Question Details

Multiple Choice 1 
1) When we discuss “our environment,” we are referring to 
(1pts)
all conditions in the world. 
only interactions that affect human life. 
only conditions that cause negative effects on our health. 
primarily interactions that harm the atmosphere. 
the sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life. 
2) The Neuse River is considered a system because it involves
(1pts)
components that influence each other irreversibly. 
specifically interacting biotic components that influence each other. 
interacting abiotic components. 
components that interact and influence one another through material or energy change. 
components that influence one another only through the water. 
3) An ecosystem is a location on Earth that includes
I. only biotic components.
II. only abiotic components.
III. interacting living and non-living components.
(1pts)
I only 
II only 
III only 
I and II only 
I, II, and III 
4)The difference between an environmentalist and an environmental scientist is
(1pts)
negligible because both care about Earth. 
that an environmentalist is involved in a social movement; whereas an environmental scientist is concerned with the methods of science. 
that an environmental scientist has a background in biology and chemistry; whereas an environmentalist studies the humanities. 
an environmentalist is generally a radical. 
an environmentalist is involved in a social movement; whereas an environmental scientist is concerned with politics. 
5) A good example of direct human manipulation of the natural environment is seen in
(1pts)
adding emissions to the atmosphere from driving cars. 
converting land from forest to growing crops. 
growing clover and wheat in a laboratory. 
raising goldfish in a fish tank. 
Both A and B 
6) The extinction of mastodons and giant ground sloths in the Americas is attributed to
(1pts)
climatic change. 
competition with dinosaurs. 
a meteor impact in Central America. 
overhunting by humans. 
introduction of the American bison which acted as a competitor. 
7) Which is a correct statement from the point of view of an environmental scientist?
(1pts)
Human manipulation of the environment is completely acceptable in any modern society. 
Human manipulation of the environment is outpacing the rate at which natural systems can evolve. 
Natural systems will evolve at an appropriate rate to compensate for human manipulation. 
Natural systems will be undamaged by human interference because engineering discoveries will fix the problems. 
Adaptation and relocation are acceptable and reliable solutions for organisms that are affected by climate change. 
8) Environmental indicators
(1pts)
enable scientists to accurately predict the future of an environment. 
describe what is causing a change in the environment. 
do not always describe what is causing a change in the environment. 
do not provide information that is considered valuable in creating public policy. 
Both A and C 
9) Living in an environmentally sustainable way necessitates
(1pts)
using Earth- resources efficiently whenever convenient. 
living without basic ecosystem services. 
living in a tent. 
living in a rural area. 
sensitivity to the needs of future generations. 
10)The population with the greatest ability to respond to environmental change most likely is the one with
(1pts)
high genetic diversity. 
low genetic diversity. 
one type of dominant organism. 
two types of dominant organisms. 
more animals than plants. 
11)New innovations in food production are
(1pts)
sure to find new efficient ways to produce enough food to feed the world. 
not keeping pace with food needs of the world. 
not needed to keep pace with food needs of the world. 
frequently the cause of soil degradation. 
Both B and D 
12) Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are
(1pts)
concentrated near the equator. 
completely the product of human activity. 
responsible for constant temperatures near Earth- surface. 
causing a decrease in atmospheric temperature. 
primarily the result of volcanic activity. 
13) The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
(1pts)
is increasing in part due to fossil fuel use. 
has not significantly changed in the past 200 years. 
is increasing in part due to deforestation. 
has been decreasing since the 1800s. 
Both A and C 
14) Human population today is closest to
(1pts)
3 billion. 
5 billion. 
6 billion. 
7 billion. 
12 billion. 
15) The following are non-renewable resources except
(1pts)
aluminum. 
oil. 
coal. 
copper. 
timber.
16) Economic development goes hand in hand with
(1pts)
decreased use of non-renewable resources. 
increased consumption of resources. 
smaller more efficient living styles. 
better planting strategies for crops. 
sustainable use of renewable resources. 
17) The poorest ____ % of the world- people consume no more than ____ % of the world- energy, paper, fish and meat.
(1pts)
20; 20 
20; 5 
5; 20 
5; 35 
2; 45 
18) The following are examples of sustainable practices.
I. Forests cut for timber are replanted.
II. Steel is recycled. 
III. Plastic is disposed of in landfills because that it is less expensive than recycling.
(1pts)
I only 
II only 
I and III only 
I and II only 
I, II, and III 
19) Sustainable development would incorporate
(1pts)
the development of alternative materials. 
efficient use of energy. 
replacement of nutrients in soil. 
evaluation of residential patterns. 
All of the above 
20) The concept of ecological footprint is measured in terms of the amount of
(1pts)
resource an individual consumes daily. 
land area. 
resources an individual consumes over the course of a lifetime. 
resources an entire nation consumes yearly. 
resources an individual consumes yearly. 
