Question 1

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment primarily characterized human impact on

Accepted Answer

A) atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. 
B) degradation of the ozone layer. 
C) ecosystem services. 
D) plate tectonics. 
A) atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. 
B) degradation of the ozone layer. 
C) ecosystem services. 
D) plate tectonics.

Question 2

Which field was the control group?

Accepted Answer

A) the west field 
B) the east field 
C) Both fields were controls for one another. 
D) There were no controls in this experiment. 
A) the west field 
B) the east field 
C) Both fields were controls for one another. 
D) There were no controls in this experiment.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of the greatest cause of biodiversity loss in the world today?

Accepted Answer

A) In the United States,the Army Corps of Engineers reroutes major rivers to improve the waterways for commercial navigation. 
B) In Brazil,ranchers cut and burn rain forest to clear fields for grazing cattle. 
C) In the United States,large fields once used to plant corn and soybeans are being converted for housing developments and commercial properties. 
D) In northern Canada,native people continue to hunt seals and harvest fish from arctic seas. 
A) In the United States,the Army Corps of Engineers reroutes major rivers to improve the waterways for commercial navigation. 
B) In Brazil,ranchers cut and burn rain forest to clear fields for grazing cattle. 
C) In the United States,large fields once used to plant corn and soybeans are being converted for housing developments and commercial properties. 
D) In northern Canada,native people continue to hunt seals and harvest fish from arctic seas.

Question 4

Some students on a biology field trip were sitting around watching honey bees.Some of the students noticed that bees spent more time on some flowers than on other flowers.As they talked about this behavior,the students offered various explanations.Some thought that the bees were avoiding predators on some flowers while other students suggested that some flowers may have sweeter nectar.These speculations about bee behavior are examples of

Accepted Answer

A) data. 
B) bias. 
C) theories. 
D) hypotheses. 
A) data. 
B) bias. 
C) theories. 
D) hypotheses.

Question 5

Which one of the following is least likely to be a product of a transition to a sustainable civilization?

Accepted Answer

A) a stable human population 
B) increased reliance upon recycled materials 
C) larger cities with extensive suburbs 
D) greater reliance upon renewable energy resources 
A) a stable human population 
B) increased reliance upon recycled materials 
C) larger cities with extensive suburbs 
D) greater reliance upon renewable energy resources

Question 6

If seven students tell a zoologist that they saw Bigfoot while hiking in an Idaho forest the past weekend,an interested zoologist would most likely

Accepted Answer

A) return to that region to look for evidence of a Bigfoot. 
B) report the students' experience in a scientific journal. 
C) conduct experiments to show that the students were probably mistaken. 
D) ask the students to explain how they felt during the encounter. 
A) return to that region to look for evidence of a Bigfoot. 
B) report the students' experience in a scientific journal. 
C) conduct experiments to show that the students were probably mistaken. 
D) ask the students to explain how they felt during the encounter.

Question 7

Which of the following best illustrates the sustainable use of a resource?

Accepted Answer

A) Coal mines in West Virginia remove the tops of mountains to extract large amounts of coal. 
B) Fishing industries improve their methods and now remove more than 90% of the fish in a region. 
C) Huge windmills in Texas are able to capture 50% of the wind energy in a specific region. 
D) Corporations are converting their company automobiles from gasoline to cheaper natural gas. 
A) Coal mines in West Virginia remove the tops of mountains to extract large amounts of coal. 
B) Fishing industries improve their methods and now remove more than 90% of the fish in a region. 
C) Huge windmills in Texas are able to capture 50% of the wind energy in a specific region. 
D) Corporations are converting their company automobiles from gasoline to cheaper natural gas.

Question 8

Since about 1985,the world population has increased by about

Accepted Answer

A) 10%. 
B) 40%. 
C) 70%. 
D) 100%. 
A) 10%. 
B) 40%. 
C) 70%. 
D) 100%.

