The ancient environments of the late Miocene/early Pliocene hominins indicates that
the origins of bipedalism:
A.occurred in a marshy area
B.likely occurred on the savanna
C.occurred in relatively heavily forested areas
D.occurred in a variety of different environments
E.was always tied to permanent water sources
Vertebrates first appear during what geologic era?
A.Holocene
B.Paleozoic
C.Mesozoic
D.Paleocene
E.Cenozoic
The principle of superposition is a key component of what relative dating technique?
A.biostratigraphy
B.cross-dating
C.seriation
D.paleomagnetism
E.stratigraphy
What evidence indicates that Neandertals may not have been able to hunt large animals
as efficiently or safely as modern humans?
A.relatively few animal bones from large game species
B.the lack of efficient long-distance weapons
C.a high proportion of neck and head injuries
D.all of the above
E.only B and C
Forensic anthropology is defined as:
A.the application of anthropological techniques to legal issues
B.the use of osteology to identify skeletal remains
C.reconstruction of physical characteristics from human bone
D.all of these
E.none of these
Which of the following best defines an archaeological site?
A.location of past human activity
B.area containing artifacts and features
C.location of modern archaeological research
D.all of the above
E.only A and C
Which of the following statements concerning the Flores hominins is correct?
A.They represent the arrival of the first modern humans from Africa to southern Asia.
B.They represent typical examples of the late Homo erectus populations found in Asia.
C.They represent an indigenous transition to anatomically modern humans.
D.They are ancestral to modern Australian populations.
E.They represent a unique species of hominins likely descended from Homo erectus.
The ‘Black Skull’ (Paranthropus aethiopicus) is characterized by what features?
A.first evidence for obligate bipedalism
B.broad face and large palate
C.retention of sectorial premolars
D.retention of curved finger bones
E.all of these
The style of writing which employed a wedge shaped stylus pressed into damp clay is
known as:
A.hieroglyphs
B.pictographs
C.cuneiform
D.scapulamancy
E.faience
Which of the following is NOT one of the factors influencing social structure?
A.kin selection
B.body size
C.predation
D.basal metabolic rate
E.distribution of resources
Which period is known as the “Golden Age” of the hominoids due to the diversity of
species?
A.Pleistocene
B.Pliocene
C.Eocene
D.Miocene
E.Oligocene
The concept of understanding behaviors as adaptations to specific environmental
circumstances is known as:
A.social structure
B.kin selection
C.behavioral ecology
D.sexual selection
E.social behavior
Structural changes in hominins that relate to bipedal locomotion include:
A.feet with opposable big toes for grasping
B.increased length of the spine
C.increased length of arms relative to legs
D.shortening of the ilium
E.none of these
Which of the following is NOT a trait that distinguishes anthropoids from prosimians?
A.lack of rhinarium
B.longer gestation period
C.increased reliance on vision
D.more specialized dentition
E.increased parental care
Which of the following best describes the nature of Middle Pleistocene stone tool
technology?
A.It represents a substantial shift from the earlier Acheulian technology.
B.Bone was largely unused as a raw material for tools.
C.The development of the Levallois technique indicates greater cognitive abilities.
D.all of the above
E.only B and C
The term ‘hard-hammer percussion’ describes which of the following?
A.the technique used to manufacture Oldowan tools
B.the chewing mechanism associated with the Paranthropus genus
C.the excavation technique used in South African sites
D.the process of using stone tools to process animal carcasses
E.none of these
Archaeological evidence indicates that the Acheulian tool complex replaced the
Oldowan around:
A.2.0 million y.a.
B.1.8 million y.a.
C.500,000 y.a.
D.1.4 million y.a.
E.1 million y.a.
What characteristics make the Chinese evidence important for our understanding of H.
erectus?
A.There is a large assemblage of well-documented fossils.
B.The sites are the earliest known.
C.They contain the first indisputable evidence of the use of fire.
D.They show a clear pattern of large-mammal hunting.
