Editorial
Rob Franek, Senior VP, Publisher
Mary Beth Garrick, Director of Production
Selena Coppock, Senior Editor
Calvin Cato, Editor
Kristen O’toole, Editor
Meave Shelton, Editor
Random House Publishing Team
To
...
Editorial
Rob Franek, Senior VP, Publisher
Mary Beth Garrick, Director of Production
Selena Coppock, Senior Editor
Calvin Cato, Editor
Kristen O’toole, Editor
Meave Shelton, Editor
Random House Publishing Team
Tom Russell, Publisher
Nicole Benhabib, Publishing Director
Ellen L. Reed, Production Manager
Alison Stoltzfus, Managing Editor
The Princeton Review, Inc.
111 Speen Street, Suite 550
Framingham, MA 01701
E-mail:
[email protected]
Copyright © 2013 by Itzy
Cover art © Jonathan Pozniak.
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada
by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University.
eBook ISBN: 978-0-307-94572-3
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-0-307-94552-5
SAT Subject Test is a registered trademark of the College Board, which does not sponsor or endorse this product.
Editor: Selena Coppock
Production Editor: Harmony Quiroz
Production Coordinators: Deborah A. Silvestrini and Todd Cubbison
v3.1Acknowledgments
I dedicate this book to my children, James, Nicholas, Ian, and Rose,
for redefining my role as a teacher; and to my parents, Richard and
Barbara Lewandowski, for giving me the faith to believe that I can do
whatever I set out to do. I love you all.
Thanks to Paul Kanarek for more help than I can list here, and thank
you to Christi Pope, Sarah Woodruff, and Dustin Yoon for their editing
suggestions and help.
Special thanks to Adam Robinson, who conceived of and perfected the
Joe Bloggs approach to standardized tests and many of the other
successful techniques used by The Princeton Review.
Thank you to Caren Gough for her thorough content review for the
2013–2014
edition of this book.Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Acknowledgments
Part I: Orientation
1 Introduction
Point 1: Approaching the Test Strategically
Point 2: Teaching You the Biology You Need to Know for the Exam
2 The Exam Format, Question Types, and Strategies
The Format
The Question Types
Strategy 1: Study the Right Stuff in the Right Way
Strategy 2: Practice the Right Stuff at the Right Time
Strategy 3: Easy Stuff First
Strategy 4: Take a Guess, but Guess Smart
Strategy 5: Choosing the “Wrong” Answer—LEAST/EXCEPT/NOT
Questions
Strategy 6: I, II, III—You’re Out!
Strategy 7: Avoid the Camouflage Trap
Strategy 8: Avoid the Temptation Trap—Predict an Answer
Strategy Summary
Special Tips for Laboratory Five-Choice Questions
Part II: Subject Review
3 Molecules of Biology
Biologically Important Macromolecule #1: ProteinBiologically Important Macromolecule #2: Carbohydrate
Biologically Important Macromolecule #3: Lipid
Biologically Important Macromolecule #4: Nucleic Acid
4 Cell Structure
Eukaryotic Cell Structure
What Goes On in the Cytoplasm: Chemical Reactions and
Enzymes
5 Cellular Respiration
Let’s Talk About Cellular Respiration
Glycolysis
The Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex (PDC)
The Krebs Cycle
Electron Transport and Oxidative Phosphorylation
What Happens If Oxygen Is Not Available?
6 Transcription and Translation
DNA Replicates Itself
Chromosomes and the Whole Organism: The Same Set in Every
Cell
Chromosomes Come in Pairs: Homologous Chromosomes
How Chromosomes Govern Protein Synthesis: Transcription and
Translation
Translation
How Translation Works, Part 1: tRNA
How Translation Works, Part 2: The Ribosome
7 Mitosis and Meiosis
How a Whole Cell Reproduces Itself: Mitosis
Genes, Proteins, and Chromosomes
But Where Did These Chromosomes and Their Genes COME
From?
The Formation of Gametes: Meiosis8 Cracking Genetics
Biology of Inheritance
Phenotype and Genes
Mating and Crossing: Predicting the Phenotype and Genotype of
Offspring
Punnett Squares
Another Thing About Genetics and Inheritance: Sex and SexLinked Traits
Mendelian Genetics
Pedigree Analysis
9 Cracking Evolution and Diversity
The Origin of Life
Evolution
Getting Organized: Phylogeny
A. Kingdom Protista
B. Kingdom Plantae
C. Kingdom Fungi
D. Kingdom Animalia
10 Microorganisms
Let’s Talk About Fungi
Let’s Talk About Bacteria
Let’s Talk About Viruses
Cool Stuff: Recombinant DNA Technology
11 Organ Systems
Control of the Body, Part 1—The Nervous System
Control of the Body, Part 2—The Endocrine System
Transport Within the Body—The Circulatory System
Blood Typing
The HeartVentilation and Gas Exchange—The Respiratory System
Body Processing, Part 1—The Digestive System
Body Processing, Part 2—The Urinary System
Support and Protection of the Body, Part 1—The Skeletal System
Support and Protection of the Body, Part 2—The Muscular System
Support and Protection of the Body, Part 3—The Skin
Reproduction and Development, Part 1—The Male System
Reproduction and Development, Part 2—The Female System
Reproduction and Development, Part 3—Fertilization, Embryology,
and Fetal Development
12 Plants
Leaf Structure
13 Behavior
14 Cracking Ecology
What Is a Population?
