Release ofFebruary 2015MCAS BiologyTest ItemsMarch 2015Massachusetts Department ofElementary and Secondary Education
This document was prepared by theMassachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary EducationMitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.CommissionerThe Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, an affirmative action employer,is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the public.We do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sex orsexual orientation. Inquiries regarding the Department’s compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws maybe directed to the Human Resources Director, 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148 781-338-6105. 2015 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary EducationPermission is hereby granted to copy for non-commercial educational purposes any or all parts ofthis document. Please credit the “Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.”Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370www.doe.mass.edu
Table of ContentsCommissioner’s ForewordI. Document Purpose and Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1II. February 2015 Biology Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Commissioner’s ForewordDear Colleagues:The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is committed to working in partnershipwith schools to support a system that will prepare all students to succeed as productive and contributing membersof our democratic society and the global economy. To assist in achieving this goal, the Department regularly releasesMassachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test items to provide information about the kinds ofknowledge and skills that students are expected to demonstrate. This publication contains all MCAS FebruaryBiology items on which student scores are based.The Department has banked thousands of MCAS items that are currently posted on the Department website. Theseitems, which are available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testitems.html, will continue to be a rich resource for schools.This publication is available only on the Department website. The test items can be printed from this site. Iencourage educators to use the relevant sections of this document together with their test item analysis reports asguides for planning changes in curriculum and instruction that may be needed to support schools and districts intheir efforts to improve student performance.Thank you for your support as we work together to strengthen education for our students in Massachusetts.Sincerely,Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
I. Document Purpose and Structure
Document Purpose and StructurePurposeThe purpose of this document is to share with educators and the public the February 2015 MCAS Biology test itemson which student results are based. Local educators will be able to use this information to identify strengths andweaknesses in their curriculum and to plan instruction to more effectively meet their students’ individual needs.This document is also intended to be used by school and district personnel as a companion document to test itemanalysis reports. The reports list, for the school accessing the report, the names of all enrolled students who tookthe February 2015 Biology test as well as information about how each student answered each common test itemcontained in this document. The reports also label each item as multiple-choice or open-response and identify theitem’s MCAS reporting category. Item numbers in this document correlate directly to the item numbers in the testitem analysis reports.StructureChapter II of this document contains information for the February 2015 Biology test and has three main sections.The first section introduces the chapter by listing the Massachusetts curriculum framework content strands assessedby the Biology MCAS test. These content strands are identical to the MCAS reporting categories under which testresults are reported to schools and districts. The first section also provides the Web address for the Science andTechnology/Engineering Curriculum Framework and the page numbers on which the learning standards assessed bythe test items in the chapter can be found. In addition, there is a brief overview of the test (number of test sessions,types of items, and reference materials allowed).The second section contains the test items used to generate February 2015 MCAS student results for Biology. Thetest items in this document are shown in the same order and basic format in which they were presented in the testbooklet.The final section of the chapter is a table that cross-references each item with its MCAS reporting category and withthe Framework standard it assesses. Correct answers to multiple-choice questions are also listed in the table.Materials presented in this document are not formatted exactly as they appeared in student test booklets. Forexample, in order to present items most efficiently in this document, the following modifications have been made: Some fonts and/or font sizes may have been changed and/or reduced. S ome graphics may have been reduced in size from their appearance in student test booklets; however, theymaintain the same proportions in each case. A ll references to page numbers in answer booklets have been deleted from the directions that accompanytest items.2
II. February 2015 Biology Test
February 2015 Biology TestThe February 2015 high school MCAS Biology test was based on learning standards in the Biology contentstrand of the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework (2006). These learningstandards appear on pages 54–58 of the Framework, which is available on the Department website atwww.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html.Biology test results are reported under the following five MCAS reporting categories: Biochemistry and Cell Biology Genetics Anatomy and Physiology Ecology Evolution and BiodiversityThe table at the conclusion of this chapter indicates each item’s reporting category and the frameworklearning standard it assesses. The correct answers for multiple-choice questions are also displayed in the table.Test SessionsThe MCAS high school Biology test included two separate test sessions, which were administered onconsecutive days. Each session included multiple-choice and open-response items.Reference Materials and ToolsThe high school Biology test was designed to be taken without the aid of a calculator. Students wereallowed to have calculators with them during testing, but calculators were not needed to answer questions.During both Biology test sessions, the use of bilingual word-to-word dictionaries was allowed for current and formerEnglish language learner students only. No other reference materials were allowed.4
BiologySession 1DIRECTIONSThis session contains twenty-one multiple-choice questions and two open-response questions. Markyour answers to these questions in the spaces provided in your Student Answer Booklet. You maywork out solutions to multiple-choice questions in the test booklet.ID:289307 D Common EQ1 ID:289233 D Common EQ3 Which of the following statementsprovides the best scientific evidence thatchimpanzees and rhesus monkeys comefrom a common ancestor?A. They live in similar habitats.Laboratory tests can be used to evaluatehow well a person’s liver is working.One test measures how well the liverremoves a substance called bilirubinfrom the blood.Based on this information, which of thefollowing describes bilirubin?B. They exhibit similar behaviors.C. They have similar nutritional needs.A. an antibodyD. They have similar genetic sequences.B. an energy sourceC. a vitaminD. a waste productID:275610 B Common EQ2 Pompeii worms, Alvinella pompejana,live in tubes along hydrothermal ventson the sea floor. The worms are coveredby a layer of bacteria. Scientists havediscovered that the bacteria insulate theworms from the extreme heat of thevents, and the worms secrete mucusfrom glands on their backs to feedthe bacteria.ID:273502 C Common EQ4 Which of the following conditions ismost likely to lead to an increase in afield mouse population?A. the arrival of another herbivorousmammalWhich of the following terms bestapplies to the relationship between thePompeii worms and the bacteria?B. the presence of a greater number ofpredator snakesC. the disappearance of a bird speciesthat preys on the mouseA. competitionD. the lack of adequate rainfall forplants in the mouse’s habitatB. mutualismC. parasitismD. predation5
Biology Session 1ID:299822 D Common EQ5 ID:235178 A Common EQ6 Fossil evidence shows that ancientaquatic reptiles called ichthyosaurslooked very similar to modern dolphins.However, ichthyosaurs and dolphins arenot closely related animals.Which of the following substancesis used by plants as a reactant inphotosynthesis?A. carbon dioxideB. glucoseWhich of the following statementsbest explains the similar appearanceof ichthyosaurs and dolphins?C. oxygenD. pyruvic acidA. Dolphins reproduce using gametes,and so did ichthyosaurs.B. Dolphins are eukaryotic organisms,and so were ichthyosaurs.ID:299808 B Common EQ7 C. Dolphins have the same numberof chromosomes that ichthyosaurshad.A small portion of an mRNA sequenceis shown below.AAUGACUGGCUCStarting with the first base, how manycodons does this portion of the sequencecontain?D. Dolphins are adapted to thesame types of environments thatichthyosaurs lived in.A.1B.4C.6D. 126
Biology Session 1The following section focuses on enzymes called MMPs.Read the information below and use it to answer the four multiple-choice questions and oneopen-response question that follow.ID:289516 Module1 spinal cord.eps Common EQMany cells in the human body release enzymes, such as MMPs, into the spaces between cells.MMPs maintain and repair parts of the body by breaking down collagen or other structural compounds.Several health problems have been linked to MMP activity in humans. One example is a herniated(ruptured) disc. There are cartilaginous discs between each of the vertebrae of the spine. If theconcentration of MMPs released into a disc becomes too high, then the MMPs begin to break apartthe structural compounds of the disc. As a result, the disc becomes weak and ruptures.The diagram below shows a herniated disc in the human spine. Material from inside the disc hasspread out from between the vertebrae and is applying pressure to the nerves and surrounding tissues.Spinal cordCartilaginousdiscsHerniatedportion of discNervesVertebrae7
Biology Session 1Mark your answers to multiple-choice questions 8 through 11 in the spaces provided in your StudentAnswer Booklet. Do not write your answers in this test booklet, but you may work out solutions tomultiple-choice questions in the test booklet.ID:289521 Module1 spinal cord.eps D Common EQ8 ID:289524 Module1 spinal cord.eps A Common EQ10 The vertebrae and cartilaginous discsof the spine are parts of which bodysystem?Which of the following statementsdescribes the role of MMPs in theprocess of breaking down collagen?A. circulatory systemA. They increase the rate of the process.B. excretory systemB. They regenerate ATP for the process.C. muscular systemC. They increase the temperature of theprocess.D. skeletal systemD. They transport reactants needed forthe process.ID:289533 Module1 spinal cord.eps D Common EQ9 There are many different types ofMMP enzymes in the human body.The production of each type of MMPenzyme is determined by which of thefollowing?ID:289519 Module1 spinal cord.eps B Common EQ11 Which two elements are primarycomponents of an MMP molecule?A. potassium and ironA. carbohydratesB. nitrogen and oxygenB. fatty acidsC. aluminum and calciumC. neurotransmittersD. magnesium and chlorineD. nucleotide sequences8
