Department of Education

Caraga Region
DIVISION OF BUTUAN CITY

DIVISION DIAGNOSTIC TEST

Earth and Life Science
Senior High School

Instructions: Read each question carefully and write the correct answer in a separate sheet
of paper, or in the answer sheet provided to you. Do not write anything on this test
questionnaire.

1. Which refers to the only planet in the solar system that gave rise to complex life?
A. Earth
B. Mars
C. Mercury
D. Venus

2. The following statements are the role of the atmosphere, EXCEPT:

A. Traps heat from the Sun.
B. Protects the Earth from space rocks.
C. Helps the Earth to revolve around the Sun.
D. Holds important gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide.

3. Which of the following statements is/ are TRUE about the flow of matter and energy?
A. All the spheres do not continuously exchange matter and energy.
B. Neither matter nor energy are always conserved during these cycles.
C. Energy and matter flow inside and across earth’s system in a series of cycle.
D. The flow of matter and energy in our planet harm humankind and
biosphere, in general.

4. Major human activities cause great destructions on Earth’s subsystems. Since energy and
matter is cycled within the spheres and being part of the system, these harmful activities
bring forth destruction to ourselves in a boomerang effect. One example of this is the
Global warming. As a student, what recommendation can you give to solve this
problem?
A. Report the violators to the United Nations.
B. Just ignore and continue your daily routines.
C. Be active in advocating change by rallying outside government hall.
D. Start the change from yourself by not contributing pollution to the environment.

5. Which of the following refers to the color of the powdered form of a mineral?
A. Cleavage
B. Color
C. Luster
D. Streak

6. Which of the following statement is NOT TRUE about minerals and their properties?
A. Minerals are the building blocks of rock.
B. Minerals are made up of one or more elements.
C. Minerals are naturally formed, organic solid with a crystalline structure.
D. Minerals are either element or compound substances with a specific
chemical composition.
For item 7, based on Table 1.
Table 1. Chemical formula and property of minerals.

7. Which of the following inference can be made about the two minerals?
A. Hematite can scratch olivine.
B. Olivine can scratch hematite.
C. The two minerals can scratch each other.
D. Neither of the two could scratch the other.

8. What term refers to the heat generated during the formation of the Earth as a result of
collision of planetesimals?
A. Frictional heat
B. Primordial heat
C. Global warming
D. Radiogenic heat

9. Which of the following statements correctly describes inner core and outer core?
A. The inner core is extremely dense which made up of solid iron and is intensely hot,
while the outer core is the thickest layer, made mostly of magnesium and silicon.
B. The inner core is the thickest layer, made mostly of magnesium and silicon, while the
outer core is made from iron and nickel in liquid form, heated largely by radioactive
decay.
C. The inner core is extremely dense which made up of solid iron and is intensely hot,
while the outer core is made from iron and nickel in liquid form, heated largely by
radioactive decay.
D. The inner core is made from iron and nickel in liquid form, heated largely by
radioactive decay, while the outer core is extremely dense which made up of solid
iron and is intensely hot.
10. Mantle convection is the result of heat transfer from the core to the base of the lower
mantle. It is an essential feature to the movement of tectonic plate because the heat
builds up pressure underneath the crust. Based on the picture below, what is the
mechanism of mantle convection?

Figure 1. The Mantle Convection

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantle_convection)

A. Hotter molten rocks rise and cooler molten rocks sink.

B. Hotter molten rocks sink, and cooler molten rocks rise.
C. Both hotter molten rocks and cooler molten rocks rise and sink.
D. Neither of the hotter molten rocks and cooler molten rocks rises nor sinks.
11. Which of the following combination of factors can change pre-existing rocks into new
forms?
A. Color, shape, and texture
B. Minerals, color, and temperature
C. Texture, temperature and chemically- active fluids
D. Temperature, pressure and chemically- active fluids

12. You watched a video of a lava flow when suddenly you got curious about how crystal
formation happens. You also observed that small and large crystals can be formed
from a lava flow. Based on this observation, where would you expect to find the
largest crystals in a lava flow?
A. At the center of the flow.
B. Near the bottom of the flow.
C. Near the top surface of the flow.
D. The crystals would have the same grain size throughout the flow.

13. Figure 2 shows the mechanism of metamorphism and metamorphic

processes. Based on the figure, how rock undergo metamorphism?
A. There is no known metamorphic process.
B. The rock cannot undergo metamorphism.
C. It begins with diagenesis, which passes through the mineral and textural changes of
metamorphism, and end with the melting of rock.
D. It begins with melting of rock with great pressure, which passes through the mineral
and textural changes of metamorphism, and end with diagenesis.

