Answers and Explanations—4.5 The Kennewick Man

P1	Paragraph 1	Comments
S1	In 1996, while competing in a boating race in Columbia Park along the Columbia River near Kennewick, Washington, in the United States, Will Thomas stepped on something that felt like a large, round rock in the river bed.
2	Upon inspection, this “rock” had teeth: Thomas had discovered a human skull.	Accidental discovery of a skull in Washington.
3	The bones of a nearly complete human skeleton were later unearthed at the site.	Almost a whole skeleton.
4	This accidental discovery of “The Kennewick Man” may shed new light on the development of the first human societies in North America.	“The Kennewick Man” may shed new light on first human societies in North America.

	According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true about the discovery of “The Kennewick Man”?	Fact. All of P1 discusses this discovery. The right answer must be supported in the text.
✗	A Its skeleton was discovered before the skull was found.	Opposite. S1–2: Will Thomas discovered the skull first. S3 says that the rest of the skeleton was “later unearthed.”
✗	B It helped the first societies in North America to develop.	S4 states that the discovery may shed new light on the development of these societies, not help those societies to develop.
✗	C It was discovered after a purposeful search by an archaeologist.	Nothing in the paragraph indicates that Will Thomas, the finder of The Kennewick Man’s skull, was an archaeologist, or that he was purposefully searching for the skull. In fact, the discovery appears to be accidental. At the time, the discoverer was “competing in a boating race.”
✓	D At first, the finder thought he had stepped on a round rock.	Correct. S1: “Will Thomas stepped on something that felt like a large, round rock in the river bed.”

	The word “inspection” in the passage is closest in meaning to	VOCABULARY. “Inspection” = close look, examination, review of something (e.g., to form an opinion about it).
✗	A removal	Unrelated. “Removing” would mean taking it away.
✓	B scrutiny	Correct. “Upon inspection, this ‘rock’ had teeth” = upon scrutiny or a closer look, this supposed “rock” had teeth (it was actually a skull).
✗	C concealment	Opposite, or nearly so. “Concealment” = hiding or preventing something from being known.
✗	D deliberation	Unrelated. “Deliberation” = long and careful consideration or discussion.

P2	Paragraph 2	Comments
S1	Scientists have argued that the first humans came to North America during the last glacial period, or ice age, via “Beringia,” commonly known as the Bering land bridge.	How humans came to North America during the last ice age: Beringia.
2	As in any glacial period, sea water levels were much lower than at other, more normal times; as a result, the waters of the present-day Bering Strait did not exist.
3	Instead, present-day eastern Siberia in Russia and Alaska in North America were one continuous landmass.	Siberia and Alaska were connected by land.
4	Thus, possible human migration from Asia across this land bridge was unimpeded for thousands of years.	So human migration was possible across this land bridge.
5	It is known that at least several thousand humans migrated from Eastern Siberia to North America via Beringia during this time.
6	The standard hypothesis has been that these migrators constituted a single group of people with a common ancestral background, and that they were the first humans to inhabit North America.	Standard hypothesis: a single migration of the first humans.
7	Indeed, evidence from many archaeological sites, including the original discovery in 1929 of ancient culture remains near Clovis, New Mexico, supports this “Clovis First” hypothesis.	Much evidence supports “Clovis First.”

	In paragraph 2, what does the author imply about the “Clovis First” hypothesis?	Inference. S7 states that evidence discovered near Clovis, New Mexico, supports this ‘Clovis First’” hypothesis. The only other hypothesis discussed in the paragraph is the “standard hypothesis” described in S6. Therefore, the “Clovis First” hypothesis must be the same as the standard hypothesis. According to S6, the standard hypothesis is that “these migrators constituted a single group of people with a common ancestral background, and that they were the first humans to inhabit North America.”
✓	A It is synonymous with the standard hypothesis regarding migration to North America.	Correct. S7 begins with the word “indeed,” suggesting that the contents of S7 support the ideas from the previous sentence. S6 tells what the “standard hypothesis” is. Together with the use of the word “this” in front of “Clovis First,” the passage strongly suggests that the “Clovis First” hypothesis is the same as the standard hypothesis.
✗	B It suggests that most of the migrators to North America settled near present-day Clovis, New Mexico.	S7: “Indeed, evidence from many archaeological sites, including the original discovery in 1929 of ancient culture remains near Clovis, New Mexico.” This suggests that Clovis was one of many sites producing evidence to support the “Clovis First” hypothesis. Nothing in the paragraph implies that most of the migrators to North America happened to settle at this one site, Clovis.
✗	C It suggests that some of the earliest settlers in North America migrated there in a manner other than by using Beringia.	Nothing in the paragraph even discusses alternate hypotheses about how migrations to North America happened.
✗	D It proposes that the first migration to North America likely consisted of people with multiple ancestral backgrounds.	Opposite. The standard hypothesis in S6 (which turns out to be the same as the “Clovis First” hypothesis in S7) is that the migration consisted of “a single group of people with a common ancestral background.”