E.all of these
The site of Vindija may contain evidence for:
A.cannibalism
B.a trend towards increasing modern features in a Neandertal population
C.systematic hunting
D.the earliest artwork
E.the earliest Neandertal fossils
The view that extinction and the appearance of more modern forms can be explained by
series of disasters is known as:
A.natural selection
B.catastrophism
C.use-disuse
D.uniformitarianism
E.fixity of species
The term used to describe the post-Pleistocene cultures in Europe is:
A.Upper Paleolithic
B.Mesolithic
C.Epipaleolithic
D.Archaic
E.Middle Paleolithic
The suite of anatomical traits associated with primates is believed to have evolved as
adaptations to which type of environment?
A.terrestrial
B.arboreal
C.rocky
D.grassland
E.desert
Evidence for notable technological differences between Middle and Upper Paleolithic
tool traditions support which model for modern human origins?
A.Partial Replacement
B.Strong Multiregional
C.Complete Replacement
D.all of the above
E.only B and C
The primary goal of the Human Genome Project is to:
A.successfully clone a human being
B.successfully produce copies of human DNA
C.sequence and map the entire human genetic code
D.all of these
E.none of these
Dominance hierarchies:
A.increase aggression and fighting within a group
B.have no function in social groups
C.organize social interactions
D.are not seen in primates
E.only occur among males
The Ubaid farmers are associated with:
A.the initial period of agriculture in the Near East
B.the settlement of the alluvial plains along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
C.the development of the first cities in India
D.the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt
E.the adoption of dry-farming techniques in the Upper Euphrates valley
Which of the following statements best describes the process of the adoption of
domestication in Mexico?
A.It occurred rapidly due to the productive potential of the plants.
B.It occurred gradually, largely because the crops offered greater predictability in
resources.
C.It occurred gradually, because maize required a long acclimation period.
D.It was largely the product of diffusion from South America.
E.It occurred rapidly as a result of the migration of farmers from South America.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the fundamental component of what part of the human
cell?
A.the mitochondria
B.chromosomes
C.cytoplasm
D.nucleus
E.all of these
Which feature of Ubaid society likely influenced the development of community
organization and cooperation?
A.the construction of massive irrigation systems
B.the development of extensive trade contacts
C.the development of an institutional bureaucracy
D.the rise of a full-time military
E.the development of a writing system
What selective pressures have been offered to explain the development of primate
vision?
A.need for three dimensional vision for hunting insects
B.need for depth perception in complex, three dimensional environment
C.the appearance of flowering plants
D.all of the above
E.only B and C
Which of the following lists of traits best define the new cultural developments of the
late Pleistocene?
A.big game hunting, controlled use of fire, shelters, intentional burial
B.big game hunting, harpoons, artwork, tailored clothing, elaborate burials
C.domestication, elaborate burials, permanent houses
D.big game hunting, plant gathering controlled use of fire, art, intentional burial
E.intensive plant processing, ground stone tools, artwork, elaborate burials
The feature that most distinguishes early Homo from other hominin species living at the
same time is:
A.a larger brain
B.larger back teeth
C.a smaller brain
D.it was less bipedal
E.it was large
The expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples through much of sub-Saharan Africa has
been tied to what process?
A.the introduction of bananas, taro, and Asian yams
B.the development of efficient slash and burn agricultural techniques
C.the introduction of Near Eastern cereal crops
D.the development of pastoralism
E.none of these
The process of adaptive radiation typically involves which of the following?
A.the transition from generalized to specialized characteristics
B.the presence of numerous ancestral traits
C.the transition from specialized to generalized characteristics
D.a decrease in the overall diversity of species within a given taxonomic category
E.none of these
The presence of five digits on hands and feet is:
A.a primitive mammalian pattern retained to some degree in most primate species
B.seen only in apes and humans
C.a well-developed trait in all primates
D.restricted to the primate order
E.primarily associated with prosimians