Question 1

What is the likely explanation for the rapid increase in body and brain size among Homo erectus?

Accepted Answer

A)  an influx of genes for increased height 
B)  greater access to protein and improved nutrition 
C)  reaching for fruits higher in the trees, which increased their height over time 
D)  the evolution of bipedalism 
A)  an influx of genes for increased height 
B)  greater access to protein and improved nutrition 
C)  reaching for fruits higher in the trees, which increased their height over time 
D)  the evolution of bipedalism

Question 2

Compared to earlier hominids, the increased body size in Homo erectus is likely due to

Accepted Answer

A)  stone-tool use that facilitated root and tuber processing. 
B)  increased protein in the diet. 
C)  larger teeth that permitted better food processing. 
D)  None of these choices is correct. 
A)  stone-tool use that facilitated root and tuber processing. 
B)  increased protein in the diet. 
C)  larger teeth that permitted better food processing. 
D)  None of these choices is correct.

Question 3

The original name for Asian Homo erectus was

Accepted Answer

A)  Australopithecus. 
B)  Pithecanthropus. 
C)  Paranthropus. 
D)  Homo rudolfensis. 
A)  Australopithecus. 
B)  Pithecanthropus. 
C)  Paranthropus. 
D)  Homo rudolfensis.

Question 4

The earliest fossil evidence for Homo erectus in western Europe dates from ________ mya, from ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  1.6; Sima de los Huesos 
B)  0.3; France 
C)  1.6; Dmanisi, Georgia 
D)  1.2; Sima del Elefante 
A)  1.6; Sima de los Huesos 
B)  0.3; France 
C)  1.6; Dmanisi, Georgia 
D)  1.2; Sima del Elefante

Question 5

Homo habilis had traits that include

Accepted Answer

A)  long, modern legs. 
B)  short legs. 
C)  a striding gait. 
D)  quadrupedalism. 
A)  long, modern legs. 
B)  short legs. 
C)  a striding gait. 
D)  quadrupedalism.

Question 6

Homo erectus's high degree of adaptive success is evidenced by its

Accepted Answer

A)  increased reliance on material culture. 
B)  apparent increased intelligence. 
C)  reliance on unchanging environments. 
D)  increased reliance on material culture and apparent increased intelligence. 
A)  increased reliance on material culture. 
B)  apparent increased intelligence. 
C)  reliance on unchanging environments. 
D)  increased reliance on material culture and apparent increased intelligence.

Question 7

The first hominid to migrate beyond Africa was

Accepted Answer

A)  Australopithecus. 
B)  Homo habilis. 
C)  Homo erectus. 
D)  Homo neanderthalensis. 
A)  Australopithecus. 
B)  Homo habilis. 
C)  Homo erectus. 
D)  Homo neanderthalensis.

Question 8

What do the marks found by anthropologist Tim White on the Bodo cranium indicate?

Accepted Answer

A)  the earliest example of carnivore tooth marks on a hominin fossil 
B)  a pathology associated with poor diet, which may have contributed to this individual's death 
C)  the fabrication of the fossil as a hoax, demonstrating that science is ultimately self-correcting 
D)  the removal of flesh from the skull by tool-using hominids, either as a ritual or as some form of cannibalism 
A)  the earliest example of carnivore tooth marks on a hominin fossil 
B)  a pathology associated with poor diet, which may have contributed to this individual's death 
C)  the fabrication of the fossil as a hoax, demonstrating that science is ultimately self-correcting 
D)  the removal of flesh from the skull by tool-using hominids, either as a ritual or as some form of cannibalism

Question 9

Ernst Haeckel, the famous German anatomist of the nineteenth century, argued that the orangutan is anatomically more similar to humans than are any of the nonhuman African apes.This led to

Accepted Answer

A)  changing the species name for humans, temporarily, from Homo sapiens to Pithecanthropus sapiens. 
B)  the search for early human remains in the East African Rift Valley. 
C)  Charles Darwin's inspiration to change his theory of human origins. 
D)  Eugene Dubois's inspiration to search for the earliest human ancestors in Asia. 
A)  changing the species name for humans, temporarily, from Homo sapiens to Pithecanthropus sapiens. 
B)  the search for early human remains in the East African Rift Valley. 
C)  Charles Darwin's inspiration to change his theory of human origins. 
D)  Eugene Dubois's inspiration to search for the earliest human ancestors in Asia.

Question 10

The earliest members of the genus Homo have been found dating from

Accepted Answer

A)  0.5 mya-present. 
B)  2.5-1.0 mya. 
C)  4.0-3.0 mya. 
D)  None of these choices is correct. 
A)  0.5 mya-present. 
B)  2.5-1.0 mya. 
C)  4.0-3.0 mya. 
D)  None of these choices is correct.

