Last Man Standing Reading Answers
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Experta en el extranjero | Updated On - Jan 3, 2023
Last Man Standing Reading Answers contains a write up about the homo sapiens. Last Man Standing Reading Answers is an IELTS topic which contains a total of 7 paragraphs. Related to the paragraphs are 13 questions. To answer the questions provided in the IELTS Reading passage,Applicants must attentively read each passage. Last Man Standing Reading Answers comprises two types of questions: Complete the Sentences andChoose the correct option. The following passage contains many early discoveries and interesting facts about Homo Sapiens. All the questions are based on the passage. The passage must be understood first and then questions must be attempted.
Candidates in this Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. The statements from the paragraphs are the basis for the true/false and not given questions. The sentence completion answers must not exceed more than two words. The paragraphs must be fully interpreted and understood by candidates. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.
Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Last Man Standing Reading Answers
Some 50,000 years ago, Homo sapiens beat other hominids to become the only surviving species. Kate Ravilious reveals how we did it.
- Today, there are over seven billion people living on Earth. No other species has exerted as much influence over the planet as us. But turn the clock back 80,000 years and we were one of a number of species roaming the Earth. Our own species. Homo sapiens (Latin for ’wise man'), was most successful in Africa. In western Eurasia, the Neanderthals dominated, while Homo erectus may have lived in Indonesia. Meanwhile, an unusual finger bone and tooth, discovered in Denisova cave in Siberia in 2008, have led scientists to believe that yet another human population - the Denisovans - may also have been widespread across Asia. Somewhere along the line, these other human species died out, leaving Homo sapiens as the sole survivor. So what made us the winners in the battle for survival?
- Some 74.000 years ago, the Toba ‘supervolcano' on the Indonesian island of Sumatra erupted. The scale of the event was so great that ash from the eruption was flung as far as eastern India, more than 2,000 kilometers away. Oxford archaeologist Mike Petraglia and his team have uncovered thousands of stone tools buried underneath the Toba ash. The mix of hand axes and spear tips have led Petraglia to speculate that Homo sapiens and Homo erectus were both living in eastern India prior to the Toba eruption. Based on careful examination of the tools and dating of the sediment layers where they were found. Petraglia and his team suggest that Homo sapiens arrived in eastern India around 78.000 years ago. migrating out of Africa and across Arabia during a favorable climate period. After their arrival, the simple tools belonging to Homo erectus seemed to lessen in number and eventually disappear completely. 'We think that Homo sapiens had a more efficient hunting technology, which could have given them the edge,'' says Petraglia. 'Whether the eruption of Toba also played a role in the extinction of the Homo erectus-like species is unclear to us.'
- Some 45,000 years later, another fight for survival took place. This time, the location was Europe and the protagonists were another species, the Neanderthals. They were a highly successful species that dominated the European landscape for 300.000 years. Yet within just a few thousand years of the arrival of Homo sapiens, their numbers plummeted. They eventually disappeared from the landscape around 30.000 years ago. with their last known refuge being southern Iberia, including Gibraltar. Initially. Homo sapiens and Neanderthals lived alongside each other and had no reason to compete. But then Europe’s climate swung into a cold, inhospitable, dry phase. ‘Neanderthal and Homo sapiens populations had to retreat to refugia (pockets of habitable land). This heightened competition between the two groups,’ explains Chris Stringer, an anthropologist at the Natural History Museum in London.
- Both species were strong and stockier than the average human today, but Neanderthals were particularly robust. ‘Their skeletons show that they had broad shoulders and thick necks,' says Stringer. ‘Homo sapiens, on the other hand, had longer forearms, which undoubtedly enabled them to throw a spear from some distance, with less danger and using relatively little energy,’ explains Stringer. This long-range ability may have given Homo sapiens an advantage in hunting. When it comes to keeping warm. Homo sapiens had another skill: weaving and sewing. Archaeologists have uncovered simple needles fashioned from ivory and bone alongside Homo sapiens, dating as far back as 35,000 years ago. ‘Using this technology, we could use animal skins to make ourselves tents, warm clothes and fur boots,’ says Stringer. In contrast, Neanderthals never seemed to master sewing skills, instead relying on pinning skins together with thorns.
- A thirst for exploration provided Homo sapiens with another significant advantage over Neanderthals. Objects such as shell beads and flint tools, discovered many miles from their source, show that our ancestors traveled over large distances, in order to barter and exchange useful materials, and share ideas and knowledge. By contrast. Neanderthals tended to keep themselves to themselves, living in small groups. They misdirected their energies by only gathering resources from their immediate surroundings and perhaps failing to discover new technologies outside their territory.
