Deck 12: South Asia

Question 1

What name is sometimes given to this region of South Asia?

A)the peninsula
B)India proper
C)Indistan
D)the Indian subcontinent
E)Shangra-La

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What major metropolitan city lies in an area of severe flooding risk?

A)Mumbai (Bombay)
B)Dhaka
C)Karachi
D)Delhi
E)Kolkata (Calcutta)

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements about Pakistan is INCORRECT?

A)Pakistan has nuclear weapons.
B)Most of Pakistan's people are Muslim.
C)Pakistan is made up of a small group of islands.
D)Pakistan was once part of a British colony called "India."
E)Pakistan has become more closely connected to its neighbors in Southwest Asia in recent years.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What climatic factor dominates South Asia, often causing summer floods?

A)blizzards
B)droughts
C)hailstorms
D)monsoons
E)tornadoes

Question 5

What part of South Asia receives the most rain during the monsoon months?

A)Western Pakistan
B)Northern India and Pakistan by the Himalayas
C)Sri Lanka
D)Bangladesh and northeastern India
E)Central India

Question 6

Why is Bhopal, India, known?

A)It was the site of a 1984 gas leak at a fertilizer factory that killed over 2,500 people.
B)It is the capital of India.
C)It is the major economic center of Pakistan.
D)It has the largest population in the world.
E)It is the town in which Mahatma Gandhi was born.

Question 7

Sri Lanka's mangrove initiative efforts have aided conservation efforts and also helped

A)increase school attendance.
B)reduce poverty.
C)develop the shrimp exporting industry.
D)produce more firewood.
E)increase tourism.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about India is INCORRECT?

A)Bangladesh gained its independence from India in 1971.
B)India is the world's seventh largest country based on land area.
C)India is mostly Hindu, but contains people of many faiths.
D)India was a former British colony.
E)India has nuclear weapons.

Question 9

South Asia is likely to experience the following effects of climate change EXCEPT

A)large areas of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta in Bangladesh will be inundated.
B)as many as 7 million people could be displaced from coastal areas.
C)as Himalayan glaciers retreat, water flow into the Indus-Ganges Plain will be reduced.
D)South Asia is at such a low elevation that 50% of its land area will be under water.
E)increasingly violent storms could increase flooding and soil erosion.

Question 10

What is the most serious natural hazard in Bangladesh?

A)earthquakes
B)severe tornadoes
C)wildfires
D)volcanoes
E)flooding

Question 11

What are the causes of deforestation in South Asia?

A)to make room for agriculture
B)urban expansion
C)industrial expansion
D)commercial logging
E)all of the above

Question 12

Which of the following countries of South Asia is an island?

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

Question 13

What major earthquake resulted in an economic loss of 25% of the country's GDP and loss in excess of 9000 lives?

A)Nepal 2015
B)Kashmir 2005
C)Indian Ocean 2004
D)Gujarat 2001
E)Latur 1993

Question 14

What reasons are given by scholars for the region's catastrophic floods?

A)mining
B)deforestation
C)agricultural expansion
D)rapid urbanization
E)both deforestation and agricultural expansion

Question 15

What are some of the efforts CGIAR has aided to create "climate smart villages"?

A)rainwater harvesting
B)soil conservation
C)tree planting
D)careful water management
E)All of these answer choices have helped to create "climate smart villages."

Question 16

How were the Himalayas formed?

A)by the rifting (pulling apart)of the Eurasian Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate
B)by the collision of peninsular India with the Asian landmass
C)by the upwelling of molten matter from a hot spot beneath the Indian subcontinent
D)by the erosion of the landscape north and south of the region that would become the mountains
E)by volcanic activity

Question 17

Which country in South Asia is only 6 feet above sea level at its highest point, and therefore is most threatened by rising sea levels predicted to accompany climate change?

A)the Maldives
B)Sri Lanka
C)India
D)Pakistan
E)Bangladesh

Question 18

What is the rain-shadow effect?

A)the area of high rainfall found on the windy side of a mountain range
B)the area of low rainfall found on the windy side of a mountain range
C)the area of high rainfall found on the leeward (downwind)side of a mountain range
D)the area of low rainfall found on the leeward (downwind)side of a mountain range
E)the snow-capped peak of a mountain, where the temperatures are too cold for rain to fall

Question 19

The only remaining forested areas of South Asia are found where?

