Deck 20: Arriving Late,traveling Far: the Evolution of Human Beings

Question 1

Which of the following characteristics of a fossil suggests that the species belonged to the hominin group?

A)large canine teeth and thinner tooth enamel
B)a protruding lower face
C)small canine teeth and thicker tooth enamel
D)prominent brow ridges

Answer 1

C

Question 2

"Grasping feet" suggest an adaptation for some degree of:

A)tree-dwelling life-style.
B)limited tool use.
C)knuckle walking.
D)migratory behavior.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Based on evidence from "primate molecular clocks," a primate common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees existed about:

A)3 million years ago.
B)4-5 million years ago.
C)6-7 million years ago.
D)10 million years ago.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

How long ago did Australopithecus afarensis live?

A)50,000-100,000 years ago
B)500,000 years ago
C)about 2.2 million years ago
D)about 3.2 million years ago

Question 5

According to the primate family tree,the modern species most closely related to the humans is the:

A)chimpanzee.
B)orangutan.
C)gorilla.
D)lemur.

Question 6

Which of the following was most ape-like?

A)Homo habilis
B)Homo ergaster
C)Homo neanderthalensis
D)Australopithecus afarensis

Question 7

Which of the following characteristics of a fossil suggests that the species does not belong to the hominin group?

A)bipedal walking
B)small canine teeth
C)protruding brow ridges
D)a flat face

Question 8

The Taung baby,a member of Australopithecus africanus,is estimated to have lived about:

A)1 million years ago.
B)2-3 million years ago.
C)4-5 million years ago.
D)5-10 million years ago.

Question 9

A paleoanthropologist is a scientist who studies:

A)rocks and their ages.
B)all fossils.
C)fossils in the human lineage.
D)ancient human culture.

Question 10

Which hominin may be a direct ancestor of our genus but had long arms,short legs,and grasping feet?

A)Homo erectus
B)Australopithecus afarensis
C)Homo neanderthalensis
D)Kenyanthropus platyops

Question 11

To what does the term "mosaic pattern" refer in terms of evolution?

A)Natural selection is no longer operating on modern humans.
B)Different features developed at different times in different species.
C)Every species was subject to a different form of natural selection.
D)Fossils are found in a mosaic pattern at a paleontological site.

Question 12

Place the following in correct order from least to most closely related to modern humans: (1)orangutans,(2)monkeys,(3)Homo erectus,(4)Australopithecus afarensis.

A)1, 2, 3, 4
B)4, 3, 2, 1
C)2, 1, 3, 4
D)2, 1, 4, 3

Question 13

Paleontologists have determined that Australopithecines,such as Lucy,could walk upright.On what evidence do they base this claim?

A)the tools found with the fossils
B)the structure of her hands
C)the structure of her pelvis
D)the structure of the skull

Question 14

Which Homo species from 1-2 million years ago is connected as an ancestor of Homo sapiens according to the hominin family tree?

A)Homo ergaster
B)Homo habilis
C)Homo erectus
D)Homo neanderthalensis

Question 15

Which of the following species of hominin is the most recent to have become extinct?

A)Homo neanderthalensis
B)Homo habilis
C)Homo erectus
D)Homo ergaster

Question 16

Of the following four species,which one lies closest to modern humans?

A)Homo habilis
B)Homo neanderthalensis
C)Homo ergaster
D)Homo erectus

Question 17

Modern humans have been in existence for approximately how many years?

A)100,000
B)200,000
C)500,000
D)1,000,000

Question 18

Which of the following is least important in deciding whether a fossil should be classified as a hominin?

A)bipedalism
B)slope of the face
C)brain size
D)tooth structure

Question 19

Which statement would support a hypothesis that most (about the first 70 percent)of human evolution took place in Africa?

A)The oldest fossils are found in Africa.
B)Homo sapiens fossils are found in Africa and Europe.
C)No Neanderthal fossils are found in Africa.
D)The earliest fossils found outside of Africa are 1,800,000 years old.

Question 20

A piece of evidence in favor of including Sahelanthropus tchadensis (Toumai)with the hominins rather than apes is that the species was likely:

A)tree dwelling.
B)bipedal.
C)related to Neanderthals.
D)carnivorous.

Question 21

A paleoanthropologist studies the development of ancient human culture.

Question 22

The hominid group of primates has existed on Earth for approximately 6-7 million years.

Question 23

The cranial capacity for the species Australopithecus afarensis was close to:

A)450 cubic centimeters.
B)900 cubic centimeters.
C)1,400 cubic centimeters.
D)2,000 cubic centimeters.

Question 24

Australopithecus afarensis represents a hominin with both ape-like and human-like characteristics.

Question 25

Homo floresiensis is a relatively new find of fossils from:

A)Africa.
B)Indonesia.
C)Australia.
D)Europe.

Question 26

There are currently at least 2 dozen species who are candidates for membership in the Hominini (human-like primate)group.

Question 27

The brain of Australopithecus afarensis was almost the same size as that of modern humans.

