About this Study Set
This study set covers Natural History through
15 practice questions.
A collection of challenging historical facts regarding the environment, extinction events, and the natural world. Every question includes the correct answer so you can learn as you go — pick any format above to get started.
Questions & Answers
Browse all 15 questions from the
Nature and Animal History Chronicles study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
Which period in Earth's history saw the extinction of approximately 96% of all marine species, known as the 'Great Dying'?
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A
Permian-Triassic
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B
Cretaceous-Paleogene
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C
Ordovician-Silurian
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D
Devonian
2
What was the primary cause of the extinction of the Dodo bird on the island of Mauritius by the late 17th century?
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A
Climate change
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B
Human exploration and invasive species
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C
Volcanic activity
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D
A viral pandemic
3
The 'Great Emu War' occurred in Australia in 1932 as a military intervention against birds damaging crops; which government department led the effort?
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A
Department of Agriculture
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B
Department of Defense
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C
Department of Environment
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D
Department of Wildlife
4
Before the 19th century, which bird species native to North America existed in such vast numbers that flocks could block out the sun for hours?
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A
California Condor
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B
Passenger Pigeon
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C
Bald Eagle
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D
Wild Turkey
5
The first animal to be successfully cloned from an adult somatic cell in 1996 was a:
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A
Mouse
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B
Sheep
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C
Cow
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D
Goat
6
Which naturalist accompanied Charles Darwin on the HMS Beagle and later independently conceived the theory of evolution by natural selection?
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A
Alfred Russel Wallace
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B
Gregor Mendel
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C
Carl Linnaeus
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D
Louis Pasteur
7
The 'Year Without a Summer' in 1816, which caused widespread crop failure and animal starvation, was triggered by the eruption of which volcano?
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A
Mount St. Helens
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B
Mount Tambora
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C
Krakatoa
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D
Vesuvius
8
In the 18th century, which explorer was killed in Hawaii after misinterpreting local social customs regarding the sacredness of certain animals and lands?
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A
Amerigo Vespucci
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B
James Cook
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C
Ferdinand Magellan
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D
Vasco da Gama
9
What is the name of the 1962 book by Rachel Carson that documented the environmental harm caused by the indiscriminate use of pesticides?
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A
The Sixth Extinction
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B
Silent Spring
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C
A Sand County Almanac
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D
Walden
10
Which flightless bird, now extinct, was the largest bird to ever live on the island of Madagascar?
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A
Moa
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B
Elephant Bird
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C
Haast's Eagle
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D
Dodo
11
The 'Little Ice Age' was a period of cooling that occurred after which medieval warm period?
-
A
The Medieval Warm Period
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B
The Holocene Optimum
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C
The Eemian Interglacial
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D
The Cambrian Explosion
12
Which animal, once abundant across the North American Great Plains, was nearly driven to extinction by the late 19th century due to commercial hunting?
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A
American Bison
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B
Grizzly Bear
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C
Pronghorn
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D
Gray Wolf
13
In the history of domestication, which animal was the first to be domesticated by humans, approximately 15,000 to 30,000 years ago?
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A
Horse
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B
Cat
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C
Dog
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D
Sheep
14
The 'Great Smog of London' in 1952, which led to significant environmental policy changes, was caused by the heavy burning of what fuel?
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A
Natural gas
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B
Coal
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C
Oil
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D
Wood
15
Which extinct species of zebra, native to South Africa, was the first to have its DNA sequenced?
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A
Grevy's Zebra
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B
Mountain Zebra
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C
Quagga
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D
Burchell's Zebra