	According to paragraph 2, all of the following statements about the Bering land bridge migration are true EXCEPT:	Negative Fact. The entire paragraph discusses the Bering land bridge and hypotheses about migration patterns across it into North America. Three answer choices will be mentioned as relevant facts in P2. One answer choice will either be false or not discussed in the paragraph.
✗	A The land bridge only existed because an ice age was occurring at the time of the migrations.	S2: “the waters of the present-day Bering Strait did not exist” at the time because of the glacial period, or ice age.
✗	B The standard hypothesis states that this migration constituted the first arrival of human inhabitants in North America.	S6: “The standard hypothesis has been that these migrators… were the first humans to inhabit North America.”
✓	C According to the standard hypothesis, the migration consisted of thousands of people over thousands of years in various groups.	Correct. The migration did consist of several thousand people (S5) and the bridge was “unimpeded for thousands of years” (S4). But according to S6: “The standard hypothesis has been that these migrators constituted a single group of people,” not various groups.
✗	D It was made possible by the fact that Siberia and Alaska were, at the time, one single landmass.	S3–4: “present-day eastern Siberia in Russia and Alaska in North America were one continuous landmass. Thus, possible human migration from Asia across this land bridge was unimpeded for thousands of years.”

	Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 2? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.	Simplify Sentence. The first part of S2 states that sea water levels were lower than normal, as is usually the case during glacial periods. The second part states that as a result, the present-day waters of the Bering Strait didn’t exist.
✗	A As in any glacial period, sea water levels were much lower than those of the Bering Strait normally at the time.	The Bering Strait did not exist at the time, so it is impossible for sea waters to be lower than “those of the Bering Strait normally at the time.”
✗	B As in any glacial period, the waters of the present-day Bering Strait did not exist, leading to much lower sea water levels than normal at the time.	This choice reverses causality. Lower sea levels caused the Bering Strait not to exist, not the other way around.
✓	C The waters of the Bering Strait did not exist at that time because during any glacial period sea water levels are much lower than normal.	Correct. This choice says essentially the same thing as S2. The order of the ideas has been switched, but proper cause and effect have been preserved.
✗	D Sea water levels were much lower than during other, more normal glacial periods, so the waters of the present-day Bering Strait did not exist.	This version would be correct, except that it changes one very important idea. Nothing in the original sentence suggests that the glacial period in question led to “much lower” sea water levels than during other glacial periods. The comparison should be to more normal times, other than during glacial periods.

P3	Paragraph 3	Comments
S1	New theories have emerged that the Beringia migration was not the only source of human migration to North America during the prehistoric period, and perhaps not even the first.	New theories: Beringia migration might not have been only, or first.
2	Advances in DNA testing have allowed scientists to group the discovered remains of Paleoamericans, or ancient Native Americans, according to five haplogroups, labeled A, B, C, D, and X.
3	Among people in Northeast Asia and among Native Americans, haplogroups A, B, C, and D are all commonplace, supporting the theory of a single-migration model via Beringia.	Haplogroups found in Asia and among Native Americans support theory of single migration.
4	However, haplogroup X is different.
5	It is found in only select locations in North America, and virtually does not exist in Siberia.	But haplogroup X is really only found in some places in North America.
6	Furthermore, genetic mutations among this haplogroup suggest that people in haplogroup X may have settled thousands of years earlier than populations from the other haplogroups.	And mutations suggest that X may have settled earlier.
7	This discovery gives weight to the possibility of earlier migrations to North America, possibly via coastal routes along the Pacific Ocean or even from Europe via the North Atlantic.	More support for possibility of earlier migrations.