Question 11

The controlled use of fire by hominids

Accepted Answer

A)  decreased the amount of food energy available in the hominid diet. 
B)  has been shown to contribute little to the digestive process of hominids. 
C)  limited the expansion of hominids into certain environments, such as dry grasslands. 
D)  contributed to geographical expansion and food production techniques in positive ways. 
A)  decreased the amount of food energy available in the hominid diet. 
B)  has been shown to contribute little to the digestive process of hominids. 
C)  limited the expansion of hominids into certain environments, such as dry grasslands. 
D)  contributed to geographical expansion and food production techniques in positive ways.

Question 12

Modern anatomical features of the Nariokotome boy include

Accepted Answer

A)  relatively short arms and long legs. 
B)  brain size within the modern human variation. 
C)  relatively long arms and short legs. 
D)  a large nose with an improved sense of smell. 
A)  relatively short arms and long legs. 
B)  brain size within the modern human variation. 
C)  relatively long arms and short legs. 
D)  a large nose with an improved sense of smell.

Question 13

What does the recent discovery of a ca.700,000 yBP hominin at Mata Menge, Indonesia, tell us?

Accepted Answer

A)  The pattern of hominin evolution is firmly established with little anatomical variation in the Middle Pleistocene. 
B)  The later Flores fossils must have evolved from the new, large-bodied Mata Menge hominin. 
C)  The "Island theory" to explain reduction in body size of many island-dwelling mammals is now disproven. 
D)  In predicting future research on both the early and later end of the evolution of Homo, we should expect the unexpected. 
A)  The pattern of hominin evolution is firmly established with little anatomical variation in the Middle Pleistocene. 
B)  The later Flores fossils must have evolved from the new, large-bodied Mata Menge hominin. 
C)  The "Island theory" to explain reduction in body size of many island-dwelling mammals is now disproven. 
D)  In predicting future research on both the early and later end of the evolution of Homo, we should expect the unexpected.

Question 14

The first evidence of modern human traits, including increasing brain size and dependence on material culture, shows up in Homo

Accepted Answer

A)  erectus. 
B)  sapiens. 
C)  neanderthalensis. 
D)  habilis. 
A)  erectus. 
B)  sapiens. 
C)  neanderthalensis. 
D)  habilis.

Question 15

The earliest fossil evidence of Homo erectus in western Europe dates to about

Accepted Answer

A)  1.7 mya. 
B)  1.2 mya. 
C)  500,000 yBP. 
D)  800,000 yBP. 
A)  1.7 mya. 
B)  1.2 mya. 
C)  500,000 yBP. 
D)  800,000 yBP.

Question 16

Homo erectus differed from earlier hominids in having traits such as

Accepted Answer

A)  a smaller brain. 
B)  larger teeth. 
C)  a bigger sagittal keel. 
D)  a larger brain. 
A)  a smaller brain. 
B)  larger teeth. 
C)  a bigger sagittal keel. 
D)  a larger brain.

Question 17

Homo erectus migrated

Accepted Answer

A)  first to Europe, then across Asia, reaching southeast Asia last. 
B)  from Asia to Europe, then Africa. 
C)  from Asia to Africa, then Europe. 
D)  from Africa to western Asia, then southeast Asia, and later to east Asia and Europe. 
A)  first to Europe, then across Asia, reaching southeast Asia last. 
B)  from Asia to Europe, then Africa. 
C)  from Asia to Africa, then Europe. 
D)  from Africa to western Asia, then southeast Asia, and later to east Asia and Europe.

Question 18

Greater body size and facial gracility documented in Homo erectus are likely related to

Accepted Answer

A)  changes in tool technology and increasing access to meat and other proteins. 
B)  the natural continuation of previous trends documented in hominid fossils, similar to great brain size. 
C)  the global climate, as these trends are characteristic of an increasingly forested environment. 
D)  None of these choices is correct. 
A)  changes in tool technology and increasing access to meat and other proteins. 
B)  the natural continuation of previous trends documented in hominid fossils, similar to great brain size. 
C)  the global climate, as these trends are characteristic of an increasingly forested environment. 
D)  None of these choices is correct.

Question 19

Fossil evidence of cutmarks made with stone tools at early hominid sites suggests that

Accepted Answer

A)  meat eating started only with the appearance of Homo erectus and stone tools. 
B)  big-game hunting was the most common way early hominids obtained meat. 
C)  meat eating started before Homo erectus but increased with more advanced technology. 
D)  None of these choices is correct. 
A)  meat eating started only with the appearance of Homo erectus and stone tools. 
B)  big-game hunting was the most common way early hominids obtained meat. 
C)  meat eating started before Homo erectus but increased with more advanced technology. 
D)  None of these choices is correct.

