CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T G R A D E

Released Test Questions Science 10

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1 The graph below shows the production of
antibodies following a flu shot.
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3 A prediction was made that the best conditions
for earthworm growth occur when there are
fewer than five earthworms per cubic meter of
soil. This prediction is called a
Antibody Level
Following Vaccination A law.

10

B theory.

9
C hypothesis.

8
Antibody Level

7
D conclusion.

6
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5

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4

3
4 A mineral supplement designed to prevent the
2
common cold was given to two groups of people
1
during a scientific study.
0 5 10 15 20 25
Time (day) Dosage
mg
Group 1 50
day
Which of the following statements best describes
the maximum antibody level of a person’s body mg
Group 2 100
after a flu vaccination? day

A It occurs immediately.

B It is never achieved.
After eight weeks, neither group reported a case
of the common cold. Which of the following
C It is achieved on day 15.
would have made the outcome of this study
D It is achieved on day 18.
more valid?
CSZ30053 A Test only one group with 150 mg of the

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supplement.
2 The jackrabbit population sometimes decreases
dramatically. One possible explanation for B Give the supplement to both groups for only
this decrease is that the coyote population has 6 weeks.
increased. This explanation is a scientific C Create a third group that receives 75 mg of the
supplement.
A conclusion.

D Create a third group that does not receive the

B experiment.
supplement.
C hypothesis.
CSZ30523

D law.

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This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
G R A D E CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T

10 Science Released Test Questions

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5 Students hypothesized that their normal pulse
rates would double after doing 50 sit-ups. After
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6 The diagram below shows a male gamete.

completing three trials, four students averaged

their individual pulse rates and recorded their Lysosome
results below.

Nucleus
Average Pulse
Student
Rate After 3 Trials
1 120 beats/min.
2 98 beats/min.
3 135 beats/min. Mitochondrion
4 110 beats/min.

Based on the data above, a conclusion cannot be Tail

made because

A the exercise was not strenuous enough to

affect the pulse rates.
B control data of normal pulse rates for each
individual are missing.
C the variability in pulse rates among the Which structure stores most of the genetic
students is too great. information?
D not enough trials were conducted to be able to
A mitochondrion

draw a conclusion.
B lysosome

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C nucleus

D tail

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7 Which of the following organelles releases
energy from sugars?

A ribosomes

B vacuoles

C chloroplasts

D mitochondria

CSZ30247

— 10 —

This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
 CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T G R A D E

Released Test Questions Science 10

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8 Which of the following organelles use carbon
dioxide to produce sugars?
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12 Which of the following lacks a nucleus?

A a plant cell

A vacuoles

B an animal cell

B ribosomes

C an amoeba

C chloroplasts

D a virus

D mitochondria

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13
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The inheritance of a trait in humans is best
9 Which of the following produces identical nuclei described as being determined by
in cells?

A a single allele.

A pollination

B one or more pairs of alleles.

B mitosis

C one pair of chromosomes.

C osmosis

D the sex chromosomes of the offspring.

D fertilization

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14
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The diagram below represents a cross between
10 Which of the following is the fundamental two pea plants.
element found in all living organisms?

A iron Rr × Rr

B carbon R r

C calcium
R
D magnesium
CSZ30438
r
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11 Which of the following structures is not found in
bacteria?

A ribosome
In pea plants, the allele for round seeds (R)
is dominant to the allele for oval seeds (r). In
B cytoplasm
a cross between the two plants above, what
C cell membrane
percentage of the offspring will have round
seeds?
D nuclear membrane

CSZ30749
A 100%

B 75%

C 50%

D 25%

CSZ20965

— 11 —
This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
G R A D E CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T

10 Science Released Test Questions

15 The genetic material of an organism is

composed of
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18 In pigeons, the allele for normal feathers (F) is

dominant to the allele for frizzy feathers (f).

A lipids.
Normal Frizzy
B proteins.

C deoxyribonucleic acids.

D complex carbohydrates.

CSZ30300
x
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16 Which of the following cell types is formed by
meiosis?

