Deck 8: South Asia

Question 1

What process created the Himalayan Mountains?

A) accumulation of magma surfacing along the boundaries of the Indian Plate
B) the collision of the African Plate with the Indian Plate
C) the collision of the Indian-Australian Plate with the Eurasian Plate
D) accumulation of magma surfacing through breaches in the Eurasian Plate

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which ocean surrounds the Indian subcontinent?

A) Atlantic
B) Arctic
C) Pacific
D) Indian

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Because of its high degree of tectonic activity,South Asia is prone to:

A) droughts.
B) hurricanes and tornadoes.
C) earthquakes and tsunamis.
D) sinkholes and quicksand.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The Sardar Sarovar Dam is intended to dam which Indian river?

A) Ganga
B) Yangtze
C) Narmada
D) Indus

Question 5

Which country is NOT considered a part of the South Asia region?

A) India
B) Afghanistan
C) Bangladesh
D) Burma

Question 6

Which is the world's highest mountain range?

A) Rockies
B) Urals
C) Himalayas
D) Andes

Question 7

Which of the following provides,in a single word,a basic description of the South Asian landform?

A) peninsula
B) archipelago
C) rift
D) isthmus

Question 8

Which of the following has NOT been an effect of the Sardar Sarovar Dam project?

A) increased iron ore deposits along the riverside
B) disturbance of the Narmada River's natural cycles
C) widespread death of aquatic life
D) high unemployment among fishers

Question 9

Which technique did the two protesters of the Sardar Sarovar Dam project (Mehda Patkar and Narendra Modi)use to gain attention for their protests?

A) hunger strike
B) suicide
C) self-mutilation (cutting)
D) chaining themselves to trees

Question 10

The large island off the southern coast of India is:

A) Burma.
B) Sri Lanka.
C) Sierra Leone.
D) Rangoon.

Question 11

The Himalayas were created when which two tectonic plates collided?

A) Pacific and Atlantic
B) Eurasian and Indian-Australian
C) African and Eurasian
D) Indian-Australian and Mongolian

Question 12

India's national government is based in:

A) Kolkata.
B) New Delhi.
C) Delhi.
D) Mumbai.

Question 13

Because South Asia has clear physical boundaries that set it apart from the rest of the Asian continent,the term __________ is often used to refer to the entire Indian peninsula.

A) atoll
B) midlatitude
C) estuary
D) subcontinent

Question 14

The plateau that rose up behind the Himalayas as a result of strong tectonic forces is:

A) Bhutan.
B) Nepal.
C) Afghanistan.
D) Tibet.

Question 15

Why has India renamed several of its large cities,with Calcutta becoming Kolkata and Bombay becoming Mumbai?

A) to make the city names more easily pronounceable
B) to replace the names given to those cities during British colonial rule
C) to gain membership into the European Union
D) to unite warring factions in North and South India

Question 16

Which of the following has NOT been proposed as a more effective alternative to the Sardar Sarovar Dam in India?

A) rainwater harvesting
B) groundwater recharge
C) watershed management
D) nuclear energy

Question 17

The name Deccan is given to which of the following features on South Asia's physical landscape?

A) principal river in Pakistan
B) mountains fringing India's west coast
C) delta created by Bangladesh's main river
D) plateau between the Eastern and Western Ghat mountain ranges

Question 18

South and southwest of the Himalayas are the Indus and Ganga river basins,also called what?

A) Indian-Australian Plain
B) Indo-Gangetic Plain
C) Eurasian Plain
D) Brahmaputra Plain

Question 19

What landforms shield South Asia from the cold airflows to the north of the region?

A) Himalayas
B) Western Ghats
C) Eastern Ghats
D) the Ganga River

Question 20

Which mountain range shields the Indian subcontinent from cold airflows from the north?

A) Ghats
B) Urals
C) Himalayas
D) Andes

Question 21

Which is true of the Ganga River?

