Question 1

The oldest known stone artifacts are

Accepted Answer

A)   3 to 5 million years old.
B)   2 to 2.9 million years old.
C)   less than 1.5 million years old.
D)   from southern Chile. B

Question 2

What are some of the major characteristics that first document the distinction between apes and humans?

Accepted Answer

Some of the major characteristics that first document the distinction between apes and humans include bipedalism, the ability to walk upright on two legs, which is a key feature that separates humans from apes. Additionally, humans have a larger brain size and capacity for complex language and communication, as well as the development of advanced tool use and cultural behaviors. These characteristics demonstrate the evolutionary differences between apes and humans and highlight the unique cognitive and physical abilities that distinguish humans as a separate species.

Question 3

The footprints at Lætoli were dated using

Accepted Answer

A)   radiopotassium dates on bone.
B)   radiocarbon dates on bone.
C)   radiopotassium dates on volcanic ash.
D)   radiocarbon dates on volcanic ash. C

Question 4

Describe the four major divisions of the Paleolithic period in terms of age and characteristics.

Accepted Answer

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Question 5

The footprints at Lætoli indicate that

Accepted Answer

A)   very early hominins walked on four legs.
B)   very early hominins walked on two legs.
C)   very early hominins hopped on one leg.
D)   very early hominins used stone tools.

Question 6

Discuss various theories on the origins of language. Why is it so difficult to evaluate these theories?

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

Where do the first stone tools appear and when? What do these tools represent in terms of human evolution? Were the earliest tools made of stone?

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

In a series of papers, Raymond Dart proposed which of the following as a bloodthirsty predator?

Accepted Answer

A)   A. boisei
B)   A. robustus
C)   H. habilis
D)   A. africanus

Question 9

The earliest known fossil human ancestor is called

Accepted Answer

A)   Australopithecus.
B)   Paranthropus.
C)   Orrorin.
D)   Homo.

Question 10

What is the importance of the discoveries at Laetoli in terms of our understanding of human evolution?

Accepted Answer

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Question 11

Discuss some of the various theories relating to the emergence of the three major characteristics of humanness. Be sure to list these characteristics as well.

Accepted Answer

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Question 12

Which of the following pairs is incorrectly matched?

Accepted Answer

A)   Olduvai Gorge and pebble tools
B)   Taung and A.africanus
C)   A. afarensis and Laetoli
D)   K/Ar and bone

Question 13

Primary characteristics of humanness include all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

A)   large brains.
B)   tool use.
C)   use of fire.
D)   bipedal locomotion.

Question 14

Discuss the differences between biological and cultural evolution.

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

The following term does not belong with Swartkrans

Accepted Answer

A)   australopithecine.
B)   Taung.
C)   C.K. Brain.
D)   breccia.

Question 16

The Potassium/Argon (K/Ar or radiopotassium) method is used

Accepted Answer

A)   to measure the contribution of meat to the diet.
B)   to date items between 50,000 BP and the present.
C)   only on items from Olduvai Gorge.
D)   to date items more than 500,000 years old.

Question 17

Oldowan artifacts include all of the following types except:

Accepted Answer

A)   pebble tools.
B)   flakes.
C)   manuports.
D)   spearthrowers

Question 18

The first person to recognize and name an australopithecine was

Accepted Answer

A)   Donald Johansen.
B)   Louis Leakey.
C)   Mary Leakey.
D)   Raymond Dart.

Question 19

Cutmarks on animal bones at early human sites indicate

Accepted Answer

A)   sexual dimorphism.
B)   use of stone tools.
C)   construction of shelter.
D)   violent intertribal conflict

Question 20

The first Australopithecine fossil discovered in Africa was

Accepted Answer

A)   discovered in sedimentary deposits along ancient lakeshores.
B)   blasted out of ancient cave deposits using dynamite.
C)   never properly placed in an evolutionary scheme.
D)   eventually found to be a fraud.

Exam 2: The First Humans