Practice Quiz for The First Primates

Practice Quiz for The First Primates

No. of Questions= 11

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1. The earliest primates evolved about _____________ years ago.

a) 200-250 million

b) 80-100 million

c) 50-55 million

d) 25-30 million

2. Which of the following statements is true concerning what the world was like when the first primate-like animals lived?

a) Most land masses had tropical or subtropical climates.

b) The continents were essentially in the same location as today and they had the same shapes.

c) Most of the plants and animals that are found on earth today were present.

d) none of the above

3. Which of the following statements is true of the early primate-like mammals or proto-primates?

a) They were about the size of large dogs or wolves.

b) They probably lived mostly in grassland environments.

c) Their numerous, well preserved fossils have been found mostly in Europe.

d) none of the above.

4. The placental mammals evolved in:

a) Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America

b) South America

c) Australia

5. Which of the following geological epochs is out of order (from older to more recent)?

a) Eocene

b) Oligocene

c) Miocene

d) Paleocene

e) all are in order

6. Which of the following is true of the primates that lived during the Eocene Epoch (55.8-33.9 million years ago)?

a) There were primate species that resemble modern prosimians such as lemurs, lorises, and possibly tarsiers.

b) This was the epoch of maximum prosimian adaptive radiation.

c) Primate brains and eyes generally were becoming larger, while their snouts were getting smaller.

d) all of the above

7. What was happening to the foramen magnum in some species of primates during the Eocene Epoch?

a) It was getting smaller.

b) It was moving towards the back of the head.

c) It was moving towards the center of the head.

8. Which of the following is true of the Oligocene Epoch (33.9-23 million years ago)?

a) Monkeys evolved from prosimians during this epoch or at the tail end of the Eocene Epoch which preceded it.

b) Unusually large numbers of fossil primates from this epoch have been found.

c) There was very little geological and climatic change during this epoch.

d) All of the above are true.

9. The Great Rift Valley began to form during the Oligocene Epoch as a result of:

a) India crashing into Asia

b) the movement of tectonic plates in East Africa

c) the separation of North America from Europe

10. Which of the following happened to prosimians during the Oligocene Epoch?

a) They became scarce in most regions.

b) They increased in numbers in most regions.

c) Their numbers remained about the same as they had been in the previous epoch.

11. Which of the following occurred during the Miocene Epoch (23-5.3 million years ago)?

a) Tectonic movements largely stopped.

b) The forests of East Africa and South Asia were expanding at the expense of grasslands.

c) Apes first evolved.

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Copyright � 1999-2012 by Dennis O'Neil. All rights reserved.

1.	The earliest primates evolved about _____________ years ago.


		a)	200-250 million
		b)	80-100 million
		c)	50-55 million
		d)	25-30 million


2.	Which of the following statements is true concerning what the world was like when the first primate-like animals lived?


	a)		Most land masses had tropical or subtropical climates.
	b)		The continents were essentially in the same location as today and they had the same shapes.
	c)		Most of the plants and animals that are found on earth today were present.
	d)		none of the above


3.	Which of the following statements is true of the early primate-like mammals or proto-primates?


	a)		They were about the size of large dogs or wolves.
	b)		They probably lived mostly in grassland environments.
	c)		Their numerous, well preserved fossils have been found mostly in Europe.
	d)		none of the above.


4.	The placental mammals evolved in:


	a)		Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America
	b)		South America
	c)		Australia


5.	Which of the following geological epochs is out of order (from older to more recent)?


	a)		Eocene
	b)		Oligocene
	c)		Miocene
	d)		Paleocene
	e)		all are in order


6.	Which of the following is true of the primates that lived during the Eocene Epoch (55.8-33.9 million years ago)?


	a)		There were primate species that resemble modern prosimians such as lemurs, lorises, and possibly tarsiers.
	b)		This was the epoch of maximum prosimian adaptive radiation.
	c)		Primate brains and eyes generally were becoming larger, while their snouts were getting smaller.
	d)		all of the above


7.	What was happening to the foramen magnum in some species of primates during the Eocene Epoch?


	a)		It was getting smaller.
	b)		It was moving towards the back of the head.
	c)		It was moving towards the center of the head.


8.	Which of the following is true of the Oligocene Epoch (33.9-23 million years ago)?


	a)		Monkeys evolved from prosimians during this epoch or at the tail end of the Eocene Epoch which preceded it.
	b)		Unusually large numbers of fossil primates from this epoch have been found.
	c)		There was very little geological and climatic change during this epoch.
	d)		All of the above are true.


9.	The Great Rift Valley began to form during the Oligocene Epoch as a result of:


	a)		India crashing into Asia
	b)		the movement of tectonic plates in East Africa
	c)		the separation of North America from Europe


10.	Which of the following happened to prosimians during the Oligocene Epoch?


	a)		They became scarce in most regions.
	b)		They increased in numbers in most regions.
	c)		Their numbers remained about the same as they had been in the previous epoch.


11.	Which of the following occurred during the Miocene Epoch (23-5.3 million years ago)?


	a)		Tectonic movements largely stopped.
	b)		The forests of East Africa and South Asia were expanding at the expense of grasslands.
	c)		Apes first evolved.