Units 1 and 2

Which of the following is a learned behavior?
1. A dolphin swims soon after birth.
2. A bird builds a nest out of twigs.
3. A dog fetches a ball.
4. A Monarch butterfly migrates south during early Fall.
The students are going to watch the teacher perform a demonstration using a hot plate to heat a beaker of water to the boiling point. The students have been given directions and safety rules for participating in this demonstration. Which of the following should the teacher, students, and scientist wear for this demonstration?
1. closed-toe shoes, goggles
2. goggles, hair spray
3. loose clothing, closed-toe shoes
4. goggles, sandals
One of the best ways to use our resources wisely is to –
1. immediately stop using all plastics and paper products.
2. store all materials in flame resistant containers.
3. reuse and recycle materials whenever possible.
4. import all needed resources from other
  countries.
Which of the following traits could be inherited by offspring from their parents?
1. attached earlobes, long fingernails, big
2. attached earlobes, big eyes, good manners
3. attached earlobes, brown hair, brown eyes
4. attached earlobes, brown hair, long hair
The process of constructing an “if…., then…” statement is referred to as –
1. preparing for the outcome.
2. forming a hypothesis.
3. gathering data.
4. communicating results.
Approximately, how many new leaves were added to the plant between week 4 and week 5?
1. 3
2. 9
3. 5
4. 6
The symbol below tells you that –
1. the material can be recycled.
2. the material is poisonous.
3. the material is not flammable.
4. the material will float in water.
Which tool would be the best choice for a student to use to measure the width of a small leaf?
1. beaker
2. metric ruler
3. calculator
4. balance
Through the process of metamorphosis, a butterfly –
1. changes the form of its body as it grows.
2. molts the outer covering of its skeleton.
3. loses its wings and legs.
4. hatches from an egg in late summer.
Scientists conduct experiments in laboratories. All of the following procedures contribute to laboratory safety EXCEPT –
1. using calculators.
2. following directions.
3. wearing protective clothing
4. knowing emergency procedures.
Skunks living in cities have learned to tear open garbage bags with their claws and teeth. This is an example of an animal –
1. adapting to its environment.
2. inheriting the ability to change its diet.
3. being tamed by humans
4. becoming a plant eater
While conducting a laboratory investigation, it is recommended that –
1. you use safety goggles only when working with liquid chemicals.
2. you eat or drink if you are very hungry or thirsty.
3. you handle laboratory animals without the permission or supervision of the teacher
4. you tell your teacher if you have a serious safety concern.
Which of the following traits is not inherited?
1. Eye color
2. Dimples
3. Detached earlobes
4. Sneezing
You can tell which recycling group a piece of plastic belongs to by looking at the _______on the lid.
1. date
2. symbol
3. star
4. date
Which of the following can be answered by looking at the diagrams?
1. Can beans grow faster in groups of eight?
2. Does seawater affect bean growth?
3. How much water is needed for beans to grow?
4. Do paper towels make beans grow faster?
A student cuts away a leafy branch from a house plant. She places the branch in water. After a few days, the branch grows roots and new leaves. Later, she plants the branch in a pot. It grows into a new plant. This process is an example of –
1. reproduction with flowers.
2. asexual reproduction or vegetative reproduction.
3. sexual reproduction.
4. selective breeding.
The graph shows how many individuals were found in a beetle colony. How many more beetles than pupa were found in this colony?
1. 5
2. 8
3. 14
4. 32
A student wants to look at the nucleus of an onion cell. Which of the following tools should the student select?
1. computer
2. hand lens
3. microscope
4. periscope
Study the life cycle in the diagram. This is most likely the life cycle of a _____.
1. bird
2. cat
3. butterfly
4. snake
Identical twins look alike because –
1. they were born on the same day.
2. they have always eaten the same foods.
3. they inherited the same characteristics from their parents.
4. they were taught the same things at home.
Every day for five days, a scientist placed a mouse at the opening of a maze. At the end of the maze was a piece of cheese. The scientist used a stopwatch to time how long it took the mouse to reach the cheese and recorded the results in the chart below.

What kind of behavior is the mouse demonstrating?
1. Learned behavior
2. Inherited behavior
3. Hydrotropic behavior
4. Phototropic behavior
What do the items have in common?
1. They can measure temperature.
2. They can attract light.
3. They can burn.
4. They can be recycled.
Which of these would be the best way to determine which type of grocery bag most people prefer?
1. Determine which bag has more volume.
2. Determine which bag can be recycled
3. Determine which bag is most colorful.
4. Conduct survey and analyze the results.
The diagram shows a typical plant and a typical animal cell. Which of the following structures is found in plant cells but not in animal cells?
1. cell membrane
2. vacuole
3. cell wall
4. nucleus
Which of the following traits is inherited from parent to offspring?
1. In pea plants, the shape of the pea pod
2. In dolphins, jumping through a hoop for a reward
3. In humans, riding a bicycle
4. In house cats, coming to the kitchen when the refrigerator is opened
Students decide to collect recyclable materials in their school in order to help the environment. What should they do with them after they have them collected?
1. Divide them into bags of the different types of products and take them to a recycling center.
2. Throw them in the school dumpster.
3. Throw them all together and take them to the recycling center.
4. Give them to their school janitor.
In science class, students are asked to record their observations of the life cycle of the brine shrimp. Which of the following tools would be best for conducting their observations?
1. ruler
2. magnet
3. hand lens
4. collecting net
Which of the following is a learned behavior?

Units 1 and 2

TAKS Practice