The PRAXIS® Study Companion

The PRAXIS

Study Companion

Biology

(5236)

www.

ets.org/praxis

The Praxis

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Table of Contents

Biology (5236) .......................................................................................................................................... 3

Test at a Glance ..................................................................................................................................................... 3

About The Test ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

Content Topics ...................................................................................................................................................... 5

Discussion Questions ............................................................................................................................................. 5

Science and Engineering Practices ...................................................................................................................... 17

Tasks of Teaching Science ................................................................................................................................... 21

Biology (5236) Sample Test Questions .............................................................................................. 23

Biology (5236) Answers ....................................................................................................................................... 35

Understanding Question Types .......................................................................................................... 49

Understanding Selected-Response and Numeric-Entry Questions ..................................................................... 49

Understanding Constructed-Response Questions .............................................................................................. 50

General Assistance For The Test ........................................................................................................ 52

Praxi s

Interactive Practice Test .......................................................................................................................... 52

Doing Your Best ................................................................................................................................................... 52

Helpful Links ........................................................................................................................................................ 52

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Biology (5236)

Test at a Glance

The Praxis

Biology test is designed to measure knowledge and competencies important for

safe and effective beginning practice as a teacher of biology. Test takers have typically

completed a bachelor’s degree program with appropriate coursework in biology and education.

Test Name B

iology

Test Code 5236

Time 2.5 hours

Number of Questions 150 selected-response questions

Format

The test consists of a variety of selected-response questions,

where you select one or more answer choices, and other types

of questions. You can review the possible question types in

“Understanding Question Types.”

Test Delivery Computer Delivered

Content Categories

Approximate

Number of

Questions

Approximate

Percentage

Examination

I. Nature and Impact of

Science and Engineering

19 13%

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure

and Function

33 22%

III. Genetics and Evolution

39 26%

IV. Diversity of Life and

Organismal Biology

30 20%

V. Ecology: Organisms and

Environments

29 19%

All questions assess content from the above Biology domains.

More than 40 percent of questions integrate a Science and

Engineering Practice, and approximately 25 percent of questions

assess content applied to a Task of Teaching Science.

II.

III.

IV.

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About The Test

On the Biology test, content topics span the biology curriculum, including content related to

(I) Nature and Impact of Science and Engineering, (II) Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function,

(III) Genetics and Evolution, (IV) Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology, (V) Ecology: Organisms

and Environments.

The assessment is designed and developed through work with practicing biology teachers,

teacher educators, and higher education biology specialists to reflect the science knowledge

teachers need to teach the biology curriculum and to reflect state and national standards,

including the National Science Teaching Association Preparation Standards for biology. Content

and practices measured reflect the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) and Science and Engineering

Practices (SEPs) established by the National Research Council in A Framework for K-12 Science

Education and included in the Next Generation Science Standards.

The 150 selected-response questions measure concepts, terms, phenomena, methods,

applications, data analysis, and problem solving in science. A full list of the topics covered is

provided in Content Topics.

Test takers can expect 40 percent or more of the questions on the test to integrate biology

content knowledge with one or more of the SEPs, listed under Science and Engineering

Practices.

Test takers will also find that approximately 25 percent of questions call for application of

biology content and processes within a teaching scenario or an instructional task. Such

questions—designed to measure applications of biology knowledge to the kinds of decisions

and evaluations a teacher must make during work with students, curriculum, and instruction—

situate biology content questions in tasks critical for teaching. Below, in Tasks of Teaching

Science, is a list of tasks that are a routine part of biology instruction. These tasks, identified

based on research on science instruction, have been confirmed by a national committee of

teachers and teacher educators as important for effective teaching of secondary science.

This test may contain some questions that will not count toward your score.

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Content Topics

This list details the topics that may be

included on the test. All test questions cover

one or more of these topics.

Discussion Questions

In this section, discussion questions are

open-ended questions or statements

intended to help test your knowledge of

fundamental concepts and your ability to

apply those concepts to classroom or real-

world situations. We do not provide

answers for the discussion questions but

thinking about the answers will help

improve your understanding of

fundamental concepts and may help you

answer a broad range of questions on the

test. Most of the questions require you to

combine several pieces of knowledge to

formulate an integrated understanding and

response. They are written to help you gain

increased understanding and facility with

the test’s subject matter. You may want to

discuss these questions with a teacher or

mentor.

I. Nature and Impact of Science and

Engineering

A. Nature of Science

1. Nature of scientific knowledge

a. Observations and experiments

provide evidence

b. Understanding develops and

changes over time in light of new

evidence

c. Science is interdisciplinary in

nature (e.g., principles of chemistry

and physics and earth science in

biology)

d. Scientific methodologies

e. Scientific skills include observing,

categorizing, comparing,

generalizing, inferring, and

concluding

f. Distinguish between scientific laws,

and scientific theories, and

hypotheses

g. Models are developed, revised,

and applied to explain natural

phenomena

2. Experimental design, data collection,

and analysis

a. Standard units of measurement,

dimensional analysis, and unit

conversion

b. Scientific notation and use of

significant figures

c. Experimental design, including

hypothesis development,

identifying variables, and planning

data collection

d. Processing, organizing, and

reporting of quantitative and

qualitative data

e. Error analysis, including identifying

the sources and effects of error

f. Interpreting, extrapolating, and

drawing valid conclusions from

data

3. Laboratory procedures

a. Preparation of materials for

classroom or field use

b. Appropriate and safe use, storage,

and disposal of chemicals and

biological materials

c. Appropriate and safe use and care

of laboratory equipment

d. Safety and emergency procedures

for science laboratories

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B. Science, Engineering, Technology,

Society, and the Environment

1. Engineering design and the

interdependence of science,

engineering, and technology

a. Defining problems, including

identifying the success criteria and

the constraints

b. Designing solutions, including

proposing and evaluating in terms

of criteria, constraints, and

limitations

c. Optimizing the design, including

systematic modification and

refinement

d. Engineering advances lead to

important discoveries in science

e. Science and technology drive each

other forward

2. Impacts of science, technology,

human activity, and natural

phenomena on society and the

environment

a. Sources of air and water pollution

b. Sources of greenhouse gases and

impacts of global climate change

c. Production, use, disposal, and

recycling of consumer products

d. Consequences of natural disasters,

resource extraction, and industrial

accidents

e. Forestry, agriculture, wildlife, and

fisheries practices

f. Ocean, estuary, freshwater, and

wetland degradation

g. Conservation, including species

protection and habitat

preservation and restoration

h. Renewable or sustainable use of

energy and resource management

3. Applications of science in public

health, medicine, and agriculture

a. Epidemiology, disease, and

medicine (e.g.,

epidemics/pandemics, HIV/AIDS,

pathogens, vaccines)

b. Biotechnology (e.g., genetic

engineering, GMOs)

c. Medical technologies for disease

diagnosis and treatment (e.g.,

medical imaging, X-rays, radiation

therapy)

d. Ethical research concerns (e.g., use

of stem cells and toxic chemicals)

e. Ethical use of technology, genetic

information, organisms, and

cloning

Discussion Questions: Nature and

Impact of Science and Engineering

• What is the most effective way to

compare information obtained from

television, a newspaper article, a

Web site, and a scientific journal for

accuracy? For understandability? For

use in the classroom setting?

• A scientist studying nutrient

requirements for a particular type of

bacteria inoculates three flasks of

culture medium with an equal

number of bacteria. Extra glucose is

added to one of the flasks, and extra

lactose is added to another. The

number of bacteria per milliliter is

determined every two hours for a

period of 12 hours. What type of

graph is best used to represent the

data?

• Describe how to prepare 1 liter of an

0.85% sodium chloride solution.

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• If a solution is to be used to culture

living cells, is it important to include

a buffer in the solution? Explain.

• Name some of the most likely

reasons for the increased number of

emerging infectious diseases

affecting humans in recent years.

• Why do many infectious diseases

spread rapidly through temporary

settlements established after an

area is devastated by war or a

natural disaster?

• Name a disease transmitted by

aerosol spray of a sneeze, a disease

transmitted through drinking water,

and a disease transmitted by an

insect or arthropod vector.

• What is the relationship between the

materials of which many plastics are

produced and nonrenewable

resources?

• A significant threat to marine turtles

is incidental capture, injury, or death

as a result of commercial fishing

practices. What procedure has been

implemented to protect marine

turtles that are caught in nets, and

what government agencies have

been involved in implementing the

turtle protection?

• What are some potentially beneficial

uses of embryonic stem cells? Why

do some people object to the use of

these cells in research and

development?

