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It won't be the most fun you've ever had. You may learn a lot from this book if you let yourself. It is written in a way that will be pleasing to your eyes and brain, and contains the major concepts and ideas that you have been exposed to in your AP Biology classroom.

Many books on the market have the same information that you will find in this book. We have approached the material in a different way. We tried to make the book easy to understand. A review book that is a total snoozer is something we have had to review for countless standardized tests. The average reader could go 84 pages before falling asleep, because we had this book "snooze-tested" by more than five thousand students. The average snooze time of the other review books was between 14 and 43 pages. We made up the statistics.

154,076 students took the AP exam and were asked how they prepared for it. The students' comments and tips are written in the margins of the book. These people know what they are talking about so pay attention to their comments. They may have some useful advice after taking this test.

We don't want you to think that you don't need to study to do well on the exam. You will have to prepare a bit. The book will walk you through the process in a painless way. You can practice applying the material you just read by using the study questions at the end of each chapter. You can use the study tips listed in Step 3 to remember the material. As the exam approaches, take the two practice tests in Step 5 to see how well the information is sinking in.

It's time to start studying. In Step 1 of the book, set up your study pro gram. Before you start the review process, take the diagnostic test in Step 2 and look through the answers and explanations to see where you stand. The hints and strategies in Step 3 may help you digest the information that comes at you in Step 4. We suggest that you kick back, relax, grab yourself a comfortable seat, and dig in. There is a lot to learn.

The project would not have been completed without the help of friends and relatives. It was amazing to my wife that you spent so much time reading, rereading, and reading again. Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into my cause. The book you helped make is what it is. I would like to thank my parents and brothers for reading a few chapters when I needed a second opinion. Chris Black helped me edit and clarify a few of the chapters. The flow of this work has been strengthened by the editing comments of Don Reis. I would like to thank the students and teachers who gave me their input and thoughts on what they thought was important for the exam. This book has been made stronger by them.

The rest will fall into place if you focus on the beginning. You will begin your journey to the AP Biology exam when you purchase this book. We will be by your side every step of the way.

The book has something unique to offer. We have spoken with many AP Biology teachers and have learned a lot. Students described what they wanted from a test-prep book, and teachers helped us understand which topics were most important for class. The contents of the book reflect genuine student concerns. The book is geared towards students. We did not try to impress you with arrogant language, misleading you with inaccurate information, or lull you into a false sense of confidence. Information is included in other review books, but we did not put it into this book. There is only so much an individual can learn for an exam. We know how much work these tests can be. A realistic approach to studying for the AP exam can be found in this book. Heavy technical detail is not included in this book.

This text can be used as a guide to accompany you on your AP Biology exams. The book has many purposes. Clarify requirements for the AP Biology exam, provide you with test practice, help you pace yourself, function as a wonderful paperweight, and make you aware of the five steps to mastering the AP Biology Exam Organization of the Book. The five-step plan is introduced. In general, we give an overview of the exam. We follow that up with three different approaches to exam preparation and then give some tips and suggestions for how to approach the various sections of the exam. The Diagnostic Exam can give you an idea of where you stand. You should spend 45 minutes on this practice exam.

AP Biology has a lot of material. The fourth step of the book provides a comprehensive review of the major sections you may or may not have covered in the classroom.

The book will help you understand the course work better.

There is a practice exam section in this book. This is where you will be tested. The multiple-choice questions are used to practice for the AP exam. They are designed to focus on the key topics that appear on the exam. Do not think to yourself "OK" when you answer a question in the book. You should think to yourself, "OK, the authors thought that was important, so I should remember this fact." The techniques and terms required by the AP exam are covered in the essay questions. You can check the explanations of the multiple-choice questions and the guidelines for the essays after taking the exam.

The end of the book is important. A list of websites related to the AP Biology exam and a glossary of key terms are included in the book.

The five-step program is designed to give you the skills and strategies you need to pass the exam and the practice that can help you get a perfect score.

A diagnostic exam will give you an idea of what you need to know in order to pass the exam.

Strategy advice for the AP Biology exam is given in step 3. You will learn about the multiplechoice questions and the free-response questions on exam day.

The fourth step is a big one. The review of the topics on the AP exam is comprehensive.

You've probably been in an AP Bio class all year, and you've probably spent hours reading through the AP Biology textbooks.