Biology Session 1Question 12 is an open-response question. BE SURE TO ANSWER AND LABEL ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION.Show all your work (diagrams, tables, or computations) in your Student Answer Booklet.If you do the work in your head, explain in writing how you did the work.Write your answer to question 12 in the space provided in your Student Answer Booklet.ID:289537 Module1 spinal cord.eps Common EQ12 The diagram of the human spine shows the locations of cartilaginous discs and vertebrae.a. Identify one function of the cartilaginous discs in a healthy human spine.b. Identify one function of the vertebrae besides protecting the spinal cord.A herniated disc is a serious injury because it often presses on the spinal cord.c. Describe the main function of the spinal cord.d. Identify one likely symptom caused by a herniated disc and explain whythe herniated disc causes the symptom you identified.9
Biology Session 1Mark your answers to multiple-choice questions 13 through 22 in the spaces provided in your StudentAnswer Booklet. Do not write your answers in this test booklet, but you may work out solutions tomultiple-choice questions in the test booklet.ID:290948 A Common EQ13 ID:294819 95680 comparison.eps A Common EQ14 A population of flat-tailed horned lizardswas found in a geographically isolatedarea. In 2002, the size of the populationwas about 25,500. In 2004, the size ofthe population was about 32,800.The diagram below shows part of acell process.Which of the following statementsexplains the change in the size of thelizard population from 2002 to 2004?A. The birth rate was greater than thedeath rate.B. The emigration rate was greater thanthe birth rate.C. The death rate was greater than theimmigration rate.D. The emigration rate was greater thanthe immigration rate.Which of the following describes theexpected end products of this process?A. two cells that are geneticallyidentical to the parent cellB. four cells that are geneticallyidentical to the parent cellC. six cells with twice as manychromosomes as the parent cellD. eight cells with one-fourth as manychromosomes as the parent cell10
Biology Session 1ID:301379 B Common EQ15 ID:275498 C Common EQ17 Millions of years ago, seawater floodedpart of the Mississippi River Valley.Scientists have concluded that chorusfrogs were affected by the flooding. Theflooded areas formed geographic barriersbetween chorus frog populations formillions of years.A. One twin has chromosomes onlyfrom the mother, and the other twinhas chromosomes only from thefather.Which of the following most likelyoccurred as a result of the seawaterflooding?B. The percentage of chromosomesfrom the mother and the percentagefrom the father are randomly splitbetween the twins.A. The frogs lost the tadpole stage oftheir life cycle.B. Isolated populations of frogs becameseparate species.C. Both twins receive half theirchromosomes from the motherand half from the father, and thechromosomes received by each twinare the same.C. The frogs’ eggs were fertilized bysperm of marine species.D. Frog populations were protected fromall the predators in their areas.D. Both twins receive half theirchromosomes from the motherand half from the father, but thechromosomes received by each twinare different.ID:289198 C Common EQ16 Which of the following statements bestdescribes the genetic makeup of twinsthat develop when one fertilized eggsplits and two embryos form?Which of the following always requirethe cellular machinery of a host cell inorder to reproduce?A. algaeB. ticksC. virusesD. yeasts11
Biology Session 1ID:296748 C Common EQ18 ID:279811 edited 3259038.eps [opt A Common EQ19 In 1915, a disease killed almost allthe oysters in a Canadian bay. The fewoysters that survived reestablished thepopulation. By 1940, the disease-causingorganism was still present in the bay,but the size of the oyster population wasgreater than it was before 1915.In dogs, the allele for curly hair (H)is dominant to the allele for straighthair (h). A curly-haired male dog iscrossed with a curly-haired female dog.Four of their six puppies have curly hair.Which of the following Punnett squaresrepresents this cross?Which of the following statementsdescribes what most likely occurredin the oyster population between1915 and 1940?A.A. The oysters that survived in 1915bred with other species, so theoffspring could not be infected bythe disease anymore.B. The oysters that survived in 1915had offspring that learned to fightthe disease, so disease rates in theoyster population were HhHhB.C. The oysters that survived in 1915had resistance to the disease, so theproportion of resistant oysters inthe population increased by naturalselection.D. The oysters that survived in 1915mutated to reproduce more quickly,so the reproductive rate exceededthe disease rate in the oysterpopulation.C.D.12
