Deck 2: Human Origins

Question 1

The basic chemical building block of genes is:

A) DNA.
B) RNA.
C) amino acids.
D) a cell.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What is genetic engineering, and what has research using genetic engineering done? What ethical and social issues does genetic engineering present?

Answer 2

Genetic engineering is the term given to rearranging genetic material to create new, man-made life forms or to change existing life forms. Scientists have genetically altered mice, made a more productive type of rice, and cloned sheep. Research has also found that cloning has challenges and often gives the clone incorrect growth instructions. The fact that cloning has not been perfected causes many scientists to argue that we should not clone humans. Other ethical issues involved in cloning are stem cell research and the rights of potential clones.

Question 3

Homo erectus was first discovered in 1891 in Java by:

A) Richard Leakey.
B) Eugene Dubois.
C) Raymond Dart.
D) Davidson Black.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

David Reich's research suggests that the 1.2 percent difference in the genetic structure of humans and chimps is due to:

A) humans and chimps living in identical environments.
B) humans and chimps interbreeding.
C) humans and chimps coincidentally sharing a common genetic makeup.
D) humans and chimps having similar diets.

Question 5

What is sociobiology, and how is it applied to human behavior? What problems do some social scientists find in sociobiology?

Question 6

The Cro-Magnons, like the Neanderthals, were:

A) lacking in any shelters.
B) irrigation farmers.
C) cattle domesticators.
D) able to make tools.

Question 7

The purpose of the genome project is to:

A) develop a perfect human.
B) control human behavior.
C) limit human population size.
D) map or identify all the human genes.

Question 8

Some scientists argue that language is not limited to humans and that linguistic ability is also possessed by other species such as:

A) baboons.
B) bears.
C) all monkeys.
D) chimpanzees.

Question 9

Cave art is primarily associated with:

A) Neanderthals.
B) Homo erectus.
C) Australopithecus.
D) Modern people.

Question 10

What is Darwin's theory of evolution, and how does it apply to human evolution? What is natural selection?

Question 11

The most important physical difference between humans and apes is in the larger size and complexity of the human:

A) knee.
B) jaw.
C) brain.
D) ear.

Question 12

A 2003 fossil find of a modern human in Ethiopia fits recent genetic studies and supports the:

A) multiregional continuity theory of human evolution.
B) gene flow exchange theory.
C) ""Out of Africa"" replacement theory.
D) ""Out of Eurasia"" migration theory.

Question 13

The divisions of the species that we currently use were created by:

A) Aristotle.
B) Stephen Jay Gould.
C) Carolus Linnaeus.
D) the Genome Project.

Question 14

Niles Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould argue that evolution is characterized by long periods of relative stability that are:

A) the essence of gradual evolution.
B) punctuated by sudden changes.
C) only changed very slowly.
D) exactly like Darwin proposed.

Question 15

The broad category of individuals that can mate with each other to produce fertile offspring is called:

A) a fossil.
B) a community.
C) a species.
D) a band.

Question 16

What is the difference between the punctuated equilibrium and gradual change theories of evolution?

Question 17

Genetic engineering, including cloning technology, presents society with:

A) easy solutions for medical problems without ethical questions.
B) no choices, only solutions.
C) clear benefits with no moral complications.
D) extraordinarily difficult moral and political questions.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a discussed reason human beings are unique?

A) Only humans can think and reason.
B) Only humans can communicate with others by means of language.
C) Only humans have a genome completely unique from all other species.
D) Only humans use tools.

Question 19

Is the human species unique? Discuss the current issues concerning ape thinking, language, and tool use. What difference does it make whether humans are unique?

Question 20

Whether evolution is punctuated or continuous is:

A) no longer a question.
B) still much in debate.
C) now replaced by a rapid pace theory.
D) unimportant.

Question 21

Intelligent design is different from scientific creationism in that it does not challenge evolutionary evidence.

Question 22

Recent DNA tests have indicated that Neanderthals were most likely genetically:

A) not an ancestor to humans.
B) identical with modern humans.
C) not capable of speech in any form.
D) a smaller, less robust species than modern humans.

Question 23

Our future social evolution will likely be substantially influenced by the information we have about our human evolution.

Question 24

In human genome research it was discovered that human genes are specific to homo sapiens and are not shared by any other species.

Question 25

Gene splicing was not important in genetic engineering developments.

Question 26

Gregor Mendel discovered inheritance factors now called genes. Genes determine:

A) heredity but only in plants.
B) changes in earth movements.
C) the characteristics of future generations.
D) only beneficial physical traits.

Question 27

Virtually no one in our modern society interprets the Bible literally anymore as it relates to the origins of man.

Question 28

Tool use may have led to more protein and fat in the early hominid diet and enlarged brains.

Question 29

The process of random genetic changes that create new characteristics is called:

A) natural selection.
B) mutation.
C) competition.
D) migration.

Question 30

There is evidence that Neanderthals did all of the following except:

A) make musical instruments.
B) build shelters.
C) make written records.
D) make complex tools.

Question 31

The conventional view is that the human species originated in Africa 3 to 5 million years ago.

Question 32

Genetics explains the way we are and why and how we change.

Question 33

Edward Wilson helped advance the thesis of sociobiology with his work on fear of strangers.

Question 34

Natural selection takes place at both the individual level and various group levels.

Question 35

In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick unraveled the double helix structure of:

A) FDA.
B) the atom.
C) DNA.
D) hormones.

Question 36

Evolution in its broadest sense refers to any process of stable equilibrium.

Question 37

Linnaeus's divisions were determined primarily by physical traits.

Question 38

Charles Darwin was influenced by his voyage on the Beagle to formulate his natural selection mechanism of evolution.

Question 39

Science has no explanation for existence; evolution is a theory of change, not a theory of existence.

Question 40

In 1997, two Spanish paleontologists announced that their study of 8 million-year-old fossils in Spain led them to believe that:

A) humans evolved first in Spain.
B) Homo erectus migrated into Spain from Asia.
C) Homo habilis evolved in Europe.
D) Homo antecessor is a separate species and possible Neanderthal ancestor.

Question 41

It is suspected that Neanderthals are the ancestors of modern humans.

Question 42

There is complete agreement among social scientists that there is no contradiction between the idea of free will and the genetic basis for the human behavior idea of sociobiology.

Question 43

Gould's punctuated equilibrium theory holds that evolution is a stop/go process of sudden change with long periods of no change.

Question 44

Average brain size of Homo erectus was smaller than people they had replaced.

Question 45

Noam Chomsky argues that gorilla language studies invalidate the theory that humans are unique.

Question 46

To a great extent, the ability of people to live happy and satisfying lives depends on the nature of the society they live in.

Question 47

Darwin saw evolution as a rapid process with sudden abrupt changes.

Question 48

The discovery of new fossils of birds challenged Gould's theory of punctuated equilibrium.

Question 49

The earliest known species of Homo
(human) is Homo habilis.

Question 50

The human species most probably originated 5 to 7 million years ago in:

A) Europe.
B) Africa.
C) Asia.
D) South America.

Question 51

Gorillas, like humans, live on the ground. Chimpanzees spend much of the daytime on the ground. One reason for this descent was their increase in size.

Question 52

David Reich suggests that chimps and humanoids interbred for hundreds of thousands of years. This accounts for their genetic structure being almost identical.