Sample Test Questions - west.nesinc.com · SAMPLE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS 1. ... SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Biology ... cleavage in a zygote results in regional

Sample Test Questions

The Washington Professional Educator Standards Board

WA-SG-FLD022-02

Biology

Washington Educator Skills Tests—Endorsements (WEST–E)

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. —1—Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004Pearson and its logo are trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s).

SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONSThe sample test questions in this document are designed to give you an introduction to the natureof the questions included in the Washington Educator Skills Tests—Endorsements (WEST–E).They represent the various types of questions you may expect to see on an actual test in this testfield; however, they are not designed to provide diagnostic information to help you identify specificareas of individual strength or weakness or to predict your performance on the test as a whole.

Work through the sample questions carefully before referring to the answer key that follows. Theanswer key provides the correct response for each question and lists the objective within the testframework to which each question is linked. When you are finished with the sample questions, youmay wish to review the test objectives and descriptive statements provided in the test framework forthis test field.

In addition to reading and answering the sample questions, you should also utilize the followingpreparation materials available on the WEST Web site:

Read WEST–E Test-Taking Strategies to understand how test questions are designed tomeasure specific test objectives and to learn important test-taking strategies for the day of thetest.

Review the Test Summary and Framework for your test field to familiarize yourself with thestructure and content of the test. This document contains general testing information as well asthe percentage of the total test score derived from each content domain described in the testframework.

A scientific calculator may be used for this test as needed in responding to the sample testquestions, and one will be provided at the test administration. Please refer to the current WESTregistration information regarding the use of calculators at the test administration.

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SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONSBiology

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. —2—Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004

SAMPLE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. A species of shellfish that is an efficientsuspension feeder is introduced into ariver system. As a consequence of thisintroduction, the growth of rooted aquaticplants in the shallow waters of the riversystem increases. Which of the followingis the most likely explanation for thisincreased growth in the rooted aquaticplants?

A. greater penetration of sunlight intothe water

B. reduced competition fromphytoplankton for nutrients

C. more rapid cycling of nutrients inthe river system

D. reduced grazing pressure fromzooplankton

2. Coniferous forests cover extensiveportions of the Northern Hemisphereadjacent to the arctic tundra. In NorthAmerica these forests extend alongmountainous areas as far south as Mexico.The most significant reason that coni-ferous trees are able to succeed anddominate in these regions is that their:

A. thick bark and tough, closed conesresist damage by fire.

B. deep root systems compensate forthe nutrient-deficient soils.

C. needles reduce loss of water when itis not readily available.

D. needles resist damage fromultraviolet radiation.



3. Which of the following tables identifies the factors that generally limit primary productivity infreshwater lakes and the open ocean?

A.Nitrogen Phosphorus Solar

Radiation

Lakes

Oceans

B.Nitrogen Phosphorus Solar

Radiation

Lakes

Oceans

C.Nitrogen Phosphorus Solar

Radiation

Lakes

Oceans

D.Nitrogen Phosphorus Solar

Radiation

Lakes

Oceans



4. In general, organisms at which trophiclevel use the lowest percentage of theenergy that is potentially available tothem?

A. decomposers

B. primary producers

C. secondary consumers

D. primary consumers

5. The majority of known parasiticrelationships involve parasites withnonlethal effects on their hosts. Themost likely explanation for this is that:

A. parasitic strategies that have lethaleffects are energetically expensivefor the parasite.

B. parasitic strategies that have lethaleffects are complex and requiremore time to evolve.

C. parasites are more likely to beevolutionarily successful when theirhosts survive.

D. parasites that kill their hosts are lesslikely to be detected and becomeknown to scientists.

6. Which of the following is an assumptionof the logistic model of populationgrowth?

A. Carrying capacities of environmentswill increase over time as organismsbecome better adapted to highpopulation densities.

B. Lag times between increasingpopulation densities and reducedrates of growth are greater at lowrather than at high densities.

C. Predation and interspecific competi-tion will have greater effects onpopulation growth rates at highrather than at low populationdensities.

D. Reproductive rates are maximal atintermediate population densitiesrather than at very high or lowpopulation densities.



7. Use the marine food web below toanswer the question that follows.

killer whales

sealsotters

sea urchins fish

sea lions

kelp zooplankton

Which of the following consequences ofhuman activity is most likely to lead to areduction in the size of the large kelpforests found in many areas of thenorthern Pacific Ocean?