What Is a Community?
More About the Community—Who’s Who
Let’s Talk About Ecological Succession
Getting Bigger—the Ecosystem
What Goes Around, Comes Around—Nutrient Cycles
Getting Bigger Again—Biomes
Part III: Answers to In-Chapter Questions
15 Answers to In-Chapter Questions
Part IV: The Princeton Review Practice SAT Biology E/M
Subject Tests and Explanations
16 Practice SAT Biology E/M Subject Test 1
17 Practice SAT Biology E/M Subject Test 1: Answers and
Explanations
18 Practice SAT Biology E/M Subject Test 219 Practice SAT Biology E/M Subject Test 2: Answers and
Explanations
About the AuthorPart I
Orientation
1 Introduction
2 The Exam Format, Question Types, and StrategiesChapter 1
IntroductionWHAT ARE THE SAT SUBJECT TESTS?
They are a series of one-hour exams administered by Educational
Testing Service (ETS). Unlike the SAT, the SAT Subject Tests are
designed to measure specific knowledge in specific areas. There are
many different tests in many different subject areas, such as biology,
history, French, and math. They are scored separately on a 200–800
scale.
HOW ARE THE SAT SUBJECT TESTS USED
BY COLLEGE ADMISSIONS?
Because the tests are given in specific areas, colleges use them as
another piece of admissions information and, often, to decide whether
an applicant can be exempted from college requirements. For
example, a certain score may excuse you from a basic English class or
a foreign language requirement.
SHOULD I TAKE THE SAT SUBJECT TESTS?
HOW MANY? WHEN?
About one-third of the colleges that require SAT I scores also require
that you take two or three SAT Subject Tests. Your first order of
business is to start reading those college catalogs. College guidebooks,
admissions offices, and guidance counselors should have this
information as well.
As to which tests you should take, the answer is simple:
1. Take those Subject Tests that you will do well on.
2. Take the tests that the colleges you are applying to may require
you to take.
The best possible situation, of course, is when the two match.
Some colleges have specific requirements, others do not. Again, start
asking questions before you start taking tests. Once you find outwhich tests are required, if any, part of your decision making is done.
The next step is to find out which of the tests will show your
particular strengths and to contact colleges to see which tests they
suggest or require. Evaluate your own strengths and skills.
Possibilities range from English literature, U.S. or world history,
biology, chemistry, and physics to a variety of foreign languages.
As for when, take tests that are as close as possible to the
corresponding coursework you may be doing. If you plan to take the
SAT Chemistry Test, for example, and you are currently taking
chemistry in high school, don’t postpone the test until next year.
WHEN ARE THE SAT SUBJECT TESTS
OFFERED?
In general, you can take from one to three Subject Tests per test date
in October, November, December, January, May, and June at test sites
across the country. Not all subjects are offered at each administration,
so check the dates carefully.
HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE TESTS?
You can register at the College Board website at
www.collegeboard.com. This site contains other useful information
such as the test dates and fees. If you have questions, you can talk to a
representative at the College Board by calling 866-630-9305.
You may have your scores sent to you, to your school, and to four
colleges of your choice. Additional score reports will be sent to
additional colleges for, you guessed it, additional money. The scores
take about five weeks to arrive.
A Couple of Words About Score Choice
As of February 2009, you can choose which SAT Subject Test scores
you want colleges to see. This is great news! For one thing, if you take
more than one SAT Subject Test on a given date, you’ll be able to
choose which tests from that date you’d like to submit to colleges. Soif, for example, you take the Biology M test followed by the French
test, but you don’t think that the French test went very well, you can
simply opt out of having that French scores sent to your schools.
This score reporting policy is optional for students. This means that
you aren’t required to opt in and actively choose which specific scores
you would like sent to colleges. If you decide not to use the Score
Choice reporting feature, then all of the scores on file will
automatically be sent when you request score reports.
For more information about this score-reporting policy, go to the
College board website at www.sat.collegeboard.org/home.
WHAT’S A GOOD SCORE?
That’s hard to say, exactly. A good score is one that falls within the
range of scores the college of your choice usually accepts or looks for.