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and

Function

A. Basic biochemistry and metabolism

of living organisms

1. Chemical structures and properties of

biologically important molecules

a. Atomic and molecular structures

b. Chemical bonding

c. Organic versus inorganic

molecules

d. Properties of water based on

structure and bonding

characteristics

e. Major macromolecules, including

nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and

carbohydrates

2. Dependency of biological processes

on chemical principles developmental

and content domains

a. Chemical and physical gradients,

and factors that influence the

gradients

b. Laws of thermodynamics

c. Anabolic and catabolic reactions in

metabolism

d. Reduction-oxidation reactions in

metabolism

3. Structure and function of enzymes

and the factors that influence their

activity

a. Active site structure and substrate

binding

b. Energy profile of a reaction in the

presence or absence of an enzyme

c. Reaction kinetics, including the

effects of temperature, pH,

concentrations, and other

molecules, including inhibitors

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d. Regulation, including cooperative

binding and feedback inhibition

4. Major biochemical pathways and

energy flow within an organism

a. Cellular locations of biochemical

pathways

b. Structure and function of ATP

c. Photosynthesis, including

photosystems, electron transport,

Calvin-Benson cycle

d. Processes associated with aerobic

and anaerobic cellular respiration

and fermentation, including

glycolysis, citric acid cycle, and

oxidative phosphorylation

e. Chemosynthesis as an alternative

to photosynthesis

B. Structure and function of cells and

the mechanisms of basic cellular

processes

1. Characteristics of living versus

nonliving things

a. Cell theory

b. Obtaining and transforming energy

c. Growth and development

d. Homeostasis: regulation and

responses to the environment

e. Reproduction

2. Structure and function of cells and

organelles

a. Prokaryotic versus eukaryotic cells,

including organelles, cell walls, and

chromosomes

b. Plant cells versus animal cells

c. Plasma/cell membranes

d. Membrane-bound organelles and

ribosomes

e. Cytoskeleton and extracellular

matrix

3. How cells maintain their internal

environment and respond to external

signals

a. Selective permeability, including

structure and function of

phospholipid bilayer

b. Active and passive transport

c. Water movement, including

osmolarity and water potential

d. Cell surface proteins, cell

communication, signal molecules,

and signal transduction

e. Exocytosis and endocytosis

f. Negative-feedback and positive-

feedback mechanisms

4. Eukaryotic cell division, the cell cycle,

and regulation of the processes

a. Cell cycle stages and checkpoints

b. Mitosis, including functions, stages,

and results

c. Cytokinesis, including differences

between animals and plants

d. Cancer (e.g., unregulated

checkpoints and cell proliferation)

Discussion Questions: Cell Biology:

Cell Structure and Function

• What are the four most abundant

elements in the human body?

• What are functional groups of

organic molecules? How do the

differing charges of functional

groups influence the behavior of the

functional groups, the structure of

molecules bearing the functional

groups, and the interactions of the

molecules with water?

• Why are fats insoluble in water?

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• Describe the structural and

functional differences between

starch and cellulose.

• What factors influence the rate at

which an ion diffuses across a cell

membrane?

• How is ATP involved in the transfer

of usable energy between

molecules?

• How do temperature, pH, and

competitive or noncompetitive

inhibitors influence enzyme activity?

• State some similarities and

differences between aerobic and

anaerobic respiration.

• Explain the benefit, at the cellular

level, of producing ATP aerobically.

After strenuous activity, one may

feel a burning sensation in some

muscles. What is responsible for the

sensation?

• How does the consumption of too

many carbohydrates lead to an

increase in body fat?

• A rock is found with patches of an

unfamiliar orange-colored flakey

material on the surface. What

possible features of the orange-

colored material would indicate that

the material is alive?

• What structures are likely to be

found in a plant cell but not in an

animal cell?

• What structures are likely to be

found in an animal cell but not in a

bacterium?

• What organelles are likely to be

present in greater abundance in a

cell that is secreting a large amount

of protein than in a cell secreting

very little protein?

• Describe the difference between

active and passive transport.

Compare simple diffusion, osmosis,

and facilitated diffusion.

• If an individual is stranded in a

lifeboat on an ocean, why is drinking

seawater more harmful to the

individual than drinking no water at

all?

• Compare mitosis and meiosis: the

stages, genetic makeup of daughter

cells, unique features. Name the

three cell cycle checkpoints. What

criteria must be met at each of the

checkpoints for a cell to progress

through the cell cycle?

• In addition to killing many types of

cancer cells, why does

chemotherapy treatment cause side

effects such as anemia,

gastrointestinal distress, and hair

loss?

III. Genetics and Evolution

A. Mechanisms of molecular biology

and genetic transmission

1. Structure of nucleic acids and

chromosomes

a. Sugar-phosphate backbone and

complementary base pairing

b. DNA versus RNA

c. Chromosome structure, including

nucleosomes and telomeres

2. Transfer of genetic information

a. Central dogma of molecular

biology

b. Process of DNA replication

c. The process of RNA transcription

d. Pre-mRNA processing in

eukaryotes

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e. The process of translation,

including the role of mRNA, tRNA,

rRNA and ribosomes

f. Gene regulation (e.g., promoters,

enhancers, transcription factors,

and posttranslational regulation)

g. Utilization of a genetic code chart

h. Protein synthesis in eukaryotes

versus prokaryotes

3. Nature of mutations

a. Causes of mutations, including

recombination and mutagens

b. Types of mutations, including

substitution, deletion, insertion,

inversion, and translocation

c. Disorders resulting from point

mutations, frameshift mutations,

changes in chromosome structure,

and changes in chromosome

numbers

d. Significance of somatic versus

germ-line mutations

4. Laboratory techniques

a. Microscopy

b. Gel electrophoresis

c. Spectrophotometry

d. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

e. Genome sequencing

f. Gene therapy

g. Protein sequence analysis

h. Genetically engineered cells and

transgenic organisms

i. Chromosome analysis

5. Mendelian genetics

a. Dominant and recessive alleles

b. The law of independent

assortment and the role of meiosis

c. The law of segregation and the role

of meiosis

d. Monohybrid and dihybrid crosses

e. Pedigree analysis

6. Non-Mendelian inheritance

a. Gene linkage and mapping by

recombination analysis

b. Sex-linked inheritance

c. Multiple alleles, codominance, and

incomplete dominance

d. Polygenic inheritance, epistasis,

and pleiotropy

e. Extranuclear inheritance, including

mitochondrial and chloroplast

inheritance

f. Environmental influences,

including epigenetics

g. Pedigree analysis

B. Mechanisms of evolution as a

consequence of genetic variation and

factors affecting evolution

1. Sources of genetic variation

a. Mutation

b. Sexual reproduction, including

crossing-over, random fertilization,

segregation and independent

assortment

c. Horizontal genetic exchange,

including conjugation,

transformation, and transduction

2. Mechanisms of evolution

a. Darwin-Wallace theories of

reproductive fitness and natural

selection

b. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium:

calculations and factors that may

alter the equilibrium

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c. Effects of mutations, gene flow,

genetic drift (including bottleneck

and founder effects), and

nonrandom mating (including

sexual selection)

d. Artificial selection

e. Macroevolution versus

microevolution

f. Patterns of evolution: convergent,

divergent, coevolution, parallel

evolution, adaptive radiation

g. Gradualism versus punctuated

equilibrium

h. Mechanisms of speciation,

including reproductive isolation

and allopatric and sympatric

speciation

3. Evidence supporting evolution

a. Fossil record

b. Biogeographical similarities

c. Biodiversity over geological time

d. Endosymbiosis

e. Structural and developmental

evidence, including homology,

embryology and vestigial

structures

f. Molecular evidence, including

universal genetic code, DNA, RNA,

and amino acid sequence

comparisons

g. Direct observation of evolution

(e.g., antibiotic resistance)

4. Models of evolution

a. Molecular clock (mitochondrial

DNA)

b. Phylogenetic relationships,

including cladograms and

phylogenetic trees

5. Scientific explanations for the origin

and early evolution of life on Earth

a. Abiotic synthesis of organic

compounds (e.g., the Miller-Urey

experiment)

b. Development of self-replicating

molecules, including the RNA-first

hypothesis

c. Biological influences on

atmospheric composition,

including the role of

photosynthesis

6. Factors that lead to the extinction of

species

a. Lack of genetic diversity

b. Interspecific competition

c. Meteorite impacts and the effects

of geological processes, including

tectonic plate movement and

volcanism

d. Human-caused environmental

pressures, including climate and

habitat change

Discussion Questions: Genetics and

Evolution

• Compare the structure of DNA and

RNA: number of strands, flexibility,

molecular composition.

• During DNA synthesis at a

replication fork, why is one new

strand of DNA synthesized in a

continuous fashion and the other

new strand synthesized in a

discontinuous fashion?

• What is the signal for the start site of

transcription? What is the signal for

the start site of translation?

• What causes human liver cells to be

structurally and functionally

different from human muscle cells?

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• In what types of cells must a

mutation be found for the mutation

to be passed on to offspring?

Mutations in what types of cells are

not inherited by offspring?

• What types of molecules are

typically separated by gel

electrophoresis? Where are the

largest molecules in a sample

typically found with respect to the

wells in which the samples are

loaded onto the gel?

• What type of microscope is typically

used to examine live, anaesthetized

fruit flies? What type of microscope

is typically used to examine thin

sections of cells?

• What are the roles of plasmids and

restriction endonucleases in DNA

cloning?

• How are viruses used in gene

therapy?

• To determine whether a plant with

purple flowers is homozygous or

heterozygous with respect to flower

color, the plant should be crossed

with another pea plant with what

genotype and phenotype?

• Name a genetic disorder that is

most commonly caused by fusion of

a gamete with a normal

chromosome number with another

gamete that contains two copies of a

particular chromosome. What is the

most likely cause of the abnormal

chromosome number in the

gamete?

• Describe the relationship between

DNA mutation, skin cancer, and

prolonged exposure to the sun.

• A particular genetic trait is inherited

in an autosomal recessive fashion. If

one out of every 400 individuals has

the trait, what percent of the

population are expected to be

carriers of the trait?

• A particular population exhibits

variation in certain traits. For natural

selection to act on the variations,

what two requirements must be met

by the variations?