Question 9

The source of the acidity blamed for killing Oregon oyster larvae was

Accepted Answer

A) dissolved atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion. 
B) acidic runoff from nearby industries. 
C) acidic precipitation from nearby coal-burning industries. 
D) acids released by natural decomposition of organic wastes. 
A) dissolved atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion. 
B) acidic runoff from nearby industries. 
C) acidic precipitation from nearby coal-burning industries. 
D) acids released by natural decomposition of organic wastes.

Question 10

The advice of Rachel Carson in her book Silent Spring reflects

Accepted Answer

A) stewardship. 
B) an urgent need for sustainable use of petroleum. 
C) junk science. 
D) a plea for population control. 
A) stewardship. 
B) an urgent need for sustainable use of petroleum. 
C) junk science. 
D) a plea for population control.

Question 11

Which of the following does not represent an important aspect of sound science? A scientist

Accepted Answer

A) collects data and describes the characteristics of a particular type of lung cancer. 
B) attends a scientific meeting to reveal the effectiveness of a new lung cancer treatment. 
C) accepts funding from an industry and tries to generate data to support their products to treat lung cancer. 
D) conducts experiments to determine if a new drug is effective against a certain type of lung cancer. 
A) collects data and describes the characteristics of a particular type of lung cancer. 
B) attends a scientific meeting to reveal the effectiveness of a new lung cancer treatment. 
C) accepts funding from an industry and tries to generate data to support their products to treat lung cancer. 
D) conducts experiments to determine if a new drug is effective against a certain type of lung cancer.

Question 12

All instruments used in scientific investigations must be

Accepted Answer

A) tested for accuracy. 
B) available to the public. 
C) composed of all new materials. 
D) designed for one particular function. 
A) tested for accuracy. 
B) available to the public. 
C) composed of all new materials. 
D) designed for one particular function.

Question 13

The scientific peer-review process ensures that

Accepted Answer

A) scientific studies have proper design and methods and are free from bias. 
B) all scientific studies receive publication despite the level of bias. 
C) the results of scientific studies are permanent and certain. 
D) all published scientific studies have clearly defined control groups. 
A) scientific studies have proper design and methods and are free from bias. 
B) all scientific studies receive publication despite the level of bias. 
C) the results of scientific studies are permanent and certain. 
D) all published scientific studies have clearly defined control groups.

Question 14

The statement,"The Earth was not given to you by your parents,it was lent to you from your children" best reflects

Accepted Answer

A) junk science. 
B) higher rates of consumption of non-renewable materials. 
C) stewardship. 
D) the need for a strong central or military government. 
A) junk science. 
B) higher rates of consumption of non-renewable materials. 
C) stewardship. 
D) the need for a strong central or military government.

Question 15

Which of the following ecosystem service degradations is not a major environmental concern for sustainable development?

Accepted Answer

A) overfishing the oceans 
B) degrading agricultural soils 
C) depleting supplies of coal 
D) cutting forests faster than they can regrow 
A) overfishing the oceans 
B) degrading agricultural soils 
C) depleting supplies of coal 
D) cutting forests faster than they can regrow

Question 16

The greatest impact of globalization is seen in the

Accepted Answer

A) increased access of natural resources to poor developing nations. 
B) economic reorganization and interdependency of the world. 
C) move towards sustainable development throughout the world. 
D) general shift in populations from cities to rural life. 
A) increased access of natural resources to poor developing nations. 
B) economic reorganization and interdependency of the world. 
C) move towards sustainable development throughout the world. 
D) general shift in populations from cities to rural life.

Question 17

-Examine the differences between the plant on the left and the plant on the right.Which of the following represents a scientifically acceptable hypothesis about these plants?

Accepted Answer

A) The plant on the left is taller and is has a much bushier root mass than the plant on the right. 
B) The plant on the left is 39.01mm taller and has 89.2% more needles than the plant on the right. 
C) Both plants were placed in the same greenhouse and received the same amount of sunlight and water. 
D) The plant on the left is taller and has more roots and needles because it has a root-fungus symbiosis missing on the plant on the right. 
A) The plant on the left is taller and is has a much bushier root mass than the plant on the right. 
B) The plant on the left is 39.01mm taller and has 89.2% more needles than the plant on the right. 
C) Both plants were placed in the same greenhouse and received the same amount of sunlight and water. 
D) The plant on the left is taller and has more roots and needles because it has a root-fungus symbiosis missing on the plant on the right.

