Question

1. explain why sexual reproduction allows a species to evolve more quickly.
2. explain why a characteristic that helps an animal to live longer will generally tend to become more common in the population as a result of evolution by natural selection

Explanation:

1. Sexual reproduction involves the combination of genetic material from two parents, creating genetic variation. This variation provides more raw material for natural - selection to act upon, allowing for faster adaptation and evolution.
2. A characteristic that helps an animal live longer gives it more time to reproduce and pass on its genes. Organisms with this beneficial trait are more likely to survive to reproductive age and produce offspring with the same trait. Over generations, the frequency of this trait in the population increases due to natural selection.

Answer:

1. Sexual reproduction allows for genetic variation through the combination of parental genes, providing more material for natural selection and thus enabling faster evolution.
2. A trait that prolongs an animal's life increases its reproductive opportunities, and as it passes on the trait to offspring, the trait becomes more common in the population through natural selection.