	The word “commonplace” in the passage is closest in meaning to	VOCABULARY. “Commonplace” = common, normal, unexceptional, frequently occurring.
✓	A unexceptional	Correct. “Haplogroups A, B, C, and D are all commonplace” = these haplogroups are all unexceptional, they’re common.
✗	B reciprocal	Unrelated. “Reciprocal” = felt, done, or given in return.
✗	C parochial	“Parochial” = narrow-minded, provincial, only concerned with local matters. It is not a synonym for “commonplace.”
✗	D extraordinary	Opposite.

	Why does the author use the phrase “haplogroup X is different”?	Purpose. S3: “Among people in Northeast Asia and among Native Americans, haplogroups A, B, C, and D are all commonplace, supporting the theory of a single-migration model via Beringia.” Then S4 indicates that “haplogroup X is different.” The natural inference from this short, bold statement is that haplogroup X does not support the single-migration model. S5–7 provide more details.
✗	A To predict that new haplogroups will be discovered elsewhere in North America	Nothing in the paragraph discusses the possibility of new haplogroups being discovered.
✗	B To show that haplogroup X does not exist in Paleoamericans	S2: “Advances in DNA testing have allowed scientists to group the discovered remains of Paleoamericans… according to five haplogroups, labeled A, B, C, D, and X.” Although X exists only in “select locations in North America” (S5), it is not absent altogether.
✓	C To indicate that haplogroup X does not support the single-migration model	Correct. S4 provides a counterpoint to S3, in which the other haplogroups are said to support the single-migration model. S7 declares the end result: as a result of haplogroup X, there’s more support for the possibility of earlier migrations.
✗	D To suggest that haplogroup X exhibits a greater rate of genetic mutations than other haplogroups	S6 states that “genetic mutations among this haplogroup suggest that people in haplogroup X may have settled thousands of years earlier than populations from the other haplogroups.” However, this does not imply that mutations occur at a higher rate among haplogroup X than among other haplogroups.

	The word “mutations” in the passage is closest in meaning to	VOCABULARY. “Mutations” = changes or transformations. Genetic mutations are particular kinds of changes to genetic material.
✗	A defections	This choice might be tempting as “defection” sounds like “defect,” or an imperfection, however, mutations are not all defects. But a “defection” is deserting one’s country, belief, or cause in favor of an opposing one. This is not related to mutation.
✗	B regulations	Unrelated. “Regulations” = a rule or directive.
✗	C inhibitions	Unrelated. “Inhibition” = restraining or prohibiting a behavior or action.
✓	D transformations	Correct. “Genetic mutations among this haplogroup” = genetic transformations or changes among this haplogroup.

P4	Paragraph 4	Comments
S1	The Kennewick Man may help resolve these competing theories.	Kennewick Man may help resolve.
2	Anthropological analysis and carbon-dating techniques show that the skeleton is approximately 9,000 years old, but that the skeleton is distinctly different from most other Paleoamerican remains.	Different from most other Paleoamerican remains.
3	The Kennewick Man had a relatively small face with a long, narrow skull.
4	In contrast, Paleoamericans and modern Native Americans tend to have larger faces with shorter, broader skulls and prominent cheekbones.
5	Also, resin models of other important bones indicate key differences in size and structure from those of other Paleoamericans.
6	Indeed, of all current peoples, the Kennewick Man possessed physical attributes most similar to Polynesians.	Most similar to Polynesians.
7	Present-day Polynesians, in turn, are most likely descended from the ancient Jōmon, the original inhabitants of the Japanese islands, who may have come into existence well over 15,000 years ago.	Polynesians probably descended from Jōmon people.

	The word “prominent” in the passage is closest in meaning to	VOCABULARY. “Prominent” = obvious, noticeable, or even physically protruding. It can also mean famous or distinguished.
✓	A pronounced	Correct. “Larger faces with… prominent cheekbones” = larger faces with pronounced or noticeable cheekbones.
✗	B flat	Opposite. Flat cheekbones would not be prominent, in the physical sense of “protruding.”
✗	C unfamiliar	Unrelated. “Unfamiliar” = not known or recognized.
✗	D unassuming	Nearly opposite. “Unassuming” = modest, inconspicuous, not willing to stick out.

	Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 4 about the relationship between the Kennewick Man and the Jōmon people?	Inference. S6–7: “The Kennewick Man possessed physical attributes most similar to Polynesians. Present-day Polynesians, in turn, are most likely descended from the ancient Jōmon.”
✗	A His physical features suggest that the Kennewick Man likely descended, not from the Jōmon, but from Polynesians.	S6 notes that the Kennewick Man’s physical attributes are most similar to those of present-day Polynesians. However, S7 states that Polynesians were themselves most likely descendants of the Jōmon. So the Kennewick Man likely has a genetic connection to the Jōmon.
✓	B Physical attributes of the Kennewick Man suggest that he may be a descendant of the Jōmon.	Correct. S6–7 link the Kennewick Man to Polynesians and in turn to the Jōmon people. Thus, based on the Kennewick Man’s facial features, he may have descended from the Jōmon tribe.
✗	C The 6,000-year gap between the birth of the Jōmon and the Kennewick Man indicates little connection between the two.	There is roughly a 6,000-year gap, or greater, between the two. The Kennewick Man is 9,000 years old (S2), whereas the Jōmon “may have come into existence well over 15,000 years ago” (S7). But this gap in time doesn’t mean that the two are unconnected.
✗	D Key differences in size and structure differentiate the Kennewick Man from his ancestral Jōmon people.	The “key differences in size and structure” mentioned in S5 apply to the comparison between the Kennewick Man and other Paleoamericans, not between the Kennewick Man and the Jōmon.

P5	Paragraph 5	Comments
S1	The Jōmon culture is known to have been dependent upon the oceans for survival, building primitive boats out of wood and using them for deep-sea fishing and exploration.	Jōmon used boats.
2	If new theories are correct, the Jōmon may have sailed along the coastline of Beringia, from Asia to Alaska, with plenty of natural resources available to support the journey.	They may have sailed along the coastline from Asia to Alaska, before the Beringia migration.
3	This ocean-based journey could have occurred before the migration across the Bering land bridge, with small Jōmon civilizations developing along the Pacific coast.
4	Later, when the land-based migrators made their crossing, the resulting populations could have overwhelmed the established Jōmon population, eventually resulting in the societies that constitute the ancestors of modern Native Americans.	Later, that migration may have overwhelmed the Jōmon.

	The word “overwhelmed” in the passage is closest in meaning to	VOCABULARY. “Overwhelm” = overcome, overpower, conquer.
✗	A undermined	Not strong enough. “Undermine” = weaken, destabilize.
✓	B overpowered	Correct. “The resulting populations could have overwhelmed the established Jōmon population” = the resulting populations could have overpowered the established Jōmon.
✗	C resisted	“Resist” conveys the concept of opposition, but it doesn’t convey victory (and crushing defeat for the other side) as “overwhelm” does.
✗	D captivated	“Captivate” = enchant, charm, fascinate. It does not mean to take someone captive in a literal sense.

	According to paragraph 5, which of the following statements is true of Jōmon people?	Fact. Most of the paragraph discusses Jōmon people and culture. The correct answer needs direct support from the text.
✗	A They were native to the Pacific coast of North America.	Their origin is not described in this paragraph, although P4 says that they were the original inhabitants of the Japanese islands. They may have migrated to the Pacific coast of North America via the coast of Beringia, but they were not native to that place.
✗	B They probably migrated to North America by crossing over the Bering land bridge.	S2 states that if the Jōmon culture did indeed migrate to North America, it likely would have done so by sailing along the coastline, not migrating over land.
✗	C If they sailed along the coastline of Beringia, they likely encountered a dearth of resources along the way.	Opposite. S2: “the Jōmon may have sailed along the coastline of Beringia, from Asia to Alaska, with plenty of natural resources available to support the journey.” “Dearth” = lack, shortage, not enough of something.
✓	D They built wooden boats for fishing and exploration of the open seas.	Correct. S1 states that the Jōmon built boats out of wood and used them for deep-sea fishing and exploration.