Biology Session 1ID:301416 D Common EQ20 ID:299797 A Common EQ21 Cytochrome c is a protein needed foraerobic cellular respiration. It is foundin nearly all organisms. The aminoacid sequence of cytochrome c canbe different in different organisms.The table below shows the number ofdifferences observed when the aminoacid sequences of cytochrome c indifferent organisms are compared.Organismshorses and whalesPlant species such as the sesameplant and the coconut palm have largeamounts of lipids in their seeds. Whichof the following is the most likelyfunction of these lipids?A. to store energy for the seedlingsB. to absorb water for the seedlingsC. to encode most of the geneticinformation in the seedlingsNumber of Differencesbetween Amino AcidSequencesD. to speed up most of the chemicalreactions in the seedlings5chickens and snakes18silk moths and snakes29whales and penguins10ID:301365 D Common EQ22 A DNA sequence is shown below.TAGGAGCATWhat is produced when the sequenceis transcribed?Which of the following conclusions isbest supported by this data?A. a chain of three amino acidsA. Snakes are more closely related tosilk moths than to chickens.B. a set of three tRNA moleculesB. Chickens and snakes evolved morerecently than horses or whales.C. a section of DNA with the basesequence ATCCTCGTAC. Whales and penguins evolved morerecently than any of the otherorganisms.D. a section of mRNA with the basesequence AUCCUCGUAD. Horses and whales are more closelyrelated to each other than the otherpairs of organisms are.13
Biology Session 1Question 23 is an open-response question. BE SURE TO ANSWER AND LABEL ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION.Show all your work (diagrams, tables, or computations) in your Student Answer Booklet.If you do the work in your head, explain in writing how you did the work.Write your answer to question 23 in the space provided in your Student Answer Booklet.ID:281197 BurricOR Fishgraph.eps Common EQThe graph below shows a normal distribution for adult body size in a population of aparticular species of fish.Distribution of Adult BodySize in Fish PopulationPercent of Population23 1000SmallLargeBody Size of Adult FishSuppose commercial fishers begin using nets that selectively catch larger fish of this species.They continue using these kinds of nets for many years.a. Describe how the size distribution of adult fish in the population would most likely changeover time.b. Explain, in detail, how natural selection would produce the change you described in part (a).c. Even if the use of nets that selectively catch larger fish were stopped, some biologists believethat the size distribution in the fish population would not return to normal. Explain why.14
BiologySession 2DIRECTIONSThis session contains nineteen multiple-choice questions and three open-response questions. Markyour answers to these questions in the spaces provided in your Student Answer Bo
Biology Session 1 8 Mark your answers to multiple-choice questions 8 through 11 in the spaces provided in your Student Answer Booklet. Do not write your answers in this test booklet, but you may work out solutions to multiple-choice questions in the test booklet. ID:289521 Module1_spinal_cord.eps D Common EQ 8 The vertebrae and cartilaginous discs
2016 MCAS Results September 29, 2016 Page 4 8 Year Math CPI Results For State, District, and Schools Ranked by 2016 CPI School el 2009 Math MCAS 2010 Math MCAS 2011 Math MCAS 2012 Math MCAS 2013 Math MCAS 2014 Math MCAS 2015 Math MCAS 2016 Math PARCC Sewell-Anderson 1 80.0 78.7 76.7 84.2 88.3 89.0 89.3 92.5
public release of statewide MCAS results for all 10th-graders and for students in grades 3 through 8 who took MCAS. In Springfield, 27 schools took the MCAS test and 31 took PARCC (with four schools taking parts of both). From 2012 to 2015, SPS students’ MCAS Composite Performance Index (CPI), which measures academic
Beginning MCAs (open at start of FY 2016-17) 531 Ending MCAs (open at end of FY 2016-17) 568 Past Due MCAs High-risk past due MCAs 33 Medium/low risk past due MCAs as of June 30, 2017 151 . . Overall results are summarized systemwide with key themes identified. Corrective action and associated
Reporting Period: January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016 Filing Deadline: April 30, 2017 Contact Information MCAS Administrator The person responsible for assigning who may view and input company data. MCAS Contact The person most knowledgeable about the submitted MCAS data. This person can be the same as the MCAS Administrator. MCAS Attestor
2020 MCAS Biology test, including the reporting category and standards associated with each item. Beginning in 2019, the Department no longer releases items from the February Biology test. The decision to withhold the items from the February Biology test assists the Department in producing hig
Sep 08, 2016 · MCAs State Government MCAs Other Organization MCAs Total MCAs 5.0 miles of surface water channel per square mile (1:5,000-scale mapping) 2.5 miles of surface water channel per square mile (1:24,000-scale) 1.0 mile of surface water channel per square mile (1:100,000-scale) I don't know Data not provided Stream density
Revision: 03/2014 The MCAS Timetable The MCAS process begins in November, when call letters are sent to the companies. On July 1, 60 days after the due date (April 30), scorecards are posted on the MCAS Web page. The scorecard allows companies to compare their specific results to
Test Administrator's Manual for Computer-Based Testing, Spring 2022 2 MCAS Test Security Requirements Part I —MCAS Test Security Requirements The purpose of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) is to elicit valid results showing what students know and can do in the tested subjects. The purpose of the MCAS Test Security