SW Asia Quiz Review

Use the map above: Which country is labeled A?

• Iran

• Saudi Arabia

• Turkey

• China

Which two rivers are shown on this map?

• Nile and Amazon

• Ganges and Yangtze

• Mississippi and Danube

• Tigris and Euphrates

Why did the construction of a Dam on the Euphrates River in Turkey cause conflict in Southwest Asia (Middle East)?

• The dam has caused flooding in other countries.

• The dam has caused the river to completely become dry.

• The dam has limited the supply of water in other countries.

• The dam has caused shipping and trade on the river to stop.

Answer explanation

The Dam blocks the water from the Euphrates from reaching other countries. This keeps all the water for Turkey to use instead.

Which of the following explains why the population density varies from country to country in Southwest Asia?

• the availability of transportation

• the availability of desalination

• the availability of freshwater

• the availability of education

Answer explanation

People chose to live near lakes, rivers, and oceans to access the water. In Southwest Asia, this is the case due to most of the area being a desert.

Which of the following statements accurately matches the characteristics of an Ethnic Group?

• Esther reads the Quran daily, while Asmin reads the Torah.

• Esther is fluent in Farsi, while Ahmad is fluent in Arabic.

• Both Esther and Yasmin face Mecca when they pray.

• Both Esther and Darrius follow the Five Pillars.

Answer explanation

Farsi and Arabic are LANGUAGES, which is a characteristic/part of an Ethnic Group.

The other answer choices all revolve around religion, which is a characteristic/part of a Religious Group

Use the information to answer the question:

Ariya was born in a small village in northern Iraq. Both of her parents are nomadic herders and practice Sunni Islam. Unfortunately, she rarely sees her grandparents and other relatives because they live in areas of Turkey, Syria, and Iran which are often places of conflict due to Ariya’s ethnicity.

To which ethnic group is the passage MOST LIKELY referring?

• Arab

• Jewish

• Kurdish

• Persian

Answer explanation

The answer is Kurdish because Kurds mostly live in Northern Iraq.

They also have conflict with other countries because they do not have a country of their own.

In what way are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam similar?

• They all teach that Abraham was one of God’s prophets.

• The Torah is considered the holiest book in each religion.

• The Koran is considered the holiest book in each religion.

• They all teach that Muhammad was one of God’s prophets.

Answer explanation

All these religions teach that Abraham was a prophet and an important figure in the religion.

The Torah is a part of Judaism. The Koran is part of Islam. Muhammad is part of Islam ONLY.

What led to the split between the Sunni and Shia in Islam?

• The Shia believed only Arabs could be Muslims

• Arguments over what should be included in the Five Pillars

• The Shia wanted to change the direction of prayer to Jerusalem

• They disagreed who should lead Muslims after the death of Muhammad

Answer explanation

Sunni and Shia's disagreed over who should lead Muslims after the death of Muhammad (Islam's founder and leader)

Sunnis believe that the leader can be anyone elected in the Muslim community.
Shias believe that the leader has to be a blood relative of Muhammad

Why do the majority of people in Southwest Asia (Middle East) practice Judaism, Christianity, or Islam?

• A. The religions were all founded in Southwest Asia.

• B. It is illegal to practice any other faith in the region.

• C. People seeking religious freedom often settle there.

• D. All Southwest Asian countries are ruled by the churches.

Answer explanation

All of these religions came from Southwest Asia. So these religions are what people from Southwest Asia learn about.

Use the Venn diagram to answer the question. Which answer would be the BEST choice for the question mark located in the triple Venn diagram?

• Arabs are a Minority ethnic group, most practice Sunni Islam

• Arabs are a Minority ethnic group, most practice Christianity.

• Arabs are a Majority ethnic group, and most practice Sunni Islam.

• Arabs are a Majority ethnic group, and most practice Shia Islam.

Answer explanation

Arab are an Ethnic Group that take up the MAJORITY of SW Asia.
Additionally, most Arabs practice Sunni Islam.