ASIAN Lit.

1. The first emperor of China instituted the unified system of writing, legal system, ideological and
defense

system. Under his rule, the Ch’in Dynasty contributed the greatest structure made by man – the Great
Wall of

China. He was:

a. Ch’in Su b. Shih Huang-Ti c. Han Teng d. Feng Mei

2. The Great Wall of China was built to keep away the invading Hsiung-nu from the north or the:

a. Hans b. Tangs c. Huns d. Chous

3. China experienced its golden age during the:

a. Ming Dynasty b. Tang Dynasty c. Ch’in Dynasty d. Sung Dynasty

4. The national language of the Chinese, the Standard Mandarin, is based on the dialect of :

a. Canton b. Shanghai c. Guangdong d. Peking

5. This common Chinese literary idiom unites the different dialects in the country.

a. wenyen b. wahu c. wishu d. paihua

6. The Chinese create words by combining characters of which there are approximately:

a. 100,000 b. 1,000,000 c. 50,000 d. 15,000

7. The Book of History, Book of Songs, Book of Ritual, Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn
Annals

are collectively known as the:

a. 5 Books b. 5 Greats c. 5 Classics d. 5 Masterpieces

8. The Analects, Book of Mencius, and the two chapters from the Book of Ritual (Doctrine of the Mean &

Great Learning) make up the:

a. 4 Books b. 4 Gifts c. 4 Standards d. none of a, b or c

9. The shortest form of Chinese poetry, the chueh chu (“cut short”), is composed of:

a. 10 lines b. 5 lines c. 8 lines d. 4 lines

10. Another form of poetry is the lu shih which is composed of contrasted intonation in each pair of
lines. This

is composed of:

a. 12 lines b. 8 lines c. 10 lines d. 20 lines

11. The Chinese likewise have a free-verse type of poetry. This is the:

a. san ch’u b. chih yen c. ko-ming d. hung long

12. Japanese writing is an adaptation of the writing of the :

a. Koreans b. Europeans c. Babylonians d. Chinese

13. How old is Japanese literature?

a. 1200 years old b. 500 years old c. 2000 years old d. 1,000,000 years old

14. This type of Japanese drama is the most austere and ceremonial. It uses slow-motion dancing and
creates a

hypnotic effect on the audience.

a. He b. Ta c. Ka d. No

15. This is the flashier and more popular type of Japanese drama where all the characters are played by
men.

a. Tanka b. Noshi c. Kabuki d. Tenan

16. The oldest surviving Japanese book is the Record of Ancient Matters or:

a. Kojiki b. Nori c. Bunraku d. Moshi

17. This type of poetry is composed of 31 syllables grouped in 5-7-5-7-7 lines.

a. haiku b. origami c. tanka d. ikebana

18. The masterpiece of all Japanese literature tells the story of a prince with irresistible appeal.

a. Tales of Koro b. Tales of Genji c. Tales of Mandi d. all of the choices

19. Another type of Japanese poetry, the “linked verse” has alternating verses of 17 and 14 syllables (5-
7-5 and 7-7).

a. manga b. renga c. haiku d. mero

20. The most popular type of Japanese poetry has 17 syllables.

a. tanka b. haiku c. toku d. tofu

21. The most famous haiku poet was:

a. Kenji b. Woshu c. Basho d. Wai

22. These 31-syllable “mad poems” became popular for a while but are now unread by the people.

a. kyoka b. renga c. tongka d. rami

23. The 17 syllable senryu is pungent, satirical and still popular in Japan. It dwells on the topic of:

a. photographyb. sin c. pornography d. secret lives

24. The frivolous, illustrated books used in school are the kibyoshi or:

a. red covers b. blue covers c. green covers d. yellow covers

25. The more serious and intellectual books in school are the yomihon or the:

a. letter books b. reading books c. topic books d. all of a, b & c

26. This forms the bedrock of all Jewish literature.

a. Hebrew bible b. 10 commandments c. Mosaic Law d. Pentateuch �

27. The giving of the 10 Commandments to the Jews is in this biblical book.

a. Genesis b. Exodus c. Songs d. Psalms

28. These Jewish religious leader taught the law and applied it to current situations.

a. prophet b. rabbi c. imam d. mishnah

29. The greatest flowering of Jewish literature took place during the:

a. time of Jesus b. Renaissance Age c. Dark Ages d. World War II

30. The main tradition of Hebrew literature is:

a. secular b. prophetic c. narrative d. liturgical

31. Sacred Jewish poetry is called:

a. piyyut b. midish c. kadish d. kibbutz

32. This movement encouraged the dispersed Jews from all over the world to go back to the “promised
land” after World War II.

