Question 1

Sexual dimorphism is less pronounced in modern Homo sapiens than in the australopithecines.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

What are the major difficulties that arise in trying to interpret the hominin fossil record? How do these difficulties lead to conflicting interpretations of human evolution?

Accepted Answer

The major difficulties that arise in try

Question 3

A 2001 fossil find called Orrorin tugenensis,dated 6 million years of age,

Accepted Answer

A)  appears to have been a chimp-sized creature that climbed easily and walked on two legs when on the ground. 
B)  lacks any possible evidence that it was bipedal. 
C)  is the undisputed "missing link." 
D)  was found in South America, suggesting that the transition into bipedalism may have happened there. 
E)  is older than the famous Toumai find. 
A)  appears to have been a chimp-sized creature that climbed easily and walked on two legs when on the ground. 
B)  lacks any possible evidence that it was bipedal. 
C)  is the undisputed "missing link." 
D)  was found in South America, suggesting that the transition into bipedalism may have happened there. 
E)  is older than the famous Toumai find.

Question 4

Australopithecus sediba,a new fossil from South Africa,is considered by some paleoanthropologists to be a bridge between australopithecines and the human lineage.This is because

Accepted Answer

A)  Au. sediba is the oldest fully bipedal ape fossil. 
B)  Au. sediba shows a mix of ape features and humanlike features. 
C)  Au. sediba is younger than Homo erectus. 
D)  Au. sediba had a human-sized brain but still lived in trees. 
E)  many researchers suspect that there was genetic admixture between Au. sediba and Homo populations. 
A)  Au. sediba is the oldest fully bipedal ape fossil. 
B)  Au. sediba shows a mix of ape features and humanlike features. 
C)  Au. sediba is younger than Homo erectus. 
D)  Au. sediba had a human-sized brain but still lived in trees. 
E)  many researchers suspect that there was genetic admixture between Au. sediba and Homo populations.

Question 5

As this chapter makes clear,there are many issues within hominin evolution that remain open to debate.One of them regards the Kenyanthropus fossil found by Maeve Leakey,who argues that at least two hominin lineages existed as far back as 3.5 million years (the other being Au.afarensis).Taxonomic "splitters" tend to agree with her interpretation,while taxonomic "lumpers" disagree.These two interpretations highlight

Accepted Answer

A)  the distinction between those who stress diversity and divergence, and those who focus on similarities across fossil finds. 
B)  that more fossil evidence isn't necessarily better, because it only leads to more misinterpretation. 
C)  the distinction between creationists and evolutionists. 
D)  the difference between those who consider bipedalism as the key hominin feature, and those that consider large brain size the key feature. 
E)  that not all paleoanthropologists value human diversity. 
A)  the distinction between those who stress diversity and divergence, and those who focus on similarities across fossil finds. 
B)  that more fossil evidence isn't necessarily better, because it only leads to more misinterpretation. 
C)  the distinction between creationists and evolutionists. 
D)  the difference between those who consider bipedalism as the key hominin feature, and those that consider large brain size the key feature. 
E)  that not all paleoanthropologists value human diversity.

Question 6

"Lucy's baby," an important Australopithecus afarensis fossil from northern Ethiopia,includes a complete skull,mandible,and face.What is an important outcome of this find?

Accepted Answer

A)  It indicates that Au. afarensis had a prolonged childhood period of slow brain growth. 
B)  It has a human-like skull and upper body, unlike Lucy. 
C)  It is the first fossil hominid child found alongside its mother. 
D)  It was found to have a large cranial capacity but was not bipedal, drawing into question how these traits develop in childhood. 
E)  It sheds light on growth processes in human ancestors, including brain and dental development. 
A)  It indicates that Au. afarensis had a prolonged childhood period of slow brain growth. 
B)  It has a human-like skull and upper body, unlike Lucy. 
C)  It is the first fossil hominid child found alongside its mother. 
D)  It was found to have a large cranial capacity but was not bipedal, drawing into question how these traits develop in childhood. 
E)  It sheds light on growth processes in human ancestors, including brain and dental development.

Question 7

What is the significance of Kenyanthropus,a 3.5-million-year-old fossil that Maeve Leakey discovered in Kenya in 1999?

Accepted Answer

A)  It puts an end to the debate between taxonomic "splitters" and "lumpers." 
B)  It confirms that the development of big brains preceded the onset of bipedalism. 
C)  It replaces Lucy (3.2 m.y.a.) as the earliest known hominin skeleton. 
D)  It is the ancestor of Homo but not australopithecines. 
E)  It suggests the possibility that at least two hominin lineages existed as far back as 3.5 million years ago. 
A)  It puts an end to the debate between taxonomic "splitters" and "lumpers." 
B)  It confirms that the development of big brains preceded the onset of bipedalism. 
C)  It replaces Lucy (3.2 m.y.a.) as the earliest known hominin skeleton. 
D)  It is the ancestor of Homo but not australopithecines. 
E)  It suggests the possibility that at least two hominin lineages existed as far back as 3.5 million years ago.

