Question 1

Archaeology and biological anthropology provide an intricate account of human evolution and cultural development that extends back how many years?

Accepted Answer

A)   10,000 years.
B)   500,000 years.
C)   1,000,000 years.
D)   2,500,000 years. D

Question 2

The oldest written records were from how many years ago?

Accepted Answer

A)   3,000 years ago.
B)   5,000 years ago.
C)   10,000 years ago.
D)   25,000 years ago. B

Question 3

Which of the following do archaeologists use to study prehistoric human societies?

Accepted Answer

A)   Material remains.
B)   Legends.
C)   Agriculture.
D)   Records and archives. A

Question 4

When archaeologists use the term "ethnographic present" to describe a prehistoric society, what are they referencing?

Accepted Answer

A)   The culture that existed before contamination by Western civilization.
B)   The remnants of a prehistoric culture in modern society.
C)   The culture that presently exists in a specific region.
D)   The culture that existed at the height of a prehistoric society.

Question 5

Which of the following items do archaeologists not consider to be intangibles?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mythical beliefs.
B)   Societal motivations.
C)   Artistic drawings.
D)   Ancient ideologies.

Question 6

Which of the following methods would an archaeologist use to date a house timber from a recent prehistoric site in the American Southwest?

Accepted Answer

A)   Potassium-argon dating.
B)   Dendrochronology.
C)   Radiocarbon dating.
D)   Uranium series.

Question 7

An appropriate analogy for the study of prehistory would be a …

Accepted Answer

A)   flowing river.
B)   branching tree.
C)   repeating circle.
D)   diminishing spiral.

Question 8

Discuss the many elements that contribute to a society's culture. What are the limitations to understanding a prehistoric culture from only artifacts and other physical remains?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the many elements that contribute to...

Question 9

Archaeologists and local communities see the past through different lenses. Archaeologists see the past as scientific data to be studied; local people view their past as …

Accepted Answer

A)   a prophecy of the future.
B)   myth and legend.
C)   belonging to their ancestors.
D)   something to exploit.

Question 10

Ethnoarchaeology is the study of the material culture of whom?

Accepted Answer

A)   Prehuman populations.
B)   Neanderthals.
C)   Prehistoric peoples.
D)   Living peoples.

Question 11

Which of the following provides simple, convenient explanations of complex event?

Accepted Answer

A)   Quasi-archaeology.
B)   Pseudoarchaeology.
C)   Interpretive archaeology.
D)   Cultural anthropology.

Question 12

Define and then discuss the differences between history and prehistory. What are some of the challenges archaeologists face in studying ancient prehistory?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define and then discuss the differences between...

Question 13

Discuss the various ways that people connect to the past and how these differ from the scientific approach used by archaeologists.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the various ways that people connect...

Question 14

Star Wars featured the character Scotty.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Which of the following dating methods would be the most accurate to use on a sample of charcoal?

Accepted Answer

A)   Potassium-argon dating.
B)   Dendrochronology.
C)   Radiocarbon dating.
D)   Uranium series.

Question 16

All of the following are basic steps of archaeological research except for …

Accepted Answer

A)   investigation of creation myths.
B)   discovery and research design.
C)   artifact and data collection.
D)   laboratory analysis and interpretation.

Question 17

When archeologists divide prestate societies into smaller units, they use the following categories except for …

Accepted Answer

A)   tribes.
B)   bands.
C)   chiefdoms.
D)   extended families.

Question 18

Explain briefly the culture-as-adaptation model of human prehistory.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain briefly the culture-as-adaptation model of human...

Question 19

Archaeologists studying spatial locations examine the distances between …

Accepted Answer

A)   objects or dwellings.
B)   entire settlements.
C)   settlements and agricultural zones.
D)   All of these.

Question 20

Which of the following sources do archaeologists find the most objective?

Accepted Answer

A)   Archaeological data.
B)   Oral histories.
C)   Written records.
D)   Publicly sanctioned histories.

Exam 1: Introducing World Prehistory