Question 1

Unlike agriculturalists,horticulturalists usually produce a surplus.

Accepted Answer

Horticulturalists typically practice small-scale, subsistence farming, focusing on growing enough food to meet the needs of their own family or community rather than producing a large surplus for trade or sale, unlike agriculturalists who often aim for surplus production.

Question 2

Due to their reliance of slash-and-burn farming the Mekranoti need to work very hard to survive.

Accepted Answer

The Mekranoti, like many indigenous groups practicing slash-and-burn agriculture, have developed efficient methods to sustain their way of life, which does not necessarily equate to working "very hard" by modern, industrial standards. This form of agriculture is adapted to their environment and needs, allowing for periods of cultivation and rest for the land.

Question 3

Swidden farming,or slash-and-burn,is inherently destructive of the environment.

Accepted Answer

Swidden farming, when practiced traditionally and sustainably, involves periods of cultivation followed by longer periods of fallow, allowing for forest regeneration and maintenance of biodiversity. It becomes destructive when fallow periods are shortened due to external pressures, leading to unsustainable practices.

Question 4

The Bakhtiari are pastoralist nomads who shepherd their herds throughout the Iran-Iraq border area following their herds.

Accepted Answer

The Bakhtiari are indeed pastoralist nomads who follow their herds throughout the Iran-Iraq border area.

Question 5

About 3 million people live by food foraging in the world today.

Accepted Answer

Most of humanity now relies on agriculture and industrial food production for sustenance, with only a small fraction of the global population, estimated in the thousands, still living primarily by traditional foraging or hunting and gathering lifestyles.

Question 6

A culture area is a geographic region in which a number of different societies follow a similar (not necessarily identical)pattern of life.

Accepted Answer

A culture area is defined as a geographic region in which different societies share common cultural characteristics and patterns of life. These cultural characteristics may include elements such as language, religion, social organization, economic systems, and technology, among others. While the specific manifestations of these cultural traits may vary somewhat from group to group within the culture area, there is enough similarity and continuity to define the area as a distinct cultural region.

Question 7

Urbanization encourages equality.

Accepted Answer

Urbanization can either promote or hinder equality depending on various factors such as access to education, employment opportunities, housing, and social services. In some cases, it can deepen existing inequalities and contribute to the marginalization of certain groups.

Question 8

Among the Indians of the Great Plains of North America,many women gained fame as hunters and warriors.This may be used to demonstrate that division of labor by sex is determined by biological factors.

Accepted Answer

The statement is incorrect. The fact that many women among the Indians of the Great Plains of North America gained fame as hunters and warriors is evidence that gender roles are not solely determined by biology. Rather, cultural practices and beliefs shape the division of labor by sex in a specific society.

Question 9

Mbuti pygmies of Congo's Ituri rainforest,who use nets to hunt,have an interdependent relationship with other families.

Accepted Answer

Mbuti pygmies of Congo's Ituri rainforest rely on hunting, gathering, and sharing resources with other families in their community. This interdependence helps them survive in their challenging environment.

Question 10

An anthropologist would probably find it difficult to define what "progress" is.

Accepted Answer

Anthropologists understand that different cultures have different values, beliefs, and ways of defining success or progress. This makes it difficult for them to define progress in a universal or objective sense.

Question 11

According to the Original Study,the Mekranoti Kayapo had to work hard to get enough produce from their gardens.

Accepted Answer

The Mekranoti Kayapo were known for their efficient agricultural practices, which allowed them to produce sufficient food without the need for hard labor. Their knowledge of the environment and sustainable farming techniques contributed to their success in gardening with relative ease.

Question 12

The Mekranoti constantly weed their gardens to keep the forest from invading.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Mekranoti constantly weed their gardens to...

Question 13

Slash-and-burn agriculture,especially in the humid tropics,may be one of the best gardening techniques possible.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Slash-and-burn agriculture,especially in the humid tropics,may be...

Question 14

Many Bakhtiari are well educated,having attended university at home or abroad.

Accepted Answer

Many Bakhtiari are indeed well educated and have attended universities both within their own country and abroad.

Question 15

Prolonged nursing of infants acts as a mode of contraception.

Accepted Answer

Prolonged nursing of infants, also known as exclusive breastfeeding, can act as a mode of contraception known as lactational amenorrhea method (LAM). However, it is important to note that this only works if certain criteria are met, such as the infant being under six months old, frequent and exclusive breastfeeding, and the mother not having resumed menstruation. It is not 100% effective and other forms of contraception may be needed.

Question 16

The Mekranoti style of slash-and-burn farming did not grow well because animals and insects were constantly invading their gardens.

Accepted Answer

The Mekranoti practiced slash-and-burn farming successfully; the method involves clearing and burning a piece of land to create a fertile field for a few years, after which the land is left to regenerate. The issues of animals and insects invading gardens are common to many forms of agriculture, but they do not inherently prevent the success of slash-and-burn farming.

Question 17

Among food foragers,wealth is a sign of deviance.

Accepted Answer

In many foraging societies, wealth accumulation is not a norm and can be seen as deviant because these societies often value sharing and egalitarianism over individual wealth.

Question 18

People started shifting to food producing ways of life about 10,000 years ago.

Accepted Answer

This is known as the Neolithic Revolution, which began around 10,000 BCE and marked the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture and animal domestication.

Question 19

Food-sharing as a cultural tradition seems to be related to the shift to more frequent meat eating among genus Homo.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that food-sharing as a cultural tradition emerged around 1.9 million years ago, which coincides with a shift to more frequent meat-eating among genus Homo. This suggests that food-sharing played a significant role in facilitating the acquisition and sharing of large and valuable resources, such as meat.

Question 20

Crop cultivators need to remain close to their fields.

Accepted Answer

Crop cultivators need to constantly monitor the condition of their crops and make necessary interventions such as watering, fertilizing, or controlling pests. Therefore, they need to be close to their fields to carry out these tasks effectively.

Quiz 7: Patterns of Subsistence