Question 18

Which of the following best embodies the quality of a scientific theory?

Accepted Answer

A) Squirrels in central Illinois prefer to build their nests in oak trees instead of hickory trees. 
B) All gases,liquids,and solids consist of atoms. 
C) Prairies that have larges herds of bison show greater plant diversity than prairies without bison. 
D) Dangerous wildfires in California could be avoided by better fire prevention strategies. 
A) Squirrels in central Illinois prefer to build their nests in oak trees instead of hickory trees. 
B) All gases,liquids,and solids consist of atoms. 
C) Prairies that have larges herds of bison show greater plant diversity than prairies without bison. 
D) Dangerous wildfires in California could be avoided by better fire prevention strategies.

Question 19

The greatest environmental problems of the 1950s mainly concerned

Accepted Answer

A) increasing levels of ultraviolet radiation as the ozone layer was destroyed. 
B) global climate change illustrated by the worldwide decline of thousands of glaciers. 
C) widespread and easily detected water and air pollution. 
D) thousands of nuclear power plants that spread radiation across the globe. 
A) increasing levels of ultraviolet radiation as the ozone layer was destroyed. 
B) global climate change illustrated by the worldwide decline of thousands of glaciers. 
C) widespread and easily detected water and air pollution. 
D) thousands of nuclear power plants that spread radiation across the globe.

Question 20

Which of the following is a correlation that is causing widespread concern?

Accepted Answer

A) As atmospheric oxygen levels decline,the ozone layer is being destroyed. 
B) As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels decline,the ozone layer is being destroyed. 
C) As levels of methane decline,average global temperatures are increasing. 
D) As levels of carbon dioxide increase,average global temperatures are increasing. 
A) As atmospheric oxygen levels decline,the ozone layer is being destroyed. 
B) As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels decline,the ozone layer is being destroyed. 
C) As levels of methane decline,average global temperatures are increasing. 
D) As levels of carbon dioxide increase,average global temperatures are increasing.

Exam 1: Science and the Environment

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment primarily characterized human impact on

Which field was the control group?

Which of the following is an example of the greatest cause of biodiversity loss in the world today?

Which one of the following is least likely to be a product of a transition to a sustainable civilization?

If seven students tell a zoologist that they saw Bigfoot while hiking in an Idaho forest the past weekend,an interested zoologist would most likely

Which of the following best illustrates the sustainable use of a resource?

Since about 1985,the world population has increased by about

The source of the acidity blamed for killing Oregon oyster larvae was

The advice of Rachel Carson in her book Silent Spring reflects

Which of the following does not represent an important aspect of sound science? A scientist

All instruments used in scientific investigations must be

The scientific peer-review process ensures that

The statement,"The Earth was not given to you by your parents,it was lent to you from your children" best reflects

Which of the following ecosystem service degradations is not a major environmental concern for sustainable development?

The greatest impact of globalization is seen in the

-Examine the differences between the plant on the left and the plant on the right.Which of the following represents a scientifically acceptable hypothesis about these plants?

Which of the following best embodies the quality of a scientific theory?

The greatest environmental problems of the 1950s mainly concerned

Which of the following is a correlation that is causing widespread concern?

Economics, Politics, and Public Policy

Basic Needs of Living Things

Populations and Communities

Ecosystems: Energy, Patterns, and Disturbance

Wild Species and Biodiversity

The Use and Restoration of Ecosystems

The Human Population

Population and Development

Water: Hydrologic Cycle and Human Use

Soil: Foundation for Land Ecosystems

The Production and Distribution of Food

Pests and Pest Control

Energy From Fossil Fuels

Nuclear Power

Renewable Energy

Environmental Hazards and Human Health

Global Climate Change

Atmospheric Pollution

Water Pollution and Its Prevention

Municipal Solid Waste: Disposal and Recovery

Hazardous Chemicals: Pollution and Prevention

Sustainable Communities and Lifestyles

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