A)northern and northeastern India
B)in southern India along the coasts
C)central Indian highlands
D)the Indus River valley
E)in far western Pakistan

Question 20

What physical feature is needed for orographic precipitation to occur?

A)lake
B)mountain
C)river
D)desert
E)a tropical forest

Question 21

What is the largest city in South Asia (based on population)?

A)New Delhi
B)Karachi
C)Mumbai (Bombay)
D)Bangalore
E)Kolkata (Calcutta)

Question 22

Which of the following phrases best describes the outcome of the Green Revolution?

A)an agricultural disaster, as well as an ecological and social failure
B)an agricultural success, as well as an ecological and social success
C)an agricultural success, but an ecological and social failure
D)an agricultural and ecological failure, but a social success
E)an agricultural and ecological success, but a social failure

Question 23

What country of South Asia has been one of the most successful in the region in reducing its fertility rate?

A)Pakistan
B)Nepal
C)Bangladesh
D)Bhutan
E)India

Question 24

What are bustees?

A)a type of insect pest that threatens crops throughout South Asia
B)sprawling squatter settlements in South Asia
C)This is the name for the untouchable caste in Hindu South Asia.
D)citizen groups that lobby for better government services in Pakistan
E)the local name given to the monsoonal winds that plague Bangladesh

Question 25

The Green Revolution in South Asia

A)had little effect on crop yields.
B)relied in part on newly developed varieties of crops.
C)originated in the early 1950s.
D)was accomplished without the use of pesticides.
E)has been a total success.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT a problem facing Calcutta, India?

A)Electrical power is inadequate.
B)Many streets are routinely flooded during the wet season.
C)The economic base is declining.
D)A mixed Hindu-Muslim population generates ethnic tension.
E)It has poor quality educational institutions.

Question 27

What environmental damage often occurs after many years of irrigation?

A)soil salinization
B)deforestation
C)desertification
D)water pollution
E)acid rain

Question 28

Which country of South Asia has the largest population in the region?

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

Question 29

The Green Revolution led to all of the following EXCEPT

A)salt build-up from over-irrigation.
B)debt of farmers from crop input purchases.
C)large quantities of industrial fertilizers polluted the lands.
D)there was no significant increase in food production.
E)increased use of pesticides.

Question 30

The most densely populated areas of South Asia are found

A)along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
B)on the Deccan Plateau.
C)in the Ganges and Indus river valleys.
D)in the Thar Desert.
E)along the Vindhya Range.

Question 31

What religion dominates in India?

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

Question 32

Where in India do Muslims live?

A)in the north
B)in the south
C)in almost every part of the country
D)in the west
E)in the east

Question 33

About what percentage of people in South Asia live in cities?

A)just over 10%
B)about 33%
C)approximately 50%
D)nearly 70%
E)more than 75%

Question 34

What are some of the problems South Asia faces as it rapidly urbanizes?

A)poverty
B)water sanitation
C)air pollution
D)expansion of bustees
E)All of these answer choices are problems created by rapid urbanization.

Question 35

What are "hutments"?

A)government-appropriated funds that aid in the construction of housing for Pakistan's poor
B)crude shelters built on formerly busy sidewalks in India
C)the Indian term for high-rise apartments in urban areas such as Mumbai
D)the term for street-side shops in Bangladesh
E)tents used by mountaineers attempting to climb Mt. Everest and other Himalayan peaks from Nepal

Question 36

What is the main reason why urbanization is increasing in South Asia?

A)changes in the economics of agriculture resulting in greater mechanization
B)official government policies that encourage city growth
C)the high incidence of mosquito-borne illnesses in the countryside
D)better economic opportunities in the cities
E)Urbanization is a prerequisite for assistance from the International Monetary Fund.

Question 37

Where do most people in South Asia live?

A)in the major cities
B)in compact rural villages
C)in the mountains
D)in medium-sized towns
E)in the suburbs

Question 38

About how many metropolitan areas in India have populations over 1 million inhabitants?

A)2
B)10
C)15
D)20
E)40

Question 39

Who brought Islam to South Asia?

A)Turkic-speaking Muslims from Central Asia
B)Saudi princes
C)Malaysian traders traveling the Silk Road
D)Persian warriors during the expansion of their empire
E)Afghan mujahedeen

Question 40

What is the cause of urban unrest in Karachi, Pakistan?