• As a result of habitat fragmentation,

a small population of leopards

becomes isolated from the larger

original population. As time

progresses, are allele frequencies

and genetic variation expected to

differ between the original

population and the isolated

population? If so, describe how and

why they will differ.

• What structural and functional

characteristics of mitochondria and

chloroplasts provide evidence to

support the theory of

endosymbiosis?

• Horses and donkeys can mate and

produce viable offspring, but horses

and donkeys are considered to be

separate species. Explain why this is

so.

• What organic compounds were

produced in the Miller-Urey

experiment? How did the design of

the experiment support the

hypothesis that organic compounds

are likely to have arisen from abiotic

materials present in the atmosphere

of early Earth?

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IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal

Biology

A. Diversity of Life

1. Biological classification of organisms

a. Taxonomic hierarchy, including

domains and kingdoms

b. Binomial nomenclature

2. Defining characteristics of viruses,

eubacteria, archaea, protists, fungi,

plants, and animals

a. Structural characteristics of

viruses, eubacteria, archaea,

protists, fungi, plants, and animals

b. Cellular organization, including

unicellular versus multicellular

c. Modes of nutrition, including

autotrophic versus heterotrophic

d. Modes of reproduction/replication

3. Organizational hierarchy

a. Cells

b. Tissues

c. Organs

d. Organ systems

4. Cell differentiation and specialization

a. Differential gene expression

b. Stem cells, including characteristics

and sources

B. Animal Biology

1. Characteristics of animals

a. Major evolutionary trends,

including body plans, body cavities,

cephalization and multicellularity

b. Modes of reproduction (sexual

versus asexual)

c. Modes of temperature regulation

(endotherm versus ectotherm)

2. Structure and function of major

human organ systems

a. Cardiovascular and respiratory

b. Digestive and excretory

c. Immune

d. Musculoskeletal

e. Nervous and endocrine

f. Reproductive

3. How homeostasis is maintained in

organisms

a. Role of organs or tissues, such as

the kidney, adrenals, and

hypothalamus, and pituitary

b. Role of hormones, such as insulin,

antidiuretic hormone, and sex

hormones

c. Feedback mechanisms, including

negative and positive

d. Role of behaviors, including

diurnal, nocturnal, hibernation,

and basking

4. Reproduction, development, and

growth in organisms

a. Gamete formation, including the

stages of meiosis and changes in

chromosome number

b. Fertilization, including internal

versus external

c. Embryonic development

d. Patterns of growth and

development, including

metamorphosis

5. Behavior

a. Innate versus learned behaviors

b. Territoriality

c. Group versus individual

d. Social behavior (e.g., hunting,

flocking, migration, altruism)

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C. Plant Biology

1. Characteristics of plants

a. Vascular versus nonvascular plants

b. Angiosperms versus gymnosperms

c. Tissues, including dermal, ground,

and vascular (xylem and phloem)

d. Structure of organs, including

flowers, stems, leaves, and roots

2. How plants obtain, transport, and

store materials

a. Roles of roots, stems, and leaves

b. Water and nutrient transport,

including xylem and transpiration

through stomata

c. Production, transport, and storage

of products of photosynthesis,

including simple and complex

carbohydrates, phloem transport,

and storage structures

3. Reproduction, growth and

development

a. Gametogenesis

b. Alternation of generations,

including gametophyte and

sporophyte

c. Pollination/fertilization strategies

and seed/spore propagation

d. Germination and growth

4. How plants respond to the

environment

a. Plant tropisms

b. Plant defenses, including physical

and chemical

c. Major plant hormones, including

auxin, gibberellins, ethylene, and

cytokinins

Discussion Questions: Diversity of Life

and Organismal Biology

• Compare the structure of

chromosomes in eukaryotes,

bacteria, and archaea.

• Carl Woese based his phylogenetic

classification on analyses of what

macromolecule? As a result of

Woese’s analyses, how was the tree

of life revised from that based on

morphological similarities?

• What are the sources of carbon

dioxide, oxygen, and water used by

a plant in photosynthesis or cellular

respiration? Through what

structures and by what processes do

these molecules enter and exit a

plant?

• Describe the characteristics of

mushrooms that distinguish them as

fungi rather than viruses, bacteria,

protists, plants, or animals.

• Give an example of an animal with

radial symmetry and one with

bilateral symmetry. Is cephalization

likely to be a feature of either one of

these forms of symmetry? If so, of

which?

• Describe the features of body

cavities by which triploblastic

animals can be distinguished as

coelomates, pseudocoelomates, or

acoelomates. Give an example of an

animal that is a coelomate, one that

is a pseudocoelomate, and one that

is an acoelomate.

• Trace the flow of a drop of blood

from the right atrium of the heart as

the blood passes through the heart,

the lungs, and one complete circuit

of the human circulatory system.

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• Describe the two ways in which

ventilation in birds is particularly

efficient in comparison to ventilation

in most mammals.

• Describe the digestion of proteins in

the human digestive system,

specifically the enzymes involved,

the location of the cells that produce

the enzymes, and the organs in

which the digestion occurs.

• Name two ways by which the skin

plays a role in thermoregulation in

humans.

• Name four features of monocots

that can frequently (although not

always) be used to distinguish

monocots from eudicots.

• What materials are transported in

the xylem? What materials are

transported in the phloem? In which

direction does material flow in each

type of vessel?

• In what root tissue are new root

cells produced? Name four

important functions of plant roots.

Under what circumstance are

stomata typically closed? Describe

the mechanism by which ion flow

and osmosis regulate the opening

and closing of guard cells.

• Prairie dogs typically live in large

colonies and dig extensive

underground systems of burrows. If

a predator approaches a colony, a

prairie dog who spots the predator

will sound a loud alarm that alerts

the other members of the colony,

most of whom will dive into the

burrows and hide. The prairie dog

that sounds the alarm is, however,

drawing attention to itself and may

be attacked by the predator. Explain

why this behavior is often

considered to be an example of

altruism in animals.

V. Ecology: Organisms and

Environment

A. Biosphere organization and factors

affecting organism interactions and

population size

1. Hierarchical structure of the

biosphere

a. Biomes

b. Ecosystems

c. Communities

d. Populations

e. Organisms

2. Relationships within and between

species

a. Symbiotic relationships including

mutualism, parasitism,

commensalism

b. Predator – prey relationship,

including evolutionary adaptations

c. Competition

d. Keystone species

3. Relationships among reproductive

strategies, demographics, and

population growth

a. Sexual versus asexual

reproduction

b. r-strategists versus K-strategists

c. Exponential growth

d. Logistic growth and carrying

capacity

e. Population demographics

4. Influence of biotic and abiotic

components on community structure

a. Limiting factors

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b. Habitat and niche

c. Competition and predation

d. Density-dependent versus density-

independent factors

5. Human impacts on ecosystems

a. Habitat destruction (e.g.,

deforestation, fragmentation,

urbanization and agriculture)

b. Pollution (e.g., plastics, acid

precipitation, ozone layer

destruction (CFCs))

c. Climate change, including

greenhouse gases and ocean

acidification

d. Introduced and reintroduced

species and invasive species

e. Overconsumption of resources

f. Remediation (e.g., reforestation,

movement corridors, captive

breeding programs, and

biotechnology)

B. Characteristics of biomes, energy

flow in ecosystems, and major

biogeochemical cycles

1. Ecological succession

a. Primary versus secondary

succession

b. Biomass, diversity, productivity,

and habitat changes during

succession

c. Temporal and spatial disturbances

(e.g., climate, fire, and disease)

2. Types of biomes and energy flow in

the biomes

a. Characteristics of aquatic and

terrestrial biomes

b. Trophic levels, including pyramids

of numbers, biomass, and energy

c. Food chains and food webs and

trophic cascades

d. Flow of energy versus cycling of

matter, including biomagnification

3. Biogeochemical cycles, including

biotic and abiotic components

a. Water cycle

b. Carbon cycle

c. Nitrogen cycle

d. Phosphorus cycle

Discussion Questions: Ecology:

Organisms and Environment

• Vegetable crops growing on a

commercial farm are damaged by

an unknown disease or pest with a

70 to 90 percent mortality rate. The

farmer claims that he has not

changed his procedures for watering

and fertilizer application. Formulate

a hypothesis about the causative

agent, given the observations above.

What type of experiments should be

used to help support or falsify the

hypothesis?

• Distinguish between a population of

organisms and a community of

organisms.

• Name the two most common

limiting factors to primary

production in aquatic ecosystems.

• Draw the predicted growth curve for

a population introduced into a new

environment in which resources are

initially unlimited. How will the

shape of the curve change as the

population reaches carrying

capacity? What factors might

determine the carrying capacity?

• Compare primary and secondary

succession. Is soil initially present in

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the environments where each type

of succession occurs? What are the

first organisms that typically

colonize the environment where

each type of succession occurs?

• What types of natural disturbances

are most likely to lead to primary

ecological succession?

• What kind of natural disturbances

are most likely to lead to secondary

succession? In the immediate

aftermath of a disturbance, what will

be the most likely effect on

biodiversity of the region?

• Why is the density of water

important to freshwater pond

ecosystems in temperate regions?

• Why is the air temperature along the

coast generally higher than the air

temperature of inland areas in the

same regions? How does this

influence the types of organisms

present in each region?

• A large percent of the mice in a

particular population are infected by

a virus that is usually fatal. What is

the relationship between the virus

and the mice? How will the viral

infection most likely ultimately affect

other members of the ecosystem

such as grasses and owls?

• What is meant by acid precipitation,

and how is it harmful? How do

human activities contribute to acid

precipitation?

