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1 | |
Our understanding of Harappan society depends entirely on |
| | A) | written records uncovered in Harappa and other Dravidian cities. |
| | B) | archaeological discoveries of Harappan physical remains below the water table. |
| | C) | archaeological discoveries of Harappan physical remains above the water table. |
| | D) | the Vedas and the Upanishads. |
| | E) | all of the above. |
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2 | |
The inhabitants of Harappan society enjoyed a rich variety of diet. Their food included |
| | A) | wheat, barley, chicken, cattle, sheep, goats. |
| | B) | soybeans, sorghum, rice, pigs, fish. |
| | C) | sweet potatoes, tomatoes, maize, cacao beans. |
| | D) | millet, yams, legumes, no meat. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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3 | |
In the sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, archeologists have found a high degree of standardization of weights, measures, architectural styles, and even brick sizes. Such standardization may suggest that |
| | A) | the Harappan state was very oppressive, forcing different racial groups to adopt the same standards. |
| | B) | there might have been a central authority powerful enough to reach all corners of society. |
| | C) | there was a high degree of commercialization in the economy. |
| | D) | these cultures actually migrated from Mesopotamia. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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4 | |
Archaeologists claim that there were sharp social distinctions in Harappan society, which can be illustrated by the people's |
| | A) | gold, gems, and decorative items. |
| | B) | bathrooms, showers, and toilets. |
| | C) | foods, clothes, and hairstyles. |
| | D) | houses, ovens, and wells. |
| | E) | all of the above. |
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5 | |
Harappan religion reflected a strong concern for fertility. We know this because |
| | A) | it was very common for the peoples in other early agricultural societies to honor fertility gods or goddesses. |
| | B) | the bronze figurine of a dancing girl discovered at Mohenjo-daro reveals this point. |
| | C) | of the similarities between the images of Harappan deities and the images of Hindu fertility deities. |
| | D) | there is written documentation to support it. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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6 | |
By about 1700 B.C.E., the residents of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro began to abandon their cities because |
| | A) | frequent epidemics made city living impossible. |
| | B) | deforestation of the Indus River valley brought about ecological degradation. |
| | C) | the horse-riding Aryans began to invade the cities. |
| | D) | the Indus River dried up. |
| | E) | all of the above. |
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7 | |
The Aryans |
| | A) | forcibly drove the Harappans out of their cities. |
| | B) | came suddenly, in a massive migration. |
| | C) | entered the Indus valley at the height of the Harappan society. |
| | D) | refused to intermingle with the Dravidians. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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8 | |
The Indo-Europeans who migrated to the Indian subcontinent |
| | A) | were primarily herders. |
| | B) | utilized horses for transportation. |
| | C) | judged wealth by the number of cattle. |
| | D) | called themselves Aryans. |
| | E) | all of the above. |
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9 | |
The period of Indian history from 1500 to 500 B.C.E. is called the Vedic Age. It is so called because |
| | A) | this was how the Aryans referred to this period. |
| | B) | the four earliest religious texts were compiled in this period. |
| | C) | this was the period in which the Indians were particularly religious. |
| | D) | the major god was Vedas. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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10 | |
The Aryans' term for their four original castes was |
| | A) | jati. |
| | B) | brahmans. |
| | C) | varnas. |
| | D) | shudras. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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11 | |
The Indian caste system |
| | A) | was a central institution that served to promote social stability. |
| | B) | was incapable of accommodating social changes. |
| | C) | was actually not much of a restriction on the upward mobility of individuals. |
| | D) | did not persist beyond the Vedic age. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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12 | |
One of the hymns in the Rig Veda offered a brief account of the origins of the four varnas (castes). It was said that |
| | A) | the four castes were created according to the wills of Indra and Agni (the god of fire). |
| | B) | Purusha, a primeval being, sacrificed himself in order to create the four castes. |
| | C) | the brahman priests created the four castes with themselves at the top. |
| | D) | the four castes emanated from the four parts of Purusha when the gods sacrificed him. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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13 | |
Which of the following was evidence of the subordination of women to men in Aryan society? |
| | A) | patrilineal descent |
| | B) | the Lawbook of Manu. |
| | C) | the practice of sati. |
| | D) | women had no responsibilities for religious rituals. |
| | E) | all of the above. |
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14 | |
Aryan religion during the early Vedic Age was relatively unconcerned with ethics, but concerned itself more with |
| | A) | ritual sacrifices and the god of war. |
| | B) | fertility and immortality. |
| | C) | spirituality and meditation. |
| | D) | building religious buildings. |
| | E) | all of the above. |
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15 | |
The Upanishads can be best characterized as |
| | A) | the spiritual longing of the Aryans. |
| | B) | the further development of the religious tradition of the Dravidians. |
| | C) | a how-to book of religious ritual. |
| | D) | the blending of Aryan and Dravidian values. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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16 | |
According to the teachings of the Upanishads, the highest goal of the individual soul was |
| | A) | to attain the state of samsara. |
| | B) | to attain the state of moksha. |
| | C) | to avoid one's karma. |
| | D) | to separate from Brahman. |
| | E) | to practice yoga. |
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17 | |
According to the Upanishads, |
| | A) | each person is part of a larger cosmic order.. |
| | B) | the highest goal of the individual is to escape the cycle of birth and rebirth. |
| | C) | individuals who live virtuous lives and do their duty can expect rebirth into a purer form. |
| | D) | ascetism and meditation are vehicles for escaping the cycle of birth and rebirth. |
| | E) | all of the above. |
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18 | |
In the Chandogya Upanishad, a man explained to his son how |
| | A) | bees made honey. |
| | B) | to remove salt from water. |
| | C) | the subtle essence of Brahman pervades everything. |
| | D) | individuals were separate in universal reality. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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19 | |
According to the teachings of the Upanishads, an individual should |
| | A) | be attached to the material world as closely as possible. |
| | B) | ignore ethical standards, since these standards were not the ultimate reality. |
| | C) | observe high ethical standards like honesty, self-control, and charity. |
| | D) | avoid any inclinations to gain self-knowledge. |
| | E) | none of the above. |
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20 | |
Believers in the Upanishads |
| | A) | often are vegetarians. |
| | B) | believe you should respect all living things, even animals and insects. |
| | C) | believe that animals might be holding incarnations of unfortunate souls. |
| | D) | humans should have compassion for the suffering of the souls in animals. |
| | E) | all of the above. |
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2003 McGraw-Hill Higher Education