A)a government proposed plan to make Karachi the new capital
B)Muslim separatists wanting to establish Karachi as an independent city-state
C)the influx of U.S. corporations into the region
D)local Sindhis' opposition to the immigration of Mohjirs from India
E)stark contrasts between very rich and very poor people in Karachi

Question 41

What religion dominates in Pakistan and Bangladesh?

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

Question 42

A thousand years ago, what was the major unifying force in South Asia?

A)Islam
B)Buddhism
C)syncretism
D)caste system
E)language

Question 43

What is the correct declining order of ritual purity varna?

A)priests, warriors, merchants, farmers
B)warriors, merchants, priests, farmers
C)priests, merchants, warriors, farmers
D)priests, warriors, farmers, merchants
E)warriors, priests, merchants, farmers

Question 44

As an example of the success of South Asian film production, what film made 47m USD in eight days?

A)Baahubali: The Beginning
B)Sivaji The Boss
C)Anaganaga O Dheerudu
D)Dhoom 3
E)Ishq

Question 45

In which of the following countries of South Asia is Hinduism the majority religion?

A)Bangladesh
B)Nepal
C)Pakistan
D)Sri Lanka
E)Bhutan

Question 46

Besides Hinduism, what other religion is most predominant in India?

A)Buddhism
B)Islam
C)Sikhism
D)Jainism
E)Christianity

Question 47

What is the most widely spoken language in South Asia?

A)Gujarati
B)Dravidian
C)Persian
D)Bengali
E)Hindi

Question 48

In what part of India are Dravidian languages most likely to be spoken?

A)north
B)east
C)west
D)south
E)center

Question 49

What is the second most widely spoken language in South Asia?

A)Punjabi
B)Urdu
C)Nepali
D)Tamil
E)Bengali

Question 50

What behavior does the South Asian religion of Jainism emphasize over all others?

A)tolerance
B)prayer
C)fasting
D)nonviolence
E)honesty

Question 51

Sikhism is a blend of what two religions?

A)Christianity and Islam
B)Hinduism and Islam
C)Hinduism and Buddhism
D)Islam and Buddhism
E)Christianity and Hinduism

Question 52

What group of people is at the top of the Hindu caste (varna)system?

A)Kshatriyas (princes and warriors)
B)Shudras (farmers, craft occupations)
C)Dalits (untouchables)
D)Brahmins (priestly class)
E)Vaishyas (merchant class)

Question 53

Approximately how many Muslims are there in South Asia?

A)2 million
B)20 million
C)150 million
D)500 million
E)750 million

Question 54

What trend is threatening the survival of the Zoroastrian community?

A)intermarriage and low fertility
B)persecution by Sikhs
C)environmental devastation in their homeland of Bhutan
D)the abandonment of the belief system for Hinduism
E)emigration from the region in search of economic opportunity

Question 55

What language has been suggested as a neutral national language in India?

A)Brahui
B)Dravidian
C)French
D)Hindi
E)English

Question 56

The Buddha

A)was born into a wealthy family in northern India.
B)promised his followers an afterlife.
C)supported the caste system.
D)eventually converted to Hinduism.
E)founded Islam.

Question 57

What is the name for India's secluded or untouchable caste?

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

Question 58

Who is the father-figure of Indian independence?

A)Mohandas Gandhi
B)Koose Veerappan
C)Raj Kumar
D)Siddhartha Guatama
E)Aasif Mandviwala

Question 59

What work are Sikh men noted for?

A)farmers
B)foresters
C)merchants
D)artists
E)bodyguards

Question 60

Which of the following best describes the geography of religion in India?

A)Most of the people are Muslim, but about 15% are Hindu.
B)Most of the people are Hindu, but about 15% are Sikh.
C)Most of the people are Hindu, but about 15% are Muslim.
D)Most of the people are Muslim, but about 15% are Sikh.
E)About 50% are Hindu, about 40% are Muslim, and about 10% are Sikh.

Question 61

What role does the Grameen Bank play in Bangladesh?

A)It regulates interest rates in the country.
B)It provides low-interest credit to fund small-scale enterprise.
C)It is the largest commercial bank.
D)It facilitates international financial activities.
E)all of the above

Question 62

What is the area in northwestern India controlled by China but claimed by India?

