Identifying Central Ideas
What is one central idea about why humans explore?
A) Humans only move when they run out of food.
B) Humans might have an innate urge to explore built into their DNA.
C) Exploration is a modern activity that started with NASA.
D) People only explore to become famous
B (Humans might have an innate urge to explore built into their DNA)
How does the author connect the DRD4-7R gene to human migration?
A) He says the gene is only found in people who live in cities.
B) He cites studies showing the gene is more common in migratory cultures.
C) He proves that the gene makes people walk faster.
D) He claims the gene was created by the invention of ships.
B (Genetic evidence that allows scientists to track human movement over time)
In paragraph 15, what does the phrase "DNA bread-crumb trails" mean?
A) Actual food left behind by ancient explorers.
B) Genetic evidence that allows scientists to track human movement over time.
C) A map drawn by Tupaia on a piece of bread.
D) The reason why ancestors colonized the Pacific.
B (Genetic evidence that allows scientists to track human movement over time)
The author says Cook and Tupaia "closed the circle." What does this metaphor mean?
A) They sailed in a literal circle around the world.
B) Two groups of people who started in the same place (Africa) finally met again from opposite directions.
C) They were trapped and could not find a way out of the Pacific.
D) They drew a circle on the map to show where they were.
B (Two groups of people who started in the same place finally met again from opposite directions)
Why was Tupaia's ability to point toward Tahiti at any time so "amazing" to the British sailors?
A) Because Tahiti was very close to their ship.
B) Because he did it without using any mechanical tools like a compass or sextant.
C) Because he was using a secret map he found on the ship.
D) Because the sailors did not know where they were.
B (Because he did it without using any mechanical tools like a compass or sextant)
According to the text, what distinguishes humans from other mammals like Neanderthals?
A) Humans are stronger and faster than all other animals.
B) Humans stay in one place once they find good resources.
C) Humans have a "madness" that drives them to push into new territories.
D) Humans only move to places they have already mapped.
C (Humans have a "madness" that drives them to push into new territories)
How do our physical traits (limbs) work together with our brains to aid exploration?
A) Our legs allow us to walk, while our imaginative brains help us plan where to go.
B) Our hands are only useful if we stay in one place to build houses.
C) Our brains are large, which makes it harder for us to move quickly.
D) We use our limbs to fight other animals so we can stay in our own territory.
B (An extreme, almost irrational drive to see what is over the horizon)
The author uses the word "madness" to describe exploration. What is the connotative meaning here?
A) A serious mental illness that requires a doctor.
B) An extreme, almost irrational drive to see what is over the horizon.
C) Anger felt by explorers when they get lost.
D) The feeling of being annoyed by other people.
B (An extreme, almost irrational drive to see what is over the horizon)
Jim Noonan says he is "biased" because he studies limbs and brains. What does "biased" mean in this context?
A) He is lying about his research.
B) His personal focus on certain body systems influences his opinion on exploration.
C) He hates other scientists who study genes.
D) He is the only person who knows the truth.
B (His personal focus on certain body systems influences his opinion on exploration)
Based on the text, what happened to the Quebec pioneer families compared to those who stayed behind?
A) They had fewer children because life was too hard.
B) They had more children and those children also married early, spreading their genes.
C) They moved back to the city after one year.
D) They forgot how to speak French.
B (They had more children and those children also married early, spreading their genes)
What does the story of Captain Cook and Tupaia illustrate about human history?
A) Europeans were the only people who knew how to map the ocean.
B) Different groups of humans explored the world using different tools but the same spirit.
C) Polynesian explorers were lost until they met Captain Cook.
D) Exploration ended when Captain Cook died in Hawaii.
B (Different groups of humans explored the world using different tools but the same spirit)
Why does the author discuss the "long childhood" of humans?
A) To show that children are too weak to explore.
B) To explain how a period of "play" allows humans to practice exploring possibilities.
C) To argue that humans should grow up faster like Neanderthals.
D) To prove that parents don't want their children to take risks.
