The Advanced Placement Program is designed to encourage students to take challenging courses in high school and receive college credit for their efforts. Many high schools offer classes especially designed for the AP program, but any course or program of study, whatever it is called, is appropriate if the content is college level. This book helps you to prepare for the Advanced Placement Examination in Biology. It does this in three ways:

First, it reviews the important material that you need to know for the exam. These reviews are detailed but written in an organized and condensed format, making them especially useful for studying.

Second, after each section review, the book provides you with questions that reinforce the review. These questions are typical of AP exam questions, and many of them, like those on the AP exam, require considerable thought to determine the correct answer. In addition, some of the review questions ask you to apply the reviewed material to new situations and, as a result, increase your breadth of understanding. Complete explanations of the answers are given.

Third, a complete sample test is provided, giving you the opportunity to evaluate your knowledge and your test-taking skills. Complete explanations are given for each question, and a scoring worksheet is provided to determine your score. Have you ever wished that you had a copy of your teacher’s lecture notes? The review sections in this book are very much like lecture notes. Each section contains all the important terminology with brief descriptions. All the important biological processes are outlined with a key word or phrase, listed in an easy-to-remember sequence. After each key word or phrase, a short explanation is given. When you study the material the first time, you can read the key words and the short explanations. When you review, you can just study the key words, rereading the explanations only as needed.

You should consider this book, however, as a supplement to your textbook, your laboratory exercises, and your teacher’s lectures. Much of the excitement and adventure of biology can be obtained only through hands-on activities and discussions with teachers. In addition, textbooks provide background information, extensive examples, and thought-provoking questions that add depth to your study of biology.

Each time you study a topic in class, after listening to the lectures and reading the textbook, use this book to review. Underline or highlight material to help you remember it. Write in the margins any additional material that you heard in lectures or read in your textbook that you or your teacher thinks is important. Then, answer the questions and read the answers at the end of each section. This will reinforce your learning.