Happy Darwin Day: Human Evolution Quiz

I found this while doing a search to help me bitch slap the Fundidiots I have been attracting lately. Get a pen and paper. Take a shot. Note: Answers not provided.


______1. The position of mammals in evolution is best described as
a) they dominated life in the sea
b) they were among the first animals to live on land and their variety outstrips all living things
c) they arose from mammal like reptiles in the Triassic but remained small and insignificant while dinosaurs dominated the land
d) mammal gave rise to birds
e) All of the above are correct.

______2. All of the following are characteristics of primates Except the
a) five long dexterous digits on hands and feet
b) three dimensional binocular vision
c) well developed brain
d) opposable thumb
e) rapid postnatal maturation

______3. Which reflect(s) general trends in primate evolution
a) selection for greater ability to detect odors
b) rotation of eyes sideways to cover a wider field of view
c) shortening of gestation time to produce mature young sooner
d) increase in forebrain development, and large proportions for vision, hearing and touch
e) All of the above are correct.

______4. Anthropoids include all Except
a) apes b) humans c) lemurs d) monkeys

______5. The group thought to be ancestral to both apes and humans is
a) Australopithecus afarensis b) Australopithecus afaricanus c) Proconsul d) Homo habilis e) Homo erectus

______6. Sometimes biologists are alleged to have said that "man comes from monkeys or apes." The correct
way for a modern biologists to explain the apparent sequence of human evolution is
a) monkeys have evolved less than humans
b) humans and monkeys share a common ancestor
c) humans and monkeys are biologically identical
d) evolution leads toward more perfect forms and humans therefore came after modern monkeys

______7. Frequently used in psychological experiments, the most humanlike of the apes is the
a) gibbon b) gorilla c) baboon d) chimpanzee e) orangutan

______8. The fossil called Lucy is a member of the species _____, which lived about 3.18 million years ago.
a) Australopithecus afarensis b) Australopithecus afaricanus c) Proconsul d) Homo habilis e) Homo erectus

______9. When different body parts evolve at different rates, the process is called
a) stasis b) catastrophism c) gradualism d) mosaic evolution e) punctuated equilibrium

______10. From the following group, the most recent ancestor of modern humans is thought to be
a) Australopithecus afarensis b) Australopithecus afaricanus c) Proconsul d) Homo habilis e) Homo erectus

______11. The main features that place Homo habilis in the genus Homo rather than Australopithecus are
a) human facial appearance and lack of hair
b) advanced use of language and total carnivorous diet
c) brain size, posture and dentition
d) care of young and altruistic behavior
e) hand grip, extensive use of tools, and house building

______12. The first archaic humans absolutely known to have produce stone tools are
a) Australopithecus afarensis b) Australopithecus afaricanus c) Proconsul d) Homo habilis e) Homo erectus

______13. The study of the extent to which humans have similar DNA in their mitochondria is a study
a) of "mitochondrial Eve," and suggests a common ancestry in Africa or the out of Africa hypothesis.
b) by DNA probe, and apes and humans are so different they had to have split over 33 million years ago.
c) by DNA hybridization, and apes and humans are similar enough to have split only six million years ago.
d) by DNA hybridization, and chimpanzees and humans are essentially identical and probably split only one million years ago.
e) by DNA hybridization, and African apes and humans are similar enough to have split only six million years ago.

______14. The stone tools and the dentition of Homo habilis indicate that early humans were
a) strictly herbivores c) strictly carnivores
b) strictly scavengers d) omnivores that could either scavenge or hunt for meat

______15. Which of these is Not considered and archaic human?
a) Homo habilis b) Neanderthal man c) Homo erectus d) Cro-Magnon man

______16. All of these humans are believed to have evolved in Africa Except
a) Homo erectus b) Homo habilis c) Cro-Magnon man d) Neanderthal man

______17. Previously the many fossils of Homo erectus found between 1.9 and 0.3 MYA were all considered
Homo erectus. Now they are divided into
a) Homo erectus and Homo habilis
b) Homo erectus and Homo ergaster
c) Homo erectus and Homo sapiens
d) Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis
e) Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens

______18. In contrast to the out of Africa hypothesis, the multiregional continuity hypothesis contends that
Homo erectus migrated to many continents as many as one million years ago, and all populations evolved into modern humans because
a) no further evolutionary changes occurred.
b) there was sufficient gene flow between populations to maintain one species.
c) constant warfare allowed one or another lineage to dominate.
d) hybrids between different lineages were superior and replaced their ancestors.
e) all lineages changed but in response to the same evolutionary pressures so they changed independently in the same way.

______19. Meaningful speech is thought to have perhaps develop in
a) Homo erectus b) Homo habilis c) Cro-Magnon man d) Neanderthal man

______20. Lucy's skeleton revealed that she was bipedal. This means that she
a) walked using all four limbs c) lived in trees
b) walked on two legs d) crawled along the jungle floor

______21. The first primates to appear were
a) australopithecines b) prosimians c) gorillas d) bonobos

______22. Two distinct features of all primates are
a) binocular vision and grasping hands c) grasping hands and feet
b) binocular vision and a large skull d) large eye sockets and binocular vision

______23. Since DNA sequence in humans and chimpanzees are very similar,
a) humans must have evolved from chimpanzees
b) chimpanzees must have a single stranded DNA
c) humans and chimpanzees must have a common ancestor in recent geologic history
d) humans and chimpanzees are the same species

______24. Most early hominid fossils have been found in
a) South America b) Africa c) North America d) Australia e) Asia

______25. Most scientists agree that the oldest known hominid was
a) Homo habilis b) Australopithecus afarensis c) Australopithecus boisei d) Home erectus

______26. Homo habilis
a) is known for its large brain c) used crude stone tools
b) lived in Africa d) All of the above.

______27. The first member of the genus Homo was
a) Homo sapiens b) Homo erectus c) Homo habilis d) Homo hominid

______28. Evidence of intelligence of Homo erectus includes
a) their large eye sockets they had c) the written messages they left on cave walls
b) tools found that they made d) the signs of primitive agriculture

______29. Homo erectus had a
a) pair of large eyes c) lighter skeleton than other hominids
b) written language d) brain almost as large as that of modern humans

______30. Homo erectus evolved into
a) Homo habilis b) Australopithecus c)Homo sapiens d) the genus Homo e) Lucy

______31. Prosimians were the first primates and were successful for two reasons. One reason was that they
possessed grasping fingers and toes. The other was
a) homeothermy
b) ability to walk on two legs
c) monogamous mating
d) binocular vision
e) omnivorous diet

More quizzes can be found here at the AP Biology Home page

Note: I can't find a link to the answers. Everyone is on their own. If someone has the answers or wants to take a shot, just leave it in the comment section.

I like tests like this, because I'll take a shot at the answers and then do internet searches to see if I'm right. I admit I'm not a biologist, but thank science, I'm not a creationist retard either. Lots of learning to be had.