P4	Paragraph 4	Comments
S1–2	The Kennewick Man may help resolve these competing theories. Anthropological analysis and carbon dating techniques show that the skeleton is approximately 9,000 years old, but that the skeleton is distinctly different from most other Paleoamerican remains.
3–4	A The Kennewick Man had a relatively small face with a long, narrow skull. In contrast, Paleoamericans and modern Native Americans tend to have larger faces with shorter, broader skulls and prominent cheekbones.	The Jōmon have not yet been introduced in the passage.
5–6	B Also, resin models of other important bones indicate key differences in size and structure from those of other Paleoamericans. Indeed, of all current peoples, the Kennewick Man possessed physical attributes most similar to Polynesians.	The Jōmon have not yet been introduced in the passage.
7	C Present-day Polynesians, in turn, are most likely descended from the ancient Jōmon, the original inhabitants of the Japanese islands, who may have come into existence well over 15,000 years ago.	The Jōmon have not yet been introduced in the passage.
End	D	Correct. The Jōmon have finally been introduced in the preceding sentence. The new conclusion is properly drawn after all the preceding evidence has been presented.

	This lends credence to the claim that the Kennewick Man may provide the first concrete evidence that members of the Jōmon people migrated to North America. Where would the sentence best fit?	Insert Text. The new sentence begins with “This lends credence to (= this supports) the claim that… ” So the previous sentence or sentences should lead to the claim or conclusion presented in this sentence. This claim is that the Kennewick Man (the primary subject of the passage) may provide evidence of Jōmon migration to North America. That’s a big claim, so it should have sufficient prior support. A good clue to the proper position of the new sentence is the specialized term “Jōmon.” This term must be introduced in the text before the insertion point, or the new sentence doesn’t make sense as written.
✗	A Choice A
✗	B Choice B
✗	C Choice C
✓	D Choice D	Correct.

	Whole Passage	Comments
P1	In 1996, while competing in a boating race in Columbia Park along the Columbia River near Kennewick, Washington…	Accidental discovery of a skull in Washington. Almost a whole skeleton. “The Kennewick Man” may shed new light on first human societies in North America.
P2	Scientists have argued that the first humans came to North America during the last glacial period…	How humans came to North America during the last ice age: Beringia. Siberia and Alaska were connected by land. So human migration was possible across this land bridge. Standard hypothesis: a single migration of the first humans. Much evidence supports “Clovis First.”
P3	New theories have emerged that the Beringia migration was not the only source of human migration to North America…	New theories: Beringia migration might not have been only, or first. Haplogroups found in Asia and among Native Americans support theory of single migration. But haplogroup X is really only found in some places in North America. And mutations suggest that X may have settled earlier. More support for possibility of earlier migrations.
P4	The Kennewick Man may help resolve these competing theories…	Kennewick Man may help resolve. Different from most other Paleoamerican remains. Most similar to Polynesians. Polynesians probably descended from Jōmon people.
P5	The Jōmon culture is known to have been dependent upon the oceans for survival…	Jōmon used boats. They may have sailed along the coastline from Asia to Alaska, before the Beringia migration. Later, that migration may have overwhelmed the Jōmon.

	The discovery of the Kennewick Man has called into question long-standing theories about the migration patterns of the first human inhabitants of North America.	Summary. Correct answers must be clearly expressed in the passage. They must also be among the major points of the passage. They should tie as directly as possible to the summary given.
✗	a The Kennewick Man was recently discovered by accident in the river bed of the Columbia River near Kennewick, Washington.	Directly mentioned in P1. But this is a minor detail in the context of the passage as a whole.
✓	b The standard hypothesis has held that the first inhabitants of North America migrated there during the last ice age via a landmass located where the Bering Strait now lies.	Correct. P2 discusses this important conventional hypothesis at length.
✓	c New DNA analysis techniques have shown that while some genetic markers can be found in both Northeast Asia and Native American tribes, haplogroup X follows a different pattern.	Correct. P3 discusses this important finding and its implications.
✓	d The Kennewick Man’s skeleton reveals physical features that are similar to those of Polynesians, who likely descended from the Jōmon people.	Correct. P4 discusses these facts as important evidence for a possible alternative source of early migrations to North America.
✗	e The Jōmon culture is known by anthropologists to have made use of wooden boats for both fishing and exploration.	Introduced at the beginning of P5. But this is actually a minor detail in the context of the passage as a whole. It does support the larger point that the Jōmon could have had outposts in North America. But many cultures have made use of wooden boats. By itself, this fact is not a main idea of the passage.
✗	f The Kennewick Man had a larger face and a shorter, broader skull with more prominent cheekbones than most Paleoamericans.	Not true. According to P4 S3, the Kennewick Man had a much smaller face and a longer, more narrow skull.