SAT Biology Tests Guidance and Smaples for Biology-E and Biology-M

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Biology E/M Questions cover topics emphasized in most high school courses. Because of course differences, most students will find that there are some questions on topics with which they are not fa... miliar. You may not be able to complete all the questions in the time given, but it’s not necessary to get every question correct to get a high score or even the highest score on the test. The first 60 of the 80 questions are common to both Biology-E and Biology-M, followed by 20 specialized questions for each section. How to Choose Between Biology-E and Biology-M  Take Biology-E if you feel more comfortable answering questions pertaining to ecology, evolution, and diversity.  Take Biology-M if you feel more comfortable answering questions pertaining to biochemistry, cellular structure, and processes, such as respiration and photosynthesis. Once you decide which emphasis to take, you need to fill in the appropriate bubble for the test you have chosen on your answer sheet. Important: If you change your mind, you must change the bubble on the answer sheet to match your test; otherwise, your answers to the 20 specialized questions won’t be scored correctly. You’re not allowed to take both Biology-E and Biology-M on the same test date. You can take them on two different test dates. Skills Covered in Both Biology-E and Biology-M  Knowing fundamental concepts; remembering specific facts; demonstrating straightforward knowledge of information and familiarity with terminology (about 30% of test)  Understanding concepts and reformulating information into other equivalent forms; applying knowledge to unfamiliar and/or practical situations; solving problems using mathematical relationships (about 35% of test)  Interpreting, inferring, and deducing from qualitative and quantitative data and integrating information to form conclusions; recognizing unstated assumptions (about 35% of test) Important Things to Note on This Subject Test  Calculator use is not permitted.  Problem solving requires simple numerical calculations.  The metric system of units is used. Recommended Preparation  One-year course in biology  One-year course in algebra and familiarity with simple algebraic concepts such as ratios and direct and inverse proportions  Laboratory experience FORMAT/CONTENT Approximate % Test E Approximate % Test M Total of 80 questions answered by each student: • 60 multiple-choice questions that are common to both Biology-E and Biology-M • 20 specialized multiple-choice questions for either Biology-E or Biology-M Cell and Molecular Biology 12% 25% Cell structure and organization, mitosis, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, enzymes, biosynthesis, biological chemistry Ecology 25% 12% Energy flow, nutrient cycles, populations, communities, ecosystems, biomes, biodiversity, effects of human intervention Genetics 12% 25% Meiosis, Mendelian genetics, inheritance patterns, molecular genetics Organismal Biology 25% 25% Structure, function, and development of organisms (with emphasis on plants and animals), animal behavior Evolution and Diversity 25% 12% Origin of life, evidence of evolution, patterns of evolution, natural selection, speciation, classification and diversity of organismsThe SAT Subject Tests Student Guide 25 Sample Questions All of the questions in the test are multiple-choice questions for which you must choose the BEST response from the five choices offered. Some questions that refer to a common figure, table, or laboratory experiment are grouped in sets. Biology E/M Core Section Directions Each set of lettered choices below refers to the numbered questions or statements immediately following it. Select the one lettered choice that best answers each question or best fits each statement and then fill in the corresponding bubble on the answer sheet. A choice may be used once, more than once, or not at all in each set. Questions 1-2 (A) Decomposers (e.g., bacteria) (B) Producers (e.g., grasses) (C) Primary consumers (e.g., mice) (D) Secondary consumers (e.g., snakes) (E) Tertiary consumers (e.g., hawks) 1. Organisms that comprise the greatest mass of living substance (biomass) in a terrestrial food chain 2. Organisms that convert nitrogen-containing organic molecules into nitrates Directions Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by five suggested answers or completions. Some questions pertain to a set that refers to a laboratory or experimental situation. For each question, select the one choice that is the best answer to the question and then fill in the corresponding bubble on the answer sheet. [Show More]

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