CHAPTER 1 What Is Physical Anthropology?
TRUE/FALSE
1. Recent studies have confirmed Darwin’s hypothesis that the earliest hominids originated
in grasslands.
ANS: F PTS: 1
2. Human beings depend on culture for survival.
ANS: T PTS: 1
3. Current evidence indicates that the earliest hominids lived in Africa 1–3 mya.
ANS: F PTS: 1
4. Physical anthropology includes the study of linguistic variation as it relates to climate.
ANS: F PTS: 1
5. Physical anthropologists study monkeys and apes in their natural habitat as well as in
zoos.
ANS: T PTS: 1
6. Morphology refers to physical shape and appearance.
, ANS: T PTS: 1
7. In the scientific method, theories can be considered “hunches” or best guesses.
ANS: F PTS: 1
8. Margaret Mead was an early physical anthropologist who worked in Papua New Guinea.
ANS: F PTS: 1
9. Observations of living primates inform our efforts to understand our evolutionary past.
ANS: T PTS: 1
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 PTS: 1
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Changes in the skeletons of populations on St. Catherines Island, near Georgia, revealed
that:
a. postcontact native populations became taller after the Spanish arrived.
b. precontact Native Americans suffered from poor dental health and poor nutrition.
c. health and stature declined with a transition to hunting and gathering.
, d. health and stature declined with the adoption of agriculture.
ANS: D PTS: 2
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 PTS: 2
3. 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 PTS: 2
4. Physical anthropology:
a. consists of primatology and linguistics.
b. is the study of human antiquities.
c. relies on the scientific method.
d. All of the above.
, ANS: C PTS: 2
5. The scientific method:
a. relies on making hunches about the natural world.
b. involves empirical data collection and hypothesis testing.
c. is used to support preconceived notions or theories.
d. seeks to establish the absolute scientific truth.
ANS: B PTS: 2
6. A hypothesis:
a. is equivalent to a theory.
b. is an attempt to explain observations and predict future scientific results.
c. is a statement concerning scientific facts.
d. cannot be refuted by future investigations.
ANS: B PTS: 2
7. Physical anthropology does NOT include:
a. archaeology.
b. linguistics.
c. forensics.
d. genetics.
ANS: B PTS: 2
TRUE/FALSE
1. Recent studies have confirmed Darwin’s hypothesis that the earliest hominids originated
in grasslands.
ANS: F PTS: 1
2. Human beings depend on culture for survival.
ANS: T PTS: 1
3. Current evidence indicates that the earliest hominids lived in Africa 1–3 mya.
ANS: F PTS: 1
4. Physical anthropology includes the study of linguistic variation as it relates to climate.
ANS: F PTS: 1
5. Physical anthropologists study monkeys and apes in their natural habitat as well as in
zoos.
ANS: T PTS: 1
6. Morphology refers to physical shape and appearance.
, ANS: T PTS: 1
7. In the scientific method, theories can be considered “hunches” or best guesses.
ANS: F PTS: 1
8. Margaret Mead was an early physical anthropologist who worked in Papua New Guinea.
ANS: F PTS: 1
9. Observations of living primates inform our efforts to understand our evolutionary past.
ANS: T PTS: 1
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 PTS: 1
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Changes in the skeletons of populations on St. Catherines Island, near Georgia, revealed
that:
a. postcontact native populations became taller after the Spanish arrived.
b. precontact Native Americans suffered from poor dental health and poor nutrition.
c. health and stature declined with a transition to hunting and gathering.
, d. health and stature declined with the adoption of agriculture.
ANS: D PTS: 2
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 PTS: 2
3. 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 PTS: 2
4. Physical anthropology:
a. consists of primatology and linguistics.
b. is the study of human antiquities.
c. relies on the scientific method.
d. All of the above.
, ANS: C PTS: 2
5. The scientific method:
a. relies on making hunches about the natural world.
b. involves empirical data collection and hypothesis testing.
c. is used to support preconceived notions or theories.
d. seeks to establish the absolute scientific truth.
ANS: B PTS: 2
6. A hypothesis:
a. is equivalent to a theory.
b. is an attempt to explain observations and predict future scientific results.
c. is a statement concerning scientific facts.
d. cannot be refuted by future investigations.
ANS: B PTS: 2
7. Physical anthropology does NOT include:
a. archaeology.
b. linguistics.
c. forensics.
d. genetics.
ANS: B PTS: 2
