Practice Exams

GEOLOGY 106N  History of Life  TAKE-HOME MIDTERM EXAM

March 8, 1994  	Print Name ____________________________
	

1.      Demonstrate your knowledge by explaining the differences
	between evolutionary change by Lamarkism and natural
	selection.  Explain 1) the butterfly with the eye-like spots
	on its wings and 2) the Panda's "thumb"-- first by Lamarkism
	and then by natural selection.

2.      God, Darwin and Evolution (video).  Why do most scientists
	believe in evolution and why do they view the recent
	"creationist movement" as detrimental to education and
	adverse to science?  Is evolution necessarily anti-
	religious?

3.      In a video we saw, Steven J. Gould said there are four major
	biases deeply rooted in our western culture, religion and
	history which greatly influence and perhaps blur our
	perceptions of the true history of life.  To illustrate your
	knowledge of these biases, pull out and discuss specific
	examples which emerged during our class.

4.      Exotic or displaced terranes.  How might they have
	influenced the history of life?

5.      In your opinion what were six most important obstacles pre-
	life had to overcome in order to become the first living
	things and in their evolution toward complex eukaryotes?
	Next, to the left of your paper, draw an absolute vertical
	time scale and to the right of it indicate when these
	obstacles were probably overcome.  Start with the origin of
	the Earth.  End with the time when the Gunflint Chert
	formed.