Practice Final Exam
Use this practice test to study for the final exam. There are fewer than 90 questions and it should not take more than 2 hours.
- 1.
________ can be defined as variant forms of an element useful for dating and paleoclimate studies.
- A.
Isotopes
- B.
Radiometry
- C.
Half-life
- D.
None of these
Correct Answer
A. Isotopes -
- 2.
Chronometric dating techniques provide
- A.
An age estimate in years before the present
- B.
The relative age of an object
- C.
Information about the magnetic polarity of strata
- D.
The age of an object relative to the items found with it
Correct Answer
A. An age estimate in years before the present -
- 3.
Radiocarbon dating is the primary technique for dating
- A.
Volcanic deposits
- B.
Organic material
- C.
Uranium decay
- D.
Obsidian
Correct Answer
B. Organic material -
- 4.
Studying ancient ecological circumstances and vegetation includes investigating
- A.
Ancient pollen
- B.
Oxygen isotopes
- C.
Stable carbon isotopes
- D.
All of these
- E.
None of these
Correct Answer
D. All of these -
- 5.
A high 18O/16O ratio (more 18O and less 16O) in the shells of marine animals indicates
- A.
Colder temperatures and higher sea levels
- B.
Warmer temperatures and higher sea levels
- C.
Colder temperatures and lower sea levels
- D.
Higher temperatures and lower sea levels
Correct Answer
B. Warmer temperatures and higher sea levels -
- 6.
____________ is a common radiometric method for dating volcanic deposits
- A.
Electron spin resonance
- B.
Potassium-Argon dating
- C.
Radiocarbon dating
- D.
Stratigraphic dating
Correct Answer
B. Potassium-Argon dating -
- 7.
Which of the following is the principle behind a dating technique using comparison of fossils?
- A.
The principle of original verticality
- B.
The principle of cross-cutting relationships
- C.
The principle of superposition
- D.
The principle of faunal succession
Correct Answer
C. The principle of superposition -
- 8.
The term Hominid
- A.
Recently replaced hominoid. The term includes all extinct human ancestors after the split from the last common ancestor with chimps
- B.
Refers to all primate ancestors of humans
- C.
Originally referred to humans and all extinct ancestors after the split from the last common ancestor with chimps
- D.
Is based on a phylum level distinction between humans and the great apes
Correct Answer
C. Originally referred to humans and all extinct ancestors after the split from the last common ancestor with chimps -
- 9.
The fundamental adaptation that would be expected in the first hominin ancestor is
- A.
Upright posture
- B.
Increased cranial capacity
- C.
Complex social interaction
- D.
Tool use
Correct Answer
A. Upright posture -
- 10.
Compared to the pelvis of a quadruped, the pelvis of a biped is
- A.
Almost the same except for the number of bones
- B.
Elongated and fan-shaped
- C.
Broader and bowl-shaped
- D.
Extremely dense and heavy
- E.
None of the above
Correct Answer
C. Broader and bowl-shaped -
- 11.
Over time, hominin legs lengthened (relative to trunk length) which
- A.
Increased stride length and efficiency
- B.
Made climbing more difficult
- C.
Decreased the dangers presented by predators
- D.
Increased the energy requirements for locomotion
Correct Answer
A. Increased stride length and efficiency -
- 12.
The leg attained modern human proportions with the origin of
- A.
Homo ergaster (Early African erectus)
- B.
Anatomically modern Homo sapiens
- C.
Australopithecus afarensis
- D.
Ardipithecus ramidus and/or ramidus kadabba
Correct Answer
A. Homo ergaster (Early African erectus) -
- 13.
Bipedal walking is more energy efficient
- A.
Than arboreal locomotion in monkeys
- B.
Than knuckle-walking in Chimps
- C.
Than quadrupedalism in dogs
- D.
When running on a hard surface
Correct Answer
B. Than knuckle-walking in Chimps -
- 14.
Which of the following is NOT one of the hypotheses for bipedalism covered in class?
- A.
