11022018

Biology B Study Guide

Credit by Exam for Credit Recovery or Acceleration

The exam you are interested in taking is designed to test your proficiency in the relevant subject
matter. You should be thoroughly familiar with the subject matter before you attempt to take the
exam. This CBE CR/A Study Guide can help you prepare for the exam by giving you an idea of
what you need to review. You can check your familiarity level by reviewing the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for this course. (See below.) To refine your skills, you can refer to
any of the state-adopted textbooks.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Every question that appears on this exam is derived from the knowledge and skills statements
and student expectations within the Texas-mandated standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge
and Skills (TEKS). You can view the TEKS for this exam online via the following link:
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112c.html. Refer to section (b), Knowledge and
skills, 1A–17C. Throughout this guide, you’ll see TEKS references. These refer to the numbers
listed under (b) Knowledge and skills; for example, 1A or 3B.

Materials Needed
If you are taking a paper exam, you will need to bring a #2 pencil to complete the exam and a
four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator. You will receive a computer-graded answer
sheet when you arrive at the testing center.

Exam Structure
You will be allowed 3 hours to complete this exam. The Biology B exam consists of
50 multiple-choice questions for a total of 100 points. The exam covers a wide variety of topics.
To help you study, we have isolated 4 key topics and provided study tips and sample questions
for each:

Topic 1: Genetics
Topic 2: Evolution
Topic 3: Taxonomy and Biological Systems
Topic 4: Ecology

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Scholastic Honesty
When you arrive at the testing center you will be asked to carefully read the exam rules and sign
a statement agreeing to take the exam in accordance with the rules. This is called the Examinee’s
Certification. The following is a copy of these rules:

Examinee’s Certification
This certification must be signed before the exam is administered and then returned with
the completed examination attached, or credit for the exam will not be given.
Scholastic dishonesty is a serious academic violation that will not be tolerated. Scholastic
dishonesty encompasses, but is not limited to:
• copying from another student’s work;
• using an unauthorized testing proctor or taking the exam at an unauthorized testing
location;
• using materials not authorized by a testing proctor;
• possessing materials that are not authorized by a testing proctor, such as lessons, books, or
notes;
• knowingly using or soliciting, in whole or Topic, the contents of an unadministered test;
• collaborating with or seeking aid from another student without authorization during the
test;
• substituting for another person, or permitting another person to substitute for oneself, in
taking a course test or completing any course-related assignment;
• using, buying, stealing, or transporting some or all of the contents of an unadministered
test, test rubric, homework answer, or computer program.
Evidence of scholastic dishonesty will result in a grade of F on the examination and an F in
the course (if applicable).

At the testing center, you will be asked to sign a statement that says
you have read the above and agree to complete the examination with scholastic honesty.

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General Study Tips

The bulleted lists and sample questions in this study guide can assist you in preparing for the
exam. It is a fairly complete guide for studying, but does not cover every item on the test.
Ultimately, you should use the TEKS to guide your exam preparation.

Additional Study Tips

The following information provides direction for your studies. For each part, you will find study
tips and sample questions to give you a general idea of the types of questions you can expect to
see on the exam.

Topic 1: Genetics
This topic relates to your knowledge of the mechanisms of genetics and the principles of
Mendelian and non-Mendelian Genetics. Students should be able to differentiate between
genotypes and phenotypes and understand the relationship between them. The use of Punnett
squares provides geneticists with the ability to predict the likelihood of traits in offspring.

Study Tips for Topic 1:

This topic relates to TEKS 6F. Familiarize yourself with this TEKS, and then be prepared to:
• predict possible outcomes of various genetic combinations such as monohybrid crosses,
dihybrid crosses, and non-Mendelian inheritance

Sample Questions for Topic 1:

The following are sample questions. You can find the correct answers listed after the questions,
but try answering the questions without looking at the answers first to check your
comprehension.

DIRECTIONS: Select the BEST responses to the following questions.

1. Using the table below, what are the likely genotypes of the parents in cross I if R stands
for red and r stands for white?

Parents Offspring
Cross Female Male Red White
I Red x White 92 88
II Red x Red 128 29
III White x White 0 50

A. Rr x rr
B. Rr x Rr
C. RR x rr
D. RR x Rr

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2. Which of the following correctly describes a technique that biotechnologists use to study
the genomes of organisms?

