NTA UGC NET/JRF Exam, August 2024 (Anthropology)

Total Questions: 100

91. Read the passage and answer the questions:

Relative to common chimpanzees, bonobos live in a more restricted geographic range and are less divided than chimpanzees, who are divided into at least three well recognized subspecies. The area of suitable habitat available to bonobos may always have been smaller than that of their congeners to the north, especially during periodic contractions of the tropical forests of equatorial Africa, when much of the forest cover south of the Congo River was substantially reduced.

Perhaps during these times, the bonobo populations passed through, bottle necks, resulting in the smaller effective population size (Nₑ). There could be little, if any social or reproductive factors that could give chimpanzees a larger Nₑ than bonobos: bonobos have a more equal adult sex ratio, and chimpanzee females are not more promiscuous than bonobo females.

In contrast, there are many social and ecological differences between chimpanzees and gorillas that may result in lower Nₑ of gorillas. Gorillas live in smaller social groups, which contain one or two adult males who monopolize access to several females in the group, whereas chimpanzee females mate promiscuously within the social group. Species with strong polygyny, will have reduced male Nₑ, and therefore a lower overall Nₑ.

In addition, compared to chimpanzees, gorillas live in a more restricted habitat. Thus, gorillas have more limited ecological tolerance than chimpanzees: and past environmental changes have sent them through several bottle necks, resulting in lower Nₑ.

Bonobos passed through genetic drift because:

Correct Answer: A. of the periodic reduction of their habitat
Solution:Bonobos passed through genetic drift primarily because of the periodic reduction of their habitat. The contraction of the tropical forests of equatorial Africa, particularly during environmental changes, reduced the habitat available to bonobos south of the Congo River.

This reduction likely forced bonobo populations into smaller, isolated groups, leading to genetic bottlenecks. These bottlenecks, in turn, decreased the genetic diversity within the population, causing drift in genetic characteristics unrelated to reproductive advantages or natural selection.

92. Which of the following statements is correct?

Correct Answer: A. Pan troglodytes lives in the northern side of the Congo River.
Solution:Pan troglodytes, commonly known as common chimpanzees, primarily inhabit regions north of the Congo River. This distribution contrasts with that of Pan paniscus, or bonobos, which are found south of the river. The statement correctly identifies the geographical separation of these two closely related species, which is significant in studying their behavioural, ecological, and genetic differences.

93. Which of the following statements is correct?

Correct Answer: A. Bottle neck effect reduces mate choices
Solution:The bottleneck effect typically reduces mate choices by decreasing the population size to a small number of individuals, which limits the genetic diversity and the number of potential mating partners.

This reduction can lead to increased inbreeding and genetic homogeneity, as the remaining population may have to mate within a limited gene pool.

94. Species with strong polygyny is likely to have:

Correct Answer: C. lower male Nₑ.
Solution:In species with strong polygyny, such as some gorilla groups where one or two males monopolize mating with several females, there is likely to be a lower effective population size (Nₑ) for males. This reduced male Nₑ arises because fewer males contribute genetically to the next generation, which can affect genetic diversity and population health over time.

95. Which of the following may not be a reason for lower Nₑ among gorillas than chimpanzees?

Correct Answer: C. Practice of promiscuity
Solution:Among gorillas, lower Nₑ is not due to the practice of promiscuity but rather the opposite-strong polygyny where few males dominate mating. In contrast, species with promiscuous practices, like chimpanzees, might not experience as sharp a reduction in Nₑ since more individuals, both male and female, contribute to the genetic makeup of subsequent generations.

96. Read the passage and answer the questions:

Geertz's explanations are usually disguised in interpretive euphemisms, but they are there nonetheless. He is the most prolific euphemizer, circumventing the standard English word "explain" with such terms as "render accessible", "dissolve the opacity of, "grasp", "clarify", "reduce the puzzlement of", "render intelligible", "interpret", and of course "thickly describe".

In spite of these circumlocutions and his programmatic statements to the contrary, however. Geertz gives believable explanations of much Balinese public behaviour as culture. For example, in the first few pages of "Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfight," Geertz explains why the Indonesian government tries to stop cockfighting, opium smoking, begging, and the uncovering of breasts (it sees them "as primitive, backward, unprogressive, and generally unbecoming an ambitious nation"); why illegal cockfights can be held in the village (the officials are bribed), why he and his wife were accepted by the villagers (they showed their solidarity by fleeing with the villagers from a police raid); why Balinese men are obsessed with their fighting cocks (fighting cocks are masculine symbols par excellence); why babies are not allowed to crawl and children's teeth are filed (to distinguish them beasts, which are abhorred); and so on.
The obsession of Balinese men for cockfight reflects:

Correct Answer: C. Assertion of gender identity
Solution:The obsession of Balinese men with cockfighting reflects an assertion of gender identity, as Geertz explains that fightingcocks are seen as masculine symbols par excellence. This cultural practice is deeplyintertwined with notions of masculinity and male status within the Balinese community, serving as a proxy for displays of courage, strength, and social standing among men.

97. Organisation of illegal cockfight in village indicates that:

Correct Answer: D. There are multiple values and meaning in a culture
Solution:The organization of illegal cockfights in the village, despite governmental bans, indicates that there are multiple values and meanings in a culture. These events are not only traditional but carry layers of social, economic, and symbolic significance that persist even when faced with legal prohibitions, reflecting the complex interplay between cultural heritage and modern state regulations.

98. Culture according to Clifford Geertz is best represented in:

Correct Answer: A. Balinese public events
Solution:According to Clifford Geertz, culture is best represented in Balinese public events, as these gatherings provide a rich tapestry of symbols and meanings that are enacted, observed, and interpreted within the community. These events offer a direct window into how culture shapes behaviours and social interactions, serving as live illustrations of the theoretical concepts Geertz discusses.

99. The phrase 'thickly describe', used in the paragraph refers to:

Correct Answer: C. Interpretation of the interpretations of people
Solution:The phrase "thickly describe," used by Clifford Geertz, refers to the method of deeр interpretive work where the anthropologist seeks to interpret the layered meanings that people themselves interpret from their actions and the world around them. This approach is about understanding not just the behaviour or an event itself, but the context and the myriad interpretations that individuals within the culture place on these actions. "Thick description" thus involves peeling back the layers of meaning in cultural practices, rituals, and everyday interactions to reveal the complex web of social norms, values, and beliefs that inform them.

100. The term euphemism in the paragraph refers to:

Correct Answer: C. Explanations represented as interpretations
Solution:In the paragraph, the term euphemism refers to Geertz's style of framing his explanations as interpretations. This style involves using various terms to describe his analytical process, subtly shifting from direct explanation to a more interpretative approach, which aligns with his view of anthropology as fundamentally concerned with understanding and interpreting cultural symbols rather than just explaining them causally.