Science Test: Name: _______________________________

Classification and Taxonomy

Choose the best option for each question below.
1. A dichotomous key is used to ________________________ and you always start with ______
a. Help you find your way through an unknown area; #1 c. Help you solve a riddle; #2
b. Help you identify an unknown organism; #2 d. Help you identify an unknown organism; #1
2. Protists are classified into one of three groups:
a. Animal-like; Eubacteria-like; Plant-like c. Animal-like; Eubacteria-like; Fungus-like
b. Animal-like; Plant-like; Fungus-like d. Flagellates; Euglenoids; Ciliates
3. What are the levels of classification from most broad to most specific?
a. Kingdom, Phylum, Taxon, Order, Family, Cladogram, Species
b. Kingdom, Class, Family, Phylum, Order, Genus, Species
c. Species, Genus, Family, Order, Cladogram, Phylum, Kingdom
d. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
4. What are the SIX Kingdoms of Classification?
a. Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Paramecium, Fungi, Plantae, Insecta
b. Bacteria, Monera, Eubacteria, Arachaebacteria, Protista
c. Euglena, Amoeba, Paramecium, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia
d. Eubacteria, Protista, Animalia, Plantae, Archaebacteria, Fungi
5. Who was the first scientist to come up with our main classification system and naming system? What is that
naming system called?
a. Anton VanLeuwenhoek; Trinomial Nomenclature c. Robert Hook; Domain system
b. Carolus Linaeus; Binomial Nomenclature d. Carolus Linaeus; Six Kingdoms
6. If you belong to Phylum Chordata that means that you have _________.
a. Shells b. Vertebrae/spine c. Jointed Appendages d. Fur
7. In what language are scientific names written and which is an example of a scientific name?
a. Greek; Tursiops truncatus c. Latin; Tursiops Truncatus
b. Greek; Tursiops d. Latin; Tursiops truncatus
8. The starfish shown below in Figure 2 has what kind of symmetry?
a. Asymmetry c. Radial
b. Bilateral d. Biradial

9. Which of the following is the best example of an adaptation that helps an organism survive in its
environment?
a. Green coloring on a lizard living on gray rocks c. a thick coat of fur on a desert-dwelling animal
b. Far-reaching root system in a desert plant d. thin, delicate leaves on a cold climate plant
10. Beginning with the cell, what are the levels of organization for living things?
a. cell- tissue- organ system- organ- organism c. cell- organ- organ system- organism- tissue
b. cell- tissue- organ- organ system- organism d. cell- tissue- organ- organism- organ system
11. Which type of consumer would have the teeth pictured to the right?
a. Carnivore c. Omnivore
b. Herbivore d. Decomposer
Science Test: Name: _______________________________
Classification and Taxonomy

12. What is the job of the petals of a flower?

a. Absorb sunlight b. Carry nutrients c. Attract pollinators d. Sepal

Identify the type of organism described in each question below.

13. I am a eukaryotic organism that is either unicellular, multicullar, or colonial with a visible nuclei. I am an
autotroph that is commonly called seaweed. What am I?
a. Brown Algae b. Paramecium c. Slime Mold d. Euglena
14. I am a eukaryotic heterotroph that consumes other organisms and has a backbone. I am ectothermic and I
lay thousands of jelly-like eggs. I have smooth moist skin and can spend time on land or in water. What am
I?
a. Fish b. Reptile c. Amphibian d. Bird
15. I am a eukaryotic, multicellular heterotroph that absorbs decaying organisms. I am not in a mutualistic
relationship and my spores are made in a club-like structure. What am I?
a. Sac Fungi b. Club Fungi c. Zygote Fungi d. Slime Mold
16. I am a eukaryotic heterotroph that consumes other organisms and has no backbone. I have no symmetry
and I am made of specialized cells that allow water to move through my pores and help me collect food.
What am I?
a. Arthropod b. Cnidarian c. Poriferan d. Gastropod
17. I am a unicellular organism that is living and have no nucleus or membrane bound organelles. I can live
inside the stomach of a termite or near hydrothermal vents.
a. Virus b. Archaebacteria c. Bacillus d. Spirillum
18. I am a eukaryotic organism that can make its own food and I have no system of tubes for transporting
nutrients. What am I?
a. Vascular Plant b. Non-vascular Plant c. Angiosperm d. Gymnosperm
19. I am a FEMALE flowering plant part that is found on the tip of the pistil. I am sticky so pollen won’t get away
when it finds me. What am I?
a. Stigma b. Style c. Anther d. Filament
Figure 1
20. I am a eukaryotic heterotroph that consumes other organisms & has a backbone. I am endothermic and I
have fur, give birth to live young and give milk to my young. What am I?
a. Bird b. Amphibian c. Fish d. Mammal
21. I am a multi-cellular eukaryote that obtains energy by absorbing the remains of other organisms. I am found
in the Kingdom _______________.
a. Archaebacteria b. Eubacteria [Link] d. Fungi
22. I am a eukaryotic heterotroph that has a backbone. I am ectothermic and I lay millions of soft, tiny eggs. I
use gills to breathe and I live in the water. What am I?
a. Bird b. Amphibian c. Reptile d. Fish
23. I am a unicellular organism that is living and I have no nucleus or membrane bound organelles. I am an
organism we come in contact with EVERYDAY. I am round and found in a chain. What am I?
a. Coccus b. Streptococcus c. Bacillus d. Euglena
Science Test: Name: _______________________________
Classification and Taxonomy
Identify the type of organism described in each question below.

24. I am a eukaryotic heterotroph that consumes other organisms and has no backbone. I have bilateral
symmetry and I have jointed legs. I have no antenna and 4 pairs of legs
a. Clams b. Millipede c. Oyster d. Spider

Use the cladogram to answer the following questions.

25. At which branch did animals evolve to have a
backbone?
a. A c. C
b. B d. none
26. Which two animals are more closely related?
a. Frogs and Turtles
b. Frogs anf Hawks
c. Hawks and Deer
A
d. Hawks and Turtles C
27. Which characteristic most likely caused the branching
to occur at letter C?
B
a. All of the animals have four legs
b. All of the animals have a four-chambered
heart
c. All of the animals give birth to live young
d. All of the animals breathe using lungs
28. A recently discovered animal that has a backbone, a
four-chambered heart, is warm-blooded and lays
rubbery eggs would most likely interesct which two
branches?
a. Hawk and turtle c. Deer and hawk
b. Turtle and frog d. Frog and shark

Constructed Response
29. Why do you think most invertebrates live in the ocean?

30. What are some ways fungi are important to the environment?
Science Test: TEACHER KEY
Classification and Taxonomy

1. d 19.b
2. b 20.c
3. d 21.b
4. d 22.b
5. b 23.a
6. b 24.d
7. d 25.d
8. c 26.d
9. b 27.b
10.c 28.a
11.b 29.d
12.b 30.d
13.a 31.a
14.c 32.b
15.a 33.d
16.c 34.d
17.b 35.a
18.a