PLPA 2003 MIDTERM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ACCURATE ANSWERS
What does Leeuwenhoek use as a unit of scale?
a) micrometers
b) cat whiskers
c) wood fibers
d) ant legs
e) sand - Answers - Sand
Based on this letter, which of the following might most accurately be described as a
potential bias that would affect our interpretation of this primary historic account?
a) his fear of dogs
b) there are no indications of any of the potential biases
c) his hatred of the English
d) his very strong religious convictions
e) his distrust of female scientists - Answers - There are no indications of any of the
potential biases
Which of the following is NOT a sample type that Leeuwenhoek discusses in this letter?
a) human blood
b) snow-water
c) rain water
d) pepper
e) sea water - Answers - Human blood
Who was the first individual most credited with "discovering" that bacteria (and other
microbes) exist and what they look like as individual cells?
a) Robert Hooke
b) Louis Pasteur
c) Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek
d) Robert Koch - Answers - Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek
According to the author how have advances in bacteriology effected the demographics
of the United States.
a) aging
b) more homogenous
c) more youth
d) greater diversity - Answers - aging
What does the author describe as "the most successful of all microbes"?
a) mitochondria
b) nuclei
c) archaea
, d) bacteria
e) viruses - Answers - mitochondria
The author advocates for several changes in the way that scientists think about and
study microbial pathogens. Which of the following is NOT one of the changes he
suggests.
a) focus on hyper-virulence
b) place less emphasis on the mouse as a model host
c) Also consider the importance of other microbes on our bodies that are not the cause
of disease.
d) reconsidering use of antibacterial pathogens - Answers - Also consider the
importance of other microbes on our bodies that are not the cause of disease
Which disease does the author give most credit to for enabling crucial discoveries in
genetics?
a) pneumonia
b) syphilis
c) plague
d) AIDS - Answers - pneumonia
Which of the 3 readings would be most accurately described as a "tertiary" source?
a) Ignaz Semmelweis
b) Agostino Bassi
c) Joseph Lister
d) All of the above - Answers - Ignaz Semmelweis
The reading on Joseph Lister would most accurately be described as what type of
evidence?
a) Primary literature and secondary source
b) secondary literature and primary source
c) primary literature and primary source
d) secondary literature and source
e) tertiary source - Answers - primary literature and primary source
After Ignaz Semmelweis reported his findings on the importance of hand washing for
surgeons, most of his peers in the medical community quickly made changes to their
practices.
a) True
b) False - Answers - false
Which of the 3 individuals' discoveries occurred most before Pasteur and Koch's Germ
Theory of Disease?
a) Joseph Lister
b) Ignaz Semmelweis
c) Agostino Bassi
d) none preceded Pasteur and Koch - Answers - Agostino Bassi
ACCURATE ANSWERS
What does Leeuwenhoek use as a unit of scale?
a) micrometers
b) cat whiskers
c) wood fibers
d) ant legs
e) sand - Answers - Sand
Based on this letter, which of the following might most accurately be described as a
potential bias that would affect our interpretation of this primary historic account?
a) his fear of dogs
b) there are no indications of any of the potential biases
c) his hatred of the English
d) his very strong religious convictions
e) his distrust of female scientists - Answers - There are no indications of any of the
potential biases
Which of the following is NOT a sample type that Leeuwenhoek discusses in this letter?
a) human blood
b) snow-water
c) rain water
d) pepper
e) sea water - Answers - Human blood
Who was the first individual most credited with "discovering" that bacteria (and other
microbes) exist and what they look like as individual cells?
a) Robert Hooke
b) Louis Pasteur
c) Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek
d) Robert Koch - Answers - Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek
According to the author how have advances in bacteriology effected the demographics
of the United States.
a) aging
b) more homogenous
c) more youth
d) greater diversity - Answers - aging
What does the author describe as "the most successful of all microbes"?
a) mitochondria
b) nuclei
c) archaea
, d) bacteria
e) viruses - Answers - mitochondria
The author advocates for several changes in the way that scientists think about and
study microbial pathogens. Which of the following is NOT one of the changes he
suggests.
a) focus on hyper-virulence
b) place less emphasis on the mouse as a model host
c) Also consider the importance of other microbes on our bodies that are not the cause
of disease.
d) reconsidering use of antibacterial pathogens - Answers - Also consider the
importance of other microbes on our bodies that are not the cause of disease
Which disease does the author give most credit to for enabling crucial discoveries in
genetics?
a) pneumonia
b) syphilis
c) plague
d) AIDS - Answers - pneumonia
Which of the 3 readings would be most accurately described as a "tertiary" source?
a) Ignaz Semmelweis
b) Agostino Bassi
c) Joseph Lister
d) All of the above - Answers - Ignaz Semmelweis
The reading on Joseph Lister would most accurately be described as what type of
evidence?
a) Primary literature and secondary source
b) secondary literature and primary source
c) primary literature and primary source
d) secondary literature and source
e) tertiary source - Answers - primary literature and primary source
After Ignaz Semmelweis reported his findings on the importance of hand washing for
surgeons, most of his peers in the medical community quickly made changes to their
practices.
a) True
b) False - Answers - false
Which of the 3 individuals' discoveries occurred most before Pasteur and Koch's Germ
Theory of Disease?
a) Joseph Lister
b) Ignaz Semmelweis
c) Agostino Bassi
d) none preceded Pasteur and Koch - Answers - Agostino Bassi
