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

Total Questions: 100

81. Who among the following supported Inbreeding Theory for universal Incest Taboo?

Correct Answer: 4. E. Westermarck
Solution:Edward Westermarck supported the Inbreeding Theory as an explanation for the universal incest taboo.

He proposed that people who live in close domestic proximity during early childhood become desensitized to sexual attraction, a concept known as the Westermarck effect.

This natural aversion helps prevent inbreeding and explains the biological roots of incest avoidance. His theory contrasts with Levi-Strauss's alliance theory, which views incest taboos as social constructs.

82. The archaeological units of analysis from simple to complex:

A. Assemblage                              B. Attribute
C. Culture                                      D. Artefact
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: 3. B, D, A, C
Solution:•Archaeological units of analysis from simplest to most complex are:
• Attribute (B) - basic observable features (e.g., color, shape).
• Artifact (D) - an individual object made or modified by humans.
• Assemblage (A) - a collection of artifacts from the same context or site.
• Culture (C) - shared traits across multiple sites and time periods.

83. Which of the following are the limitations/ challenges of Ancient DNA research?

A. Small fragment size of DNA
B. Usually large fragment size of DNA which are highly difficult to sequence
C. Presence of bacterial/fungal DNA is not considered as contamination
D. People who work in the ancient DNA laboratory typically wear "space suits" to minimize any DNA coming from them
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: 1. A and D only
Solution:Ancient DNA (aDNA) research faces challenges like:
• Small fragment size (A) due to degradation over time.
• Researchers wear full protective suits ("space suits") (D) to avoid contamination with modern DNA.
• B is incorrect because DNA is usually fragmented, not large.
• C is incorrect; bacterial/fungal DNA is considered contamination and must be filtered out.

84. The geographical location of important Indian Archaeological sites from west to east:

A. Lothal                              B. Chirand
C. Atranjikhera                  D. Chanhu-daro
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: 3. D, A, C, В
Solution:The west-to-east order of these Indian archaeological sites is:
D. Chanhu-daro - Sindh, Pakistan (farthest west) A. Lothal - Gujarat
C. Atranjikhera - Uttar Pradesh
B. Chirand - Bihar (farthest east)
This sequence reflects their longitudinal position across the subcontinent.

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

LIST-I (Primate Locomotion)LIST-II (Primates)
A. LeapingI. Howler monkey and Langur
B. Modified brachiatorsII. Chimpanzee and gorilla
C. Semi-brachiatorsIII. Gibbon and Orangutan
D. SuspensionIV. Lemurs and tarsiers

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: 2. A-IV, B-II, C-I, D-III
Solution:• Leaping - seen in lemurs and tarsiers (A-IV), adapted for vertical clinging and leaping.
• Modified brachiators - include chimpanzees and gorillas (B-II), who use knuckle-walking but have suspensory adaptations.
• Semi-brachiators - such as howler monkeys and langurs (C-I), combine arm swinging and quadrupedalism.
• Suspension - seen in gibbons and orangutans (D-III), who are true brachiators using arms to swing.

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

LIST-I (Statement)LIST-II (Anthropologist)
A. Totemism as a way of thinking about nature and cultureI. E.B. Tylor
B. Totemism as sacrifice and Incest regulationII. Emile Durkheim
C. Totemism as an ancestral worshipIII. Levi Strauss
D. Totemism as an elementary religionIV. Sigmund Freud

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: 4. A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II
Solution:A. Totemism as a way of thinking about nature and culture - Claude Lévi-Strauss (A-III), who viewed totemism structurally as part of human classification systems.
B. Totemism as sacrifice and incest regulation - Sigmund Freud (B-IV), in Totem and Taboo, linked totemism with primal father, guilt, and repression.
C. Totemism as ancestral worship - E.B. Tylor (C-I), who viewed it within the framework of animism and early religion.
D. Totemism as an elementary religion - Emile Durkheim (D-II), in The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, saw totemism as the basis of religion and social cohesion.

87. The term used by James Scott for the study of Peasant economy where mutual institutions are designed to insure against risk rather than on the principle of individual maximization is called as:

Correct Answer: 3. Moral Economy
Solution:James C. Scott used the term "Moral Economy" to describe peasant societies where mutual support systems (like reciprocity and risk-sharing) outweigh self-interest.

These economies prioritize subsistence security and community welfare over profit.

Scott critiqued capitalist intrusion, which disrupts these traditional economic protections.

88. The first discovery of hand axes at Pallavaram in 1883 were discovered by:

Correct Answer: 4. Robert Bruce Foote
Solution:Robert Bruce Foote discovered the first hand axes at Pallavaram (Tamil Nadu) in 1883, marking the beginning of prehistoric archaeology in India.

• He is called the "Father of Indian Prehistory".

• His discoveries were crucial in establishing the presence of Palaeolithic culture in the Indian subcontinent.

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

LIST-ILIST-II
A. Distance curveI. An event in the life cycle that includes rapid increase in stature, development of sex organs, and the development of secondary sexual characteristics
B. Velocity curveII. A rapid increase in stature and other dimensions of the body that occurs during puberty
C. Adolescent growth spurtIII. A graph that shows the total height (or other measurement) of an individual on a series of dates
D. PubertyIV. A curve that illustrates the rate of growth over time by plotting the degree of growth per unit of time

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: 4. A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I
Solution:A. Distance curve - (III) shows cumulative growth like total height over time.
B. Velocity curve - (IV) represents the rate of growth per unit time (e.g., cm/year).
C. Adolescent growth spurt - (II) refers to the rapid increase in size and dimensions during puberty.
D. Puberty - (I) marks a life event involving physical and sexual maturation.

90. Arrange the following classifications of human physique or methods of somatotyping from earliest to latest:

A. Kretschmer's classification
B. Heath and Carter's Method of Somatotyping
C. Sheldon's classification
D. Parnell's Method of somatotyping
Choose the correct answer from the options given below"

Correct Answer: 3. A, C, D, B
Solution:A. Kretschmer's classification - early 1920s; linked physique to mental disorders (asthenic, athletic, pyknic).
C. Sheldon's classification - 1940s; introduced endomorph, mesomorph,
ectomorph types.
D. Parnell's method - 1958; quantified somatotype using scores.
B. Heath and Carter's method - 1960s; refined somatotyping with anthropometric measurements, still widely used today.