Figure 2. The Mechanism of Metamorphism

(Source: http://csmgeo.csm.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/metarx/mechanisms.html)

14. You are walking along a flat rock surface. You discover that as you walk further, the
age of the rocks decreases until you reach the middle of the surface, then for some
reason, they get older again. What structure have you just passed over?
A. syncline fold
B. anticline fold
C. monocline fold
D. overturned fold
15. Which conclusion is correct based on the graph?

Figure 3. Stress and Strain Curve of Certain Rocks

(Source: https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0950061817315088-gr2.sml)

A. Rocks can break even without having to undergo folding.

B. All rocks undergo the same amount of strain before breaking.
C. All rocks undergo the same amount of stress before breaking.
D. Rocks can only receive a certain amount of stress before breaking.

16. You came across a scientific paper that a portion of a proposed relocation site in your
community sits over a normal fault. What can you best propose to the authorities if
they still insist with their plan despite learning this fact?
A. Ignore the information and trust the authorities in their plans of helping the people.
B. Suggest to them to also build structures to prevent earthquakes from occurring in
the area.
C. Agree with them since places with faults will not have any harmful effect on the
people near it.
D. Convince them that the place is prone to earthquakes, so they should find another
much safer site.

17. What information is generally shown in the geologic time scale?

A. the branches of geology
B. the geologic history of the Earth
C. the geologic features of the Earth
D. the geologists with significant contributions

18. Suppose a scientist found a fossil of a particular mammal. Using radiometric dating,
the fossil was estimated to be 7 million years old. It was then concluded that the
mammal lived during the Tertiary period. Is this conclusion correct?
A. No, because the information is not enough to conclude.
B. Yes, because this period was the only time when mammals existed.
C. Yes, because the age of the fossil is within the time range of this period.
D. No, because this is not the correct time when mammals have first appeared.

19. If we can extend the geologic time scale into the future, a new unit of time could be
added. Based on the previous trends, what will likely mark the end of the Cenozoic era
and the start of a new era?
A. death of planet Earth
B. formation of new landforms
C. another mass extinction event
D. first appearance of new species
20. A barangay located near the sea experienced a magnitude 8.0 earthquake. What
hazard are the residents most exposed to after this?
A. eruption
B. fire
C. liquefaction
D. tsunami

21. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 was so explosive that it was considered the second
largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. What does it tell us about its magma’s
viscosity and amount of dissolved gases?
A. low viscosity and low amount of dissolved gases
B. high viscosity and low amount of dissolved gases
C. low viscosity and high amount of dissolved gases
D. high viscosity and high amount of dissolved gases

22. A community is situated at the foot of the hill with a history of a landslide that happened
decades ago. If you are given a chance to propose a project to lessen the hazard of
landslide that the people living here are exposed to, what would it be?
A. Build a retaining wall to support the slope.
B. Create a dam to direct the water to the river.
C. Cover the whole hill with concrete to lessen erosion.
D. Flatten the whole hill so landslide could not happen.

23. Which of the following is a NEGATIVE impact of constructing establishments along the
coastal area?
A. improved water quality
B. faster rate of coastal erosion
C. increased number of tourists
D. preserved natural coastal structures

24. On one of your beach vacations, you noticed that the coastal area is very polluted.
Which activity will best mitigate the impact of this problem?
A. Start a tree planting activity.
B. Initiate a coastal clean-up drive.
C. Conduct a team-building activity.
D. Post pictures of it on social media.

25. A businessman wanted to build a five-story hotel a few meters away from the edge of
a cliff on the shore. Should this plan be allowed by the authority?
A. Yes, it will boost tourism in the community.
B. Yes, it is the best spot to capture beautiful sceneries.
C. No, its construction could only worsen coastal erosion.
D. No, the businessman needs to have large amount of investment.

26. What branch of biology deals with the study of living organisms and their relationships
with each other and their environment?
A. Botany
B. Ecology
C. Microbiology
D. Zoology
27. What unique characteristic of a living thing is shown in Figure 7 below?

Figure 4. Descendants of Man

(Source: https://image.shutterstock.com/image-vector/theory-evolution-man-silhouette-human-260nw-
772681819.jpg )

A. evolution
B. reproduction
C. levels of organization
D. growth and development

28. On a hot day, a man feels to go for a swim, drinks some cold water, or sits in the shade
while on a cold day, he feels to put on a coat, sits in a corner, or eats a bowl of hot soup.
Given the situation, how would you classify the interaction of the man to his
environment?
A. It is an example of growth and development.
B. It shows man’s adaptation to his environment.
C. It is the ability of the man to regulate his internal condition.
D. It ensures the survival of man and in carrying out his functions.

