History ยท General Awareness
Early Human and Prehistoric Cultures
1,788 Questions
Early human and prehistoric cultures focus on the lifestyle and evolution of humans before written records. This includes the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras, focusing on inventions, agriculture, and migration patterns. These questions are a core part of ancient history in civil services exams.
Paleolithic eraNeolithic revolutionEarly human migrationInvention of agriculturePrehistoric social structuresMesolithic societies
Early Human and Prehistoric Cultures Questions
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Aliens
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Jurassic Park
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Ghost
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Re-Animator
B
Correct answer
Explanation
'An Adventure 65 Million Years In The Making' was the marketing tagline for the 1993 film Jurassic Park. The movie featured dinosaurs cloned from ancient DNA, hence the reference to 65 million years - the time when dinosaurs went extinct.
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Old Stone Age
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Iron age
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Golden age
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Gun power age
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Paleolithic literally means 'Old Stone Age' from Greek roots 'palaios' (old) and 'lithos' (stone). It represents the earliest period of human tool use, characterized by stone implements. This predates the Iron, Bronze, and later ages.
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Minoan culture
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Olmec civilization
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Indus Civilization
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Moche civilization
C
Correct answer
Explanation
The Indus Valley Civilization (3300-1300 BCE) was one of the world's earliest urban civilizations, known for its advanced city planning, drainage systems, and standardized construction. Located in the Indian subcontinent, it flourished in areas now part of Pakistan and northwest India.
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By bathing in cocoa
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By dancing on a mountain-top
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By exchanging gifts
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By performing skits enacting the creation of cacao
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Mayan festivals honoring Ek Chuah, the cacao god, involved ritual exchanges of cacao as offerings. Archaeological evidence and ethnographic accounts show that gift-giving, particularly of cacao beans, was central to Mayan religious ceremonies. Option A (bathing in cocoa) and D (creation skits) are not documented practices, while mountain-top dancing (B) is not associated with this specific festival.
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Transformers
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I, Robot
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Star Wars
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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
D
Correct answer
Explanation
This is Optimus Prime's opening narration from 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' (2009), revealing the ancient history between Cybertronians and humans. The line 'Our worlds have met before' sets up the film's plot about ancient Transformers on Earth. The first 'Transformers' (2007) has a different opening focused on the All Spark. 'I, Robot' and 'Star Wars' are unrelated to this storyline.
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Wheel
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Agriculture
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Writing
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Silk
C
Correct answer
Explanation
The invention of writing systems is generally accepted as marking the end of the Prehistoric Age and the beginning of recorded history. Without writing, we rely solely on archaeological evidence. Option C is correct.
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Swords
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Draggers
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Knives
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Arrows
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Despite advanced metalworking skills, swords are conspicuously absent from Harappan archaeological findings. They used daggers, spears, bows and arrows, but not swords. This absence distinguishes Harappan civilization from contemporary Mesopotamian cultures where swords were present.
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By bathing in cocoa
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By dancing on a mountain top
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By exchanging gifts
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By performing skits enacting the creation of cacao
C
Correct answer
Explanation
The Mayans honored their cacao god Ek Chuah with an annual festival in April. Historical accounts indicate that along with animal sacrifices, the celebration involved the exchange of gifts among participants, which was a common practice in Mayan religious festivals.
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Hamburgers
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Semites
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Hamites
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Sethamines
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Hamites is the correct term. In biblical and historical ethnology, Ham was one of Noah's sons, and 19th-century ethnologists used the term 'Hamites' to classify peoples of North Africa. This classification is now considered outdated and scientifically inaccurate.
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America
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China
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Japan
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Australia
B
Correct answer
Explanation
The first modern toothbrush with hog hair bristles in ivory handles was invented in China during the Tang Dynasty (around 618-907 AD). This design later evolved and spread to Europe. The natural bristles from hogs or horses were used until nylon bristles were invented in the 20th century.
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USA
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Indus Civilization
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Mohenjodaro Civilization
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India
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The oldest known footwear, dated to approximately 8,000 years ago, consists of sagebrush bark sandals discovered in Fort Rock Cave in Oregon, USA. This predates the Indus and Mohenjodaro civilizations by thousands of years.
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the course in which a river meanders
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Uncouth and illmannered
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An obsolete alien
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The Resting place of a Pharaoh
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Neanderthal, when used as an adjective, means uncouth, primitive, or ill-mannered in behavior. It derives from Neanderthals (an extinct species of archaic humans) and is used metaphorically to describe someone whose behavior appears crude or backward.
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Mayan Civilization
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Indus Valley Civilization
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Babylonians
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Inca Civilization
D
Correct answer
Explanation
The Inca Civilization used quipu - a system of knotted strings - for recording numbers and keeping records. This was their primary method of numerical record-keeping since they did not have a written language.
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Babylonians,Egyptians
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Greeks,Romans
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Mongolians ,Central Asians
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Mexicans,North Americans
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Around 3000 BC, both Babylonians and Egyptians began using advanced mathematics including arithmetic, algebra and geometry for practical purposes like taxation, construction and astronomy. This marked a significant advancement beyond basic counting and measurement.
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Thanatologist
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Saurologist
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Histobiologist
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Paleontologist
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Paleontologists study prehistoric life through the examination of fossils. This directly matches Jeremy's research on prehistoric animals and plants. Thanatologists study death and dying, saurologists would study lizards, and histobiologists is not a standard scientific specialization.