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Quiz: Faiths of South Asia

Test your understanding of Chapter 5. Choose the best answer, then click Show Answer to check.

Question 1

Which school of Buddhism is followed by most Buddhists in Sri Lanka?

  1. Vajrayana
  2. Zen
  3. Theravada
  4. Pure Land
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. Sri Lanka follows Theravada Buddhism, whose scriptures are the Pali Canon. Vajrayana is the main distractor: it is the Buddhism of Bhutan and Himalayan Nepal, not Sri Lanka.

Concept Tested: Theravada and Vajrayana Bloom's Level: Remember

Question 2

What is the Guru Granth Sahib?

  1. The Sikh scripture, which Sikhs honor as their living Guru
  2. The founder of Sikhism
  3. The holiest gurdwara in Amritsar
  4. A collection of Hindu epics translated into Punjabi
Show Answer

The correct answer is A. The Guru Granth Sahib is the Sikh scripture, first compiled by Guru Arjan in 1604. Guru Nanak founded Sikhism, and the Golden Temple is the holiest gurdwara, which is why B and C can sound plausible.

Concept Tested: Guru Granth Sahib Bloom's Level: Remember

Question 3

What does ahimsa mean?

  1. Devotional singing in a temple
  2. Non-violence toward all living beings
  3. A pilgrimage to a sacred river
  4. Fasting during a holy month
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Ahimsa means non-violence in action, word and thought. Jains put it at the center of their lives, and Hindus and Buddhists also value it. Fasting (D) is part of some Jain festivals, but it is not what the word means.

Concept Tested: Ahimsa Bloom's Level: Remember

Question 4

Which statement best describes Hinduism?

  1. A religion founded by one teacher, with one holy book
  2. A branch of Buddhism that began in Nepal
  3. A religion that began in Arabia and spread to India
  4. A family of related traditions with no single founder and many sacred texts
Show Answer

The correct answer is D. Hinduism grew over thousands of years from many traditions and has many sacred texts, including the Vedas, Upanishads, epics and Puranas. Option A describes the common misconception that Hinduism has "one holy book."

Concept Tested: Hinduism Bloom's Level: Understand

Question 5

Why did Sunni and Shia Islam become separate branches?

  1. They disagreed about who should lead the Muslim community after the Prophet Muhammad died.
  2. They use different holy books.
  3. Shia Muslims do not follow the Five Pillars.
  4. Sunni Islam began in South Asia, while Shia Islam began in Arabia.
Show Answer

The correct answer is A. Sunnis accept the community's choice of Abu Bakr as the first leader, while Shias believe the Prophet named Ali. Both branches share the Quran and the Five Pillars, so B and C are wrong.

Concept Tested: Sunni and Shia Islam Bloom's Level: Understand

Question 6

What idea does langar, the free community kitchen of a gurdwara, express?

  1. That only Sikhs may eat food blessed in a gurdwara
  2. That fasting is the most important form of worship
  3. That all people are equal, so everyone eats together regardless of religion, caste, gender or wealth
  4. That food should be offered to the scripture before anyone eats
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. Langar is served free to anyone who comes, and everyone sits together as equals, reflecting Guru Nanak's teaching of equality. Option A is the opposite of the truth: visitors of every faith are welcome.

Concept Tested: Langar Bloom's Level: Understand

Question 7

Ben visits a gurdwara for the first time with Simran. Based on the chapter, what should he expect to do?

  1. Keep his shoes on and stand during the service
  2. Remove his shoes, cover his head, and sit on the floor, possibly eating langar afterward
  3. Bring an offering of meat for the community meal
  4. Show proof that he is a Sikh before entering
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Visitors to a gurdwara remove their shoes and cover their heads, sit on the floor, and are welcome at langar. Option C is wrong because langar is vegetarian, and D is wrong because gurdwaras welcome respectful visitors of every faith.

Concept Tested: Sikhism Bloom's Level: Apply

Question 8

A classmate writes, "Pakistan is Muslim, India is Hindu, and Sri Lanka is Buddhist, so each faith has its own country." Which fact from the chapter best shows the problem with this claim?

  1. SAARC was founded in 1985.
  2. Bhutan follows Vajrayana Buddhism.
  3. The Kumbh Mela rotates among four cities.
  4. India had about 172 million Muslims in 2011, and Sri Lanka's 2024 census found large Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities.
Show Answer

The correct answer is D. Every South Asian country is home to several faiths, and even minority shares can mean millions of people. Option B is true but doesn't address the claim that religion and country line up one-to-one.

Concept Tested: Religious Pluralism Bloom's Level: Apply

Question 9

Adam's Peak in Sri Lanka is visited by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians, who each explain its footprint differently. What does this example best show?

  1. That the four faiths have merged into one religion in Sri Lanka
  2. That one faith's explanation of the footprint is the correct one
  3. That a single sacred place can hold different meanings for different faiths, an example of religious pluralism
  4. That pilgrimage is only important in Buddhism
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. Shared sites like Adam's Peak show people of different faiths valuing the same place in their own ways. The faiths remain distinct (so A is wrong), and the book does not rank one explanation above another (so B is wrong).

Concept Tested: Pilgrimage Bloom's Level: Analyze

Question 10

Pew Research Center's 2021 report on religion in India was titled "Tolerance and Segregation." Which conclusion does the evidence in the chapter best support?

  1. Most Indians value respect for all religions, yet many keep their friendships and marriages within their own faith.
  2. Indians of different faiths share no beliefs at all.
  3. Religious tension in India has completely disappeared.
  4. Only Hindus in India believe in karma.
Show Answer

The correct answer is A. The survey found that respect for all religions is widely valued, but many people's friends come mostly from their own group, and many oppose interfaith marriage. Option D is contradicted by the finding that 77% of both Hindus and Muslims said they believe in karma.

Concept Tested: Religious Pluralism Bloom's Level: Analyze