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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What animal joins the horse in sacrifice?
(a) A goat.
(b) A dog.
(c) A donkey.
(d) A bird.

2. The Invoker is what type of priest in "The Sacrifice of the Horse"?
(a) Brahmin.
(b) All-maker.
(c) Hotr.
(d) Yaman.

3. Sarasvati is the goddess of _____.
(a) Speech.
(b) Food.
(c) Weather.
(d) Love.

4. At the end of "The Birth of Agni", what does Agni turn into?
(a) A demon.
(b) A frog.
(c) A horse.
(d) A bull.

5. 'Dhruvam' means _____.
(a) Sweet.
(b) Steadfast.
(c) Sacred.
(d) Loathing.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who repairs the errors committed in the course of the horse sacrifice?

2. "The Origins of Sacred Speech" hymn speaks of the recreation of the origins of sacred speech through _____of the Vedic sacrifice.

3. Who is a kavi?

4. In the hymn, "In Praise of Generosity", fortune is described as _____.

5. What are the human and demonic enemies of the invading Indo-Aryans?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the state of clarity of the early stages of creation in "The All-maker", according to the author, and why?

2. What is the role of the goat in "The Sacrifice of the Horse" and for whom does it do this?

3. What is the actual content of the secret in "The Mystery of Agni"?

4. What is the nature of the 'child of the waters' and how does this relate to Agni?

5. In "The Creation of the Sacrifice", what is the significance of weaving?

6. Who eats from the tree of knowledge in "The Riddle of the Sacrifice", and what does this mean?

7. Who are the Asuras in the beginning of the Vedas, as opposed to their role toward the end?

8. In the hymn "The Child of the Waters", what do the three women give to the deity, and why?

9. In "Aditi and the Birth of the Gods", what does the author think is meant by the poet's seeing the birth of the gods?

10. What are the the three forms of speech highlighted in the hymn, "Speech", and what do they represent?

(see the answer keys)

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