• How do lawn and agricultural

fertilizers get into the natural water

system? Why are the fertilizers

harmful to many aquatic and semi-

aquatic organisms or to any

organisms that depend on the water

supply?

• What are the major reservoirs of

carbon in the biosphere?

• What is the major natural route by

which nitrogen enters an

ecosystem?

• What are the major biotic and

abiotic processes that drive the

water cycle?

Science and Engineering

Practices

The SEPs represent eight practices that

scientists and engineers—and students and

teachers—use to investigate the world and

to design and build systems. Many test

questions will integrate one or more of

these practices.

1. Asking questions (for science) and

defining problems (for engineering)

• Ask questions that arise from careful

observation of phenomena, models,

or unexpected results, to clarify

and/or seek additional information.

• Ask questions that arise from

examining models or a theory, to

clarify and/or seek additional

information and relationships.

• Ask questions to determine

relationships, including quantitative

relationships, between independent

and dependent variables.

• Ask questions to clarify and refine a

model, an explanation, or an

engineering problem.

• Ask questions that can be

investigated within the scope of the

school laboratory, research facilities,

or field (e.g., outdoor environment)

with available resources and, when

appropriate, frame a hypothesis

based on a model or theory.

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• Ask and/or evaluate questions that

challenge the premise(s) of an

argument, the interpretation of a

data set, or the suitability of a

design.

• Define a design problem that can be

solved through the development of

an object, tool, process or system

and includes multiple criteria and

constraints, including scientific

knowledge that may limit possible

solutions.

2. Developing and using models

• Evaluate merits and limitations of

two different models of the same

proposed tool, process, mechanism,

or system in order to select or revise

a model that best fits the evidence

or design criteria.

• Design a test of a model to ascertain

its reliability.

• Develop, revise, and/or use a model

based on evidence to illustrate

and/or predict the relationships

between systems or between

components of a system.

• Develop and/or use multiple types

of models to provide mechanistic

accounts and/or predict

phenomena, and move flexibly

between model types based on

merits and limitations.

• Develop a complex model that

allows for manipulation and testing

of a proposed process or system.

• Develop and/or use a model

(including mathematical and

computational) to generate data to

support explanations, predict

phenomena, analyze systems,

and/or solve problems.

3. Planning and carrying out

investigations

• Plan an investigation or test a design

individually and collaboratively to

produce data to serve as the basis

for evidence as part of building and

revising models, supporting

explanations for phenomena, or

testing solutions to problems.

Consider possible confounding

variables or effects and evaluate the

investigation’s design to ensure

variables are controlled.

• Plan and conduct an investigation

individually and collaboratively to

produce data to serve as the basis

for evidence, and in the design:

decide on types, how much, and

accuracy of data needed to produce

reliable measurements and consider

limitations on the precision of the

data (e.g., number of trials, cost, risk,

time), and refine the design

accordingly.

• Plan and conduct an investigation or

test a design solution in a safe and

ethical manner including

considerations of environmental,

social, and personal impacts.

• Select appropriate tools to collect,

record, analyze, and evaluate data.

• Make directional hypotheses that

specify what happens to a

dependent variable when an

independent variable is

manipulated.

• Manipulate variables and collect

data about a complex model of a

proposed process or system to

identify failure points or improve

performance relative to criteria for

success or other variables.

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4. Analyzing and interpreting data

• Analyze data using tools,

technologies, and/or models (e.g.,

computational, mathematical) in

order to make valid and reliable

scientific claims or determine an

optimal design solution.

• Apply concepts of statistics and

probability (including determining

function fits to data, slope, intercept,

and correlation coefficient for linear

fits) to scientific and engineering

questions and problems, using

digital tools when feasible.

• Consider limitations of data analysis

(e.g., measurement error, sample

selection) when analyzing and

interpreting data.

• Compare and contrast various types

of data sets (e.g., self-generated,

archival) to examine consistency of

measurements and observations.

• Evaluate the impact of new data on

a working explanation and/or model

of a proposed process or system.

• Analyze data to identify design

features or characteristics of the

components of a proposed process

or system to optimize it relative to

criteria for success.

5. Using mathematics and

computational thinking

• Create and/or revise a

computational model or simulation

of a phenomenon, designed device,

process, or system.

• Use mathematical, computational,

and/or algorithmic representations

of phenomena or design solutions

to describe and/or support claims

and/or explanations.

• Apply techniques of algebra and

functions to represent and solve

scientific and engineering problems.

• Use simple limit cases to test

mathematical expressions,

computer programs, algorithms, or

simulations of a process or system

to see if a model “makes sense” by

comparing the outcomes with what

is known about the real world.

• Apply ratios, rates, percentages, and

unit conversions in the context of

complicated measurement

problems involving quantities with

derived or compound units (such as

mg/mL

kg/m

, acre-feet, etc.).

6. Constructing explanations (for

science) and designing solutions (for

engineering)

• Make a quantitative and/or

qualitative claim regarding the

relationship between dependent

and independent variables.

• Construct and revise an explanation

based on valid and reliable evidence

obtained from a variety of sources

(including students’ own

investigations, models, theories,

simulations, peer review) and the

assumption that theories and laws

that describe the natural world

operate today as they did in the past

and will continue to do so in the

future.

• Apply scientific ideas, principles,

and/or evidence to provide an

explanation of phenomena and

solve design problems, taking into

account possible unanticipated

effects.

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• Apply scientific reasoning, theory,

and/or models to link evidence to

the claims to assess the extent to

which the reasoning and data

support the explanation or

conclusion.

• Design, evaluate, and/or refine a

solution to a complex real-world

problem, based on scientific

knowledge, student-generated

sources of evidence, prioritized

criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

7. Engaging in argument from evidence

• Compare and evaluate competing

arguments or design solutions in

light of currently accepted

explanations, new evidence,

limitations (e.g., trade-offs),

constraints, and ethical issues.

• Evaluate the claims, evidence,

and/or reasoning behind currently

accepted explanations or solutions

to determine the merits of

arguments.

• Respectfully provide and/or receive

critiques on scientific arguments by

probing reasoning and evidence and

challenging ideas and conclusions,

responding thoughtfully to diverse

perspectives, and determining what

additional information is required to

resolve contradictions.

• Construct, use, and/or present an

oral and written argument or

counter-arguments based on data

and evidence.

• Make and defend a claim based on

evidence about the natural world or

the effectiveness of a design

solution that reflects scientific

knowledge, and student-generated

evidence.

• Evaluate competing design solutions

to a real-world problem based on

scientific ideas and principles,

empirical evidence, and/or logical

arguments regarding relevant

factors (e.g., economic, societal,

environmental, ethical

considerations).

8. Obtaining, evaluating, and

communicating information

• Critically read scientific literature

adapted for classroom use to

determine the central ideas or

conclusions and/or to obtain

scientific and/or technical

information to summarize complex

evidence, concepts, processes, or

information presented in a text by

paraphrasing them in simpler but

still accurate terms.

• Compare, integrate and evaluate

sources of information presented in

different media or formats (e.g.,

visually, quantitatively) as well as in

words in order to address a

scientific question or solve a

problem.

• Gather, read, and evaluate scientific

and/or technical information from

multiple authoritative sources,

assessing the evidence and

usefulness of each source.

• Evaluate the validity and reliability of

and/or synthesize multiple claims,

methods, and/or designs that

appear in scientific and technical

texts or media reports, verifying the

data when possible.

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• Communicate scientific and/or

technical information or ideas (e.g.,

about phenomena and/or the

process of development and the

design and performance of a

proposed process or system) in

multiple formats (including orally,

graphically, textually, and

mathematically).

Tasks of Teaching Science

This list includes instructional tasks that

teachers engage in that are essential for

effective General Science teaching. Many

test questions will measure content

through application to one or more of these

tasks.

Scientific Instructional Goals, Big Ideas,

and Topics

1. Selecting or sequencing

appropriate instructional goals or

big ideas for a topic

2. Identifying the big idea or

instructional goal of an instructional

activity

3. Choosing which science ideas or

instructional activities are most

closely related to a particular

instructional goal

4. Linking science ideas to one

another and to particular activities,

models, and representations within

and across units

Scientific Investigations and

Demonstrations

5. Selecting investigations or

demonstrations, including virtual,

that facilitate understanding of

disciplinary core ideas, scientific

practices, or crosscutting concepts

6. Evaluating investigation questions

for quality (e.g., testable, empirical)

7. Determining the variables,

techniques, or tools that are

appropriate for use by students to

address a specific investigation

question

8. Critiquing scientific procedures,

data, observations, or results for

their quality, accuracy, or

appropriateness

9. Supporting students in generating

questions for investigation or

identifying patterns in data and

observations

Scientific Resources (texts, curriculum

materials, journals, and other print and

media-based resources)

10. Evaluating instructional materials and

other resources for their ability to

address scientific concepts; engage

students with relevant phenomena;

develop and use scientific ideas;

promote students’ thinking about

phenomena, experiences, and

knowledge; take account of students’

ideas and background; and assess

student progress

11. Choosing resources that support the

selection of accurate, valid, and

appropriate goals for science learning

Student Ideas (including common

misconceptions, alternate conceptions,

and partial conceptions)

12. Analyzing student ideas for common

misconceptions regarding intended

scientific learning

13. Selecting diagnostic items and

eliciting student thinking about

scientific ideas and practices to

identify common student

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misconceptions and the basis for

those misconceptions

14. Developing or selecting instructional

moves, approaches, or

representations that provide evidence

about common student

misconceptions and help students

move toward a better understanding

of the idea, concept, or practice

Scientific Language, Discourse,

Vocabulary, and Definitions

15. Selecting scientific language that is

precise, accurate, grade-appropriate,

and illustrates key scientific concepts

16. Anticipating scientific language and

vocabulary that may be difficult for

students

17. Modeling the use of appropriate

verbal and written scientific language

in critiquing arguments or

explanations, in describing

observations, or in using evidence to

support a claim, etc.