A)Jammu
B)Kashmir
C)Punjab
D)Khyber
E)Aksai Chin

Question 63

Despite widespread poverty in the country of India, approximately how many Indians are able to purchase modern consumer goods such as televisions?

A)50 million
B)100 million
C)300 million
D)600 million
E)450 million

Question 64

Maoism in South Asia is primarily concerned with?

A)urban growth
B)agricultural collectivization
C)colonialism
D)industrial workers
E)constitutional monarchy

Question 65

Which Indian state has the highest GDP?

A)Rajasthan
B)Madhya Pradesh
C)Karnataka
D)Maharashtra
E)Punjab

Question 66

What are the sources of ethnic violence in Sri Lanka?

A)religious and linguistic differences
B)linguistic and cultural differences
C)cultural and political differences
D)political and economic differences
E)economic and religious differences

Question 67

Sexual discrimination in South Asia is being combated by

A)catching doctors who perform sex-selective abortions.
B)giving gifts to parents of newborn girls.
C)women's empowerment movements such as the Gulabi Gang.
D)social protests over sexual violence.
E)all of the above.

Question 68

After the partitioning of India in the late 1940s and the subsequent formation of Bangladesh in 1971, what was Pakistan's policy toward the Pashtun tribes in the country?

A)to make them citizens of Pakistan
B)to expel them from the country
C)to retain the British policy, and allow them to maintain nearly full autonomy
D)to move the population to a location near the Indian border
E)ethnic cleansing

Question 69

Which country of South Asia has the region's overall highest level of social development, in terms of favorable social indicators?

A)India
B)Pakistan
C)Sri Lanka
D)Bhutan
E)Nepal

Question 70

Which of the following is one of the main reasons that Pakistan has had a difficult time achieving economic growth?

A)Its landlocked position makes it difficult for the nation to engage in trade.
B)Its economy is almost solely dependent on the information-technology industry.
C)It is burdened by high levels of defense spending.
D)Its ongoing war with Afghanistan has sapped the nation's economy.
E)Its "bubble" economy has collapsed.

Question 71

What are the Tamil Tigers?

A)a sub-species of large felines in Nepal
B)a rebel force in Sri Lanka
C)an international soccer team from one of the states of India
D)a politically oriented singing group in Bangladesh
E)a group of environmental activists in Pakistan

Question 72

What territory in South Asia is claimed by both India and Pakistan?

A)Sri Lanka
B)the Indian State of Goa
C)Kashmir
D)Madhya Pradesh
E)Punjab

Question 73

With which religion was the Mughal Empire of South Asia identified?

A)Hinduism
B)Islam
C)Jainism
D)Bahai
E)Christianity

Question 74

Which statement is TRUE regarding the partition of South Asia into India and Pakistan?

A)It led to the deaths of over 1 million people.
B)It occurred after the British withdrew in 1947.
C)It displaced 14 million people.
D)It eventually led to the creation of Bangladesh years later.
E)All of the answer choices are true statements.

Question 75

India's economy is most advanced in what economic activity?

A)engineering technology
B)automobile production
C)electrical appliances
D)software development
E)consumer electronics

Question 76

Why is Bangladesh internationally competitive in textile and clothing manufacture?

A)It has abundant natural resources.
B)It has a cheap source of energy.
C)It is located near its markets.
D)Its wages are low.
E)All of these answer choices are correct.

Question 77

What two countries in South Asia have nuclear weapons?

A)India and Pakistan
B)Pakistan and Bangladesh
C)Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
D)Sri Lanka and Bhutan
E)Bhutan and India

Question 78

Why did the Bengalis in the former East Pakistan fight for independence?

A)The government of India encouraged them to rebel.
B)They did not like the Islamic fundamentalism of Pakistan.
C)They did not share the Muslim religion of the Pakistanis.
D)They felt they were treated as second-class citizens.
E)They did not want to share their oil wealth with Pakistan.

Question 79

What is the most isolated country in South Asia?

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

Question 80

Which of the following is TRUE about the conflict in Sri Lanka?

A)The Sri Lankan military won in 2007.
B)The Hindus of the south waged war against the Buddhists.
C)Both the Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan military engaged in war crimes.
D)The Tamil Tigers want a unified country.
E)The Christians argued for a centralized government.