Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Part 1

Reading Check

1. 2.5 million years (Part 1, Chapter 1, “An Animal of No Significance”)

2. Language (Part 1, Chapter 2, “The Tree of Knowledge”)

3. 15,000 years (Part 1, Chapter 3, “A Day in the Life of Adam and Eve”)

4. The Afro-Asian landmass (Part 1, Chapter 4, “The Flood”)

5. The Third Wave Extinction (Part 1, Chapter 4, “The Flood”)

Short Answer

1. The various species of humans were in the middle of the food chain for most of human existence. It is only in the past 100,000 years that humans have been at the top of the food chain. (Part 1, Chapter 1, “An Animal of No Significance”)

2. Once humans had fire, they could cook food. Our species evolved shorter digestive tracts and larger brains because of the more efficient energy absorption of cooked food. (Part 1, Chapter 1, “An Animal of No Significance”)

3. Imagined realities are a shared set of beliefs and constructs. These allow larger groups to cooperate without personal communication between all group members. (Part 1, Chapter 2, “The Tree of Knowledge”)

4.