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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Sumantra put Dasaratha’s body after he dies?

2. What does Valmiki say Ravana thought when he looked at Sita?

3. How is the search for Sita broken up?

4. Complete the following statement: Rama and Lakshmana learned two mantras, one for strength, and one for ________.

5. How does Sugriva say he learned the layout of the earth?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Bharadwaja’s feast for Bharata and his party.

2. What was Ravana’s role in the birth of Rama?

3. Why does Rama insist on going into the Dandaka Forest, against Sita’s wishes?

4. How does Ravana defeat Jatayu and escape with Sita?

5. How does Hanuman characterize the story of Rama and Sita to Jambavan?

6. How does the Ramayana explain where it has its origin as a poem?

7. Why does Agastya replace Rama’s bow?

8. Describe the history of Five-Apsarasa Lake.

9. How did the statue of Shiva save Guha’s life?

10. Describe the birth of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Debate the proposition that the Ramayana is too old to be relevant in modern times.

Essay Topic 2

What is missing from this book? What should have been covered or presented that was not? What is the effect of this absence? Describe an element that ought to have been covered, and explain why it would have made the book stronger.

Essay Topic 3

What is the primary purpose of the Ramayana? What kinds of purposes does it attempt to serve—explaining the history of the world, describing the right way to live, etc. Using examples from the text, propose one mode that is most important. Be sure to say why the others are not as important.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 941 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample