. The examiners,therefore, select questions that test the basic knowl-edge and skills most important for successful graduatestudy in the particular field. The committee keeps thetest up-to-date by regularly developing new editionsand revising existing editions. In this way, the testcontent changes steadily but gradually, much likemost curricula. In addition, curriculum surveys areconducted periodically to ensure that the content ofa test reflects what is currently being taught in theundergraduate curriculum.

After a new edition of a Subject Test is firstadministered, examinees’ responses to each testquestion are analyzed in a variety of ways to deter-mine whether each question functioned as expected.These analyses may reveal that a question is ambigu-ous, requires knowledge beyond the scope of the test,or is inappropriate for the total group or a particularsubgroup of examinees taking the test. Answers tosuch questions are not used in computing scores.

Following this analysis, the new test edition isequated to an existing test edition. In the equatingprocess, statistical methods are used to assess thedifficulty of the new test. Then scores are adjusted sothat examinees who took a difficult edition of the testare not penalized, and examinees who took an easieredition of the test do not have an advantage. Varia-tions in the number of questions in the differenteditions of the test are also taken into account inthis process.

Scores on the Subject Tests are reported asthree-digit scaled scores with the third digit alwayszero. The maximum possible range for all SubjectTest total scores is from 200 to 990. The actualrange of scores for a particular Subject Test, how-ever, may be smaller. The maximum possible rangeof Subject Test subscores is 20 to 99; however, theactual range of subscores for any test or test editionmay be smaller. Subject Test score interpretiveinformation is provided in Interpreting Your GREScores, which you will receive with your GRE scorereport, and on the GRE Web site atwww.gre.org/codelst.html.

Content of the Biochemistry,Cell and MolecularBiology TestThe test contains about 180 multiple-choice questions,a number of which are grouped in sets toward the endof the test and based on descriptions of laboratorysituations, diagrams, or experimental results.

The content of the test is organized into threemajor areas: biochemistry, cell biology, and molecu-lar biology and genetics. In addition to the totalscore, a subscore in each of these subfield areas isreported. Because these three disciplines are basic tothe study of all organisms, test questions encompassboth eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Throughout thetest, there is an emphasis on questions requiringproblem-solving skills (including mathematicalcalculations that do not require the use of a calcula-tor) as well as content knowledge. While only twocontent areas in the following outline specificallymention methodology, questions on methodologyand data interpretation are included in all sections.

In developing questions for the test, thecommittee keeps in mind both the content oftypical courses taken by undergraduates and theknowledge and abilities required for graduate workin the fields related to the test. Because of thediversity of undergraduate curricula, few examineeswill have encountered all of the topics in thecontent outline. Consequently, no examinee shouldexpect to be able to answer all questions on theedition of the test he or she takes. The committee isaware that the three content areas are interrelated.Because of these interrelationships, individualquestions or sets of questions may test more than onecontent area. Therefore, the relative emphases of thethree areas in the following outline should not beconsidered definitive. Likewise, the topics listed arenot intended to be all-inclusive but, rather, represen-tative of the typical undergraduate experience.


I. BIOCHEMISTRY 36%A. Chemical and Physical Foundations

Thermodynamics and kineticsRedox statesWater, pH, acid-base reactions,

and buffersSolutions and equilibriaSolute-solvent interactionsChemical interactions and bondingChemical reaction mechanisms

B. Biomolecules: Structure, Assembly,Organization, and Dynamics

Small moleculesMacromolecules (for example,

nucleic acids, polysaccharides,proteins, and complex lipids)

Supramolecular complexes(for example, membranes,ribosomes, and multienzymecomplexes)

C. Catalysis and BindingEnzyme reaction mechanisms

and kineticsLigand-protein interaction

(for example, hormonereceptors, substrates andeffectors, transport proteins,and antigen-antibodyinteractions)

D. Major Metabolic PathwaysCarbon, nitrogen, and sulfur

assimilationAnabolismCatabolismSynthesis and degradation of

macromoleculesE. Bioenergetics (including respiration

and photosynthesis)Energy transformations at the

substrate levelElectron transportProton and chemical gradientsEnergy coupling (phosphorylation

and transport)F. Regulation and Integration of Metabolism

Covalent modification of enzymesAllosteric regulationCompartmentationHormones

G. MethodologySpectroscopyIsotopesSeparation techniques (for

example, centrifugation,chromatography, andelectrophoresis)

ImmunotechniquesII. CELL BIOLOGY 28%

A. Cellular Compartments of Prokaryotesand Eukaryotes: Organization,Dynamics, and Functions

Cellular membrane systems(structure and transport)

