School Improvement in Maryland

Public Release Item: Public Release items have appeared on HSA forms and then are released for public viewing and use. Releasing items is one step to ensuring that schools, districts, and other stakeholders understand how the core learning goals are assessed on the HSA.

Goal 3 Concepts Of Biology

Expectation 3.3 The student will analyze how traits are inherited and passed on from one generation to another.

Indicator 3.3.3 The student will explain how a genetic trait is determined by the code in a DNA molecule.

Assessment Limits:

  • definition of gene (a segment of DNA that codes for a protein or RNA)
  • sequence of nitrogen bases directing protein formation (role of DNA, mRNA, tRNA, rRNA)
  • proteins determine traits

Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

How many nucleotides are needed to code for one amino acid?

  1. 1
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 6
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2004_333_bio04.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2004

Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, carries oxygen. Abnormal hemoglobin cannot carry as much oxygen as normal hemoglobin. The sequences below show sections of the DNA sequence that produce both the normal and abnormal types of hemoglobin.

  • Write the messenger RNA sequences that would be produced from the normal and abnormal DNA sequences shown above.
     
  • Using the codon table, write the amino acid sequences produced from the DNA for normal and abnormal hemoglobin.
     
  • Beginning with DNA, describe the process that forms proteins such as hemoglobin.
     
Type your answer in the answer box below.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2004_333_bio38.xml

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Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

Which RNA sequence is produced using the DNA sequence AGC-TAC-ACT?

  1. UCG-AUG-UGA
  2. UCG-UAC-ACU
  3. TCG-ATG-TGA
  4. AGC-UAC-ACU
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2004_333_bio46.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

The diagram below shows the key steps for making proteins.

Which step involves transfer RNA?

  1. I
  2. II
  3. III
  4. IV
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2005_333_bio46.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

Hemoglobin is an important protein in red blood cells. The DNA code for hemoglobin contains the following segment:

TGC-GGA-CTC-CTC

Which of these is the messenger RNA code for this segment of DNA?

  1. ACG-CCT-GAA-GAA
  2. TCC-GGT-CTC-CTC
  3. ACG-CCU-GAG-GAG
  4. UGC-GGA-CUC-CUC
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2005_333_bio27.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

The diagram below shows the key steps for making proteins. Use the diagram to answer the following.

According to the diagram, in which step is messenger RNA being constructed?

  1. I
  2. II
  3. III
  4. IV
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2005_333_bio45.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

Look at the DNA sequence below.

GAA     TTC     GCA

What do the G and A represent in the DNA sequence?

  1. sugars
  2. amino acids
  3. phosphates
  4. nitrogen bases
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2003_333_bio32.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

Scientists have recently discovered a new species that lives attached to the side of a tree. An organism from this new species

  • is multicellular
     
  • has cell walls
     
  • has vascular tissues
     
  • makes its own food
     
  • has structures that absorb moisture from the air

The scientists learned that this organism produces a special protein that prevents it from freezing in cold weather. Which of these contains the information for making this protein?

  1. a vacuole
  2. a lipid
  3. a vitamin
  4. a gene
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2003_333_bio27.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

Which of the following is correctly matched with its function?

  1. rRNA - contains codes to make new ribosomes
  2. DNA - carries the amino acids to the ribosomes
  3. tRNA - combines with proteins to make up ribosomes
  4. mRNA - carries genetic codes from nucleus to the ribosomes
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2006_333_bio04.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

Which of these statements best explains how genes and proteins are related?

  1. Genes are segments of DNA that code for proteins.
  2. Proteins are segments of DNA that code for genes.
  3. Genes are the building blocks of proteins.
  4. Proteins are the building blocks of genes.
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2006_333_bio27.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

A strand of DNA has a nucleotide base sequence of TAC-CGG-AGT. Which of the following is the complementary mRNA nucleotide sequence produced from the strand of DNA?

  1. UAC-CGG-AGU
  2. ACU-GAA-CGA
  3. AGU-UCC-UAC
  4. AUG-GCC-UCA
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2006_333_bio43.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

A cellular process uses a strand of genetic material to produce a new strand. Parts of the strands are shown below.

Original strand ATT CAG
New strand UAA GUC

This new strand will most likely be used for

  1. gene splicing
  2. DNA synthesis
  3. crossing-over
  4. protein synthesis
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2007_333_bio16.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2007

In humans, the allele for having a hairline with a widow’s peak (H) is dominant to having a straight hairline (h).

A woman that is homozygous dominant for having a widow’s peak and a man that is heterozygous for having a widow’s peak have a child. What is the probability that their child will have a widow’s peak? In your response, be sure to include

  • a completed Punnett square
  • the genotypes and phenotypes of the parents
  • the possible genotypes and phenotypes of the child
  • an explanation of how DNA determines a trait such as widow’s peak

Write your answer in your Answer Book.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2007_333_bio32.xml

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Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

The genetic information for making a protein must move from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Which of these moves this information to the cytoplasm?

  1. a ribosome
  2. DNA
  3. RNA
  4. an amino acid
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2007_333_bio48.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

What is one role of transfer RNA in the cell?

  1. preparing the genes for messenger RNA
  2. changing nitrogen bases into amino acids
  3. preparing messenger RNA for the ribosomes
  4. carrying amino acids to the ribosomes
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2008_333_bio17.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

The nucleotide base sequence of a strand of DNA is TAC-CGG-AGT. What is the sequence of the complementary DNA strand?

  1. TAC-CGG-AGT
  2. ACT-GAA-CGA
  3. AGT-TCC-TAC
  4. ATG-GCC-TCA
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2008_333_bio22.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

Which of these make up the primary link between a gene and the expression of a trait?

  1. proteins
  2. sugars
  3. lipids
  4. vitamins
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2008_333_bio51.xml

Correct Answer:
A