Mary Anning — Questions and answers

Read the full story

What was Mary Anning's most astonishing discovery mentioned on this page?

Choices

  1. A complete skeleton of an Ichthyosaur ✓
  2. An extraordinary skull found by her brother
  3. A collection of old bones
  4. A new type of shale and limestone rock

Answer: A complete skeleton of an Ichthyosaur

From page 1

Before Mary Anning's discoveries, what did many people believe about Earth and its species?

Choices

  1. That Earth was very old and species constantly changed.
  2. That all species were created by a divine hand and still existed. ✓
  3. That fossils were important evidence of prehistoric life.
  4. That extinction was a widely accepted scientific fact.

Answer: That all species were created by a divine hand and still existed.

From page 2

How did Mary Anning learn to find and identify fossils?

Choices

  1. She attended a famous university to study geology.
  2. Her father, a cabinetmaker, taught her to 'read' the cliffs. ✓
  3. She inherited a large collection of fossils from her family.
  4. Wealthy scientists taught her about comparative anatomy.

Answer: Her father, a cabinetmaker, taught her to 'read' the cliffs.

From page 3

What was Georges Cuvier known for developing at the same time Mary Anning was making her discoveries?

Choices

  1. A new method for extracting delicate fossils.
  2. A theory about how Ichthyosaurs swam.
  3. The theory of extinction. ✓
  4. A comprehensive guide to marine reptiles.

Answer: The theory of extinction.

From page 4

What was special about the Ichthyosaur's body that Mary Anning discovered?

Choices

  1. It had wings and could fly.
  2. It had a fish-like body, paddle-like limbs, and sharp teeth. ✓
  3. It was a plant-eating land animal.
  4. It was a very small, soft-bodied creature.

Answer: It had a fish-like body, paddle-like limbs, and sharp teeth.

From page 5

Why did some anatomists, like Georges Cuvier, initially doubt Mary Anning's Plesiosaur discovery?

Choices

  1. They thought it was too small to be real.
  2. They suspected it was a forgery or a mix of different animals. ✓
  3. They believed Mary Anning was not smart enough to find it.
  4. They had already found a similar creature themselves.

Answer: They suspected it was a forgery or a mix of different animals.

From page 6

Besides the Ichthyosaur and Plesiosaur, what other type of ancient creature did Mary Anning discover in 1828?

Choices

  1. A woolly mammoth
  2. A Pterodactyl (Pterosaur) ✓
  3. A giant marine mammal
  4. A very old tree fossil

Answer: A Pterodactyl (Pterosaur)

From page 7

Why was Mary Anning often not fully recognized for her discoveries during her lifetime?

Choices

  1. She refused to sell her fossils to anyone.
  2. Her finds were considered unimportant by others.
  3. She was a working-class woman in a male-dominated scientific field. ✓
  4. She preferred to keep her work a secret from everyone.

Answer: She was a working-class woman in a male-dominated scientific field.

From page 8

How did Mary Anning's discoveries change the understanding of Earth's history?

Choices

  1. They proved the Earth was only a few thousand years old.
  2. They showed that all species had always existed on Earth.
  3. They revealed a vast timeline of millions of years, challenging old beliefs. ✓
  4. They confirmed that fossils were just mythical creatures.

Answer: They revealed a vast timeline of millions of years, challenging old beliefs.

From page 9

What is one important part of Mary Anning's legacy mentioned in this text?

Choices

  1. She became a famous painter.
  2. She established methodologies for careful fossil excavation and preparation. ✓
  3. She discovered how to fly a Pterodactyl.
  4. She wrote many books about modern animals.

Answer: She established methodologies for careful fossil excavation and preparation.

From page 10