Chapter 2

Question 1

subcontinent

Answer 1

a large landmass that is smaller than a continent

Question 2

monsoons

Answer 2

seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons

Question 3

Sanskrit

Answer 3

the most important language of ancient India

Question 4

caste system

Answer 4

divided Indian society into groups based on a person birth, wealth, or occupation

Question 5

Hinduism

Answer 5

the largest religion in India today

Question 6

reincarnation

Answer 6

a process of rebirth

Question 7

karma

Answer 7

the effects that good or bad actions have on a person’s soul

Question 8

Jainism

Answer 8

was based on the teachings of a man named Mahavira

Question 9

nonviolence

Answer 9

or the avoidance of violent actions

Question 10

fasting

Answer 10

or going without food

Question 11

meditation

Answer 11

the focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas

Question 12

Buddhism

Answer 12

a religion based on the teachings of the Buddha

Question 13

nirvana

Answer 13

a state of perfect peace

Question 14

missionaries

Answer 14

or people who to spread their religious beliefs

Question 15

metallurgy

Answer 15

the science of working with metals

Question 16

alloys

Answer 16

mixtures of two or more metals

Question 17

Hindu-Arabic numerals

Answer 17

the numbers we use today are called this

Question 18

inoculation

Answer 18

or injecting a person with a small dose of a virus to help him or her build up defenses to a disease

Question 19

astronomy

Answer 19

the study of stars and planets

Question 20

the Buddha

Answer 20

the “Enlightened One”