Bipeds expose less of their bodies to the sun than quadrupeds
- B.
Bipeds have an advantage over quadrupeds when it come to climbing trees to sleep at night
- C.
The blood flow system bipeds have to move blood against gravity also works to cool the brain
- D.
Body hair inhibits the cooling effect of transpiration from evaporation of sweat off the skin
Correct Answer
B. Bipeds have an advantage over quadrupeds when it come to climbing trees to sleep at night -
- 15.
Which of the following is NOT an aspect of (Isbell and Young's) energetic efficiency model for bipedalism?
- A.
Increased efficiency of bipedal locomotion
- B.
An increase in body size
- C.
Fusion-fission social groups in chimps
- D.
An increase in forest fragmentation
Correct Answer
B. An increase in body size -
- 16.
According to other models, bipedalism could have evolved because it was adaptive for hominins to
- A.
Carry their infants
- B.
See over tall grasses
- C.
Dissipate heat
- D.
All of the above
- E.
None of the above
Correct Answer
D. All of the above -
- 17.
Which of these statements was part of the heat stress model for bipedalism?
- A.
Humans are hairless and sweating is a good way to lose heat in hairless mammals
- B.
Some primates develop more body hair to deal with life on the savanna (rather than less hair)
- C.
Paleoclimate data suggests that early hominins lived in forests and woodlands, not on the savanna
- D.
Many OWM who live on the savanna are quadrupeds, suggesting that the earliest hominins were not upright walkers either
Correct Answer
A. Humans are hairless and sweating is a good way to lose heat in hairless mammals -
- 18.
The dental arcade of modern humans is ________, while that of apes' is ________.
- A.
Prognathic/curved
- B.
A parabola/U-shaped
- C.
Larger/smaller
- D.
U-shaped/a parabola
Correct Answer
B. A parabola/U-shaped -
- 19.
The ________ is a space in the tooth row that allows the canine to slide past the third premolar and to be sharpened each time the mouth is closed. This is a feature of apes and is lost in hominin evolution.
- A.
Mandible
- B.
Maxilla
- C.
Double cusp
- D.
Diastema
Correct Answer
D. Diastema -
- 20.
The reduction or loss of cranial crests in hominin species represents
- A.
The de-emphasis on protection for the brain
- B.
Increase in the size of neck muscles associated with quadrupedalism
- C.
A de-emphasis on chewing as well as brain size expansion
- D.
The need for greater room for muscles associated with chewing
Correct Answer
C. A de-emphasis on chewing as well as brain size expansion -
- 21.
The earliest fossil evidence for hominin ancestors has come from three sites in ________.
- A.
The Congo Basin in Central Africa
- B.
East Africa and Tchad
- C.
South African caves
- D.
Western Africa
Correct Answer
B. East Africa and Tchad -
- 22.
The Great Rift Valley is the result of ________.
- A.
Ancient floods
- B.
Tectonic activity
- C.
River erosion
- D.
Volcanic eruptions
Correct Answer
B. Tectonic activity -
- 23.
Early fossil hominins can be recognized by ________.
- A.
Bipedal characteristics and greatly reduced facial prognathism
- B.
Increased cranial size as well as bipedal characteristics
- C.
Increases in the size of the C/P3 complex along with a U-shaped dental arcade
- D.
Bipedal characteristics, reduced canine size, and loss of the honing complex
Correct Answer
D. Bipedal characteristics, reduced canine size, and loss of the honing complex -
- 24.
The Toumai fossil, or Sahelanthropus tchadensis was discovered in _______ and is _______ years old.
- A.
Tchad; 5-8 million
- B.
Tanzania; 2.5-5 million
- C.
Ethiopia; 8-10 million
- D.
Mali; 4.4-6 million
Correct Answer
A. Tchad; 5-8 million -
- 25.
The site where Toumai was found was
- A.
An area of rolling grassland
- B.
A dry, lightly forested area near a lakeshore
- C.
A desert area
- D.