A. DNA fingerprinting is using ink to record the marks left from the tips of fingers.
B. Genetic modification is treating crops with dangerous chemicals, like pesticides.
C. DNA recombination is the hybridization of two species, like horses and donkeys.
D. A karyotype is a visual representation of an individual’s 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Topic 2: Evolution
This topic relates to your knowledge of the definition, evidence, and mechanisms of evolutionary
theory as a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life. Evolution is the change in the
frequency of genes in a population over several generations. Evidence for evolution can be found
in the fossil record, biogeography, and homologies. This evidence suggests that all life has
diverged from a common ancestor. Natural selection is a mechanism of this change that results
from the finite supply of resources. If genetic variation exists in a population, adaptations allow
individuals to survive and pass that trait to their offspring. Other non-adaptive mechanisms of
evolution include genetic drift, gene flow, and mutations.

Study Tips for Topic 2:

This topic relates to TEKS 7A–7F. Familiarize yourself with those TEKS, and then be prepared
to:
• analyze and evaluate how evidence of common ancestry among groups is provided by the
fossil record, biogeography, and homologies, including anatomical, molecular, and
developmental
• examine scientific explanations of abrupt appearance and stasis in the fossil record
• analyze and evaluate how natural selection produces changes in populations, not
individuals
• analyze and evaluate how the elements of natural selection, including inherited variation,
the potential of a population to produce more offspring than can survive, and a finite
supply of environmental resources, result in differential reproductive success
• analyze and evaluate the relationship of natural selection to adaptation and to the
development of diversity in an among species
• analyze and evaluate the effects of other evolutionary mechanisms, including genetic
drift, gene flow, mutation, and recombination

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Sample Questions for Topic 2:

The following are sample questions. You can find the correct answers listed after the questions,
but try answering the questions without looking at the answers first to check your
comprehension.

DIRECTIONS: Select the BEST responses to the following questions.

3. A scientist is observing a population of mollusks over time, noticing very little change.
Then he notices a relatively rapid set of changes in the population. Which of the
following is most likely to account for these changes?

A. The mollusk population reaches stasis.

B. A small population of mollusks decided to make a change.
C. A large population of mollusks experience new selective pressure.
D. A small population of mollusks became isolated by a geographical change.

4. The images below show the bones in the forelimbs of three different organisms.
Similarities in the bone arrangements support which of the following hypothesis?

A. These organisms are members of the same species.

B. These organisms all contain the same genetic information.
C. These organisms may have descended from a common ancestor.
D. These organisms have adaptations to survive in the same environment.

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5. Which of the following correctly describes a mechanism of evolution?

A. Genetic drift is when acquired traits are passed on.

B. If resources are limited, individuals that are more fit will survive and reproduce.
C. When natural selection occurs, individuals change to become stronger and survive.
D. If genetic drift between two populations is interrupted, they are more likely to mutate.

6. In 1848, scientists in London, England, observed a color-shift in the nocturnal peppered

moth, Biston betulari. The graph below shows a period in which large amounts of coal
were being burned, polluting the environment of the city.

Scientists determined that —

A. light-colored moths changed to the darker-colored variety

B. dark-colored moths evaded their predators more successfully
C. light-colored moths blended in with their environment more easily
D. dark-colored moths were faster and smarter and became the perfect species

Topic 3: Taxonomy and Biological Systems

This topic relates to your knowledge of taxonomy as a branching classification based on the
shared characteristics of organisms and can change as new discoveries are made. Through a
standardized taxonomic system, the scientific community can classify organisms into one of the
main taxonomic groups, including archaea, bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals. Plants
and animals are complex multicellular organisms whose systems interact to perform various
functions.

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Study Tips for Topic 3:

This topic relates to TEKS 8A–8C and 10A–10C. Familiarize yourself with those TEKS, and
then be prepared to:
• define taxonomy and recognize the importance of a standard taxonomic system to the
scientific community
• categorize organisms using a hierarchical classification system based on similarities and
differences among shared among groups
• compare characteristics of taxonomic groups, including archaea, bacteria, protists, fungi,
plants, and animals
• describe the interactions that occur among systems that perform the functions of
regulation, nutrient absorption, reproduction, and defense from injury or illness in
animals
• describe the interactions that occur among systems that perform the functions of
transport, reproduction, and response in plants
• analyze the levels of organization in biological systems and relate the levels to each other
and to the whole system

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Sample Questions for Topic 3:

The following are sample questions. You can find the correct answers listed after the questions,
but try answering the questions without looking at the answers first to check your
comprehension.