A) Its water is relatively pure.
B) It is against the Hindu religion for dead bodies to be dumped in it.
C) It is India's most sacred river.
D) It has been polluted by the Union Carbide explosion in Bhopal.

Question 22

Meltwater from Himalayan glaciers feeds the headwaters of all the following rivers EXCEPT the:

A) Ganga.
B) Indus.
C) Narmada.
D) Brahmaputra.

Question 23

India has regularly diverted a large proportion of the Ganga River flow in order to serve the needs of what large city?

A) Mumbai
B) Bangalore
C) Kolkata
D) New Delhi

Question 24

The first area reached by the summer monsoons of South Asia is:

A) the Western Ghats.
B) West Bengal and Bangladesh.
C) Darjeeling.
D) northern Pakistan.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a likely,currently observed,or possible effect of climate change on the Himalayan glaciers and rivers of India?

A) flooding
B) a long-term water shortage
C) Indian rivers running dry during winter monsoon season
D) the movement of more human population into the higher altitudes of the Himalayas

Question 26

Meltwater from what mountains supplies the headwaters of the three principal river systems of South Asia?

A) Western Ghats
B) Hindu Kush
C) Himalayas
D) Pamir

Question 27

The monsoon that brings plentiful rain to South Asia occurs during which season?

A) summer
B) winter
C) spring
D) autumn

Question 28

The abundance of rainfall during summer in South Asia is amplified by:

A) the ITCZ.
B) volcanic ash from Iceland.
C) arctic wind patterns.
D) the evaporation of salt into the air.

Question 29

India's diversion of the Ganga River's flow to Kolkata has had a significant impact on farmers and fishermen in:

A) Bangladesh.
B) Pakistan.
C) Sri Lanka.
D) Nepal.

Question 30

The body of water to which the Ganga flows is the:

A) Ganga River.
B) Arabian Sea.
C) Gulf of Oman.
D) Bay of Bengal.

Question 31

The Indian pilgrimage town that millions of Hindus visit to die and be cremated in is:

A) Mumbai.
B) Varanasi.
C) New Delhi.
D) Chennai.

Question 32

Major air and water pollution problems in India,Pakistan,and Bangladesh include all of the following,EXCEPT:

A) industrial waste.
B) lack of sewage processing facilities.
C) storage of nuclear waste from nuclear power plants.
D) end-of-life pilgrimages.

Question 33

The South Asian island nation that is extremely vulnerable to climate change because much of it lies one meter or less above sea level is:

A) the Maldives.
B) the Philippines.
C) the Moluccas.
D) Sri Lanka.

Question 34

The early winter monsoons of South Asia release rains over parts of:

A) Pakistan.
B) Afghanistan.
C) Nepal and Bhutan.
D) Sri Lanka and southeastern India.

Question 35

Which of the following has NOT been an intended or unintended effect of India's diversion of the Ganga River's flow to Kolkata?

A) Channels have been flushed out where silt is accumulating and hampering river traffic.
B) The people of Bangladesh have benefited at the expense of the citizens of Kolkata.
C) Saltwater from the Bay of Bengal penetrates inland,ruining agricultural fields.
D) The fishing industry in Bangladesh has been damaged.

Question 36

Precipitation from the summer monsoon is particularly intense in which of the following areas of South Asia?

A) the eastern foothills of the Himalayas
B) south central India
C) the eastern states of Rajasthan and Gujarat in India
D) the Kabul Valley in Afghanistan

Question 37

The country with the most people vulnerable to the effects of a rise in sea level is:

A) Pakistan.
B) Nepal.
C) Bangladesh.
D) Sri Lanka.

Question 38

India and Bangladesh are at odds over the economic and environmental effects of what practice?

A) Bangladesh's failure to dredge the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta
B) Bangladesh's construction of dams on the Indus River
C) India's dismantling of two large dams on the Brahmaputra River
D) India's diversion of the Ganga River

Question 39

The Indian city that holds the world record for annual rainfall is:

A) Darjeeling.
B) Punjab.
C) New Delhi.
D) Mumbai.

