Middle East and South Asia Quiz

Wahhabism is a branch of Sunni Islam that interprets Islamic scripture literally and ________.

• accepts modern interpretations of the Quran.

• holds that government should follow Islamic teachings.

• teaches that men and women should have equal rights.

• believes that only descendants of Muhammad should be religious leaders.

Which of the following is a minority ethnic group in several countries despite occupying a large area of the region?

• Jews

• Persians

• Kurds

• Turks

Which of the following is an example of cultural diffusion in the region?

• requiring strict adherence to Sharia

• women pursuing careers outside the home

• wearing the hijab in public

• observing traditional religious practices

What is fundamentalism?

• the separation of government and religion

• the belief in one God

• the belief that holy books should be taken literally

• the rejection of organized religion

Women in ________ face the most restrictions in the region; women in ________ face the fewest restrictions.

Which South Asia country has the strongest democracy?

• India

• Pakistan

• Sri Lanka

• Afghanistan

Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka specialize in producing which goods for trade?

• rice and other crops

• cloth and clothing

• computers and microchips

• cars and televisions

Which of these South Asian countries is an Islamic republic?

• Pakistan

• Bangladesh

• Sri Lanka

• Nepal

Which of the following factors has helped improve Bangladesh's economy in recent years?

• new tariffs

• micro lending

• shifting to a command economy

• increasing focus on agriculture

Why are poverty levels high in much of South Asia?

• high populations and low economic development

• lack of natural and human resources

• ethnic tensions and civil war

• outsourcing to other countries