Amplify Natural Selection Test

Why were the newts with the poison gene able to live longer than those newts without the poison gene?

• the newts with the poison gene were able to live longer than the other newts

• the newts with the poison live longer because they are able to reproduce more than the other newts

• both claims are correct

• neither claim is correct

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A new trait will only become more common in a population if it is _______________________________

• harmful to predators

• adaptive

• recessive

• dominant

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Scientists measured the height of giraffes in two populations—one in the wild and one in a nature preserve. Which statement best describes the difference between the two populations?

• There is more variation in height of the giraffes found in the wild.

• There is more variation in height of the giraffes found in the nature preserve.

• The giraffes in the wild are mostly shorter than the giraffes found in the nature preserve.

• The giraffes in the wild are mostly taller than the giraffes found in the nature preserve.

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Over many generations, individuals with _______________ become more common in a population, while individuals with _________________ become less common.

• adaptive traits ; non-adaptive traits

• non-adaptive traits ; adaptive traits

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According to Amplify 1.3, a(n) _____________________ can be used to chart out the frequency of a gene variable in a population

• generation

• distribution

• evolution

• histogram

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The poison of the newt was a(n) __________________________ against the snakes in the environment.

• generation

• distribution

• non-adaptive trait

• adaptive trait

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Eider ducks live in the ocean and have a layer of warm feathers underneath their regular feathers. They can have feathers of different thicknesses. These feathers help the ducks stay warm in cold water. Ducks with thicker feathers are more likely to stay warm and survive in cold water. But, in warm water, thicker feathers can make the ducks overheat and die. The diagram below shows a population of ducks that live in an area of an ocean. At time 1, the population had the same number of ducks with thin and thick feather layers. At time 2, after many generations, there were many more ducks with a thin feather layer and fewer ducks in the population with a thick feather layer. How did the environment change between time 1 and time 2? How did the population change?

• You cannot tell how the environment changed. With each generation, more ducks passed on the gene for thin feathers to their offspring.

• The water became warm. As a result, ducks with thin feathers were more likely to survive, so the ducks with thick feathers changed to have thin feathers.

• The water became warm. With each generation, more ducks with thin feathers survived long enough to pass on the gene for thin feathers to their offspring.

• The water became warm. As a result, ducks with thin feathers were more likely to survive, so both kinds of ducks passed on the gene for thin feathers to their offspring.

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There is a kind of snake that can be born with red, yellow, or green skin. Eagles hunt these snakes, but snakes that are the same color as their environment are harder for the eagles to see and catch. A population of snakes once lived in an environment where there was sand and dirt, but no grass. The image above shows what the population looked like then. The environment changed so that green grasses and plants now grow there. The diagrams below show two predictions for what the population could look like after many generations. Which prediction best shows what the population could look like after many generations? What caused it to change?

• Prediction 1 is best. Two yellow or red snakes had a baby with a mutation in its genes for the green-skin trait. Because green snakes are more likely to survive, that baby survived long enough to pass on its mutation, so the green trait became more common over generations.

• Prediction 1 is best. Green snakes are more likely to survive, so yellow and red snakes began to have offspring with mutations in their genes for the green-skin trait so that their offspring would have a better chance of surviving.

• Prediction 2 is best. A snake could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the green-skin trait and lived for a little while. Because green snakes are more likely to die, it would have been more likely to die before it had offspring, so the final population will only have yellow and red snakes.

• Prediction 2 is best. A snake could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the green-skin trait, but having a mutation in its genes would have caused it to die when it was born, so the final population will only have yellow and red snakes.

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Guppies are small fish that live in South American rivers. They can have different-sized spots on their bodies. The river bottoms are covered in rocks. Guppies with spots that are the same size as the rocks on the bottom are harder for bigger fish to see and catch. The diagram below shows a population of guppies that live in a river. At time 1, the population had the same number of guppies with small and large spots. At time 2, after many generations, there were many more guppies with small spots and fewer guppies with large spots in the population. How did the environment change between time 1 and time 2? How did the population change?

• You cannot tell how the environment changed. With each generation, more guppies passed on the gene for small spots to their offspring.

• The rocks became smaller. With each generation, more guppies with small spots survived long enough to pass on the gene for small spots to their offspring.

• The rocks became smaller. Guppies with small spots are more likely to survive, so the guppies with large spots changed to have small spots.

• The rocks became smaller. Guppies with small spots are more likely to survive, so both kinds of guppies passed on the gene for small spots to their offspring.

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Northern foxes can have different fur colors. The foxes hunt squirrels for food. Foxes that have fur the same color as their environment are better at getting closer to squirrels and catching them. A population of foxes once lived in an environment where there was not very much snow. The image above shows what the population looked like then. The environment changed so it is now very snowy. The diagrams below show two predictions for what the population could be like after many generations. Which prediction best shows what the population could look like after many generations? What caused it to change?

• Prediction 1 is best. Two brown or gray foxes had a baby with a mutation in its genes for the white-fur trait. Because white foxes are more likely to survive, that baby survived long enough to pass on its mutation, so the white-fur trait became more common over generations.

• Prediction 1 is best. White foxes are more likely to survive, so brown and gray foxes began to have offspring with mutations in their genes for the white-fur trait so that their offspring would have a better chance of surviving.

• Prediction 2 is best. A fox could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the white-fur trait and lived for a little while. Because white foxes are more likely to die, it would have been more likely to die before it had offspring, so the final population will only have brown and gray foxes.

• Prediction 2 is best. A fox could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the white-fur trait, but having a mutation in its genes would have caused it to die when it was born, so the final population will only have brown and gray foxes.

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