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

Total Questions: 100

51. The middle palaeolithic industries of arid zone of India are known as:

1. Indus
2. Luni
3. Saraswati
4. Soan

Correct Answer: 2. Luni

Solution:The Middle Palaeolithic industries in the arid zone of India, particularly in Rajasthan, are associated with the Luni River Basin. The Luni industry is characterized by the presence of flake tools, scrapers, and points, largely made using Levallois and discoidal techniques.

This region forms part of India's arid zone and has yielded significant prehistoric evidence in Middle Palaeolithic contexts. In contrast, the Soan valley is related to Lower Palaeolithic tools, and Indus is linked with Harappan culture, not the Middle Palaeolithic period.

52. The study of past ways of thought, meaning and symbols is called as:

1. Experimental Archaeology
2. Cognitive Archaeology
3. Geoarchaeology
4. Zooarchaeology

Correct Answer: 2. Cognitive Archaeology

Solution:Cognitive archaeology is the study of past ways of thinking, including belief systems, symbolism, language, and mental frameworks. It explores how prehistoric people understood the world, expressed identity. and made decisions. Evidence used includes art, burial practices, iconography, and spatial organization of settlements.

It differs from experimental archaeology (which recreates ancient technologies), geoarchaeology (which uses earth sciences), and zooarchaeology (which studies animal remains).

53. ......... involves an examination of selfwritten accounts such as autobiographic memoirs, letters, or dairies.

1. Ethnohistory
2. Oral history
3. Social ethnography
4. Life history

Correct Answer: 4. Life history

Solution:Life history as a method involves collecting self-written or narrated personal accounts, such as autobiographies, diaries, letters, or memoirs. This method provides deep insights into individual experiences, socio-cultural changes, and personal interpretations of events.

It is commonly used in qualitative anthropological and ethnographic research, often emphasizing agency, emotion, and memory. It is distinct from ethnohistory (which uses external historical records), oral history (which involves verbal accounts), and social ethnography (which observes group behavior).

54. Match the LIST-I with LIST-II.

LIST-I	LIST-II
A. Wind	I. Varves
B. Glaciers	II. Aeolian
C. Lakes	III. Terraces
D. Rivers	IV. Morains

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A-I, B-III, C-IV, D-II
2. A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III
3. A-III, B-II, C-IV, D-I
4. A-IV, B-I, C-II, D-III

Correct Answer: 2. A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III

Solution:A. Wind – II. Aeolian: Wind-related geological processes are termed Aeolian, which shape dunes, loess, and eroded formations.
B. Glaciers - IV. Moraines: Glaciers transport rocks and deposit them as moraines, which are accumulations of glacial debris.
C. Lakes - I. Varves: Varves are annual sediment layers found in lake beds, useful for paleoclimate and chronological studies.
D. Rivers - III. Terraces: River action creates terraces-flat areas formed by erosion and sediment deposition as river levels change over time.

55. Match the LIST-I with LIST-II.

LIST-I (Concepts)	LIST-II (Explanations)
A. Penetrance	I. Multiple genes for one phenotype
B. Lyon's Hypothesis	II. Fraction of cases carrying a given gene that manifests a specific phenotype
C. Pleiotropic	III. Dosage compensation
D. Polygenic	IV. One gene multiple phenotypes

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II
2. A-IV, B-I, C-II, D-IN
3. A-II. B-III, C-IV, D-I
4. A-I, B-II, C-III, D-IV

Correct Answer: 3. A-II. B-III, C-IV, D-I

Solution:A. Penetrance - II. Fraction of cases carrying a given gene that manifests a specific phenotype: Penetrance refers to how often a gene actually expresses its associated trait in individuals who carry it.
B. Lyon's Hypothesis - III. Dosage compensation: This hypothesis explains X-chromosome inactivation in females to balance gene expression between sexes.
C. Pleiotropic - IV. One gene multiple phenotypes: Pleiotropy occurs when a single gene influences multiple unrelated traits, e.g., Marfan syndrome affects connective tissue throughout the body.
D. Polygenic - I. Multiple genes for one phenotype: Traits like height, skin color, and intelligence are polygenic, meaning they are controlled by many genes.