Question 8

The genus Homo did not appear until after all of the australopithecines had died off.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

In apes,the thighbone angles into the hip,permitting the space between the knees to be narrower than the pelvis.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Northern Tanzania and the Afar region of Ethiopia have yielded some of the most famous and informative glimpses into hominin evolution.All of the following are true about fossil finds in these areas EXCEPT that

Accepted Answer

A)  the Laetoli site in northern Tanzania yielded a series of fossilized footprints. 
B)  although the fossils from these two regions were deposited half a million years apart, their many resemblances justify including them all as part of the same species, Homo habilis. 
C)  Lucy, a tiny hominin female who lived around 3 m.y.a., was found in the Hadar site in the Afar region of Ethiopia. 
D)  the fossils from both Laetoli and Hadar forced a reinterpretation of the early hominin record, suggesting that hominins are much closer to apes than previously known. 
E)  the fossils from both Laetoli and Hadar are representative of Au. afarensis. 
A)  the Laetoli site in northern Tanzania yielded a series of fossilized footprints. 
B)  although the fossils from these two regions were deposited half a million years apart, their many resemblances justify including them all as part of the same species, Homo habilis. 
C)  Lucy, a tiny hominin female who lived around 3 m.y.a., was found in the Hadar site in the Afar region of Ethiopia. 
D)  the fossils from both Laetoli and Hadar forced a reinterpretation of the early hominin record, suggesting that hominins are much closer to apes than previously known. 
E)  the fossils from both Laetoli and Hadar are representative of Au. afarensis.

Question 11

The oldest known stone tools date from between 2.5 and 2 m.y.a.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Which of the following statements about australopithecines is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Australopithecines had a higher incidence of rickets than genus Homo. 
B)  Australopithecines had smaller molars than genus Homo. 
C)  Australopithecines probably relied more on the use of tools than did the early Homo. 
D)  Australopithecus was the most geographically widespread of all hominin genera. 
E)  Australopithecines as a group inhabited the earth longer than any other hominin genus. 
A)  Australopithecines had a higher incidence of rickets than genus Homo. 
B)  Australopithecines had smaller molars than genus Homo. 
C)  Australopithecines probably relied more on the use of tools than did the early Homo. 
D)  Australopithecus was the most geographically widespread of all hominin genera. 
E)  Australopithecines as a group inhabited the earth longer than any other hominin genus.

Question 13

Interestingly,some of the physical markers that have led scientists to identify certain fossils as early hominins rather than apes are features that have been lost during subsequent human evolution.Which of the following is an example of this?

Accepted Answer

A)  stereoscopic vision 
B)  climbing ability 
C)  thin enamel on teeth 
D)  big back teeth 
E)  chimplike tool use, such as termite capture 
A)  stereoscopic vision 
B)  climbing ability 
C)  thin enamel on teeth 
D)  big back teeth 
E)  chimplike tool use, such as termite capture

Question 14

Compared to the australopithecines,early Homo had larger cheek teeth and a larger cranial capacity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The footprints at the site of Laetoli in northern Tanzania were made by Australopithecus afarensis.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Identify and discuss the major features of australopithecine dentition.What do these teeth tell us about the australopithecine mode of adaptation?

Accepted Answer

The major features of australopithecine

Question 17

What are the most significant features of the split between the australopithecines and Homo? How does environmental specialization figure into the equation? What about cultural adaptation?

Accepted Answer

The split between the australopithecines

Question 18

Radiometric dating of South African fossils was not possible because the area was nonvolcanic.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 8: Early Hominins

Sexual dimorphism is less pronounced in modern Homo sapiens than in the australopithecines.

What are the major difficulties that arise in trying to interpret the hominin fossil record? How do these difficulties lead to conflicting interpretations of human evolution?

A 2001 fossil find called Orrorin tugenensis,dated 6 million years of age,

Australopithecus sediba,a new fossil from South Africa,is considered by some paleoanthropologists to be a bridge between australopithecines and the human lineage.This is because

"Lucy's baby," an important Australopithecus afarensis fossil from northern Ethiopia,includes a complete skull,mandible,and face.What is an important outcome of this find?

What is the significance of Kenyanthropus,a 3.5-million-year-old fossil that Maeve Leakey discovered in Kenya in 1999?

The genus Homo did not appear until after all of the australopithecines had died off.

In apes,the thighbone angles into the hip,permitting the space between the knees to be narrower than the pelvis.

Northern Tanzania and the Afar region of Ethiopia have yielded some of the most famous and informative glimpses into hominin evolution.All of the following are true about fossil finds in these areas EXCEPT that

The oldest known stone tools date from between 2.5 and 2 m.y.a.

Which of the following statements about australopithecines is true?

Interestingly,some of the physical markers that have led scientists to identify certain fossils as early hominins rather than apes are features that have been lost during subsequent human evolution.Which of the following is an example of this?

Compared to the australopithecines,early Homo had larger cheek teeth and a larger cranial capacity.

The footprints at the site of Laetoli in northern Tanzania were made by Australopithecus afarensis.

Identify and discuss the major features of australopithecine dentition.What do these teeth tell us about the australopithecine mode of adaptation?

What are the most significant features of the split between the australopithecines and Homo? How does environmental specialization figure into the equation? What about cultural adaptation?

Radiometric dating of South African fossils was not possible because the area was nonvolcanic.

What Is Anthropology

Culture

Applying Anthropology

Doing Archaeology and Biological Anthropology

Evolution and Genetics

Human Variation and Adaptation

The Primates

Archaic Homo

The Origin and Spread of Modern Humans

The First Farmers

The First Cities and States

Method and Theory in Cultural Anthropology

Language and Communication

Ethnicity and Race

Making a Living

Political Systems

Gender

Families, Kinship, and Descent

Marriage

Religion

Arts, Media, and Sports

The World System and Colonialism

Anthropologys Role in a Globalizing World

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