College Biology Exam Questions

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21.

What is the passage's main idea?

  • Facts about use tax

  • Internet purchases trigger audits

  • Businesses that are required to pay use tax

  • Filing income tax returns

Correct answer: Facts about use tax

In order to identify the main idea of a passage, the reader must understand what the passage is about and what point the author is making about the passage’s topic. The passage is about use tax, and the point that the author is making about use tax is that individuals should know that facts that are associated with use tax. Therefore, the passage’s main idea is: facts about use tax.

The main idea of a passage can be identified by answering the following two questions:

  1. What is the passage about?
  2. What point is the author trying to make?

The passage does mention that Internet purchases could trigger audits, but that is not the main idea of the passage. The passage does mention that businesses are required to pay use tax, but that is not the main idea of the passage. The passage does mention income tax returns, but it does not mention anything about filing them.

22.

Which of the following is the metric system’s basic measure of distance?

  • Meter

  • Inch

  • Foot

  • Yard

Correct answer: Meter

The metric system’s basic measure of distance is the meter. Scientists use the metric system of measurement.

Inch, foot, and yard are U.S. customary units of measure.

23.

What name is given to the vertical columns on the periodic table?

  • Groups

  • Periods

  • Elements

  • Blocks

Correct answer: Groups

The vertical columns on the periodic table are called groups. The horizontal rows of elements are called periods, and the periodic table is divided into blocks.

24.

Identify the adjectives in the following sentence.

Jerry's purple fish lived by itself in his huge aquarium.

  • purple; huge

  • purple; fish

  • huge; aquarium

  • fish; lived

Correct answer: purple; huge

Jerry's purple fish lived by itself in his huge aquarium.

Adjectives are words or phrases that describe or modify a noun. Both purple and huge are adjectives and modify the nouns in the sentence. Purple describes the fish, and huge describes the aquarium.

In this sentence, fish is a noun, aquarium is a noun, and lived is a verb.

25.

Identify the type of sentence.

When I buy a lake house, I’m going to enjoy it every weekend.

  • Complex

  • Compound

  • Simple

  • Compound-complex

Correct answer: Complex

The given sentence is a complex sentence, as it contains one independent clause (I’m going to enjoy it every weekend) and one dependent clause (When I buy a lake house). A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses. A simple sentence only has one independent clause and no dependent clauses. A compound-complex sentence contains two independent clauses and one dependent clause for three clauses total.

26.

If the area of a square is twice is the perimeter of the square, what is the sidelength of that square?

  • 8

  • 4

  • 10

  • 6

Correct answer: 8

Find the area and perimeter.
If the side length of a square is s, then the area is s2 and the perimeter is 4s.

Solve for s.
In this case, the area is twice the perimeter, so s2 = 2⋅4s = 8s, or s2 = 8s and s = 8.

27.

Which of the following statements correctly describes a property of gases?

  • Gases are compressible

  • Gas particles will aggregate to form a surface layer

  • Each gas has a characteristic shape

  • Gases tend to separate from each other

Correct answer: Gases are compressible

There are six main properties of gases: 1) a gas has no defined shape or volume; rather, it takes on the shape of the container it is in. 2) Gases do not have surfaces; their component molecules or atoms will escape from an open container. 3) Gases are easily compressed; their molecules are separated by large expanses of space which can be reduced by applying pressure. 4) Gases can diffuse into each other; gas molecules move rapidly and have a high speed of diffusion. 5) Gases form liquids when they are cooled, which slows the movement of gas molecules and reduces their separation. 6) A gas can flow in any direction and can only be contained in a closed vessel.

28.

The bone located along the midline of the anterior side of the thoracic region is known as which of the following?

  • Sternum

  • Humerus

  • Radius

  • Ulna

Correct answer: Sternum

The sternum is located along the midline of the anterior side of the thoracic region. The sternum is also known as the breastbone, and it is thin and knife shaped.

The humerus is located in the upper arm. The radius and ulna are located in the forearm.

29.

What is 2.35 × 0.15 equal to?

  • 0.3525

  • 3.525

  • 0.03525

  • 35.25

Correct answer: 0.3525 

1. Remove the decimals from the numbers and multiply.

235 × 15 = 3,525

2. Find the correct place for the decimal point.

When multiplying two numbers with decimals, the correct decimal point location is found by adding the number of decimal places in each number. Since 2.35 has two decimal places and 0.15 also has two decimal places, the total number of decimal places in the answer is four and 3,525 becomes 0.3525.

30.

To which bodily system do the arteries and veins belong?

  • Cardiovascular system

  • Respiratory system

  • Neuromuscular system

  • Endocrine system

Correct answer: Cardiovascular system

The cardiovascular (circulatory) system is responsible for the movement of blood and lymph around the body. This allows for nutrient distribution, waste removal, communication, and protection. The cardiovascular system includes the heart, arteries, veins, plasma, lymph, lymphocytes, leukocytes, hemoglobin, and capillaries.

31.

How many groups does the periodic table have?

  • 18

  • 7

  • 9

  • 11

Correct answer: 18

The periodic table has 18 groups. The columns of the periodic table are known as the table’s groups and there are 18 columns.

The periodic table has 7 periods. The other two options are incorrect.

32.

Which of the following sentences is correct?

  • Katie wanted to take a European vacation: She wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark.

  • Katie wanted to take a European vacation, she wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark.

  • Katie wanted to take a European vacation she wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark.

  • Katie wanted to take a European vacation. she wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark.

Correct answer: Katie wanted to take a European vacation: She wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark.