56. The contrast between alliance theory and descent theory was first offered by.......... .

1. E.R. Leach
2. M. Fortes
3. L. Dumont
4. A.R. Radcliffe-Brown

Correct Answer: 3. L. Dumont

Solution:Louis Dumont first offered the clear theoretical contrast between alliance theory and descent theory in kinship studies. Descent theory, associated with scholars like Radcliffe-Brown and Fortes, emphasizes lineage and genealogical ties as the basis for social structure.

Alliance theory, developed by Claude Lévi-Strauss, focuses on marriage exchanges between groups to create alliances. Dumont synthesized these approaches and emphasized their contrast in his structuralist interpretations, especially in his work "Homo Hierarchicus", where he analyzed Indian caste through alliance and hierarchy.

Thus, L. Dumont was pivotal in formulating and articulating the contrast between these two kinship frameworks.

57. Which of the following genome projects was based on the concept of linkage disequilibrium?

1. Human Genome Project
2. 1000 Genome project
3. ENCODE
4. HapMap Project

Correct Answer: 4. HapMap Project

Solution:The HapMap Project (Haplotype Map Project) was specifically based on the concept of linkage disequilibrium (LD). Linkage disequilibrium refers to the non-random association of alleles at different loci, meaning some combinations are inherited together more often than expected by chance. HapMap identified haplotypesgroups of alleles or SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that tend to be inherited together.

It aimed to catalog common genetic variants and understand their association with diseases, greatly accelerating genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Other projects like the Human Genome Project focused on mapping the entire genome, and ENCODE focused on functional elements of the genome.

58. Match the LIST-I with LIST-II.

LIST-I (Definition)	LIST-II (Term)
A. Capability relies on a class of enzymes	I. DNA Replication
B. The process by which mRNA is constructed is called	II. Restriction Enzymes
C. The ability of DNA to create copies of itself	III. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
D. Production of limitless copies of DNA from a fragment of DNA	IV. Transcription

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

1. A-II, B-III, C-I, D-IV
2. A-IV, B-II, C-I, D-III
3. A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III
4. A-II, B-IV, C-III, D-I

Correct Answer: 3. A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III

Solution:A. Capability relies on a class of enzymes – II. Restriction Enzymes: Restriction enzymes cut DNA at specific sequences and are essential in genetic engineering and DNA analysis.
B. The process by which mRNA is constructed is called - IV. Transcription: Transcription is the process of synthesizing mRNA from a DNA template, mediated by RNA polymerase.
C. The ability of DNA to create copies of itself - I. DNA Replication: DNA replication is the semi-conservative process of making identical copies of DNA before cell division.
D. Production of limitless copies of DNA from a fragment - III. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): PCR amplifies specific DNA segments using cycles of heating, cooling, and DNA polymerase activity.
This sequence matches Option 3.

59. Bergmann's Rules refers to:

1. General relationship between body size and temperature of the environment
2. General relationship between skin colour and temperature of the environment
3. General relationship between body size and ethnicity
4. General relationship between skin colour and geographical location

Correct Answer: 1. General relationship between body size and temperature of the environment

Solution:General relationship between body size and temperature of the environment: Bergmann's Rule states that:
• In colder climates, organisms tend to have larger body sizes to conserve heat.
• In warmer climates, organisms tend to have smaller, slender bodies to dissipate heat more effectively.
• This rule applies especially to warm-blooded animals (endotherms) and is often cited in biological anthropology to explain variation in human body proportions.
• It complements Allen's Rule, which deals with limb length and surface area. Thus, Bergmann's Rule is a thermoregulatory principle based on body size and temperature.

60. ........ are the rules about what is acceptable behaviour.

1. Ethos
2. Mores
3. Folkways
4. Norms

Correct Answer: 4. Norms

Solution:Norms are the rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members. They define what is acceptable, proper, or typical behavior in a given social context. Norms may be formal (e.g., laws) or informal (e.g., customs). They differ from:
• Ethos - the guiding beliefs of a group.
• Mores - strong norms tied to moral views, often with serious consequences if broken.
• Folkways - routine customs with mild social enforcement.
Thus, norms are the broader category that encompasses all forms of socially approved behavior.