Practice Quiz for Overview of Modern Human Variation

Quiz for Overview of Modern Human Variation

No. of Questions= 6

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1. Our own personal physical characteristics are the result of:

a) genetic inheritance

b) environmental forces shaping our bodies as we grow to adulthood

c) genetic inheritance primarily but with some shaping by environmental forces

d) random chance or luck

2. Which of the following statements is true about human races as they are commonly defined in North America?

a) They primarily reflect social rather than biological realities.

b) Physical traits (such as skin color) that we think of as characteristic of particular races are usually unique to them.

c) Terms like Caucasoid and Negroid accurately describe distinct biological races.

3. The increasing frequency of yellow-brown hair among Australian Aborigines as one moves inland from the southwest coast of Australia is an example of:

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a) random variation

b) progressive gradation

c) discontinuous distribution

4. The isolated pockets of red-haired people in the British Isles is an example of discontinuous distribution. This distribution pattern is most likely the result of:

a) migrations of red-haired people

b) natural selection favoring red hair

c) random mating

5. Evolutionary processes that may alter the frequency of genetically inherited traits in modern human populations usually include:

a) natural selection

b) social selection (e.g., discrimination in choosing a mate)

c) migration

d) all of the above

6. Which of the following statements is true?

a) With the exception of identical twins, each of us is unique in terms of the combination of tens of thousands of genetically determined characteristics that we possess.

b) Dark brown skin is found only among Africans and people whose ancestors came from Africa in recent centuries

c) Non-African peoples with dark brown skin color share a close common ancestry with Africans.

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1.	Our own personal physical characteristics are the result of:


		a)	genetic inheritance
		b)	environmental forces shaping our bodies as we grow to adulthood
		c)	genetic inheritance primarily but with some shaping by environmental forces
		d)	random chance or luck


2.	Which of the following statements is true about human races as they are commonly defined in North America?


	a)		They primarily reflect social rather than biological realities.
	b)		Physical traits (such as skin color) that we think of as characteristic of particular races are usually unique to them.
	c)		Terms like Caucasoid and Negroid accurately describe distinct biological races.


3.	The increasing frequency of yellow-brown hair among Australian Aborigines as one moves inland from the southwest coast of Australia is an example of:
			Map Help

	a)		random variation
	b)		progressive gradation
	c)		discontinuous distribution


4.	The isolated pockets of red-haired people in the British Isles is an example of discontinuous distribution. This distribution pattern is most likely the result of:


	a)		migrations of red-haired people
	b)		natural selection favoring red hair
	c)		random mating


5.	Evolutionary processes that may alter the frequency of genetically inherited traits in modern human populations usually include:


	a)		natural selection
	b)		social selection (e.g., discrimination in choosing a mate)
	c)		migration
	d)		all of the above


6.	Which of the following statements is true?


	a)		With the exception of identical twins, each of us is unique in terms of the combination of tens of thousands of genetically determined characteristics that we possess.
	b)		Dark brown skin is found only among Africans and people whose ancestors came from Africa in recent centuries
	c)		Non-African peoples with dark brown skin color share a close common ancestry with Africans.