This question asks about punctuation between two related independent clauses. Because they are independent clauses, the rules for joining independent clauses apply. They may be joined with a comma + coordinating conjunction, semicolon and no capital letter, period and capital letter, or even colon when the second clause amplifies or explains the information preceding the colon. When the information coming after the colon forms an independent clause, that clause has a capital letter clause-initial. "Katie wanted to take a European vacation: She wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark" is the only option that follows all of these rules.

"Katie wanted to take a European vacation, she wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark" incorrectly joins the two independent clauses with merely a comma, a common type of error known as a comma splice. "Katie wanted to take a European vacation she wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark" incorrectly joins the two independent clauses with no punctuation in between, a common type of error known as a run-on sentence. "Katie wanted to take a European vacation. she wanted to go to Italy, Greece, and Denmark" would be correct except for the lower case letter beginning the second clause, which is incorrect.

33.

A group of lymphocytes that share the same antigen receptor is called a:

  • Clone

  • Cluster of differentiation

  • Hematopoietic stem cell

  • Naïve T cell

Correct answer: Clone

A naïve T cell is a T cell that has differentiated in bone marrow and undergone positive and negative selection in the thymus but has not yet encountered the specific antigen it is designed for. When a group of naïve T cells encounters a foreign antigen being displayed on an antigen-presenting cell, only those T cells that have a receptor for that antigen “hard-wired” into their DNA will respond. The cells that share a particular antigen receptor are called a clone. Upon encountering a foreign antigen, clone cells divide rapidly, in a process called clonal expansion, to ensure a strong immune response. 

A memory T cell is an antigen-specific T cell that remains long-term after an infection and responds quickly in the event of a reinfection. Memory T cells are long-lived and can potentially persist for a lifetime. Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all forms of white blood cells and are found in the bone marrow. The cluster of differentiation is a set of rules for identifying all forms of cell surface molecules on white blood cells.  

34.

Alisha purchased a new vehicle for $32,500 and she was responsible for paying the $2,112.50 sales tax at the title office. What is the percentage sales tax that Alisha paid on her new vehicle?

  • 6.50%

  • 5%

  • 7%

  • 7.50%

Correct answer: 6.50% 

  1. Divide the tax amount by the purchase price.
    The tax proportion is $2,112.50 / $32,500 = 0.065
  2. Convert to a percentage.
    To convert to a percentage, multiply by 100 and add a percent sign.
    0.065 × 100% = 6.50%

35.

Identify the meaning of diplopia in the following sentence.

The patient had diplopia, and he saw two fingers when the nurse was only holding up one finger.

  • Double vision

  • Hearing loss

  • Severe pain

  • Headache

Correct answer: Double vision

The word diplopia means double vision. If you do not know the meaning of the word, you can use the sentence to help you define the word. The sentence states that the nurse is only holding up one finger but that the patient sees two fingers; therefore, you can guess that the patient is seeing double.

36.

A rectangle is 9 inches wide by 12 inches long. What is the perimeter of the rectangle?

  • 42 inches

  • 68 inches

  • 52 inches

  • 81 inches

Correct answer: 42 inches

The perimeter of the rectangle is the distance of its edges and is equal to 2⋅Length + 2⋅Width.

Thus, the perimeter equals 2⋅(9 inches) + 2⋅(12 inches) = 18 inches + 24 inches = 42 inches.

37.

Michael bought a tray of eggs for $4.50. Six of the eggs broke and Michael sold the remaining eggs, making a loss of 20% from his initial investment. If the tray has 30 eggs, what was the selling price of each egg?

  • $0.15

  • $0.18

  • $0.12

  • $0.23

Correct answer: $0.15

Find the total the eggs sell for.
If there is a 20% loss, then Michael loses $4.50 × 0.20 = $0.90, meaning the remaining eggs sell for $4.50 - $0.90 = $3.60.

Find the number of eggs that Michael sells.
If six eggs of the thirty break, Michael sells the other 30 - 6 = 24.

Divide.
The per-egg price is $3.60/24 = $0.15.

38.

Which of the following is the conversion of a substance from the liquid or solid phase into the gaseous phase?

  • Vaporization

  • Evaporation

  • Oxidation

  • Condensation

Correct answer: Vaporization

Vaporization is the conversion of a substance from the liquid or solid phase into the gaseous phase.

Evaporation is the process by which an element or compound transitions from its liquid state to its gaseous state below the temperature at which it boils. Condensation is the deposition of a liquid or a solid from its vapor. Oxidation is the combination of a substance with oxygen.

39.

How many minutes are there in 30 days?

  • 43,200 minutes

  • 40,320 minutes

  • 44,640 minutes

  • 41,960 minutes

Correct answer: 43,200 minutes

Use unit conversion fractions:

30 days × 24 hours/1 day × 60 minutes/1 hour = 43,200 minutes.

40.

Bones of the body are arranged into two major divisions: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. Which of the following bones is not a part of the appendicular skeleton?

  • Vertebral column

  • Pectoral girdle

  • Pelvic girdle

  • Radius

Correct answer: Vertebral column

The skeletal system has three main functions: movement, protection, and metabolism. The skeletal system is composed of bone, which is an organ that is constantly being reorganized. Bones synthesize blood and immune cells, as well as store calcium, phosphate, and lipids. Bone is a dynamic tissue that is made and broken down according to need. It also functions to provide structural, protective, and metabolic needs.

The skeletal system in an adult body is made up of 206 individual bones. These bones are arranged into two major divisions: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton.

  • The axial skeleton runs along the body’s midline axis and is made up of 80 bones in the following regions: Skull, hyoid, auditory ossicles, ribs, sternum, vertebral column
  • The appendicular skeleton is made up of 126 bones in the following regions: Upper limbs, lower limbs, pelvic girdle, pectoral (shoulder) girdle