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 3.3.4 The student will interpret how the effects of DNA alteration can be beneficial or harmful to the individual, society, and/or the environment.

Assessment Limits:

  • mutations
  • chromosome number (abnormalities)
  • genetic engineering (gene splicing, recombinant DNA, cloning)

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

An Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing has a gene which causes him to produce 50% more hemoglobin than the average person. Which of these most likely caused this trait?

  1. a special diet designed for the skier
  2. the climate where the skier lives
  3. the training routine of the skier
  4. a mutation carried by the skier
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2003_334_bio38.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

Which of these results when one nitrogen base replaces another in a segment of genetic material?

  1. an enzyme substrate
  2. a mutation
  3. a feedback loop
  4. an adaptation
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2004_334_bio29.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

A rare disorder is caused by changes in a gene. Parents of individuals with the disorder have only normal copies of this gene. Which of these most likely causes this disorder?

  1. mitosis
  2. gene splicing
  3. mutation
  4. natural selection
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2004_334_bio51.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

A scientist cloned a goat. Which of these is a true statement about the cloned goat?

  1. It has new genes and traits.
  2. It lacks the genes for reproduction.
  3. It has genes that are identical to the original goat.
  4. It looks the same as the original goat but has different genes.
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2005_334_bio26.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

Scientists can insert and remove nucleotides from a DNA strand. Which of these identifies this process?

  1. base pairing
  2. gene splicing
  3. DNA synthesis
  4. DNA transcription
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2006_334_bio14.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

In the laboratory, scientists remove the gene for insulin from human chromosomes. They insert the gene into the DNA of bacteria. This causes the bacteria to produce human insulin. The insulin is used to treat diabetes in humans. Which of these describes this process?

  1. meiosis
  2. fertilization
  3. gene splicing
  4. DNA fingerprinting
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2006_334_bio34.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

Two segments of DNA are shown in the diagram below.

Normal thymine (T) is found in the old strand. It is replaced by an abnormal molecule (T*) in the new strand. The abnormal molecule (T*) binds to guanine (G) instead of binding to adenine (A). This is an example of

  1. an adaptation
  2. protein synthesis
  3. a mutation
  4. binary fission
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2007_334_bio37.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

One kind of chromosomal mutation can occur during meiosis when a pair of chromosomes that carry genes for the same trait fail to separate. Which of these represents the sex chromosomes of a male organism when this type of chromosomal mutation has occurred?

  1. XXY
  2. XX
  3. XY
  4. XXX
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2008_334_bio07.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

Most bacteria do not have the ability to break down oil that is accidentally spilled into the ocean by tankers. However, scientists can insert a gene into the DNA of a bacterium to give it the ability to break down the oil. This technology is an example of

  1. crossing-over
  2. DNA replication
  3. gene splicing
  4. translation
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2008_334_bio39.xml

Correct Answer:
C