Anthropology 101 - Human Biologic Evolution » Fall 2022 » Midterm Exam

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Question #1
According to the principles of evolutionary science, most hypotheses are based on a trait’s 
A.   adaptive function.
B.   design principles.
C.   analogous features.
D.   overall appearance.
Question #2
__________ seeks to understand the genetic differences and similarities between humans and non-human primates.
A.   Forensic anthropology
B.   Anthropometry
C.   Molecular anthropology
D.   Archaeology
Question #3
What was one possible reason evolutionary thought remained stifled in the 17th and 18th centuries?
A.   Too few fossils had been studied and classified.
B.   Naturalists did not have the pro[per technology to study evolution.
C.   The New World had not yet been thoroughly examined.
D.   Naturalists still tried to fit their observations of the natural world into Church doctrine.
Question #4
_________ is an example of a non-adaptive mode of evolution.
A.   Gene flow
B.   Sexual selection
C.   Mutation
D.   Genetic drift
Question #5
Lamarckianism holds that __________.
A.   all species are fixed
B.   random mutations provide a pool of variation from which nature selects
C.   allele pairs correlate with one another
D.   individuals transform over their lifetime and their offspring inherit those transformations
Question #6
Which of the following best defines adaptive radiation?
A.   survival of the fittest
B.   a process by which many species result from one ancestral one
C.   when individuals transform over their lifetime and their offspring inherit those transformations
D.   genetic change that occurs in a population over time
Question #7
Natural selection can be summarized by which statement?
A.   Organisms transform and pass these transformations on to their offspring.
B.   A divine creator created all species according to an unknowable plan.
C.   All species are fixed and unchanging.
D.   Within a population, some variations are favored by environmental conditions and others are not.
Question #8
Why are intelligent design views of creation not supported by gaps in the fossil record?
A.   The gaps are not wide enough to correspond with any creation events.
B.   The fossil record is complete and there are no gaps.
C.   Intelligent design fully embraces the mechanisms of Darwinian evolution.
D.   Gaps in the fossil record are expected due to the low probability of fossil preservation.
Question #9
Tissues are comprised of _______________.
A.   stem cells
B.   RNA
C.   somatic cells
D.   gametes
Question #10
The two main functions of DNA are _______________.
A.   there is only one function of DNA, which is protein synthesis
B.   protein synthesis and ATP production
C.   ATP production and cell reproduction
D.   protein synthesis and cell reproduction
Question #11
Which of the following best defines the term allele?
A.   a version of a gene
B.   the location of a gene on a chromosome
C.   a sex cell
D.   the state of the DNA before replication
Question #12
The genetic code is comprised of _______________, each representing _____________.
A.   codons; genes
B.   polypeptides; genes
C.   amino acids; polypeptides
D.   codons; amino acids
Question #13
Mendel found that when an individual has two different unit factors responsible for a characteristic, ___________________.
A.   only the allele from the father was expressed.
B.   only the allele from the mother was expressed.
C.   that characteristic was not expressed.
D.   the factor that is expressed is dominant.
Question #14
Which of the following is an example of genetic drift?
A.   farmers selecting to breed pigs that gain weight the fastest.
B.   robust finch beaks becoming more dominant due to hard, drought resistant nuts.
C.   the disappearance of green eye color in a group of people over time.
D.   female peacocks choosing to mate with males with the largest tail feathers.
Question #15
True or False: The prime driver of sexual selection is competition between males for mates.
A.   FALSE
B.   TRUE
Question #16
If the allele for type O blood is recessive and the allele for type A blood is dominant, a person with a A and O alleles would have type ________ blood.
A.   O
B.   OA
C.   AO
D.   A
Question #17
When populations migrate, their genes are experiencing
A.   genetic drift
B.   founder effect
C.   differential mortality
D.   gene flow
Question #18
According to the ideas of inclusive fitness,
A.   an animal is only concerned with its own survival and reproduction.
B.   the reproductive success of one's close family also matters.
C.   only individual selection matters in evolution.
D.   animals compete equally with all creatures of the same species.
Question #19
The idea of ________ asserts that some evolutionary changes may not even involve intermediate forms.
A.   cladogenesis
B.   anagenesis
C.   punctuated equilibrium
D.   gradualism
Question #20
Which of the following is a difference between chimpanzees and bonobos?
A.   Bonobo females can achieve more dominance status.
B.   Bonobo fathers nurture their young
C.   Bonobo females do not emigrate
D.   Only bonobo males engage in border clashes.
Question #21
Anagenesis occurs when
A.   species A diverges into species B and C, and species A may or may not still exist
B.   species A is abducted by aliens, combined with alien DNA, and released as a new species
C.   species A becomes species B, and species A no longer exists
D.   species A becomes species B, and both still exist (i.e., bonobos and chimps)
Question #22
Which of the following is true of primates?
A.   They live longer than any other mammal.
B.   They rely on instinct more so than other mammals.
C.   They grow up faster than other mammals.
D.   They have an extended ontogeny.
Question #23
A frugivorous primate must contend with which of the following?
A.   secondary plant compounds
B.   increased competition
C.   high fiber diet
D.   thorns
Question #24
Which of the following is true of most chimpanzee females?
A.   They travel in large independent groups
B.   They are larger than chimp males
C.   They emigrate after reaching maturity
D.   They band together in polyandrous societies
Question #25
If both parents are heterozygous for a particular recessive, disease-causing allele, their children are _____ % likely to be carriers of the disease.
A.   50
B.   100
C.   0
D.   25
Question #26
Which of the following best describes primate dentition?
A.   highly generalized
B.   includes heavy grinding molars similar to those of grazing animals
C.   uniform in size and shape
D.   includes large canines for tearing meat
Question #27
The majority of haplorhine nonhuman primate species are _______.
A.   monogamous
B.   solitary
C.   polyandrous
D.   polygynous
Question #28
Which of the following is NOT typical of multi-male polygyny?
A.   small canine size.
B.   intense competition for estrus females.
C.   binocular stereoscopic vision.
D.   a dominance hierarchy.
Question #29
Anthropologists studying the origins of monogamy in humans might focus on which primate?
A.   Lemurs
B.   Gibbons
C.   Bonobos
D.   Orangutans
E.   Baboons
Question #30
Which of the following typifies a prosimian (strepsirhine) social system?
A.   Females live in large groups that compete for resources with large groups of males.
B.   Females live in small groups and compete for access to solitary males.
C.   Males live alone and use a system of smells and calls to warn other males away.
D.   Males live in large groups and compete for solitary females.

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