A. reduced fish populations that resultfrom commercial overfishing

B. increased sea lion populations as aresult of protected breeding habitat

C. reduced killer whale populations asa result of disturbed mating areas

D. increased otter populations thatresult from their protected status

8. Next to habitat destruction, which of thefollowing poses the greatest threat toworldwide biodiversity?

A. the widespread and intensiveapplication of herbicides andpesticides

B. the overcollecting, overhunting, andoverfishing of native plant andanimal populations

C. the introduction and establishmentof exotic species in habitats wherethey are not native

D. the interbreeding of geneticallyengineered livestock and crops withnative species

9. In most animals (except mammals)cleavage in a zygote results in regionaldifferences in the early embryo thatdetermine body axes and affect thedevelopmental fate of cells. This earlydetermination of polarity and basic bodyplan is a result of:

A. the shape of the blastomeres formedby the first cleavage.

B. interactions among groups ofcells that induce changes in geneexpression in other groups of cells.

C. the asymmetrical distribution ofcytoplasmic constituents in theunfertilized egg.

D. the migration of cells duringgastrulation.



10. In mammals, embryonic stem cells arecapable of differentiating into all types ofspecialized cells, whereas adult stem cellsare not. Which of the following bestexplains this difference?

A. Embryonic stem cells are able toreproduce themselves, but adultstem cells are not.

B. Adult stem cells are no longer ableto express certain portions of thecommon genome.

C. Embryonic stem cells have a fullcomplement of genes, but adult stemcells do not.

D. Adult stem cells are no longer ableto induce developmental changes innearby cells.

11. Brown, red, and green algae have evolveda diverse array of life cycles, the mostcomplex of which include an alternationof generations. Unlike the alternation ofgenerations in the angiosperms, thegenerations in the algae are:

A. both free-living.

B. both diploid.

C. both multicellular.

D. heteromorphic.

12. The lateral line systems of sharks andbony fishes are the functional equivalentof which of the following structures interrestrial vertebrates?

A. nostril

B. eardrum

C. retina

D. tongue

13. Which of the following mammalianphysiological processes involves acountercurrent exchange mechanism?

A. the exchange of respiratory gases inthe lungs

B. the concentration of urine in thekidney

C. the absorption of water in the largeintestine

D. the conversion of glucose toglycogen in the liver



14. Double fertilization in angiosperm flowersis directly responsible for which of thefollowing events?

A. the generation of the embryo sac

B. the formation of multiple viableembryos per ovule

C. the production of tetraploid embryos

D. the development of a tissue thatnourishes the embryo

15. The characteristic that distinguishesheterotrophs from autotrophs is that:

A. heterotrophs use CO2 as an energysource.

B. autotrophs use organic compoundsas a carbon source.

C. heterotrophs use inorganiccompounds as an energy source.

D. autotrophs use CO2 as a carbonsource.

16. The treatment of individuals diagnosedwith type 1 diabetes often includes dailyinsulin injections. Which of the followingbest explains the role of insulin in treatingthis disease?

A. It decreases blood glucose levels byblocking glucose absorption in thesmall intestine.

B. It increases blood glucose levels bystimulating the release of glucosefrom the liver.

C. It decreases blood glucose levels byaccelerating the rate of glucoseuptake by cells.

D. It increases blood glucose levels byinhibiting glucagon secretion fromthe pancreas.



17. Use the illustration below to answer thequestion that follows.

X

The illustration above shows a partiallongitudinal cross section of a typicalhuman long bone. Which of the followingis the primary function of the regionlabeled X?

A. to absorb mechanical stress

B. to provide a contact point for nervefibers from adjoining muscle

C. to serve as a reservoir for thestorage of fat molecules

D. to produce red and white blood cells

18. A calcium deficiency most directly affectsthe human muscular system in which ofthe following ways?

A. Actin molecules degenerate.

B. Lactic acid accumulates.

C. Myosin binding sites are blocked.

D. Membrane depolarization occurs.

19. Which of the following best describes therelationship between the endoplasmicreticulum and the plasma membrane ineukaryotic cells?

A. The rough endoplasmic reticulummanufactures some of thecomponents of the plasmamembrane.

B. Macromolecules that are activelytransported through the plasmamembrane are hydrolized in vesiclesof the endoplasmic reticulum.