a. Zionism b. Statehood c. Prophetic d. Kibbutz

33. The national language of the Hindu people.

a. Sanskrit b. Hindi c. Punjab d. Bombay

34. The Bhagavad Gita, the Hindu’s universal scripture, is a part of the:

a. Ramayana b. Upanishads c. Vedas d. Mahabharata

35. All Hindu literature is divided into the sruti or the divine scriptures, and the smriti or the human
works. The former is written wholly in:

a. Sanskrit b. Hindi c. Arabic d. English

36. The major sruti work is divided into:

a. 5 books b. 4 books c. 7 books d. 6 books

37. The Veda, which is the major sruti work, is composed of hymns for the gods, rituals, incantations and
spells. Veda means:

a. Love b. Justice c. Charity d. Wisdom

38. This book details the sacrificial rites made for the Hindu gods.

a. Upanishads b. Aranyakas c. Vedas d. Brahmanas

39. This book explains the meanings of Hindu concepts and ideas.

a. Rig Veda b. Veda c. Upanishads d. Brahmanas

40. Under the smriti literature, most common are the short and easy-to-memorize sutras or:

a. aphorisms b. advata c. Vishnu d. shiva

41. The shastras are another smriti form of literature which is more lofty and intellectual. They are;

a. theses b. treatises c. contracts d. all of a, b &c

42. The Veda is composed of many parts. The first part is the:

a. Ag-Veda b. Din-Veda c. Rig Veda d. Sepon Veda

43. The most famous collection of Arabian stories is the Alf layla wa-layla otherwise known as the One

Thousand and One Nights or the:

a. Arabian Tales b. Arabian Fables c. Arabian Nights d. Tales from Arab

44. The following are included in the 1001 Nights except:

a. Ali Baba b. Aladdin c. Sinbad d. none of a, b or c

45. Sinbad’s profession was:

a. thief b. sailor c. magician d. sultan

46. These are the magic words in the story of Ali Baba.

a. Ala Kazam b. Shazam c. Vavoom d. Open Sesame

47. This book represents the most perfect literary achievement in Arabic history.

a. 1001 Nights b. Koran c. bible d. quatrain

48. The most famous writer of quatrains in the Arab world

a. Omar Khayyam b. Sultan Aga c. Aga Khan d. none of a, b or c

49. The mystic poems of the Arabs are called:

a. mukti b. al-maari c. sufi d. saj

50. This is a four-stanza love poem with a refrain.

a. ghazal b. saj c. provencal d. none of a, b or c

51. He was known as the “Marco Polo of the Arabs” because of his travel exploits and writings.

a. Ibn Bisek b. Ibn Darak c. Ibn Cosak d. Ibn Batuta

52. The 1001 Nights was written by:

a. Al Fhahad b. many authors c. Khayyam d. a sultan

53. He wrote the famous biography of Muhammed, which is read by all Moslems.

a. Ibn Ishaq b. Ibn Shad c. Ibn Dran d. none of a, b or c

54. Famous author of “The Prophet”:

a. Khayyam b. Firdausi c. Nehru d. Gibran

55. How do you call the three Hindu gods (Brahma, Vishnu, Siva) collectively?

a. Trigeminy b. Trifuti c. Trimurti d. Theomarti �

1.B

2.C
3.B

4.D

5.A

6.A

7.C

8.A

9.D

10. B

11. A

12. D

13. A

14. D

15. C

16. A

17. C

18. B

19. B

20. B

21. C

22. C

23. D

24. B

25. B

26. A

27. B
28. B

29. C

30. D

31. A

32. A

33. B

34. D

35. A

36. B

37. D

38. D

39. C

40. A

41. B

42. C

43. C

44. C

45. B

46. D

47. B

48. A

49. C

50. A

51. D

52. B
53. A

54. D

55. C