An open semi-arid area
Correct Answer
B. A dry, lightly forested area near a lakeshore -
- 26.
Orrorin tugenensis dates to approximately ________ and was discovered in ________.
- A.
6 mya/Kenya
- B.
4 mya/South Africa
- C.
4 mya/Tanzania
- D.
2 mya/Ethiopia
Correct Answer
A. 6 mya/Kenya -
- 27.
Martin Pickford and Brigitte Senut have claimed Orrorin tugensis to be a biped based on
- A.
Spine fragments and a knee
- B.
Femoral fragments
- C.
On a nearly complete pelvis
- D.
Tarsal and metatarsal fragments
Correct Answer
B. Femoral fragments -
- 28.
The famous fossil specimen "Lucy" is a representative of which Australopithecine species?
- A.
afarensis
- B.
Africanus
- C.
Anamensis
- D.
Garhi
Correct Answer
A. afarensis -
- 29.
The cranial capacity range for Australopithecus afarensis is
- A.
320-450 cc
- B.
500-650 cc
- C.
600-850 cc
- D.
900-1300 cc
Correct Answer
A. 320-450 cc -
- 30.
The ________ is a bony crest running lengthwise down the center of the cranium on the parietal bones for the attachment of the temporalis (chewing) muscles.
- A.
Temporalis maxilis
- B.
Mandibular attachment
- C.
Sagittal crest
- D.
Compound temporonuchal crest
Correct Answer
C. Sagittal crest -
- 31.
Thinking back to the behavioral ecology of other non-human primates, a high degree of sexual dimorphism in A. afarensis suggests
- A.
That individuals of the species lived alone and hunted other animals for food
- B.
That the males may have built nests and spent time in the trees while females patrolled the territory and protected the home range
- C.
That the species may have lived in multi-male, multi-female groups where males competed for access to females
- D.
That the social group was comprised of monogamous family units
Correct Answer
C. That the species may have lived in multi-male, multi-female groups where males competed for access to females -
- 32.
Although accomplished as a biped, certain feature such as curved phalanges in the toes and fingers suggest that Australopithecus afarensis
- A.
Could have had difficulty walking
- B.
Were also accomplished brachiators
- C.
May have been partially arboreal
- D.
Could swim quite well
Correct Answer
C. May have been partially arboreal -
- 33.
The footprints at Laetoli were probably made by
- A.
Australopithecus afarensis
- B.
Australopithecus robustus
- C.
Australopithecus boisei
- D.
Australopithecus africanus
Correct Answer
A. Australopithecus afarensis -
- 34.
The oldest known stone tools (Olodwan tools) come from Ethiopia and date to
- A.
1.2 million years ago
- B.
2.5 million years ago
- C.
2 million years ago
- D.
3 million years ago
Correct Answer
B. 2.5 million years ago -
- 35.
The earliest stone tools were made by
- A.
Homo habilis
- B.
Paranthropus boisei
- C.
Australopithecus garhi
- D.
One or all of the above
Correct Answer
D. One or all of the above -
- 36.
The Taung child was discovered by _______ belongs to which hominid species?
- A.
Eugene Dubois; Homo erectus
- B.
Don Johanson; Australopithecus bahrelghazali
- C.
Louis Leakey; Australopithecus afarensis
- D.
Raymond Dart; Australopithecus africanus
Correct Answer
D. Raymond Dart; Australopithecus africanus -
- 37.
Most hominin fossil finds in southern Africa come from caves because
- A.
Predators like leopards often dragged hominins they had killed into caves, where the leopards lived
- B.
Hominins in southern Africa tended to live in caves
- C.
Hominin bones fell into caves through holes in the ceiling after they were eaten by leopards
- D.
Hominins seemed to have crawled into caves to die
Correct Answer
C. Hominin bones fell into caves through holes in the ceiling after they were eaten by leopards -
- 38.
In eastern Africa fossil finds are often dated using ________ dating techniques, while in southern Africa fossils are usually dated using ________ techniques.
- A.
Relative/absolute
- B.
