COLLEGE OF DIVINE WISDOM

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
AFRO-ASIAN LITERATURE

Name: _______________________________________________________________ Date: _________________________ Score:

_________

True or False: Write T if the statement is true and F if false.

____1. Asia is the second largest continent next to Africa.
____2. Poems in Afro-Asian literature usually tell about their history and culture.
____3. Culture is a standard or pattern, especially of social behavior, that is typical or expected of a group.
____4. Africa is the most genetically diverse people on Earth
____5. Mahatma Gandhi is one of those who fight racial oppression in South Africa.
____6. Literary Elements are not unavoidable aspect of literary works
____7. Confucian politics is hierarchical but not absolute and the political system is described by analogy with the family.
____8. Chinese religions are based on the perception of life as a process of continual change in which opposing forces balance one another.
____9. Buddhism appealed to both Confucians and Taoists.
____10. Most government officials were well-versed in literature and philosophy and many famous poets also served in the early Chinese government.

Multiple Choices: Choose the letter of the correct answer.

11. The following are the common themes shared between the person seeking to attain emancipation from rebirth, are mostly
literature of African and Asian countries. Which of these is not? exposed in what Indian Literature?
a. emotions b. family a Dhammapada b Bhagavad Gita
c. peace d. nature c Ramayana d Mahabharata
12. What grade level on the K-12 program English curriculum
22. ____ means ‘perfect speech’ is considered a sacred language,
primarily focuses on African-Asian (or Afro-Asian) literature?
the language spoken by the gods and goddesses.
a. Grade 7 b. Grade 8
a Dravidian b Hindu
c. Grade 9 d. Grade 10
c Sanskrit d Panchatantra
13. The African idea of security and its value depends on personal 23. _____ dominates every scene in Sanskrit drama.
identification with and within their group a rama b sita
a. Sense of Good Human Relations c rasa d dharma
b. Sense of Hospitality
c. Sense of Community 24. _____ was seen as the only appropriate language for the noblest
d. Family and Education literary works in the classical literary period in India.
a Dravidian b Hindu
14. The greatest virtue that can achieve is not greatness of one’s self, c Sanskrit d Panchatantra
which is viewed as being selfish and self-centered, but of fulfilling 25. Rabindranath Tagore is best known for what?
his or her role in the whole of the family or group. a Indian equivalent of Shakespeare
a. Loss of face, shame and honor b First Asian to receive Nobel Prize in Literature
b. Family and Education c The writer of Panchatantra
c. Reserve Conformity and Harmony d Ascribed traditionally with Mahabharata
d. Sense of Community
26. The Mahabharata is a poem which is made up of 100,000 _____
15. The art of dialogue and conversation is a cherished value in divided into 18 _____.
African human People freely discusses their problems and look a. lines - sections b. stanzas - parvans
for suggestions and solutions together. c. quatrains – section d. couplets - parvans
a Reserve Conformity and Harmony
b Sense of Community “The draughts I drank have borne me up, as fleet-foot horses draw a car
c Benevolence and Obligation Have I not drunk of soma-juice?”-Rig Veda
d Sense of Good Human Relations 27. What do the lines above suggest about Hindus?
a The Hindus are deeply absorbed with God and the Creation of the
16. What is the meaning of VEDA in Sanskrit? universe.
a Sacred Hymns b Sacred Knowledge b The Hindus regard religion as their only way to save themselves
c Sacred Songs d Sacred Literature from sin or evil.
c The Hindus drink some-juice to express their religiosity.
17. What Indian Literary Period was the Mahabharata and the d Whenever there is draught, the Hindus offer soma-juice to
Ramayana were written? appease God’s anger.
a Vedic Period b Epic and Buddhist Age 28. PURUSARTHA ___
c Classical Period d Medieval and Modern Age a is the cycle of births and deaths
b refers to one of the proper pursuits of man in his role as
18. What Indian Literary Period was the Dhammapada was written? householder
a Classical Period b Vedic Period c defines the goal of human existence in Hindu religion
c Epic and Buddhist Age d Medieval and Modern Age d is the predominant faith of India and of no other nation.
19. What is Dhammapada? 29. The following are the PURUSARTHAs of Hindu Religion, except
a most ancient layer of text in the Vedas for___
b most sacred of all hindu literature a Dharma b Asramas
c most widely read and known Buddhist scriptures c Kama d moksha
d most beautiful of the Hindu scriptures
30. Which of the is the correct order of the organization of the Hindu
20. Hindu Literature comparable to the psalms in the Old Testament. society