Nucleus (envelope and matrix)Mitochondria and chloroplasts

(including biogenesisand evolution)

B. Cell Surface and CommunicationExtracellular matrix (including

cell walls)Cell adhesion and junctionsSignal transductionReceptor functionExcitable membrane systems

C. Cytoskeleton, Motility, and ShapeActin-based systems (including

muscle contraction)Microtubule-based systemsIntermediate filamentsProkaryotic systems

D. Protein Synthesis and ProcessingRegulation of translationPosttranslational modificationIntracellular traffickingSecretion and endocytosis

E. Cell Division, Differentiation, andDevelopment

Bacterial divisionMeiosis and gametogenesisEukaryotic cell cycles, mitosis,

and cytokinesisFertilization and early embryonic

development (includingpositional information,homeotic genes, tissue-specificexpression, nuclear and cytoplasmicinteractions, growth factors andinduction, environment, and polarity)


III. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 36%AND GENETICSA. Genetic Foundations

Mendelian and non-Mendelianinheritance

Transformation, transduction,and conjugation

Recombination andcomplementation

Mutational analysisGenetic mapping and linkage

analysisB. Chromatin and Chromosomes

KaryotypesTranslocations, inversions,

deletions, and duplicationsAneuploidy and polyploidyStructure

C. GenomicsGenome structurePhysical mappingRepeated DNA and gene familiesGene identificationTransposable elements

D. Genome MaintenanceDNA replicationDNA damage and repairDNA modificationDNA recombination and

gene conversionE. Gene Expression

The genetic codeTranscriptionRNA processingTranslation

F. Gene Regulation in ProkaryotesPositive and negative control of

the operonPromoter recognition by

RNA polymerasesAttenuation and antitermination

G. Gene Regulation in EukaryotesCis-acting regulatory elementsTrans-acting regulatory factorsGene rearrangements and

amplifications

H. Bacteriophages and Animaland Plant Viruses

Genome replication and regulationVirus assemblyVirus-host interactions

I. MethodologyRestriction mapsNucleic acid blotting

and hybridizationDNA cloning in prokaryotes

and eukaryotesSequencing and analysisProtein-nucleic acid interaction

Preparing for a Subject TestGRE Subject Test questions are designed to measureskills and knowledge gained over a long period of time.Although you might increase your scores to someextent through preparation a few weeks or monthsbefore you take the test, last-minute cramming isunlikely to be of further help. The following informa-tion may be helpful.

� A general review of your college courses isprobably the best preparation for the test.However, the test covers a broad range ofsubject matter, and no one is expected to befamiliar with the content of every question.

� Use this practice book to become familiar withthe types of questions in the GRE Biochemistry,Cell and Molecular Biology Test, paying specialattention to the directions. If you thoroughlyunderstand the directions before you take thetest, you will have more time during the test tofocus on the questions themselves.


Test-Taking StrategiesThe questions in the practice test in this bookillustrate the types of multiple-choice questions inthe test. When you take the test, you will mark youranswers on a separate machine-scorable answer sheet.Total testing time is two hours and fifty minutes;there are no separately timed sections. Following aresome general test-taking strategies you may want toconsider.

� Read the test directions carefully, and work asrapidly as you can without being careless. Foreach question, choose the best answer from theavailable options.

� All questions are of equal value; do not wastetime pondering individual questions you findextremely difficult or unfamiliar.

� You may want to work through the test quiterapidly, first answering only the questions aboutwhich you feel confident, then going back andanswering questions that require more thought,and concluding with the most difficult ques-tions if there is time.

� If you decide to change an answer, make sureyou completely erase it and fill in the ovalcorresponding to your desired answer.

� Questions for which you mark no answer ormore than one answer are not counted inscoring.

� As a correction for haphazard guessing, one-fourth of the number of questions you answerincorrectly is subtracted from the number ofquestions you answer correctly. It is improbablethat mere guessing will improve your scoresignificantly; it may even lower your score.If, however, you are not certain of the correctanswer but have some knowledge of the ques-tion and are able to eliminate one or more ofthe answer choices, your chance of getting theright answer is improved, and it may be to youradvantage to answer the question.

� Record all answers on your answer sheet.Answers recorded in your test book will notbe counted.

� Do not wait until the last five minutes of atesting session to record answers on youranswer sheet.

