Question 1

Anatomically modern Homo sapiens spread from Africa into East and Southeast Asia by about __________.

Accepted Answer

Anatomically modern Homo sapiens spread from Africa into East and Southeast Asia by about 70,000 years ago. This is supported by genetic and archaeological evidence. Option A is incorrect as 5,000 years ago is too recent for the initial spread of modern humans out of Africa. Option B is also incorrect as while humans did migrate out of Africa around 20,000 years ago, this was during the last Ice Age and not the initial spread of modern humans. Option D is too early, as there is no evidence for modern human presence in Southeast Asia that far back in time.

Question 2

In the year A. D. 1772, a small band of seamen led by French explorer Marion du Fresne landed on a sandy beach in southern __________ far off the southern coast of Australia.

Accepted Answer

D

Question 3

According to Steven Mithen, archaic humans lacked which one vital component of the modern mind?

Accepted Answer

According to Steven Mithen, archaic humans lacked cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to switch between different modes of thinking and creatively combine ideas. This lack of cognitive flexibility may have limited their abilities to innovate and adapt to changing environments, which may have contributed to their eventual extinction.

Question 4

The multiregional model hypothesizes that human populations throughout __________ evolved independently, first to archaic H. sapiens, then to fully modern humans.

Accepted Answer

The multiregional model proposes that throughout the Old World (which includes Asia, Europe, and Africa), human populations evolved independently into fully modern humans.

Question 5

The multiregional model hypothesizes that human populations have been separated from each other for approximately how long?

Accepted Answer

The multiregional model suggests that human populations have been separated from each other for around 2 million years, with limited gene flow occurring between them. This time frame aligns with the emergence of Homo erectus, the first hominid species to migrate out of Africa and populate different regions of the world.

Question 6

The out-of-Africa model takes the diametrically opposite view of the multiregional model. According to it, H. sapiens evolved in one place, then spread to __________.

Accepted Answer

The out-of-Africa model proposes that Homo sapiens evolved in Africa and then spread to all other parts of the Old World, including Asia, Europe, and Oceania. It suggests that all non-African populations are descended from a single migration out of Africa that occurred around 60,000 years ago.

Question 7

In contrast to earlier, still rather shadowy humans, all known human finds in Africa dating to later than __________ are fully modern, by which time it's clear that the anatomical transition was complete.

Accepted Answer

All known human finds in Africa dating to later than 120,000 years ago are considered fully modern, indicating that by this time, the anatomical transition to Homo sapiens was complete.

Question 8

What is a useful tool for calibrating mutation rates because it accumulates mutations much faster than nuclear DNA?

Accepted Answer

mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) is a useful tool for calibrating mutation rates because it accumulates mutations much faster than nuclear DNA. It also provides a clear maternal lineage that can be traced through generations, making it useful in studying evolutionary relationships and population genetics.

Question 9

Today, with data from the entire mtDNA genome, there is evidence that __________ display more diverse types of mitochondrial DNA than other present-day populations elsewhere in the world, a finding that suggests they had more time to develop such __________.

Accepted Answer

According to the statement, Africans display more diverse types of mitochondrial DNA than other present-day populations, suggesting that they had more time to develop such mutations.

Question 10

__________ first appeared at a time of constant long-term climatic change, reflected in the Northern Hemisphere by long glacial periods separated by shorter warmer intervals.

Accepted Answer

Modern humans first appeared during the Pleistocene epoch, which was characterized by frequent and dramatic shifts in global climate, including the long glacial periods mentioned in the question. These fluctuations likely played a role in the evolution of our species and the development of adaptive traits such as bipedalism and larger brains. Non-human species such as Asians, Europeans, and Africans also existed during this time, but the question specifically refers to modern humans.

Question 11

From an archaeologist's point of view, identifying __________ is virtually impossible, except from the occasional dated archaeological site with human remains and distinctive artifacts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of From an archaeologist's point of view, identifying...

Question 12

Stephen Oppenheimer (2008) believes that anatomically modern humans first moved rapidly out of Africa along a huge arc of coastline from Africa, around the coasts of the __________ Ocean.

Accepted Answer

According to Stephen Oppenheimer, anatomically modern humans moved rapidly out of Africa along the coasts of the Indian Ocean.

Question 13

The Mt. Toba disaster some 70,000 years ago may have led to a serious human genetic bottleneck which resulted in __________.

Accepted Answer

The Mt. Toba disaster is believed to have caused a drastic reduction in the human population, leading to a genetic bottleneck. This means that only a small subset of the original genetic diversity was passed on to future generations, resulting in little genetic diversity amongst present-day humans.

Question 14

Cognitive abilities like fluent speech, enhanced planning abilities, and powerful intellectual skills are __________, which makes it extremely difficult to establish quite when anatomically modern humans acquired modern forms of human behavior.

Accepted Answer

"Intangibles" refers to abstract concepts that cannot be physically touched, which fits with the description of cognitive abilities provided in the sentence. The other choices, "challenging," "ephemeral," and "didactic," do not accurately describe cognitive abilities or their relationship to the timing of modern human behavior.

Question 15

__________, on the Indian Ocean shore near the southern tip of South Africa, has yielded extensive occupation deposits dating to at least 65,000 years ago, where numerous finely bladed tools, spear points (including some flaked with pressure, a much later innovation in Europe), and some possible bone points were found.

Accepted Answer

Blombos Cave is the correct answer because it is a well-documented archaeological site located on the Indian Ocean shore near the southern tip of South Africa. It has provided evidence of early human occupation dating back to at least 65,000 years ago, including the discovery of finely crafted tools, spear points, and possible bone points, highlighting advanced technological innovations for that time period.

Question 16

__________, in South Africa, has yielded a bone projectile point, a spatula-like tool for hide working, and a needlelike object, from a layer dating to about 61,000 years ago.

Accepted Answer

The bone projectile point, spatula-like tool, and needlelike object were discovered in Sibudu Cave in South Africa, as part of a layer dating to about 61,000 years ago.

Question 17

At the height of the last glaciation, about 18,000 years ago, sea levels were over _________ below modern levels. Dry land joined Sumatra to __________.

Accepted Answer

According to the statement, sea levels were over 100m (300 feet) below modern levels at the height of the last glaciation, which means option A is the best choice. Additionally, the statement mentions that dry land joined Sumatra to Borneo, which is not relevant for selecting the answer.

Question 18

The earliest evidence for human settlement in New Guinea comes from the highlands at about __________ years ago.

Accepted Answer

The earliest evidence for human settlement in New Guinea comes from the highlands and is dated to about 45,000 years ago, indicating some of the earliest known human settlements in the region.

Question 19

Approximately how long ago did people start deep ocean fishing?

Accepted Answer

Evidence suggests that people began deep ocean fishing around 45,000 years ago, as indicated by archaeological findings.

Question 20

Tasmania is now an island, but a land bridge connected it to mainland Australia for at least __________ years of the late Ice Age, so that first settlement was a matter of hunting and foraging across dry land.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Tasmania is now an island, but a...

Quiz 4: Origins and the Diaspora Begins: C 200,000 Years Ago and Later