However, if your score falls below the normal score range for Podunk
University, that doesn’t mean you won’t get into Podunk University.
Schools are usually fairly flexible in what they are willing to look at
as a “good” score for a certain student.
Along with your score, you will also receive a percentile rank. That
number tells you how you fit in with the other test takers. In other
words, a percentile rank of 60 means that 40 percent of the test takers
scored above you and 60 percent scored below you.
WHAT IS THE PRINCETON REVIEW?
The Princeton Review is a test-preparation company based in New
York City. We have branches across the country and abroad. We’ve
developed the techniques you’ll find in our books, courses, and online
resources by analyzing actual exams and testing their effectiveness
with our students. What makes our techniques unique is our
approach. We base our principles on the same ones used by the people
who write the tests. We don’t want you to waste your time with
superfluous information; we’ll give you just the information you’ll
need to get great score improvements. You’ll learn to recognize and
comprehend the relatively small amount of information that’s actuallytested. You’ll also learn to avoid common traps, to think like the test
writers, to find answers to questions you’re unsure of, and to budget
your time effectively.
You need to do only two things: trust the techniques, and practice,
practice, practice.
CRACKING THE SAT BIOLOGY SUBJECT
TESTS
This book is for students who want to raise their scores on the SAT
Biology Ecological (Biology E) Subject Test or SAT Biology Molecular
(Biology M) Subject Test. At The Princeton Review, we know what
standardized test makers are up to. That’s because we study their
tests. We know how these tests are put together, and we’ll use that
information to help you raise your score.
How exactly will we do that? In two ways:
1 We’ll show you how to approach the test strategically.
2 We’ll teach you the biology you need to know to do well on the
exam.
TO E OR NOT TO E?
As a student of biology, you can opt to take either the Biology E
(Ecological) test or the Biology M (Molecular Biology) test. You may
not take both tests on the same test day. Here’s how you should
decide which test to take:
Take the Biology E test if you are more comfortable with questions
about energy flow, biological interactions, and populations and
communities. This section of the biology test is focused on ecology.
Take the Biology M test if you are more comfortable with topics such
as biochemistry, cellular biology, and processes such as
photosynthesis and respiration. This section of the test concentrates
on molecular biology.POINT 1: APPROACHING THE TEST
STRATEGICALLY
You can improve your score on any multiple-choice exam by knowing
a few basic strategies and test-taking techniques. The SAT Biology
E/M Subject Test is no different. You should study the types of
questions that show up on the exam, you should be wise to their
design, and you should be familiar with the techniques that
systematically lead to correct answers.
When you sit down to take the SAT Biology E/M Subject Test, you’ll
see some questions whose answers you don’t know right away.
Without knowing the techniques that improve your chances of getting
the correct answer, you might panic. In Chapter 2 of this book, we’ll
show you eight strategies that will help you outsmart the SAT Biology
E/M Subject Test. Learn our strategies, and if you do see an
unexpected question or a question that tests an unfamiliar topic, you
won’t panic. Why? Because you have the ammunition you need to
improve your chances of getting the right answer.
Practice and Practice Tests
This book is interactive. We rehearse you over and over again on the
subjects and strategies we teach. We don’t present a long array of drill
questions at the end of a chapter. Instead, we watch your progress
paragraph by paragraph, page by page. We take what you need to
know and drive it into your head, word by word, and sentence by
sentence.
We also present two full-length practice SAT Biology E/M Subject
Tests in Chapters 16 and 18. They’re complete with solutions and
explanations that don’t just give you the right answer but also remind
you of the strategies and techniques you should be applying to help
you solve the question.
Should I Buy Practice Material from ETS?
It’s not a bad idea. If you want to take additional tests beyond the
ones we provide, then buy The Official Study Guide for All SAT Subject
Tests, Second Edition, which is published by the College Board. You
can go to the College Board’s website, www.collegeboard.com, formore information and practice questions. Take the SAT Biology E/M
SAT Subject Test and see how much easier it is after you’ve read and
studied this book.
POINT 2: TEACHING YOU THE BIOLOGY YOU
NEED TO KNOW FOR THE EXAM
ETS says its SAT Biology E/M Subject Test covers, among many other
topics, aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, and the biochemical
differences between the two.
If you sat with your biology textbook and read about these subjects,
you’d read about a whole lot of information that definitely will not be
tested. You’d read about the roles of various enzymes, coenzymes, and
cofactors. You’d see pictures like the one on the following page.And you’d read text like this:
Glycolysis is a prime illustration of the manner in which vital
biochemical processes occur through a series of steps. The complete
catabolism of glucose may be considered to embody nine steps. We’ll
examine the details of glycolysis and notice that the 6-carbon skeleton
of the glucose molecule is sequentially degraded, each step being