B (A gene's benefit depends on the specific situation or place)
What does the word "niche" (implied by "surroundings" and "environment") mean regarding the 7R gene's value?
A) A gene is always good, no matter where you live.
B) A gene's benefit depends on the specific situation or place.
C) Only people in Africa have the "niche" gene.
D) A gene is a tool used for building ships.
B (A gene's benefit depends on the specific situation or place)
The text compares children to "The Scientist in the Crib." What is the relationship between these two ideas?
A) Children and scientists both use play and testing to understand the world.
B) Children are born knowing how to do complex math.
C) Scientists act like babies when they are frustrated.
D) Both children and scientists are afraid of new things.
A (Children and scientists both use play and testing to understand the world)
What does the story of Ernest Shackleton prove about human traits?
A) That it is impossible to survive in the cold without a big ship.
B) That dexterity (skills) and imagination can save lives in extreme situations.
C) That explorers should never take small boats into the ocean.
D) That only people with the 7R gene can survive on Elephant Island.
B (That dexterity (skills) and imagination can save lives in extreme situations)
The text suggests that the DRD4-7R gene variant is often linked to:
A) A desire for safety and stability.
B) Physical strength and long-distance running.
C) Curiosity, restlessness, and risk-taking.
D) The ability to build complex rocket ships.
C (Curiosity, restlessness, and risk-taking)
How does the example of the "cane toad" help explain human "gene surfing"?
A) It shows that animals and humans are completely different.
B) It illustrates how traits that help migration can become more common at the "front edge" of a moving group.
C) It proves that only long-legged people can be explorers.
D) It shows that migration is dangerous and usually ends in failure.
B (A person who is among the first to settle in a new, often wild, area)
Based on the context of paragraph 123, what is a "pioneer"?
A) Someone who stays in a growing city to find a job.
B) A person who is among the first to settle in a new, often wild, area.
C) A scientist who studies genes in a laboratory.
D) A person who refuses to take risks or move.
B (A person who is among the first to settle in a new, often wild, area)
What does the "frothy front edge" of a migratory wave refer to?
A) The foam on the top of ocean waves.
B) The leaders or the very first people to move into a new territory.
C) People who are too tired to continue moving.
D) The maps used by loggers in Quebec.
B (The leaders or the very first people to move into a new territory)
How do modern scientists feel about the "explorer's gene" (7R)?
A) Every scientist agrees it is the only reason we explore.
B) Some believe it plays a role, while others think it is an oversimplification.
C) They believe the gene has disappeared from modern humans.
D) They think it is only found in cane toads.
B (Some believe it plays a role, while others think it is an oversimplification
What is the "feedback loop" mentioned regarding human tools and imagination?
A) Tools make people lazy so they stop imagining new things.
B) Imagination helps us use tools, which then helps us imagine even bigger goals.
C) You must have a rocket before you can imagine going to Mars.
D) Learning to use a compass makes the brain grow smaller.
B (Imagination helps us use tools, which then helps us imagine even bigger goals)
According to the text, how does a "restless" environment affect someone with the 7R gene?
A) They will likely become sick and want to go home.
B) They may thrive and be more successful than those without the gene.
C) They will lose their ability to use tools.
D) The environment has no effect on how genes work.
B (They may thrive and be more successful than those without the gene)
In the phrase "strapping a rocket to their butts," what tone is the speaker (Michael Barratt) using?
A) Very formal and scientific.
B) Fearful and worried.
C) Informal, humorous, and enthusiastic.
D) Angry and complaining.
C (Informal, humorous, and enthusiastic)
Kenneth Kidd says human exploration is too "complex" for a single gene. What is the antonym (opposite) of "complex"?
A) Difficult
B) Simple
C) Scientific
D) Genetic
B (Simple)
The text ends by saying exploration might be a "self-reinforcing loop." This means:
A) Exploration will eventually stop once we reach Mars.
B) The act of exploring creates more explorers by rewarding and spreading certain traits.
C) Only people who are forced to move will ever explore.
D) Genes have nothing to do with how people behave.
B (The act of exploring creates more explorers by rewarding and spreading certain traits)