29. Which of the following is a correct pair of organ and organ system?
A. lungs-excretory
B. brain-circulatory
C. mouth-respiratory
D. skin – integumentary

30. Which of the following is the strongest evidence that prokaryotes evolved before
eukaryotes?
A. Liposomes look like prokaryotic cells.
B. Meteorites that have struck the earth.
C. The oldest fossilized cells resemble prokaryotes.
D. Abiotic experiments that constructed liposomes in the laboratory.

31. Which of the following terms refers to the biological process of producing offspring that
are biologically or genetically similar to the parents?
A. development
B. evolution
C. fertilization
D. reproduction
32. In a laboratory experiment, your teacher instructed you to cut starfish into pieces.
Several weeks later, you observed that each piece develops into a new starfish. Which
type of asexual reproduction is being described from the situation?
A. budding
B. fission
C. fragmentation
D. parthenogenesis

33. Which of the following is TRUE about the advantages of asexual reproduction?
A. Fission in corals produces clones that does not allow genetic variation.
B. Regeneration in starfish helps them survive when they encounter a greater number
of predators.
C. Colonies of hydra produced through budding have no improvement in their
characteristics.
D. Parthenogenesis in bees produces no movement of genes from one population to
another enabling them not to adapt to unstable environments.

34. Your mother is one month pregnant, you noticed that she is still smoking. You tried to
remind her and explained to her that the life of your younger sibling is at risk. After
learning the process of reproduction and its importance, how will you explain to your
mom the risks she could get when she ingests toxins such as nicotine and alcohol?
A. These toxins can enter the embryo when it eats.
B. These toxins can enter her uterus through her navel.
C. These toxins can diffuse from her blood to the embryo’s blood within the placenta.
D. These toxins transfer to the embryo since her blood normally mixes with the embryo’s
blood in the placenta.

35. Animals develop its fertilized eggs differently. Which of the following is TRUE
about the development of an animal embryo?
A. Animals that lay eggs are ovoviviparous.
B. Animals that give birth to offspring are viviparous.
C. Animals that lay eggs and develop the eggs inside the mother’s body are
ovoviviparous.
D. Animals that lay eggs and develop its embryo outside the mother’s body are
oviparous.

36. Humans, like other animals, undergo a process in reproducing its offspring. The following
are the process involved in the formation and development of human embryo.

I. fertilization
II. blastocyst development
III. blastocyst implantation
IV. embryo development
V. fetal development

What is the correct order in the formation of human fetus?

A. I, III, II, IV, V
B. I, II, III, V, IV
C. I, II, III, IV, V
D. I, IV, III, II, V
37. The following animals exhibit different types of reproduction processes. Which of the
following animals reproduce its offspring asexually?
A. A frog releases its sperm and egg in water.
B. A chicken egg that is fertilized by a rooster.
C. A starfish that reproduces by breaking off and generating parts of its body.
D. A red-tailed green rat snake develops its eggs inside the mother’s body but its
embryo obtains nourishment from egg yolk.

38. Your family visit a beach where varied species of animals are found like starfishes and
different kinds of fish. Your younger sister asked you why starfishes looked the same while
the other fishes looked uniquely different from each other. Which of the following is the
BEST explanation you can give to your sister’s question?
A. Both the starfishes and other fishes reproduced sexually.
B. Both the starfishes and other fishes reproduced asexually.
C. The starfishes reproduced asexually while the other fishes reproduced sexually.
D. The starfishes reproduced sexually while the other fishes reproduced asexually.

39. Which organ system makes hormones that control your growth, moods, and behavior?
A. Nervous System
B. Endocrine System
C. Circulatory System
D. Respiratory System

40. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that makes it harder to move air in and out of your
lungs—otherwise known as "breathing." To prevent asthma from attacking, what should
be done?
A. Eat nuts everyday.
B. Always go to public places to have open space.
C. Clean personally surroundings especially those with dust.
D. Don’t allow smoking in your house or to places where you are.