18. Supporting and critiquing students’

participation in and use of verbal and

written scientific discourse and

argumentation

Scientific Explanations (includes claim,

evidence, and reasoning)

19. Critiquing student-generated

explanations or descriptions for their

generalizability, accuracy, precision,

or consistency with scientific evidence

20. Selecting explanations of natural

phenomena that are accurate and

accessible to students

Scientific Models and Representations

(analogies, metaphors, simulations,

illustrations, diagrams, data tables,

performances, videos, animations,

graphs, and examples)

21. Evaluating or selecting scientific

models and representations that

predict or explain scientific

phenomena or address instructional

goals

22. Engaging students in using,

modifying, creating, and critiquing

scientific models and representations

that are matched to an instructional

goal

23. Evaluating student models or

representations for evidence of

scientific understanding

24. Generating or selecting diagnostic

questions to evaluate student

understanding of specific models or

representations

25. Evaluating student ideas about what

makes for good scientific models and

representations

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Biology (5236) Sample Test Questions

The sample questions that follow represent a number of the types of questions and topics that

appear on the test. They are not, however, representative of the entire scope of the test in

either content or difficulty. Answers with explanations follow the questions.

Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by suggested

answers or completions. Select the one that is best in each case.

1. The transfer of pollen from one flower to another while a bee is collecting nectar is an

example of which of the following relationships?

(A) Commensalism

(B) Mutualism

(D) Parasitism

2. Taxonomic classification of two different organisms as members of the same order

indicates that they are also members of the same

(A) family

(B) genus

(D) species

3. Which of the following changes typically occurs in a eukaryotic cell as it progresses through

the S phase of the cell cycle?

(A) The nuclear membrane breaks down.

(B) The quantity of DNA in the cell doubles.

(D) The duplicated chromosomes line up along the equatorial plate.

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4. Which TWO of the following characteristics are shared by members of the kingdom Fungi?

(A) Can perform photosynthesis

(B) Have cell walls that contain chitin

(D) Have circular chromosomes that are unprotected by a nuclear membrane

5. The population of a particular mammalian species has dwindled to less than 1,000

individuals. Which of the following is most likely to cause the population to become extinct?

(A) Absence of interspecific competition

(B) Increased gene flow

(D) Decreased genetic diversity

6. Which of the following visual aids will best support an investigation of energy flow through

the organisms in a particular ecosystem?

(A) A cladogram

(B) A Punnett square

(D) A topographic map

7. Which of the following is a technique used to determine the three-dimensional structure of

a protein at high resolution?

(A) Flow cytometry

(B) Immunoprecipitation

(D) X-ray crystallography

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8. Which of the following terms refers to the collective evidence that links the origin of some

eukaryotic organelles to prokaryotes?

(A) Hybrid inviability

(B) Heterozygote advantage

(D) The germ theory of disease

9. A segmented body is a key characteristic of the members of which of the following animal

phyla?

(A) Annelida

(B) Cnidaria

(D) Porifera

10. A teacher asks students to identify a type of organism that reproduces primarily through

asexual reproduction. Which of the following is the most accurate response?

(A) A whale

(B) A shark

(D) A bacterium

11. Students spread bacteria on several slabs of solid culture medium. Some of the slabs were

prepared from a culture medium that contained glucose, whereas the remaining slabs were

prepared from a culture medium that lacked glucose or any other simple sugar. The

students placed the inoculated slabs in an incubator overnight and recorded observations

the following day. The students found that colonies of bacteria were visible only on the

glucose-containing slabs. Which of the following ideas is most closely linked to the results of

the experiment?

(A) Living things adapt to their environment.

(B) Living things require a source of energy.

(D) Living things can move from one location to another.

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12. A teacher is preparing a lesson on how biotechnology is used in research. Which of the

following is an example of how biotechnology is used to produce transgenic organisms?

(A) Selectively breeding dogs to maximize specific behaviors

(B) Editing the DNA of rice plants to introduce specific base-pair substitutions

(D) Translocating deer from a large population to a small, isolated population

13. A segment of a messenger RNA molecule has the following nucleotide sequence.

5 -AUGGCUCUCGAGAGAUAA-3′′

If the first codon is a start codon and the last codon is a stop codon‚ how many amino acids

are encoded in the nucleotide sequence?

(A) Three

(B) Five

(D) Nine

14. To link a discussion about the mechanisms of evolution to a previous lesson on molecular

biology, a teacher asks students to identify the principal mechanism by which new alleles of

a gene are produced. Which of the following is the most accurate response?

(A) Fertilization

(B) Mutation

(D) Translation

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15. A teacher asks students to describe what will likely happen to a body cell when the

concentration of solutes in the extracellular fluid decreases as a result of excessive water

consumption. Which of the following student responses provides the most accurate

reasoning?

(A) “The extracellular fluid will become hypotonic to the cytosol‚ resulting in a net

movement of water into the cell by osmosis.”

(B) “The extracellular fluid will become hypotonic to the cytosol‚ resulting in a net

movement of water out of the cell by osmosis.”

movement of water into the cell by osmosis.”

(D) “The extracellular fluid will become hypertonic to the cytosol‚ resulting in a net

movement of water out of the cell by osmosis.”

16. Students will isolate DNA from yeast cells that result from a genetic cross. The students will

then determine which of two different alleles of a certain gene are present in each sample

of DNA. Which THREE of the following techniques are most appropriate for the students to

use for analyzing the results of the genetic cross?

(A) Agarose gel electrophoresis

(B) Restriction digestion

(D) PCR

17. Students and their teacher are discussing different models that explain how concentration

gradients are established and maintained across cell membranes. The teacher tells the

students that a certain uncharged molecule has a higher concentration outside a cell than

inside the cell. The teacher then asks the students to propose a way in which the cell can

maintain the molecule’s concentration gradient. Which of the following student responses

demonstrates the most accurate reasoning?

(A) “The cell can use cytosolic enzymes to convert the molecule to a different molecule.”

(B) “The cell can activate biochemical pathways that will produce more of the molecule

inside the cell.”

environment to the inside of the cell.”

(D) “The cell can open channel proteins that will allow some of the molecules to diffuse

across the plasma membrane into the cell.”

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18. Students conducted a survey of the invertebrates that were present at several different

ponds. For each pond, the students recorded the different types of invertebrates that were

observed and the relative abundance of each type. Which of the following characteristics

can the students compare most directly using the data collected in the survey?

(A) Dissolved oxygen levels in the different ponds

(B) Diversity of the different communities

(D) Climate change at the different locations

19. A student wonders whether molecule X affects a particular enzyme-catalyzed reaction

through competitive inhibition. To investigate, the student proposes an experiment in which

the initial reaction velocity is the dependent variable. If the concentrations of molecule X

and the enzyme are held constant, then the independent variable in the student’s

experiment should be which of the following?

(A) The reaction temperature

(B) The concentration of the buffer

(D) The pH of the reaction solution

20. Students use a computer simulation to investigate the outcome of a genetic cross between

a true-breeding line of fruit flies with sepia eyes and a true-breeding line of fruit flies with

wild-type eyes. The teacher recommends that the students allow the flies in the

generation to interbreed and produce an

generation. The teacher then asks the students

whether the results of the simulation support a claim that the sepia-eyes trait exhibits an

autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.

If the results support the claim, flies that have sepia eyes will make up approximately what

percent of the

generation?

(A) 25%

(B) 50%

(D) 100%

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21. A student is preparing a poster to show the proposed evolutionary relationships among

several different species. Which of the following types of representations should the

student use for the poster?

(A) A histogram

(B) A flow chart

(D) A phylogenetic tree

22. Recently, seasonal dead zones in low-oxygen waters have been occurring annually in the

Gulf of Mexico near the mouth of the Mississippi River. The dead zones result from the

rapid growth of photosynthetic phytoplankton and their subsequent decay by oxygen-

depleting microbes in the water column. Which of the following changes most likely triggers

the rapid growth of the photosynthetic phytoplankton?

(A) A decrease in competition from other marine phytoplankton during the summer

months

(B) A decrease in the light level in surface waters as day length starts to shorten after the

summer solstice

months

(D) An increase in the influx of nutrients derived from chemical fertilizers that are high in

nitrogen and phosphorus

23. Damage to the sinoatrial node in the human heart is most likely to result in which of the

following?

(A) Disruption of the rate and timing of cardiac muscle contractions

(B) Blockage of valve closure between the atria and the ventricles

(D) Decrease in blood pressure in the pulmonary artery

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24. A teacher tells students that the hydrolysis of one molecule of lactose produces one

molecule of glucose and one molecule of galactose. The teacher then asks the students to

use the information to identify a term that describes a molecule of lactose. Which of the

following responses is the most accurate?

(A) Amino acid

(B) Disaccharide

(D) Nucleotide

25. Which of the following scientific disciplines resulted primarily from the development of

high-speed, low-cost methods for determining and analyzing DNA sequences?