C. The rough endoplasmic reticulumsecretes substances that have beendetoxified by passage through theplasma membrane.

D. ATP from the smooth endoplasmicreticulum provides energy for activetransport in the plasma membrane.



20. Use the table below to answer the question that follows.

CellNumber

Cell WallPresent

NuclearEnvelopePresent

Carries OutPhoto-

synthesis

Cilia orFlagellumPresent

1

2

3

4

Based on the information provided in thetable above, which of the cells is aprokaryotic cell?

A. cell 1

B. cell 2

C. cell 3

D. cell 4



21. Embryonic stem cells in mammals aremost similar in function to which of thefollowing types of plant cell?

A. meristem

B. collenchyma

C. endodermis

D. parenchyma

22. Biochemical analysis of an unknowncompound has revealed the presence oflysine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, valine,and methionine. These results suggestthat the unknown compound is mostlikely:

A. a lipid.

B. DNA.

C. a protein.

D. RNA.

23. The primary advantage that lipids haveover polysaccharides as a way fororganisms to store energy is that lipids:

A. are less bulky.

B. are less soluble in water.

C. are more easily hydrolyzed.

D. are more likely to be saturated.



24. Which of the following graphs best illustrates how the presence of an enzyme changes the energy profileof a biochemical reaction?

A. B.

reactants

products

withoutenzyme

withenzyme

Free

Ene

rgy

Progress of the Reaction

reactants

products

Free

Ene

rgy


withoutenzyme

withenzyme

C. D.

reactants

products


Free

Ene

rgy without

enzyme

withenzyme

Free

Ene

rgy

reactants

products


withoutenzyme

withenzyme



25. Which of the following is the primaryrole of the electron transport chain inphotosynthesis?

A. ATP production

B. chlorophyll synthesis

C. photon absorption

D. carbon dioxide fixation

26. Yeast cells can utilize both aerobic andanaerobic respiration. Which of thefollowing best explains why yeast cellspreferentially utilize aerobic respirationwhen oxygen is present in theenvironment?

A. Glucose levels are reduced underanaerobic conditions.

B. The yield of energy is greater usingaerobic respiration.

C. Aerobic conditions are morecommon than anaerobic conditions.

D. The end products of anaerobicrespiration are toxic.

27. Scientists trying to find a cure for cancerare especially interested in studying whichof the following topics?

A. the factors that regulate the cellcycle

B. the conditions that induce asexualreproduction

C. the mechanism of receptor-mediatedendocytosis

D. the significance of replication inmitochondrial DNA

28. In the early 1900s, Hans Spemann andHilde Mangold conducted an embryologyexperiment in which the dorsal lip of onenewt gastrula was transplanted to theventral side of a second newt gastrula.Instead of the transplanted cells simplydeveloping into back tissue, a secondembryo containing cells from both thesecond gastrula and the transplanted tissueformed at the site of the transplant. Theresults of this experiment illustrate thatcell differentiation:

A. produces cells that retain the abilityto be transformed into all cell types.

B. is influenced by signals fromneighboring cells.

C. involves the amplification offrequently transcribed genes.

D. is a process that is initiated atfertilization.



29. In pea plants, flowers in an axial positionare dominant over flowers in a terminalposition, and long stems are dominantover short stems. Two plants that areheterozygous for both flower position andfor stem length are crossed. If the genesfor flower position and stem lengthsegregate independently, which of thefollowing is the best estimate of thenumber of offspring that will have axialflowers on long stems out of 180offspring?

A. 34

B. 45

C. 90

D. 100

30. How many different combinations ofmaternal and paternal chromosomes canbe produced by an organism with a diploidnumber of six?

A. 6

B. 8

C. 12

D. 16

31. Use the pedigree below to answer thequestion that follows.

unaffected male

unaffected female

affected male

affected female

Key

X

The family pedigree above shows theinheritance of a trait that is determined bytwo alleles. What is the probability thatthe individual labeled X is homozygous?

A. 25%

B. 33%

C. 50%

D. 67%



32. Which of the following is most likely toresult from the deletion of a nucleotidepair from a gene that codes for a protein?

