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

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Question #1
Mammals arose during the __________ Era.
A.   Hadean
B.   Phanerozoic
C.   Mesozoic
D.   Cenozoic
Question #2
The story of climate change during the Cenozoic is generally one of __________.
A.   cooling and increased moisture
B.   warming and drying
C.   cooling and drying
D.   warming and increased moisture
Question #3
The diversification of __________ had a great effect on the diversification of Mesozoic mammals.
A.   microscopic life forms
B.   birds
C.   flowering plants
D.   lizards
Question #4
Early primate characteristics probably evolved because these species were __________.
A.   bipedal
B.   visual predators
C.   social
D.   intelligent
Question #5
The fossil record of the __________ reveals the first true primates.
A.   Miocene
B.   Jurassic
C.   Eocene
D.   Pliocene
Question #6
By the mid-Miocene, monkeys became more common than apes because __________.
A.   Monkeys can more easily shift to efficient terrestrial locomotion.
B.   Apes cannot react quickly enough to changing environments.
C.   Monkeys can are better adapted to arboreal environments.
D.   Monkeys are more intelligent.
Question #7
Which of the following is true of Gigantopithecus?
A.   It had a diet that consisted of insects.
B.   It lived in western Africa.
C.   It co-existed with Homo erectus.
D.   It was the largest monkey that ever lived.
Question #8
The position of the ________ on the skull can help to determine whether an animal was a biped or quadruped.
A.   lumbar vertebrae
B.   brow ridge
C.   sagittal crest
D.   foramen magnum
Question #9
Australopithecines show __________.
A.   no reduction of the canine, but partial reduction of the diastema
B.   some reduction of the canine and partial reduction or absence of the diastema
C.   an essentially ape-like dentition
D.   some reduction of the canine, but an ape-like diastema
Question #10
Why has it been difficult for paleoanthropologists to identify the “earliest” hominin species?
A.   The first hominin was likely an alien and therefore left no trace.
B.   No hominin finds date from 7 to 4.4 million years ago.
C.   Hominin fossils from the late Miocene are very fragmentary and show only slight differences from apes.
D.   The fossil record for hominins between 10 and 6 million years ago has too many specimens to classify.
Question #11
The Toumai fossil, or Sahelanthropus tchadensis, is unique because __________.
A.   It had ape-like facial features but cranial characteristics suggesting bipedalism.
B.   Its features suggest it may actually be the earliest member of Homo.
C.   It is the oldest hominin fossil ancient DNA as been extracted from.
D.   It provides the earliest evidence of stone tool use.
Question #12
At present, the most likely candidate for the hominin stem is __________.
A.   Australopithecus anamensis
B.   Ardipithecus ramidus
C.   Orrorin tugenensis
D.   Sahelanthropus tchadensis
Question #13
Why are most hominin fossil finds in southern Africa from caves?
A.   Hominin bones fell into caves through holes in the ceiling.
B.   Predators often dragged hominins they had killed into caves.
C.   Hominins in South Africa lived in caves.
D.   Hominins seemed to have crawled into caves to die.
Question #14
In East Africa, fossil finds are often dated using __________ dating techniques, while in South Africa, fossils are usually dated using __________ dating techniques.
A.   radiocarbon; type-analysis
B.   absolute; relative
C.   relative; absolute
D.   seriation; absolute
Question #15
The unique anatomical features of robust australopithecines suggest they were __________.
A.   more social than gracile australopithecines.
B.   an evolutionary dead end.
C.   much more aggressive than gracile australopithecines.
D.   meat-eaters.
Question #16
Compared to Australopithecus, some key features of early Homo skulls show morphological changes. These features include a rounded cranial vault, small supraorbital torus, and _____________.
A.   long canines
B.   a parabolic dental arcade
C.   pronounced sagittal crest
D.   a prognathic face
Question #17
Early hominin meat-eaters might have obtained their meat by __________.
A.   hunting
B.   scavenging
C.   herding
D.   trapping
Question #18
The earliest hominin site outside of Africa is in __________.
A.   Saudi Arabia
B.   Israel
C.   Indonesia
D.   the Republic of Georgia
Question #19
Which of the following is a difference between Oldowan and Acheulean tools?
A.   Oldowan tools were made from stone.
B.   Acheulean tools were associated with Homo erectus.
C.   Acheulean tools were bifaced.
D.   Oldowan tools were flaked.
Question #20
It is hypothesized that Asian Homo erectus did not use hand-axe technology because they __________.
A.   had smaller brains
B.   left Africa before the hand-axe was invented
C.   had less dexterous hands
D.   were more peaceful than the African counterparts
Question #21
Where have the oldest and greatest number of the archaic Homo sapiens fossils been recovered from?
A.   Spain
B.   Indonesia
C.   France
D.   England
Question #22
The midfacial prognathism and double-arched supraorbital torus of some archaic Homo sapiens indicate their possible relationship to ___________.
A.   modern humans
B.   Homo Heidelbergensis
C.   Neandertals
D.   Homo erectus
Question #23
Evidence from the Denisovans currently suggests that ___________.
A.   a third hominin could have existed along with Neandertal and modern Homo
B.   late surviving Homo erectus populations gave rise to modern Homo sapiens
C.   modern homo sapiens have an Asian origin
D.   they are related to Neandertals
Question #24
The Replacement Model of human origins __________.
A.   maintains that humans had a localized origin
B.   is not supported by genetic data
C.   implies that modern human variation evolved millions of years ago
D.   is often called the Multiregional Model
Question #25
Which of the following is a prediction of the Multiregional Model for the origins of modern humans?
A.   Homo neanderthalensis did not interbreed with anatomically modern H. sapiens.
B.   There was a single evolving lineage of Homo sapiens in each region of the Old World.
C.   Regional Homo erectus characteristics were replaced by those of H. neanderthalensis.
D.   There was an abrupt separation of Homo erectus and H. sapiens populations.
Question #26
It is likely that Homo sapiens reached the New World __________.
A.   via the coast of Siberia
B.   directly from Africa on a South Atlantic land bridge
C.   by crossing the Atlantic on watercraft
D.   during the Middle Stone Age
Question #27
In humans, a prolonged juvenile stage __________.
A.   quickens the onset of adulthood
B.   causes a reduced period of social learning
C.   allows for extended neurological development
D.   only occurs rarely
Question #28
The position and shape of the Neandertal __________ indicates that they were able to speak.
A.   hyoid bone
B.   Wernicke’s area
C.   prefrontal lobe
D.   basiocranial flexion
Question #29
The cooperative provisioning model correlates the evolution of a sexual division of labor with __________.
A.   family size
B.   monogamy
C.   conflicting needs
D.   nutrition
Question #30
The Westermarck hypothesis links brother-sister incest aversion to __________.
A.   culturally sanctioned laws
B.   learned behavior
C.   status
D.   children being raised in proximity

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