There are two of them in this book. You can find more practice tests online if you purchased the cross- platform version of the book.

One of the best ways to improve is to take as many practice tests as you can. If you want to learn from your mistakes, sit down and take the tests fully timed.

Several icons are used throughout the book to emphasize skills and strategies. You should pay particular attention to the accompanying text if you see an icon in the margin.

The icon points out a very important fact.

If you want to try a problem-solving strategy, this icon is for you.

The tip that you might find useful is indicated by this icon.

The answer to the sample problem is indicated by boldface.

There are marginal notes, boxes, and starred areas throughout the book. If you pay close attention to the areas, you can get tips, hints, strategies, and further explanations to help you reach your full potential.

The College Board has identified four big ideas that form the basis of the AP Biology curriculum. All the questions on the AP Biology exam are linked to at least one of the big ideas covered in the AP Biology course.

A summary of the four "big ideas" of AP Biology can be found in the outline that follows.

Each of the four ideas has a topic and a statement that identifies essential knowledge under it. You don't need to memorize this, but you will need to be aware of the big ideas.

The course and the exam are based on these concepts.

There are icons in the margin of the book with numbers and letters. The icons help you understand how the subject matter fits into the big ideas of the course.

The fourth big idea is referred to as "Interactions" by the number 4.

It's important to keep an eye on the big picture as you read the book, and to keep in mind how all the content relates to the four big ideas.

Evolution is change over time.

Natural selection causes evolution.

Random change is the nature of evolution.

Scientific evidence supports evolution.

Common ancestry links organisms.

Many features are found in all sorts of organisms.

The visual representations of these relationships are phylogenetic trees and cladograms.

In a changing environment, evolution continues.

Speciation and extinction have happened throughout history.

Speciation can be a result of reproductive isolation.

Organisms are evolving.

The origin of life is explained by natural processes.

There are different hypotheses about how life began.

Scientific evidence supports different hypotheses of how life began.

Life processes require free energy and matter.

A constant source of energy is what all living things need.

Cells have an internal environment that is different from their surroundings.

Homeostasis is maintained by the movement of cells.

The cells are in the internal membranes.

Organisms rely on feedback mechanisms to grow.

organisms can respond to changes in their environments with feedback mechanisms.

Environmental changes affect growth and homeostasis.

Everything from cells to the environment is affected by biotic and abiotic interactions.

Homeostatic mechanisms reflect both common ancestry and divergence.

The health of the organisms and the balance of the environment can be disrupted.

Plants and animals have immune systems.

Temporal coordination is involved in growth and reproduction.

Proper development of an organisms requires the correct timing of events.

Different organisms regulate the timing and coordination of events.

Time and coordinate behavior are used.

Heritable information allows the continuity of life.

Heritable information from one generation to the next is provided by genes.

The cell cycle is one of the processes that transmit heritable information.

The basis of inheritance is shown by the genes transmitted from parent to child.

Simple models can explain the inheritance of traits.

Gene expression is influenced by cellular andmolecular mechanisms.

Gene regulation causes differential gene expression.

Genetic variation is created by imperfect processing of genetic information.

New phenotypes are created by changes in genotype.

Variations can be increased by many biological mechanisms.

Host organisms can be affected by viral infections.

Common features show a common ancestry.

Direct contact or long-distance signaling can be used to communicate.

The four "big ideas" of AP Biology were discussed. The recognition of a signal by a cell and the cellular response are signal transduction pathways.

The cellular response can be changed by a blocked signal transduction pathway.

The reception, transmittal, and pro cessing of information are performed by the animal nervous systems.

The parts of a biological system interact with each other.

The properties of biological Molecules are determined by their components.

Cell processes rely on organs.

Cells, tissues, and organs are produced by interactions between external stimuli and genes.

Complex properties in organisms are the result of interactions.

The movement of matter and energy is a result of interaction between communities.

Competition and cooperation are what biological systems are characterized by.

The structure and function of a molecule can be influenced by other molecules.

Distribution and abundance are affected by interactions between populations.

The distribution of the organisms changes over time.

Cells have a broad range of functions because of the variation in the units of the genes.

The environment influences the expression of genes.

Population dynamics are influenced by variation.

The stability of the ecosystems is affected by diversity.