First exams in 2025

IB Style Test – SL/HL Topic A4.1 Evolution and speciation

Theme A: Unity and diversity Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

Name ___________________ Time allowed: 20 mins SL / 30 mins HL. Mark: / 18(SL)26(HL)

Section A Multiple choice (4 marks)

1. Which of the following is the most accurate definition of evolution?

A. The formation of two species from a single species.

B. The change in populations caused by mutation.
C. The change in the heritable characteristics of a population.
D. The change in the physical characteristics of a population.

2. There are many different domesticated breeds of cattle descended from the wild ox
about 10,500 years ago. What is the term that describes the formation of new breeds of
farmed cattle?

A. Inbreeding.
B. Selective breeding.
C. Natural selection.
D. Speciation.

3. The lion (Panthera leo) and the tiger (Panthera tigris) are believed to have evolved from
a recent common ancestor. What is the name for this type of evolution?

A. Isolation.
B. Polyploidy.
C. Survival of the fittest.
D. Speciation.

4. Which of the following is not regarded as evidence for evolution by natural selection?

A. Selective breeding.
B. Homologous structures.
C. Analogous structures.
D. DNA base sequences.

© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL/HL Topic A4.1 Evolution and speciation
Theme A: Unity and diversity Level of Organisation: Ecosystems
Structured answer question (8 marks)

5. The image is of a fossil of Magallena gryphoides from Crete, Greece from the Early
Tortonian Age approximately 9 million years bp (before present). This fossil organism is
related to present day oysters (Ostreidia family).
The graph shows the relationship between the length and the width of the fossilised
shell (courtesy Nikos Marangos).

Magalenna gryphoides width versus length

180.00

160.00
Width / mm (± 0.01mm)

140.00

120.00

100.00

80.00

60.00
100.00 150.00 200.00 250.00 300.00 350.00 400.00 450.00 500.00
Length / mm (± 0.01mm)

a) The uncertainty of measurement is estimated at 0.01mm. Suggest a measuring instrument

that could have been used to achieve this degree of accuracy. (1 mark)

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b) List two other uncertainties that would have to be considered in evaluating the data in this
investigation. (2 marks)

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c) Describe the relationship between the length of the shells and the width of the shells.
(2 marks)

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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL/HL Topic A4.1 Evolution and speciation
Theme A: Unity and diversity Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

d) The dimensions of the largest shell are 451.90mm length and 159.62mm width. Deduce
whether this specimen could be considered as an outlier in the data. (1 mark)

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e) Suggest why fossils could be regarded as evidence of evolution by natural selection.

(2 marks)

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Extended response question (6 marks)

6. Explain why analysis of base sequences of DNA can provide evidence of biological
evolution from a common ancestor. (2 marks)

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Similarity in base sequence would mean common ancestry

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7. Distinguish between analogous and homologous structures. (4 marks)

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Analogous structure mean they don’t look the same but functions are the same like:_ Dolphin
and a Crocodile’s bone structure — Evolution dekhaudeina
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Homologous mean not the same function, necessarily not the same structure of the bone like :-
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humans and bats -
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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

3
 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL/HL Topic A4.1 Evolution and speciation
Theme A: Unity and diversity Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

Additional Higher Level only questions (8 marks)

8. Outline the process that allows new species to evolve from a single species in the same
habitat to avoid competition for resources. (4 marks)

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8. Explain how reproductive isolation can maintain the divergent evolution of two separate
species occupying the same habitat. (4 marks)

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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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