A. Missense or nonsense will occur,resulting in a protein that isnonfunctional.

B. The tRNA will detect an mRNAcodon with only two nucleotidesand stop translation prematurely.

C. The redundancy of the genetic codewill result in a silent mutation withno effect on the phenotype.

D. RNA polymerase will correct theerror, resulting in accuratetranslation of the original protein.

33. For which of the following applicationshave genetic engineering techniques beenmost successful?

A. reducing rejection of transplantedorgans

B. reducing competition fromnonnative plant species

C. reducing crop damage from pests

D. reducing incompatibility of humanblood types

34. Use the diagram below to answer thequestion that follows.

Parental DNA

Result 1

Result 2

Result 3

Result 4

Key

parental DNA

new DNA

Which of the four potential results shownin the diagram above best represents theproducts formed during the replication ofDNA?

A. Result 1

B. Result 2

C. Result 3

D. Result 4



35. Use the cladogram below to answer the question that follows.

early seed plants

gymnosperms

angiosperms

eudicots

monocots

other angiosperms

water lilies

conifers

gnetophytes

cycads

ginkgo

Amborella

The evolutionary relationships among themajor groups of seed plants are uncertain.The cladogram above is one possiblerepresentation of these relationships.Which of the following can be inferredfrom this cladogram of the seed plants?

A. Conifers evolved from gnetophytes.

B. Conifers share a commonancestor with cycads.

C. Conifers and Amborella aremorphologically similar.

D. Conifers are polyphyletic.



36. The accumulation of gaseous oxygen inthe atmosphere coincided with which ofthe following major changes in biologicaldiversity on the earth?

A. the evolution of the first eukaryotes

B. the colonization of land

C. the origin of life

D. the Cambrian radiation of animals

37. Within which of the following groups arethe three kinds of organisms listed mostclosely related to each othertaxonomically?

A. sharks, bony fishes, and amphibians

B. snails, octopuses, and clams

C. flies, beetles, and grasshoppers

D. spiders, centipedes, and shrimp

38. Which of the following was CharlesDarwin's primary concern about thevalidity of his published ideas onevolution and natural selection?

A. the lack of evidence about themechanism by which adaptationsare passed between generations

B. the conflict between his theory andthe known age of the earth

C. the conflict between his theory andLinnaeus's widely accepted systemof biological classification

D. the lack of evidence in the fossilrecord supporting his theory

39. Which of the following is the bestevidence that species change over time?

A. the occurrence of large groups ofsimilar species that are able tocoexist in stable communities

B. the convergence in form offunctionally similar organs indistantly related species

C. the existence of fossils of extinctspecies that share characteristicswith existing taxa

D. the increase in numbers of closelyrelated fossil species during arelatively short period of time



40. Which of the following types of naturalselection is most common during periodsof environmental change like globalwarming?

A. sexual

B. stabilizing

C. directional

D. diversifying

41. The discovery of retroviruses and theirevolutionary success has altered scientists'views on the universality of which of thefollowing biological phenomena?

A. the direction in which geneticinformation flows in organisms

B. the reliance of living systems on atriplet genetic code

C. the existence of introns and exons inprokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes

D. the proportion of the genome sharedby distantly related organisms

42. Canada geese breed across northern NorthAmerica and overwinter in southern partsof the continent. They feed on variousplant materials, including aquaticvegetation and field grains. A scientisthypothesizes that a lack of sufficient foodis responsible for inducing migratorybehaviors in the fall. Which of thefollowing experiments best tests thishypothesis?

A. Split a flock of geese into twogroups. Provide extra food to oneof the groups, and record the dateswhen migratory behaviors are firstdisplayed within each group.

B. Measure fat content as a percentageof body weight in individual geeseover the summer. Compare thiswith the dates on which migratorybehaviors are first displayed.

C. Observe several flocks of geese overa ten-year period. Record the datesof the first killing frost and the dateswhen migratory behaviors are firstdisplayed in each flock.

D. Raise geese in large outdoor cages.Beginning in midsummer, graduallyreduce the available food supply andrecord the dates when migratorybehaviors are first displayed.



Use the information below to answer the two questions that follow.

A scientist is interested in producing transgenic agricultural crops that can be grown in fields irrigatedwith seawater. Genes for salt tolerance were isolated from a salt marsh plant and inserted into thegenomes of four agricultural crops: rice, corn, soybeans, and wheat. The resulting transgenic plantseedlings were grown hydroponically in a nutrient medium containing 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, or 2.0% sodiumchloride (NaCl). The total biomass of the resulting plants was determined after 21 days and in the tablebelow the results are compared to nontransgenic plants grown under the same conditions.

