Mrs. Hansby's Science Benchmark

A camper hiking in the forest observed that
moss and lichen growth was found on the north
side of most forest trees. However, the trees
along a forest stream had moss and lichens on
the side facing the stream, regardless of
compass direction. Which statement BEST
explains the location of growth of moss and
lichens on forest trees?
1. They grow on the north side of the tree.
2. They grow on the dampest side of the
  tree.
3. They grow on the warmest side of the
  tree.
4. They grow on the side receiving the
  most sunlight.
The figure above shows a change that happens
to a person's eye. This person is MOST likely
1. just waking up
2. walking out of a dark theater
3. running a race
4. driving into a highway tunnel
The body responds to some situations by
releasing blood into the muscles, increasing
heartbeat, and becoming more alert. This
response would be MOST useful to a person
who is
1. walking in a dark cave
2. stranded in the desert
3. faced with a wild animal
4. unable to find enough water
The plant shown above is leaning over the edge
of the pot as it grows. A student worries that
this will cause the pot to tip over. Which of the
following would help the plant grow straight
up?
1. To open the window every other day
2. To close the window shade every other
  day
3. To give the pot a half turn each day
4. To move the radio to a new spot each
  day
Which response to a low blood sugar level
helps the body maintain its internal balance?
1. Feeling hungry
2. Feeling thirsty
3. Feeling sleepy
4. Feeling angry
Which response to dehydration helps the body
maintain its internal balance?
1. Feeling hungry
2. Feeling thirsty
3. Feeling sleepy
4. Feeling angry
Which of these stimulates a person to feel
thirsty?
1. Having a low level of sugar in the
  bloodstream
2. Not having enough water in the body
3. Having a hard time getting a full breath
  of air
4. Not having enough heat in the body
A person's blood sugar level starts to drop
below the normal level. The person will
probably respond by wanting to
1. eat a large sandwich
2. drink a tall glass of ice water
3. sit close to an air conditioner
4. be wrapped up in a thick blanket
Scientists plan to use selective breeding to
produce a new type of wheat for farmers who
live in northern areas with short summer
seasons. Which of these traits would be MOST
useful for these farmers?
1. Large seed size
2. Long-stem length
3. Fast-growth rate
4. Shallow-root systems
A farmer built a new pond for cattle to drink
from. The farmer stocked the pond with fish by
adding 100 adult fish to the pond right after the
pond was completed. The graph below shows
the number of fish in the pond each year after
the pond was stocked.

An increase in which of the following would
MOST LIKELY cause the number of fish in
the pond to drop below 300 in year 11?
1. Number of plants around the pond
2. Amount of water in the pond
3. Temperature of water in the pond
4. Size of mosquitoes near the pond
Which of the following is a major role of genes
found in the nucleus of cells?
1. They prevent infections in cells.
2. They reduce the time required for cell
  division.
3. They cause bacterial diseases in blood cells.
4. They carry information to new cells.
Normally, offspring of flies are produced from
fertilized eggs. If the genes in a fly's egg cell
are changed, which of the following is most
likely to happen?
1. More genes will be produced in the
  offspring than normally found in the
  flies.
2. The egg cells of the offspring will be
  much smaller than normal egg cells.
3. The offspring produced from the egg
  will be different from the parent fly.
4. The genes in the cells of the offspring
  will be larger than the genes of the
  parent fly.
Tridacna clams are found in shallow pools of
the Great Barrier Reef. The clams have a soft
layer of tissue, called the mantle, that opens
outward when the two parts of the clam shell
open. Many different types of algae are living
in the mantle. Since different species of algae
and different amounts of algae live in different
clams, the clams have different mantle color
patterns. The algae help the clam by producing
food for the clams. The clam in turn protects
the algae which is not as exposed to hungry
algae-eating organisms.
Which of the following is most likely an
inherited characteristic of the clam?
1. The color of the mantle.
2. The presence of algae in the mantle.
3. The shape of the mantle.
4. The type of algae living in the mantle.
Seed banks have been established around the
world to save rare endangered plant species.
The seed banks take up large amounts of room.
What is the smallest part of the seed that could
contain all of the genetic information of the
plant?
1. An embryo
2. A cell
3. A protein
4. A carbohydrate
Cattle have been kept by humans for many
years. Which of these characteristics in cattle is
most likely to have occurred because ranchers
have used selective breeding?
1. Cattle that eat grasses
2. Cattle that have parasites
3. Cattle that produce no horns
4. Cattle that are crossed with buffalo
The sweet potato is a common crop plant found
in most warm areas of the world. The plant
rarely flowers and more rarely makes seeds.
However, the roots and potato vines spread
rapidly, and new plants are easily grown from
the roots and vines of old plants. Some
scientists would like to grow new types of
sweet potatoes that parasites will not attack.
Which of these processes is most difficult in
developing new types of sweet potatoes?
1. Planting root stocks
2. Cutting vines
3. Removing parasites
4. Selective breeding
Which response to a low blood sugar level
helps the body maintain its internal balance?
1. Feeling hungry
2. Feeling thirsty
3. Feeling sleepy
4. Feeling angry
Which response to dehydration helps the body
maintain its internal balance?
1. Feeling hungry
2. Feeling thirsty
3. Feeling sleepy
4. Feeling angry
Which of these stimulates a person to feel
thirsty?
1. Having a low level of sugar in the
  bloodstream
2. Not having enough water in the body
3. Having a hard time getting a full breath
  of air
4. Not having enough heat in the body
A person's blood sugar level starts to drop
below the normal level. The person will
probably respond by wanting to
1. eat a large sandwich
2. drink a tall glass of ice water
3. sit close to an air conditioner
4. be wrapped up in a thick blanket
A prairie dog leaves its burrow to eat grasses
growing in the dusty soil. When it sees a hawk
in the sky, the prairie dog stands up and gives a
warning call. Which of these is a stimulus for
the prairie dog?
1. Dusty soil
2. Hawk
3. Warning call
4. Burrow
An offspring receives genes from each parent.
These genes
1. act as an energy source until the
  offspring can eat
2. provide instructions for the developing
  offspring
3. supply materials the offspring can use
  to grow
4. surround the offspring with a
  protective cover
When a person is startled, blood vessels in the
muscles widen, allowing blood to flow away
from the body's organs. This response is
MOST useful because the blood is then able to
1. release waste heat from the body
2. act as a shield for the vital organs
3. supply energy for immediate activity
4. be better protected by the body's
  muscles

Mrs. Hansby's Science Benchmark

2nd 9 weeks