What Your Scores MeanYour raw score—that is, the number of questionsyou answered correctly minus one-fourth of thenumber you answered incorrectly—is converted tothe scaled score that is reported. This conversionensures that a scaled score reported for any editionof a Subject Test is comparable to the same scaledscore earned on any other edition of the same test.Thus, equal scaled scores on a particular SubjectTest indicate essentially equal levels of performanceregardless of the test edition taken. Test scoresshould be compared only with other scores on thesame Subject Test. (For example, a 680 on theComputer Science Test is not equivalent to a 680on the Mathematics Test.)

Before taking the test, you may find it useful toknow approximately what raw scores would berequired to obtain a certain scaled score. Severalfactors influence the conversion of your raw score toyour scaled score, such as the difficulty of the testedition and the number of test questions included inthe computation of your raw score. Based on recenteditions of the Biochemistry, Cell and MolecularBiology Test, the table on the next page gives therange of raw scores associated with selected scaledscores for three different test editions. (Note thatwhen the number of scored questions for a given testis greater than the range of possible scaled scores, it islikely that two or more raw scores will convert to thesame scaled score.) The three test editions in the tablethat follows were selected to reflect varying degrees ofdifficulty. Examinees should note that future testeditions may be somewhat more or less difficult thanthe test editions illustrated in the table.


Range of Raw Scores* Neededto Earn Selected Scaled Scores on

Three Biochemistry, Cell and MolecularBiology Test Editions That Differ in Difficulty

Raw Scores

Scaled Score Form A Form B Form C700 131-134 123-125 119-121600 100-103 95-96 90-92500 69-72 66-68 62-64400 38-41 37-39 33-35

Number of Questions Used to Compute Raw Score178 180 177

*Raw Score = Number of correct answers minus one-fourth thenumber of incorrect answers, rounded to the nearest integer.

Examples of Ways to Earna Scaled Score of 500 on theEdition Labeled as “Form A”

Number ofQuestions Questions Questions Questions UsedAnswered Answered Not to Compute

Raw Score Correctly Incorrectly Answered Raw Score69 69 0 109 17869 80 43 55 17869 91 87 0 17872 72 0 106 17872 83 43 52 17872 93 85 0 178

For a particular test edition, there are many ways toearn the same raw score. For example, on the editionlisted above as “Form A,” a raw score of 69 through 72would earn a scaled score of 500. Below are a few of thepossible ways in which a scaled score of 500 could beearned on that edition.


Practice TestTo become familiar with how the administration will be conducted at the test center, firstremove the answer sheet (pages 59 and 60). Then go to the back cover of the test book(page 54) and follow the instructions for completing the identification areas of the answersheet. When you are ready to begin the test, note the time and begin marking your answerson the answer sheet.

10

11

FORM GR0022

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54


Scoring Your Subject TestBiochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test scorestypically range from 400 to 680. The range for differ-ent editions of a given test may vary because differenteditions are not of precisely the same difficulty. Thedifferences in ranges among different editions of agiven test, however, usually are small. This should betaken into account, especially when comparing twovery high scores. In general, differences betweenscores at the 99th percentile should be ignored. Thescore conversion table on page 57 shows the scorerange for this edition of the test only.

Subscores are reported as two-digit scaledscores. The maximum possible range of SubjectTest subscores is 20 to 99. Like total scores, theactual range of subscores for any test or test editionmay be smaller than 20 to 99.

The worksheet on page 56 lists the correct answersto the questions. Columns are provided for you tomark whether you chose the correct (C) answer oran incorrect (I) answer to each question. Draw a lineacross any question you omitted, because it is notcounted in the scoring. At the bottom of the page,enter the total number correct and the total numberincorrect. Divide the total incorrect by 4 and subtractthe resulting number from the total correct. This isthe adjustment made for guessing. Then round theresult to the nearest whole number. This will give youyour raw total score. Use the total score conversiontable to find the scaled total score that corresponds toyour raw total score.

Example: Suppose you chose the correct answersto 91 questions and incorrect answers to 39. Dividing39 by 4 yields 9.8. Subtracting 9.8 from 91 equals81.2, which is rounded to 81. The raw score of 81corresponds to a scaled score of 530.

The subscore columns in the worksheet can besimilarly used to tally your correct and incorrectresponses to the questions that contribute to eachsubscore. We suggest that you circle the “●” if youchose the correct answer, and put a minus sign besidethe “●” for an incorrect answer. Space is provided atthe bottom right of the worksheet to calculate andenter your three raw subscores. The subscore conver-sion table will show you the scaled subscores thatcorrespond to your raw subscores.