Question 40

Which is NOT true of the process by which Indian rivers carry sediment from the Himalayas?

A) The rivers' velocity slows when they reach the lowlands,and much of the sediment settles out as silt.
B) The monsoons redeposit the silt onto the Himalayas by way of northerly wind patterns.
C) The movement of silt rearranges floodplain landscapes and complicates human agricultural and settlement efforts.
D) The seasonal replenishment of silt nourishes agricultural production in Bangladesh.

Question 41

The Turkic Persians who invaded India in 1526 were the:

A) Dravidians.
B) Mughals.
C) Harappa.
D) English.

Question 42

All of the following are efforts to respond to the threats of climate change in South Asia EXCEPT:

A) development of solar and wind energy.
B) underground water management systems.
C) reduction of carbon dioxide emissions via electric (rather than gasoline-powered)cars.
D) technologies to disperse or reverse monsoon wind patterns before they reach the region.

Question 43

By the time of British colonization,the lingua franca of India and what is today Pakistan was:

A) Aryan.
B) Indo-European.
C) Dravidian.
D) Hindi.

Question 44

Which of the following was NOT an invader of South Asia?

A) the Mongolians
B) the Persians
C) the Romans
D) Alexander the Great

Question 45

The first recorded invaders to join the indigenous people of South Asia came from:

A) Africa.
B) Europe.
C) Central and Southwest Asia.
D) South America.

Question 46

Dravidian languages are found mostly in:

A) southern India.
B) the west cost of India.
C) the east coast of India.
D) Bangladesh.

Question 47

Which statement is NOT true of the languages spoken in South Asia?

A) Hundreds of distinct languages are spoken in the region.
B) Some of the languages spoken in the region developed as a result of long periods of isolation experienced by particular groups.
C) Hindi is the native language of the majority of the South Asian people.
D) Both Hindi and English are commonly spoken in the region.

Question 48

Which of the following is NOT a legacy of the Mughal invasion of South Asia?

A) the spread of Islam
B) the caste system
C) a heritage of art,music,and architecture
D) the development of the Hindi language

Question 49

The Indian government's campaign to clean up poorly regulated factories came about as a result of the Union Carbide explosion in:

A) Lahore.
B) Mumbai.
C) Bhopal.
D) Chennai.

Question 50

The first agricultural communities in South Asia were known as the:

A) Dravidians.
B) Tibetans.
C) Pakistanis.
D) Harappa.

Question 51

The Indus River flows southwest across which South Asian country?

A) India
B) Pakistan
C) Bangladesh
D) Sri Lanka

Question 52

The first agricultural communities in South Asia appeared about 4500 years ago along the:

A) Indus River.
B) Ganga River.
C) Bay of Bengal.
D) Aegean Sea.

Question 53

What language-culture group dominates the south of South Asia?

A) Aryan
B) Sino-Tibetan
C) Austro-Asiatic
D) Dravidian

Question 54

What is the foundational argument of the so-called "social forestry movement" in South Asia?

A) Management of forest resources should be given to local communities.
B) Government foresters should rely on scientific,not "homegrown," techniques.
C) Human use of forests should be limited to the harvest of dead or diseased trees.
D) South Asian forests should produce goods for South Asians,not export markets.

Question 55

What is the primary legacy left in South Asia by the Mughals,whose vast sixteenth-century empire encompassed the region?

A) Islam
B) caste system
C) Hinduism
D) state bureaucracy

Question 56

What is the main purpose of the "Chipko movement" in India?

A) oppose oppression of women
B) serve as a "watchdog" of the government
C) increase ecological awareness
D) reduce India's reliance on exports

Question 57

The "Chipko movement" in India is part of a broader reaction against what pattern found in South Asia?

A) The increasing presence of high-tech firms from the West (United States)drive domestic high-tech firms out of business.
B) Rural resources are used by urban industries without considering the needs of local (rural)people.
C) The government refuses to adopt policies that would allow the mechanization of agriculture.
D) City governments urge rural people to move to their cities but fail to provide them with sufficient housing.

