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Stearns & Hoekstra: Evolution 2e

Chapter 01

Instructions

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Question 01

Which of the following statements is true?

a) Traits or genes that are drifting are not at all affected by natural selection.

b) Traits or genes that are responding to natural selection are not at all affected by drift.

c) Most traits and most genes are being affected both by selection and by drift most of the time. One process may dominate, but the other is rarely excluded completely.

Question 02

Genetic drift connects microevolution to macroevolution because:

a) species originate at random.

b) species go extinct at random.

c) neutral genes drift to fixation at a constant rate, and that constant rate of fixation produces a regular accumulation of differences among species in DNA that allows us to infer relationships in an evolutionary tree.

d) all differences among species are random.

Question 03

Natural selection is the survival of the fittest. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 04

Relative reproductive success determines what will increase in frequency. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 05

Everything in biology is caused only by physics and chemistry. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 06

Everything in biology has both proximate (physical and chemical) and ultimate (evolutionary) causes. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 07

It is impossible for natural selection to produce suicide. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 08

Suicide will be selected if it increases reproductive success. True or false?

a) True

b) False

c) Option c

d) Option d

Question 09

The response to natural selection is fastest in small populations. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 10

The response to natural selection is faster in populations with more genetic variability, and those are often large populations. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 11

Darwin's view of genetics was correct. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 12

Darwin's view of genetics fatally damaged his argument. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 13

All evolutionary change is reversible. True or false?

a) True

b) False

Question 14

Which of the following statements is not true? Weismann's separation of a transitory soma from a continuous and enduring germ line:

a) suggested that it would be very hard to inherit characteristics acquired during the life of an individual organism.

b) was founded on the observation of the behavior of chromosomes during meiosis.

c) anticipated the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology.

d) laid the groundwork for the evolutionary theory of aging.

Question 15

Which of the following statements is true?

a) The basic difference between science and religion is that science is right and religion is wrong.

b) Scientists' belief in their theories strongly resembles the belief of the faithful in the tenets of a religion.

c) Scientists change their minds when new evidence is discovered that conclusively shows that previously held ideas were incorrect.

d) Science produces immutable truths about reality, truths that endure forever.

 

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