Worksheet for the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test, Form GR0022Answer Key and Percentages* of Examinees Answering Each Question Correctly

QUESTION TOTAL SUBSCORENumber Answer P + C I 1 2 3

1 D 76 •2 A 28 •3 B 34 •4 A 65 •5 E 80 •

6 A 63 •7 E 79 •8 B 42 •9 D 84 •

10 B 54 •

11 E 41 •12 E 61 •13 E 47 •14 C 80 •15 C 79 •

16 D 56 •17 C 38 •18 B 76 •19 D 51 •20 A 47 •

21 E 65 •22 D 6 •23 E 46 •24 D 63 •25 A 11 •

26 A 57 •27 B 79 •28 E 67 •29 D 83 •30 A 76 •

31 B 32 •32 C 30 •33 E 84 •34 E 33 •35 B 74 •

36 B 63 •37 E 60 •38 D 20 •39 A 59 •40 B 25 •

41 A 43 •42 A 61 •43 D 48 •44 C 46 •45 D 77 •

46 B 50 •47 A 53 •48 E 8 •49 E 60 •50 B 63 •

51 A 27 •52 C 57 •53 D 36 •54 A 43 •55 D 38 •

56 C 59 •57 D 41 •58 B 65 •59 A 45 •60 D 5 •

Total Correct (C)

Total Incorrect (I)

Total Score:

C – I/4 = ____________

Scaled Score (SS) = ____________

*The P+ column indicates the percentage of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test examinees that answeredeach question correctly; it is based on a sample of December 2000 examinees selected to represent all Biochemistry,Cell and Molecular Biology Test examinees tested between October 1, 1997, and September 30, 2000.


61 D 52 •62 C 72 •63 A 50 •64 E 50 •65 A 24 •

66 A 71 •67 A 22 •68 C 45 •69 D 59 •70 E 66 •

71 E 51 •72 C 54 •73 B 91 •74 E 45 •75 B 54 •

76 B 43 •77 C 40 •78 B 35 •79 E 83 •80 C 61 •

81 B 47 •82 B 46 •83 B 23 •84 B 30 •85 C 62 •

86 D 43 •87 D 58 •88 B 42 •89 D 75 •90 E 51 •

91 A 57 •92 B 81 •93 E 12 •94 B 32 •95 B 32 •

96 A 35 •97 D 62 •98 E 47 •99 B 55 •

100 C 36 •

101 D 78 •102 D 45 •103 B 58 •104 B 26 •105 C 28 •

106 E 6 •107 C 77 •108 C 33 •109 D 63 •110 C 52 •

111 B 32 •112 E 30 •113 B 69 •114 A 83 •115 A 23 •

116 A 82 •117 D 47 •118 E 34 •119 E 23 •120 E 89 •


121 B 63 •122 A 81 •123 C 75 •124 D 73 •125 C 20 •

126 D 56 •127 A 31 •128 C 37 •129 B 48 •130 C 93 •

131 D 96 •132 E 88 •133 B 90 •134 B 57 •135 A 50 •

136 C 62 •137 C 70 •138 A 65 •139 B 29 •140 D 18 •

141 B 62 •142 A 75 •143 D 64 •144 C 69 •145 E 54 •

146 B 38 •147 D 27 •148 A 25 •149 E 41 •150 A 53 •

151 C 56 •152 B 50 •153 C 59 •154 B 26 •155 E 58 •

156 C 46 •157 D 14 •158 D 26 •159 C 77 •160 B 56 •

161 B 67 •162 D 51 •163 C 47 •164 D 50 •165 E 43 •

166 C 82 •167 C 60 •168 B 49 •169 E 46 •170 A 48 •

171 C 49 •172 B 38 •173 C 51 •174 D 29 •175 B 71 •

176 E 28 •177 A 33 •178 C 62 •179 D 82 •180 A 66 •

Subscores:

1) C – I/4 = ____________ SS = ____________

2) C – I/4 = ____________ SS = ____________

3) C – I/4 = ____________ SS = ____________


Raw Scores ScaledSub 1 Sub 2 Sub 3 Score

64-65 50 8363 49 8262 48 8161 47 65 80

60 46 64 7958-59 45 63 78

57 44 62 7756 43 61 7655 42 59-60 75

53-54 41 58 7452 40 57 7351 39 56 7250 38 55 7149 37 53-54 70

47-48 36 52 6946 35 51 6845 34 50 6744 33 49 6643 31-32 47-48 65

41-42 30 46 6440 29 45 6339 28 44 6238 27 43 6137 26 41-42 60

35-36 25 40 5934 24 39 5833 23 38 5732 22 37 56

30-31 21 35-36 55

Score Conversions for GRE Biochemistry,Cell and Molecular Biology Test

Form GR0022 and the Percents Below*

88-90 560 6085-87 550 5782-84 540 5379-81 530 5076-78 520 4673-75 510 4370-72 500 39