Percent Increase in Yield of Transgenic PlantsCompared to Control Plants

% NaCl Rice Corn Soybeans Wheat

0.5 27% 22% 33% 44%

1.0 18% 44% 34% 59%

1.5 12% 37% 31% 63%

2.0 5% 18% 29% 21%

43. Which of the following conclusions isbest supported by the data presented inthe table above?

A. The yield of transgenic plants isgreater than that of nontransgenicplants grown in freshwater.

B. Wheat produced the greatest totalbiomass of the four transgeniccrops.

C. Seawater is not a viable replace-ment for freshwater in growingagricultural crops.

D. The concentration of salt toleratedwithout a significant decrease inyield is species specific.

44. Which of the following formats would bemost effective for summarizing the resultsof the experiment described above?

A. box-and-whisker plot

B. bar graph

C. scatter plot

D. circle graph



45. Use the table below to answer the question that follows.

Species X Species Y Species Z

Sample 1 4 6 7

Sample 2 2 2 2

Sample 3 3 4 12

The data in the table above represent thenumbers of individuals of three species ofbeetles collected in three different samplesfrom the floor of a forest. If the numberof samples from similar habitat isincreased and a total of 560 beetles fromthese three species is collected, which ofthe following is the best estimate of thetotal number of beetles of species Y thatwill be collected in all the samples?

A. 140

B. 160

C. 180

D. 200



46. On a television news report, a biologyteacher hears about a recently discoveredfossil that is inconsistent with widelyaccepted views on human evolution. Theteacher goes to an Internet search engineand finds several articles on the subject.In order to assess the reliability of thecontents of these articles, the first stepthe teacher should take is to:

A. verify the academic credentials ofthe author.

B. search for other papers on thesubject by the same author.

C. find corroborating evidence in aprinted source.

D. check that the articles have beenpeer-reviewed by other scientists.

47. Which of the following represents thegreatest potential safety hazard in alaboratory situation?

A. failing to completely seal adistillation apparatus

B. adding strong acid to water in abeaker instead of water to acid ina beaker

C. using tap water instead of a safetyshower to wash off a corrosivechemical

D. pushing a glass tube through a holein a cork or rubber stopper



48. A biologist is getting ready to studysome plant and animal cells using a lightmicroscope. The magnification to be usedshould be appropriate for examiningmaterial in which of the following sizeranges?

A. 100 nm–1000 nm

B. 1 nm–100 nm

C. 10 μm–100 μm

D. 1 mm–100 mm

49. Collectively it took contributions byscientists with deep knowledge ofplant pathology, microbiology, andbiochemistry to make which of thefollowing discoveries?

A. the structure of DNA

B. the cloning of eukaryotic genes

C. the existence of viruses

D. the role of plasmids

50. The Human Genome Project (HGP) haspotential medical and scientific benefitsthat seem limitless. Already the HGP hascontributed directly to:

A. the improved diagnosis andtreatment of genetic disorders.

B. the reduced need for embryonicstem cells in medical research.

C. the commercial production ofmammalian hormones.

D. the development of DNAfingerprinting technology.



ANSWER KEY

QuestionNumber

CorrectResponse

TestObjective

1 A 0001

2 C 0001

3 C 0002

4 B 0002

5 C 0003

6 D 0003

7 A 0004

8 C 0004

9 C 0005

10 B 0005

11 A 0005

12 B 0006

13 B 0006

14 D 0007

15 D 0007

16 C 0008

17 D 0008

18 C 0008

19 A 0009

20 B 0009

21 A 0009

22 C 0010

23 A 0010

24 D 0011

25 A 0011

QuestionNumber

CorrectResponse

TestObjective

26 B 0011

27 A 0012

28 B 0012

29 D 0013

30 B 0013

31 B 0013

32 A 0014

33 C 0014

34 D 0014

35 B 0015

36 A 0015

37 C 0015

38 A 0016

39 C 0016

40 C 0016

41 A 0017

42 A 0017

43 D 0017

44 B 0018

45 B 0018

46 D 0018

47 D 0019

48 C 0019

49 C 0020

50 A 0020

Sample Test Questions - west.nesinc.com · SAMPLE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS 1. ... SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Biology ... cleavage in a zygote results in regional

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