Name:__________________

Nervous System Test

Matching
Match each word to the correct definition by writing the letter next to each word in the blank next
to each definition.

_____ Something an animal is born knowing A. Stimulus

how to do.
B. Verbal communication
_____ Where a message travels immediately
after leaving the brain. C. Mutualism

_____ Two dogs barking at each other is an D. Brain

example of...
E. Reaction Time
_____ A bird called a cattle egret rides on top
of cows and eats any insects flying by while F. Motor Neuron
the cattle walks. The cattle does not benefit or
get harmed. This is an example of... G. Nonverbal communication

_____ A dog rolling over is an example of… H. Sensory Receptor

_____ A stop sign is an example of a(n).... I. Parasitism

_____ The amount of time that goes by J. Instinctive behavior

between receiving a stimulus and responding
to it. K. Learned behavior

L. Commensalism

M. Spinal cord

True or false?
Circle either the word true of the word false depending on the situation described.

True or False: When messages first enter through the nervous system, they go to the
motor neurons before the sensory neurons.

True or False: All animals have the same senses that work the same ways.

True or False: A stimulus can be taken in by any of our five senses.

True or False: Reaction time can be improved with practice.

Multiple Choice
Write the correct letter in the box next to the corresponding question.
1. What are our five senses?
a. Tasting, smelling, touching, hearing, seeing.
b. Sensory receptors, sensory neurons, spinal cord, brain, motor neurons.
c. Nose, fingers, mouth, ears, eyes.
d. Hearing, tasting, touching, smelling, breathing.

2. Which of the following is NOT an instinctive/innate behavior?

a. Birds migrating
b. A baby walking
c. A dog barking
d. A cat purring

3. Which of the following is a test to find reaction time.

a. Measuring the speed of the ball when the pitcher throws it.
b. Timing how fast a person can run a mile.
c. Timing someone drinking a glass of water as fast as they can
d. Timing how long it takes someone to press on the brake after seeing a red light.

4. Study the tables below that show the results of a response time investigation. The object
of the investigation was to see if students could move their hands out of the way of the
falling cup. If they were too slow and the cup hit their hands, they marked “hit”, if they
were quick and pulled their hand away, the marked “miss”.

Is this person likely right-handed or left handed?

a. Right-handed
b. Left-handed
c. Does equally well with both hands
d. There is not enough information to answer the question.
Short Answer
Answer the following questions with detail. Provide examples where they fit.

1. Describe one example of an animal whose senses are different than a humans, and
explain why God might have given them this special difference.

2. When learning how to drive, the instructor will tell you to keep a lot of distance between
you and the car in front of you. Why would might this be important? (hint- think about the
nervous system).

3. Two students were sitting on a park bench at dusk, eating snacks. A mosquito
landed on student A’s arm, and she slapped it. When she did that, she spilled a
drink into student B’s lap, causing him to jump up.
a. What was student A’s stimulus?

b. What was student A’s response?

c. What was student B’s stimulus?

d. What was student B’s reaction?

4. Define learned behaviors and instinctive/innate behaviors. Give one example of each
behavior type.

5. When Miss DeWindt first learned how to drive, she saw a squirrel in the middle of the
road and slammed on her breaks so that she would not hit it. Describe how she was able
to do this (hint- the way the nervous system works).
 6. The “nervous system” has the word system in it; according to our definition of a system,
is the nervous system actually a system? Why or why not?

7. In class we stood in a circle and squeezed each others shoulders, next, we squeezed
each others ankles. When we compared the time that it took for the message to get all
the way around the circle, it took twice as long for the ankles as the shoulders. Why?

Choose one of the following questions to answer.

1. Mary wants to buy a new bike. There are two types of bikes that she can buy, one that
you brake using the handlebars, and one that you brake by pedalling backwards. If Mary
wants to purchase a bike that will allow her to brake more quickly, which bike should she
buy, and why?

2. At an arcade, there is a game called spider squish. In this game, spiders on a mat light
up, and your job is to squish them as fast as you can. If Mrs. Westrate were going to
play this game at the arcade, would she do better if she used her feet or her hands to
squish the spiders? Why?