Question:
Tools and hand bones excavated from the Swartkrans cave complex in South Africa suggest that a close relative of early humans known as Australopithecus robustus may have made and used primitive tools long before the species became extinct I million Line years ago. It may even have made and used primitive tools long before humanity’s direct ancestor, Homo habilis, or “handy man,” began doing so. Homo habilis and its successor, Homo erectus, coexisted with Australopithecus robustus on the plains of South Africa for more than a million years.
The Swartkrans cave in South Africa has been under excavation since the 1940’s. The earliest fossil-containing layers of sedimentary rock in the cave date from about 1.9 million years ago and contain extensive remains of animals, primitive tools, and two or more species of apelike hominids. The key recent discovery involved bones from the hand of Australopithecus robustus, the first time such bones have been found.
The most important feature of the Australopithecus robustus hand was the pollical distal thumb tip, the last bone in the thumb. The bone had an attachment point for a “uniquely human” muscle, the flexor pollicis longus, that had previously been found only in more recent ancestors. That muscle gave Australopithecus robustutJ an opposable thumb, a feature that would allow them to grip objects, including tools. The researchers also found primitive bone and stone implements, especially digging tools, in the same layers of sediments.
Australopithecus robustus were more heavily built- more “robust” in anthropological terms-than their successors. They had broad faces, heavy jaws, and massive crushing and grinding teeth that were used for eating hard fruits, seeds, and fibrous underground plant parts. They walked upright, which would have allowed them to carry and use tools. Most experts had previously believed that Homo habilis were able to supplant Australopithecus robustus because the former’s ability to use tools gave them an innate superiority. The discovery that Australopithecus robustus also used tools means that researchers will have to seek other explanations for their extinction. Perhaps their reliance on naturally occurring plants led to their downfall as the climate became drier and cooler, or perhaps Homo habilis, with their bigger brains, were simply able tomake more sophisticated tools.
The Swartkrans cave in South Africa has been under excavation since the 1940’s. The earliest fossil-containing layers of sedimentary rock in the cave date from about 1.9 million years ago and contain extensive remains of animals, primitive tools, and two or more species of apelike hominids. The key recent discovery involved bones from the hand of Australopithecus robustus, the first time such bones have been found.
The most important feature of the Australopithecus robustus hand was the pollical distal thumb tip, the last bone in the thumb. The bone had an attachment point for a “uniquely human” muscle, the flexor pollicis longus, that had previously been found only in more recent ancestors. That muscle gave Australopithecus robustutJ an opposable thumb, a feature that would allow them to grip objects, including tools. The researchers also found primitive bone and stone implements, especially digging tools, in the same layers of sediments.
Australopithecus robustus were more heavily built- more “robust” in anthropological terms-than their successors. They had broad faces, heavy jaws, and massive crushing and grinding teeth that were used for eating hard fruits, seeds, and fibrous underground plant parts. They walked upright, which would have allowed them to carry and use tools. Most experts had previously believed that Homo habilis were able to supplant Australopithecus robustus because the former’s ability to use tools gave them an innate superiority. The discovery that Australopithecus robustus also used tools means that researchers will have to seek other explanations for their extinction. Perhaps their reliance on naturally occurring plants led to their downfall as the climate became drier and cooler, or perhaps Homo habilis, with their bigger brains, were simply able tomake more sophisticated tools.
1. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that all of the following may have made and used tools EXCEPT.
(A) Australopithecus robustus
(B) Homo erectus
(C) Homo habilis
(D) Australopithecus robustus’ ancestors
Pembahasan: Paragraf di atas menjelaskan bahwa alat-alat primitif itu mulai digunakan oleh Australophitecus robustus bersama-sama dengan Homo Habilis dan penerusnya, Homo erectus. Berarti yang bukan adalah nenek moyang Australophitecus robustus.
2. The word “extensive” in line 9 is closest in meaning to
(A) numerous
(B) exposed
(C) ancient
(D) valuable
(A) numerous
(B) exposed
(C) ancient
(D) valuable
Pembahasan: Extensive memiliki arti luas atau dalam jumlah besar sehingga kata yang paling dekat artinya dengan kata tersebut adalah numerous.