Passage 1-1 Questions 
Passage 1-1
An experiment is set up to determine if wheat grows better when it is planted by itself or together with clover. The setup involves three pans of each treatment. Set-ups A, B, and C contain wheat alone. Set-ups D, E, and F contain clover and wheat planted together, in rows alternating one seed of each type. One hundred seeds are planted in each pan. All treatments contain the same type of soil, are planted in the same size of pan, are exposed to the same amount of sunlight, and are maintained at the same temperature throughout the course of the experiment.
21) Use Passage 1-1. The treatments planted with wheat alone are the
(1pts)
constant. 
controls. 
independent variable. 
dependent variable. 
replication.
22) Passage 1-1
An experiment is set up to determine if wheat grows better when it is planted by itself or together with clover. The setup involves three pans of each treatment. Set-ups A, B, and C contain wheat alone. Set-ups D, E, and F contain clover and wheat planted together, in rows alternating one seed of each type. One hundred seeds are planted in each pan. All treatments contain the same type of soil, are planted in the same size of pan, are exposed to the same amount of sunlight, and are maintained at the same temperature throughout the course of the experiment.

Use Passage 1-1. Which of the following statements provides a hypothesis for this experiment?
(1pts)
Wheat grows taller when planted by itself than when it is alternated with clover. 
Clover grows better when planted by itself 
Wheat grows better when planted together with clover. 
Clover grows better when planted together with wheat. 
Both A and C 
23)
Passage 1-1
An experiment is set up to determine if wheat grows better when it is planted by itself or together with clover. The setup involves three pans of each treatment. Set-ups A, B, and C contain wheat alone. Set-ups D, E, and F contain clover and wheat planted together, in rows alternating one seed of each type. One hundred seeds are planted in each pan. All treatments contain the same type of soil, are planted in the same size of pan, are exposed to the same amount of sunlight, and are maintained at the same temperature throughout the course of the experiment.
Use Passage 1-1. Several setups of each treatment are prepared to fulfill a very important requirement of scientific experimentation, specifically the need for
(1pts)
replication. 
constants. 
a control. 
an independent variable. 
a dependent variable.
24)
Use Passage 1-1. Constants in this experiment are
(1pts)
the pan of wheat, temperature, and soil type. 
temperature, number of seeds in each pan, and sunlight. 
number of seeds in each pan, sunlight, and one pan of wheat and clover. 
the pans of wheat alternated with clover. 
the same as the independent variable. 
25)
Use Passage 1-1. The dependent variable in this experiment could be the
(1pts)
height of the clover. 
number of leaves on the clover. 
height of the wheat. 
presence of nodules on the roots of the clover. 
number of clover seeds that germinate. 
26) A hypothesis is different from a belief because it is
(1pts)
testable. 
proven. 
the same as a theory. 
sensible. 
false. 
27) Inductive reasoning
(1pts)
is the process of making general statements from specific facts. 
is the process of applying a general statement to specific facts. 
doesn’t require facts. 
is the same thing as a hypothesis. 
is the same thing as observation. 
28) Deductive reasoning
(1pts)
is the process of making general statements from specific facts. 
is the process of applying a general statement to specific facts. 
requires observation. 
is the same thing as a hypothesis. 
Both B and C 
29) The study of environmental science differs from study of the natural sciences such as biology and chemistry because it
(1pts)
doesn’t encourage critical thinking. 
isn’t included in most institutions of higher learning. 
involves politics, law, and economics. 
eliminates the consideration of physics. 
doesn’t take into account the scientific process. 
30) Environmental justice is
(1pts)
the body of law that deals with environmental issues. 
the type of legal system that environmental lawyers use to defend nature. 
a social movement that works toward equal enforcement of environmental laws in poor communities. 
a type of legal punishment for polluters. 
not needed because pollution is equitably distributed around the world. 
31) Which of the following statements is/are correct?
(1pts)
If more efficient automobile are built, consumption of gasoline will decrease. 
Even though more efficient cars are built, consumer behavior dictates the trend in consumption of gasoline. 
Interactions between natural and human-dominated systems are fairly easy to predict. 
Interactions between natural and human-dominated systems are complicated to predict. 
Both B and D 
32) The San Francisco Sustainability Plan, adopted in 1997,
(1pts)
applies environmental indicators to monitor and encourage sustainable development of the city. 
will never be put into place. 
relies on consumers to create a market for eco-friendly products. 
ignores the need for public education. 
ignores the principles of economics. 
33) Which of the following are environmental indicators used to show that the San Francisco Sustainability Plan is successful?
(1pts)
Increase in the number of parks and in the number of department stores 
Decrease in the amount of solid waste produced and increase in the size of houses 
Improved air conditioning in private homes 
Decrease of wastewater produced and increased biodiversity 
All of the above