1. The hormone responsible for the "fight-or-flight" response in stressful situations is produced by the:

A. Thyroid gland
B. Pituitary gland
C. Adrenal gland
D. Pancreas

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Adrenal gland. The adrenal gland is responsible for producing the hormone known as adrenaline, which triggers the 'fight-or-flight' response in stressful situations. This response prepares the body to either confront the stressor or flee from it. The thyroid gland (A) is responsible for producing hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, and development. The pituitary gland (B) controls several other endocrine glands and produces a variety of hormones. The pancreas (D) is responsible for producing insulin and glucagon, which regulate blood sugar levels but are not directly involved in the 'fight-or-flight' response.

2. Where should a semicolon be placed in the following sentence? "He loves reading comics, playing video games, and spending time with friends"?

A. He loves reading comics; playing video games, and spending time with friends.
B. He loves reading comics, playing video games; and spending time with friends.
C. He loves reading comics, playing video games and spending time with friends.
D. No semicolon needed.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Semicolons can join three or more items in a list, especially when the items themselves contain commas. Option (b) is the correct placement.

3. Why is it important to have control groups in scientific experiments?

A. To please funding agencies and research institutions.
B. To showcase the researcher's ingenuity and creativity.
C. To allow comparison and isolate the effect of the variable being tested.
D. To provide additional data points for statistical analysis.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Control groups allow observation of what would happen without the tested variable, giving a baseline for comparison and isolating the specific effect being studied.

4. Which of the following numbers is a perfect square?

A. 10
B. 12
C. 15
D. 16

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A perfect square is a number obtained by squaring an integer. 16 is the result of squaring 4 (4 x 4 = 16). The other answer choices are not the product of squaring any whole number.

5. You observe that plants in a greenhouse grow faster when exposed to red light compared to blue light. What is the next best step in your investigation?

A. Increase the intensity of the blue light.
B. Decrease the intensity of the red light.
C. Grow plants in complete darkness.
D. Grow plants exposed to both red and blue light at equal intensities.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The next best step in the investigation would be to grow plants exposed to both red and blue light at equal intensities. This will help determine if the observed growth difference is due to the specific wavelength of light (red vs. blue) or if it is related to the intensity of light. By exposing plants to both red and blue light at equal intensities, you can compare their growth rates and determine if one wavelength has a greater effect on plant growth.