Radiocarbon/type-analysis
- C.
Absolute/relative
- D.
Seriation/absolute
Correct Answer
C. Absolute/relative -
- 39.
Compared to A. afarensis, A. africanus has more derived traits, such as
- A.
A. africanus shows less facial prognathism
- B.
A. africanus has larger cranial crests (sagittal and nuchal crests)
- C.
A. africanus has smaller anterior teeth
- D.
A. africanus has a cranial capacity of 550-650 cc
Correct Answer
A. A. africanus shows less facial prognathism -
- 40.
Robust australopithecines exhibit a group of adaptations that indicate they were specialized for
- A.
Carrying large loads over distances
- B.
Hard object feeding
- C.
Defending themselves against predators
- D.
Hunting small to medium sized animals
Correct Answer
B. Hard object feeding -
- 41.
As part of their dietary adaptation, robust australopithecines have
- A.
Thick enamel and large post-canine (posterior) teeth
- B.
Robust mandibles , sagittal, and nuchal crests
- C.
Postorbital constriction and a large brow ridge
- D.
All of the above
Correct Answer
D. All of the above -
- 42.
Australopithecus robustus represents robust australopithecines in
- A.
Kenya
- B.
Southern Africa
- C.
Ethiopia
- D.
East Africa
Correct Answer
B. Southern Africa -
- 43.
At 2.5 million years ago ________ were all contemporaries in East Africa.
- A.
A. robustus, A. africanus and A. garhi
- B.
A. boisei, A. anamensis, and O. tugenensis
- C.
P. aethiopicus, A. anamensis, and A. africanus
- D.
Australopithecus, Paranthropus, H. habilis and H. rudolphensis
Correct Answer
D. Australopithecus, Paranthropus, H. habilis and H. rudolphensis -
- 44.
The hominid that is the direct ancestor of the genus Homo is
- A.
K. platyops
- B.
H. habilis
- C.
A. africanus
- D.
Not certain
- E.
None of the above
Correct Answer
D. Not certain -
- 45.
Compared to the Australopithecines, members of the genus Homo
- A.
Have smaller teeth and bigger brains
- B.
Have bigger teeth and smaller body size
- C.
Have smaller body size and bigger brains
- D.
None of the above
Correct Answer
A. Have smaller teeth and bigger brains -
- 46.
The KNM-ER 1813 fossil is a specimen of early Homo that has a smaller cranium but more robust muscle attachments than KNM-ER 1470. This is the reason that
- A.
Homo rudolfensis and Homo habilis were split into two separate species
- B.
Both are likely to be the remains of late Paranthropus, not ancestral to Homo
- C.
Homo habilis left Africa
- D.
Both fossils should be moved to the genus Kenyanthropus
Correct Answer
A. Homo rudolfensis and Homo habilis were split into two separate species -
- 47.
The Oldowan tool industry involved removing ________ from ________.
- A.
Flakes/bifacial axes
- B.
Flakes/bones
- C.
Flakes/cobblestone cores
- D.
Cores/flakes
Correct Answer
C. Flakes/cobblestone cores -
- 48.
The earliest hominin site outside of Africa is in _________ and dates to _______ years ago.
- A.
Israel; 110,000
- B.
The Republic of Georgia; 1.8 million
- C.
China; 500,000
- D.
Indonesia; 7 million
Correct Answer
B. The Republic of Georgia; 1.8 million -
- 49.
Which of the following is true of the Dmanisi finds?
- A.
They are small-bodied compared to H. erectus fossils
- B.
They had very sophisticated Acheulian tools
- C.
They are similar to H. heidelbergensis in Germany
- D.
All of these
- E.
None of these
Correct Answer
A. They are small-bodied compared to H. erectus fossils -
- 50.
Homo erectus appeared in Africa about ________ years ago
- A.
8 million
- B.
180,000
- C.
18,000
- D.
1.6 million
Correct Answer
D. 1.6 million -
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Dec 31, 2012Quiz Edited by
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