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NY Regents Living Environment Biology — practice by topic

Browse 21 questions across 6 Biology topics. Choose what you want to revise, then open a question to check its answer and worked solution.

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Biology topics

Evolution and the Origin of Species (9)The Immune System (6)Adaptive Immune Response (2)Understanding Evolution (2)Formation of New Species (1)Innate Immune Response (1)

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Genetic diversity within a population arises through two main mechanisms. What are they?Read the answer and worked solution →A heritable trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its current environment is given a specific name. What is that name?Read the answer and worked solution →Speciation that occurs within a single shared location, without any physical barrier separating the populations, is given a specific name. What is it?Read the answer and worked solution →Which structure serves as the body's first, continuous, and impassable barrier against most pathogens, killing or inactivating them through drying and acidity?Read the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

Genetic diversity within a population arises through two main mechanisms. What are they?

  1. Mutation and geographic isolation
  2. Sexual reproduction and selection
  3. Genetic drift and gene flow
  4. Mutation and sexual reproduction
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Correct answer: D. Mutation and sexual reproduction

1. Genetic diversity in a population comes from two main mechanisms. 2. The first is mutation, a change in DNA that is the ultimate source of new alleles. 3. The second is sexual reproduction, which assembles unique combinations of alleles in each offspring. 4. Geographic isolation and gene flow are discussed elsewhere as factors in speciation, not as the two main sources of genetic diversity within a population. 5. Natural selection acts on existing variation rather than generating new genetic variation itself, so it does not belong in this pair. _Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 18 "Evolution and the Origin of Species", section Processes and Patterns of Evolution_

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A heritable trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its current environment is given a specific name. What is that name?

  1. A mutation event
  2. An adaptation
  3. A vestigial part
  4. A homologous part
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Correct answer: B. An adaptation

1. A heritable trait that helps survival and reproduction in the present environment is called an adaptation. 2. The webbed feet of platypuses and the snow leopard's thick fur are both examples of adaptations to a specific environment. 3. A mutation is a change in DNA that may or may not become an adaptation, so the two terms are not interchangeable. 4. Vestigial and homologous structures are separate evidence categories for evolution, not the general term for a helpful heritable trait. _Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 18 "Evolution and the Origin of Species", section Processes and Patterns of Evolution_

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Speciation that occurs within a single shared location, without any physical barrier separating the populations, is given a specific name. What is it?

  1. Allopatric speciation
  2. Sympatric speciation
  3. Adaptive radiation
  4. Punctuated equilibrium
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Correct answer: B. Sympatric speciation

1. Divergence can occur even without physical barriers separating individuals in the same habitat. 2. The process of speciation within the same space is called sympatric speciation. 3. The prefix sym means same, so sympatric means same homeland, in contrast to allopatric meaning other homeland. 4. Adaptive radiation and punctuated equilibrium describe different patterns, and allopatric speciation is the opposite process, requiring geographic separation. _Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 18 "Evolution and the Origin of Species", section Sympatric Speciation_

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