(A) Conservation ecology

(B) Genomics

(D) Plant breeding

26. A teacher asks students to explain how the presence of lignin is an adaptation that helps

plants survive in terrestrial habitats. The teacher encourages the students to provide

reasoning to support their explanations. Which of the following written responses provides

the most accurate reasoning?

(A) Lignin catalyzes the synthesis of amino acids inside cells, allowing plants to make

proteins.

(B) Lignin attracts pollinators like birds and insects, allowing plants to reproduce on land.

photosynthesis.

(D) Lignin provides structural support, allowing plants to grow tall and compete better for

sunlight.

27. If 35 percent of a sample of double-stranded DNA is adenine, what percent of the DNA is

cytosine?

(A) 10 percent

(B) 15 percent

(D) 70 percent

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28. A teacher asks students to describe the most likely mechanism by which the seeds of a

blueberry plant will be dispersed. Which of the following written responses demonstrates

the most accurate understanding?

(A) The blueberry plant will release the seeds into the air, and the blueberry seeds will be

blown by the wind to a new location far away.

(B) The plant’s blueberries will disintegrate, and the seeds inside will fall to the ground and

later stick to the fur of an animal that walks by.

seeds will be excreted in the animal’s droppings at a new location.

(D) The blueberries on the plant will ripen and build up lots of gas, and eventually the seeds

will be shot out of ripe blueberries to a location far away from the plant.

29. A teacher presents students with images of a cell. Which TWO of the following questions will

best help the students determine whether the images are of a eukaryotic cell or a

prokaryotic cell?

(A) Does the cell contain ribosomes?

(B) Does the cell contain mitochondria?

(D) Does the cell contain a membrane-enclosed nucleus?

30. Stomatal opening in plants requires an increase in the rate at which guard cells take up

which of the following?

(A) Iodine atoms

(B) Nitrogen gas

(D) Sucrose molecules

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31. Which of the following is the most likely benefit of periodic natural wildfires in some forest

ecosystems?

(A) The fires remove dead and decaying plant matter, reducing the risk of more intense and

destructive fires.

(B) The fires leach nutrients from the soil‚ preventing the germination of plants that might

compete with native species.

(D) The fires dry out the soil and decrease the chance of flooding after heavy rains.

32. Students are creating a poster of a eukaryotic cell that shows the subcellular locations of

metabolic processes associated with cellular respiration. The students should indicate on

their poster that enzymes located in the mitochondrial matrix most directly facilitate which

of the following processes?

(A) Citric acid cycle

(B) Fermentation

(D) Oxidative phosphorylation

33. A gas phase is generally absent from which of the following biogeochemical cycles?

(A) Water

(B) Carbon

(D) Phosphorus

34. Hemophilia is a rare X-linked recessive disorder in which the body has a reduced ability to

form blood clots. If a woman with hemophilia has a child with a man who does not have

hemophilia, what is the chance that the child will be a carrier of the disorder?

(A) 0%

(B) 25%

(D) 100%

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35. Students designed an experiment for investigating how environmental conditions affect the

rate of carbon dioxide release by corn seedlings. In the experiment, the students will put

nearly identical corn seedlings into separate test tubes containing a carbon dioxide

indicator solution. The students will then seal the test tubes and place them in different

locations, as indicated in the following table. The students will determine the rates of

carbon dioxide release by monitoring changes in the indicator solutions.

Test Tube

Location of the Test Tube

Light Source

In a refrigerator

Absent

On a table in a classroom

Present

3 In boiling water Present

Which THREE of the following suggestions will best help the students improve their

experimental design?

(A) Place a light source inside the refrigerator.

(B) Use seedlings of three different plant species.

35°C

instead of boiling water.

(D) Increase the number of seedlings in each treatment group.

36. A teacher asks students whether genetic drift is more likely to occur in a large population or

a small population. The teacher specifies that the students should provide reasoning to

support their answer. Which of the following written responses demonstrates the most

accurate understanding of genetic drift?

(A) It is more likely to happen in a large population, because the population has more

alleles to be lost.

(B) It is more likely to happen in a large population, because more offspring are produced

than in a small population.

population are not as healthy as are the members of the large population.

(D) It is more likely to happen in a small population, because random events can have a

greater effect on allele frequencies in a small population than in a large population.

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Study Companion

37. A teacher asks students to describe a type of electric power generation that relies on a

nonrenewable resource. Which of the following responses demonstrates the most accurate

understanding of the term “nonrenewable resource”?

(A) Generating electric power by burning natural gas

(B) Producing electric power by allowing water to flow through a dam

(D) Producing electric energy by harnessing light energy with solar panels

38. In vertebrate embryos, which of the following developmental processes most directly

results in the formation of the three primary germ layers?

(A) Neurulation

(B) Blastula formation

(D) Gastrulation

The Praxis



Study Companion

Biology (5236) Answers

1. Option (B) is correct. Because both the bee and the flowering plant benefit from the

interaction, the ecological relationship is best described as mutualism.

Topic

V. Ecology: Organisms and Environment

Subtopic

A. Biosphere organization and factors affecting organism

interactions and population size

2. Option (C) is correct. A phylum is a more inclusive level of classification than an order. As

such, members of the same order are also members of the same phylum.

Task of Teaching

Science

15. Selecting scientific language that is precise, accurate, grade-

appropriate, and illustrates key scientific concepts

Topic

IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology

Subtopic

A. Diversity of Life

3. Option (B) is correct. During the S phase of the cell cycle, the quantity of DNA in a

eukaryotic cell doubles as a result of DNA replication. After the S phase, each of the cell’s

chromosomes is composed of two identical chromatids that will separate during cell

division.

Topic

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function

Subtopic

B. Structure and function of cells and the mechanisms of basic

cellular processes

4. Options (B) and (C) are correct. Fungi are heterotrophic eukaryotes that share the

characteristics of having chitin-containing cell walls and carrying out external digestion by

secreting digestive enzymes into the surrounding environment.

Topic

IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology

Subtopic

A. Diversity of Life

The Praxis



Study Companion

5. Option (D) is correct. As a population of organisms gets smaller, the population’s gene

pool also gets smaller, resulting in a decrease in genetic diversity. With less genetic diversity,

the population will be more vulnerable to disease, natural disasters, and extreme changes in

the environment.

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

B. Mechanisms of evolution as a consequence of genetic

variation and factors affecting evolution

6. Option (C) is correct. A diagram of a food web is typically used to represent the

interconnected feeding relationships in a community. Students can use diagrams of food

webs to investigate the flow of energy through the organisms of different ecosystems.

Science and

Engineering Practice

8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Task of Teaching

Science

10. Evaluating instructional materials and other resources for

their ability to address scientific concepts; engage students with

relevant phenomena; develop and use scientific ideas; promote

students’ thinking about phenomena, experiences, and

knowledge; take account of students’ ideas and background;

and assess student progress

Topic

V. Ecology: Organisms and Environment

Subtopic

B. Characteristics of biomes, energy flow in ecosystems, and

major biogeochemical cycles

7. Option (D) is correct. X-ray crystallography is a technique that relies on an analysis of x-ray

diffraction patterns to obtain a three-dimensional molecular structure from a crystal. If a

protein can be isolated from a biological source and crystallized, a high-resolution structure

of the protein can often be determined using x-ray crystallography.

Science and

Engineering Practice

3. Planning and carrying out investigations

Topic

I. Nature and Impact of Science and Engineering

Subtopic

A. Nature of Science

The Praxis



Study Companion

8. Option (C) is correct. The endosymbiotic theory proposes that some eukaryotic organelles

have a prokaryotic origin. Evidence in support of the theory includes the observation that

organelles such as mitochondria, chloroplasts, and the nucleus have a double membrane.

Also, mitochondria and chloroplasts have DNA genomes that are separate from the nuclear

DNA genome, and the organelles reproduce by a process of binary fission.

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

B. Mechanisms of evolution as a consequence of genetic

variation and factors affecting evolution

9. Option (A) is correct. Organisms in the phylum Annelida share the characteristic of body

segmentation. The phylum Annelida includes earthworms, as well as leeches, bristle worms,

and many other marine and freshwater species.

Topic

IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology

Subtopic

B. Animal Biology

10. Option (D) is correct. Bacteria typically reproduce by a process of binary fission, which is

a type of asexual reproduction.

Task of Teaching

Science

18. Supporting and critiquing students’ participation in and use

of verbal and written scientific discourse and argumentation

Topic

V. Ecology: Organisms and Environment

Subtopic

A. Biosphere organization and factors affecting organism

interactions and population size

The Praxis



Study Companion

11. Option (B) is correct. Glucose is a source of stored chemical energy that is accessible to

many types of bacteria. The observation that colonies of bacteria were visible only on the

glucose-containing slabs demonstrates that the bacteria are living things that require a

source of energy.

Science and

Engineering Practice

7. Engaging in argument from evidence

Task of Teaching

Science

4. Linking science ideas to one another and to particular

activities, models, and representations within and across units

Topic

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function

Subtopic

B. Structure and function of cells and the mechanisms of basic

cellular processes

12. Option (C) is correct. A transgenic organism is an organism that contains genetic material

from an unrelated organism. The foreign genetic material is often a gene that was isolated

from the genome of one species and inserted into the genome of another species through

the use of genetic engineering techniques. Inserting a jellyfish gene into the mouse genome

is an example of using biological engineering to produce transgenic organisms.