A muscle cells
If a purebred, normal-feathered bird (FF) is
B sperm cells crossed with a frizzy-feathered bird (ff), how
C skin cells many different feather phenotypes are possible
in the offspring?
D blood cells

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A 1

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B 2
17 What process is necessary for the inherited
traits of an organism to be passed along by C 3
sexual reproduction? D 4
A mitosis
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B meiosis

C mutation

D fission

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— 12 —
This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
 CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T G R A D E

Released Test Questions Science 10

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19 In humans, the allele for unattached earlobes
(L) is dominant to the allele for attached
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21 Which of the following best describes how DNA
and RNA are similar?
earlobes (l).
A They both contain the nitrogen bases thymine
and adenine.
Punnett Square

B They both are formed in a double-helix

L l
structure.
C They both are composed of five different
L 1 2 nucleotides.
D They both contain the nitrogen bases cytosine
l 3 4 and guanine.
CSZ50426

Based on the diagram above, an offspring with

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22 The diagram below shows a marine food chain.

attached earlobes is indicated in

Phytoplankton Zooplankton Herring Salmon
A box 1.

B box 4.

The zooplankton in this food chain are

C boxes 2 and 3.

D boxes 1, 2, and 3.
A primary producers.

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B primary consumers.

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C secondary consumers.

20 Which of the following best describes the

inheritance of a sex-linked trait? D tertiary consumers.

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A a recessive allele carried by females that
affects only males
B a dominant allele carried by females that
affects only males
C an allele carried on the Y chromosome that
can affect both males and females
D an allele carried on an X chromosome that can
affect males or females
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— 13 —

This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
G R A D E CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T

10 Science Released Test Questions

�
23 The table below contains information about animal diets.

Animals Diet
Squirrels, chipmunks, gophers,
Snakes and mice
Hawks and owls Rodents and reptiles
Seeds, nuts, roots, grass, leaves,
Rodents and flowers

Which energy pyramid best represents the data in the table?

A C

Hawks Snakes
and
owls
Rodents
Snakes
Seeds, nuts, roots,
Rodents grass, leaves, and flowers
Seeds, nuts, roots, grass, Hawks
leaves, and flowers and owls

B D

Hawks Seeds,
and nuts, roots,
owls grass, leaves,
and flowers
Snakes Snakes
Seeds, nuts, roots, Rodents
grass, leaves, and flowers
Hawks
Rodents and owls

CSZ20924

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This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
 CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T G R A D E

Released Test Questions Science 10

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24 Which of the following sets of organisms would
be found in a wetland ecosystem?
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26 The graph below shows changes in a caribou
population over time.

A tortoise, lizard, fly

Caribou Population
B salamander, mosquito, frog

Number of Caribou
C moose, seal, lemming

D lion, giraffe, beetle

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25 A forest-ecosystem food web is shown below.

Forest Food Web 0

Time
Fox Falcon Snake

Based on the graph, which of the following is a

Wren possible explanation for the stabilization of the
Frog caribou population?
Praying A an equal number of deaths and births
Squirrel Mantis
B an unequal number of deaths and births
Grasshopper C an equal number of immigrants and births
Grasses D an unequal number of immigrants and deaths
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If additional wrens are introduced into

this ecosystem, there will most likely be an
immediate decrease in the
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27 During photosynthesis in plants, what is the
source of the carbon in the sugar molecule
(C6 H12 O6
)?
A frog population.

A carbon dioxide in the air

B snake population.

B carbon monoxide in the air

C falcon population.

C carbon particles in the soil

D grasshopper population.

D carbon particles in water

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This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
G R A D E CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T

10 Science Released Test Questions


28 Which of the following processes allows the
cells of an organism to use carbon from the

31 The diagram below shows a geologic cross
section.
environment?

A mitosis
1
B fertilization
C transpiration 2
D photosynthesis 3
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4


29 Fungi are an important part of a terrestrial
ecosystem because they
Which rock layer most likely contains fossils of
A store energy. the most recently evolved organisms?
B bond oxygen to sulfur. A 1
C function as producers. B 2
D recycle organic matter. C 3
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D 4


30 How is natural selection in the evolution of long CSZ20982


necks in giraffes best explained?
32 Which of the following explains why natural
A Shorter-necked giraffes were killed by selection acts on the phenotype of an organism
long-necked giraffes. instead of its genotype?
B Giraffe necks grew longer because of the bone A Phenotypes directly influence the interaction
structure of the animals. of an organism with its environment.
C Giraffes with longer necks survived because B Genotypes do not change except by the
they were better suited to the environment. process of transcription.
D Long-necked giraffes mated only with other C Genotypes change in direct response to habitat
long-necked giraffes. changes.
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D Phenotypes can be inherited by offspring.
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— 16 —
This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
 CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T G R A D E

