Ice Age

TRUE OR FALSE? Volcanic eruptions may have contributed to the beginning and/or the end of ice age periods.

The Ice Ages ___ (begIn) 2.4 million years ago and ___ (last) until 11,500 years ago.

The group probably ___ (contain) one dominant female and several younger females with their babies. Like elephants, male mammoths probably ___ (spend) less time with the group starting at age ten and eventually ___ (leave) the group.

TRUE OR FALSE? Another important contribution to ancient climate regimes is the variation of river currents.

Mammoths ___ (ARE) herbivores — they ___ (EAT) plants.

TRUE OR FALSE? There have been at least nine major ice ages in the Earth's history.

Elephants live in groups of two to twenty individuals; so mammoths most likely ___ (live) in large groups as well.

During this time, the earth’s climate repeatedly ___ (change) between very cold periods, during which glaciers ___ (cover) large parts of the world, and very warm periods during which many of the glaciers ___ (melt).

Male mammoths ___ (are) more adventurous than female mammoths, especially when they ___ (are) teenagers. These fossil sites show us that mammoth males ___ (wander) on their own.

TRUE OR FALSE? An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and glaciers.

There are several fossil sites where paleontologists ___ (fInd) skeletons of many mammoths that ___ (die) together at the same time. What is interesting is that the skeletons are all female mammoths of different ages.

TRUE OR FALSE? There is only one factor that causes ice ages.

Scientists think that mammoths ___ (rub) against rocks to scratch their backs.

TRUE OR FALSE? The cold periods are called glacials (ice covering) and the warm periods are called interglacials.

Mother mammoths ___ (feed) their babies with milk, just like elephants.

The baby mammoths ___ (stay) close to their moms until they were teenagers. The moms ___ (protect) them from danger and from other animals. If a mammoth’s mom ___ (die), one of the other mammoths in the group would adopt the young mammoth.