DIRECTIONS: Select the BEST responses to the following questions.

7. According to the dichotomous key provided, how would a taxonomist categorize the
organism pictured below?

(Image credit: https://pixabay.com/en/bears-grizzly-mother-cubs-young-718382/)

A. as a member of the Orcinus genus

B. as a member of the Orcinus order
C. as a member of the Ursus genus
D. as a member of the Ursus order

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8. Reproductive age is established when an organism first hits puberty. During this stage,
the body secretes the hormones estrogen and progesterone to stimulate the release of an
egg cell from the ovaries. The egg cell will then travel to the fallopian tube where, if
sperm is present, fertilization will take place and an embryo will develop.

Which of the following correctly describe the two body systems that are interacting
during this process?

A. The reproductive system creates sperm or egg and the endocrine system regulates
estrogen and progesterone.
B. The integumentary system creates sperm or egg and the circulatory system regulates
estrogen and progesterone.
C. The circulatory system creates sperm or egg and the integumentary system regulates
estrogen and progesterone.
D. The endocrine system creates sperm or egg and the reproductive system regulates
estrogen and progesterone.

9. Which of the following best describes the interaction between a plant’s transport system
and a plant response?

A. When a plant is losing gases through the stoma due to increased sunlight, it will have
a thigmotropic response by growing away from the sun.
B. When the stamen of a plant has been fertilized by the pollen carried by a bee, the
plant will have a thigmotropic response to capturing the bee.
C. When the shoot system of a plant is experiencing low levels of water and oxygen, the
plant will have a phototropic response by producing and releasing xylem.
D. When the phloem cells of a plant lack sugar due to decreased levels of
photosynthesis, the plant will have a phototropic response by producing auxin.

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Topic 4: Ecology
This topic relates to your knowledge of macrobiological systems and how they work to achieve
and maintain balance through the interactions that occur within environmental systems. An
ecosystem is a collection of communities of organisms that interact with each other and with the
abiotic factors of their environment, such as energy and water. The exchange and flow of energy
can be diagrammed by food webs, food chains, and energy pyramids. A disruption in an
ecosystem leads to a process called ecological succession.

Study Tips for Topic 4:

This topic relates to TEKS 11A–11B and 12A–12E. Familiarize yourself with those TEKS, and
then be prepared to:
• summarize the role of microorganisms in both maintaining and disrupting the health of
both organism, and ecosystems
• describe how events and processes that occur during ecological succession can change
populations and species diversity
• interpret relationships, including predation, commensalism, mutualism, and competition
among organisms
• compare variations and adaptations of organisms in different ecosystems
• analyze the flow of matter and energy through trophic levels using various models,
including food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramids
• describe the flow of matter through the carbon and nitrogen cycles and explain the
consequences of disrupting these cycles
• describe how environment change can impact ecosystem stability

Sample Questions for Topic 4:

The following are sample questions. You can find the correct answers listed after the questions,
but try answering the questions without looking at the answers first to check your
comprehension.

DIRECTIONS: Select the BEST responses to the following questions.

10. Which of the following correctly evaluates the biodiversity of a stage of ecological
succession?

A. Primary succession is marked by a larger variety of populations in an ecosystem.

B. Primary succession is marked by a larger variety of communities in a population.
C. Secondary succession is marked by a larger variety of populations in an ecosystem.
D. Secondary succession is marked by a larger variety of communities in a population.

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11. An oxpecker is a type of bird that survives by feeding off of the bugs and disease-
causing-parasites on a rhinoceros. What type of interaction is occurring between the
oxpecker and the rhinoceros?

A. predation
B. parasitism
C. mutualism
D. commensalism

12. The picture below summarizes the feeding interaction in an arctic ecosystem. Which of
the following describes an effect of hunting arctic wolves to extinction?

A. The polar bear population would grow, causing the brown bears to face extinction due
to selective pressures.
B. Lemmings would become a secondary consumer, causing the population of arctic
hares to increase in size.
C. The amount of energy captured by the grasses would decrease due to the rapid growth
in the new ecological niche.
D. The population size of pika would increase, resulting in the reduction of the musk ox
populations due to competition.

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Answer Key

Item Number Correct Answer TEKS

expectation
1 A 6F
2 D 3D
3 D 7B
4 C 7A
5 B 7D, 7F
6 B 7C, 7E
7 C 8B
8 A 10A
9 D 10B
10 C 11B
11 C 12A
12 D 12C

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