Science and

Engineering Practice

8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Task of Teaching

Science

3. Choosing which science ideas or instructional activities are

most closely related to a particular instructional goal

Topic

I. Nature and Impact of Science and Engineering

Subtopic

B. Science, Engineering, Technology, Society, and the

Environment

13. Option (B) is correct. A codon consists of three adjacent nucleotides. The nucleotide

sequence has 18 nucleotides and begins with a start codon, so there are six codons in total.

Although the start codon also codes for methionine, the stop codon does not code for an

amino acid. As a result, the nucleotide sequence encodes five amino acids.

Science and

Engineering Practice

5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

A. Mechanisms of molecular biology and genetic transmission

The Praxis



Study Companion

14. Option (B) is correct. A mutation is a change in the nucleotide sequence of an organism’s

genetic material, which is typically DNA. A change in the nucleotide sequence of the RNA

genome of some viruses is also considered to be a mutation. Mutations can result in

changes to the structure of individual genes, producing new alleles of that gene.

Task of Teaching

Science

4. Linking science ideas to one another and to particular

activities, models, and representations within and across units

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

B. Mechanisms of evolution as a consequence of genetic

variation and factors affecting evolution

15. Option (A) is correct. A decrease in the concentration of solutes in the fluid outside the

cell will result in the extracellular fluid becoming hypotonic with respect to the cell’s cytosol.

There will likely be a net movement of water across the cell’s plasma membrane from the

hypotonic extracellular fluid to the cytosol by the process of osmosis, which will result in an

increase in the amount of water inside the cell.

Science and

Engineering Practice

2. Developing and using models

Task of Teaching

Science

12. Analyzing student ideas for common misconceptions

regarding intended scientific learning

Topic

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function

Subtopic

B. Structure and function of cells and the mechanisms of basic

cellular processes

The Praxis



Study Companion

16. Options (A), (B), and (D) are correct. The students can analyze the results of the genetic

cross using a combination of PCR, restriction digestion, and agarose gel electrophoresis. For

each DNA sample, the students can use PCR and a specific primer set to amplify the region

of the yeast genome that contains the gene of interest. If the two alleles of the gene differ by

the presence or absence of a specific restriction site, the students can treat each sample of

PCR-amplified DNA with a restriction enzyme that recognizes the specific restriction site. The

students can then use agarose gel electrophoresis to separate the DNA fragments in each

sample on the basis of size. Finally, the students can analyze the resulting patterns of

different restriction fragments to determine which of the two different alleles of the gene

are present in each DNA sample.

Science and

Engineering Practice

3. Planning and carrying out investigations

Task of Teaching

Science

7. Determining the variables, techniques, or tools that are

appropriate for use by students to address a specific

investigation question

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

A. Mechanisms of molecular biology and genetic transmission

17. Option (A) is correct. Converting the molecule to a different molecule inside the cell will

decrease the molecule’s intracellular concentration, which will increase the difference

between the molecule’s extracellular concentration and its intracellular concentration.

Science and

Engineering Practice

2. Developing and using models

Task of Teaching

Science

24. Generating or selecting diagnostic questions to evaluate

student understanding of specific models or representations

Topic

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function

Subtopic

A. Basic biochemistry and metabolism of living organisms

The Praxis



Study Companion

18. Option (B) is correct. Diversity refers to the number of different species in a community

and the relative abundance of each species. The data collected by the students are best

used to analyze the diversity of the community associated with each pond. The students can

then compare the diversity of the different communities.

Science and

Engineering Practice

4. Analyzing and interpreting data

Task of Teaching

Science

9. Supporting students in generating questions for investigation

or identifying patterns in data and observations

Topic

V. Ecology: Organisms and Environment

Subtopic

A. Biosphere organization and factors affecting organism

interactions and population size

19. Option (C) is correct. Competitive inhibition can be overcome by increasing the initial

substrate concentration while keeping the concentrations of the inhibitor and the enzyme

constant. If molecule X affects the enzyme-catalyzed reaction through a mechanism of

competitive inhibition, the initial reaction velocity will approach the maximum reaction

velocity as the initial substrate concentration is increased.

Science and

Engineering Practice

1. Asking questions and defining problems

Task of Teaching

Science

7. Determining the variables, techniques, or tools that are

appropriate for use by students to address a specific

investigation question

Topic

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function

Subtopic

A. Basic biochemistry and metabolism of living organisms

The Praxis



Study Companion

20. Option (A) is correct. All the flies in the

generation will be heterozygous at the genetic

locus associated with the sepia-eyes phenotype. If the sepia-eyes trait has an autosomal

recessive mode of inheritance, 75% of the

generation will have wild-type eyes and 25%

will have sepia eyes.

Science and

Engineering Practice

5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

Task of Teaching

Science

18. Supporting and critiquing students’ participation in and use

of verbal and written scientific discourse and argumentation

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

A. Mechanisms of molecular biology and genetic transmission

21. Option (D) is correct. A phylogenetic tree is typically used to represent the proposed

evolutionary relationships among several different species.

Science and

Engineering Practice

2. Developing and using models

Task of Teaching

Science

21. Evaluating or selecting scientific models and representations

that predict or explain scientific phenomena or address

instructional goals

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

B. Mechanisms of evolution as a consequence of genetic

variation and factors affecting evolution

22. Option (D) is correct. An increase in the influx of chemical fertilizers most likely triggers

the rapid growth of the photosynthetic phytoplankton. Many chemical fertilizers used to

stimulate crop growth contain high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Rainfall can wash the

fertilizers off the fields into local waterways that drain into the Mississippi River, which

connects with the Gulf of Mexico. The fertilizer accumulation at the mouth of the river

promotes the rapid growth of photosynthetic phytoplankton. Subsequent degradation of

dead phytoplankton by bacteria depletes the water of oxygen. Organisms cannot survive in

the hypoxic waters, and terrestrial organisms that depend on the river-dwelling organisms

are also negatively affected.

Topic

V. Ecology: Organisms and Environment

Subtopic

A. Biosphere organization and factors affecting organism

interactions and population size

The Praxis



Study Companion

23. Option (A) is correct. The sinoatrial node is made up of a group of cells that are located in

the wall of the heart’s right atrium. The cells control cardiac muscle contractions through the

production of action potentials that propagate throughout the heart. Damage to the

sinoatrial node would likely disrupt the rate and timing of cardiac muscle contractions.

Topic

IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology

Subtopic

B. Animal Biology

24. Option (B) is correct. Based on the information presented, lactose can be described as a

disaccharide because it is made up of two monosaccharides, glucose and galactose.

Task of Teaching

Science

18. Supporting and critiquing students’ participation in and use

of verbal and written scientific discourse and argumentation

Topic

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function

Subtopic

A. Basic biochemistry and metabolism of living organisms

25. Option (B) is correct. Genomics focuses on the study and manipulation of entire

genomes. A genome is the complete set of DNA that contains all the genes and other genetic

information needed for the development, growth, and reproduction of an organism.

Advances in DNA sequencing technologies have allowed researchers to determine and

analyze the genomic DNA sequences of a wide variety of organisms, including many

different types of bacteria, plants, and animals.

Science and

Engineering Practice

4. Analyzing and interpreting data

Topic

I. Nature and Impact of Science and Engineering

Subtopic

B. Science, Engineering, Technology, Society, and the

Environment

The Praxis



Study Companion

26. Option (D) is correct. Lignin is a rigid component of some plant cell walls that provides

structural support to certain tissues in vascular plants. The structural support provided by

lignin allows vascular plants to grow taller than nonvascular plants, which provides an

advantage when competing for limited resources such as sunlight.

Science and

Engineering Practice

6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions

Task of Teaching

Science

19. Critiquing student-generated explanations or descriptions

for their generalizability, accuracy, precision, or consistency

with scientific evidence

Topic

IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology

Subtopic

C. Plant Biology

27. Option (B) is correct. Because adenine pairs with thymine, double-stranded DNA that is

35 percent adenine is also 35 percent thymine. The remaining 30 percent of the DNA is

composed of guanine-cytosine base pairs, such that 15 percent of the DNA is guanine and

15 percent is cytosine.

Science and

Engineering Practice

5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

A. Mechanisms of molecular biology and genetic transmission

28. Option (C) is correct. Blueberries are typically ingested by birds and other animals, and

the seeds inside the fruit are dispersed through the feces of those animals.

Task of Teaching

Science

19. Critiquing student-generated explanations or descriptions

for their generalizability, accuracy, precision, or consistency

with scientific evidence

Topic

IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology

Subtopic

C. Plant Biology

The Praxis



Study Companion

29. Options (B) and (D) are correct. The presence of membrane-bound organelles, such as

mitochondria, and the presence of a membrane-enclosed nucleus are typical features of a

eukaryotic cell but not a prokaryotic cell. Ribosomes and chromosomal DNA are present in

both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.

Science and

Engineering Practice

1. Asking questions and defining problems

Task of Teaching

Science

22. Engaging students in using, modifying, creating, and

critiquing scientific models and representations that are

matched to an instructional goal

Topic

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function

Subtopic

B. Structure and function of cells and the mechanisms of basic

cellular processes

30. Option (C) is correct. The mechanism of stomatal opening in plants typically involves an

increase in the volume and turgor pressure of guard cells. Changes in environmental

conditions can trigger the opening of potassium ion channels in the plasma membrane of

guard cells. The accumulation of potassium ions inside the guard cells results in a net

movement of water into the cells by osmosis. The influx of water increases the volume and

turgor pressure of the guard cells, resulting in an increase in the size of the stomatal

opening.

Topic

IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology

Subtopic

C. Plant Biology

31. Option (A) is correct. Typically, periodic natural wildfires are of relatively low intensity.

They remove dead and decaying plant matter, including dead trees, leaf litter and pine

needles, and shrubs. Without periodic wildfires, the material accumulates so that when a fire

eventually does occur, it is much greater in intensity and size and potentially very destructive

to living organisms.

Topic

V. Ecology: Organisms and Environment

Subtopic

B. Characteristics of biomes, energy flow in ecosystems, and

major biogeochemical cycles

The Praxis



Study Companion

32. Option (A) is correct. The enzymes that facilitate the citric acid cycle are located in the

mitochondrial matrix.

Science and

Engineering Practice

8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Task of Teaching

Science

22. Engaging students in using, modifying, creating, and

critiquing scientific models and representations that are

matched to an instructional goal

Topic

II. Cell Biology: Cell Structure and Function

Subtopic

A. Basic biochemistry and metabolism of living organisms

33. Option (D) is correct. A gas phase is generally absent from the phosphorus cycle. The

largest reservoir of phosphorus is in sedimentary rocks of marine origin. Most phosphorus

cycles among rocks, soil, water, and living organisms.

Topic

V. Ecology: Organisms and Environment

Subtopic

B. Characteristics of biomes, energy flow in ecosystems, and

major biogeochemical cycles

34. Option (C) is correct. Based on the information presented, the woman who has

hemophilia is homozygous recessive. In contrast, the man has a single X chromosome that

has the dominant allele. As a result, only a female child will be a carrier of the disorder, and

all female children of the woman and the man will be carriers. There is a 50% chance that

the child will be female.

Science and

Engineering Practice

5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

A. Mechanisms of molecular biology and genetic transmission

The Praxis



Study Companion

35. Options (A), (C), and (D) are correct. Placing a light source inside the refrigerator will help

make sure that environmental temperature is the only independent variable in the

experiment. Using warm water instead of boiling water is more likely to provide useful data,

because the environmental temperature will be more tolerable. Increasing the number of

seedlings in each treatment group will help the students to determine the reproducibility of

the experiment’s results and to analyze variation both within and between treatment

groups. Using seedlings of three different species is not recommended, because having

more than one independent variable in the experiment will make the results more difficult

to interpret.

Science and

Engineering Practice

3. Planning and carrying out investigations

Task of Teaching

Science

8. Critiquing scientific procedures, data, observations, or results

for their quality, accuracy, or appropriateness

Topic

I. Nature and Impact of Science and Engineering

Subtopic

A. Nature of Science

36. Option (D) is correct. Genetic drift refers to changes in allele frequencies in a population

that occur as a result of chance and not as a result of natural selection. Changes in allele

frequencies are likely to be more significant in a small population than in a large population,

because the small population has a comparatively smaller gene pool.

Science and

Engineering Practice

6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions

Task of Teaching

Science

19. Critiquing student-generated explanations or descriptions

for their generalizability, accuracy, precision, or consistency

with scientific evidence

Topic

III. Genetics and Evolution

Subtopic

B. Mechanisms of evolution as a consequence of genetic

variation and factors affecting evolution

The Praxis



Study Companion

37. Option (A) is correct. Natural gas is considered to be a nonrenewable resource because it

cannot be regenerated on a human timescale. The response that describes a type of electric

power generation that relies on the burning of natural gas demonstrates the most accurate

understanding of the term “nonrenewable resource.”

Task of Teaching

Science

18. Supporting and critiquing students’ participation in and use

of verbal and written scientific discourse and argumentation

Topic

I. Nature and Impact of Science and Engineering

Subtopic

B. Science, Engineering, Technology, Society, and the

Environment

38. Option (D) is correct. During embryogenesis, after formation of the hollow ball of cells

called the blastula, one end of the embryo folds in and expands to gradually fill the space in

the blastula. This process is referred to as gastrulation and results in the formation of the

three primary germ layers: the endoderm, the mesoderm, and the ectoderm.

Topic

IV. Diversity of Life and Organismal Biology

Subtopic

B. Animal Biology

The Praxis



Study Companion

Understanding Question Types

The Praxis

assessments include a variety of question types: constructed response (for which

you write a response of your own); selected response, for which you select one or more

answers from a list of choices or make another kind of selection (e.g., by selecting a sentence in

a text or by selecting part of a graphic); and numeric entry, for which you enter a numeric value

in an answer field. You may be familiar with these question formats from taking other

standardized tests. If not, familiarize yourself with them so you don’t spend time during the test

figuring out how to answer them.

Understanding Selected-Response and Numeric-Entry Questions

For most questions, you respond by selecting an oval to select a single answer from a list of

answer choices.

However, interactive question types may also ask you to respond by:

• Selecting more than one choice from a list of choices.

• Typing in a numeric-entry box. When the answer is a number, you may be asked to

enter a numerical answer. Some questions may have more than one entry box to enter

a response. Numeric-entry questions typically appear on mathematics-related tests.

• Selecting parts of a graphic. In some questions, you will select your answers by selecting

a location (or locations) on a graphic such as a map or chart, as opposed to choosing

your answer from a list.

• Selecting sentences. In questions with reading passages, you may be asked to choose

your answers by selecting a sentence (or sentences) within the reading passage.

• Dragging and dropping answer choices into targets on the screen. You may be asked to

select answers from a list of choices and to drag your answers to the appropriate

location in a table, paragraph of text or graphic.

• Selecting answer choices from a drop-down menu. You may be asked to choose

answers by selecting choices from a drop-down menu (e.g., to complete a sentence).

Remember that with every question you will get clear instructions.

The Praxis



Study Companion

Understanding Constructed-Response Questions

Some tests include constructed-response questions, which require you to demonstrate your

knowledge in a subject area by writing your own response to topics. Essays and short-answer

questions are types of constructed-response questions.

For example, an essay question might present you with a topic and ask you to discuss the

extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated. You must support your position

with specific reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Review a few sample essay topics:

• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

“We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of children in public

schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other

‘tangible’ factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal

educational opportunities? We believe that it does.”

A. What legal doctrine or principle, established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), did the

Supreme Court reverse when it issued the 1954 ruling quoted above?

B. What was the rationale given by the justices for their 1954 ruling?

• In his self-analysis, Mr. Payton says that the better-performing students say small-group work

is boring and that they learn more working alone or only with students like themselves.

Assume that Mr. Payton wants to continue using cooperative learning groups because he

believes they have value for all students.

o Describe TWO strategies he could use to address the concerns of the students

who have complained.

o Explain how each strategy suggested could provide an opportunity to improve

the functioning of cooperative learning groups. Base your response on principles

of effective instructional strategies.

• “Minimum-wage jobs are a ticket to nowhere. They are boring and repetitive and teach

employees little or nothing of value. Minimum-wage employers take advantage of people

because they need a job.”

o Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with this opinion. Support

your views with specific reasons and examples from your own experience,

observations, or reading.

The Praxis



Study Companion

Keep these things in mind when you respond to a constructed-response question:

1. Answer the question accurately. Analyze what each part of the question is asking you

to do. If the question asks you to describe or discuss, you should provide more than just

a list.

2. Answer the question completely. If a question asks you to do three distinct things in

your response, you should cover all three things for the best score. Otherwise, no

matter how well you write, you will not be awarded full credit.

3. Answer the question that is asked. Do not change the question or challenge the basis

of the question. You will receive no credit or a low score if you answer another question

or if you state, for example, that there is no possible answer.

4. Give a thorough and detailed response. You must demonstrate that you have a

thorough understanding of the subject matter. However, your response should be

straightforward and not filled with unnecessary information.

5. Take notes on scratch paper so that you don’t miss any details. Then you’ll be sure to

have all the information you need to answer the question.

6. Reread your response. Check that you have written what you thought you wrote. Be

sure not to leave sentences unfinished or omit clarifying information.

The Praxis



Study Companion

General Assistance For The Test

Praxis

Interactive Practice Test

This full-length Praxis

practice test lets you practice answering one set of authentic test

questions in an environment that simulates the computer-delivered test.

• Timed just like the real test

• Correct answers with detailed explanations

• Practice test results for each content category

ETS provides a free interactive practice test with each test registration. You can learn more

here

Doing Your Best

Strategy and Success Tips

Effective Praxis test preparation doesn’t just happen. You'll want to set clear goals and

deadlines for yourself along the way. Learn from the experts. Get practical tips to help you

navigate your Praxis test and make the best use of your time. Learn more at

Strategy and Tips

for Taking a Praxis Test.

Develop Your Study Plan

Planning your study time is important to help ensure that you review all content areas covered

on the test. View a sample plan and learn how to create your own. Learn more at

Develop a

Study Plan.

Helpful Links

Ready to Register – How to register and the information you need to know to do so.

Disability Accommodations – Testing accommodations are available for test takers who meet

ETS requirements.

PLNE Accommodations (ESL) – If English is not your primary language, you may be eligible for

extended testing time.

What To Expect on Test Day – Knowing what to expect on test day can make you feel more at

ease.

Getting Your Scores – Find out where and when you will receive your test scores.

The Praxis



Study Companion

State Requirements

– Learn which tests your state requires you to take.

Other Praxis Tests

– Learn about other Praxis tests and how to prepare for them.

To search for the Praxis test prep resources

that meet your specific needs, visit:

www.ets.org/praxis/testprep

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