3. Which of the following does the author mention as the most important recent discovery made in the Swartkrans cave?
(A) Tools
(B) Teeth
(C) Plant fossils
(D) Hand bones
(A) Tools
(B) Teeth
(C) Plant fossils
(D) Hand bones
Pembahasan: Jawaban tersebut bisa dilihat pada paragraf 2 kalimat The key recent discovery involved bones from the hand of Australopithecus robustus, the first time such bones have been found yang menyatakan bahwa penemuan yang paling penting adalah hand bones.
4. What does the third paragraph ‘mainly discuss?
(A) Features of Australopithecus robustus’ hand
(B) Purposes for which hominids used tools
(C) Methods used to determine the age of fossils
(D) Significant plant fossils found in layers of sediment
(A) Features of Australopithecus robustus’ hand
(B) Purposes for which hominids used tools
(C) Methods used to determine the age of fossils
(D) Significant plant fossils found in layers of sediment
Pembahasan: Jawaban sangat jelas ditemukan pada kalimat pertama paragraf tersebut yaitu membahas tentang ciri (feature) dari Australopithecus robustus.
5. It can be inferred from the description in the last paragraph that Australopithecus robustus was so named because of the species’
(A) ancestors
(B) thumb
(C) build
(D) diet
(A) ancestors
(B) thumb
(C) build
(D) diet
Pembahasan: Paragraf 4 kalimat pertama, Australopithecus robustus were more heavily built-more “robust” in anthropological terms-than their successors menjelaskan bahwa kata robustus berasal dari robust, istilah antropologi yang merujuk pada perawakan atau bentuk fisik (build) dengan ciri-ciri yang dijelaskan pada kalimat selanjutnya.
6. The word “supplant” in line 22 is closest in meaning to
(A) exploit
(B) displace
(C) understand
(D) imitate
(A) exploit
(B) displace
(C) understand
(D) imitate
Pembahasan: Kata supplant memiliki arti “menggantikan” sehingga kata yang paling dekat artinya dengan kata tersebut pada pilihan yang tersedia adalah displace (menggantikan).
7. The word “them” in line 23 refers to
(A) tools
(B) Homo habilis
(C) Australopithecus robustus
(D) experts
(A) tools
(B) Homo habilis
(C) Australopithecus robustus
(D) experts
Pembahasan: Them pada kalimat tersebut merujuk pada subjek yang disebutkan sebelumnya yaitu Homo habilis.
8. What does the author suggest is unclear about Australopithecus robustus?
(A) Whether they used tools
(B) What they most likely ate
(C) Whether they are closely related to humans
(D) Why they became extinct
(A) Whether they used tools
(B) What they most likely ate
(C) Whether they are closely related to humans
(D) Why they became extinct
Pembahasan: Jawaban tersebut bisa ditemukan pada paragraf terakhir kalimat The discovery that Australopithecus robustus also used tools means that researchers will have to seek other explanations for their extinction yang menyarankan kepada para peneliti untuk mencari sebab-sebab lain kepunahan jenis manusia primitif tersebut.
9. The phrase “reliance on” in line 24 is closest in meaning to
(A) impact on
(B) dependence on
(C) tolerance of
(D) discovery of
(A) impact on
(B) dependence on
(C) tolerance of
(D) discovery of
Pembahasan: Reliance on memiliki arti kebergantungan yang bersesuaian dengan kata dependence on (ketergantungan).
10. Where in the passage does the author mention the materials from which tools were made?
(A) Lines 7-9
(B) Lines 12-13
(C) Lines 15-17
(D) Lines 21-23
(A) Lines 7-9
(B) Lines 12-13
(C) Lines 15-17
(D) Lines 21-23
Pembahasan: Penulis menyebutkan beberapa alat serta asal bahannya pada baris 15-17: “…an opposable thumb, a feature that would allow them to grip objects, including tools. The researchers also found primitive bone and stone implements, especially digging tools, in the same layers of sediments.” Yaitu bentuk tulang yang memungkinkan mereka mencengkeram alat dan alat dari batu untuk peralatan menggali.
Source: http://www.geniustoefl.com/artikel-ilmu-kunci-toefl/artikel/reading-comprehension/contoh-soal-pembahasan-reading-comprehension-tes-toefl
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