Question 20

Anatomical evidence from fossilized hand bones suggests that the precision grip needed to make and use stone tools was present

Accepted Answer

A)  only in Homo erectus. 
B)  only in Homo habilis. 
C)  in Homo habilis and some australopithecines. 
D)  in all australopithecine and Homo species. 
A)  only in Homo erectus. 
B)  only in Homo habilis. 
C)  in Homo habilis and some australopithecines. 
D)  in all australopithecine and Homo species.

What is the likely explanation for the rapid increase in body and brain size among Homo erectus?

Compared to earlier hominids, the increased body size in Homo erectus is likely due to

The original name for Asian Homo erectus was

The earliest fossil evidence for Homo erectus in western Europe dates from mya, from .

Homo habilis had traits that include

Homo erectus's high degree of adaptive success is evidenced by its

The first hominid to migrate beyond Africa was

What do the marks found by anthropologist Tim White on the Bodo cranium indicate?

Ernst Haeckel, the famous German anatomist of the nineteenth century, argued that the orangutan is anatomically more similar to humans than are any of the nonhuman African apes.This led to

The earliest members of the genus Homo have been found dating from

The controlled use of fire by hominids

Modern anatomical features of the Nariokotome boy include

What does the recent discovery of a ca.700,000 yBP hominin at Mata Menge, Indonesia, tell us?

The first evidence of modern human traits, including increasing brain size and dependence on material culture, shows up in Homo

The earliest fossil evidence of Homo erectus in western Europe dates to about

Homo erectus differed from earlier hominids in having traits such as

Homo erectus migrated

Greater body size and facial gracility documented in Homo erectus are likely related to

Fossil evidence of cutmarks made with stone tools at early hominid sites suggests that

Anatomical evidence from fossilized hand bones suggests that the precision grip needed to make and use stone tools was present

What Is Biological Anthropology

Evolution: Constructing a Fundamental Scientific Theory

Genetics: Reproducing Life and Producing Variation

Genes and Their Evolution: Population Genetics

Biology in the Present: Living People

Biology in the Present: the Other Living Primates

Primate Sociality, Social Behavior, and Culture

Fossils and Their Place in Time and Nature

Primate Origins and Evolution: the First 50 Million Years

Early Hominin Origins and Evolution: The Roots of Humanity

The Origins, Evolution, and Dispersal of Modern People

The Past 10,000 Years: Agriculture, Population, Biology

Filters

Exam 11: The Origins and Evolution of Early Homo

What is the likely explanation for the rapid increase in body and brain size among Homo erectus?

Compared to earlier hominids, the increased body size in Homo erectus is likely due to

The original name for Asian Homo erectus was

The earliest fossil evidence for Homo erectus in western Europe dates from ________ mya, from ________.

Homo habilis had traits that include

Homo erectus's high degree of adaptive success is evidenced by its

The first hominid to migrate beyond Africa was

What do the marks found by anthropologist Tim White on the Bodo cranium indicate?

Ernst Haeckel, the famous German anatomist of the nineteenth century, argued that the orangutan is anatomically more similar to humans than are any of the nonhuman African apes.This led to

The earliest members of the genus Homo have been found dating from

The controlled use of fire by hominids

Modern anatomical features of the Nariokotome boy include

What does the recent discovery of a ca.700,000 yBP hominin at Mata Menge, Indonesia, tell us?

The first evidence of modern human traits, including increasing brain size and dependence on material culture, shows up in Homo

The earliest fossil evidence of Homo erectus in western Europe dates to about

Homo erectus differed from earlier hominids in having traits such as

Homo erectus migrated

Greater body size and facial gracility documented in Homo erectus are likely related to

Fossil evidence of cutmarks made with stone tools at early hominid sites suggests that

Anatomical evidence from fossilized hand bones suggests that the precision grip needed to make and use stone tools was present

What Is Biological Anthropology

Evolution: Constructing a Fundamental Scientific Theory

Genetics: Reproducing Life and Producing Variation

Genes and Their Evolution: Population Genetics

Biology in the Present: Living People

Biology in the Present: the Other Living Primates

Primate Sociality, Social Behavior, and Culture

Fossils and Their Place in Time and Nature

Primate Origins and Evolution: the First 50 Million Years

Early Hominin Origins and Evolution: The Roots of Humanity

The Origins, Evolution, and Dispersal of Modern People

The Past 10,000 Years: Agriculture, Population, Biology

Filters

The earliest fossil evidence for Homo erectus in western Europe dates from mya, from .