Midterm Exam Preview
Students will take this exam in class on Wednesday 02/25/15
Directions: The Midterm Exam is worth 100 points. It will contain two sections: an essay section and a short answer section. The essays will worth fifty points each, and the short answer section is worth a total of fifty points. You have two different choices about how you will complete the exam:
1. You may complete one essay question and all fifty of the short answer questions.
2. You can choose to answer both essay questions, and leave out the short answer questions.
Essay Questions: (1 or 2 questions/50 pts. each) From the three questions below, two will appear on the exam. Choose one to answer for fifty points, or both to answer for a total of 100 points. Each essay should be over 250 words. Keep in mind that your answers to each question should start with a strong thesis statement followed by the pertinent facts, and careful critical reasoning.
1. How can the central narrative of Buddhism be used to interpret events lives of ordinary human beings?
2. Using the Five Questions of Meaning, please compare and contrast Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
3. Compare and contrast how Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism define who is inside their tradition and who is an outsider.
Short Answer Questions: (50 questions/1 point each) The answers to each of the fifty questions below is on the table of fifty answers:
1. The primary definition of religion we will use in REL 300 describe a religion as:
2. Molloy uses the term dualism to describe an attitude that labels the world of the spirit to be at war with:
3. The word we use for the belief that there is only one God in the universe is:
4. According to the article, “Making Meaning,” what does the process of creating meaning in our lives usually involve:
5. The idea that God is not limited by the laws of the ordinary world is called:
6. Molloy says that the most evident reason religions exist is:
7. The idea that God has total power over the universe is called:
8. The term Molloy uses for a “mysterious originating holiness” is:
9. The idea that there is no God (or gods) is called:
10. Hinduism’s most ancient collections of hymns, prayers and incantations are:
11. The Hindu term for the essential self or soul is:
12. The people who inhabited most of India before the Aryan invasions are called:
13. The first civilization of ancient India is known as:
14. Hinduism’s law of spiritual cause and effect is called:
15. Hinduism emerged after India was invaded and settled by:
16. Below India’s four main castes is 15-20% of the population called:
17. The basic rules for Indian social organization are known as:
18. The Bhagavad Gita is primarily concerned with what virtue?
19. The priests at the top of the Hindu social order are called:
20. The Upanishads claim that, in addition to making the right sacrifices and doing one’s duty, to experience what is eternal requires:
21. The Hindu God symbolized by a trident is:
22. The Hindu God Krishna is said to be an avatar of:
23. At the top of the Hindu pantheon there is the Trimurti consisting of Shiva, Vishnu, and:
24. The discussion of the past lives of the Buddha fits primarily into what dimension of religion?
25. The Buddhist doctrine of anatta, claims that humans have no permanent:
26. Buddhists claim that the essence of human experience is:
27. The idea that souls are reborn again and again, is called:
28. The oldest branch of Buddhism is called:
29. Someone who voluntarily forgoes Paranirvana in order help other achieve enlightenment is called a:
30. The branch of Buddhism that is dominant in China and Japan is:
31. Sikhism grew out of the encounter between Hinduism and:
32. Unlike Hindus, Sikhs worship only _____ god.
33. The holiest of all places in Sikhism is called:
34. All Sikh men take the name, ________, which means lion.
35. While Sikhs trace their line of teachers back into antiquity, their historical founder was:
36. In Confucianism,
