Question: Which branch of our immune system is considered to be our ‘first line of defense’ when bacteria and viruses enter our bodies?
Answer Options: Adaptive immunity Innate immunity Prosecution immunity All of the above Correct Answer: Innate immunity
Question: In the prevention of smallpox, what was the difference between variolation and vaccination as discussed in this course?
Answer Options: Variolation is administered through the nose, while vaccination is administered using a needle (shot). In variolation, people are exposed to active smallpox virus. In vaccination, people are exposed to boiled, inactivated smallpox virus. Variolation is the older term for vaccination. In variolation, people were exposed to a small amount of the smallpox virus. In vaccination, people were exposed to the cowpox virus. Correct Answer: In variolation, people were exposed to a small amount of the smallpox virus. In vaccination, people were exposed to the cowpox virus.
Question: “It has been shown conclusively that vaccines, especially the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, can cause autism in some people.” The preceding statement is…
Answer Options: True False Correct Answer: False
Question: Match the phrase to the most appropriate description.
Answer Options: A molecule that activates the immune system A molecule that binds to pathogens to trigger their neutralization/destruction A medicine used to treat diseases caused by bacteria Correct Answer: Antibiotic: 3 Antibody: 2 Antigen: 1
Question: “During World War II, Japan contaminated Chinese wells with disease-causing bacteria, such as those that cause typhoid.” The previous statement is…
Answer Options: True False Correct Answer: True
Question: “Spore of Bacillus anthracis were mailed to offices of the news media and democratic senators in an act of bioterrorism in the United States of America.” The preceding statement is…
Answer Options: True False Correct Answer: True
Question: Match the terms to their descriptions, as defined in this course.
Answer Options: Dose required to cause disease. Severity of disease caused. Deadliness of disease. How long a biological agent remains in an area. Correct Answer: Virulence: 1 Pathogenicity: 2 Lethality: 3 Persistence: 4
Question: A person who wants to use a biological weapon has to choose between various types of bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Which one of these points is a valid consideration for choosing between a bacterium and a virus as a biological weapon?
Answer Options: Most people in the northern hemisphere are already vaccinated against the viruses that would make good biological weapons, so viral biological weapons would be largely ineffective in most northern countries such as the United States. People who accidentally get infected by bacteria while handling them could be treated by antibiotics; for viruses, there are fewer treatment options. Bacterial biological weapons are harder to grow/culture than are viral biological weapons, because we don’t always know what to feed the bacteria. Large-scale production of bacteria is typically much more expensive than large-scale production of viruses. Correct Answer: People who accidentally get infected by bacteria while handling them could be treated by antibiotics; for viruses, there are fewer treatment options.
Question: Which of the following statements about Bacillus anthracis is correct?
Answer Options: It causes anthrax in humans and non-human primates, but not in other animals. It is not able to kill humans; instead, it gives them a flu-like disease. It cannot form spores, which means it dies when it is dried out. It is a dangerous biological weapon because it can be inhaled, causing a disease with high mortality/lethality. Correct Answer: It is a dangerous biological weapon because it can be inhaled, causing a disease with high mortality/lethality.
Question: Which of the following statements about Yersinia pestis is correct?
Answer Options: It is spread by house flies. It only causes disease when it is ingested (eaten). It is the cause of the ‘black death’ plague. Because it doesn’t make spores, it is not suitable for use as a biological weapon. Correct Answer: It is the cause of the ‘black death’ plague.
Question: “Both Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis are very deadly after infection via inhalation.” The preceding statement is…
Answer Options: True False Correct Answer: True
Question: Which of the following statements about the future of biological weapons is a possibility that was discussed in this course?
Answer Options: No one will ever use biological weapons again, because of the Biological Weapons Convention of 1972 outlawed biological warfare. In the future, bacteria or viruses could be genetically engineered to make even more dangerous biological weapons. In the future, the availability of antibiotics, vaccines, and anti-viral treatments will deter people from even bothering to use biological weapons. Biological weapons are being used against us every day, but the government keeps quiet about it and most people assume that the diseases they get have nothing to do with biological weapons. Correct Answer: In the future, bacteria or viruses could be genetically engineered to make even more dangerous biological weapons.
Question: In the video, “What is Plant Genetic Modification”, you heard that we have been genetically improving plants for a long time. What has been our overall goal for ‘improvement’ of crop plants, according to the video?
Answer Options: To breed crops that spend their energy making easy-to-harvest, high-yield, nutritious products, and that do not spend their energy making parts we don’t eat. To make the plants better able to defend themselves against animals that want to eat them, so we don’t have to use as much pesticide. To make the crop plants grow taller and wider so that fewer seeds have to be planted in each field. To make them disperse their seeds as widely as possible, to reduce the number of seeds we need to buy. Correct Answer: To breed crops that spend their energy making easy-to-harvest, high-yield, nutritious products, and that do not spend their energy making parts we don’t eat.
Question: “Because crops grow best in certain climates, climate change is altering where crops can grow.” The preceding statement is…
Answer Options: True False Correct Answer: True
Question: “Teosinte is the ancestor of modern corn.” The preceding statement is…
Answer Options: True False Correct Answer: True
Question: Select THREE traits of domesticated crop plants, as discussed in this module:
Answer Options: Plants have similar yields Variable flowering time Reduced or absent hairs and toxins Variable germination time Crop ripens at same time Correct Answer: Variable flowering time Reduced or absent hairs and toxins Crop ripens at same time
Question: “Through breeding and selection, a wild mustard plant became the progenitor (ancestor) of tomatoes, tomatillos, and gooseberries.” The preceding statement is…
Answer Options: True False Correct Answer: False
Question: “Without natural genetic variation in a population of plants, 16th century farmers would not have been able to improve crops through intentional selection.” The preceding statement is…
Answer Options: True False Correct Answer: True
Question: In cross breeding, pollen of one plant is used to fertilize a different plant. Which of the following statements about the possible outcomes of cross breeding is most accurate?
Answer Options: Because of how small pollen is, the offspring that result from cross-breeding inherit almost all of their traits from the parent that was fertilized with the pollen. Cross breeding results in plants with particularly large edible parts. The offspring that result from cross-breeding do not necessarily inherit and display the beneficial traits of both parents – they could also display the undesirable traits of the parents. All hybrids (offspring of parents that are genetically distinct) are genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Correct Answer: The offspring that result from cross-breeding do not necessarily inherit and display the beneficial traits of both parents – they could also display the undesirable traits of the parents.