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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. With so many hominid species existing in the past, why did only one survive?
(a) Greater capacity for compassion.
(b) Climate change.
(c) Nobody knows.
(d) Larger brain.

2. The human body is composed of how many cells?
(a) 800 thousand.
(b) 2,000 billion.
(c) 500 million.
(d) 10,000 trillion.

3. Approximately how many bacteria live on a square centimeter of human skin?
(a) 100,000.
(b) 350.
(c) 7,500.
(d) 4,000,000.

4. Most human traits, including eye color, are determined by:
(a) The mother's genes.
(b) The father's genes.
(c) Groups of genes.
(d) A single gene.

5. Of all the elements occurring naturally on Earth, how many does the author say are central to life?
(a) 20.
(b) 10.
(c) 6.
(d) 1.

Short Answer Questions

1. Of the available land on Earth, how much is suitable for people to live on?

2. Approximately how many okapi live in the rain forests of Zaire?

3. According to Bryson, what percentage of all animal and plant life is yet to be discovered?

4. How quickly can bacteria create a new generation?

5. How did humans become dispersed across the planet?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the presence of bacteria in humans.

2. Describe the Indonesian volcanic eruption of 1815.

3. What does a Swedish DNA study reveal about the origins of modern man?

4. What did scientists find in the Burgess Shale of British Columbia?

5. How does DNA replicate itself?

6. How are traits determined genetically?

7. How many elements occur naturally on Earth? How many are central to life?

8. How much of Earth's land is suitable for humans to live on?

9. What are cyanobacteria? How did they affect the environment billions of years ago?

10. What does the author say about radioactive waste being dumped into oceans?

(see the answer keys)

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