41.There is a couple who wish to have a child but cannot have it because the wife was
diagnosed with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It is a condition in which the ovaries
produce an abnormal number of androgens, male sex hormones that are usually
present in women in small amounts that cause infertility of women having it. However, it
can be treated by maintaining healthy weight, conducting regular exercise and
balance diet. Based on the given situation, is it possible for the couple to bear a child?
A. Yes, PCOS will just go away on its own.
B. No, because there is no treatment for PCOS.
C. Yes, if they will just follow the suggestions of their doctor.
D. No, because female ovaries with PCOS totally can’t release egg cells.
42. As of today, Philippines has reported to have cases of Omnicon Variant. It is said that
Omnicon Variant likely will spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. As a
student, how can you help our government in stopping the rapid spread of this virus?

I. Go to gatherings but make sure to wear face masks.

II. Get a booster shot of Covid-19 vaccine as prescribed by health experts.
III. As much as possible stay at home if no necessary things needed outside.

A. I only
B. I & II only
C. II & III only
D. I, III & III

43. Gregor Mendel was considered as the Father of Modern Genetics. Which of the
following works was associated with him?
A. Study with pea plants
B. Expedition in the Galapagos Islands
C. Discovering the molecular structure of DNA
D. Determination of the double-helix structure of DNA

44. Living organisms sit like leaves at the tips of the branches of the Tree of Life. This tree of
life shows how all life on earth is related. Based on the figure below, which of the
following organisms is NOT directly related to vertebrates?

Figure 5. Tree of Life

(Source:https://mammothmemory.net/images/user/base/uncategorised/1.2.69%20Charles%20Darwins%20tree%20of%20life%20from%2
0primordial%20forms.jpg)

A. Fish because according to the tree of life they belong to invertebrates.

B. Arthropods because they are invertebrates with segmented bodies and jointed
limbs.
C. Birds because they are found at the edge of tree of life which means they are far so
basically they don’t belong to vertebrates.
D. Reptiles because like birds they are found at the edge of tree of life which means
they are far so basically they don’t belong to vertebrates.
45. Charles Robert Darwin is an English naturalist and a biologist who is famous for his theory
of evolution by natural selection. Over time, some misconceptions about natural
selection arises. Which of the following is/are TRUE about natural selection?
I. Natural selection always involves organisms trying to adapt.
II. Natural selection leads to the adaptation of organisms over time
II. Natural selection naturally results from genetic variation in a population.

A. I only
B.II only
C.I & III only
D.II & III only

46. In this time of Covid 19, many changes occur including the activities that people could
do. For us to survive in this time of pandemic, adaptation is a must. What do you think
is/are the BEST thing/s you need to do that shows adaptation?
I. Be vaccinated
II. Always observe social distancing
III. Eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables.
III. Always wear face mask whenever you go outside.

A. I only
B. II only
C. I, II, III only
D. I, II, III & IV

47. Which of the following is described as the optimal maximum density of a population
that can be supported by a defined space?
A. Dispersal
B. Distribution
C. Carrying capacity
D. Population explosion

48. What is the relationship between biotic potential and environmental resistance?
A. Biotic potential and environmental resistance are both factors that increases the
population of species.
B. Biotic potential increases the population of a species while environmental
resistance limits its growth.
C. Biotic potential and environmental resistance are both factors that limit the
population growth of species.
D. Biotic potential increases the population of a species while environmental
resistance decreases its growth.
 Figure 6. Logistic Growth
(Source: https://www.dummies.com/article/academics-the-arts/science/ environmental-science/the-environmental-science-of-
population-growth-models-170532)

49. How will you interpret the graph above?

A. Population size continuously increases as well as the environments carrying
capacity.
B. Population size continuously decreases as well as the environments carrying
capacity.
C. Population size exceeds the environment’s carrying capacity causing drop of
population later.
D. Population size exceeds the carrying capacity of the area causing the total
extinction of the population.

50. The population of bullfrogs is growing out of control near a small pond. Its main predator,
a snake species, was killed off by disease. Without this natural predator, the bullfrogs can
thrive in and around the pond. The growing frog population is having a negative impact
on the quality of the environment and other species living in the area. After learning the
concept of carrying capacity, as a student how will you alter carrying capacity of the
bullfrog population so that its population density returns to its normal level?
A. Alter the carrying capacity by breeding bullfrogs.
B. Alter the carrying capacity by hunting the snakes.
C. Alter the carrying capacity by hunting the bullfrogs.
D. Will do nothing to alter the carrying capacity since the carrying capacity of
bullfrogs was already observed.

Prepared by

EMMYLOU JANE L. ESLANA CHARIS R. PAMPLONA SHARMAINE A. PITOGO

SST - III/ BCSAT-MAIN SST- I/ BCSAT MAIN SST- I/ BCSAT MAIN