- Some of these differences in behavior may have emerged because the two species thought in different ways. By comparing skull shapes, archaeologists have shown that Homo sapiens had a more developed temporal lobe - the regions at the side of the brain, associated with listening, language and long-term memory. 'We think that Homo sapiens had a significantly more complex language than Neanderthals and were able to comprehend and discuss concepts such as the distant past and future.' says Stringer. Penny Spikins, an archaeologist at the University of York, has recently suggested that Homo sapiens may also have had a greater diversity of brain types than Neanderthals.
- ‘Our research indicates that high-precision tools, new hunting technologies and the development of symbolic communication may all have come about because they were willing to include people with "different" minds and specialized roles in their society,’ she explains. 'We see similar kinds of injuries on male and female Neanderthal skeletons, implying there was no such division of labor,' says Spikins.
- Thus by around 30,000 years ago. Many talents and traits were well established in Homo sapiens societies but still absent from Neanderthal communities. Stringer thinks that the Neanderthals were just living in the wrong place at the wrong time. 'They had to compete with Homo sapiens during a phase of very unstable climate across Europe. During each rapid climate fluctuation, they may have suffered greater losses of people than Homo sapiens, and thus were slowly worn down,’ he says. ‘If the climate had remained stable throughout, they might still be here.’
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 28-32
The reading passage has seven paragraphs, A-G.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
- a comparison of a range of physical features of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens
Answer: D
Supporting Statement: Both species were stronger and more robust than the typical modern human, although Neanderthals were very sturdy. According to Stringer, "their skeletons demonstrate that they had broad shoulders and thick necks." In contrast, Stringer notes that "Homo sapiens" had longer forearms, which likely made it possible for them to hurl a spear from a distance while posing less of a risk and expending very less energy.
Keywords: Both species, demonstrate
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: In paragraph D, the clear comparison has been made. The comparison has been made between homo sapiens and neanderthals. The physical features compared are skeleton, neck, shoulders, forearms and many more. So, the correct answer is D.
- reference to items that were once used for trade
Answer: E
Supporting Statement: Many miles away from their original location, artifacts like shell beads and flint tools demonstrate that our predecessors traveled great distances in order to trade and exchange useful commodities, as well as to share thoughts and information.
Keywords: Artifacts, traveled.
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: In the lines of paragraph E, there have been mentioned different types of artifacts. Artifacts like shell beads and flint tools have been traded. These were carried for long distances for trades. Evidence for the same has been found. So, the correct answer is E.
- mention of evidence for the existence of a previously unknown human species
Answer: A
Supporting Statement: Another human population, the Denisovans, may have also been prevalent throughout Asia, according to anomalous finger bones and teeth that were found in Siberia's Denisova Cave in 2008.
Keywords: Denisovans, Another human population.
Keyword Location: Paragraph A
Explanation: In the lines of paragraph A, it has been mentioned that the existence of previously human species has been found. These were also found in Asia and called Devisovans. So, the correct answer is A, as per the explanation provided for the same.
- mention of the part played by Climate fluctuation in the downfall of Neanderthal society
Answer: G
Supporting Statement: According to Stringer, the Neanderthals were just living at the wrong time and place. They had to contend with Homo sapiens during a time when the climate in Europe was incredibly unstable. They
may have lost more people with each fast climate change than Homo sapiens, and as a result, were gradually depleted,' he claims. They might still be in this location "if the climate had remained stable throughout."
Keywords: climate change
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: In paragraph G, it has been mentioned that the extinction of neanderthals is due to climate change. Many scientists state that if the climate might have changed they might have lived longer. So, the reason for the disappearance of neanderthals is climate change. So, the correct answer is G.
- reference to the final geographical location of Neanderthals
Answer: C
Supporting Statement: This time, the scene was in Europe, and the main characters were Neanderthals, a different species. They were an exceptionally prosperous species that ruled the European continent for 300.000
years. However, their numbers drastically decreased just a few thousand years after Homo sapiens arrived.
Keywords: Location, Europe.
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: In the lines of paragraph C, it has been mentioned the location of Neanderthals. They lived on the European continent for most of the years. However, they slowly started disappearing due to many factors and homo sapiens emerged. So, the correct answer is C.
Questions 33-36
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- Analysis of stone tools has enabled Petraglia’s team to put forward an arrival date for Homo sapiens in eastern India.