Question 58

How many languages are officially recognized in India?

A) one
B) two
C) five
D) eighteen

Question 59

Which is true of the Indus Valley (Harappa)civilization in South Asia?

A) Their architectural style was elementary.
B) Their urban design did not allow for sewage.
C) Their trade network extended to Mesopotamia and eastern Africa.
D) They used monsoon rainfall for a series of bicycle-powered fountains throughout their civilization.

Question 60

All of the following can be results of deforestation in hilly areas EXCEPT:

A) increased soil fertility.
B) landslides.
C) increased flooding.
D) clogged waterways.

Question 61

The subcaste into which a Hindu is born is called a:

A) varna.
B) happa.
C) jati.
D) adivasi.

Question 62

Which statement is NOT true of the Hindi language?

A) It was the lingua franca of modern northern India and Pakistan at the time of British colonization.
B) It is a combination of the Swahili and Arabic languages.
C) It is the native language of only a minority of South Asians.
D) It is one of the hundreds of languages spoken in South Asia.

Question 63

The roots of Hinduism that lie in highly localized folk traditions are known as the:

A) Shiva.
B) Little Tradition.
C) Happa.
D) Upanishads.

Question 64

The caste that contains low-status laborers and artisans is the:

A) Adivasis.
B) Dalits.
C) Kshatriyas.
D) Sudras.

Question 65

Almost 90 percent of the world's Hindus live in:

A) India.
B) Bangladesh.
C) Great Britain.
D) North America.

Question 66

The most privileged of the castes in terms of ritual status are the:

A) Brahmins.
B) Kshatriyas.
C) Sudras.
D) Adivasis.

Question 67

What is the name of the 4000-year-old Hindu scriptures?

A) Vedas
B) Harappas
C) Hindustanis
D) Castes

Question 68

The varna who are warriors and rulers are the:

A) Brahmins.
B) Adivasis.
C) Kshatriyas.
D) Vaishyas.

Question 69

The Vaishyas are the caste of:

A) priests.
B) landowning farmers and merchants.
C) warriors and rulers.
D) low-status laborers.

Question 70

Which of the following provides the best description of the caste system?

A) policy of racial segregation
B) custom of hierarchical social classes
C) laws based on religious principles
D) affirmative action plan for ethnic minorities

Question 71

What language is the official language of Pakistan?

A) Hindi
B) Urdu
C) English
D) French

Question 72

The major religion of India is:

A) Islam.
B) Buddhism.
C) Hinduism.
D) Zoroastrianism.

Question 73

Which of the following is NOT a major belief or tenet of Hinduism?

A) The twelve major gods are present in all regions,villages,and families.
B) All gods are merely illusory manifestations of the ultimate divinity.
C) Any living thing that desires the illusory pains and pleasures of life will be reborn after it dies.
D) Cows are only slightly less spiritually advanced than humans.

Question 74

Considering all Indians,what religion claims the largest number of adherents?

A) Islam
B) Hinduism
C) Buddhism
D) Sikhism

Question 75

The religious scriptures of Hinduism are known as the:

A) Pentateuch.
B) Khalis.
C) Vedas.
D) Upanishads.

Question 76

All of the following statements about the Brahmin caste are true EXCEPT:

A) Brahmins are wealthy by definition.
B) they are the most ritually pure.
C) Brahmins may not drink alcohol.
D) they must remain vegetarian.

Question 77

The "untouchables" of the Hindu caste system are also known as the:

A) Dalits.
B) Adivasis.
C) Sudras.
D) Kshatriyas.

Question 78

The roots of Hinduism that lie in ancient literary texts are known as the:

A) Bhagavad Gita.
B) Koran.
C) Great Tradition.
D) Vishnu.

Question 79

What language is a common second language in South Asia?

A) Hindi
B) Urdu
C) English
D) French

Question 80

Members of which caste are traditionally most privileged in ritual status?

A) Brahmins
B) Kshatriyas
C) Sudras
D) Vaishyas