67-69 490 3664-66 480 3261-63 470 2957-60 460 2654-56 450 2351-53 440 2148-50 430 1845-47 420 1542-44 410 1339-41 400 11

36-38 390 933-35 380 730-32 370 627-29 360 424-26 350 321-23 340 317-20 330 214-16 320 111-13 310 18-10 300 1

5-7 290 12-4 280 10-1 270 1

TOTAL SCORE

Raw Score Scaled Score % Raw Score Scaled Score %

180 860 99178-179 850 99174-177 840 99171-173 830 99168-170 820 99165-167 810 99162-164 800 99

159-161 790 99156-158 780 99153-155 770 99150-152 760 99147-149 750 98144-146 740 97141-143 730 97138-140 720 96134-137 710 95131-133 700 94

128-130 690 92125-127 680 91122-124 670 89119-121 660 87116-118 650 85113-115 640 83110-112 630 80107-109 620 78104-106 610 75101-103 600 73

98-100 590 7094-97 580 6791-93 570 64

*Percentage scoring below the scaled score is based on the performance of9,569 examinees who took the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Testbetween October 1, 1997, and September 30, 2000.

SUBSCORES

Score Conversions for GRE Biochemistry,Cell and Molecular Biology Test Subscores

(Use for Form GR0022)

Raw Scores ScaledSub 1 Sub 2 Sub 3 Score

29 20 34 5428 19 33 5327 18 32 5226 17 31 51

24-25 16 29-30 50

23 15 28 4922 14 27 4821 13 26 4720 12 25 46

18-19 11 23-24 4517 10 22 4416 9 21 4315 7-8 20 4214 6 19 41

12-13 5 18 40

11 4 16-17 3910 3 15 389 2 14 378 1 13 36

6-7 0 12 355 10-11 344 9 333 8 32

1-2 7 310 6 30

4-5 293 282 271 260 25


Evaluating YourPerformanceNow that you have scored your test, you may wish tocompare your performance with the performance ofothers who took this test. Both the worksheet on page56 and the tables on page 57 use performance datafrom GRE Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular BiologyTest examinees.

The data in the worksheet on page 56 are based onthe performance of a sample of the examinees who tookthis test in December 2000. This sample was selected torepresent the total population of GRE Biochemistry,Cell and Molecular Biology Test examinees testedbetween October 1997 and September 2000. Thenumbers in the column labeled “P+” on the worksheetindicate the percentages of examinees in this samplewho answered each question correctly. You may usethese numbers as a guide for evaluating your perfor-mance on each test question.

The first table on page 57 contains, for each scaledscore, the percentage of examinees tested betweenOctober 1997 and September 2000 who received lowerscores. Interpretive data based on the scores earned byexaminees tested in this three-year period will be usedby admissions officers in the 2001-02 testing year. Thesepercentages appear in the score conversion table in acolumn to the right of the scaled scores. For example, inthe percentage column opposite the scaled score of 530is the number 50. This means that 50 percent of theGRE Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Testexaminees tested between October 1997 and September2000 scored lower than 530. To compare yourself withthis population, look at the percentage next to thescaled score you earned on the practice test.

Your three subscores show your relativestrengths or weaknesses in the three subfield areasof the GRE Biochemistry, Cell and MolecularBiology Test. The raw subscores are scaled in sucha way that they are related to the total scores onthe test. On the average, a person who has acomprehensive background in the field can expectto have subscores equal to about one-tenth of hisor her total score. Thus, if you have a total score of600, and your undergraduate program placed equalemphasis on the three areas of biochemistry, celland molecular biology represented by thesubscores, you would expect to have a scaledsubscore of about 60 in each area. If, however, yoursubscores differ by more than a few points, you maytake this as an indication that your lower scoreshows weakness, and you may wish to concentrateyour review efforts on topics in that area.

It is important to realize that the conditionsunder which you tested yourself were not exactly thesame as those you will encounter at a test center. Itis impossible to predict how different test-takingconditions will affect test performance, and this isonly one factor that may account for differencesbetween your practice test scores and your actualtest scores. By comparing your performance on thispractice test with the performance of other GREBiochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Testexaminees, however, you will be able to determineyour strengths and weaknesses and can then plan aprogram of study to prepare yourself for taking theGRE Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Testunder standard conditions.

Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test Practice Book

Documents

educational

molecular

raw total

gre subject

score conversion

gene regulation

total score

raw score