Released Test Questions Science 10

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33 A particular allele in mice is lethal in
homozygotes. Heterozygotes, however, develop
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36 Rainfall in a tropical region is below average
for 10 consecutive years. Insect species adapted
normally. Why does this allele remain in the for dry conditions are much more plentiful at
population? the end of the 10 years. Which of the following
statements best explains the increase in the
A Homozygous mice pass the allele to their population of these insects?
offspring.
A Biodiversity in the region has increased due to
B The recessive allele is masked in

the dry conditions.

heterozygotes.

B Insects with a high tolerance for dry

C Natural selection selects for the homozygous
conditions have migrated out of the region.
individual with normal alleles.
C Natural selection has favored insect species
D Natural selection selects against the
with a high tolerance for dry conditions.
heterozygous individual.
D Natural selection has selected against insect
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species that are adapted for dry conditions.

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34 Which of the following is a source of genetic CSZ30531

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variation within a species?
37 Skeletal structures are common between two
A cloning
animals of different species. These structures
B mutation
probably exist because both species
C selective breeding
A have a common food source.

D natural selection
B live in the same environment.

CSZ30402 C have survived until the present time.

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35 The diet of white-tailed deer consists primarily
of shrubs. Sika are another species of deer
D are related to a common ancestor.

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that eat both grasses and shrubs. After an
extended drought period, why might the sika 38 Which of the following levels of organization
population be favored over the white-tailed deer best represents the sequence from smallest unit
population? to largest?

A Sika require less food than do the A cell, organism, organ, tissue
white-tailed deer.
B cell, tissue, organ, organ system
B Sika require more water than do the
C cell, organism, tissue, organ system
white-tailed deer.
D cell, tissue, organism, organ
C Sika have more food sources than do the
white-tailed deer. CSZ30640

D Sika have fewer food sources than do the

white-tailed deer.
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— 17 —

This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
G R A D E CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T

10 Science Released Test Questions

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39 Which of the following pairs provides structural
support for a human?
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41 The diagram below shows a human heart.

A skin and blood

B bones and muscles

Aorta
C spine and heart

Left
D brain and nerves
Atrium Aortic

Valve

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Left
40 Which three human-body systems coordinate to Ventricle
cause an arm to move?

A nervous, muscular, skeletal

B respiratory, muscular, digestive

When contracted, the left ventricle pumps

C skeletal, circulatory, immune

oxygenated blood to the body. What is the

D digestive, nervous, circulatory
purpose of the aortic valve that separates the
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left ventricle from the aorta?

A to prevent blood from flowing back into the

left ventricle
B to prevent blood from flowing into the aorta
C to push blood into the left ventricle
D to push blood into the aorta
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— 18 —
This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.
 CA L I F O R N I A S TA N DA R D S T E S T G R A D E

Released Test Questions Science 10

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42 How do nutrients, absorbed by the small
intestine, travel to the individual cells of the
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44 Which of the following is an example of an
antigen that might be recognized by the immune
human body? system of an individual?

A The nutrients are absorbed from the small A a viral protein

intestine into the blood and move through the

B a fat molecule

circulatory system to the body cells.

C saline solution

B The nutrients move from the small intestine

directly to the liver and then move through the D oxygen molecule

lymphatic system to the body cells. CSZ30406

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C The small intestine forces the nutrients into
the kidneys, where the nutrients are then 45 The purpose for giving a person a vaccine is to
dissolved in fluids used by the body cells.
A introduce chemicals that destroy viruses.

D The body cells send nerve impulses indicating

B stimulate an immune response.

a lack of nutrients to the small intestine, and

the small intestine sends the nutrients back to C prevent inflammation.

the cells.
D cure a disease.

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43 As a person exercises, carbon dioxide ( CO2 )
levels in the blood increase. This causes the
nervous system to signal which of these systems
to respond?

A digestive and immune

B immune and respiratory

C respiratory and circulatory

D circulatory and endocrine

CSZ30388

— 19 —

This is a sample of California Standards Test questions. This is NOT an operational test form. Test scores cannot be projected
based on performance on released test questions. Copyright © 2009 California Department of Education.