CHAPTER 1 What Is Physical Anthropology?
TRUE/FALSE
1. Recent studies have refuted Darwin’s hypothesis that the earliest hominids originated in
grasslands.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 17 TOP: Form hypotheses
(8.b.ii.)
NOT: Factual
2. Human beings depend on culture for survival.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 16
TOP: Material Culture, Tool Use (7.c) NOT: Factual
3. Current evidence indicates that the earliest hominids lived in Africa 1–3 mya.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 17
TOP: Human Biological Evolution (2.a) NOT: Factual
4. Physical anthropology includes the study of linguistic variation as it relates to climate.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 6 TOP: Four Subfields (1.a)
NOT: Factual
5. Physical anthropologists assisted with the identification of victims at New York’s World
Trade Center after 9/11.
, ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 11 TOP: Applied Anthropology
(4.d)
NOT: Factual
6. Morphology refers to physical shape and appearance.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 18
TOP: Collect data to test hypotheses (8.b.iii) NOT: Factual
7. In the scientific method, theories can be considered “hunches” or best guesses.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 18 TOP: Develop Theory (8.c)
NOT: Factual
8. Margaret Mead was an early physical anthropologist who worked in Papua New Guinea.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 6 TOP: Four Subfields (1.a)
NOT: Factual
9. Observations of living primates inform our efforts to understand our evolutionary past.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 10 TOP: Other Primates (4.b)
NOT: Factual
10. Darwin’s observation that bipedalism frees the hand to hold objects led him to
hypothesize that tool use was an important selective pressure on bipedalism.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 17 TOP: Form hypotheses
(8.b.ii.)
, NOT: Factual
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A recent news article reports on findings from a dig in Mesopotamia. The researchers
report that skeletal populations indicate a decline in stature and likely overall health at
this period in time. This reminds you of another study you have read about, the
populations of St. Catherines Island. What could be the reasons for the changes in
skeletons?
a. Health and stature declined with a transition to hunting and gathering.
b. Health and stature declined with the adoption of agriculture.
c. Health and stature declined with the Industrial Revolution.
d. Health and stature declined by an outbreak of an avian virus.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: Page 4
TOP: Human Biological Evolution (2.a) NOT: Conceptual
2. Anthropology includes the study of:
a. the use and social context of language.
b. fossil humans and their closest relatives.
c. prehistoric societies and artifacts.
d. all of the above
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Page 5
TOP: Comparative, Holistic Approach (1.b) NOT: Factual
, 3. You and a friend are discussing declaring a major. While you have made your decision,
your friend is still unable to decide. When you ask him what his interests are, he says that
he doesn’t really have any but is considering being an anthropologist because he heard
they get to travel to exciting places. You agree but tell him that anthropology also
includes studying which of the following:
a. the use and social context of language
b. the study of prehistoric reptiles
c. the impacts of climate change on water availability
d. all of the above
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: Page 6 TOP: What Is Anthropology?
(1)
NOT: Applied
4. Archaeology is:
a. the study of human evolution.
b. largely devoted to recovering artifacts and building museum collections.
c. the study of the behavior and material culture of past human societies.
d. the study of the evolution of language.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: Page 6 TOP: Four Subfields (1.a)
NOT: Factual
5. An archaeological field school is announced in your anthropology course. The
description says that you will be able to travel to Belize to learn about the lives of the
ancient Mayans. What do you expect to learn during this field school?
a. the species of nonhuman primate that occupy this region
b. how current populations of immigrants have changed local dialects
c. how to excavate and study material culture
TRUE/FALSE
1. Recent studies have refuted Darwin’s hypothesis that the earliest hominids originated in
grasslands.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 17 TOP: Form hypotheses
(8.b.ii.)
NOT: Factual
2. Human beings depend on culture for survival.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 16
TOP: Material Culture, Tool Use (7.c) NOT: Factual
3. Current evidence indicates that the earliest hominids lived in Africa 1–3 mya.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 17
TOP: Human Biological Evolution (2.a) NOT: Factual
4. Physical anthropology includes the study of linguistic variation as it relates to climate.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 6 TOP: Four Subfields (1.a)
NOT: Factual
5. Physical anthropologists assisted with the identification of victims at New York’s World
Trade Center after 9/11.
, ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 11 TOP: Applied Anthropology
(4.d)
NOT: Factual
6. Morphology refers to physical shape and appearance.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 18
TOP: Collect data to test hypotheses (8.b.iii) NOT: Factual
7. In the scientific method, theories can be considered “hunches” or best guesses.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 18 TOP: Develop Theory (8.c)
NOT: Factual
8. Margaret Mead was an early physical anthropologist who worked in Papua New Guinea.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 6 TOP: Four Subfields (1.a)
NOT: Factual
9. Observations of living primates inform our efforts to understand our evolutionary past.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 10 TOP: Other Primates (4.b)
NOT: Factual
10. Darwin’s observation that bipedalism frees the hand to hold objects led him to
hypothesize that tool use was an important selective pressure on bipedalism.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 17 TOP: Form hypotheses
(8.b.ii.)
, NOT: Factual
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A recent news article reports on findings from a dig in Mesopotamia. The researchers
report that skeletal populations indicate a decline in stature and likely overall health at
this period in time. This reminds you of another study you have read about, the
populations of St. Catherines Island. What could be the reasons for the changes in
skeletons?
a. Health and stature declined with a transition to hunting and gathering.
b. Health and stature declined with the adoption of agriculture.
c. Health and stature declined with the Industrial Revolution.
d. Health and stature declined by an outbreak of an avian virus.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: Page 4
TOP: Human Biological Evolution (2.a) NOT: Conceptual
2. Anthropology includes the study of:
a. the use and social context of language.
b. fossil humans and their closest relatives.
c. prehistoric societies and artifacts.
d. all of the above
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Page 5
TOP: Comparative, Holistic Approach (1.b) NOT: Factual
, 3. You and a friend are discussing declaring a major. While you have made your decision,
your friend is still unable to decide. When you ask him what his interests are, he says that
he doesn’t really have any but is considering being an anthropologist because he heard
they get to travel to exciting places. You agree but tell him that anthropology also
includes studying which of the following:
a. the use and social context of language
b. the study of prehistoric reptiles
c. the impacts of climate change on water availability
d. all of the above
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: Page 6 TOP: What Is Anthropology?
(1)
NOT: Applied
4. Archaeology is:
a. the study of human evolution.
b. largely devoted to recovering artifacts and building museum collections.
c. the study of the behavior and material culture of past human societies.
d. the study of the evolution of language.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: Page 6 TOP: Four Subfields (1.a)
NOT: Factual
5. An archaeological field school is announced in your anthropology course. The
description says that you will be able to travel to Belize to learn about the lives of the
ancient Mayans. What do you expect to learn during this field school?
a. the species of nonhuman primate that occupy this region
b. how current populations of immigrants have changed local dialects
c. how to excavate and study material culture
