Chapter 2

**1. The definition of hominin varies because

a. scientists are currently revising how to define the newest epoch (the
Anthropocene). Some believe that the category hominin should reflect
contemporary political and social controversies.
b.it is the root class from which all orders and family designations are derived.
c. some researchers believe different taxonomic categorizations should be used
for extinct species.
d. different taxomic frameworks define it differently. For example, in some
taxonomies, only humans are considered to be interchangeable with the term
hominin, whereas in another, humans are only one type of hominin.
Answer: d
Feedback: Categorization systems are not inherently natural; they are developed
by humans and subject to interpretation. See page 35.
2. What would be considered an example of a social activity among primates?
a. Tool use.
b.

Grooming.

c.

Defecation.

d.

Dreaming.

Answer:

Feedback: One of the most common affiliative behaviors among primates is

grooming. The hygienic aspect of grooming, such as removing bugs and dead
skin, is usually viewed as a byproduct of grooming as a process of socialization. It
is largely viewed as a social activity, reaffirming alliances, relationships, and
group cohesion. Other affiliative behaviors seen among primates include
hugging, patting, and kissing. See page 40.
**3. Identifying and classifying primates from the past
a. is impossible without contemporary examples.
b. is complicated by the small sample size and the age of the bones.
c. is easy when using the dental formula.
d. is complicated by the skull being the only skeletal element able to identify
primates.
Answer:

Feedback: When assigning various remains to different species, we are making

assumptions about the ability of different animals to mate and produce fertile
offspring, based on bones that are sometimes tens of millions of years old. We
really dont know the variability with various species, genera, and other
categories. We are also hampered by relatively small sample size.
**4. While in the field, anthropologists
a. often become involved in additional objectives, such as rehabilitation and
conservation.
b. must remain objective and not get involved with local issues.
c. dictate to the local communities what they need to do to protect primates.
d. are a major economic boon for local communities.
Answer:

Feedback: Many primatologists start their field studies firmly embedded in an

anthropological framework, with the ideal of contributing to the methods,
theories, and discoveries of the discipline. Once in the field, however, it is not
unusual for researchers to shift some of their focus towards additional objectives,
including rehabilitation and conservation. See pages 43.
**5. Hunting and eating meat is
a. only observed in humans.
b. observed in all Hominoidea species.
c. observed in all primates.
d. observed in some monkeys, chimpanzees, and humans.
Answer: d
Feedback: Some monkeys have been observed hunting and eating meat, but
most studies of hunting and meat eating focus on chimpanzees. Hunting and
meat eating are very interesting to anthropologists since our human ancestors
started focusing on hunting and meat eating more than one million years ago,
and we are uncertain of how and why that occurred. See pages 42.
6. The epoch known as the Pleistocene
a. occurred in the Mesozoic era.
b. follows the Holocene, being based on significant and recent human-made
changes, but is not an official classification.
c. follows the Pliocene, and contains the time span in which Homo sapiens
dominates.

d. is the epoch in which primates probably first emerged.

Answer:

Feedback: Answer B refers to the Anthropocene, a possible new epoch based on

the significance changes to the earth in recent times caused by humans, but it is
not widely accepted; the rest of the answers are detailed in Table 2.6.See page
36.

Chapter 3
**1. Genetic drift occurs when
a. a species becomes extinct and a new species takes over its region.
b. species rapidly adapt to new ecological niches caused by climate change.
c. genes move between populations that do not normally mate with one another.
d. random mutations occur in a population.
Answer: d
Feedback: Genetic drift is a random factor in evolution. The term describes what
happens when changes in allele frequency occur by chance. See page 61.
**2. A hypothetical species becomes extinct when
a. it is outcompeted by another species for resources in its region.
b. genetic flow with another species creates a third species.
c. they need human intervention to continue their existence (e.g., in zoos or
rehabilitation centers).
d. mutations occur in their DNA.
Answer:

Feedback: Extinction means that all members of that species die; sometimes this
occurs when the existence of a new species evolving in the regions or coming
from elsewhere may outcompete the existing species. See page 6364.
**3. A plant has orange flowers. Its phentotype is therefore
a. red.
b. yellow.
c. orange.
d. unknown.
Answer:

Feedback: A genotype is the actual genetic make-up (which is unknown in this

scenario), and a phenotype is its physical expression, in this case flowers. See
page 60.