Question 28

Several lines of evidence,including fossils and a genetic analysis of different groups of modern humans,suggest that our species originated and spread out from:

A)north Africa.
B)east Africa.
C)central Europe.
D)India.

Question 29

Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis coexisted for thousands of years.

Question 30

According to the fossil evidence,which hominin was the first to leave Africa?

A)Homo neanderthalensis
B)Homo sapiens
C)Homo erectus
D)Homo ergaster

Question 31

Homo erectus was able to migrate great distances from Africa.A good hypothesis for why he was able to do so is that he possessed:

A)a larger brain than Homo sapiens.
B)lower metabolic requirements than ancestors.
C)the ability to walk much like modern humans.
D)tools more advanced than those used by Neanderthals.

Question 32

Most of hominin evolution occurred in Africa,but there is fossil evidence that members of the genus Homo first migrated out of Africa at least ________ years ago.

A)1)8 million
B)3 million
C)5 million
D)10 million

Question 33

The closest living primate relative to humans is the gorilla.

Question 34

Homo floresiensis represents a branching point for modern humans in Africa.

Question 35

Which natural material seems to be the first used by hominins to make tools?

A)stones
B)wood
C)feathers
D)hair

Question 36

A relatively early hominin with advanced tool technology was Homo ergaster.

Question 37

A significant difference between Neanderthals and modern humans is that Neanderthals:

A)had smaller brains.
B)were taller.
C)were foragers, not "collectors."
D)used throwing spears.

Question 38

Most hominin evolution took place in south Africa and Australia.

Question 39

The genus Kenyanthropus appears to be the immediate ancestor of the genus Homo.

Question 40

Modern humans (Homo sapiens)coexisted in Europe for thousands of years with which other hominin?

A)Homo erectus
B)Homo neanderthalensis
C)Homo ergaster
D)Homo heidelbergensis

Question 41

As you know from having studied the scientific method,a hypothesis must be able to make predictions that can be proved or disproved.The "out-of-Africa" hypothesis is currently more widely accepted than the "multiregionalism" school of thought.Summarize the out-of-Africa hypothesis,and explain the genetic diversity evidence in its favor.

Question 42

Modern humans are classified as belonging to the species ________.

Question 43

Refer to the figure below, and then answer the following question(s).

The missing label indicated by a "4" in the figure should be:

A)Australopithecus afarensis.
B)Australopithecus africanus.
C)Homo ergaster.
D)Homo neanderthalensis.

Question 44

Hominins migrated from Africa,through Asia,all the way to Australia.

Question 45

Refer to the figure below, and then answer the following question(s).

The missing label indicated by a "3" in the figure should be:

A)Australopithecus afarensis.
B)Australopithecus africanus.
C)Homo ergaster.
D)Homo neanderthalensis.

Question 46

The first wave of modern human migration reached Europe and northern Asia.

Question 47

The ability for a hominin to walk upright is referred to as ________.

Question 48

The two hominin species that are believed to have been alive 50,000 years ago concurrently with modern humans are ________ and ________.

Question 49

The first wave of modern human migration out of Africa began about ________.

Question 50

Refer to the scenario below, and then answer the following question(s).
In a long forgotten corner of your museum's warehouse, workers find two old crates, each with a set of human fossils and a notebook. The first crate that is brought to you has fossil arm bones longer than leg bones and a pelvic bone suggestive of upright-walking abilities. The notebook states that rocks in the same stratum as the fossils were dated at 3.8 Mya. The second set has limb bones more proportionate to modern humans and also has simple tools in the same box. The notebook states that rocks in the same stratum as the fossils were dated at 1.6 Mya.
To which species does the fossil hominin in the first crate belong? Briefly explain your answer.

Question 51

Refer to the scenario below, and then answer the following question(s).
In a long forgotten corner of your museum's warehouse, workers find two old crates, each with a set of human fossils and a notebook. The first crate that is brought to you has fossil arm bones longer than leg bones and a pelvic bone suggestive of upright-walking abilities. The notebook states that rocks in the same stratum as the fossils were dated at 3.8 Mya. The second set has limb bones more proportionate to modern humans and also has simple tools in the same box. The notebook states that rocks in the same stratum as the fossils were dated at 1.6 Mya.
To which species might the fossil hominin in the second crate belong? Briefly explain your answer.

Question 52

Describe the characteristics that appear to differentiate humans from apes in the hominin group.

Question 53

Refer to the figure below, and then answer the following question(s).

The missing label indicated by a "2" in the figure should be:

A)Australopithecus afarensis.
B)Australopithecus africanus.
C)Homo ergaster.
D)Homo neanderthalensis.

Question 54

Refer to the figure below, and then answer the following question(s).

The missing label indicated by a "1" in the figure should be:

A)Australopithecus afarensis.
B)Australopithecus africanus.
C)Homo ergaster.
D)Homo neanderthalensis.

Question 55

The fossils of Australopithecines indicate that,even though they walked upright,their arms were longer than their legs,and their feet still contained a partially opposable big toe.What does this suggest to you about their habitat and lifestyle?