Answer: Sediment Layers
Supporting Statement: Petraglia believes that Homo sapiens and Homo erectus were both alive in eastern India before the Toba eruption based on the combination of hand axes and spear ends. on a close inspection of the implements and dating of the sediment layers in which they were discovered. According to Petraglia and his team, Homo sapiens first appeared in eastern India some 78.000 years ago.
Keywords: Petraglia, sediment layers.
Keyword Location: Paragraph B
Explanation: The lines of paragraph B indicate the discovery of Petraglia’s team. They discovered that homo sapiens and homo erectus were there before the Toba eruption. They also inspected implements and sediment layers in which they were discovered. So, the correct answer is sediment layers.
- Homo sapiens used both to make sewing implements.
Answer: Ivory and Bone
Supporting Statement: in terms of staying warm. Weaving and sewing were two more abilities of Homo sapiens. Simple needles made of ivory and bone that predate Homo sapiens and date back as far as 35,000 years have
been discovered by archaeologists.
Keywords: Weaving and sewing, ivory and bone
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: In paragraph D, homo sapiens engaged in sewing and weaving has been mentioned. It stated that the used needles were made from both ivory and bone. So, the correct answer is ivory and bone as per the explanation provided for the same.
- The territorial nature of Neanderthals may have limited their ability to acquire resources and
Answer: New Technologies
Supporting Statement: By comparison Neanderthals typically lived in small groups and kept to themselves. They wasted their efforts by focusing primarily on acquiring resources from their immediate surroundings and potentially skipping the opportunity to explore new technological frontiers.
Keywords: Neanderthals, new technologies
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: In paragraph E, it has been mentioned the way of lying of Neanderthals. OIt states that they mainly focused on acquiring resources from their immediate environment. They skipped the opportunity to explore new technologies. So, the correct answer is new technologies.
- Archaeologists examined in order to get an insight into Neanderthal and Homo sapiens' capacity for language and thought.
Answer: Skull Shapes
Supporting Statement: Some of these behavioral variations may have developed as a result of the two species' differing modes of thought. Archaeologists have demonstrated that Homo sapiens had a highly developed temporal lobe—the portion of the brain connected with listening, language, and long-term memory—by comparing the contours of their skulls.
Keywords: skulls, comparison
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: In paragraph F, the research made by the archaeologist has been mentioned. This states that archaeologists study the skull shape of homo sapiens and neanderthals. This was to determine and interpret the capacity of language and thought in them. Soi, the correct answer is Skull shapes.
Questions 37-40
Look at the following statements and the list of researchers, A-C, below.
Match each statement with the correct researcher.
List of Researchers
- Mike Petraglia
- Chris Stringer
- Penny Spikins
- No evidence can be found to suggest that Neanderthal communities allocated tasks to different members.
Answer: C
Supporting Statement: According to Spikins, "We detect similar types of damage on the remains of male and female Neanderthals, showing that there was no such division of work."
Keywords: division of work, neanderthals.
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: The lines of paragraph F suggests that neanderthals did not divide their works. This conclusion was made by Penny Spikins. He stated there is no evidence declaring division of work among neanderthals. So, the correct answer is C.
- Homo sapiens may have been able to plan ahead.
Answer: B
Supporting Statement: According to Stringer, "We believe that Homo sapiens had a far more complicated vocabulary than Neanderthals and were able to comprehend and discuss concepts such as the far future and past."
Keywords: Future and past, Homo sapiens
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: In paragraph F, the study of Chris Stringer suggests that homo sapiens were able to plan ahead. This ability was not found in neanderthals and others. Homo sapiens have a complicated vocabulary. So, the correct answer is B.
- Scientists cannot be sure whether a sudden natural disaster contributed to the loss of a human species.
Answer: A
Supporting Statement: Petraglia. We don't know whether the Toba explosion also contributed to the extinction of the Homo erectus-like species.
Keywords: Petragila, Toba explosion.
Keyword Location:Paragraph B
Explanation: In the lines of paragraph b, the findings and study of Petraglia has been mentioned. He stated that it can not be said the Toba explosion was responsible for the loss of human species. So, the correct answer is A.
- Environmental conditions restricted the areas where Homo sapiens and Neanderthals could live.
Answer: B
Supporting Statement: "Populations of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens had to flee to refugia (pockets of habitable land). According to Chris Stringer, an anthropologist at the Natural History Museum in London, this increased rivalry between the two groups.
Keywords: Stringer, refugia
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: In the paragraph c, Stringer explains about the location of homo sapiens and neanderthals. He says that these two communities were restricted in terms of their livelihood location. This was mainly due to the drastic changes in climatic conditions. So, the correct answer is B.
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