**4. If someone gave you a plant with recessive red flowers, and another plant of
the same kind with dominant blue flowers, and you interbred them, what color
flowers would you expect to see and why?
This answer could be red, blue, purple, or another colorthe main point is how it
is justified, showing a comprehensive understanding of Mendelian genetics (and
its limitations). This could be because a both dominant and recessive genes are
passed on but which becomes dominant or recessive again is random.
For example, if you chose the color blue, you should explain that the flowers
were known to be pure strains of a plant that are known to have binary
genotypes and phenotypes (i.e., the only possible colors for flowers are red and
blue). The 3:1 ratio that Mendel discovered should also be referenced, relative to
the color choice, and why and how other colors could result.See pages 5960 of
your text.

Chapter 4: Human biological Evolution

1. Why would it be necessary to specify that the presenter of an upcoming talk
on fossils is an anthropologist?
a. Many people find anthropological talks controversial and they need to be given
warning beforehand
b.Fossil studies are almost exclusively conducted by geologists, and thus it is
quite unusual to have an anthropologist presenting on this topic.
c. Although other disciplines may define fossils in relation to stones, this
presenter is referring to some preserved early human remains.
d.So that the audience will know that they cannot ask questions about anything
other than the specific fossils.
Answer: c
Feedback: The word fossil is applied very loosely in anthropology. For some, it
means the organic remains that have turned into stone, or left an impression in
stone, but this is not the case in anthropology. In anthropology, fossil is used to
describe any preserved early human remains, no matter their condition. Thus,
when one speaks of human fossil remains, it simply means they exist, and may
be in an extremely soft or fragile state.
3. The concepts of race and species are similar in that

a. they are both concrete and uncontroversial terms (everyone agrees on these
categories).
b. they are both very recent ideas which have only developed in the last 100
years.
c. they are both invented concepts, not actually being natural categories.
d. they are both proven through evolutionary understandings, though definitions
vary.
Answer: c
Feedback: Race is a term that is used widely in North America, but there is often
a misunderstanding that it is a natural or biologically based category. It is not.
The category was invented, suggesting race is something akin to a subspecies,
identified by a combination of physical and behavioral characteristics.
See pages 73 and 8788.

Chapter 5:

Human Cultural Evolution

**1. In Paleolithic times, most people likely

a.
lived exclusively in caves (as evidenced by the art left behind and the
protection from animals they received).
b.
did not live in caves (they were cold, dangerous, and away from resources
like water).
c.
temporarily lived in caves for one to two seasons (as evidenced by the art
left behind and the lack of tools discovered in cave middens).
d.

avoided caves entirely (cave art comes from a different time period).

Answer:

Feedback: Caves were not generally used for dwellings, and artifacts/art found
there are better preserved (leading to high archaeological visibility and bias).See
page 107.
2. Unlike other animals, humans could expand into new territories because
a.
bipedalism is the only locomotive method that allows long distance
migrations.
b.
they were able to take advantage of a very specific and narrow window of
time/weather that occurred.
c.

they were able to use the night stars as a map/guide.

d.

they were not dependent on biology for survival.

Answer:

Feedback: Cultural advancements enabled expansion, including fire use,

clothing, social communication, and more.
See page 108.
3. If you found a site that had clear evidence of butchering and remains from
people living there an extended amount of time, it would likely be categorized as
a
a.

base camp.

b.

resource processing site.

c.

habitation site.

d.

fire hearth.

Answer:

Feedback: A site where people lived for any amount of time is a habitation site.
See page 93

Chapter 7:

Archaeology of the last 5000 years

1. Garbology is the study of

a.

contemporary peoples relationship with trash.

b.

middens within the archaeological record.

c.

superstitious research topics, such as ancient aliens.

d.

the change in waste disposal over time.

Answer:

Feedback: Garbology is the study of contemporary peoples relationship with

trash through archaeological methods. It was popularized in the late 1900s and
studies landfills in large North American cities.
See pages 151, 152, and Glossary.
**2. Which statement is true about archaeology of the contemporary world?
a.
Archaeological sites must be at least 100 years old, so archaeology is not
relevant to the contemporary world.
b.
Archaeological methodologies have been applied to numerous
contemporary world issues

.c.
Archaeology of the contemporary world must involve ethnographic data
and is considered cultural anthropology.
d.
Archaeology of the contemporary world is often considered to be
pseudoarchaeology.
Answer:

Feedback: Archaeological methodologies have been applied to numerous

contemporary world issues. These include garbology, forensics, disaster
archaeology, and the archaeology of space.
See pages 147 and 150152.

Chapter 8:

Studying culture

1. National gay pride parades and festivals could be best described with which
term?
a. Heterogeneous subcultures.
b. Heterogeneous ethnicities.
c. Homogeneous communities.
d. Homogeneous diasporas.
Answer: a
Feedback: Groups that share few identity markers are described as
heterogeneous (hetero = different). A gay pride parade shares a key identity
marker in sexuality, but is otherwise comprised of people belonging to different
groups with many languages, religious beliefs, values, and ethnicities.