Multiple Choice
Identify the
choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
|
|
|
1.
|
If you visited a savanna, you would likely see
a. | large herds of grazing animals, such as rhinos, gazelles, and
giraffes. | b. | a dense forest. | c. | snow and ice. | d. | a coastal
ecosystem. |
|
|
|
2.
|
Grasslands, such as the prairies of North America,
a. | are suitable for corn and wheat, but not suitable for soybeans. | b. | are threatened by
soil erosion because native grasses have been damaged or destroyed by plowing and
overgrazing. | c. | support almost no animal life now that the millions of buffalo that once roamed there
are gone. | d. | support a rich layer of dense grasses because they receive at least 250 cm (100 in.)
of rain per year. |
|
|
|
3.
|
Which of the following best describes a tropical rain forest?
a. | dense, thick soil that supports a dense layer of plants on the forest
floor | b. | species of animals with specialized ways of surviving in order to avoid
competition | c. | very few species of trees, due to poor soil quality | d. | plants and animals
that are very similar due to year-round warmth and moisture |
|
|
|
4.
|
Animals that live in the desert
a. | hibernate in winter. | b. | are usually nocturnal. | c. | usually have thin
skin to absorb water. | d. | include camels, moose, and various
reptiles. |
|
|
|
5.
|
Deserts are
a. | covered with sand and contain no plant life. | b. | found only in North
America. | c. | often formed on the dry side of mountain ranges. | d. | never located in
cooler climates. |
|
|
|
6.
|
The tundra
a. | has a layer of soil that is permanently frozen beneath the top
soil. | b. | is too cold to support insect life. | c. | is resistant to environmental damage because it
is usually frozen. | d. | All of the
above |
|
|
|
7.
|
Taiga is
a. | a cold, treeless, desert-like biome found near the North and South
Poles. | b. | found mostly in Africa. | c. | a forest biome dominated by coniferous trees,
such as pine, fir, and spruce. | d. | a dry, rocky biome found in the central part of
South America. |
|
|
|
8.
|
Which of the following statements is not correct?
a. | Grasslands have rich soil that supports abundant plant life. | b. | The tundra is a
fragile biome because conditions are severe, and the ecosystem is easily
disrupted. | c. | Chaparral fires are beneficial because they destroy trees that compete for light and
space. | d. | Tropical rain forests are resistant to change because the plants contain so many
nutrients. |
|
|
|
9.
|
Which of the following is not true about temperate deciduous
forests?
a. | Trees grow lush green leaves in the spring, but lose their leaves in late
summer. | b. | The soil is rich, and plants cover much of the forest floor. | c. | Animals such as
squirrels, bears, and deer find food in the form of nuts, berries, and leaves. | d. | Both (a) and
(b) |
|
|
|
10.
|
Biomes
a. | contain two ecosystems, hence the name “biome.” | b. | are usually
described by their vegetation. | c. | exist in limited regions of the
world. | d. | All of the above |
|
|
|
11.
|
Which of the following is an adaptation of coniferous trees in the taiga?
a. | They have a shallow root system, due to the acidic soil. | b. | They have leaves
that retain water, due to their shape and waxy coating. | c. | They have a unique
overall shape in order to accumulate snow, which acts as a heavy insulating
layer. | d. | All of the above |
|
|
|
12.
|
Adaptations demonstrated by plants in tropical rain forests include
a. | trees with aboveground roots called buttresses, which increase
stability. | b. | orchids and vines that use tall tree trunks for support. | c. | herbs with large
flat leaves located in the understory. | d. | All of the
above |
|
|
|
13.
|
Chaparral plants usually survive fires because
a. | they contain oils that act as natural fire extinguishers. | b. | water is stored in
their small, leathery leaves. | c. | they can resprout from small amounts of
surviving plant tissue. | d. | they have deep root systems that keep them
moist during a fire. |
|
|
|
14.
|
Which of the following adaptations are used by animals of the Arctic
tundra?
a. | Rodents burrow underground for winter protection. | b. | Deer and foxes use
seasonal camouflage. | c. | Geese and caribou migrate to avoid
predators. | d. | All of the above |
|
|
|
15.
|
As you travel from the North Pole toward the equator, you would expect to
see
a. | tropical rain forests, then deserts, then taiga. | b. | temperate deciduous
forests, then taiga, then tropical rain forests. | c. | tundra, then grasslands, then tropical rain
forests. | d. | taiga, then desert, then tundra. |
|
|
|
16.
|
Which of the following would you expect to see in the emergent layer of a
tropical rain forest?
a. | grasses, insects, and small succulents | b. | eagles, bats, and snakes | c. | lichens, mosses, and
dwarf woody plants | d. | epiphytes, small burrowing mammals, and
burrowing toads |
|
|
|
17.
|
All of the following are characteristics of temperate rain forests
except
a. | high humidity and moderate temperatures. | b. | abundant mosses,
ferns, and lichens. | c. | low rainfall in summer but abundant snow in
winter. | d. | large evergreen trees, such as Sitka spruce and Douglas
fir. |
|
|
|
18.
|
The distance north or south of the equator, as measured in degrees, is
called
a. | altitude. | c. | longitude. | b. | latitude. | d. | magnitude. |
|
|
|
19.
|
The main factor that determines what type of plants grow in a biome is
a. | temperature. | c. | altitude. | b. | precipitation. | d. | Both (a) and
(b) |
|
|
|
20.
|
Biomes with higher temperatures and less precipitation tend to have
a. | shorter and less dense vegetation. | c. | taller and less dense
vegetation. | b. | taller and denser vegetation. | d. | shorter and denser
vegetation. |
|
|
|
21.
|
You are walking through a forest that gets large amounts of rain, has high
humidity, and has moderate temperatures year-round. Where might you be located?
a. | somewhere near the equator | b. | somewhere near the Arctic
Circle | c. | in a forest with the greatest species diversity | d. | the Pacific
Northwest |
|
|
|
22.
|
Which of the following is located primarily in coastal areas that have
Mediterranean-style climates with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters?
a. | tallgrass prairie | c. | tundra | b. | savanna | d. | chaparral |
|
|
|
23.
|
Tropical rain forests are threatened by
a. | deforestation and the trade of rain forest plants and animals. | b. | a decrease in the
average temperature at the equator. | c. | a decrease in rainfall at the
equator. | d. | a thinning of the soil. |
|
|
|
24.
|
Adaptations of desert animals that help them survive in the hot, dry desert
often include
a. | searching for water at midday. | b. | thin skin that readily absorbs
water. | c. | large, bulky size to retain body heat on cold nights. | d. | searching for food
at night. |
|
|
|
25.
|
The deforestation of the rain forests may cause climate changes which, in turn,
may affect
a. | acid precipitation. | c. | smog. | b. | flooding. | d. | habitat
destruction. |
|
