Physical Anthropology 12th Edition By Philip Stein – Test Bank

Chapter 11

The Record of the Past

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The study of the processes that affect an organism after death is called:
   A.paleontology
   B. phylogeny
   C. taphonomy
   D. archaeology

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2. A fossil is:
   A.an intact and completely preserved ancient organism only
   B. any remains of an organism, even modern
   C. the remains or traces of an ancient organism
   D. none of these

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3. In order to become a fossil, an organism usually must:
   A.have hard parts such as bones or shell
   B. not have been destroyed immediately by other animals or natural elements
   C. have been protected from decaying, usually by being buried quickly after death
   D. all of these

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4. Soft tissue of prehistoric organisms has been preserved under special conditions including:
   A.mummification in hot dry climates
   B. freezing in glaciers or tundra
   C. preservation in waterlogged areas such as bogs
   D. all of these

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5. In 1991, a partially freeze-dried body of a man was found in the Italian Alps. The body dates to about:
   A.1000 B.P.
   B. 2700 B.P.
   C. 5300 B.P.
   D. 7500 B.P.

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6. The majority of fossils exist in the form of:
   A.bone that has been mineralized
   B. soft tissue remains
   C. a cast of the actual organism
   D. actual bones and teeth

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7. All of the following are considered to be fossils except:
   A.mineralized bone
   B. an insect embedded in amber
   C. a stone tool
   D. a cast of an ancient animal

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8. Sampling error in the fossil record involves the fact that:
   A.some species are fossilized more frequently than others
   B. some parts of the world have been more extensively excavated than others
   C. some fossils may not represent average individuals in an ancient population
   D. all of these

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9. One estimate, based upon the excavations at Omo, is that only ____________ percent of individuals who once lived are presented in the fossil record.
   A.5
   B. 0.1
   C. 0.03
   D. 0.004

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10. The fossil record:
    A.is a true reflection of the numerical relationship of one animal to all others
    B. represents all genera and families with about the same degree of completeness
    C. is quite complete because almost all animals that have died have become fossilized
    D. none of these