View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is one of the most serious objections to natural selection?

2. How do organisms differ within classifications?

3. Which of the following refers to offspring with parents from two different species?

4. What animal that is alive today could be considered an intermediate species of a mammal and the mastodon?

5. In ancient times, why were whales classified as fish?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are three facts that can be explained by natural selection as discussed in Chapter 11?

2. Why do scientists have difficulty determining the effects of two distinct species breeding?

3. What is the key explanation for species living in different regions?

4. How does natural selection explain the lack of links between generations?

5. Why do rudimentary organs pose a problem for theorists that species were created independently?

6. How do physical barriers correlate with differences in creatures that inhabit a region?

7. Describe the process of egg-laying of the European cuckoo.

8. How does natural selection explain the behaviors of Formica rufescens?

9. How does the age of the earth play into natural selection?

10. How can the phenomenon of ancient species resembling current living groups be explained?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Darwin discusses the struggle for existence in terms of pray and predators. How does this theory play into species with no predators? Are there truly any species with no predators? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Darwin uses the scientific method. How does he study nature and species using this method, and what is the significance of this method?

Essay Topic 3

Darwin understands that his research methods are inadequate for the extent of his theory. Why do you think he admits this flaw, and how does Darwin propose to overcome flaws in his research?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 778 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample