Florida FFA Association
ID: A
2014 Environmental Science CDE Preliminary Exam
True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false. Mark your answer choices on your answer form.
1
The shortest plants growing in a forest such as
ferns, grasses, and flowering plants are
collectively called the shrub layer.
a) True
b) False
2
A young bird watching and mimicking his
mother’s techniques for finding food is an
example of instinctive behavior.
a) True
b) False
3
4
Wetlands are the most important type of U.S.
land to wildlife.
a) True
b) False
Fertilizers are used to help plants grow and add
leaves through a process called defoliation.
a) True
b) False
1
5
Municipal solid waste consists primarily of
spoilage from mining, logging, and other
industrial processes that is not disposed of in
landfills.
a) True
b) False
6
Solar energy is more abundant, less exhaustible,
and more pollution-free than any other energy
source.
a) True
b) False
7
A person who works as an environmental
quality technician is responsible for monitoring
the environment for pollutants and
contaminants.
a) True
b) False
ID: A
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. Mark your answer choices on
your answer form.
8
9
Scientists who study ecology organize living
things into a set of classifications. Which of
the following lists describes the organization of
life on Earth from the least to the most
inclusive?
a) biosphere – ecosystem – population –
community – organism
b) organism – community – population –
ecosystem – biosphere
c) biosphere – population – ecosystem –
community – organism
d) organism – population – community –
ecosystem – biosphere
12 If I wanted to remove unwanted grass, weeds,
flowers, or bushes around my yard, I would use
a) a herbicide.
b) a rodenticide.
c) an insecticide.
d) a fungicide.
Which of the following comes closest to
describing an ecosystem?
a) a wolf
b) a pack of wolves
c) a pack of wolves, a herd of deer, and a
cluster of pine trees
d) a pack of wolves, a herd of deer, a cluster of
pine trees, and all the water, soil, and rocks
in a particular valley in northern Minnesota
14 An oily, flammable liquid that occurs naturally
in large underground deposits is
a) tar.
b) Sterno.
c) petroleum.
d) vaseline.
13 Which of the following is not classified as
surface water?
a) a river
b) a pond
c) an aquifer
d) a lake
10 Which of the following terms is least closely
related to the others?
a) pond
b) lake
c) aquifer
d) stream
15 The law of conservation of matter states that
a) nothing is wasted in nature.
b) matter may change from one form to
another.
c) matter cannot be created or destroyed by
natural physical or chemical processes.
d) all of the above
16 Management of natural resources implies that
we must take an active role in caring for the
a) government.
b) environment.
c) population.
d) community.
11 If I wanted to remove ants, beetles, termites,
and flies from my house, I would use
a) a herbicide.
b) a rodenticide.
c) an insecticide.
d) a fungicide.
2
ID: A
17 The number of a given species of plant or
animal in a given area at a particular point in
time is known as
a) the population level.
b) a community.
c) the carrying capacity.
d) none of the above
22 When aquatic temperatures change more than
2° to 3° F (1° to 2° C) in 24 hours, aquatic
organisms can experience
a) temperature inversions.
b) stratification.
c) water hardness.
d) thermal stress.
18 The greatest source of water pollution known
to humans is
a) erosion.
b) sewage.
c) industrial waste.
d) pesticide use.
23 Although it is often found in municipal water
supplies, to be considered safe, water used for
fish culture should not contain any residual
a) carbon dioxide.
b) sewage.
c) chlorine.
d) dissolved oxygen.
19 What is the name for a human-made pond in
which wastewater is stored for three or four
weeks to allow bacteria and algae to metabolize
dissolved nutrients and many of the solids in
sewage?
a) reservoir
b) lagoon
c) sewage marsh
d) none of the above
24 Which of the following carries food
manufactured in the leaves to the stems, trunk,
and roots?
a) xylem
b) phloem
c) heartwood
d) cambium
25 Squirrels and birds play important roles in
a) protecting trees from predators.
b) pruning the leaves and limbs from trees.
c) distributing the seeds of trees.
d) removing insect pests from trees.
20 Carbonate, bicarbonate, sulfate, and chloride
are negatively charged ions, which are also
called
a) cations.
b) anions.
c) neutrons.
d) none of the above
26 Which of the following is not one of the layers
of a forest?
a) shrub layer
b) scrub layer
c) canopy
d) forest floor
21 Large amounts of the Earth’s water supply are
stored for long periods of time. This storage
occurs in
a) aquifers.
b) glaciers.
c) polar ice caps.
d) all of the above
27 How does the forest environment differ from
surrounding areas during summer months?
a) The forested area contains fewer organisms.
b) The forested area has cooler temperatures.
c) The forested area is drier.
d) The forested area has warmer temperatures.
3
ID: A
28 The advantages of using wood for fuel include
all of the following except
a) the production of particulate matter in the
smoke.
b) it is a renewable resource.
c) it tends to be low in sulfur compared to
coal.
d) it does not contribute to acid precipitation.
34 An
a)
b)
c)
d)
organism with a low biotic potential
has low fecundity.
has a slow rate of reproduction.
may be at risk of extinction.
all of the above
35 DDT was banned from use in the United States
because it was determined that DDT was
responsible for interfering with the
reproduction of birds by
a) weakening the shells of their eggs.
b) causing only female offspring to be
produced.
c) preventing fertilization of the female.
d) none of the above
29 A tree in your yard has become infected with a
disease that interferes with radial growth. How
might disease affect the growth of your tree?
a) The tree would not grow taller.
b) The tree would produce strange bulges and
lumps.
c) The tree would not increase its diameter.
d) all of the above
36 Damage by pests to agricultural crops in the
United States has been estimated to be ______
of the total crop production potential.
a) one-quarter
b) one-third
c) one-half
d) one-tenth
30 Soils that are found in warm, humid climates
and generally show evidence of heavy weather
action are called
a) alfisol soils.
b) spodosol soils.
c) ultisol soils.
d) illuvial soils.
37 Weeds can be considered undesirable for which
of the following reasons?
a) They compete for water, nutrients, light,
and space, which results in reduced crop
yields.
b) They decrease crop quality.
c) They harbor insects and disease pathogens.
d) all of the above
31 If I were a herbivore, which of the following
would I most likely eat?
a) chickens
b) eggs
c) nuts and acorns
d) worms
32 Birds and reptiles differ from frogs and toads in
terms of the
a) use of eggs for reproduction.
b) location of fertilization.
c) use of sperm for reproduction.
d) all of the above
38 Noxious weeds are often spread when seeds
become airborne or
a) fall into flowing streams.
b) become attached to the hair of an animal or
to human clothing.
c) are eaten and distributed by birds.
d) all of the above
33 You watch a robin catch and eat a worm. You
have just watched an example of
a) predation.
b) commensalism.
c) mutualism.
d) parasitism.
4
ID: A
39 An organism with six legs and three body
segments is
a) an insect.
b) an arachnid.
c) a vector.
d) a nematode.
45 In a nuclear reactor,
a) a chain reaction is triggered by free
neutrons in the fuel mixture.
b) heat is produced and used to create steam.
c) steam pushes a turbine, which turns an
electrical generator.
d) all of the above
40 Perennial weeds are capable of reproducing
vegetatively by using
a) rhizomes.
b) stolons.
c) an extensive rootstock.
d) all of the above
46 A component of natural gas, ______ forms
when vegetable matter decomposes.
a) alcohol
b) gasohol
c) methane
d) propane
41 Which of the following is not an example of
solid waste?
a) nitrous oxide from car exhaust
b) household waste
c) sewage sludge
d) mining residues
47 Although relatively clean and reliable,
hydroelectric power has several disadvantages,
including
a) destruction of wilderness areas by artificial
reservoirs.
b) production of large amounts of carbon
dioxide.
c) its contribution to acid precipitation.
d) being less efficient than fossil fuels.
42 Which of the following sources of waste
produces the greatest amount of industrial solid
waste?
a) logging
b) mining
c) nuclear power production
d) petroleum refinement
48 Which of the following alternative fuel sources
has been associated with the decline in
populations of migrating fish?
a) tidal power
b) wind power
c) biomass production
d) hydroelectric power
43 Unlike other sources of industrial solid waste,
the waste produced by logging is
a) taken to county landfills.
b) a desirable by-product of the logging
process.
c) biodegradable.
d) unregulated by government agencies.
49 If you have a passion for science, enjoy
conducting hands-on lab exercises, and love to
work with people, then which one of the
following jobs might be a good career choice?
a) oceanologist
b) science teacher
c) predatory animal control officer
d) geologist
44 A containment landfill is designed to have what
effect on the leachate?
a) create a phase change
b) minimize seepage
c) break it down to form harmless compounds
d) adhesion to some other material
5
ID: A
50 A person who enters a career as a soil specialist
will work in the field
a) classifying living organisms into related
groups.
b) controlling soil erosion.
c) classifying soils according to soil types.
d) controlling predation on livestock.
6
ID: A
2014 Environmental Science CDE Preliminary Exam
Answer Section
TRUE/FALSE
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