a Bhagavad Gita b Rig Veda a Vaishya, Sudra, Brahmin, Ksatriya
c Dhammapada d Mahabharata b Brahmin, Ksatriya, Vaishya, Sudra
c Brahmin, Vaishya, Ksatriya, Sudra
21. Dharma (codes of conduct), including the proper conduct of a d Sudra, Vaishya, Brahmin, Ksatriya
king, of a warrior, of a man living in times of calamity, and of a
31. Indian literature that has the most important philosophical doctrine 46. It is not really a religion in China but it makes individuals aware of
on the concept of a single supreme being their place in the world and the behavior appropriate to it and it
a Dhammapada b Upanishads also provides a political and social philosophy.
c Samhitas a Confucianism b Taoism
c Hinduism d Buddhism
32. ___ refers to the spiritual perfection in Hindu Religion
a Kama b Moksha 47. ___ is a type of narrative that uses characters and plot to depict
c Dharma d Artha abstract ideas and themes.
33. Varnas, the theoretical basis for the organization of the Hindu a Allegory b Allusion
society rest on ___ c Alliteration d Anaphora
a one’s birth right
b karma of past thought and actions 48. “Be my Hades, in this world full of Zeus” (–Carlota, 2019) is an
c a person’s capacity and intelligence example of what kind of literary technique?
d the quality of contribution to society a Aphorism b Alliteration
c Allusion d Anaphora
34. This Sanskrit poet and dramatist is considered the Shakespeare
of India
49. “‘Tis better to have loved and lost/ than never to have loved at all.”
a Vyasa b Valmiki
(–Alfred Lloyd Tennyson) is an example of what kind of literary
c Narayan d Kalidasa
technique?
35. To what other text is the compared similar to? a Allegory b Allusion
a Letters of St. Paul b Gospel c Aphorism d Anaphora
c Psalms d Genesis
36. According to the four noble truths of Buddha, what is the cause of 50. "The sun was like a large ball of butter"
all our suffering? a Personification b Paradox
a Desire b Attachment c Oxymoron d Simile
c Moderation d Our Outlook
51. "The wall stared at me silently"
37. Chinese literature reflects the ___ and ___ history of China and
a Simile b Personification
the impact of powerful religions that came from within and outside
c Inference d Metonymy
the country.
a social b literary
c political d social 52. "If I do not eat my daily papaya, I will surely die"
a Paradox b Personification
38. The following are the PURUSARTHAs of Hindu Religion, except c Hyperbole d Metaphor
for___
a Dharma b Asramas 53. "The road was a ribbon of moonlight"
c Kama d Moksha a Personification b Oxymoron
39. The oldest collection of Chinese poetry and is considered a model c Metaphor d Inference
of poetic expression and moral insight.
a The Analects 54. "The wise fool is burning my taco"
b The Parables of the Ancient Philosophers a Irony b Personification
c The Book of Songs (Shih Ching) c Oxymoron d Metaphor
d Tao Te Ching
55. “You aren’t poor, you are economically disadvantaged”
40. What rhetorical device is used in this line from the Ramayana? a Irony b Personification
“Dearly, loved, devoted Sita! daughter of a royal line.” c Euphemism d Hyperbole
a onomatopoeia b alliteration
c assonance d consonance
56. - 70. Analects of Confucius. Explain in not less than 3 sentences the
following famous analects.
41. The Hindu belief that life is an illusion
(3 points each)
a dharma b artha
c maya d kama
a “If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of
42. During this time, the people practiced a religion based on the wickedness.”
belief that nature was inhabited by many powerful gods and
spirits. b “Riches and honor are what men desire. If it cannot be
a Shang Dynasty b Chou (Zhou) Dynasty obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty
c Ch’in Dynasty d Han Dynasty
and meanness are what men dislike. If it cannot be obtained in
43. This was the longest of all the dynasties and throughout most of the proper way, they should not be avoided.”
this period China suffered from severe political disunity and
upheaval. c “If a man in the morning hears the right way, he may die in the
a Shang Dynasty b Chou (Zhou) Dynasty
evening without regret.”
c Ch’in Dynasty d Han Dynasty

On an Autumn Evening in the Mountains d “The cautious seldom err.”

How clear are the mountains after the new rain!
The dusk of the Autumn evening is pouring in, e I am not concerned that I am not known, but I seek to be
As moon beams filter through the pine trees. worthy to be known.”
Cool spring water flows over white stones.
Alone washing girl returns homeward by the bamboo
grove.
The boatman sails his barge through the lotus patch.
Although Spring is long gone
Why cannot I linger over this pleasant view?
44. What is the dominant imagery in this poem?
a visual b auditory
c tactile d olfactory
45. Chinese literature and all of Chinese culture has been profoundly
influenced by these great schools of thought, except: _____
a Confucianism b Taoism
c Hinduism d Buddhism